All posts by z3u9t.icu

It would be fair to say that this season is going about as well as any Arsenal fan could’ve hoped for back in the summer.

Mikel Arteta’s side are three for three in the Champions League without conceding a goal and currently sit atop the Premier League, seven points ahead of defending champions Liverpool.

However, the North Londoners have to shift their focus from the major competitions ahead of their League Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night.

The Gunners must do better in the domestic cups this season, but even so, Arteta should look to replace Declan Rice in the lineup with another international star.

Changes Arteta should make to the team

While this isn’t a game Arteta should take lightly, it is nowhere near as important as the league, and therefore, with the squad he has at his disposal, he should be looking to make some changes.

Chalkboard

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

Starting in goal, Kepa Arrizabalaga should be given another start, and to ensure William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães are given a rest, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie should start together for the first time.

Likewise, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are in need of a rest, and in their place, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White should come back into the side.

At the base of midfield, Martin Zubimendi should be replaced by fellow summer signing Christian Nørgaard, and while there is an argument to also rest Eberechi Eze, it might be good for him to stay in the team following his goal on the weekend.

Moreover, by keeping the former Crystal Palace star in the lineup, Arteta can start Ethan Nwaneri on the right in place of Bukayo Saka, who was reportedly unwell against the Eagles, and therefore shouldn’t be anywhere near the team on Wednesday.

Finally, injuries once again leave the manager with few options when it comes to changing the striker and left-wing setup.

For example, while it would be great to hand Viktor Gyokeres a rest, the fact that Gabriel Martinelli is now out means he’s unlikely to get one.

This is because Leandro Trossard will now have to stay out wide instead of starting down the middle.

With all that said, there is one more regular starter who should be replaced: Rice.

The Arsenal star who should replace Rice

Like many of the other stars in the team, Arteta simply must drop Rice to the bench for the game against Brighton on Wednesday for a couple of reasons.

First of all, he just needs a rest as he’s already played 937 minutes of football for Arsenal this season, and he came off with a slight knock on the weekend.

Second, his importance to the side is massive, as on top of everything he does in open play, his deliveries are also one of the main reasons the team have been so utterly incredible at set-pieces.

With that said, who should come in to replace him?

Well, with Norgaad replacing Zubimendi and Eze potentially keeping his place in the team, the most obvious and best option would be Mikel Merino.

The Spanish international might be just a step below the former West Ham United captain, but he remains a top-level midfielder and someone who is capable of impacting the game in all phases of play.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won, the top 2% for non-penalty goals and touches in the opposition’s penalty area, the top 11% for through ball and more, all per 90.

Average Shot Distance

11.10

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.39

Top 1%

Aerials Won

3.08

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.32

Top 2%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.92

Top 2%

Goals

0.32

Top 3%

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.24

Top 3%

Shots on Target

0.74

Top 3%

GCA (Shot)

0.07

Top 3%

xG: Expected Goals

0.24

Top 5%

npxG + xAG

0.35

Top 6%

Goals – xG

+0.08

Top 6%

Goals/Shot

0.17

Top 7%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.08

Top 7%

Progressive Passes Rec

4.52

Top 8%

Shots Total

1.82

Top 8%

npxG/Shot

0.13

Top 8%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.56

Top 8%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.04

Top 8%

Shots on Target %

40.4%

Top 11%

Through Balls

0.42

Top 11%

Moreover, he has also transformed into a lean, mean goalscoring machine for club and country this year.

Since the start of 2025, he has scored nine goals and provided three assists for the Gunners.

On top of that, the 6 foot 2 titan has scored eight goals and provided one assist for Spain this year, which is a run of form that has seen his manager, Luis de la Fuente, claim he is “on the same level as Pedri and Rodri.”

Ultimately, Merino has proven himself to be an excellent player in most areas of the pitch, and therefore, he should be the one to come in for Rice against Brighton.

Arteta's £120k-p/w "wild horse" looks like this season's Timber at Arsenal

Just like Timber, the international monster is having an incredible season at Arsenal this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 28, 2025

Eberechi Eze has now finally departed Crystal Palace.

It had been a long time coming, but instead of the former Eagles number 10 pulling on the white of Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, he will be lining up in Arsenal’s famous red and white instead, as a last-minute detour across North London occurred to link up with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.

Palace won’t want to dwell for too long on Eze’s star quality now being missing from Selhurst Park, with a healthy £67.5m in the Eagles’ bank account off the back of this much-talked-about sale, which will hopefully be put to good use before deadline day comes around.

Already, it seems as if Oliver Glasner’s side are eyeing up some ambitious moves, which could include a former midfield ace returning to East London.

