All posts by z3u9t.icu

Andrea Berta has only been in his role as Arsenal’s sporting director for a matter of months but he is already faced with one of the most important summer’s in the club’s recent history.

While injuries, bizarre officiating and a lack of firepower have all contributed to the Gunners’ perplexing season, the fact of the matter is they have regressed.

Their title challenge petered out in January and although they did go further in Europe, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League, their reason for exiting was the same as last year; they lack players capable of scoring goals.

So, with that in mind, it’s just as well Arsenal are signing a midfielder first…

The latest on Arsenal's pursuit of Martin Zubimendi

We jest, of course, but Arsenal are now already on the verge of securing their first major addition of the Berta era.

The Gunners have been hot on the tail of Martin Zubimendi for a while now with reports emerging in January that they were set to get a deal over the line.

However, the Real Sociedad midfielder has been here before. Liverpool thought they had signed him last summer, only for the Spaniard to stay in LaLiga.

A year on, and it does look as though the 26-year-old will finally be leaving Spain behind with Fabrizio Romano reporting on Saturday that Arsenal have ‘agreed a deal’ to sign the player this summer, now set to trigger his €60m (£51m) release clause.

It’s reported that the midfielder has ‘verbally agreed’ to sign a long-term deal.

Despite all of that excitement, according to reports, Zubimendi isn’t the only player they are working on right now.

Arsenal move closer to striker signing

This weekend has been a pretty frantic one as far as transfer news is concerned, with Arsenal also looking to improve their options in the final third.

While the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Alexander Isak continue to be linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, it’s Viktor Gyokeres who seems to be the most likely at the moment.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, according to reports in Portugal, via Sport Witness, Arsenal have ‘submitted’ their first official offer for the Sporting CP striker, a bid worth €75m (£63m).

It’s suggested that fee is unlikely to be accepted with the club’s president, Frederico Varandas, believing he can get more for a player with an €100m (£85m) release clause.

While that might dampen the spirits of those at Arsenal, there is hope that a deal can be struck with Gyokeres actually having already agreed personal terms with the club.

Why Gyokeres is more exciting and important than Zubimendi

With Jorginho leaving north London behind at the conclusion of his contract and the ageing Thomas Partey yet to pen new terms, signing a new midfielder this summer is actually of utmost importance, particularly one who can play just in front of the defence.

It’s safe to say that Zubimendi can do that perfectly. It was he who was subbed on for Rodri in last year’s European Championship and the fact Spain went on to win it without the Manchester City midfielder on the pitch speaks volumes of how good the Sociedad star was.

During that game, he completed 92% of his passes and won all five of his ground duels. While Zubimendi isn’t as physical as someone like Partey, he’s very Jorginho-like in his play style. He dictates the game, presses well and rather crucially, would give Declan Rice the freedom to play as the attacking number 8 on a more regular basis.

But, for all the positives of signing Zubimendi, it’s Gyokeres who is the most important deal here.

Why? Well, the plain and simple fact is that Arsenal absolutely have to sign a new striker this summer if they want to challenge next season.

Even before Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus got injured over the winter, the Gunners needed more in attack but that has only been made even more obvious over the last few months.

While Leandro Trossard has been used as centre-forward on a few occasions, it’s Mikel Merino who’s largely been tasked with playing as a makeshift attacker.

To his credit, he’s done a solid job, notably scoring against Real Madrid. That was one of six goals he’s scored in 11 matches so far up top.

However, it’s pretty clear this isn’t sustainable and that was made more obvious against PSG. Merino didn’t have a poor second leg but time and time again Arsenal put a dangerous ball into the six yard box, only for no one in red and white to be there.

Well, in comparison, Gyokeres is always in the right place at the right time. Previously of Coventry City, where he scored 22 in 50 outings during the 2022/23 campaign, he’s only hit another level after moving to Sporting.

1. Viktor Gyokeres

38

2. Mo Salah

28

3. Harry Kane & Robert Lewandowski

25

4. Biereth, Mbappe & Retegui

24

5. Alexander Isak

23

6. Dembele, Haaland & Marmoush

21

The Swedish sensation has been the most profilic forward in Europe during his time in Lisbon, bagging a whopping 43 goals in 50 games last season and finding the net on 52 occasions in another half a century of matches this term.

Very few do it better than Gyokeres and whether or not his profile is the most ideal for Arsenal, perhaps they just need to keep things simple. Arsenal need goals more than anything else and the “monster” striker – as he was described by journalist Alex Turk – does goals.

While Isak – valued at £150m in some circles – is reportedly the dream signing, Gyokeres is more prolific and he’s more cost-effective.

