All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arsenal could look at signing a new right-sided attacker and another central midfielder this summer, according to Sky Sports.

How much have Arsenal spent this summer?

The Gunners and Mikel Arteta have been busy in the transfer window so far ahead of the 2023/24 season, looking to go one step further in the Premier League.

The club have brought in Kai Havertz from Chelsea in a deal worth £65m, whereas Jurrien Timber has made the move to north London from Ajax for £38m.

Those two deals take Arsenal’s summer spend to £103m, and that will double with a move for Declan Rice. West Ham have confirmed that the England international has left the club and is poised to join Arsenal in a deal worth a guaranteed £100m plus £5m in add-ons.

There could still be more to come at the Emirates, though, with a transfer update emerging in the last 48 hours. Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth provided transfer news on Arsenal, claiming that the focus will now be on departures due to the money they have spent in recent weeks.

However, the reliable reporter did claim that a new right-sided attacker and another central midfielder could be deals to potentially keep an eye on before the window closes.

“The focus will be on departures simply because they have probably spent close to £200m once the Rice and the Timber deals go through.

“And maybe on the central midfielder area as well. I know that Declan Rice is on the verge of coming in but Granit Xhaka has left. But if Thomas Partey was to potentially leave, because we know that there is a lot of interest. It is just at an interest stage at the moment but if that was to develop then maybe Arsenal would potentially look into recruiting there as well.”

Who else could Arsenal sign?

With more than £200m spent so far this summer, Arsenal, as Sheth mentions, could be looking at moving payers on before bringing anyone else in. However, there have been players linked with moves to join Arteta’s side, including Gremio central midfielder Bitello.

Arsenal are “actually moving seriously” for Bitello, and reports have suggested that the club even have officials in Brazil to “analyse and send an offer” for the 23-year-old.

In attack, a player who has been linked with the Gunners is Barcelona’s Ferran Torres. It is believed that Arsenal would be willing to sign the forward on loan, and the La Liga champions would approve any temporary deal for him. Arteta previously worked with Torres at Manchester City, so moves for the Spaniard alongside Bitello could well be ones to keep an eye on over the coming weeks. Some players may need to be moved on first, though, so it may still be a busy few weeks in the market for Edu and co.

Tensions can boil over for several parties when a player decided to call it quits at a club in the summer transfer window. Usually, it's the fans who take aim at the departing player, with a chorus of boos the next time they witness that departing player take to the field.

Usually, though, those within the club or associated with the club of the departing player get it more. They've experienced enough football to know that players leaving is simply just part of the game. Players arrive, and players move on every summer. Or at the very least, they have the wisdom to hold their peace.

One man who didn't seem to get that memo, however, was Bayern Munich legend Mehmet Scholl, who replied to Lucas Hernandez's farewell post in brutal fashion.

The defender has completed a move from the Bundesliga champions to Paris Saint-Germain, signing a contract until 2028.

What did Mehmet Scholl say?

Hernandez took to Instagram to post his farewell message, asking fans to "respect" his decision.

In full, when translated it said (via Reddit): "Dear FC Bayern Munich fans, It is with a heavy heart that I announce my departure from the club today. After careful consideration, I have decided to take on new challenges.

"I would like to thank you for your unwavering support during my time here. The moments shared will forever remain in my memory, as will the trophies won, especially the Champions League I always dreamed of.

"I would like to sincerely thank my teammates, coaching staff, entire club staff, executives and coaches of FC Bayern Munich for their trust and unconditional support at all times. This club has allowed me to grow as a player and as a person, and I am proud to have worn the jersey of one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.

"Lastly, I ask you to respect my decision, even though goodbyes are always difficult. "With best regards, Lucas Hernandez"

Clearly not touched by the message, though, Scholl replied by ruthlessly commenting: "I don't believe a word of it. Bye-bye."

It's fair to say that the move did not go down well with the Bayern legend. And he clearly doesn't feel as though Hernandez has shown enough respect for the club with this transfer departure.

What is Theo Hernandez's transfer value?

Completing a move to PSG for a reported €50m (£42.86m), Hernandez left Bayern for more than his market value, as per Transfermark, which has the defender priced at €45m (£38.58m).

It has not taken the Bavarians long to find a replacement, however – reportedly triggering the release clause of Napoli star Kim-Min jae. The centre-back arrives off the back of an excellent season in Serie A, picking up the Scudetto.

Hernandez, meanwhile, departs having won every trophy there is to win in club football, with the highlight being the Champions League win back in 2020. The victory ironically came against his new club PSG.

Now in the French capital, the defender will be desperate to secure European glory once again, ending PSG's long wait for Champions League victory, in the process.

Despite a certain Bayern Munich legend being far from pleased with his move away, the transfer to the Ligue 1 champions represents an opportunity for Hernandez to add to his ever-growing list of trophy wins.