Crystal Palace consider ambitious late move

Palace have money to burn, but not a lot of time to shell out significant amounts on an Eze replacement.

The window slams shut next Monday, with the Eagles reportedly setting their sights on a last-ditch move for Villarreal attacker Yeremy Pino, who coincidentally has a £67m release clause at the Yellow Submarine.

He isn’t the only costly midfield addition up for consideration, however, with an ambitious move to bring former loan sensation Conor Gallagher back to Palace in the works.

That’s what Eagles report Bobby Manzi has revealed, with the report stating that Glasner and Co. are weighing up another loan deal for the former Chelsea man, who has struggled for gametime during the infancy of the new La Liga season after trading London for Madrid in a £42m deal a year ago.

Such a lack of gametime means that the Englishman is open to heading back to Selhurst Park in the remaining days of the window.

He could well be the ‘talismanic’ replacement needed to fill Eze’s void, as the News Shopper have further stated.

How Gallagher is like both Wharton & Eze

Not only would Gallagher provide a helping hand in replacing some of the qualities that Eze has left behind, but the England international evokes qualities of another Eagles star.

Indeed, also possesses the same grit and energy of Adam Wharton’s varied game donning Palace’s distinct claret and blue, which makes a last-gasp deal for the 25-year-old to return to his former happy hunting ground even more of a must to seal.

Of course, when Gallagher was pulling on his new Palace strip during a brief loan stint away from Chelsea, he was desperately eager to make a name for himself as a rising gem.

At just 21, the wide-eyed midfielder certainly lived up to his hype, leading to eight goals and five assists coming his way from 39 Eagles outings.

Funnily enough, Wharton is making similar waves today in the senior set-up, at the same age when Gallagher first started coming onto Premier League fans ‘ radars far and wide for his entertaining showings at Palace.

The ex-Blackburn Rovers talent might well still be searching for a strike to break his duck at Selhurst Park, but he does boast one more assist than Gallagher from his 47 appearances, on top of also offering far more than just goals and assists when winning 4.9 duels per match during his debut Premier League campaign.

A far rawer version of the midfielder target won a heftier 5.9 duels per game during his only top-flight season to date for the Eagles – with then Palace manager Patrick Vieira even heralding how much he “sacrifices” himself for the team – before refining this edge to his game even more under the attritional approach of Diego Simeone at Atletico.

Games played

136

Goals scored

18

Assists

13

Completed passes

4678 (86%)

Total tackles

281

Duels won

731

He has further proven himself away from that memorable stay at Selhurst Park in the tough terrain of the Premier League with Chelsea, as seen in his healthy tally of 18 goals and 13 assists next to his name from 136 top-flight appearances.

Like Gallagher, Eze has more than proven he knows where the goal is, bagging 34 goals and 23 assists himself from 147 top-flight clashes. Thus, Gallagher will be hopeful his own total can rise to the levels of his £67.5m counterpart if he can be equal parts gritty and attack-minded under Glasner’s wing.

It will be intriguing to see where the Austrian does slot Gallagher into his line-ups if he joins, as he tries to get both sides of the “sensational” star’s well-rounded game – as he’s been previously lauded by football journalist John Cross – to come to the forefront.

Whatever does happen, it’s certain that the 25-year-old will relish a chance to return to the Premier League with his former loan employers, as Glasner and Co try to navigate their reality now with Eze missing.

Romano: Crystal Palace target "unique" £67m star as perfect Eze replacement

With Eberechi Eze having joined Arsenal for £67.5m, Crystal Palace will target a “unique” £67m star as his replacement, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Aug 23, 2025

Glasgow Rangers dropped points for the second time in as many Scottish Premiership matches with a 1-1 draw at Ibrox against Dundee on Saturday.

The Light Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by Motherwell on the opening day of the league campaign, and now have two points to show after two games and are already four points off the top of the table.

Russell Martin will not be happy with the way his team have started the season, and may want more signings to bolster his squad before the end of the summer transfer window to ensure that they are in the best place to kick on and get more points on the board.

Rangers closing in on new defender

The Light Blues are putting plenty of work in behind the scenes to add to the manager’s options across the park, and are reportedly on course to bring in a new defender.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Rangers Review, as relayed by IbroxNews, the Scottish giants are closing in on a deal to sign Real Betis centre-back Nobel Mendy for a fee of £2m.

The report claims that the 20-year-old defender, who typically plays on the left side of the defence, has his heart set on a move to Ibrox, which now appears to be coming to fruition.