Arsenal's £30m dud is very quickly becoming their new Xhaka & Aubameyang

The mercurial Arsenal star looks like a different player this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 11, 2025

It might be over two decades since they won the Premier League, but Arsenal have had some sensational players represent them since then.

The likes of Cesc Fàbregas, Robin van Persie, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Alexis Sánchez were all near enough unstoppable on their day, even if they couldn’t deliver the club the biggest prizes.

However, perhaps the star who felt most likely to drag the North Londoners back to the pinnacle when he arrived was Mesut Özil.

The German playmaker was an unreal talent, but unfortunately, his Arsenal career fizzled out into nothingness, and now there’s a player in the current squad in danger of having the same happen to him.

Ozil's Arsenal career

On transfer deadline day 2013, Arsenal announced the shock £42.4m signing of Ozil – to fan delirium – and there was a level of hope that the former Real Madrid superstar would be the one to bring the glory years back to N5.

For the first few seasons, while there was no league title or European glory, the World Cup winner certainly delivered on his end of the bargain, racking up 61 goal involvements in his first three seasons and helping the club win some FA Cups.

However, as time passed, and especially after signing a new £350k-per-week contract, the former Werder Bremen gem seemed to become less and less effective.

In fact, once Arteta was appointed manager in 2019, the German superstar eventually saw himself frozen out of the team entirely, with fans and pundits alike lambasting his apparent lack of effort off the ball.

Eventually, after over a year of barely playing for the club, he left for Fenerbahçe for free in January 2021.

Ozil remains a popular figure with much of the fanbase today and left with an impressive tally of 44 goals and 75 assists in 254 appearances, but there is no denying that he left the club failing to achieve what many thought he would, and on a low rather than a high.

Unfortunately, a current Arsenal player might be falling down the same path this season, a player the boss should look to drop from the starting lineup for some time.

The Arsenal star emulating Ozil

On the back of Tuesday night’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, it would be easy to lambast the entire starting lineup for not playing well enough, but in retrospect, it wasn’t quite the battering some may try to portray it as.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Arsenal had their chances to score, and for much of the game, the likes of Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Bukayo Saka and David Raya did their jobs.

However, there was one starter who was as bad as everyone initially said: Martin Odegaard, who was anonymous at best and actively ruining attacks at worst.

The Norwegian fully deserved the 4/10 match rating he received from the Independent’s Jamie Braidwood, and the worrying thing is that it wasn’t a massively surprising performance either.

Yes, even though he picked up his second successive Player of the Year Award last season, the “frustrating” playmaker, as dubbed by podcaster Rohan Jivan, has been seriously poor all season, and as content creator Rimedi pointed out earlier this year, he’s just “not at the level.”

In all, the player who is supposed to be the team’s creative hub has amassed just 15 goal involvements in 39 games this season, which is undeniably underwhelming and feels eerily similar to Ozil’s slow decline.

As this collapse in form is showing no signs of reversing, Arteta should take him out of the team for the next game at least and start Ethan Nwaneri in the middle of the park, as he looked more likely to make something happen in just five minutes of action on Tuesday.

Appearances

39

Minutes

2982′

Goals

5

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.38

Minutes per Goal Involvement

198.8′

Ultimately, Odegaard is an incredibly talented player, but at the moment, he is not showing it, and therefore, he should be dropped and given time to figure out what’s going wrong, lest his Arsenal career end the same way Ozil’s did.

Better than Trossard: Arsenal want to sign 'one of the best in Europe'

The vastly experienced dynamo could be just what Arsenal need.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 30, 2025

Aston Villa’s name will not be etched on the FA Cup this season after a disastrous day out to Wembley at the semi-final stages saw Unai Emery’s Villans be humbled 3-0 by Oliver Glasner’s breathless Crystal Palace.

With no knock-out Champions League football on the menu now either, Villa’s sole goal rests on clinching a finish inside the Premier League’s top five to play amongst Europe’s elite once more.

Whatever does transpire, Villa could be facing a losing battle to keep Morgan Rogers situated at Villa Park past this season, with the rumour mill suggesting that the 22-year-old might be off very soon.

The latest on Morgan Rogers' future at Aston Villa

Rogers isn’t the only notable first-team face that could soon be heading for the exit door, with reports also surfacing that long-standing Villa servant Ollie Watkins is a wanted man by Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal.

The Independent claims that Chelsea are the Premier League club sniffing around for Rogers’ services, on the other hand, with a worry that Emery’s side might have to sign off on this departure reluctantly, owing to PSR rules.

