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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is determined to keep Real Madrid target Bruno Fernandes, but the club could go against his wishes.

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• Fernandes linked with £90m Real Madrid move
• Amorim determined to keep talisman
• Club could overrule him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Spanish giants have been watching Fernandes at "virtually every match", according to the , and view him as a potential replacement for Luka Modric. Amorim is desperate to keep the Portugal international at Old Trafford, but the club may be forced to cash in to fix their financial issues.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fernandes has been a talismanic figure for United this season, producing 16 goals and 16 assists in all competitions, with none of his team-mates reaching double figures for either. However it is possible he would fancy a move to Real, who compete for La Liga and the Champions League on a regular basis.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Speaking after Fernandes' hat-trick sealed United's place in the Europa League quarter-finals earlier this month, Amorim said: "When we need it, he's always there. In the set-pieces, he can change position, he can bring the ball forward, he can score goals, he can make transitions."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently opened up on the club's financial issues and the sale of Fernandes could be sanctioned in order to make more signings possible this summer. Amorim looks set to be backed to turn the club's fortunes around, despite them suffering their worst-ever Premier League season.

Arsenal’s form in December has been recovering after a mixed run of results. Mikel Arteta’s side have dropped points in just two of their games this month, a 1-1 draw away to Fulham and a frustrating 0-0 draw at home to Everton.

However, five wins in their other five games have certainly helped things to recover form-wise. Some of the best of those wins include a 5-1 thrashing away to Crystal Palace and a 3-0 win against high-flying AS Monaco in the Champions League.

With the season on a knife edge, Arsenal could look to strengthen their squad this winter as they look to push Liverpool in the title race, and have been linked with one La Liga star.

Arsenal target La Liga midfielder

The player in question here is Barcelona and Spain midfielder Dani Olmo. Despite having just joined the club in the summer, the former RB Leipzig star might well depart due to issues with registration.

According to a report from The Times, the Gunners could turn their attention to signing the Spaniard as they look to bolster their midfield. They have been put on high alert, in case a deal becomes possible over the winter.

However, they would not be the only club from the Premier League targeting the attacking midfielder. Manchester United and Manchester City are also linked, with Olmo available on a free transfer if he does have to leave Barca already.

Why Olmo would be a good signing

Arsenal have had success in the past in signing Barcelona academy midfielders. Cesc Fabregas joined the club in September 2003 from the La Liga giants. Although the path is not exactly the same, with Olmo leaving the club for a few seasons, they have still had success signing La Masia midfielders.

The former Arsenal captain went on to play 303 games for the North Londoners, scoring 57 goals and grabbing an impressive 94 assists. A deal to sign Olmo certainly has a similar feel to it, with him being a Spanish La Maisa midfield graduate joining from Barcelona.

Switching the focus back to Olmo, he has performed well for Barca this season, despite injuries affecting his game time. In total, the midfielder has played 15 games across competitions, scoring five times which includes four goals in La Liga.

He was one of the standout players for Spain in their successful Euro 2024 campaign. The midfielder, who is capped 41 times by his country, scored three times and grabbed two assists as his side lifted the trophy.

That included a vital goal and assist in a 2-1 win over Germany in the quarter-final. In that game, he set up Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino for the winner. Olmo’s contributions for Spain meant he was named in the team of the tournament.

Interestingly, there is a comparison to be made between Olmo and another Arsenal target, Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha. According to a report from the Telegraph, the Gunners are interested in doing a deal for the Old Gold attacker.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, there can be a likeness drawn between the two reported Arsenal targets, with Cunha noted as Olmo’s most comparable player in Europe’s top five leagues, according to FBref.

It is worth noting that Cunha has played the equivalent of 10 full 90 minute games more than the Spaniard, who earns £149k-per-week, as per Capology.

From a creative point of view, they are very similar. The Barcelona man – who Pep Guardiola dubbed a “top player” – averages 1.16 key passes and 6.09 progressive passes per 90 minutes. In comparison, the Wolves attacker averages 1.9 key passes and 4.05 progressive passes each game.

Arsenal are clearly targeting a creative player to bolster attacking options. Although Cunha is having a strong season, signing a “playmaker” like Olmo, as football writer Zach Lowy described him, on a free could be the dream addition as they look to push Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal target £58m "world-class" Jesus upgrade who's "Bergkamp-esque"

The sensational talent would make Arsenal far more dangerous.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 27, 2024

Liverpool have been ruled out of a £60m ($79m) transfer race for Harry Kane, with Manchester United considered to be his “obvious destination”.

