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It was another campaign of coming close but falling short for Arsenal again last year. They almost toppled Manchester City from atop their Premier League throne and ended their two-decade title drought, but ultimately finished second for the second successive year.

That said, there was still plenty to be proud of for the North Londoners, and overall, it was a year of progress for many stars in Mikel Arteta's squad, including club captain Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian showed he was a composed and effective leader for his team, but he could have been so much more with a prolific striker ahead of him gobbling up the countless chances he created.

Fortunately for the former Real Madrid wonderkid, recent reports have placed Arsenal at the front of the queue for one of Europe's most exciting strikers.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres and have just been handed a massive boost in their pursuit of him.

The report claims that Napoli have pulled out of the race for the Swedish poacher, and only the Gunners and cross-city rivals Chelsea remain in the hunt for his signature.

The former Coventry City ace has a €100m – £84m – release clause in his contract, but both London sides will look to sign him for less than that, and while both clubs would be attractive destinations, the fact the North Londoners have Champions League football to play next season should see them have a slight advantage.

In all, even at a slightly lower fee and with their advantage over Chelsea, it could prove challenging to sign Gyokeres, but if Arsenal want to finally lift that Premier League trophy next season, then bringing the Swede to N5 would be a great way to make that happen – and his partnership with Odegaard would be unreal.

Why Gyokeres would be a brilliant teammate for Odegaard

Now, the primary reason that Gyokeres would be such a transformational teammate for Odegaard is a rather straightforward one: his output.

In just 50 appearances last season, he scored a staggering 43 goals and provided 15 assists. The season prior, while he wasn't quite as incredible, he still scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in 50 games.

This means that over two years, the Stockholm-born phenom has averaged a goal involvement every 1.08 games, a level of return that is frankly super-human.

In contrast, Arsenal's most prolific striker last season, Kai Havertz, scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 51 matches, while Gabriel Jesus scored eight goals and produced eight assists in 36 appearances, meaning the pair averaged a goal involvement every 2.42 and 2.25 games respectively.

When you consider their serviceable, if not slightly underwhelming, goalscoring record from last season and then compare that to the fact that Understat claims their captain underperformed his expected assists in the league, it becomes abundantly clear that with a player like the Sporting ace ahead of him, Odegaard could very well start overperforming on his assists.

Moreover, with the 6 foot 2 "powerhouse", as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, racking up 27 assists in the last two campaigns, it seems entirely plausible that his presence in Arteta's team would also help the Norwegian wizard improve his already impressive goalscoring record.

Ultimately, while the Gunners have a handful of talented strikers in their squad, they do not possess a truly prolific number nine. However, if they were to sign Gyokeres this summer, they would, and one of the biggest beneficiaries of this potential move would undoubtedly be Odegaard.

Arsenal target "phenomenal" star who'd make Odegaard & Rice even better

The experienced campaigner could help transfer Arteta’s side.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 17, 2024

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Casemiro have been slammed by Red Devils legend Gary Neville for their 'unprofessional' United States trips.

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• Casemiro and Rashford travel to the U.S.
• Neville criticises their 'unprofessional' trips
• Believes jet lag may hinder performances

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rashford was present at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday for the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks NBA game as he was left out of England's squad for the international break yet again. Meanwhile, Casemiro also jetted off to the States to Orlando for a family holiday at Disney World, as seen on his Instagram.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Manchester United legend and Sky Sports pundit Neville has now ripped into the duo for their 'unprofessional' trips to the United States as they continue to struggle for form and overall fitness. The duo returned to training on Monday as they joined up with new boss Ruben Amorim, who has been working at Carrington since the start of the international break.

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  WHAT NEVILLE SAID

  Speaking on the Sky Bet's Stick To Football podcast, Neville said: “The professionalism, looking after your body and making sure you’re best prepared for the next training session is critical to every decision you make during the season.

  "He has got a mental break, he’s got to get away and has got to rest with friends – then you talk about the choice of venue. How far do you fly? What’s the time difference? Is that going to give a jet lag issue Is that going to give a stiffness issue from being on a flight for 12 hours?