The electric number 27 has shone throughout the season both down the wing and as a number ten, so it should come as no shock that Enzo Maresca’s Blues are keen, considering they are also weighing up moves for Jamie Gittens and Ademola Lookman to revolutionise their attacking options.

But, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom at Villa Park if Rogers does up and leave this summer, with a move for this sensational wonderkid finally getting over the line somewhat lessening the blow.

The "elite" long-term Rogers replacement

Obviously, losing a player of the 22-year-old’s unbelievable quality wouldn’t be ideal, with Rogers now up to a blistering 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season from 50 clashes.

But, it could push Villa to go back out into the market to fish for their next up-and-coming talent in a similar vein to the ex-Manchester City youngster, with long-term target Sverre Nypan potentially ticking a lot of boxes in this regard. Indeed, recent reports from Fabrizio Romano last week suggest they are ‘closing in’ on an agreement for the wonderkid’s signing.

The Champions League aspiring outfit took an almighty risk on Rogers coming good when he joined the building for around the £15m mark just last year, only for him to now be worth around the gigantic £100m price range.

Therefore, Villa will hope another risky gamble on their end to land the 18-year-old Rosenborg sensation works out, considering the attack-oriented menace continues to take his native Norway by storm in a similar way to the newly-capped Englishman

Games played

28

Games started

25

Goals scored

8

Assists

7

Big chances missed

8

Big chances created

7

Total duels won*

5.4

Already off the mark for Rosenborg during their new Eliteserien campaign, Villa’s interest in the Norway U21 international would have been piqued before this, with his league numbers for his boyhood club last season also standing out massively.

Indeed, despite starting just 25 games, Nypan would close out the season with a weighty 15 goal contributions tallied up, leading to the likes of Arsenal also allegedly eyeing up the Nordic ace to try and claim their next version of Martin Odegaard.

In Villa’s case, landing Nypan’s signature would be all about trying to fill the potential void left behind by Rogers, with the teenager further showing himself to be a viable long-term replacement when you look at his adaptability to play as a striker, away from his usual midfield duties.

Hailed as an “elite potential talent” data analyst by Ben Mattinson just this year, it does seem like only a matter of time before a notable outfit takes a punt on Nypan, with Villa needing to exercise patience – much like they did with Rogers – to get the very best out of the Scandinavian starlet.

Their new Grealish: NSWE backing Aston Villa move for "ridiculous" PL star

Aston Villa’s owners are prepared to back a move for the Premier League star.

ByDan Emery Apr 29, 2025

Chelsea are believed to be prepared to fork out a significant sum for an alternative to right-back Malo Gusto this summer, with Enzo Maresca pondering his full-back options ahead of his second full season in charge.

Malo Gusto criticised as Chelsea handed right-back dilemma

Club captain Reece James recently returned from his injury hell to provide Maresca with much-needed reinforcement in the right-back area, but given his history of hamstring problems, there is no telling just how long he’ll be in contention for.

Chelsea can forget Delap by unleashing "Cobham's finest" 17-year-old star

Chelsea’s Cobham jewel could already be their answer to Liam Delap

1 ByConnor Holden Apr 15, 2025

The Englishman, who was recently recalled to the Three Lions squad by new England boss Thomas Tuchel, has featured in nine of Chelsea’s last 12 Premier League games since returning from injury, missing one due to illness, so the signs have been positive.

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 10th

Man United (home)

May 18th

Chelsea will be hopeful that the £250,000-per-week star can maintain this positive run of availability, but there is still a reliance on the out-of-form Gusto.

Gusto has attracted criticism throughout 2024/2025 for some sub-par displays, but Maresca will be cautious about dropping the former Lyon sensation in favour of being too overly reliant on James, as BlueCo tread carefully when it comes to the latter’s fitness.

The 21-year-old is still young and with plenty of room for improvement, though his return of just two assists in 33 appearances across all competitions will also be a concern for Maresca.

Chelsea need more threat from their full-backs on the overlap, and they ideally need a figurehead who can provide that injection of quality when they’re struggling to break sides down in the low-block.

Taking this into account, Barcelona right-back Jules Koundé could be a truly excellent option.

The France international, who can also play at centre-half, has the ability to kill two birds with one stone as Chelsea reportedly look to sign a centre-back this summer.

Arsenal are also very interested in Kounde, according to other reports, following the 26-year-old’s exceptional campaign under Hansi Flick at the Bernabeu. Kounde has started 28 La Liga matches this term, making 50 appearances in all competitions and bagging eight assists in the process – standing out as one of Flick’s key men.

Chelsea prepared to bid £68 million for Jules Koundé this summer

Now, according to reports out of Spain, it is believed Chelsea are ready to match Arsenal in the potential race for his signature.

