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New England boss Thomas Tuchel has been told that he will love beating Germany with the Three Lions by former coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

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• Tuchel appointed as England head coach
• Only the third foreign manager in men's team history
• Hasselbaink tells him he'll enjoy beating Germany

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England have confirmed the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as the Three Lions' new head coach, with the German succeeding Gareth Southgate. The move makes him only the third foreign manager to take charge of the England national men's team after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, a former Netherlands international, served as a coach under Southgate and has revealed he absolutely loved beating his home country this summer at Euro 2024. He has suggested that the same will be the case with Tuchel against Germany.

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• WHAT HASSELBAINK SAID

  Speaking to BoyleSports about the latest football betting, Hasselbaink said: "It doesn’t matter that Thomas Tuchel isn’t English. When we beat the Netherlands at Euro 2024 there was no sentimental feeling for me as an England coach, it was just one of those things.

  "I was really focused and determined for us to win and I was delighted for the staff and the players that we won the semi-final. It will be the same for Tuchel."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tuchel's appointment has divided the country, with much made over the decision not to hire a homegrown coach. Sky Sports duo Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have particularly been critical, but Hasselbaink defended the FA's call.

  He said: "It’s a difficult one, I understand why Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have said that it would be better to have an English manager, but who is available?

  "Even when you look at all the English managers in general, which of those have a better pedigree and CV than Tuchel? I don’t think any of them do.

  "What we had under Gareth Southgate was unique, I don’t think Tuchel should get questioned because he isn’t English, I knew what my job was when I was working for England and that’s what I did to the best of my ability.

  "It doesn’t matter where he is from, all that matters is that he’s the best person to deliver."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL?

  Tuchel will take charge of the Three Lions at the start of 2025. For the time being, they will remain under the care of interim boss Lee Carsley, who will lead them in their last two games of the Nations League group stage in November.

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham has introduced a strict fashion ban on the club's players, much to Rio Ferdinand's surprise.

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• Beckham a fashion icon in his playing days
• Has set boundaries at Inter Miami
• Banned players from social media posting

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Beckham has always been a trailblazer when it comes to fashion, but his decision to ban Inter Miami's players from sharing their pre-match outfits on social media has raised some eyebrows, including those of his former Manchester United teammate, Ferdinand. Taking a leaf out of his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson's handbook, Beckham has aligned himself with the Scot's no-nonsense approach to discipline on matchdays to prioritise performance.

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  WHAT BECKHAM & FERDINAND SAID

  In a conversation on Ferdinand's , the former defender along with Beckham reminisced about the trend of athletes, particularly in U.S. sports like basketball, flaunting their fashion choices before games. Spanish giants Barcelona also walked down the same path until Hansi Flick banned it.

  During their chat, Beckham revealed that he had done something similar at Inter Miami and said: "Yeah, funnily enough, our team started doing it a couple of times and I stopped that."

  His decision to enforce the ban shocked Ferdinand, who teased Beckham and said: "The man about fashion. The man who broke down all the barriers…"

  Beckham cut him short and clarified: "Yeah, but we weren't winning games at that point."

  Ferdinand agreed and added: "That's the key, see, that's what I'm like. That's like, if I'm my owner, I don't wanna see you on social media if we're seventh or eighth. I can't believe that Mr. Fashion said there's no fashion going on at my football club."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite the early struggles mentioned by Beckham, Inter Miami have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround, thanks largely to the arrival of Messi. This has been a sensational campaign for the Florida-based side with Messi tallying 17 goals and 10 assists in just 18 appearances, which has propelled them to the top of the league standings with 71 points from 33 games.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  Following the international break, Messi and his Inter Miami teammates will face the New England Revolution on Saturday, October 19, in their final league game of the season. The Herons have already clinched the prestigious Supporters’ Shield after a thrilling 3-2 win over Columbus Crew on October 3 and a win in their final match will allow them to break the record for the most points in a single MLS season, surpassing New England’s 2021 record of 73 points.

A homegrown £198,000-per-week player could now be tempted to make a move back to Arsenal this summer, and it is believed the Gunners are equally interested in this potential move.

Edu and Arteta target four key Arsenal signings this summer

The consensus at Arsenal this summer is that they will be in the market for a new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward at least (Simon Collings), as manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar plot ways to evolve the squad further.