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• Moved to Germany in 2023
• Desperate to break trophy duck
• Return to England speculated on

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  There is no suggestion that the England captain is considering a return to his homeland any time soon. Kane is tied to a contract at Bayern Munich until the summer of 2027 and is currently taking aim at Bundesliga and Champions League titles with the German giants.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It has, however, been suggested that the 31-year-old may be tempted to head back to the Premier League and chase down Alan Shearer’s all-time goal record in that division if his trophy duck is broken in 2025.

• WHAT EX-PREMIER LEAGUE STAR SAID

  Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been linked with Kane, but former Premier League star Andy Townsend has told , who offer the latest Champions League odds: “The one obvious destination for Harry Kane in the Premier League is Manchester United because they're crying out for something significant in that position. However, whether or not Harry is prepared to join a team like Manchester United that are some distance away from being anything like what they were, I would doubt.

  “I think the lure of coming back to the UK obviously for Harry is always going to be a debating point. It's going to be one that he and his family will want to discuss and carefully consider. But he's at the biggest club in Germany and they look like they're going to win the league this year. They're still involved in the Champions League and so they are still a very formidable club to play for.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Townsend added: “I'm not sure whether this summer leaving and coming back to Manchester United works for Harry Kane. I don't quite get that. I think he's been phenomenal since he's been there. His England career from this point onwards will gradually start to diminish. He's still very much part of what Thomas Tuchel wants to do, but time catches up and others will no doubt be looking to step into his shoes.

  “I don't see Manchester City with Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush. Could Liverpool go and get him? Maybe they could. But would they spend £60 million on someone of Harry's age and stage of his career now? They wouldn't want to. So I think the only obvious destination for him is Manchester United really. United should have bought him when he was coming out of Tottenham last time.”

There was plenty to learn from the European champions' April camp, which produced two extremely contrasting results against the same opponent

Four days is a long time in football – or apparently so, given that was the time between England's 5-0 demotion of Belgium in Bristol and a dismal 3-2 defeat to the same opponent in Leuven. That second scoreline flattered the Lionesses, too, whose defending was so dreadful on Tuesday night that they were 3-0 down with less than half an hour played.

After so many positives in the Friday fixture – which produced five different goal-scorers, a comfortable clean sheet and first senior international strikes for both Keira Walsh, winning her 83rd cap, and Aggie Beever-Jones, racking up just her fourth – the rematch changed the entire reflection of this international window for England.

Having sat in pole position in their Nations League group, the Lionesses have now slipped to second and put unnecessary pressure on their final two games, which will come shortly after the club season in Europe concludes. First, they host a Portugal side that held them to a 1-1 draw in February, then they travel to Spain to take on the world champions. If they want to be in the best possible position come the 2027 Women's World Cup draw, and have a shot at actually winning the Nations League itself, positive results are vital. To get them, Sarina Wiegman's side will have to be much better than they were in Belgium, and much more like they were at home.

Fortunately, despite the doom and gloom this camp ended on, there were some real positives for the England boss to take out of these two games. Most of those, of course, came from the 5-0 victory, but there were also a couple in defeat, especially as a teenage talent boldly announced herself as a star for the future – and possibly a late contender for Wiegman's squad for this summer's European Championships.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from the Lionesses' April camp…

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  LOSER: Sarina Wiegman

  Wiegman came into this camp with several key players missing. All of Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood and Georgia Stanway are sidelined after having knee surgeries, with the latter pair leaving England limited at left-back and in the deeper midfield roles in particular. However, that list of absentees only grew over the course of the past few days.

  On Friday, just before the first game against Belgium, the in-form Chloe Kelly had to withdraw from the squad. At the halfway point of that match, Lauren James limped off with a hamstring issue that would force her to miss Tuesday's game in Leuven. A day later, Wiegman lost star striker Alessia Russo as well, who returned to Arsenal after picking up a problem on Friday.

  It left England limited in Belgium as they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat – but the greater concern will be if any of this trio are out for longer than just a game or two. The Euros are just three months away and Wiegman will absolutely not want to be sweating on the fitness of any more key players.