Indeed, Chelsea are also prepared to make an offer of £68 million for Kounde, and Barca’s current financial troubles could tempt the Catalans into doing business. This bid would represent a significant profit for Barca, at a time when they really need it, and a figure of this magnitude could represent an “unexpected solution” to balance their books.

The west Londoners are apparently ready to outbid Arsenal for Kounde, and “already have a plan in place” to sway Kounde with a move to Stamford Bridge.

One sticking point could be the defender’s £224,000-per-week wages, though, which would place him among Maresca’s highest-earning players.

Liverpool are believed to be “working on” tying down an “outstanding” player to a new contract alongside Virgil van Dijk, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Salah signs new Liverpool deal

The news that Reds supporters have been dreaming of finally came true on Friday, with Mohamed Salah signing a new two-year deal at Anfield.

There have been concerns all season long that the 32-year-old Liverpool legend would leave the club, but he will now be on Merseyside until at least 2027, saying he intends to win more trophies there:

“If I don’t believe that, I would not have signed. I believe the team can win trophies and with the support of the fans and the city, and that the supporters always give us in the games, I believe we can win many trophies in the next years.”

Now, the hope is that other players will follow suit, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk also both out of contract at the end of this season.

While it looks increasingly likely that the latter will stay put and do the same as Salah, the former’s head appears to have been turned by a move to Real Madrid. That said, nothing has been confirmed over Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool at the peak of his powers.

Liverpool want new deal for "outstanding" ace

According to Romano in his newsletter for GiveMeSport, Liverpool are still looking to seal a new deal for Ibrahima Konate, as well as Van Dijk:

“They are in negotiations. Now the priority was obviously Salah and Van Dijk, but the next one could be Konate as Liverpool are working on it.”

Ensuring that Konate remains at Liverpool for the foreseeable future is of the utmost importance, considering he is still only 25 years of age and eight years Van Dijk’s junior.

The Frenchman is appreciated by so many at Anfield, from Arne Slot to the supporters, and captain Van Dijk also hailed him earlier this season, saying after their win away at Wolves in September:

“As you saw, he is important with the goal, he is defensively solid, a bit unlucky with the goal we conceded, but obviously the qualities he has are outstanding, in my opinion.

“He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better in order to be ready every three days as that’s what asked. And also we have a young player behind him in Jarrell, who is also doing well. We have to keep pushing each other and he is doing a good job.”

Relatively speaking, the £70,000-a-week wage that Konate earns is low compared to many of his teammates, so he deserves an improved contract to show that he is truly appreciated.

Liverpool confident of winning race for "amazing" £60m+ star this summer

The Reds are in a good position to strike a deal…

2 BySean Markus Clifford Apr 12, 2025

Granted, injuries have hampered him at times in his career, so there is a slight risk involved in handing him an extension, but he should only get better in the coming years, and losing him at this point in his career could be a big blow to the Reds.

Manchester City backed up a comeback victory over AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup with a straightforward 2-0 win over relegation-doomed Leicester City in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

Pep Guardiola’s men weren’t hindered one bit by the absence of Erling Haaland through injury with the Foxes only managing two shots all night to try and snatch an unlikely result at the Etihad.

Instead, January signing Omar Marmoush stood out once more for the Citizens as their main marksman, but it was the exploits of Jack Grealish in the number ten role behind the Egyptian that stole many of the plaudits come the full-time whistle.

Jack Grealish's performance in numbers

Even as Marmoush collected another strike to add to his ever-growing City back-catalogue, Grealish would dominate most of the conversation post-match for his stylish showing as a central attacking midfielder.

After all, the ex-Aston Villa man got his team up and running with the opening strike just minutes into the one-sided clash, with the Birmingham-born ace stroking the ball into the back of Mads Hermansen’s net to amazingly collect his first Premier League goal for a long 16 months.

The 29-year-old will hope this standout performance pushes him on to more positive showings in the near future, with the up-and-down number ten finishing off the contest with two key passes next to his name from 50 accurate passes overall.

It could be argued that – in the short-term – Grealish could take over the reins from Kevin De Bruyne well, therefore, with there being a growing likelihood that the Belgian great will depart the Citizens very soon.

But, there is another unlikely candidate away from the 29-year-old who could be Guardiola’s next creative force similar to De Bruyne.

Guardiola's next creative superstar

Whilst there will be smiles aplenty that Grealish opened the scoring in the 2-0 victory, the ex-Villa midfielder is also known to be inconsistent and fleeting with his moments of magic, alongside the fact the 5 foot 11 presence is also nearing 30 years of age.