  “This is on Casemiro more than Rashford, but if I’m 30 years old and I’m looking after my body – and he’s won five Champions Leagues and is an unbelievable player – but if he was away with Brazil for 10 days, we would say he would struggle this weekend because he’s been away."

  Neville continued: "They [Casemiro and Marcus Rashford] have chosen that international break. If you're talking about the minor details in being as professional as you can be and as prepared you can be for a training session on a Monday night, that isn’t the best choice of venue.

  “I’m not that wound up about Rashford and Casemiro going over to the United States, but what I’m asking is, if you’ve got a four-day break, Portland is a 12-hour flight and an eight-hour time difference, your jet lag is bad, and you feel a bit [rough].

  “They went to Portland, and I’m asking the question based on professionalism – you’re playing badly, the team are losing, you're 13th in the league, and there's a new manager coming in – would you choose that trip as a break to recharge your batteries? That’s not a recharging trip. It’s not right that.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Rashford and Casemiro may both be starters for Amorim's Manchester United debut on Sunday, November 24 when the Red Devils take on Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Southampton are "in pole position" to complete the signing of an award-winning international player in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh claim.

Southampton transfer news

The Saints are edging towards their first game back in the Premier League after a year away, with supporters hopeful that a new era under Russell Martin is only improving all the time. New signings are needed to ensure that happens, however, and the south coast club continue to be linked with players.

Southampton are believed to be in a strong position to sign Ben Breteton Diaz from Villarreal this summer, having spent last term on loan at Sheffield United. The Blades' relegation to the Championship back in May means the Chile international could remain in a top European league with Southampton, though.

Another rumoured Saints transfer target is Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who could be viewed as one for the future by Martin. He may also be considered someone who could shine alongside Adam Armstrong in attack, providing good service to the speedy striker.

Attacking players seems to be the order of the day for Southampton in the current transfer window, with West Brom's Brandon Thomas-Asante also linked with a switch to St Mary's before the 2024/25 season gets underway.

Southampton "in pole position" to sign 20 y/o

According to journalist Sebastien Denis on X, Southampton are also leading the way to sign Metz midfielder Lamine Camara this summer, with the French club rejecting a bid of more than €15m (£12.6m) from Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah. They've also seemingly turned down the "latest offer" from the Saints.

"Lamine Camara refused a crazy offer from Al Qadsiah who offered more than €15 million to Metz. The Senegal international wants to join the Premier League. Southampton are still in pole position to recruit one of L1's revelations but the latest offer submitted by the Saints does not suit FC Metz…"

Camara may not be the household name that some Saints supporters crave this summer, but that's not to say that he doesn't possess real pedigree as a footballer, not to mention being a young player with great potential.

The 20-year-old was voted the Best Young Player in the African Cup of Nations group stage earlier this year, scoring two goals in three appearances for Senegal in the competition. He already has 23 caps to his name for his country, scoring six times, and there is no reason why he shouldn't only improve in the coming years.

He wants to join: Southampton looking at “extraordinary” Adams upgrade

Southampton would get over the blow of Che Adams leaving a lot quicker if this star was to join soon.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 26, 2024

Having enough firepower is essential for Southampton as they look to avoid a quickfire return to the Championship next season, and Camara is someone who can not only thrive in attack-minded midfield areas, but also play a more disciplined role in the middle of the park. Such versatility could appeal to Martin, as he looks to add as much depth as possible, making this one to watch.

FIFA have announced the shortlists for The Best Men's and Women's Coach awards with names like Pep Guardiola and Emma Hayes headlining.

