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A £120,000-per-week Arsenal player is reportedly now a "top target" for one club outside the UK transfer window, with the player seen as their main priority to sign before they can no longer make new additions.

Players who left Arsenal in 2024 summer window

Manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar offloaded a host of assets during the summer window, which closed last Friday, including some pretty big names.

Arteta plotting new Arsenal role for Havertz which will impact Sterling

The Spaniard is gearing up for a mouth-watering clash against Tottenham.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 5, 2024

Emile Smith-Rowe was the biggest of them all, after the midfielder became Fulham's club-record signing for an initial £27 million, which could rise to £34 million with add-ons included.

The attacking midfielder has started all three of Fulham's opening Premier League matches, scoring his first goal for the club recently, and he'll be looking to eventually work his way back into the England set-up in time for the 2026 USA World Cup.

Alongside Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah sealed a £30 million switch to Crystal Palace, where he'll have the exact same goal as his Smith-Rowe – eventual England contention.

Aaron Ramsdale, Mohamed Elneny, Cedric Soares, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares, Reiss Nelson and Karl Hein also left the Emirates Stadium over the summer window, but there are a couple of players who couldn't seal an exit, despite repeated links.

Thomas Partey was regularly tipped to leave Arsenal, and Arteta will be thankful to have not given the green-light on a transfer away for the Ghanaian, as the Gunners are now very short in midfield for their looming north London derby trip to north London.

Theoretically, Partey could still depart with both the Turkish and Greek windows still open, but a suspension for Declan Rice and injury to summer signing Mikel Merino highlights just how crucial the 31-year-old will be for Arteta in the coming months.

Left-back Kieran Tierney was also regularly linked with an Arsenal exit, but he's now been named in their official Champions League squad, much to the surprise of many who believed he may not even be included in their final Premier League squad submission – with the deadline on September 14.

Tierney emerges as "top target" for Istanbul Basaksehir

Now, according to reports out of Spain, Tierney has emerged as a "top target" for Istanbul Basaksehir, with the Turkish window remaining open until the end of next week.

It is unclear what Arsenal's stance is on this, but if they were to entertain any Basaksehir bid for the Scotsman, they could have to replace him with another homegrown or locally trained player for their Champions League squad.

The £120,000-per-week defender spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad, and is unlikely to feature too often under Arteta this season, with his contract also set to expire in 2026 – giving Arsenal limited time to make a decent amount of money back off his £25 million transfer fee.

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing a forward who Virgil van Dijk says "has everything", seeing him as an alternative to Santiago Gimenez.

Nottingham Forest miss out on Gimenez

The Reds have suffered a setback with one high-profile transfer target, with a move for Feyenoord striker Gimenez possibly not materialising after plenty of interest emerged in him from the Premier League side.

The Mexican looked like a hugely exciting option for Forest, considering what a key performer he was for his current club last season, scoring 23 goals in just 29 starts in the Eredivisie, as well as netting twice in four appearances in the Champions League.

With Gimenez potentially no longer a target for Nuno Espirito Santo's side between now and the end of the summer transfer window this week, having rejected a switch to the City Ground, they could do with finding an alternative target.

It looks as though they may have found that player, with a new report suggesting as much, as Forest look to give themselves the best possible chance of enjoying a solid Premier League campaign.

Nottingham Forest eyeing attacker who "has everything"

According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest are now "ready to turn their attention" to signing Ajax striker Brian Brobbey this summer, looking to acquire his signature before the window closes on Friday.

The Reds have "set their sights" on the Feyenoord ace, seeing him as an ideal option in place of Gimenez, but with his contract not expiring until 2027, the report does state that "it would take a big fee to try and prise him away from Amsterdam".

Brobbey stands out as a shrewd option for Forest in the coming days, and if they were able to entice him to the club, it could make up for the blow of missing out on the prolific Gimenez.

The Ajax ace is a top-quality player in his own right, and still only 22 years of age, scoring 49 goals and registering 19 assists for Ajax to date, as well as winning three caps for the Netherlands. His international captain Van Dijk has spoken highly about his compatriot's qualities, too, saying:

"I think he’s a great boy. He is a great talent and basically has everything. He is fast, strong and can finish well. He had said in an interview that he would score against us, but luckily, we were able to prevent that. He can be a very good weapon [for the World Cup], but it’s up to the national coach."

Forest signing Brobbey may feel like a real coup, given his international pedigree and the praise he has received from such a huge player in Van Dijk, and he scored a combined 31 league goals in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons combined.