Therefore, Guardiola could be seeking out fresher blood when searching for his side’s next version of the electric number 17, with Savinho ticking all the boxes on Wednesday night when constantly finding openings.

Minutes played

85

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

61

Accurate passes

38/41 (93%)

Key passes

5

Shots on goal

2

Successful dribbles

2/4

Total duels won

6/11

Stats by Sofascore

Far from the finished article when it comes to slotting home chances – with two shots on goal not finding the back of the net – the Brazilian does excel when carving out opportunities for his thankful teammates, leading to one burst forward early on being gobbled by an expectant Grealish.

Finishing his exciting 85-minute spell on the pitch with five key passes next to his name, alongside two successful dribbles being amassed, the 20-year-old would have been pleased with his efforts, knowing there’s plenty more in his tank to come as he matures in Manchester.

After all, the gung-ho number 26 was an assist king with former employer Girona when tallying up 11 goals and ten assists from 41 appearances, with his assist total at City already up to a sizeable 12 from two fewer games. That makes him the most creative player in the squad this season, four clear of Matheus Nunes and five clear of that man De Bruyne.

Therefore, the Brazilian could well be the man Pep looks to in terms of creating chances when the Belgian departs, with the long-standing Citizens servant up to a jaw-dropping 174 assists himself.

Savinho is some way off that total, obviously, but the baton is likely to be handed over soon when the 33-year-old icon exits the building, with the tricky winger ready to become the club’s next creative superstar.

Move over Nunes: Man City begin work on signing the new Joao Cancelo

Manchester City could land their next Joao Cancelo in this attack-oriented defender.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 2, 2025

This is not the finest version of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United, but there’s no question that the Magpies have made a measure of headway after a tough summer transfer window and a tough start to the season.

It’s been a strange old season for the Premier League so far. Spoils are there for all, but there is also the threat of sunken expectations for many outfits across the division. We are approaching Christmas, and Newcastle are 12th in the standings, yet trail Crystal Palace in the top four by only four points.

Say what you will about United’s lack of eloquence on the field at times – they toiled through the opening half-hour against Burnley at the weekend, and came under the cosh late on against the ten-man relegation contenders – but there remains a spirit and resourcefulness about this team that few rivals can match.

However, improvements are needed, and no mistake, with Anthony Elanga in particular still yet to repay the faith invested in him this summer.

Elanga's start to life at Newcastle

Elanga enjoyed a bright cameo off the bench during Newcastle’s recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, but it was a case of one step forward and two steps back when he flattered to deceive from the opening whistle against Burnley.

The 24-year-old has yet to score for the Toon, having filled a long-running gap on ther right wing at St. James Park this summer when signing from Nottingham Forest for £55m.

Perhaps what’s most frustrating is that Elanga was profiled extensively ahead of the ultimate acquisition; indeed, Newcastle tried and failed to sign the pacy winger in 2024.

He is talented enough and has enough Premier League experience to turn things around, but this is becoming something of a problem for Howe’s side, who need his speed and creativity and fluency down the right flank.

Analyst Raj Chohan said the £100k-per-week talent has been “a massive overpay”, and on the basis of the evidence over the past few months, this may be on the money, as it were.

Matches (starts)

38 (31)

15 (6)

Goals

6

0

Assists

11

1

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.6)

0.5 (0.2)

Pass completion

78%

81%

Key passes*

1.3

0.5

Big chances created

9

1

Dribbles*

0.7

0.3

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

0.5

Duels (won)*

3.0 (45%)

1.7 (36%)

Sadly, Elanga wasn’t the addition the Magpies seem to have blundered on, with another making the Sweden international shine in comparison.

Newcastle "wasted their bag" on summer signing

Since Howe and PIF changed the narrative on Tyneside, Newcastle have been widely praised for their shrewd and calculated transfer business.

However, that reputation was knocked askew this summer, with Alexander Isak forcing his way over to Liverpool and a multitude of targets rejecting the Toon.

Howe did end up packaging his squad with a range of players, but Jacob Ramsey might be shaping into the worst of the lot, having arrived from Aston Villa for a £40m fee in August.

Like Elanga, Ramsey played from the opening whistle against the Clarets, and though Elanga left something to be desired, the former Villan star struggled to provide even a measure of his quality on an afternoon that demanded a big performance, such is the competitive nature of Howe’s squad.

The aforementioned Chohan remarked that Newcastle “wasted their bag” on the English playmaker this summer, who has already endured a continuation of the injury problems that had plagued him at Aston Villa, limiting him to just two starting appearances, the second of which may lead to a return to the bench, overshadowed by Joe Willock against a Burnley side who were afforded too much time and space.