£100,000-per-week Arsenal ace set to quit as Premier League side open talks

An official offer is being prepared.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 6, 2024

Defensively, a new full-back who'd come in as a natural alternative to the likes of Ben White, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu is possible. Arsenal are thought to have a real interest in Fenerbahce star Ferdi Kadioglu for the role, but they're also plotting potential moves for centre-backs.

Edu is believed to have his eyes on Crystal Palace stalwart Marc Guehi, who may well depart Selhurst Park this summer amid the growing clamor for his signature. In midfield, Arsenal could need a replacement for Thomas Partey, with the Ghanaian expected to leave after a season of very limited opportunities (Fabrizio Romano).

Going forward, Arsenal are almost certain to sign a prolific new striker, despite the fine form of Kai Havertz in a makeshift number 10 role, as has been widely reported for quite some time now.

Arteta will also need a new goalkeeping stand-in to replace Aaron Ramsdale, so there is quite a bit to do at the Emirates this summer. The England international appears set to leave in the next few months, as reported by reliable journalists like Charles Watts, coming after the former Bournemouth shot-stopper lost his place to David Raya last term.

"It’s a matter of when Ramsdale leaves, not if," said Watts recently.

“The key thing for Arsenal is getting value for money. I saw an initial fee of £15 million mentioned in reports last week and that is quite frankly ridiculous. Arsenal signed Ramsdale for nearly £30m two years ago and he has developed into a far better keeper since then.

“He’s still young, he’s homegrown, an established England international and has a long-term contract. Yes, interested clubs will know that Arsenal’s stance in any negotiations will be weakened somewhat given he is now clearly behind David Raya in the pecking order, but that shouldn’t mean the club should basically give him away."

If or when Ramsdale departs, Arsenal will not only require a new back-up keeper, but also one who could fill their homegrown quota like the 25-year-old.

Arsenal could re-sign Wojciech Szczesny who'd be tempted

Juventus keeper Wojciech Szczesny could be a very interesting candidate, and it is believed that Arsenal are keen on the possibility of a reunion.

Szczesny is thought to be tempted by a move back to England as Arsenal target him, according to HITC, with the £198,000-per-week ace likely to be granted an exit from Turin given their domino of keepers.

The Pole actually does count as a homegrown player, so Arteta could fully replace Ramsdale with a move for the former Gunner.

Celtic enjoyed a very successful month in May as Brendan Rodgers lifted two trophies in his first year back in the dugout with the Scottish giants.

The Northern Irish boss came back for a second spell at Parkhead last summer after Ange Postecoglou decided to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and added two pieces of silverware to the cabinet.

May saw the Hoops secure the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup, as Adam Idah's 90th minute goal in the final at Hampden Park was enough to beat Rangers.

It is now down to the Bhoys to ensure that they enjoy a successful summer transfer window, which officially opened for business last Friday, to compete for more trophies next season.

The midfield is one area that could be looked at by Rodgers after Reo Hatate's injury issues and Paulo Bernardo's return to Benfica upon the expiry of his loan deal with the club.

Celtic's interest in bargain swoop for playmaker

Earlier this year, Football Scotland reported that the Hoops are one of the teams interested in a swoop to sign Callum O'Hare on a free transfer this summer.

The attacking midfielder's contract with English Championship side Coventry City is due to expire at the end of the month, which looks set to open the door for the Scottish giants to potentially snap up a bargain deal for the talented whiz.

Football Scotland described the club's interest in the former Aston Villa youngster as 'genuine' but added that a 'plethora' of English teams are also keen on securing his signature.

The outlet also stated that the Premiership champions could have reached out to speak with the player's representatives towards the end of the campaign to discuss a move, but it remains to be seen whether or not that ended up being the case.

It was recently reported by TEAMtalk that the 26-year-old magician has turned down the chance to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Sky Blues, which means that he will be available for £0 at the start of next month.

However, they added that Leeds United, Burnley, and Southampton are all monitoring his situation ahead of a possible swoop for his services.

This shows that Celtic will face very strong competition to sign O'Hare this summer as at least one Premier League side, the Saints, could make a move for the right-footed playmaker.

Rodgers could now land Hatate 2.0 by winning the race to sign the Coventry star on a free transfer ahead of their English rivals at the start of July.