It adds that the left-footed defender is poised to put pen to paper on a four-year contract at Ibrox, with an option to extend by a further year, and that his arrival will mean that Ben Davies, Clinton Nsiala, and Leon King are all free to move on.

Why Mendy could be a good signing for Rangers

The Real Betis youngster, who spent most of last season with the B team, could be a shrewd addition to the squad as a talented young player who needs regular game time, much like when the club plucked Mikel Arteta away from Barcelona B.

Back in 2002, the Light Blues signed the Spanish midfielder from Barcelona B after he failed to make a single first-team appearance for the Catalan giants, although he did have two loan spells at PSG.

Arteta failed to make the breakthrough in the first-team in Spain, but then went on to score 14 goals in 65 games for Rangers. He also won the domestic treble in his first year at the club, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the Spaniard, who moved to Real Sociedad in 2004 before going on to play for Everton and Arsenal most notably, was a big success with what he achieved at Ibrox despite arriving as a player from a B team in Spain.

Appearances

2

13

Starts

1

12

Pass accuracy

87%

85%

Ball recoveries per game

3.5

7.9

Clearances per game

4.5

2.0

Duel success rate

100%

41%

As you can see in the table above, Mendy spent the majority of last season with Real Betis B, starting just one match in LaLiga, which shows that he did not quite make the grade there.

His failure to make a breakthrough as a regular starter for Real Betis does not mean that he is a bad player, though, as evidenced by the success that Arteta had at Ibrox after his move from Barcelona B.

Writer and analyst Kai Watson described Mendy as a “powerful” player with “athletic” qualities, similar to Nasser Djiga, which makes it seem like the Gers are signing a mobile and combative young central defender.

However, it is hard to make predictions on how he will perform for the Gers because, as aforementioned, the majority of his performances have come at B team level, and it remains to be seen how he will adapt to senior football at Ibrox.

Big Danilo upgrade: Rangers make "lethal" £5m gem one of their top targets

Rangers have made this striker one of their top transfer targets, and he would be a big upgrade on Danilo.

ByDan Emery Aug 8, 2025

The Light Blues can, though, look to the masterclass that they once played by snapping Arteta up when he failed to make the grade in LaLiga, and know that they may have found their next version of the current Arsenal manager in Mendy, who is another young talent with the potential to develop and enjoy success in Glasgow.

You would do incredibly well to find any Chelsea supporters, or supporters of any club, who do not think that the club hit the jackpot with Cole Palmer.

The Blues reportedly paid an initial fee of £40m to sign the attacking midfielder from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, and he has been a rip-roaring success at Stamford Bridge.

Since making the move to London two years ago, the England international has racked up 43 goals and 29 assists in 97 appearances in all competitions for the club.

The left-footed star, who won the Conference League with the Blues last season, has scored a staggering 37 goals in the Premier League in his two seasons with Chelsea to date.

Palmer is well on his way to being recognised as one of the best number ten, or attacking midfield, players the club have had in modern history, at least.

However, he still has a way to go to overtake some of the other established names in that role, such as Italian icon Gianfranco Zola, who the current Chelsea star knew through FIFA.

Why Gianfranco Zola is a Chelsea legend

Last year, Palmer admitted that he did not know too much about the former Blues midfielder, but knew that he was a good player because he had an icon card on FIFA.

Whilst Zola may be an icon in FIFA, or EAFC as it is now called, he is a legend at Stamford Bridge because of what he achieved during his time at the club.

The diminutive star joined the Blues from Parma in the summer of 1996 and spent seven years in London, racking up two FA Cups, a League Cup, a Community Shield, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

In 2003, Chelsea ran a poll to find out who their supporters felt was the best player in the club’s history, and Zola won it with a landslide 60% of the votes, which shows how highly fans rated him at the time.

Whilst the likes of John Terry, Didier Drogba, and Eden Hazard, among others, have passed through the club since then, this shows that the Italian maestro is still a Chelsea legend from that era.

2002/03

38

14

7

2001/02

35

3

4

2000/01

36

9

4

1999/00

33

4

2

1998/99

37

13

4

1997/98

27

8

3

1996/97

23

8

3

Zola ended his time at the club with a return of 80 goals and 44 assists in 312 appearances in all competitions, which shows that Palmer still has a way to go to catch up with his legacy.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are now reportedly eyeing up a move to sign another attacking midfielder who is even more similar to Zola than Palmer is.

Chelsea ready to bid for Bundesliga star

According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Chelsea are still “working” on a deal to sign RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Xavi Simons this summer.

The reporter claims that there is a “strong feeling” that a transfer will go through before the summer window slams shut at the start of September.