Chronicle Live were quick to draw attention to Ramsey’s poor performance, branding the 24-year-old with a 5/10 match rating and criticising the needless concession of a late penalty which set up a nervy finish.

Minutes played

89′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

73

Shots (on target

1 (0)

Accurate passes

56/60 (93%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

8

Tackles

1/2

Duels won

4/5

He was tidy enough and resilient in defence, notably winning four of five contested duels against Burnley and showcasing his athleticism with eight ball recoveries, but Ramsey was purchased for his flair and initiative on the ball, and it was a fine representation of neither.

While there’s a sense at the club that Joelinton is winding down after a long and tireless career of service, there have been more than a few murmurs pertaining to Howe’s desire to bring Elliot Anderson back home, and a move such as that would only hinder Ramsey in his hopes of nailing down a starting berth, especially given that he is contesting with Willock already for minutes.

While both Elanga and Ramsey have what it takes to raise their level at St. James’ Park, Howe will be determined to kick on after a testing start to the season and match, maybe even eclipse, last season’s trophy-winning success, qualifying for the Champions League too.

The importance of achieving their goals mean that Newcastle can take no prisoners, and must be ruthless in upgrading the squad to a level that sits comfortably alongside the game’s heavyweights both in England and across Europe.

Given that technical director Ross Wilson has suggested that Newcastle have money to burn heading into 2026, should they decide that signings are needed, someone like Ramsey must be a bit concerned for his role in the outfit, having completed a start that has left much to be desired.

He's the next Bruno Guimaraes: Newcastle to launch move for £30m "monster"

Newcastle United could win themselves a future Bruno Guimaraes by making a move for this £30m ace.

ByKelan Sarson 3 days ago

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta issued a rallying cry to supporters. “Be in your seats by 7.30pm,” he commanded.

Fans inside the Emirates Stadium did not disappoint. North London Forever blared out from the sound system and after an intense week in which they’d gone unbeaten against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, the fans were very needed.

The Gunners failed to defeat ten-man Chelsea at the weekend and it was a performance that looked tired. Arsenal have enormous squad depth but injuries are already testing this crop of players. As a result, Arteta rang the changes for the visit of Brentford on Wednesday night.

Arsenal may well have secured a 2-0 victory but it was not a vintage performance. It was a display befitting of just how different the starting XI looked.

There were no Bukayo Saka or Eberechi Eze. Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke started instead. With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba still injured, the responsibilities at the heart of the defence fell to Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie again.

Did they deliver? Well, Arsenal scored twice and kept a clean sheet, so it’s hard to argue against that.

Did Arsenal's midweek starters stake their claim?

Mosquera and Hincapie were rather patched together at the last minute when Saliba sustained a training injury late last week.

The Frenchman has now missed the last two games but for the two summer signings, this was a more composed and easier night than their showing at Stamford Bridge.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Hincapie has been brave and aggressive in both fixtures but Mosquera struggled against Chelsea, notably when it came to progressing the ball. Of course, a Brentford side missing the Premier League’s second top goalscorer in Igor Thiago for over an hour helped their cause, but if Arteta is going to be missing two of the world’s finest defenders, the stand-ins have proven they can more than do a job.

It was in attack where Arsenal perhaps struggled a bit more. While Set Piece FC seem to have become more about scoring from open play, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli didn’t do a huge amount to suggest they should be starting.

Madueke was energetic and effervescent on the right flank, performing four dribbles, two of which were successful, but he ultimately lacked end product, amassing two shots and failing to provide a key pass. Martinelli’s night was even worse. He had only one shot and completed just one dribble.

Odegaard, who stood in for Eze, was also lacking sharpness. The skipper created four key passes but lost six of his seven duels.

For Arteta, he will have been pleased with Mikel Merino, however. The Spaniard scored yet again, taking his goal tally as a centre-forward for the club to ten in 22 outings.

Arsenal have been fortunate that they can rely on their squad depth. They’ve missed Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus in recent weeks but Merino has more than stepped up.

It was the substitutes who changed the game on Wednesday too. Saka, who replaced Madueke, scored the second strike to seal all three points for the Londoners.

Yet, the goalscorers were pipped to the man of the match award by someone who’s been on the fringes of things this season.

Arsenal's man of the match against Brentford

The contributions that Saka and Merino came up with were vital but if it wasn’t for the performance of Ben White, this night would have been far more challenging.

For White, this has been a troubling last year or so of his career. Signed for a mega £50m back in 2021, he had established himself as a core member of the Arsenal side.

