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A "top-level" member of the Arsenal squad has just agreed to join an elite European side, with the Gunners now locked in club-to-club talks over a deal.

Players who could still leave Arsenal before deadline day

A few noteworthy players have already departed Mikel Arteta's side, with Cedric Soares, Mohamed Elneny, Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga all moving on to new pastures on either a temporary basis or permanently.

"Technical" ace will sign £65k-per-week deal to join Arsenal after agreement

His club are preparing to sell to Edu.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2024

Soares and Elneny waved goodbye to London Colney following the expiry of their contracts late last month, while both Tavares and Lokonga sealed initial loan moves elsewhere with buy-out clauses inserted in their deals.

The former penned a five-year contract at Lazio, as Marco Baroni's side are obligated to trigger Tavares' £7.5 million buy-clause next summer. Sevilla, while not obligated, have the option to sign Lokonga permanently for around £10 million at the end of next season.

Player

Average match rating

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

WhoScored

Young striker Mika Biereth also sealed a move back to Austrian side Sturm Graz, with Edu Gaspar and the Gunners recruitment team shaking hands on a £4 million transfer for the Dane. Following these series of exits from the Emirates Stadium, it is believed a few more players could join the list.

Thomas Partey, Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe are all being regularly linked with outside clubs and face uncertain futures under Arteta, while the same can be said for striker Eddie Nketiah. The Englishman scored six goals across 37 cameos in all competitions last season, but more often than not found himself coming off the bench in that time.

The north Londoners are believed to be in the market for a new striker, with Arsenal considering a move for Ajax forward Brian Brobbey among others. If Edu and co are successful in their pursuit of a new number nine and partner for Kai Havertz, Nketiah would be pushed further down the pecking order.

Eddie Nketiah agrees to join Marseille from Arsenal

Elite French side Marseille, who boast a plethora of honours throughout their history, including a Champions League trophy and nine Ligue 1 title triumphs, have registered a serious interest lately. According to HITC and journalist Graeme Bailey, Nketiah has now agreed personal terms to join Marseille from Arsenal, with the two clubs now locked in talks over his final fee.

Arsenal want £50 million to sell the 25-year-old, but the Ligue 1 giants are not willing to meet that price yet, so a compromise may have to be reached.

In any case, despite his lack of starting opportunities towards the back end of last campaign, Nketiah has been praised as a "top-level" player by Arteta and is clearly highly rated within the club going by his valuation.

Indeed, trainers who've worked with him also highlight Nketiah's attitude and work rate.

"One of the best athletes we’ve got on our books in terms of his attitude and commitment,” said Athletic Development Club director Chris Varnavas to ESPN via talkSPORT.

“He’s just on another level. His goal was to build a bit of muscle, build some strength, improving his overall athleticism so his strength, his speed, his power. We sat down with the family, with himself, we put a plan together. What we do in the gym, can we transfer it to the pitch? That’s the most important thing.

“As you saw the other day he had a good amount of strength to hold off the defender but also be agile enough to turn efficiently and score an amazing goal as well. What I like about Eddie is he is very humble. He takes his instructions really well.

“Even when he first came to us, when he was around the first team but maybe on the bench here and there, he had that inner belief in himself that he could be Arsenal’s main striker. He never doubted his self-worth.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers sold Max Kilman to West Ham United over three weeks ago, collecting a £40m fee for their captain, who has now reunited with former boss Julen Lopetegui.

Where's the panic? In an alternate reality, trepidation would be setting in as Wolves look destined for a season of struggle, having lost their defensive linchpin, but Gary O'Neil has worked wonders in cultivating a positive, enthusiastic team drilled in togetherness and shaped by sharp tactical understanding. There's no need for panic.

Sporting director Matt Hobbs has addressed pressing concerns early on, welcoming Jorgen Strand Larsen to the frontline, tying down Tommy Doyle to a permanent deal and layering the squad with youthful buttressing through signings of Rodrigo Gomes, 21, and 18-year-old full-back Pedro Lima.

However, the fact remains that Kilman needs replacing, but that precious Old Gold is in good hands and there is confidence that the right deal will be done.

Wolves transfer news

According to a report from German outlet Wetterauer Zeitung over the weekend, Wolves are still interested in signing Nico Elvedi after failing in a bid last summer, and could now move to sign the Swiss defender following Kilman's sale, attracted by his £8.5m release clause.