Nottingham Forest have emerged as a frontrunner to sign Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi this summer, according to fresh reports.

Is Callum Hudson-Odoi leaving Chelsea?

The Premier League’s left-sided winger worked his way up through the youth ranks to graduate from the academy at Stamford Bridge and become a regular feature of the first-team, where he's so far made 126 senior appearances, but his future is currently extremely uncertain.

Last season, England’s former international was sent out on a season-long loan to Bayer Leverkusen to receive more game time, but that spell didn’t go as well as hoped as he only made seven starts all term which will have been disappointing for both the player and his parent club.

The Blues product, however, will be out of contract at the end of the next campaign so this window will be Mauricio Pochettino’s final opportunity to cash in should he not want to lose him for free, and should he depart, he’s already got a heavily invested suitor at The City Ground.

The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg recently reported that the Reds, Fulham and AC Milan have all registered an interest in the 22-year-old who is ready to embark on a new challenge, but if the following update is to be believed, it’s the former who have leapfrogged their competitors into pole position.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Hudson-Odoi?

According to Football Transfers, Nottingham Forest are the “among the favourites” to sign Hudson-Odoi should he secure a move away from Chelsea. The SW6 outfit “want to sell” the attacker and Steve Cooper is a “huge fan” of his target having managed him at the England’s U17s World Cup earlier in his career. The Blues are “looking” to demand £20m, though if a deal is to be agreed, it likely won’t be until “later” in the window.

Should Marinakis make an offer for Hudson-Odoi?

Nottingham Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis will know that Cooper holding an existing connection to Hudson-Odoi means he knows a lot about what he’s capable of, and even though he only scored one goal and provided the same number of assists last season at Leverkusen, he still looked promising and could thrive in the next chapter of his career in the Midlands.

Chelsea’s forward was averaging 3.86 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes over in Germany which was the third-highest total throughout his squad, as per FBRef, not to mention that he had strong link-up play with his teammates, recording an 86.9% pass success rate, higher than any of the regular current starters in NG2.

The Wandsworth-born ace, who has the versatility to operate in seven different positions across the pitch, also knows what it takes to compete and be successful having won five senior trophies with his boyhood club, including the Champions and Europa League, so could bring a much-needed winning mentality to the side.

Last but not least, Hudson-Odoi has been dubbed a “monster of a talent” by journalist Nizaar Kinsella and it’s obvious that he has bags of potential to be unleashed, and this is exactly what could happen should he sign on the dotted line to become a new recruit under Cooper.

Bayern Munich are set to make a mammoth £80 million “all in” bid for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Harry Kane leaving Spurs?

The 29-year-old has put many top clubs across Europe and England on red alert with just 12 months remaining on his current Spurs deal.

While there have been talks over a contract renewal for the Three Lions star, an agreement is not thought to be close at this stage, meaning Kane could leave north London on a Bosman deal next summer.

This gives Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy a major decision to make, and perhaps their most crucial one of the last few years – whether to stick or twist with their superstar forward.

There have even been reports that Kane is “determined” to leave this window, and as he enters the final year of his current deal, Levy could have to contemplate selling him for a large enough transfer fee.

German giants Bayern have already seen a £60 million verbal offer rejected outright for the striker, but according to Jacobs of CBS, it appears they’re set to come back in with an improved bid.

The Bavarians will apparently lodge an £80m “all in” proposal to test Levy’s resolve, but their current stance is that they are set to reject any bid received for their talisman.

Kane was previously linked with an exit in 2021, when Man City held a very real interest and even lodged bids of up to £100 million.

Who is Harry Kane?

Scoring 30 goals in 38 league starts for Spurs last season, Kane has been nothing short of a hero in recent seasons.

The electric striker was only bested by City star Erling Haaland last season, in terms of proficiency, and his performances at international level are nothing short of superb.

It took Kane just over 7 years to reach goals for England, with journalist Dom Smith highlighting this point whilst believing he is “vastly underrated”.

If Bayern were to secure Kane, it would be an almighty loss to Spurs, though Levy appears determined not to part ways with Tottenham’s one superstar.

Celtic's majority shareholder Dermot Desmond has reportedly agreed terms with 50-year-old manager Brendan Rodgers to take on the vacant post at Parkhead this week.

The Northern Irish tactician is set to be officially announced as the successor to Ange Postecoglou, who joined Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week, at some point today.

Sky Sports recently claimed that the former Leicester City boss will be backed by the board in the summer transfer window with a view to making the team competitive on the European stage.

Who is Kwadwo Opoku?

It was recently reported that Celtic are one of the clubs interested in signing promising Los Angeles FC winger Kwadwo Opoku, who could be available for a fee of up to €4.8m (£4.1m) this summer.