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

8

1

He was notably described by journalist Tom Barclay as “one of the best prospects in English football” in the summer he moved from Brighton and in the early stages of his Arsenal career he lived up to that, amassing nearly 100 appearances between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Last season, however, things began to unravel. Fellow right-back Jurrien Timber was back from an ACL injury and his form since has been impeccable. In the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.”

What didn’t help White last season were persistent injuries that meant he was never really able to build momentum.

In 2025/26, though, he’s been available all season but has been met with stubborn resistance from Arteta to play him. He’s not the first person to find himself in this position during the Spaniard’s tenure.

Think of the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe or Oleksandr Zinchenko. While they all didn’t do a lot wrong in Arsenal colours, Arteta sought to upgrade them at the earliest opportunity available.

Zinchenko, in particular, has suffered the same fate as White has this season. When the Ukrainian signed for Arsenal from Manchester City he revolutionised the way Arsenal were able to play.

Previously, Arteta’s system saw Tierney flying forward from left-back but Zinchenko was fielded as an inverted full-back, something we now see from both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori.

During that 2022/23 campaign, Zinchenko and White were vital from their respective roles in defence. They contributed in all phases of play. The former Man City man was finally moved on in the summer, albeit only on loan to Nottingham Forest and if White wasn’t careful, he may have been heading elsewhere too.

But, he revived his career on Wednesday, given just his second start in the top-flight all campaign. The defender’s only previous start came against Manchester United on the opening weekend and since then, Timber has made the spot his own.

When Brentford came to town, White rolled back the years. The 28-year-old was phenomenal, notably providing the assist for Merino’s opener.

He took home the player of the match award and deservedly so for a display in which the England international won more duels (10) and made more tackles (6) than any other player against Brentford. He also made more clearances than any of his Arsenal colleagues (6).

Many have tried and failed to get back in Arteta’s good books. Zinchenko and Ramsdale can testify to that. However, White has showcased that he’s still very much an elite full-back and he should not be dismissed just yet.

With Mosquera having had to limp off the field in the first half with an injury, replaced at centre-half by Timber, it would not be a surprise to see White back in the starting lineup this weekend against Aston Villa. On the evidence of this performance, he is undroppable right now.

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Former Tottenham star Ramon Vega has launched a scathing attack on Spurs boss Thomas Frank after their 5-3 loss to PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Tottenham show flashes but fall to PSG defeat in Paris

Spurs’ unbeaten European run came to a grinding halt in spectacular fashion as the European champions powered to a thrilling victory at the Parc des Princes, with midfielder Vitinha stealing the headlines by scoring a sensational hat-trick.

Frank’s young side showed tremendous character by twice taking the lead in a pulsating encounter, only to be overwhelmed by PSG’s attacking quality during a devastating second-half spell.

The match showcased both the promise and vulnerability of Spurs’ inexperienced squad, with teenagers Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray impressing before defensive lapses proved costly.

Vitinha’s treble told the story of the evening. The Portuguese thundered home a spectacular long-range equaliser just before halftime, curled in his second to restore parity after the break, then sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot following Cristian Romero’s handball, with his performance epitomizing PSG’s clinical edge when opportunities arose.

Randal Kolo Muani was another positive for Tottenham, scoring twice against his parent club and notching an assist for Richarlison to briefly give Spurs hope of an unlikely win.

Randal Kolo Muani

8.7

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

8.4

Vitinha

8.4

Willian Pacho

8.1

Joao Neves

8.0

via WhoScored

However, Fabian Ruiz’s composed finish and William Pacho’s close-range effort during PSG’s dominant period ultimately proved decisive.

The defeat leaves Tottenham precariously positioned sixteenth in the league phase standings after five games, significantly increasing pressure on Frank ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Fulham.

The Dane has attracted, to say the least, very mixed reviews since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the summer. Frank’s spell has been marred by concerns surrounding creativity and a ‘boring’ style of play, with Spurs nearly bottom of the pile for numerous attacking metrics so far this season.

This includes an expected goals (xG) of just 11.0, which is the fourth worst in the entire Premier League.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

Many are wondering if Frank really is the right man to take them forward, and their crushing North London derby loss last weekend didn’t exactly plead his case.

Ramon Vega makes scathing Thomas Frank claim after Tottenham defeat

Speaking to talkSPORT, former Lilywhites player Vega made his thoughts on Frank crystal clear this morning — even stating that Postecoglou was the better man for the Spurs job.

Vega also says that the dressing room doesn’t appear to have that same respect for Frank, with the pundit questioning his ability to be a leader.

Given Frank is now starting to attract these kinds of opinions, absolutely nothing but a win will do at Fulham this weekend.