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• Shortlist for The Best FIFA Men's Coach released
• The Best FIFA Women's Coach nominees also confirmed
• Voting open with ceremony scheduled for January

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  FIFA announced the nominees for a whole host of The Best awards. The shortlist for The Best Men's Coach includes Manchester City's Guardiola, Real Madrid's Ancelotti, Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and Spain boss Luis de La Fuente. Scaloni and Guardiola are the only two coaches from the list to have previously won the award.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  FIFA also announced eight nominees for The Best Women's Coach award with USWNT and former Chelsea coach Hayes headlining the list. Other nominees include former Lyon boss and current Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor, former Barcelona and Washington Spirit coach Jonatan Giraldez, Brazil boss Arthur Elias, Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda, Gareth Taylor of Manchester City, Celtic’s Elena Sadiku and Paris FC's Sandrine Soubeyrand.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  This is the first time since 2016 that England boss Sarina Wiegman has not been nominated for The Best FIFA Women's Coach award. The Dutch coach has made it to the top three of the award seven times in a row and has won the award record four times.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Voting is now open on FIFA's website for the Men's Coach and Women's Coach award, along with several other awards. The ceremony is set to take place in January, but an exact date is yet to be confirmed.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has provided a new update regarding Mason Mount's future at Manchester United, with a twist emerging.

Mount struggling to impress at Man United

The Englishman moved to Old Trafford during last year's summer transfer window, completing a big-money move from Chelsea and being considered an exciting piece of business, given the impact he had enjoyed at Stamford Bridge.

Mount's first season as a United player ended up being a hugely disappointing one, however, with his performances a long way short of their best, and injuries playing a big role in his struggles. In the end, he started just five matches in the Premier League, with only nine more coming from the substitutes' bench.

The 25-year-old's lack of action ultimately cost him a place in England's Euro 2024 squad, having done nowhere near enough to justify being a part of Gareth Southgate's plans in Germany. In fact, some rumours have recently linked Mount with a quickfire move away from the Red Devils this summer, with the club believed to be open to selling him.

Now, a significant update has emerged over the midfielder's future at United – one that suggests things may pan out differently for him than has been predicted of late.

Romano drops update on Mount's Man Utd future

Taking to X on Saturday, Romano claimed that there is "no plan" for Manchester United to sell Mason Mount this summer, with the Englishman expected to stay put beyond the current transfer window:

While Mount's first year at United was unquestionably underwhelming, there is still a reason why they were willing to break the bank for him last summer, so persisting with him for at least another year makes sense.

The hope is that the influence of Sir Jim Ratcliffe is beneficial to the 36-time capped England international, with a more settled feeling at the club helping him find his best form, as well as bringing in the right players for him to bounce off in midfield areas.

At 25 years of age, Mount remains a relatively young player with lots to offer, and the fact that none other than Kylian Mbappe once described him as a "superb" footballer says a lot about his ability.

There is no doubt that more is needed from the former Chelsea ace moving forward, however, with more quality and intent needing to be shown in attacking midfield areas, but he has shown in the past what he is capable of, scoring 33 goals and registering 35 assists for the Blues. Should his second season at United also not work out, it would then be more understandable for the club to consider moving him on.

Pep Guardiola has vowed to "rebuild" Manchester City and is determined to "prove himself" by finding a solution to the English champions' dismal form.

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• City are winless in the last six matches
• Squandered a three-goal lead against Feyenoord
• Guardiola working to script a turnaround

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City’s woes are stark, with their Premier League campaign taking a significant hit after three consecutive losses, culminating in a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. Their fortunes in Europe have fared no better. In the Champions League, they squandered a commanding 3-0 lead to settle for a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord, three weeks after losing 4-1 at Sporting CP in the previous matchday.

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  WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  Despite the mounting challenges, Guardiola remains steadfast in his resolve to fix the problems and lead the team forward.

  “I don’t want to run away,” Guardiola told reporters. “I want to be there. I want to rebuild the team in many aspects from now on until the end of the season, then next season try to continue to be up there. Tell me which team around the world in ten years is consistent during ten years? It doesn’t exist. Not even in the NBA, not in tennis, not in golf, not in any sport.