The £48,000-a-week Dutchman may only improve, too, given his tender years, so the idea of him in a Reds shirt for many years to come is an exciting prospect for Reds supporters.

Manchester United have come in for criticism with Sir Jim Ratcliffe accused of "pinching off people" due to his latest cost-cutting measure.

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• Man Utd cut steward bonuses by £150
• Used to receive £100 for every 10 matches
• Steward of the Week cash prize also cancelled

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since taking operational control with a 25% stake in the club, Ratcliffe has initiated significant reductions in outgoings to channel more funds into improving the playing squad. However, these moves have sparked backlash, particularly after the decision to eliminate bonuses for stewards—some of the club’s lowest-paid employees.

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  Stewards, who play a crucial role in ensuring matchday safety and fan experience, previously received a £100 attendance bonus for every 10 matches worked. Additionally, a "Steward of the Week" was awarded £50 for exceptional service. According to both bonuses have been discontinued this season, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among staff.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  The changes have prompted many stewards to leave the club. Frank Robinson, a former steward with 24 years of experience at Old Trafford, shared his frustration, describing the move as a step too far.

  “A lot of stewards are leaving since Ratcliffe came in,” he told iNews.

  “Up until last year they used to get an attendance bonus. Every 10 matches we did, we got a £100 bonus. Now they said you’re not having that. So they stopped that completely. For many years you’d have a steward of the week, someone nominated or fans wrote in and said how well this steward had done. You got £50 for that. Now they still have steward of the week, but they have no award. It’s very petty for a football club. You’re pinching off people at the bottom of the ladder.”

  Robinson also highlighted the increasing use of agency staff to replace seasoned stewards, which has further eroded morale.

  “Supervisors and stewards who’ve been at United for years are packing it in,” Robinson said.

  “Some stewards in their 70s, they’re putting them into the top tier of the North Stand because they know they won’t like it and they’ll leave. They can bring more agency staff in. They’re trying to force them out. They are getting rid of stewards and replacing them with untrained, unqualified agency staff. There’s no overheads with agency staff, no training, no uniforms, nobody having to work wages and holiday out.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Once a symbol of gratitude, the club previously awarded long-serving stewards with engraved watches, often presented by legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. These timepieces, valued at over £1,000, were a cherished acknowledgement of loyalty and dedication. Now, such traditions have disappeared.

Wayne Rooney has got his Plymouth players training harder after a run of one win in 11 that leaves the Pilgrims fighting Championship relegation.

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• Plymouth sit 23rd in Championship
• Rooney under increasing pressure
• Pilgrims host Middlesbrough next

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It's been a hugely disappointing season for Rooney on his return to management with Plymouth. The Home Park outfit are 23rd in the Championship, having lost each of their past four games – a run in which they've conceded 14 goals.

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  Rooney is not only fighting to keep Plymouth up but also to save his reputation as a manager, having failed in his previous stint with Birmingham. The Pilgrims face a hectic festive period, with four games in 12 days, but he believes now is the time to up the intensity of training in a bid to improve Plymouth's fortunes and potentially save his job.

• WHAT ROONEY SAID

  "We've actually stepped the training up to train harder," the Manchester United legend told BBC Radio Devon. "I feel it's really important from now until mid-January that we step the training up because that gives your body a resilience to try and prevent injuries.

  "We're trying different things to make sure we get the players in the right condition to get through the next three weeks."

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• TELL ME MORE

  "I spoke to the players and I feel it's something we need to step up," Rooney added. "Yesterday we trained a lot harder then we normally would on that day because this time next week we'll be playing a game.

  "We have to get our players' bodies into a shape and routine that they're ready for that hit every three or four days going up towards mid-January really, to give them that almost mini pre-season to get them through to the end of the season."

Arsenal would sign a £200,000-per-week forward before deadline day if they could, and it is claimed he'd be open to joining them.

Arsenal looking at last-minute chance to sign forward after Merino

As per reliable media sources like journalist Fabrizio Romano, there is a belief that Arsenal are looking at "last-minute" opportunities to sign a new forward as we fast approach the transfer window cut-off.

Arsenal monitoring £179k-per-week Nketiah replacement with late bid possible

The Gunners have just sold him to Palace.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 29, 2024

Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has been heavily linked with a late switch to Arsenal in the last week, with GiveMeSport even writing that the Frenchman was offered out to the Gunners at some point recently.