He is a left-footed attacker who mainly operates down the right flank and that could make the talented youngster Rodgers' next version of former Hoops forward Patrick Roberts.

During the ex-Liverpool manager's first spell in Scotland, the Englishman spent two seasons on loan from Manchester City and racked up 12 goals and 24 assists in 65 outings for the club across all competitions under his management.

The now-Sunderland ace was a creative outlet who started on the right and used his preferred left foot to cut inside in order to make things happen in the final third.

Opoku could follow in his footsteps based on his impressive form in the MLS for LAFC throughout 2022.

The 21-year-old dynamo, whose performances last year were hailed as "magnificent" by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, scored eight goals and provided three assists in 20 starts for his side, with all eight strikes coming on his favoured foot.

However, his assist total did not tell the full story as the Ghanaian maestro created an eye-catching 11 'big chances' for his teammates and this suggests, given that Celtic's Jota registered 11 assists from 13 'big chances' created, that his fellow attackers let him down.

The MLS Cup winner, who has produced two goals and two assists across 11 MLS starts this year, has been compared to Bayer Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also listed the gem's "flair" as one of his strengths.

Opoku is an exciting young talent who could be an excellent long-term addition to Celtic's squad, whilst also being able to provide quality in the final third as immediately as next season if he can replicate his MLS form from 2022.

Therefore, Rodgers could land his next version of the left-footed wizard that was Roberts at Parkhead by working with Desmond to secure a deal for the £4.1m wide man this summer.

One of the biggest jobs at hand for the incoming Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea is to sort out the goalkeeper position.

Edouard Mendy is reportedly close to sealing a move to Saudi Arabia, whilst Kepa Arrizabalaga has never fully convinced anyone of his first-team credentials since his £71.6m to Stamford Bridge.

Therefore, this has opened up a pathway for a new goalkeeper in West London and Robert Sanchez has been tipped to become this figure.

What’s the latest on Robert Sanchez to Chelsea?

According to Express Sport, the proposed move of Anderlecht’s Bart Verbruggen to the South Coast could have a domino effect that may see Sanchez arrive in the capital.

This outlet details that the 25-year-old is “keen to leave” this window following a public fallout with Roberto De Zerbi, with the Blues among those keeping tabs on the situation.

Manchester United has also been rumoured to be interested in the Spaniard, with it believed to potentially cost a fee of around £28m to entice Brighton to sell.

If a move to Chelsea materialised, it would see Sanchez reunited with former Brighton goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts, who left the Seagulls with Graham Potter back in September 2022.

Is Robert Sanchez a good signing for Chelsea?

Since making his Brighton debut in November 2020, the two-cap international has made 90 appearances in all competitions, whilst keeping a respectable 29 clean sheets.

Last campaign, he began extremely strongly, starting the first 22 encounters, however, he only managed one outing in the final 16 outings, with Jason Steele often preferred.

Despite this, there is still enough evidence to suggest that he is more than capable of regularly starting for Chelsea and is a more reliable option than Kepa.

Incredibly, Sanchez stands at a colossal 6 foot 6, dwarfing his compatriot, and his use of this massive size is indicated by the fact that during the 2021/22 season, the £25k-per-week man registered the most high claims (60) in the division, as he was an indispensable component of the side that achieved a then club-record highest league finish.

Meanwhile, Kepa simply doesn’t possess this dominance or presence and is unable to fill his defenders with any confidence, making just two high claims in the same season and 15 last term.

Previously, his former manager Frank Lampard has said he “needs to go back to basics” and must improve – these comments were made three years ago to portray the endless and defining narrative surrounding the unreliability of Chelsea’s suspect shot-stopper.

Therefore, with Sanchez potentially available for an extremely modest fee and searching for a chance to reignite his career, a move to the 2021 Champions League winners could be an unbelievable fit for both parties.

Described as a “monster” by Potter, Sanchez would be an excellent step within the Chelsea rebuild.

US Open star Rickie Fowler has admitted that he could soon own a stake in Leeds United, along with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, following 49ers Enterprises' recent takeover of the club.

How will the takeover benefit Leeds?

It's all change at Elland Road this summer, with so much going on that supporters barely have any time to breathe. The Whites' relegation from the Premier League has led to the club searching for a new manager, while a sporting director also has to come in, following Victor Orta's exit.

Perhaps the biggest news of the lot is the 49ers' takeover, however, with the deal going through recently and heralding the start of a new era at Leeds.

The hope is that it makes the Whites a more financially powerful force moving forward, and despite heading down into the second tier, they will hopefully still be able to spend big on signings and work on improving other aspects of the club, including redeveloping Elland Road.

It could even be that golfing star and Leeds fan Fowler, who has placed as high as fourth in the world ranking in the past, invests in the club, following a fresh update.