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  WINNER: Hannah Hampton

  It felt significant that, after starting Hannah Hampton in Friday's win over Belgium, Wiegman stuck with the Chelsea shot-stopper for the third game in a row on Tuesday. Prior to this camp, she and Mary Earps had almost equally alternated reps in between the sticks since the start of 2024, Hampton playing eight of 14 games and Earps the other six. However, that scale feels like it has slowly, and subtly, been tilting in favour of the 24-year-old and, this week, Wiegman confirmed as much.

  Asked outright by if Hampton was now her No.1 goalkeeper, Wiegman replied: "At this moment, she’s a little bit ahead. We have two world-class goalkeepers so it’s been a really hard decision. But at this moment, Hannah is a little bit ahead."

  It was a surprise to hear her say as much but also, in a way, not surprising. After all, Hampton has started to accrue more opportunities and she's regularly taken them, even if she might've hoped to have done a little better with some of the goals on Tuesday. With just three months to go until the Euros, the Chelsea star is in pole position to start for the defending champions.

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  LOSER: Mary Earps

  Where does that leave Earps, then? There are just two more competitive fixtures before the Euros begins, plus any pre-tournament friendlies that the Lionesses partake in. If Hampton is to be Wiegman's No.1, one would imagine she will get the majority of the game time as July gets closer and closer. And this is the goalkeeper position we're talking about. It's not a role where Earps can just take opportunities to shine from the bench.

  That said, it'd be a real shock if the Paris Saint-Germain star doesn't get another look-in before the Euros comes around. Wiegman's comments were by no means definitive on the No.1 shirt, with Hampton just ahead in the race. "If she gets a sniff back in that goal, she'll [do] everything to keep it," Ian Wright said of Earps on , and he's right. The 32-year-old has been an incredible servant under Wiegman and has put in some cracking performances for England, with her clean sheet against the United States one very recent, and very good, example. She is going to be absolutely chomping at the bit to take whatever chances she gets – the only issue is that there might not be many left at this point.

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  WINNER: Beth Mead

  When England won the Euros back in 2022, Beth Mead was the star of the show. Six goals and five assists in just six games saw her scoop up the individual accolades, both from the tournament and in the months that followed. However, going into the Lionesses' defence of that title, she finds herself in fierce competition for a place in Wiegman's starting XI.

  The wide areas in this England squad are stacked. Hemp, James, Kelly and Beever-Jones have been battling for those spots throughout the season, with Jess Park, Fran Kirby and Grace Clinton among the other names who can, and have, played there. But while Hemp and Kelly missed this camp due to injuries, and James dropped out midway through, Mead started both games and was among England's most impressive performers on each occasion.

  On Friday, the Arsenal forward linked up exceptionally well with Lucy Bronze to absolutely destroy Belgium down their left-hand side, with her unlucky to leave that game with just one assist and no goal. In Leuven, things didn't go to plan for the Lionesses in the same way, but Mead still managed to stand out as one of their better players. It all amounted to a good week in her own personal charge to be in Wiegman's line-up come that opening game at the Euros.

Everton have bolstered their defence over the past few months. The early knockings of the 2024/25 Premier League season portended disaster for the Toffees, but they have indeed rallied and sit above the dropzone at the midpoint.

Sean Dyche knows that he faces problems and that his position is under review now that The Friedkin Group have taken the reins from Iranian businessman Farhad Moshiri.

On the pitch, Everton continue to leave plenty to be desired, with it pretty what is the glaring issue to solve this year.

TFG's biggest issue at Everton

Everton are resilient and organised at the back but have been abject in the final third this season and last, with Iliman Ndiaye the saving grace.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out of contract at the end of the campaign and playing like a forward who knows they are headed for pastures new. He’s gone 15 top-flight games without a goal or an assist. Damning stuff.

In fairness, though, the 6 foot 2 ace has been let down by his side’s creative support, for Everton are the most pitiful playmakers in the Premier League this season.

West Ham United are seeking to appoint Graham Potter to replace Julen Lopetegui, and reports suggest that Everton sought to hijack the move to no avail.

It’s something to consider, but Dyche and Calvert-Lewin aren’t the only ones who need to leave to restore the Merseysiders’ fluency. Indeed, Beto needs to go too.

Why Everton must sell Beto

Beto arrived with a weight of expectation in August 2023, leaving Serie A side Udinese to sign for Everton in a £30m deal. Fast track to the present and the Guinea Bissau international has scored four goals across 42 Premier League appearances, failing to win Dyche over as a starting member.

This is curious, for he is physical and tall, also endowed with movements that go beyond what Calvert-Lewin is capable of, though he is less of a commanding focal point.