Transfer Focus

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

Plettenberg adds that the Blues are “ready to submit an official bid” for the Netherlands international, although there is no mention of how much the offer is going to be worth.

He reveals that a verbal agreement is almost in place, but the Conference League champions need to offload some more players before they go through with a deal.

Leipzig are reportedly looking for a fee in the region of £61m in order to sanction an exit for the Dutch playmaker, who could be Zola 2.0 at Stamford Bridge next season.

Why Chelsea should sign Xavi Simons

The Blues should push to get this deal done because the Bundesliga star could come in as Enzo Maresca’s own version of Zola, as a diminutive number ten who offers goals, assists, and flair.

Whilst Palmer is undoubtedly a phenomenal footballer, he is somewhat unorthodox at times due to his lanky frame. That is not a bad thing, as the numbers speak for themselves, but Simons may be more of an aesthetic like-for-like for Zola in a Chelsea shirt.

The 5 foot 10 magician, who was described as a “superstar” by analyst Ben Mattinson, is a joy to watch with the way that he can dribble and move with the ball at his feet, effortlessly drifting past opposition players, as shown in the clip below.

As well as being an enjoyable player to watch, Simons is also an effective operator at the top end of the pitch, as he has proven himself to be adept at scoring and creating goals.

In the last two seasons, the Dutch sensation has racked up 21 goals and 21 assists in all competitions for Leipzig, which shows that he can offer plenty of quality in the final third.

xG

5.11

Top 4%

xG on target

8.19

Top 2%

Goals

10

Top 1%

xA

5.98

Top 6%

Chances created

51

Top 7%

Assists

7

Top 5%

Successful dribbles

33

Top 4%

Touches in opposition’s box

88

Top 3%

As you can see in the table above, Simons ranked highly among his positional peers in the Bundesliga last season in a host of key attacking metrics, as a goalscorer, a creator, and as a dribbler.

These statistics suggest that the 22-year-old starlet has the potential to be an incredibly exciting and effective attacking midfielder, possibly playing alongside Palmer in the team, for Chelsea if they are able to get a deal over the line for him.

Palmer and Simons could be a joy to watch alongside each other as two attacking midfielders who have both proven that they can score and assist goals on a regular basis at the top level, which is why this could be a brilliant signing for Chelsea.

That is on top of the Dutchman potentially giving the older Blues supporters flashbacks of Zola with his similarities to the former Italian star, due to his diminutive style of play, height, and technical elegance.

Sancho 2.0: Chelsea now "pushing" to sign "electric" £40m star after Hato

Chelsea should avoid repeating old mistakes.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 1, 2025

Celtic need to add to their options in the wide areas before the summer transfer window officially slams shut for business at the start of September.

The Hoops have sold Nicolas Kuhn to Italian side Como and have lost Jota to a long-term injury in the last few months, and they are yet to replace either of them.

The pair combined for 17 goals and 11 assists in 43 games in the Scottish Premiership during the 2024/25 campaign, which shows how much quality Brendan Rodgers has lost from his side.

Jota could be out until February of next year with a knee injury and this means that the Hoops are particularly light on the left wing, especially if Rodgers wants to use Daizen Maeda through the middle.

Celtic have reportedly identified Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha as one of their top targets to come in to bolster their options on the flanks, and are in talks over a deal to sign him.

However, the Belgian side are currently sticking to their £5m valuation of the forward and it remains to be seen if an agreement can be reached.

What Michel-Ange Balikwisha could bring to Celtic

If the Scottish Premiership champions are able to get a deal over the line for the 24-year-old winger, Rodgers could have a very capable deputy for Jota until the Portuguese star returns next year.

Balikwisha played 90 minutes against USG in the opening game of the Pro League season on Saturday, creating one ‘big chance’ but failing to score or assist a goal in a 1-1 draw.

The Belgian whiz scored four goals and provided three assists in 17 appearances in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, and delivered ten goals and six assists in 42 outings in the previous season for Royal Antwerp.

These statistics suggest that Balikwisha could bring a decent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals to Celtic, although he has yet to prove that he can score or assist goals at an exceptional rate as of yet.

24/25

3

205

29

23/24

1

49

10

22/23

2

103

14

21/22

2

51

10

However, as you can see in the table above, the £5m-rated star’s injury history over the last four seasons is a bit of a concern, as he has missed at least ten games through injury in all four years.

The Hoops must weigh up his potential quality on the pitch against the possibility that he could miss a lot of games through injury during the season.

That is why they may also look at alternative options if Royal Antwerp do not budge on their valuation of the forward, amid a reported interest in another left-sided attacker.