  "It’s not nice to experience what we are going through, but what do you expect? Everyone to roll out the red carpet and make everything nice and easy? There will be no complaining, no blaming, no pointing, and no running away from your responsibility. I have absolutely all [this] on my shoulders and I have to find a solution. I have to prove myself now. I’m trying every day.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Guardiola has won 18 trophies with City since his arrival in 2016 and recently extended his contract by two years. The 53-year-old knows that the phenomenal success rate has helped him survive the sack despite the dismal form but at an ambitious club like City, his lifelines might soon be running out.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

  While this season has posed unexpected challenges, Guardiola remains confident in his ability to guide the team back to their dominant best. They currently sit eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, and their upcoming match at Anfield represents a critical juncture in their season. A defeat at Merseyside will open up an 11-point gap, which might turn out to be an unsurmountable deficit to recover in the title race.

Everton fans who travelled from Australia to attend the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park have been left heartbroken by the game's postponement.

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• Teenager spent savings on travel and ticket
• Game suspended due to Storm Darragh
• Invited to training with Toffees

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per , 15-year-old Mackenzie Kinsella spent around £15,000 to travel from Australia to England to watch his beloved Toffees play in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, only for Storm Darragh to intervene, with the game called off due to safety fears. He also watched the Toffees against Wolves but his derby dream has been dashed; elsewhere, Nathan Hamlin travelled 30 hours from down under, and has revealed to that he was attempting to tick off a "bucket list" item.

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  Since the news of the postponement, Everton captain Seamus Coleman has taken steps to ensure Kinsella can meet his heroes by inviting him to Toffees training. There has been no confirmation of when the game will be rearranged for, so it is unclear if either fan will be able to see the fixture eventually.

• WHAT MACKENZIE'S FAMILY SAID

  Mackenzie's mother said: "When we came back [after Easter], he said it was his dream to go to an Everton v Liverpool game at Goodison Park. He saved up the money, used all his savings and said two weeks ago: ‘I’d really like to go mum – will you let me go?’

  "I said I can’t stop you if you’ve got the money. We’re very proud of him."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Everton play Arsenal on Saturday before a clash with Chelsea the following weekend. Both fans, sadly, are likely to be back in Australia by then.

Everton have submitted a £6.8m offer to sign a 22-year-old defender this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour that has emerged from Italy.

Everton transfer news

The Blues have already got some important and impressive summer transfer business over the line, snapping up the likes of Jake O'Brien, Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom, the latter of whom has arrived on loan from Juventus.

That being said, Everton have lost key midfielder Amadou Onana to Aston Villa, which acts as a clear blow, and the likes of Jordan Pickford, Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been linked with moves away from Goodison Park throughout the summer.

That highlights the importance of making further signings between now and the end of the transfer window, with various names emerging as reported targets in recent days. Two of those are midfield pair Kalvin Phillips and Richard Rios, of Manchester City and Palmeiras respectively, with the Blues reportedly in pole position to sign the former over Villa.

It does appear as though plenty of focus is on finding a replacement for Onana, with the Belgian such an influential figure in the middle of the park before his exit, and Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra is considered another option for Sean Dyche.

In attack, a successor to Calvert-Lewin may also need to be found, or even someone who can provide even more competition for him, and Tammy Abraham has been linked with joining Everton, too. He could leave Roma this summer, following three years with the Serie A giants.

Everton submit bid for 22 y/o international

According to a report from Corriere dello Sport on Saturday [via Goodison News], Everton have made a £6.8m offer for Hellas Verona right-back Jackson Tchatchoua, looking to get a summer move over the line. The bid also includes two bonuses.

The Serie A side are holding out for £8.5m, however, as they prove to be stubborn when it comes to their player, whose current deal doesn't expire until 2027.

Tchatchoua could be exactly what Dyche is looking for at right-back ahead of the new Premier League season, representing a long-term option who could also arrive as a starter from the off. As things stand, Seamus Coleman, Ashley Young and Nathan Patterson are the choices in that position, with the first two ageing individuals who could be squad options instead of key men moving forward.

The young defender made 26 appearances in the league for Verona last season, 19 of which were starts, and he has also won two caps for Cameroon at international level, showing that he can be trusted early on in his career.

Imagine him & DCL: Everton can land their own Nico Williams

He is available for transfer after 1 season at his current club

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 4, 2024

It now looks to be a case of whether Everton are willing to up the amount they bid for Tchatchoua, with Verona holding firm and ensuring they get as much as possible for a prized player. He could be worth every penny if the Blues do bid £8.5m, given the number of years left in him.