However, he’ll have to make do without star defender Cristian Romero, who’s suspended for the clash.

Has Viktor Gyökeres lived up to pre-season expectations at Arsenal?

Well, so far, the Swedish international striker has scored six times for the Gunners, most notably bagging a brace during the 4-0 Champions League demolition of Atlético Madrid.

However, as the saying goes, in absence the heart grows fonder.

Gyökeres hobbled off at half time against Burnley, having opened the scoring at Turf Moor, thereby sitting out subsequent trips to Prague and Sunderland, his absence truly felt during the 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light, with Mikel Arteta really lacking someone capable of running in behind, as well as reinforcements off the bench, so perhaps his importance was only crystallised when he wasn’t there.

Before suffering this injury, Gyökeres had started all 13 of Arsenal’s Premier League and Champions League fixtures, completing 90 minutes on nine occasions due to a lack of alternatives, with Kai Havertz having not been seen since sustaining a knee injury at Old Trafford on the opening weekend.

Ahead of a North London derby following the international break, Arteta is hoping to have the cavalry back, with all six of Arsenal’s injured attackers nearing a return, so could “the best finisher at the club” challenge Gyökeres for his previously undisputed starting spot?

Kai Havertz's importance to Arsenal

If Arsenal are going to pip Manchester City to the Premier League title, they’re going to need their key players to remain fit and available.

For Arteta, these are William Saliba, Gabriel, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka; one could argue Jurriën Timber has entered this exclusive group too, while Martin Ødegaard was certainly there too prior to his injury issues both this season and last.

If you ask the manager, if not certain onlookers, even if this zeitgeist has changed for most supporters, Kai Havertz is in Arteta’s top-tier of importance too.

So far in 2025, the German international has played just 817 competitive minutes, 754 of which came prior to a serious hamstring tear during the warm-weather training campaign in February before, just when he had got an entire pre-season under his belt, a knee injury picked up against Manchester United in August required surgery.

Initially signed to play a completely different role, Arteta stating upon his arrival that “he will bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield”, after the Havertz as a left-eight experiment did not go as planned, he thrived as a centre-forward, scoring 29 goals for the Gunners to date.

So, what Arteta has shown is that, if Havertz is available, he is going to find a place in his team for him, so the idea that Gyökeres’ arrival would end his Arsenal career was never going to be the case.

Clearly, the pre-season plan was for the pair to timeshare the centre-forward role which, who knows, may have prevented Gyökeres’ injury, but certainly would have benefited him, given that the Swede’s best two performances, coming at St James’ Park and Turf Moor, both occurred after EFL Cup ties where he had been afforded a rest.

However, once Arteta has his full complement of forwards available again, the fabled ‘when everyone is fit’ bliss managers rarely ever enjoy, could there be another challenger for the number nine spot?

Why Mikel Arteta's "best finisher" could lead the line

As already outlined, Gyökeres, Havertz and Ødegaard as well as Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus are all hoping to make their eagerly-anticipated returns in the coming weeks.

Down to threadbare options, Arteta has been forced to return to the well that never seems to run dry that is Mikel Merino up front, something Gooners thought they had seen the end of after last season, but all the absentees have given Leandro Trossard the opportunity to seriously stake a claim.

The Belgian leads the way at Arsenal in terms of combined goals and assists so far this season, having bagged four of each, while this is also the case across 2025 to, as the table below documents.

Leandro Trossard

10

10

Mikel Merino

11

6

Declan Rice

9

10

Martin Ødegaard

5

9

Gabriel Martinelli

9

3

Bukayo Saka

9

Zero

Ethan Nwaneri

5

2

Viktor Gyökeres

6

Zero

Trossard has scored crucial goals on the road against both Fulham and Athletic Club this season, before firing home this absolute rocket on Wearside last Saturday night.

Ever since he joined the club from Brighton for £27m in January 2023, probably a better signing than Mykhailo Mudryk would have been, Trossard has been prolific in front of goal, scoring 32 goals and accumulating 27 assists, the most of any Arsenal player during this timeframe.

Thus, the Belgian has been labelled “the best finisher at the club”, while Tim Stillman of Arseblog agrees, describing him as an ‘excellent shooter and finisher’, something Arsenal’s squad lacks in general, praising his ‘positional versatility’.

Thus, given his output, Arteta is going to want to have Trossard on the pitch somehow.

With Madueke and Martinelli vying for minutes on the left-wing, could we see Trossard challenging for minutes as the centre-forward, certainly offering something different to Gyökeres, at the very least putting pressure on the Swede to perform, something he has not had due to the lack of a genuine alternative up until this point?

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