Reo Hatate's season in numbers for Celtic

The Scottish giants may want to add another midfielder who can step up and play in place of the Japan international when needed next season, due to his injury issues during the 2023/24 campaign.

He had never missed more than eight games in a single year prior to the season but suffered from multiple hamstring and calf issues for club and country.

Hatate ended up missing a staggering 40 games for Japan and Celtic combined, through two separate calf injuries and one hamstring problem, and that restricted his impact on the pitch for the side.

The 26-year-old only made 16 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, with 12 starts, last term after he had played 32 times in Postecoglou's final year in Glasgow.

Standing at 5 foot 8, the Japanese maestro is not a physically imposing figure in the middle of the park and the bulk of his contributions come from his impressive work in possession, particularly in the final third.

As you can see in the table above, the Hoops star was directly involved in seven goals in just 12 starts in the Premiership last season – more than one every other start on average.

He also created 1.1 chances per game on average, which speaks to how often the talented ace looked to create opportunities for his teammates, but lost more duels than he won – illustrating his lack of strength out of possession.

Celtic could now land Hatate 2.0 by signing another undersized midfielder who can provide excellent quality on the ball whilst not being particularly strong off it.

Why Callum O'Hare could be Reo Hatate

Firstly, the English whiz is also not a physically imposing figure in midfield as he stands at 5 foot 9 and his main strengths come from his work in possession.

The right-footed midfielder lost 54% of his duels and 51% of his ground duels in the Championship for Coventry last season, which shows that opposition players got the better of him more often than not in physical contests.

That was also the case for Hatate in the Premiership but, like the Japan international, O'Hare, who EFL presenter Gabriel Sutton claimed offers "stardust", has the ability on the ball to make up for his lack of physicality.

The English magician missed 37 games with a knee injury between December 2022 and October 2023 but came back and showcased glimpses of his attacking talent last term.

As you can see in the table above, O'Hare racked up nine direct goal contributions in just 18 Championship starts as a midfielder during the 2023/24 campaign.

He has produced 22 goals and 30 assists in 182 games for the Sky Blues throughout his career and racked up eight league assists in two of the last four years.

These statistics show that the diminutive ace has the quality to provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position for Celtic, playing alongside the likes of Matt O'Riley, Tomoki Iwata, and Callum McGregor.

Kelleher signs, £8m star bought: What Rodgers' dream Celtic XI could be

A look at what the Hoops team could be next season if they have a successful summer transfer window.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 15, 2024

O'Hare could, therefore, come in as Hatate 2.0 as an attack-minded midfielder who does not offer much physicality but makes up for it with his ability on the ball, which is why Rodgers should push to bring him to Parkhead this summer.

Football icon Sergio Ramos is mulling over an offer from Boca Juniors following his departure from Sevilla.

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• Ramos left Sevilla in the summer
• Has several offers on the table
• Tempted by move to Argentina

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ramos is currently enjoying a short break from football after running out his contract with Sevilla. The Spanish defender returned to the club where he made his breakthrough and enjoyed a reunion in La Liga, despite spending his best years at Real Madrid. Now, he is weighing up his options as he prepares to sign what could be his last professional contract. According to reports, the 38-year-old is considering a move to Boca Juniors in Argentina.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Plenty of speculation has been up in the air about where Ramos might go next. The MLS, Saudi Pro League and Serie A have all been mentioned, but the defender has not given any indication as to where he would prefer to go. He currently remains in Spain, specifically his residence in Madrid, where he remains in top shape, actively posting his workouts on social media. All of this suggests a return to football is imminent for Ramos.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ramos once joked that he would like to play for Boca Juniors in an interview, but added he could not go as he would be sent off in every match. The season in Argentina runs until mid-December, meaning he could arrive ready for the new season in February if he chose to make the switch to Argentina.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RAMOS?

  So what is next for Ramos? That is anyone's guess. Wherever he does end up will be acquiring a seriously talented defender, even at his age. He would bring experience and leadership to any club, making him an attractive proposition for most clubs around the globe.

Thierry Henry says Jude Bellingham has reason to be frustrated with Kylian Mbappe as the Real Madrid striker's struggles continued against AC Milan.