The Borussia Monchengladbach player has claimed that he could be interested in leaving his outfit after nine years of service, and his style of play could see him effectively replace Kilman at Molineux.

What Nico Elvedi would bring to Wolves

Elvedi, aged 27, is a well-rounded defender with athletic qualities that would make him a custom-made fit for life in the Premier League.

Goals scored

0.07

Top 25%

Pass completion

88.8%

Top 20%

Progressive carries

1.34

Top 15%

Interceptions

1.56

Top 20%

Clearances

5.44

Top 7%

Having amassed 303 appearances for his German Bundesliga outfit, notching 25 goal contributions, the 6 foot 2 defender is itching for a new challenge and could find the perfect project in O'Neil's Wolves, especially considering his stylistic similarities to the departed Kilman.

Kilman, praised as a "monster" by presenter Tom Parker in the past, is a sound centre-back but has a unique element to his craft in that he is an adept ball carrier, able to penetrate the opposing lines with his forward drives.

And after all, Elvedi is much more than just an impressive dribbler. As per Sofascore, the £57k-per-week star completed 89% of his passes in the German top flight last year, averaging 4.6 ball recoveries and 4.8 clearances per game and remarkably winning 70% of his ground duels.

Such numbers speak of Elvedi's dynamism and robust approach to his defending, covering much ground and rebuffing danger with a frightening regularity.

Kilman isn't exactly just a good ball progressor either, averaging 4.7 recoveries and clearances per game in the Premier League last season and winning 63% of his duels, but this simply serves to deepen the argument that, yes, the Gladbach defender would be a worthy successor.

Once hailed as “incredible” by former Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl, Elvedi would be a creditable signing to shrewdly replace Kilman. At a bargain £8.5m figure, it's surely a no-brainer.

Wolves continuing to monitor £10m titan who'd be great for Toti

Gary O’Neil looks to add another defender to his squad this summer…

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 29, 2024

West Ham United have work to do after losing their Premier League opener against Aston Villa. It wasn't the start that an incensed Julen Lopetegui would have wanted but the positives were there.

Having lost their European membership after missing out on top six last term, West Ham have repackaged their first team with several exciting signings, though there may be more still to come.

Minutes played

73'

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

2 (0)

Touches

21

Accurate passes

6/9 (67%)

Key passes

0

Dribble attempts

0/0

Total duels won

0/2

Against Villa, Michail Antonio flattered to deceive up, looking isolated and negligent of defensive duties. The burly Niclas Fullkrug has been signed from Borussia Dortmund in a £27m deal, but Lopetegui seems to want another striker to complete his frontline.

Well, despite a hefty summer outlay, West Ham might just have found the perfect player to strengthen Lopetegui's accord…

West Ham's search for a striker

As per Football Insider, Tammy Abraham is on West Ham's shortlist as the summer transfer window wheels into the final phase. Shooting for AS Roma, the Englishman has been transfer listed for €25m (£21m) following the signing of Artem Dovbyk from Girona.

Abraham, aged 26, spent the majority of the 2023/24 season out injured but boasts a proven goalscoring record throughout his career – with several European trophies to boot.

With efforts to sign Villa's Jhon Duran seemingly exhausted, this could be the perfect move for Lopetegui's outfit, which has its sights set on reclaiming a place on the continent.

What Tammy Abraham would bring to West Ham

Abraham has enjoyed a career laden with success, and while he has been blighted by recent misfortune, there is every chance that he would rekindle his finest form with a transfer back to the Premier League.

AS Roma

119 (86)

37

13

2x

Chelsea

82 (51)

30

10

1x

Bristol City

48 (42)

26

4

0x

Aston Villa

40 (40)

26

3

1x

Swansea City

39 (21)

8

4

0x

Like Fullkrug, the former Chelsea star is rangy and effective as a focal frontman, but he is more dynamic, with sharper and breezier mobility and a creative sheen besides – indeed, across his first two Serie A campaigns, Abraham averaged one key pass per game.

And let's not forget that his maiden year in the Italian capital saw 27 goals plundered en route to triumph in the Europa Conference League, with the player remarking that his manager at the time, Jose Mourinho, had turned him into a "monster".