Celtic have long-term interest in Norwegian star

According to the Daily Record, Celtic maintain a long-term interest in talented Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter, who they failed to sign in January.

The report claims that the Hoops were ‘close’ to signing the Norwegian star at the start of the year, but the 21-year-old whiz decided that he was not ready to make the step at that moment in time.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Sarpsborg are currently looking for a fee of around £7m to part ways with the winger, who was the subject of a £4m offer from the Premiership champions in the January window.

The Daily Record states that Balikwisha is at the top of their shortlist of options to fill that left-wing spot, and reveals that Orjasaeter has fallen down the list, despite the club being long-term admirers of him.

Despite the current situation and where they sit on the club’s transfer priorities, Rodgers must now consider pushing for Celtic to swoop for Orjasaeter as he could be even better than Balikwisha.

Why Celtic should sign Sondre Orjasaeter

The Norway U21 international could be an even better signing for the club than the Belgian attacker for a host of reasons, not least because of his durability.

As per Transfermarkt, the Sarpsborg wonderkid has only missed two matches through injury in two-and-a-bit seasons at first-team level so far, which suggests that the Hoops could reasonably expect him to be available for selection week-in-week-out this season.

At the age of 21, the right-footed playmaker is also three years younger than Balikwisha and may, therefore, have more time left ahead of him to grow, develop, and increase in value, which may be why he would be worth the extra £2m that it could take to sign him.

Along with his durability and potential, Orjasaeter’s performances on the pitch in Norway suggest that he has the quality, particularly as a creator, to offer even more to the Hoops than Balikwisha could.

Appearances

41

49

Goals

6

11

Big chances created

23

13

Key passes per game

1.9

1.5

Assists

7

8

Dribbles completed per game

2.4

0.4

As you can see in the table above, the Norwegian talent has produced 29 goals and ‘big chances’ created in his last 41 league appearances for Sarpsborg, whilst the Belgian whiz has managed 24 in 49 games in his last two seasons in the Pro League.

These statistics suggest that Orjasaeter, who was once described as an “interesting” young prospect by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the potential to offer even more of a threat in front of goal than Balikwisha, mainly as a creator.

The young whiz has been incredibly unlucky to only register seven assists in that time, as wasteful finishing from his teammates has let him down. In the 2025 campaign, for example, the Celtic target has only registered two assists from 11 ‘big chances’ created.

His vastly superior dribbling statistics also show that the £7m-rated star could be very useful when the Hoops need to transition up the pitch quickly, possibly in European matches where they are not expected to be as dominant in possession, as he can consistently dribble past opposition defenders.

This means that Orjasaeter could be more effective on the wing for Celtic in Champions League games, as a player who can drive the team up the pitch to gain territory.

Celtic can sign their next Engels in move for "elegant" £5m "orchestrator"

Celtic could land their next Arne Engels deal in a swoop to sign this £5m-rated talent.

ByDan Emery Jul 27, 2025

Overall, Celtic should consider swooping for the Norwegian youngster instead of Balikwisha because of his creative quality, his ball-carrying ability, his potential, and his durability.

Arsenal are reportedly about to win the race for another player, beating both Man City and Liverpool to the punch, with Mikel Arteta handed yet another transfer boost this summer after a plethora of major signings.

Arsenal could also terminate 23-year-old's contract after Takehiro Tomiyasu

He’s ready to accept an offer to leave.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 16, 2025

The Premier League title hopefuls most recently sealed deals for both winger Noni Madueke, who joined the club in a £52 million transfer from Chelsea, and defender Cristhian Mosquera – after the Gunners shook hands with Valencia for the promising young defender.

They join Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard as Arsenal’s newest crop of players, with Mosquera boasting serious potential to keep both William Saliba and Gabriel on their toes next season, according to a former staff member at Valencia.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£140m

“He is a player who has shown great potential in a short period of time,” he told Sky Sports.

“He became a very important for us and contributed a lot despite his age.

“He needs to work on some key aspects, like his decision-making. He is intense and aggressive in the way he defends but sometimes he needs to choose the right moments and understand when it would be better to drop back or hold his position.

“For a league like the Premier League, his aerial play isn’t a big strength, but he is quick on the cover, in defensive one-vs-ones and when running back towards his own goal.”

Arsenal are also on the verge of signing Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres after reaching a full agreement, and his medical could take place this week as the north Londoners iron out some final details (Florian Plettenberg).

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze also remains a target for Arteta following talks with his representatives over the last fortnight, but according to The Sun, Arsenal are about to sign another forward.

Arsenal win race to sign Salford City striker Will Wright

Journalist Charlie Wyett, in a detailed piece for the outlet, claims Arsenal look to have won the race for Salford City striker Will Wright – after making the biggest offer for his signature.