While Mikel Arteta has the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka at his disposal, who are all capable of playing out wide, the Gunners and sporting director Edu Gaspar could enter the market for an alternative Saka.

“I think it’s not going to be a super big name. I don’t expect Arsenal to go for a central striker," said Romano on Men in Blazers (via TBR).

"There was some fear around the injury of Gabriel Jesus, but I’m told it’s quite positive. The idea of Arsenal is to sign a winger rather than a number nine, looking at a last-minute opportunity on the market."

This comes amid their attempts to bring in a new second-choice keeper to replace the departing Aaron Ramsdale after Southampton agreed a deal worth up to £25 million for the England international (BBC).

Arsenal have submitted a bid for Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia to fill the role, but the La Liga side want his full £26 million release clause to be paid in full, so it remains to be seen just how much the north Londoners will be able to splash out on a new winger as well.

It's been a very busy week at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal also announcing their capture of Mikel Merino, who will don the number 23 shirt and could make his Premier League debut this weekend.

Arsenal would sign Nico Williams before deadline day if they could

Speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast, journalist Dean Jones says Arsenal are still very fond of Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, even if he doesn't look likely to be leaving any time soon.

Jones says that, if it were up to them, Arsenal would sign Williams "tomorrow", and he wouldn't say no to joining despite preferring Barcelona as a destination.

“Nico Williams, they still love up to right now. I think they would sign Nico Williams tomorrow if they could. There are problems more around his wages than an actual transfer fee that would be needed,” Jones said (via TBR).

“There’s also the desire of the player. I don’t think he doesn’t want to join Arsenal, I just think he’d prefer to join Barcelona. I’m waiting to see if that can crop up again for Arsenal.”

The £200,000-per-week player starred for Spain at the Euros, and there is a very serious case to be made that he's one of Europe's brightest talents right now.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest in Nottingham Forest's pursuit of another signing this summer as they look to hand Nuno Espírito Santo a squad capable of pulling well clear of the Premier League relegation battle this season.

Nottingham Forest keen to make signings

With a month left in the transfer window, it was suggested that Nottingham Forest would be looking to make five new signings before the window slams shut, with the reliable John Percy explaining that the Premier League side were on the hunt for "two wingers, a forward, a left-back and another goalkeeper" before the August 30th deadline.

Since then, they have added those two wingers, with Jota Silva arriving from Portuguese outfit Vitória S.C, while more recently they completed a move to sign Paraguayan forward Ramon Sosa on a five-year deal.

Perfect for Sosa: Nottingham Forest could land their own Foden in £35m ace

The Reds have already had a proposal rejected for the talent this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 17, 2024

“Ramón has been coveted by many clubs but was so clear in his desire to join Nottingham Forest", Forest's Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson explained. “We could all feel his energy, emotion, pride and excitement to be here from the first minute he arrived".

Now, attention is turning elsewhere, with the club understood to be keen on signing Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno on a season-long loan deal to provide cover at full back. They have also been linked with a move for Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, so the final thing on the agenda is a new centre forward.

Romano issues update on striker hunt

Now, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Garibaldi have seen a bid turned down for Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez as they look to bolster their frontline.

As it stands, they have both Chris Wood (who scored in Saturday's draw) and Taiwo Awoniyi to call upon, but they are looking for further firepower and have identified the Mexican as a potential solution. Gimenez was thought to be on the radar of Tottenham last season as he enjoyed an excellent campaign, and he has started the new season in similar vein with two goals and an assist in two outings.

As per Romano, sharing news from Mexican media outlets, Forest are still in negotiations over a move for the talented forward, having seen an initial 25m euro (£21m) offer rejected. It is added that the offer is "not enough for Feyenoord to accept" and that they are holding out for a higher fee, but the Reds haven't given up and are pushing ahead to agree on a new number.

They will be in no rush for Feyenoord to sell the Mexican, with Gimenez still having three years left to run on his £29,000 a week deal with the Eredivisie champions. But with Wood now the wrong side of his peak and Awoniyi unreliable fitness wise, his addition would be a massive boost for Forest if they can get it over the line.

Chelsea have been warned why Cole Palmer joining Manchester United "would make sense" by former Red Devils striker Louis Saha.

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• Palmer on fire at Chelsea
• Only player to have 50 G/A in PL since 2023-24
• Saha wants Palmer to join the Red Devils

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 22-year-old has already amassed 50 goals and assists in the Premier League since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, a feat no other player has achieved. Currently ranked as the third-highest scorer in the English top flight, Palmer has cemented his place among the league’s elite players and his meteoric rise has seen linked him with a move to Real Madrid, the reigning European champions.