Standing at 6 foot 3, the 11-cap England international is indeed a towering presence but he's nimble and slippery with an intelligence to dart between the lines and latch onto threaded passes.

Now, who might West Ham have to complement that particular skill…

Imagine him & Lucas Paqueta

Lucas Paqueta's long-term future is up in the air, with the FA continuing their investigation into the Brazilian's alleged spot-fixing, but he started the current campaign with a goal, scoring from the spot on Saturday but unable to prevent his team from falling to defeat.

An elite-level player, the 26-year-old could indeed form a deadly partnership with Abraham, providing him with support to ensure that he would hit the ground running upon returning to London.

Once hailed as a "goal machine" by former youth coach Stephen Elliott, Abraham would carry the nuts and bolts of the centre-forward game into the London Stadium and would find those natural-born properties enhanced considerably by a playmaker of Paqueta's distinction.

Paqueta – who was the subject of a £80m approach from Manchester City one year ago, before the aforementioned charges materialised – ranked among the top 12% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 8% for tackles and the top 9% for aerial battles won per 90, as per FBref.

Those lattermost metrics are particularly eye-catching. Sure, everyone knows of the £150k-per-week phenom's creative flair, but his tenacious defensive work rate is so important for West Ham too – perhaps more so, in a way.

Encompassing the scope of the midfield game, Paqueta would make Abraham virtually unplayable with his surgical passing, and he would also enable the Roma ace to cause damage in the final third by applying tough-tackling pressure from deep.

Last season, in the Premier League, the dynamo averaged 2.3 tackles, 6.3 ball recoveries and a whopping 7.6 successful duels per game, alternating between the centre of the field and out wide on the left but invariably performing with energy and commitment.

With players like Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme signed to Lopetegui's team this summer, Paqueta will be expected to perform from a central position with regularity, thrusting forward to influence and dictate.

Fullkrug provides the steel and doggedness that can change a game, while Antonio's power and physique make him a constant threat, despite the fact that he is 34 years old.

In Abraham, though, West Ham might just find that they gain the services of a striker who can perform with a multi-skilled ability, all the while inflicting damage with a sharp shooting quality.

For a player whose "currency is goals", as was said by one-time Aston Villa boss Dean Smith, bringing Abraham back to the English top flight feels like something of a no-brainer. Lopetegui boasts a healthy mix of attacking talent, but this could be the final piece to lift the Irons to new heights.

Approach made: West Ham want "complete midfielder" who plays like Odegaard

The Hammers are piecing together an exciting new team…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 16, 2024

With their opening Premier League game against Arsenal just around the corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly turned their attention towards welcoming a replacement for Pedro Neto.

Wolves transfer news

The Midlands club have, of course, just lost Neto to Chelsea in a move worth a reported £54m and must now replace Gary O'Neil's star man to hand their attack a much-needed boost. With a hefty fee to spend, there's no doubt that Wolves will have plenty of options and the likes of Carlos Forbs have already been mentioned.

The Ajax winger is still just 20 years old and could yet be on his way back to the Premier League for the first time since graduating from Manchester City's academy. Given his lack of senior experience in England's top-flight, however, question marks would come over his ability to fill the large void left behind by Neto this summer. Alas, those same questions would not arrive if Wolves targeted a more experienced option.

Fabrizio Romano: Wolves make enquiry to sign £40,000-p/w Premier League ace

He’s a player with plenty of experience…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 14, 2024

According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Wolves now want to sign Yoane Wissa to replace Neto this month, with the Brentford winger allowed to leave the Bees after they completed substantial summer business of their own.

A player who can play in any role across the frontline, signing Wissa has every chance of turning into a stroke of genius if Wolves push ahead with their interest and land a deal for the right price.

Now 27 years old and falling down the pecking order at Brentford thanks to the return of Ivan Toney and the arrival of Fabio Carvalho, a move to the Midlands should also suit Wissa in the next couple of weeks.

"Remarkable" Wissa can replace Neto's quality

More of a goalscorer than Neto, whose best trait is his ability to create for others, Wissa can replace the winger's quality whilst adding a different type of firepower to O'Neil's side. Alongside both Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha, the 27-year-old would undoubtedly thrive in similar fashion to how he has performed next to Bryan Mbeumo and Toney.