Liverpool tabled a £100,000 bid for the 17-year-old in an attempt to lure him to Anfield, but Arsenal now hope they’ve sealed the transfer by submitting an offer worth £250,000 – plus “major add-ons”.

Man City also held an interest in the teenager, who played against them in Salford’s 8-0 FA Cup loss to the Blues last season, but it appears Arteta’s side are now poised to sign Wright.

The Englishman has been on fire in pre-season, scoring four goals in three games so far, but they could potentially be his last minutes for Salford as he closes in on a move to the Premier League.

He would initially link up with Arsenal’s Under-21s and develop in the academy before Arteta makes any decisions on first-team action, but he’s very “highly-rated” behind-the-scenes.

Since taking the job over five years ago, Mikel Arteta has helped to transform Arsenal.

He’s taken the club from one languishing in mid-table looking downwards to one that’s a genuine contender in every competition they take part in.

However, he has had to make numerous unpopular and difficult decisions during his tenure, such as terminating Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contract in 2022.

It was the right thing to do, but it’s impossible to deny that the team could have used someone as prolific as he once was over the last few years, which could explain reports linking them to a certain attacker from the continent.

Arsenal target free-scoring forward

As things stand, this summer is shaping up to be quite exciting for Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

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

The club have already announced the signings of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke.

Moreover, Spanish centre-back Cristhian Mosquera is set to be announced any day now, and Andrea Berta and Co seem to be finally nearing the end of their hunt for Viktor Gyokeres.

And yet, the Premier League runners-up don’t appear to be done yet, as they’re now looking at another prolific attacker from Europe, someone who could be Arteta’s new Aubameyang.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in Ademola Lookman.

The report has revealed that the Gunners have enquired about the player, who is also a target for Inter Milan.

While the competition could be a problem, the money involved is unlikely to be, with the report revealing that Atalanta want just £43m for their star attacker.

It’s still a sizable sum of money, but given Lookman’s ability and record, one worth paying, especially as he could be Arsenal’s new Auba.

Why Lookman could be Arteta's new Auba

While it might seem like an odd comparison to make, there are several similarities between Lookman and Aubameyang that make it easier to see how the former could be Arsenal’s new version of the latter.

The first couple, and certainly the most surface-level, are that the Nigerian international would be joining the Gunners from a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues and doing so at a similar point in his career.

When the Gabonese put pen to paper in North London, he was 28 years old, and in just over two months, the Atalanta ace will be as well.

The next similarity, which is more concrete, is that, like the former North Londoner, the 27-year-old star is more than capable of playing out wide or straight down the middle.

Likewise, during his time at the Emirates, the Laval-born goal machine spent a great deal of time playing off the left, as well as up top.

Finally, and this is the most critical comparison of them all, the London-born ace has become an output monster in recent seasons, just as the former captain was for most of his time in N5.

For example, across his 118 games for the Bergamo outfit, totalling 7538 minutes, the “world-class” attacker has scored 52 goals and provided 25 assists.

Appearances

33

45

40

Minutes

1858′

2809′

2871′

Goals

15

17

20

Assists

8

10

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.69

0.60

0.67

Minutes per Goal Involvement

80.78′

104.03′

106.33

That means the 29-capped international has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes since joining the Serie A side.

For comparison’s sake, the former Arsenal star scored 92 goals and provided 21 assists in 163 appearances, totalling 12868 minutes during his time in red and white, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 113.87 minutes.

Ultimately, they may not be exactly alike, but there are some undeniable similarities between Lookman and Aubameyang, and most crucially, the Nigerian superstar could have a similar impact at Arsenal that the Gabonese ace once had.

He's a dream for Xavi Simons: Arsenal expect to sign £55m star "soon"

Arsenal could seal a dream partnership by signing Xavi Simons and this centre-forward.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 21, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s rooted strategy in signing exciting young talents and developing them into high-class players capable of thriving in the Premier League preceded the glittery early days of Ange Postecoglou’s tenure.

But perhaps the Londoners lacked a bit of experience to help guide them through the stormy spells any season will bring. The lowly top-flight finish ended Postecoglou’s frenzied spell at the helm, a two-year stint that elicited every range of emotion from the Spurs faithful and culminated with triumph in the Europa League, thus restoring Tottenham’s place in the Champions League.

While the Lilywhites have created a foundation with their historic victory over Manchester United, it’s crucial that the secured silverware is used as a springboard for sustained success over the coming years.

In order to do this, Tottenham are going to need to hit the mark with their transfer priorities, piecing a team together that is fit for purpose at the highest level of the Premier League.