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• Real Madrid humbled by AC Milan
• Mbappe still not clicking at Bernabeu
• Henry explains Bellingham 'frustration'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mbappe fired a blank as a dysfunctional Real Madrid were beaten at home for the second-straight match. The Spanish press were quick to put the focus on Mbappe, with calls for Carlo Ancelotti to bench the forward, and Thierry Henry also weighed in on the situation by claiming the Frenchman's lack of effort is harming team-mate Bellingham.

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  Bellingham cut a frustrated figure when he was substituted in the second half of the Champions League clash. Mbappe's arrival has left Ancelotti needing to find a system that accommodates the former PSG striker as well as Vinicius Junior, and Bellingham appears to be one of the biggest losers of this game of Tetris; he's yet to score for Real Madrid this season and is still figuring out how to co-exist with Mbappe, who has to do "way more" in Henry's opinion.

• WHAT HENRY SAID

  "It's always Bellingham trying to make the run, trying to make the team play, running in behind, trying to break the line," Henry said on CBS Sports Golazo. "I think there is a little frustration. Your nine isn't going, and your 10-ish is going. I know it can happen sometimes but not all the time. Every single time.

  "I know he's not a number nine and that this maybe is not what he likes to do. Do you think he likes to make those runs, try and stretch the team? He'll do it because he has to do it, because his desire speaks, his will speaks.

  "You don't win games like that. You don't win games with your 10 breaking the line, coming back, trying to bend his run, trying to defend, trying to go the other side. And then after, he gets substituted?

  "I would have been upset too – I saw him kicking a bottle. I would be upset also, of course. For me, this is not good enough and I don't think they are playing well as a team but on the ball also he (Mbappe) has to do way more."

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• TELL ME MORE

  Henry believes the onus is on Mbappe to adapt to Ancelotti's system for the sake of the team.

  "He's going to have to learn to play as a nine and the desire and the will of running in behind," the former Arsenal and Barcelona striker added.

  "He will get better – he can't be worse than this. We're not asking him to hold the ball like Didier Drogba, who was magnificent. We're not asking him to get the ball and dribble past everybody. But that cannot happen all the time, a run in behind (from Bellingham), when the team is high.

  "I'm not going to try to find excuses for Bellingham, but how do you play, where do you go, what do you do? Rodrygo was essential for them last year when they were losing the ball. He's on the bench now. I know he doesn't have the efficiency of Vinicius Jr that he had last year, but Rodrygo was balancing the team off the ball. Now he's not playing.

  "It's going to be tough for (Carlo) Ancelotti to find a way so all those players can co-exist."

New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca will have his work cut out this summer, making decisions on his preferred squad, and drilling his system into the new players ahead of their 2024/25 Premier League campaign, with the aim of returning to Champions League football.

The Blues have already seen the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Omari Kellyman, and Marc Guiu join the club, whilst also seeing the likes of Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, and legendary defender Thiago Silva leave the club.

But rumours continue to circulate, as Chelsea look to complete their transfer business ready for pre-season, and it appears the attacking reinforcements could be next to come, with plenty of links to wingers and strikers.

Chelsea looking at Bundesliga forward

According to reports from Italian outlet Calciomercato, Chelsea are interested in Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi, but could face competition from Juventus and Thiago Motta who are also interested in the young attacker.

Juventus are reportedly also interested in Manchester United's Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood, which could leave Chelsea with a free run at Adeyemi if Dortmund are willing to negotiate for the 22-year-old.

Further reports from Italy suggest Chelsea are in 'constant contact' with the player's entourage and they now view him as their 'main target'.

Adeyemi made 34 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions last season, scoring five goals, providing two assists, and totalling 1,710 minutes for the German outfit. He was predominantly deployed off the left but did also make eight appearances from the right and two appearances through the middle.

How Adeyemi compares to Mudryk

From a G/A perspective, Mudryk is quite similar to Adeyemi, making 41 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring seven goals, and providing two assists in 2,015 minutes.

Both players also possess frightening levels of speed, clocking speeds in the top 15 of fastest players in the world. Mudryk comes in at 10th, whilst Adeyemi ranks 13th in this list.

And the comparisons don't stop there, as Fbref has them down as the number one "similar player" to each other in their compare players feature.

Mudryk thrives when he has space to drive into, whether that's coming inside or down the touchline. The Ukrainian averages 5.25 progressive carries per 90, and 2.23 successful take-ons per 90, and these are two of his most impressive metrics.