Goals

12

3

Assists

2

9

Minutes

2,493

1,516

Ball Recoveries per 90

3.57

4.70

A weakness of Neto's is also a strength of Wissa's, with the Brentford star's availability far more reliable than the injury-prone Neto's. In one swoop, Wolves may well get the perfect replacement without splashing a substantial amount of the £54m received for Neto.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank was full of praise for Wissa last season, saying via the Independent: “I think they are super players. Wissa, we knew, has always been a goalscorer. He scored seven goals in the first season and seven in the second in the Premier League, for a player that didn’t play much. It’s remarkable. I definitely think he is best as a 9. He’s got that nose for goals.”

With just days left until the summer transfer window comes to a close, West Ham United could be in for a late flurry of arrivals, having been linked to a defensive reinforcement alongside Carlos Soler.

West Ham transfer news

The Hammers are undoubtedly among the transfer window's winners this summer, having welcomed several fresh faces who are all ready to make an impact under new manager Julen Lopetegui. They've signed the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Niklas Fullkrug and others in an incredibly impressive window at the London Stadium.

Even after those arrivals, however, West Ham are seemingly not done there. Recent reports have linked those in London with a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler in a move that could be worth £20m in the remaining days of the window. Whilst that rumour continues though, the Hammers are also reportedly eyeing up a defensive reinforcement.

Steidten attempting to sell trio as West Ham hold early talks for £20m star

The Irons want to offload fringe players before making another signing.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 22, 2024

According to Will Unwin of The Guardian, West Ham and Lopetegui are also eyeing a move to sign Victor Nelsson alongside Soler in a deal that could reportedly be worth just £12m this summer.

Nelsson would likely arrive to replace Kurt Zouma, who looked set to leave earlier in the summer before his move to Shabab Al-Ahli collapsed. With the Frenchman's future still in doubt, however, they could swoop for Nelsson to replace the veteran defender before the end of the month.

That said, they're not the only side supposedly interested in the 25-year-old's signature, with Sevilla, Lille and Bologna also eyeing moves to sign the Galatasaray man.

"Superb" Nelsson could complete Lopetegui's options

With both Kilman and Todibo to choose from already, it's unlikely that Nelsson would instantly emerge as a starter in Lopetegui's star-studded side this season. But squad depth is key and the Dane would undoubtedly add that.

Now 25 years old and potentially on course to seal his biggest move yet, Nelsson's rise is one that Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig saw coming, dubbing the Galatasaray man a "superb centre-back" back in 2020.

There could be plenty more to come from Nelsson too, especially if he completes a move to the Premier League. Potentially replacing Zouma at West Ham for just £12m, the Dane may become another shrewd summer signing at the London Stadium.

As time runs out in the summer transfer window, however, the Hammers may need to make their move sooner rather than later to sign the central defender.

It's fair to say Birmingham City's transfer activity in League One during the recently closed transfer window was a major topic of conversation amongst avid EFL followers all summer long, as the money-rich Blues splashed significant amounts of cash for the lowly division.

Jay Stansfield, alone, on transfer deadline day, set back Birmingham a mind-boggling £20m, setting a record for the division as the most expensive purchase ever made.

The pressure is very much on the Blues to instantly return back to the Championship, therefore, with a failure to do so somewhat embarrassing when you consider the mega millions thrown at this new-look Birmingham team assembled by Chris Davies.

Of course, the whole host of new signings through the door has resulted in a number of previous first-team faces at St Andrew's tumbling down the pecking order, which includes former Wolverhampton Wanderers man Dion Sanderson.

Sanderson's future at Birmingham

The 24-year-old centre-back had found himself out of Davies' first team recently owing to two yellow cards being picked up away at Charlton Athletic on the second match-day of the fresh League One campaign, but he has since struggled to slot back in at the heart of the defence even when back in contention.

The promotion-chasing giants have looked comfortable at the back without their number five being present over the last few league encounters, as new summer recruit from SV Darmstadt 98 in the form of Christoph Klarer has struck up a decent partnership with Blues stalwart Krystian Bielik in the centre-back spots.

Minutes played

90

90

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

1

0

Touches

128

112

Accurate passes

104/112 (93%)

83/95 (87%)

Clearances

4

5

Blocked shots

1

1

Interceptions

1

1

Tackles

1

2

Duels won

7/9

15/19

Looking at their joint numbers when playing together versus Wigan, both Klarer and Bielik will feel super confident about their positions in Davies' starting XI moving forward, with a ridiculous 22 duels won between them against the Latics.