As per Italian sources, via Sport Witness, Beto is being courted by Italian outfit Torino and an agreement is close to being reached this winter.

Such news has been backed up by CalcioMercato, who confirm that the 26-year-old has struggled in Everton’s difficult climate and is seeking an exit, having been described as “ineffective” by Blues writer Ell Bretland.

Given the figure and £50k-per-week salary that the 6 foot 4 striker pockets, he’s going to depart as one of the biggest flops of the Moshiri era, perhaps even more so than the notorious Neal Maupay.

Maupay’s is an unpopular name over at Goodison Park, and justly so too. He’s still technically on the books, out on loan in France with Marseille, but there’s hardly a chance of a happy reunion in the future.

Everton signed the French striker from Brighton & Hove Albion for a £15m fee in 2022 after he had scored 26 Premier League goals over three seasons on the South Coast.

Journalist Paul Brown branded his time as a Toffee a “disaster,” only scoring once across 32 matches in all competitions for the club.

Beto hasn’t been quite so terrible, but – having cost even more than Maupay – he’s going to leave with his tail between his legs after such miserable fortunes in front of goal for the most part.

One thing’s for certain: if the Portugal-born striker really does want to leave, Everton need to get him gone immediately. It’s a new era, and TFG must show a ruthless streak to finally end this interminable struggle for something more.

Forget DCL: Everton could sign "one of the most exciting CFs on the planet"

Everton are in dire need of strengthening their forward line in January.

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By
Ben Gray

Jan 5, 2025

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with the impressive performance level of his team throughout the 2024/25 campaign so far.

The Hoops remain unbeaten in the Scottish Premiership, top of the table by 14 points, with 16 wins from 18 matches ahead of the Old Firm clash with Rangers on this afternoon.

They have also already won the League Cup, beating their Glasgow rivals on penalties in the final at Hampden Park, after they failed to secure the trophy last season.

The team’s fantastic form across all competitions this term, however, has not stopped Rodgers from wanting to add new players to the squad during the January transfer window, which officially opened for business earlier this week.

Celtic’s manager is reportedly seeking a reunion with Scotland international Kieran Tierney, with the club said to be eyeing up a pre-contract agreement to sign him in the summer on a free transfer from Arsenal – the side that signed him from the Hoops in 2019.

The Gunners left-back is one of many stars who consistently performed for Rodgers during his first spell in charge at Parkhead, and another one of those players was midfielder Tom Rogic.

Tom Rogic's form for Brendan Rodgers

The Northern Irish head coach spent just under three years in Glasgow during his first stint at the club between the summer of 2016 and early 2019, before his move to Leicester City.

In that time, Rogic made 105 appearances for Rodgers in the middle of the park, which places him within the top ten for appearances as a Celtic player for the manager – with Tierney, Callum McGregor, and James Forrest included in the nine spots ahead of him.

This illustrates how much faith the Hoops boss had in him, as he was a regular fixture in the team during those three years, to perform week-in-week-out across all competitions.

Rogic, who left the club in the summer of 2022 and retired a year later, was a left-footed central or attacking midfielder who looked to impact matches by stepping up with goals and assists for his team.

As you can see in the table above, the Australia international made a consistent impact in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals throughout Rodgers’ time at the club.

Rogic was a proven performer who could be relied upon to step up at the top end of the pitch, and the manager found his new version of him in Matt O’Riley, who scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists in the league, last season.

The Danish wizard, of course, left to join Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer and Rodgers is back on the search for another left-footed magician to light up his midfield, with reported interest in a Rogic-esque midfielder from the Premier League.

Celtic's interest in Premier League ace

It was recently reported by The Boot Room that Celtic are one of a host of teams interested in a swoop to sign Manchester City central midfielder James McAtee in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claimed that the Hoops have made enquiries about a potential swoop to sign the left-footed star, although it is unclear if it is for a permanent or loan move, but they are set to face stiff competition from plenty of clubs across Europe.

Brentford, Atalanta, Fiorentina, Bologna, Fulham, West Ham, and Nottingham Forest are just a few of the many sides eyeing up a deal to snap up the England U21 international for the second half of the campaign.

The Boot Room added that Pep Guardiola would prefer to keep hold of the young talent to bolster the depth of his squad, but the Spanish head coach will also not stand in McAtee’s way if the player decides that a move away from The Etihad is the best option for him.