Adeyemi's best stats also come in this area, averaging 4.33 progressive carries per 90, and 1.72 successful take-ons per 90. However, the German has a better understanding of using his speed, the timing of his runs to get in behind, and making that physical asset one of his biggest strengths.

This has been a weakness of Mudryk in recent seasons, struggling to harness that pace, gain control, and time his runs to help his team. His movement feels less natural, and he is much more comfortable coming to feet, than using that pace to stretch defences in behind.

Where Adeyemi would need to improve is his final ball and decision-making, in order to make him a more creative asset than just an "electric" winger, as he was coined by analyst Ben Mattinson.

The Dortmund star averages 1.28 key passes per 90, 0.78 passes into the final third, and only 2.17 crosses per 90. Compared to Mudryk, who makes 1.83 key passes per 90, 1.37 passes into the final third, and 4.45 crosses per 90.

Whilst it wouldn't make any sense for Chelsea to have both Mudryk and Adeyemi on the books, in the case that Mudryk was moved on, Adeyemi could be a similar asset, with the potential to mold him into far more.

Maresca eyeing deal for £35m titan who'd ignite Mudryk's Chelsea career

It’s about time that the Ukrainian demonstrated his talents at Stamford Bridge.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 6, 2024

Sunderland have been warned that Jobe Bellingham “won’t resist” the chance to join Borussia Dortmund after seeing “how they guided” brother Jude.

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• Jude moved to Germany in 2020
• England international now at Real Madrid
• Teenage brother treading similar path

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Back in 2020, having made a senior breakthrough at Birmingham when just 16 years of age, Jude Bellingham made the brave call to leave his comfort zone in England and head for Germany. That decision has been thoroughly vindicated, with the England international now a Champions League winner at Real Madrid.

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  It is being suggested that his younger brother Jobe could soon tread a similar path. Having also started out at St Andrew’s, the 19-year-old playmaker has spent the last 18 months catching the eye for Championship promotion hopefuls Sunderland.

• WHAT PALMER SAID

  Dortmund are reportedly eager to bring another Bellingham onto their books, with West Midlands native and ex-England international Carlton Palmer telling of why a deal may be done. He has said: “These are worrying times for Sunderland, who sit top of the table. You know when you're doing well, your players are going to be linked with bigger clubs and that is the case with Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham. I think it's crazy when you are at the top of the league to cash in on those players. They are only young and are going to go up in value, but obviously, that is the blueprint that Sunderland have.

  “Reports are coming out that Sunderland will not stand in Jobe Bellingham's way and Borussia Dortmund are confident in signing him. I think it would be a good move for him. Dortmund have shown how they develop young players in the past, and he has obviously looked at how they have helped guide his brother.

  “He is a very talented player, and he will get the game time that he needs to develop and hopefully kick on. I don't think he'll resist the chance to sign for Dortmund. For me, if they were mid-table and further down the league it would be a different scenario. But, with Sunderland going great guns, to let Chris Rigg or Jobe Bellingham go would be detrimental to their promotion hopes.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Sunderland are in a position to demand the highest possible fee for Bellingham, as they have him tied to a contract through to 2028. It has been suggested that Dortmund would need to part with around £20 million ($25m) in order to present Jobe with the same career pathway that Jude once strode down with such distinction.

Arsenal are finally starting to stir in the transfer market this summer, bringing in youngster Lucas Nygaard, confirming David Raya's permanent move and edging ever closer to confirming Riccardo Calafiori's move from Bologna.

However, this is just the start of a long summer of business for the Gunners as they look to go one better in the Premier League next season.

Based on recent reports, the North Londoners have now turned their attention to an England star who has been compared to Spanish ace Dani Olmo, and after last night's heroics in the European Championships, that can only be a good thing.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Guardian, Arsenal are one of several sides keen on landing Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze this summer.

The story does not mention the other teams or a potential price.

However, according to a recent report from the Sun, the other interested parties include defending champions Manchester City and North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. At the same time, it confirms that the player has a £60m release clause in his current deal.

This level of competition for Eze could make a potential transfer more challenging for Arsenal, but considering his performances last season, the comparison to Olmo and the not-unreasonable fee, it's certainly worth pursuing.

Eze's comparisons to Olmo

Now, before we get on to why Eze would be an excellent signing for Arsenal, let's take a look at this comparison to Olmo and where it came from.

It primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues and then creates a list of the ten most similar players for each one, and for the Englishman, they consider the RB Leipzig ace to be the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger in those five leagues.

The best way to see the areas in which the two stars overlap is to look at their most similar underlying numbers.

In this case, that includes metrics such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, passing accuracy, tackles, carries, goal-creating actions and progressive passes, all per 90.

However, their underlying numbers are not the only similarities, as both stars are also positionally versatile and often move between roles out wide and in the middle of the park.

For example, throughout his career, the former Queens Park Rangers dynamo has started 147 games in various central roles, 76 on the left, 16 on the right and even two as a centre-forward.

Likewise, the Spanish international has started 144 matches in the middle of the park, 43 on the left, 42 on the right, five as a striker and two as a second-striker.

This ability to play where he is needed would be a massive bonus for Arteta, who, with players like Ben White, Jakub Kiwior and even Declan Rice to an extent, has shown he genuinely appreciates those who can adapt to differing roles.

Lastly, the "exceptional" Englishman, as dubbed by Statman Dave, would help bring more goals and assists to the North Londoners, as in just 31 appearances for the Eagles last season, he scored 11 goals and provided six assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.82 games.

Ultimately, while £60m is a significant amount of money, Eze looks like he'd be more than worth the investment, and the comparisons to Spain's newest hero are just the icing on the cake.

Arsenal favourites to land unreal Martinelli rival in £50m "superstar"

The incredible winger could take the Gunners’ attack to the next level.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 10, 2024

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has personally reconsidered signing a £200,000-per-week after original doubts, with the Gunners now poised to move for him.

Edu targeting new forward for Arsenal after Calafiori

Fabrizio Romano shared news of Arsenal finally closing in on an agreement to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna after weeks of talks, but sporting director Edu Gaspar and the wider recruitment team are by no means done there.

£50m forward now clear he wants to join Arsenal after agent talks this week

He’s prioritising a switch to the Emirates.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 19, 2024

Talks were believed to have stalled over a move for the Italy international defender, which was reportedly put down to the 50% sell-on clause due to FC Basel (La Gazzetta dello Sport), but discussions are now taking a positive turn as Arsenal near their first outfield signing of the window.

Calafiori's signing would shore up both Arteta's central defensive options and provide a left-back alternative, with the 22-year-old capable of playing in both positions. However, it is believed Arsenal want another goalkeeper, midfielder and forward before deadline day on August 30.

Arsenal are especially keen on an alternative to star winger Bukayo Saka on the right wing. Indeed, it is rumoured that Arsenal are interested in Lille's Edon Zhegrova as cover for Saka, with the Kosovo international valued at around £17 million.

The Gunners have much bigger names on their radar as well, like Wolves winger Pedro Neto. Reports this week have claimed that Neto is prioritising a move to Arsenal, who've also held recent talks with the Portuguese's agents.

Another very exciting target linked in the last two weeks is Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams. The 21-year-old, who racked up a very impressive 19 assists in all competitions last season, also starred for eventual Euro 2024 champions Spain at the tournament in Germany – even scoring against England in the final.

There has been some doubt over whether an Arsenal move is possible, though, with reliable journalist Charles Watts stating that his wage demands are a real sticking point.

“On paper, the release clause of around £50million for Williams looks a very appealing one, but as far as I’m aware it’s not as simple as that. You have to remember that release clauses in Spain have to be paid in full and that makes deals very expensive as clubs can’t spread the transfer fee out over the length of the contract like they usually do.

“But in Williams’ case, the wages are also understood to be a pretty significant issue. Athletic Club are big payers. They have to be to ensure they keep their team together given the unique way the club operates."

Arteta reconsiders signing Nico Williams with Arsenal poised to move

According to GiveMeSport, the £200,000-per-week winger's salary demands are something which Arsenal may well have in mind as they pull a U-turn. Indeed, as per their information, Arteta is personally reconsidering a move for Williams and Arsenal are poised to move as a result.

If Barcelona fail to secure a deal for the Spaniard, then Arteta's side appear ready to pounce, with this change of heart coming after the forward's exceptional performances at the Euros.

It's added that Arsenal remain optimistic about striking an agreement with Williams, despite Barca's advances, and the player is aware of their interest in him.

They'll have to contend with Chelsea, though, who are apparently willing to push the boat out and satisfy his demands.