Klarer was even keen to show off his ability on the ball in the contest, helping to assist Scott Wright's last-gasp winner in the game, as the former Rangers man ended his debut at St. Andrew's in the best way possible.

Sanderson will be apprehensive about his chances of breaking back into the first-team going forward, therefore, with the Birmingham number five also somewhat tainted by being a part of the side that saw the Blues fall to League One in humiliating fashion.

It feels like a missed opportunity was had towards the back end of the window to try and offload the 24-year-old, with Salary Sport stating that the 6 foot 2 defender actually earns more per week than Stansfield.

Sanderson's wage at Birmingham

As of 2024, Sanderson finds himself earning a healthy pay packet of £12k-per-week, whilst Stansfield reportedly earned a slightly lesser £10k-per-week last season.

The statement deadline day arrival will want to instantly hit the ground running when he's unleashed onto League One defences soon, having sat out the narrow win against Wigan last time out.

Scoring the strike above when making his debut during his first spell, the former Fulham youth product could become a man-possessed in the league below, having fired home 13 goals from 47 games when the Blues were swamped in a relegation battle in the Championship.

Netting 24 senior goals across his fledging playing days to date, after becoming known as a deadly finisher at youth level for the Cottagers with a staggering 31 strikes managed from just 27 games in the U18 set-up, the 21-year-old will hope he can live up to his bumper new price-tag and his billing as a potent goal machine.

Whereas, Sanderson – who is now looking unsure of his first-team spot – doesn't quite justify his hefty salary, as the 24-year-old now ponders his immediate future in the West Midlands.

Imagine him & May: Birmingham pursuing outrageous deadline day swoop

Birmingham City are lavishly splashing the cash right up until the transfer window shutting.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 30, 2024

Celtic have gained a strong reputation over the years for developing talented young prospects before selling them on for big profit to European teams.

The likes of Virgil van Dijk, who joined Southampton for £13m in 2015, Fraser Forster, Victor Wanyama, and Gary Hooper all earned big moves away from Parkhead from the Neil Lennon era.

More recently, Kieran Tierney completed a staggering £25m move to Premier League giants Arsenal from the Hoops in the summer of 2019, which made him the most expensive Scottish player in history.

That fee was matched by the one that the Bhoys raked in from Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad for Portuguese forward Jota, who left for £25m in the summer of 2023.

These sales show that the Hoops have made a habit of raking in huge sums of money for their talents over the years, which suggests that they have created a nurturing environment that allows players to thrive whilst winning trophies for the club.

The latest example of their fantastic work in that respect is central midfielder Matt O’Riley, who recently completed a move to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Celtic's Matt O'Riley blinder

Former Celtic head coach Ange Postecoglou moved to sign the English-born starlet from League One side MK Dons for a reported fee of £1.5m at the start of 2022.

The 21-year-old central midfielder did not take long to adjust to football in Scotland, with a return of four goals and three assists in 16 Scottish Premiership appearances.

It was immediately clear that the Hoops had struck gold by signing the midfield maestro for a fee of just £1.5m, as he made an instant impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the club.

O’Riley followed that up with four goals and 14 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants in his first full season under Postecoglou.

The 23-year-old star then produced a staggering 19 goals and 18 assists in 49 outings in all competitions for Celtic under Brendan Rodgers last term, with the bulk of those goal contributions coming in the Premiership.

Appearances

37

Goals

18

Big chances created

14

Assists

13

Dribbles completed per game

1.0

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international provided a huge threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position for the Northern Irish head coach in the 2023/24 campaign.

His sensational form in Scotland attracted interest from down south and Brighton & Hove Albion eventually won the race for his signature for a reported fee of £25m.

Celtic played a blinder with the former Fulham prospect as they snapped him up for just £1.5m from MK Dons and turned him into a £25m player in less than three years.

The Hoops do not always manage their talent perfectly, however, as they once allowed a player to leave for nothing and he is now worth more than O’Riley in the present day.

Celtic fumbled Andy Robertson

Current Liverpool star Andy Robertson started his youth career with the Bhoys in 2003, at the age of nine, and spent six years in the academy before his departure in 2009.