Spurs' transfer priorities this summer

Uncertainty continues to reign over Cristian Romero’s future in the English capital. The Argentina centre-back is being chased by Atletico Madrid, who are willing to spend around £60m to bring him over to La Liga.

Frank is desperate to keep hold of his defensive anchor. However, the Danish tactician does seem keen on bolstering his ranks with a slick attacking full-back – the £45m-rated Antonee Robinson is on the radar – and a winger to replace Heung-min Son, should the iconic captain leave.

While he wouldn’t have strictly been a direct replacement, the powers that be down at N17 were desperate to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo as Tottenham’s new goalscoring winger supreme, but he’s rejected advances from all but United and is edging closer to a transfer to Old Trafford.

Midfield is in less need of reinforcements, but the pursuit of Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze denotes an interest in signing a creative midfielder to contest for a starting berth with the likes of James Maddison.

However, with Eze fixed in Arsenal’s sights, Daniel Levy seems to have shifted his attention elsewhere.

Spurs join race for sought-after midfielder

According to Caught Offside, Tottenham have joined the race for SL Benfica midfielder Orkun Kokcu, who is anticipated to be available this summer for the right price.

Kokcu would fetch a €40m (£34m) fee, having impressed across his two terms with Benfica. Spurs are alongside Manchester United, Tottenham and Inter Milan in their interest; however, the player is thought to favour a move to Premier League champions Liverpool.

The 24-year-old worked under Arne Slot at Feyenoord, but Frank’s new project, offering the promise of Champions League football, could see the Londoners sign an exciting new creative presence.

Why Spurs wants Orkun Kokcu

Kokcu is still young in his professional career, but he has already accomplished so much. Joining Benfica from Feyenoord for around €30m (£25m) in June 2023, he’s chalked up 19 goals and 22 assists over 98 appearances in all competitions.

Once heralded as “one of the best midfielders in the country” by football legend Jaap Stam, while plying his trade in Holland, Kokcu opted against taking a move to one of Europe’s elite and instead focused on fostering his talents with Benfica, now more complete for it.

And given that he’s been praised as a “leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, this rising star might turn out to be the galvanising midfield force to spearhead the Frank era.

Who knows, maybe he’ll even come to be an upgrade on Maddison.

Matches (starts)

33 (30)

31 (21)

Goals

7

9

Assists

7

7

Shots (on target)*

1.9 (0.7)

1.3 (0.5)

Big chances missed

2

5

Pass completion

86%

87%

Big chances created

12

6

Key passes*

2.3

1.3

Dribbles*

0.3

1.1

Ball recoveries*

5.6

2.5

Tackles + interceptions*

1.6

1.4

Duels won*

3.0 (47%)

4.3 (53%)

As you can see, Kokcu is more than capable of matching Maddison’s immense creative qualities – an aptitude which has indeed seen the England international hailed as a “magician” by the likes of statistician Statman Dave in the past.

Moreover, the 28-year-old playmaker’s two terms with Tottenham have been frustratingly defined by regular injury setbacks. Given that Kokcu is four years his junior, there’s plenty of scope for growth with Frank might want to take advantage of.

While Spurs’ man is somewhat more combative than Kokcu, the Turkey talent is even more creative and clinical besides. Indeed, having missed just two big chances in the Primeira Liga last season, scoring seven goals, he’s got the goalscoring edge that could be channelled in a similar fashion as his counterpart here.

And the proof is in the pudding, for Kokcu, indeed, has demonstrated his ability to stand out against high-level Premier League opposition.

While Maddison is an incredible, dynamic midfielder, he’s got his flaws, and in Kokcu, Tottenham could get their hands on a pass master with the ever-widening scope that is required for success at the highest level.

After all, he managed to throw down with the heavy hitters in last season’s Champions League, finishing the campaign ranked among the top 15% of midfielders for goals scored and shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive passes and the top 13% for completed through balls per 90, as per FBref.

Tottenham might not be able to sign one of their top targets in Eze, but by moving for Kokcu, Frank could get his hands on an astute signing who has so much room for growth – potentially even turning out better, more consistent, than Maddison.

Dele 2.0: Spurs open talks to re-sign the Championship's "best full-back"

Tottenham are looking to make some shrewd signings ahead of the 2025/26 season.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 4, 2025

As he attempts to rebuild a struggling Rangers side, Russell Martin could be dealt a double exit blow by Hamza Igamane and another key player this summer following a recent offer.