This means that it could be a difficult deal for Celtic to complete for a multitude of reasons, as they will need to convince Manchester City and McAtee to agree to the move, whilst also fending off interest from numerous teams across Europe’s major leagues.

Why James McAtee could be Tom Rogic 2.0

The Hoops should push hard to win the race for his services because he could arrive at Parkhead as Rogic 2.0 for Rodgers in the second half of the season.

Like the former Celtic star, McAtee is a left-footed midfielder who can play in a central or attacking role and has the quality to make an impact at the top end of the pitch by providing goals and assists from the middle of the park.

He has not started any of his three Premier League appearances for Manchester City so far this season, but has scored four goals and provided one assist in four caps for England at U21 level this term.

McAtee, who was described as “special” by Guardiola, also produced three goals and three assists in 20 starts in the English top-flight, whilst on loan with Sheffield United, in the 2023/24 campaign, which speaks to his attacking potential.

His best form at the top end of the pitch, however, came during his loan with the Blades in the 2022/23 Championship season, as the young dynamo scored nine goals and created six ‘big chances’ in 21 starts in the second tier of English football.

As you can see in the table above, McAtee ranked incredibly highly among Championship midfielders that term as a scorer and a creator of goals, as well as being a threat in transition with his dribbling skills.

The midfield star’s performances made former Sheffield United forward Carl Asaba compare him to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, telling the Football Heaven podcast: “He’s like Odegaard. You play him in midfield so he’s defending for you, he’s another body for them to try and navigate away from but he likes the ball 30 yards out because he can go past you like you’re not there.”

At the age of 22, the Manchester City outcast still has plenty of potential left to fulfill and a loan to Celtic in the second half of the season could help him to find his rhythm by playing in a dominant team that would allow him to flourish as an attacker, as Rogic did during his time under Rodgers.

Rodgers can drop Taylor with Jota-esque Celtic deal for "top-notch" ace

Celtic could move on from Greg Taylor by securing this in-house deal in January.

4

By
Dan Emery

Dec 31, 2024

Mikel Arteta's men pulled off possibly the biggest result in the history of the Emirates Stadium with a nearly faultless performance

Arsenal have one foot in the last four of the Champions League after thrashing holders Real Madrid 3-0 on Tuesday night. Two incredible free-kicks from Declan Rice plus a goal from Mikel Merino proved the difference on a thrilling night in north London which leaves Los Blancos needing another miracle to advance in the European Cup.

The hosts nearly found themselves in front inside only five minutes when Antonio Rudiger cleared a Bukayo Saka cross straight against Eduardo Camavinga, and the loose ball sailed only narrowly past Thibaut Courtois' post. There was then a lengthy VAR check for a handball against Raul Asencio when his arm blocked a shot from Rice, but this was dismissed after several minutes of close inspection.

Down the other end, Vinicius Junior flashed a shot from 20 yards wide, while Kylian Mbappe lashed an attempt over the top when Jakub Kiwior sold William Saliba short with a pass, though the ball to him from Real Madrid's No.7 was later flagged for offside.

Another chance came and went for Madrid when Jude Bellingham picked the lock of the Arsenal defence to find Mbappe, who shaped himself like Gunners legend Thierry Henry to shoot, but was thwarted by goalkeeper David Raya.

Saka lashed a low cross through the six-yard box without being able to find someone to prod it home, before Courtois had to make a double save to keep out a Merino header and Rice's rebound as the first half ended goalless.

On the other side of the break, Mbappe fired into the side-netting after a neat move had flowed through Rudiger and Jude Bellingham beforehand.

And then the Emirates Stadium came alive. Saka was felled outside the box by David Alaba, and from the resulting free-kick, Rice curled a belter around the wall and past Courtois into the net.

A hat-trick of chances in the same five-second sequence went begging for Arsenal as they sought to double their lead, with Courtois stopping one attempt from Gabriel Martinelli and two from Merino. Rice had a shot cleared off the line by Bellingham from the following corner.

But Rice was not to be denied seconds later. Another free-kick fell to his feet from a similar distance, and he found the top corner to send the home fans into delirium once more.

Arsenal weren't done there. The excellent Myles Lewis-Skelly got an assist for his efforts with a cutback for Merino, whose bobbled effort crept in at the near post and left the home supporters out of breath.