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  WHAT SAHA SAID

  It is no secret that Palmer has been a United fan since childhood and Saha believes that his boyhood affinity for the Red Devils could make Old Trafford a plausible future destination, however, the Frenchman also admits he is more likely to join Real.

  Speaking to Saha said: "Palmer to Manchester United would one day make sense because he grew up being a fan of the club, but there is only one club I can see him going to after Chelsea. I can see him being on a trajectory to Real Madrid and I don’t think the move would phase him, he never doubts himself or thinks about things for too long. He wants to enjoy his game and he’s having fun. I’m very jealous of Chelsea because he is a huge star and I think he’d be a big success if he went to Spain."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saha believes United missed a golden opportunity to secure the dynamic forward when he was put on sale by Manchester City in 2023, with Chelsea sealing the deal for £42.5m ($49.5 million). The former striker hailed Palmer's fearless approach, describing him as a player who thrives under pressure, a trait that he finds missing in the current crop of United players.

  "In hindsight, it’s easy to say that Manchester United should’ve signed Cole Palmer from Manchester City, but it wasn’t so obvious at the time," he said.

  "Looking at him now you can see that he lives for the game and he always wants to play and improve, he is constantly proving people wrong and there is no limit to what he can achieve. I’m a huge fan of his mentality and his consistency, United don’t have that at the moment, they also have the headache with the director of football, it’s not easy."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Given his exceptional form and status as one of the Premier League’s standout performers, any future transfer for Palmer is expected to surpass the £100 million mark. Moreover, he has a deal with Chelsea until 2033, which hands the Blues an advantage during negotiations with any potential suitors.

Phil Foden admitted that Manchester City will come up against a "frightening" Liverpool team on Sunday, but insists his side are up to the challenge.

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• Liverpool on six-game winning run
• City winless in as many matches
• Foden sure they can turn it around

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City went on a five-game losing streak before squandering a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday. Their dismal domestic results leave the Premier League champions eight points behind leaders Liverpool ahead of the Anfield showdown between the two sides on Sunday.

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  In contrast, Liverpool are on a six-game winning streak and have failed to win on just two occasions in all competitions this season. They head into the game off the back of a 2-0 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Foden is aware his team face a massive challenge.

  "Yeah, they look frightening to be fair," he told . "They’ve gone under the radar a bit because everyone was talking about City and Arsenal but we know how good they are. [Sunday’s match] is going to be a challenge and we’re up for it."

• WHAT FODEN SAID

  City's dismal form has sparked talk of a crisis at the club under Pep Guardiola. Defeat on Sunday would see City fall 11 points behind their rivals, which Guardiola conceded would likely put his team out of contention for the title.

  However, Foden is confident of turning the situation around as he believes the players are mentally strong enough.

  "Obviously, we’ve had a blip. We’ve had injuries and niggles," he said. "We can’t make that an excuse but we do know if we had the full team fit and key players, maybe the results would have been different. It’s about just getting over it. I’m pretty sure we’ll be OK once we start picking up the results again."

  He added: "It’s just the way we are. When we lose, we have meetings as a team, you know: ‘It’s not right, we need to put things right,’ so it’s just our mentality. I know when I look around the changing room, the mentality is right. Our hunger is still there, which is nice to see after us winning so much. It could easily not be — but the hunger is definitely still there."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FODEN?

  Yet to score in the Premier League so far this season, Foden will hope to open his account when City line up against Arne Slot's team.

One of the biggest priorities at the moment for Tottenham is recruiting a new striker, someone capable of making up for the departure of Harry Kane a year ago. Yeah, no pressure.

Two of the names on supporters' lips at the moment are Bournemouth taliman Dominic Solanke and Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen.

That said, a winger could also be on the agenda for Ange Postecoglou and Co.

Tottenham's hunt for a new winger

One of the fiercest rumours in recent weeks has been to Italy international Federico Chiesa. The Juventus star was actually left out of the Turin outfit's squad over the week, fueling further speculation that he'll be on his way out in the forthcoming weeks.

However, it's unlikely to be to Tottenham. Journalist Tom Barclay confirmed a few days ago that the Italian is not a target for Spurs this summer.

A more concrete option could be Wolves' Pedro Neto. That's according to recent reports from Caught Offside this weekend who suggest that Arsenal and their north London rivals are going head to head to sign the £60m talent.