Wolves are set to launch an audacious move to sign an England international this summer as they look to flex their transfer muscles ahead of the window slamming shut, it has been reported.

Wolves lose second star man

Much of the speculation at Molineux in recent weeks has surrounded star winger Pedro Neto, and that finally reached a conclusion as it emerged that Chelsea agreed to sign the Portuguese forward.

Neto, who had been linked with Premier League heavyweights Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham this summer, was never off the table should an offer come in, with Gary O'Neil admitting as much at the beginning of August.

The Wolves boss had refused to rule out a sale this summer, explaining that "if a massive bid comes from a top club then no one is going to stand in Pedro’s way", and it is Chelsea who have stumped up £54m for the 24-year-old's signature.

Wolves make offer to sign £2,000-a-week teenager, they've had a response

They are keen to take the centre-back to Molineux this summer.

By
Ben Browning

Aug 9, 2024

The winger will now sign a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge with the option for a seventh. He will become the second big-money sale for the Old Gold this summer, who have already seen club-captain Max Kilman join West Ham United in a £40m deal.

By contrast, incomings have been slow, with only three new faces having been welcomed into the Old Gold's ranks plus the decision to make Tommy Doyle's loan move from Manchester City permanent. But now with close to £100m from player sales alone this summer, Wolves are ready to start spending.

Wolves target move for England international

That comes as one report claims that Wolves are eyeing up an audacious move to sign Arsenal and England shot-stopper Aaron Ramsdale this summer. The England international, who was Jordan Pickford's deputy at EURO 2024, fell out of favour at the Emirates Stadium following the arrival of David Raya last summer. He made just six Premier League appearances and just two after being dropped in favour of Raya, both coming against Brentford when the Spaniard was ineligible.

And he is set to leave this summer in search of first team football, with the Gunners open to selling him. As per Football Insider, Wolves are the latest side to be showing an interest, with O'Neil's side "plotting" to sign the goalkeeper ahead of the transfer deadline.

It is added that Wolves may use Daniel Bentley, who Arsenal have made one offer for, as a potential makeweight in any deal, though given Wolves' valuation of the 31-year-old at just £1m it is unlikely to play much of a role in discussions.

The goalkeeper penned a new deal at Arsenal in 2023, which means that he has just two years left to run on his £120,000-a-week deal at the Emirates Stadium, though the Gunners have an option to extend that deal by a further year, which means that his price is likely to be more than the £25m the north London side paid for him two years ago.

Despite being second choice, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was quick to praise his backup shot stopper last season, dubbing his attitude "exceptional".

“He’s been exceptional around the place with the situation. Like everybody. We love him more for sure. We have him every day. We know him, we know his character and we are really happy to have him."

With Ramsdale still just 26-years-old, he could well have the best part of a decade still at the top, which could make the hefty investment this summer worth it.

Michail Antonio is expected to spend a considerable amount of time out of the game after undergoing surgery on Sunday.

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• Antonio likely to remain out of action for a year
• Underwent surgery on Sunday
• Was involved in a horror car accident

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  West Ham have confirmed that the Jamaica international has undergone surgery following a horrific car accident on Saturday. The forward was airlifted to hospital after being cut free from the wreckage. The Hammers also revealed that Antonio sustained a "lower limb fracture" in the accident.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to , Antonio is likely to remain out of action for at least a year. The 34-year-old will definitely miss the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign and the "best-case scenario" is that he will spend 12 months in rehabilitation. There are also fears that Antonio may be unable to continue his career and may be forced to hang up his boots.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Antonio has remained a key player for the Hammers even in the twilight of his career and has played in every game this season in the top flight. Now, he will be monitored in hospital as his recovery begins in earnest.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WEST HAM?

  On the field, Julen Lopetegui's side will return to Premier League action on Monday, with the Hammers expected to show their support for Antonio at the London Stadium when they face Wolves in a crucial game.