Madrid's night ended in further dismay when Camavinga was shown a second yellow card in added time as the Gunners' three-goal cushion heading to the Santiago Bernabeu next week was confirmed.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (7/10):

  Made the saves required to thwart Mbappe and the cherry on top was his presence in claiming crosses. Couldn't ask for more.

  Jurrien Timber (6/10):

  Picked up a knock early doors but soldiered on. Most of Madrid's danger came down his flank, though that was not necessarily through any fault of the Dutchman's own.

  William Saliba (8/10):

  At his imperious best against the side he's been linked to over the last few weeks. Perhaps the downside of such an excellent display is those rumours will only intensify.

  Jakub Kiwior (6/10):

  Arsenal fans' fears were nearly realised in the first half when he made a string of errant passes to gift Madrid openings. Nevertheless, he sharpened up after the break and was more assured after the break.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (8/10):

  It's hard to believe Lewis-Skelly was barely in the first-team frame until December. Madrid had no way of solving him, capable of moving inside and out, consistently getting the better of winger Rodrygo.

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  Midfield

  Thomas Partey (6/10):

  Broke up play and kept the ball moving. Kept his composure in that regard unlike in other games this season.

  Declan Rice (10/10):

  Wow. This is not just a performance that may well have already settled the tie, but one that will be talked about for years to come. One way to show off your free-kick skills is to hammer in two in front of the great Roberto Carlos.

  Martin Odegaard (7/10):

  Didn't quite demonstrate the game-breaking playmaking he may have hoped for against his former side, though at least knitted together Arsenal attacks and drew bodies with his movement and skill.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (8/10):

  What's remarkable is Saka could barely get to his highest gear, still showing signs of rustiness after injury and eventually being substituted with a knock. Had the ageing Alaba on strings and was unlucky not to get an assist given how easily he could carve Madrid open.

  Mikel Merino (8/10):

  A chance magnet who eventually got in on the scoring act with a well-taken finish. Maybe Arsenal don't need that big-name striker this summer after all, eh?

  Gabriel Martinelli (5/10):

  The odd one out in Arsenal's attack, providing only the illusion of threat with his pace and one-dimensional wizardry.

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  Subs & Manager

  Leandro Trossard (6/10):

  Came on the bruised Saka for the final quarter of an hour.

  Kieran Tierney (6/10):

  Probably didn't envisage playing for Arsenal in a Champions League quarter-final this season. Subbed on for Rice.

  Ben White (N/A):

  Subbed on for Timber in added time.

  Mikel Arteta (9/10):

  An almost faultless gameplan came up trumps. Arsenal kept the match tight when they needed to and had the magic to make their moments in the final third count.

Granit Xhaka is considering a move to Galatasaray from Bayer Leverkusen, according to a new report in Germany.

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• Xhaka considering Turkey move
• Gala interested in deal for midfielder
• Contract expires in 2028

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per Sky Germany, Leverkusen midfielder Xhaka is considering a move to Galatasaray this summer, and has told his entourage to explore the possibility of a move. Gala are long-term admirers of the former Arsenal star, but he has a contract with the Bundesliga side until 2028.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Leverkusen are said to be willing to negotiate a deal for Xhaka this summer and are willing to take a low transfer fee, due to the Switzerland international's exemplary service. The midfielder has made 96 appearances for the club and played a key role in their Bundesliga triumph last season.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Xhaka spent seven years at the Emirates, winning the FA Cup twice. The veteran midfielder has also won 135 caps for Switzerland.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Leverkusen play Augsburg this weekend and must win to delay Bayern Munich's coronation as Bundesliga champions.

Chelsea are in active talks to seal their first signing of 2025, as BlueCo and Todd Boehly set their sights on a versatile forward for manager Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea target new forward as Christopher Nkunku eyes January exit

The west Londoners could be forced to push for a Christopher Nkunku replacement pretty soon, as the Frenchman is reliably believed to have agreed personal terms on a switch to Bayern Munich.

Sky Sports react as Chelsea target striker who can bag "40 goals a season"

The west Londoners have made contact.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 16, 2025

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has reported that Nkunku is Bayern’s top target for the winter, and the 27-year-old has reached a verbal agreement on his potential contract at the Allianz Area. The Bavarians are also looking to snap him up for Vincent Kompany as soon as possible.

Credible media sources closer to home indicate that Chelsea will push for a Nkunku replacement if the striker does depart, leacing to their widely reported interest in one of Bayern’s young stars in Mathys Tel, who has struggled for game time under Kompany.