Lille open talks to sign Igamane

For all of Rangers’ struggles last season, they still had a number of standouts and the biggest one of the lot was arguably Igamane. The talented 22-year-old ended the campaign with as many as 16 goals to his name in all competitions to accompany his three assists and would have undoubtedly been earmarked as an important player upon Martin’s arrival.

Such an impressive season was always going to attract interest from elsewhere, however, and Lille look destined to hand all involved at Ibrox the ultimate blow this summer.

Having paid out around £1m to sign Igamane just last summer, the Gers will at least make some impressive profit if Lille do go on to complete their move for the young forward this summer. But how they choose to spend that profit will be the big question.

Already this summer the Scottish giants have signed Lyall Cameron from Dundee United and welcomed Bournemouth’s Max Aarons on loan, but there’s still work to be done.

Dream Raskin replacement: Rangers to ramp up move for "exciting" £4m star

Rangers are ready to step up their pursuit of a star who could be a replacement for Nicolas Raskin.

ByDan Emery Jul 1, 2025

Rumours have mentioned the likes of Conor Coady and Metinho, who has been dubbed the “Brazilian Paul Pogba”, in two deals that would hand Martin a further boost. Once again though, those deals may not come without a significant blow on the exit front amid rumours that another key man is the subject of interest from a European side this summer.

Besiktas submit opening Diomande offer

According to Fussball Europa, Besiktas have now submitted an opening offer to sign Mohamed Diomande worth around €12m (£10m). Given that the Gers paid just over £4m to sign the midfielder last summer, that £10m seems unlikely to be accepted by those at Ibrox and Besiktas could be forced to go again.

Fan account Let’s Talk Rangers said that they “can’t see Rangers entertaining a sale at that fee” and Diomande’s importance to the Gers should prove them right.

The midfielder scored six goals and assisted another nine in all competitions to hand Rangers an unexpected boost going forward and one that they should be desperate to keep hold of if Igamane leaves for Lille.

Described as a “complete midfielder” by analyst John Walker, Diomande is only just getting started in a Rangers shirt. At just 23 years old, the Ivory Coast international is someone that Martin should build his midfield around and one who is certainly more than the £10m that Besiktas have reportedly offered.

As Igamane edges closer to the exit door, keeping hold of Diomande should sit among Rangers’ top priorities this summer.

Looking to get their summer transfer business underway, Aston Villa have now reportedly made contact to sign a £400,000-a-week defender ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Where Aston Villa stand with PSR

Aston Villa’s biggest concern after missing out on Champions League qualification on the final day came off the pitch rather than in Unai Emery’s dressing room. After missing out, those in the Midlands could now have PSR problems on the horizon which force them to sell at least one key man this summer.

As a result, one name that could be heading for the exit door is Emiliano Martinez. The goalkeeper looked emotional in Aston Villa’s final home game of last season and rumours have since linked the Argentine goalkeeper with a move to Atletico Madrid. Martinez, however, is reportedly waiting for Manchester United this summer.

After they finished sixth to follow up their Champions League qualification in the season prior, there will be plenty of questions about the PSR rules from those at Villa Park, but before they get answers they must find solutions.

He's like Palmer: Aston Villa could have bid accepted for £30m "machine"

Unai Emery is targeting several high-profile players this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 14, 2025

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire delivered an explanation as to how Aston Villa found themselves in hot water financially, saying on Sky Sports: “And remember, Villa have done very well in that competition (UCL). So that will be a plus. And they have sold some players as well, in both the last summer market and the January one.

“But I think there is still a perception that Villa will have to box clever. And of all of the clubs under pressure to sell players by June 30, I guess they’re the ones who are the club that gives the most attention because their spending in the last couple of years before getting into Europe was so extensive.”

Aston Villa make contact to sign Laporte

The Villans seem to be in a defiant mood, however, and could still spend to welcome incomings of their own this summer. According to Spanish newspaper AS via Sport Witness, Aston Villa now made contact to sign Aymeric Laporte from Al-Nassr in an attempt to beat Arsenal to the defender’s signature in the coming months.

The Gunners have also reportedly made contact, as have Athletic Club, Marseille and Inter Milan. In a hectic race, it’s Villa who will hope to swoop in and make an impressive statement by welcoming a five-time Premier League winner.

Signing Laporte won’t come cheap, given that he reportedly earns around £400,000-a-week at Al-Nassr, but he has made it no secret that adjusting to life in Saudi hasn’t been easy.

The experienced defender told reporters last year: “It’s a big change compared to Europe, but in the end it’s all adaptation. They haven’t made it easy for us. In fact, there are many players that are dissatisfied. They do look after us but not enough for my liking. That is to say, in Europe they pay you a good salary, but they take better care of you.”