The Scottish ace was released in the summer of 2009, at the age of 15, and later revealed that he went home and cried after that rejection, as it was his dream – having been a season ticket holder at the club at the age of two – to play in front of a packed out crowd at Parkhead.

Robertson has also spoken of the reasons behind his exit from Paradise. The Hoops opted against keeping hold of the youngster due to his lack of height and physicality, whilst he was one of a number of players who were allowed to move on for that reason.

The young gem was then picked up by Queen’s Park before joining Dundee United in the Premiership in 2013, which is where he produced three goals and six assists in 36 league outings.

After just one season with Dundee United, Premier League outfit Hull City swooped in to sign him for a reported fee of £2.8m in 2014, and that is where his rise in English football began.

Andy Robertson's current market value

At the time of writing (12/09/2024), Robertson currently has an Expected Transfer Value (xTV) of €34.6m (£29.2m), as per FootballTransfers, thanks to his fantastic form over the years in England.

This means that he is currently worth more than Matt O’Riley, who just joined Brighton for £25m, despite being seven years older than the Dane – at 30.

His rise in value over the years has been down to his sensational form for Liverpool, having signed for the Reds after three years and 115 appearances for Hull, where he has won the Premier League and the Champions League.

Jurgen Klopp’s side paid an initial fee of £8m, rising to £10m, for the Scotland international in the summer of 2017 and his current market value suggests that they struck gold, as he is worth significantly more than that after seven years at Anfield.

17/18

22

5

18/19

36

11

19/20

36

12

20/21

38

7

21/22

29

10

22/23

34

8

23/24

23

2

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish dynamo has been a consistent source of creativity down the left flank for Liverpool over the years.

Robertson has racked up 59 assists in his Premier League career, for the Reds and Hull combined, and currently tops the charts for assists by a defender in the history of the league, as he has overtaken Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return of 58.

The Liverpool star, who was once described as a “world-class” player by Klopp, has developed into one of the best defenders in Premier League history, as evidenced by the incredible record he currently holds.

£5m Celtic flop who was sold by Rodgers is outscoring Kyogo this season

The Hoops allowed the centre-forward to move on from Parkhead last summer.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 11, 2024

All of this – his soaring value, his performances, Klopp’s praise, his record in the English top-flight – suggests that Celtic blundered when they released him for nothing back in 2009, as they failed to make the most of the ‘world-class’ talent on their books.

As the Champions League returned in midweek, Liverpool reportedly sent scouts to watch one target in action who once dominated Trent Alexander-Arnold in a Reds defeat.

Liverpool transfer news

The January transfer window could be a busy one for Arne Slot and Liverpool, with the Dutchman settling in well and getting to know exactly what his side need in terms of winter reinforcements. On that front, reports have suggested that the Reds want to sign both a left-back and defensive midfielder in 2025, having been linked with moves for the likes of Milos Kerkez as a result.

Slot must drop Jota and finally unleash Liverpool's "unstoppable" star

The Reds need to return to winning ways in the Premier League…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 21, 2024

The Bournemouth full-back enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League last time out and has picked up where he left off in an excellent start to the current season. Anfield, of course, could get the chance to see his quality for themselves when the Cherries square up against a Liverpool side looking to avoid back-to-back Premier League defeats.

Aside from a defensive midfielder and a left-back, meanwhile, those in Merseyside could also strengthen their attacking options once again in 2025 with reports suggesting that they’ve set their sights on one star winger.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool sent scouts to watch Ademola Lookman in Atalanta’s 0-0 draw against Arsenal in the Champions League this week. The Gunners were also taking note of his quality, while both teams were also watching his teammate, midfielder Ederson, who has long been linked with Premier League sides.

Alexander-Arnold would certainly be a relieved man if Liverpool signed Lookman, having struggled against the former Everton man on more than one occasion, including when he ripped the Reds academy graduate to shreds in Leicester City’s 1-0 victory in 2021.

The winger came off the bench in the 56th minute, before netting what proved to be the winner in the 59th minute and ending the game having won six of nine duels and completed 100% of his passes and take-ons to leave Alexander-Arnold bewildered.

With that said, it’s fair to say that the Liverpool star would rather call Lookman his teammate rather than opponent.