That being said, a Sky panelist claimed earlier this week that it will be very difficult for Chelsea to get Tel out of Bayern, and their sporting director Christoph Freund has attempted to pour cold water over the prospect of him leaving before February 3.

“He is a very important player for us,” said Freund. “He’s a great talent. Our clear goal is for Mathys to make his breakthrough with us.

“We are very happy with our squad, both quality and quantity wise. Of course, if a player is unhappy, we can talk about it. But the clear plan with Mathys is for him to make his breakthrough here.”

Chelsea have made another approach to Liam Delap’s agents as an alternative option to succeed Nkunku (Simon Phillips), while Bundesliga insider Christian Falk of Sport Bild now claims they’re actively pursuing Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi.

Chelsea in talks to sign Karim Adeyemi for this summer

The German was sporadically linked with Chelsea in the build up to January, and Falk says that the 22-year-old remains a serious transfer target for them.

According to the reliable reporter, Chelsea are in talks to sign Adeyemi right now, but there is a catch, as this would be for the summer and he wouldn’t arrive this month.

Adeyemi boasts 10 goal contributions from 11 appearances in all competitions (five goals, five assists),including a hat-trick in the Champions League, and can play anywhere across the front three, even as a centre-forward. Other reports have stated he could cost up to £30 million, with his deal expiring in just over two years.

It might have only been Dinamo Zagreb, but in the context of the last month or so, Arsenal’s win in the Champions League last night felt like a big one.

Mikel Arteta’s side played out a comfortable 3-0 win, and while there were good performances from most of the starters, it was another lacklustre display from Raheem Sterling.

The Chelsea loanee was the latest player to stand in for the injured Bukayo Saka but, rather unsurprisingly, could not replicate even a fraction of Hale Ender’s sensational game-changing impact.

In his defence, it’s almost an impossible task as, before getting injured last month, the 23-year-old was undoubtedly performing at a world-class level, even if those around him were not.

So, recent reports of the club now agreeing personal terms with an attacker who looks like he could help shoulder some of the attacking burden once he returns from his injury should excite the fans.

Arsenal target Premier League star

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal are continuing to look for a new centre-forward this month and have now made progress in the pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Transfer Focus

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

The report has revealed that the two-time Premier League runners-up have now reached an agreement on personal terms with the player himself and that any contract will not be a problem. He is allegedly yet to sign the new deal proposed to him by the Old Gold.

However, while this is certainly encouraging news for the North Londoners, the report also clarifies that as things stand, the two teams are very far apart in terms of their valuations of the player, with the West Midlands side demanding a fee in excess of £70m, while the Gunners are unwilling to go above £45m ‘for a player who is not considered a top priority target.’

In all, it looks like Arsenal will need to spend more than they’d like to get this transfer over the line, but given Cunha’s ability, that seems like something worth doing, especially as he could be incredible alongside Saka.

Why Cunha would be an unreal teammate for Saka

So, beyond the positive momentum that such a signing would surely bring to Arsenal this season, there are a couple of key reasons why Cunha would be such an incredible teammate for Saka once he returns from injury, and the first is down to his output.

For example, the Wolves star has been in sensational form this season, and in just 22 appearances, totalling 1717 minutes, has racked up a haul of ten goals and four assists.

This means that the “unbelievable” attacker, as dubbed by journalist Alex Richards, is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.57 games, or every 122.64 minutes, which for a relegation-threatened side is undeniably brilliant.

Moreover, when you consider that the Gunners’ current top scorer, Kai Havertz, has racked up 14 goals and four assists in 30 appearances, totalling 2486 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or 138.11 minutes, you start to imagine how much more dangerous the Hale Ender could be with the far more effective Brazilian to his left.

The second reason that the former Atlético Madrid star would be a dream teammate for the Englishman relates to the first and is the simple fact that he’d occupy defenders.

By this, we mean that, due to his level of output and the dynamic way in which he can get at teams, he’ll be more of a focus for opposition defenders than Havertz currently is, which in turn could free up more space for the North Londoners’ mercurial number seven to operate and thus impact games himself.

Ultimately, Arsenal are in need of some attacking reinforcements this month, and while he may cost more than they would like him to, the club should do what they can to sign Cunha, as not only would he bring more goals to the team himself, but he’d also help Saka reach another level.

Better than Rice: 8/10 Arsenal star just showed he could save KSE millions

Arsenal sealed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Zagreb in the Champions League.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 23, 2025