Another name who has been hotly tipped to move this summer is Eberechi Eze. Older reports suggests Spurs are in the hunt for him too.

How Eze compares to Chiesa and Neto

Valued at £60m, the idea of signing Eze for those at Spurs should be greatly appealing. After all, this is one of England's and the Premier League's most exciting talents.

Last season, the 26-year-old scored 11 goals and supplied six assists in all competitions on his way to being hailed as an "unbelievable" player by pundit Danny Murphy.

How do those base stats compare to Neto and Chiesa? Well, pretty well it turns out.

So, Eze is clearly the more clinical of the three in front of goal but Neto is a far more creative outlet. Vitally, the former stays fit on a far more regular basis though. The Wolves star missed a lot of football last term – 23 games in fact. The Crystal Palace man? He was only absent for five games with one muscle injury at the turn of the year.

What do the deeper numbers suggest about the trio? Let's take a look.

So, it's a very resounding win in most areas for the Eagles talisman, Eze. The England international scores more regularly, is more accurate with his passing and even more impressively on top of that is more of his passes are progressive in nature. He's even a dazzling dribbler, completing far more take-ons.

Neto is the better progressive carrier of the ball and supplies far more assists but considering Eze is reportedly available at the same price tag, there is only really one winner here.

If Johan Lange and Co can find a way to get a deal done then it would be a superb acquisition for Spurs.

Spurs hit gold on "masterclass signing" who's worth way more than Eze

The Lilywhites already have a left-sided player worth a king’s ransom.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 25, 2024

Red Devils fans are excited to see the new coach's heralded system in action on Sunday at Portman Road – but who deserves to start?

There could hardly be more excitement about Ruben Amorim's first game in charge of Manchester United and the wait is almost over. The Portuguese will finally lead the Red Devils out away to Ipswich Town on Sunday, 27 days after Erik ten Hag was sacked and 23 days after it was confirmed that the 39-year-old was going to take his place.

Amorim left Sporting CP in the best shape imaginable but he joins a United side who are in the midst of the latest of many crises in the post Sir Alex Ferguson era, looking hopelessly off the pace with the Premier League's leading sides and even further behind Europe's elite. He has had nearly two weeks to get his feet under the table and assess his squad and has taken several training sessions, being left aghast by the lack of intensity on display.

The coach is renowned for playing a 3-4-3 formation and has made it clear he intends to stick with that tried and tested shape at United, already putting it into practice in training. But who will get the nod when he names his first line-up at Portman Road? GOAL runs through the starting XI Amorim should pick in order to make the best possible start.

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  GK: Andre Onana

  The Cameroonian has made a huge improvement from his shaky early days and he has been one of the best performers this season, making tremendous saves against Crystal Palace and Fenerbahce while ironing out the errors that plagued his start to life at Old Trafford. He is yet to make a big contribution to United's possession game, which, after all, is what he was brought to the club to do. But that should change with Amorim and the new formation. Onana's best season came while playing with a back three at Inter, and having an extra centre-back to pass to should benefit him.

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  RCB: Matthijs de Ligt

  United might have a centre-back shortage at the moment but the Dutchman is fully fit, playing 90 minutes for his country against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday. The former Ajax captain had a bit of a rough start to life in the Premier League but he has settled into the team recently and delivered much improved performances under Ruud van Nistelrooy, showing his power in the air and looking more assured in possession.

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  CB: Jonny Evans

  With Lisandro Martinez being sent home from the Argentina camp, Victor Lindelof getting injured with Sweden and Leny Yoro and Harry Maguire still getting back to full fitness, all signs point to the 36-year-old marshalling the defence in Amorim's dugout debut. The veteran centre-back might not be the picture of renewal United are hoping for but he is the safe pair of hands the new coach needs in his first game in a new league. Evans can always be relied upon and he comes into his element at tricky Premier League grounds, producing a man-of-the-match display at Burnley last season and keeping Aston Villa at bay last month with an immaculate second-half performance from the bench.

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  LCB: Noussair Mazraoui

  The Morocco international has been one of United's best players in recent weeks, starring against Chelsea and getting an assist against Leicester. He has played as both a right-back and a left-back, although he has impressed more in the latter role, inverting into midfield when United have possession. He could play as a wing-back, but his defensive attributes makes him better suited to playing on the left of the back three, where he can help out the left winger while also joining the midfield when appropriate.