"Instinctive" Lookman could now combine with Trent

It would be quite the turn of events if Lookman – a former Everton player – arrived at Anfield to form a deadly partnership with Alexander-Arnold down Liverpool’s right-hand side for years to come. Now 26 years old and in his prime, there couldn’t be a better time for the Nigeria international to finally make his mark in the Premier League once and for all.

Dubbed “instinctive” by analyst Ben Mattinson after scoring a hat-trick in Atalanta’s shock Europa League victory over Bayer Leverkusen last season, Lookman is one to watch having even made his way onto the Ballon d’Or shortlist.

With plenty of interest in his signature, Liverpool cannot afford to hesitate when chasing the arrival of the Atalanta man, however.

Arsenal have been blessed with some incredible players and legends over the years, from the likes of Tony Adams and Ian Wright to Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira.

However, for every icon of the game who donned the red and white of the Gunners, it feels like they have supposedly missed out on six others.

Stories about Arsène Wenger missing out on Kylian Mbappé, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and even Cristiano Ronaldo are all too familiar to the fans.

Still, another Premier League superstar was once on the North Londoners’ wishlist in 2012, but they ended up with Lukas Podolski.

Podolski's Arsenal career

In April 2012, it was announced that Arsenal had secured the services of German international Podolski for a fee said to have been just £10.9m the month before.

The former Bayern Munich star moved to North London from Koln that summer, and while his stint with the club wasn’t the most illustrious, he became something of a cult hero for his aggressive style of play and thunderous left peg.

In all, the Gliwice-born dynamo would make 82 appearances under Wenger, in which he’d score 31 goals, provide 15 assists, and win an FA Cup before joining Italian giants Inter Milan on a six-month loan in January 2015 and then sealing a permanent move to Galatasaray the following summer for around £1.8m.

The next nine years saw the supremely talented attacker win leagues in Turkey with Gala and Japan with Vissel Kobe before joining Polish side Gornik Zabrze in July 2021, where he is still playing today.

Overall, while Podolski wasn’t a bad player for Arsenal and scored some brilliant goals in his time with the club, he is incomparable to the player the Gunners were supposedly keen on signing that same summer.

When Arsenal wanted to sign Eden Hazard

Yes, the future Premier League icon that Arsenal wanted to sign in the same summer they bought Podolski was Eden Hazard, and by all accounts, he wanted the move as well.

In an interview with French outlet DH in April 2021, the Belgian’s former agent, John Bico, revealed that the Gunners, Chelsea, both Manchester clubs and Tottenham were keen on his client.

However, even though a move to the red side of North London was Hazard’s “number one choice”, Bico convinced him to join the Pensioners due to Arsenal’s position at the time and the number of young players already there.

Interestingly, in another interview with GOAL, former chief transfer negotiator Dick Law revealed that it was the cost involved that stopped them from pulling the trigger back then.

Unfortunately for the North Londoners, Lille eventually sold their incredible talent to Chelsea for around £32m. Over the next seven years, he would go on to become a Premier League “legend,” as Chelsea fan Frank Khalid dubbed him.

In all, the La Louvière-born icon made 352 appearances for the West Londoners, in which he scored 110 goals, provided 85 assists, and won almost everything there is to win, including two Premier League titles, two Europa Leagues, an FA Cup, and a League Cup.

Appearances

352

Goals

110

Assists

85

Goal Involvements per Match

0.55

He then netted the club up to £130m from Real Madrid, although the less said about his time in Spain, the better.

Ultimatley, Podolski was a reasonably successful signing for Arsenal given the price and shouldn’t be looked upon as a mistake, but it certainly was a mistake not to also sign Hazard that same summer, as the Belgian is undoubtedly a Premier League great.

100% dribbles: Arsenal's 7/10 star is now becoming as undroppable as Raya

The sensational talent has been on fire this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 20, 2024

Leeds United had a busy summer of transfer business in the recent window as Daniel Farke made a number of changes to his playing squad at Elland Road.

The Whites head coach lost a few of his star players from the 2023/24 campaign, after they failed to earn promotion to the Premier League, as Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Glen Kamara, and Archie Gray all moved on permanently.

Those exits allowed the West Yorkshire outfit to bring in players of their own to bolster the manager’s options across the park, with the likes of Largie Ramazani, Manor Solomon, Ao Tanaka, Joe Rothwell, Joe Rodon, and Jayden Bogle, among others, coming in.

Farke did not, however, swoop to add another centre-forward option to his playing squad, instead deciding to keep faith in Joel Piroe, Patrick Bamford, and Mateo Joseph for the first half of the season at least.

In the 2023/24 season, those three strikers combined for 23 goals in the Championship, including the play-offs, and Piroe accounted for 14 of those strikes.

How Leeds' strikers have performed this season

At the start of the current campaign, Farke decided to place his faith in 20-year-old academy graduate Joseph to be his first-choice centre-forward.

The Spain U21 international had not started any of his previous 20 appearances in the Championship for Leeds before starting the first eight games of this term, as the manager handed him a huge chance to showcase his quality on a regular basis.

Joseph had mixed success in those eight outings. He struggled in front of goal – with one strike from 1.91 xG – but did provide quality creativity with four ‘big chances’ created and four assists.

Piroe, meanwhile, had scored three goals off the bench in eight appearances before finding the back of the net for a fourth time, from the start, against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The Dutchman, however, has not created a single ‘big chance’ for his teammates and has lost 69% of his duels in the division, which shows that he has fallen short at the creative and physical side of the game.

Bamford has made three appearances off the bench in the league and is yet to contribute with a goal or an assist, whilst he has only completed 55% of his attempted passes.

Leeds do not currently have an all-round striker who is able to lead the line effectively and offer goals, assists, mobility, and physicality, as shown by Joseph’s goalscoring woes and Piroe’s lack of creativity and strength.

The Whites could find that complete centre-forward and help to fire Farke’s side to promotion this season by revisiting their previous interest in Norwich City sensation Josh Sargent, who the 49ers were keen to bring to Elland Road in the past.

Leeds United's previous interest in Josh Sargent

In the summer of 2023, Football Insider reported that Leeds were eyeing up a late swoop in August to sign the USA international from the Canaries on a permanent deal.

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The same outlet later claimed that Sargent was keen to complete a move to Yorkshire at the time and would have been open to working with Farke again, after the German boss had signed him for Norwich from Werder Bremen ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

It added that the Yellows were reluctant to lose the former Bundesliga starlet but that it also would not take a ‘huge’ fee to secure his services before the end of the window.

Appearances

40

Goals

13

Big chances missed

9

Big chances created

5

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, Sargent had scored 13 goals and provided two assists in 40 appearances in the Championship during the previous campaign, playing under Dean Smith and David Wagner.

Only 19 of those games came as a centre-forward, though, and his form in front of goal for the Canaries has been far more impressive since the start of last season, as he has been exclusively used as a number nine.

Leeds did not end up securing a deal for the American dynamo in the summer of 2023 and must now revisit their interest in the upcoming January window to fire the team to promotion this season.

Why Leeds should sign Josh Sargent

EFL pundit, presenter, and writer Gab Sutton recently claimed that Sargent “is the best ST in the Championship” and hailed the way he brings the best out of the players around him in the team.

The USA international missed 28 games for club and country last season through an ankle injury and still managed to end the Championship term with 16 goals to his name – at least two more than any of Leeds’ strikers.

Sargent racked up 16 goals from an xG tally of 12.07, which speaks to his exceptional finishing quality at that level, and two assists from 2.74 xA in 24 starts for the Canaries.

Wagner was then sacked at the end of that season and Danish head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup was brought in. The new Norwich manager appears to have got the best out of the attacker’s all-round game in the current campaign.

Appearances

9

Goals

4

Big chances created

3

Assists

3

Duel success rate

47%

As you can see in the table above, Sargent has already recorded more assists this term than he managed last season, whilst also holding largely his own in physical duels and scoring four goals.

The 24-year-old marksman, who has completed 82% of his attempted passes, has scored 20 goals and provided five assists in 33 starts in the Championship since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Meanwhile, Piroe has scored 17 goals in 54 league games during the same period. This suggests that Sargent would come in and offer far more of a goal threat in the number nine position, whilst also offering mobility, physicality, and creativity.

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ByDan Emery Oct 9, 2024

Therefore, Leeds could fire themselves to promotion by swooping to sign an all-round centre-forward who would be an upgrade on all of their current options, whilst already knowing the manager and the league, to bolster their attack and secure a top two position in the second half of the campaign.