What's the situation with Rickie Fowler?

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of this week's US Open, Fowler admitted that he could eventually own a stake in Leeds along with Spieth and Thomas, also joking about Whites fan Billy Foster, who caddies for Matt Fitzpatrick:

"Not yet, technically. There is the group that's moving forward with being involved with Leeds. Myself, JT (Justin Thomas) and Jordan (Spieth) potentially will be a part of it.

"He (Foster) didn't know about it from the start. But we told him after knowing he is a huge Leeds United supporter. It's cool to have those opportunities. I know we are looking into it. It will be fun if we get to be a part of it. If not, we will continue to root for Leeds to see if we can help out Billy."

This is exciting to hear from a Leeds perspective, at a time when celebrity owners are all the rage, not least at Wrexham, where Hollywood pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have transformed the club, guiding them into League 2.

They have shown the power that having famous owners can have, in terms of marketing the club and giving it a bigger worldwide following, so having Fowler, Spieth and Thomas as part of the Whites could be hugely beneficial off the pitch.

While relegation was clearly bitterly disappointing, things do appear to be heading in the right direction under the 49ers – now it's a case of nailing both the managerial and sporting director appointments.

A Chelsea fan has serenaded American owner Todd Boehly having been left excited by the recent managerial appointment of Mauricio Pochettino.

What’s the latest on Todd Boehly and Chelsea?

Back in May 2021, the 49-year-old billionaire led a consortium which completed a £4.25bn takeover of the Blues, ending Roman Abramovich’s 19-year ownership of the club.

While some may have expected a period of calmness to follow under the new ownership as they adapted to life owning a Premier League club, quite the opposite has happened.

Indeed, from that moment up until the end of the most recent January transfer window, Chelsea have spent a reported £556m on transfer under Boehly and more will no doubt be spent in the coming weeks and months.

What’s more, Thomas Tuchel was fired, as was his replacement Graham Potter, while Frank Lampard was questionably reappointed in a disastrous spell as interim boss – and now Pochettino has been handed the reins.

The Argentinian has a big job on his hands as he looks to steady the ship that sunk all the way down to 12th in the Premier League last season.

At least, though, it seems some supporters are more than excited for the new era and have high hopes for what Pochettino can achieve at Stamford Bridge.

In footage circulated on Twitter, a fan in Riyadh – the capital of Saudi Arabia – sang to Boehly and then told the American that Chelsea will win the league with their new head coach.

What is the Benoit Badiashile song at Chelsea?

Despite all the chaos and disappointment that has swept over Stamford Bridge since the 49-year-old arrived, this fan was delighted to meet the club’s owner.

He even sang a terrace song: “Todd Boehly went to France in a Lamborghini, brought us back a centre-back, Benoit Badiashile!”

The supporter then said: “I promise you Todd, that we’re going to get the league with Mauricio Pochettino,” to which Boehly replied: “Yes, Pochettino is going to be great.”

All in all, it seems as though there certainly are high expectations for Pochettino to bring back the glory days to Chelsea. Only time will tell whether the Argentinian will deliver, or end up suffering the same fate as Tuchel and Potter.

Arsenal's season ended in a carnival atmosphere at the Emirates, as the sun beat down on a beautiful day for one-half of north London football.

Brushing aside Wolverhampton Wanderers by 5-0, the players and staff were lauded by a home support keen to show their thanks for such an impressive season, where they defied all the odds and brought Champions League football back to the club.

However, Mikel Arteta will not be one to rest on his laurels. He knows that the work is far from done, as for all their progression it still marked a trophyless term where Manchester City pipped them to the title.

This could explain why interest has so sharply turned towards the transfer market, with Declan Rice the big name on everybody's lips. The Gunners' interest in West Ham United's captain is the worst-kept secret in English football, and it seems they are poised to battle hard to secure his signature.

In an effort to increase their chances, or hand him the perfect teammate to play with, this push has coincided with reports linking them with Mason Mount as well. In this potential double swoop, Arteta could form a sensational midfield to supplement the already phenomenal Martin Odegaard. Although, with the 24-year-old set to command a £70m fee from Chelsea, it will not be a cheap one.

Would Mason Mount and Declan Rice play well together?

One of the greatly underrated aspects of a good partnership, whether it be in the engine room, up front or at the heart of defence, is communication.

Journalist Art de Roche even outlined this recently with regard to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, noting how the Brazilian's preference to speak in French has allowed them to build such a strong bond.

Fortunately for Arteta, should he tempt both Mount and Rice to the Emirates, these two already share an unrivalled rapport given they grew up through the Chelsea youth ranks together.

Now, their shared assets could prove supplementary, as one has developed into a keen creator, and the other a defensive enforcer.

Mount has endured a trying injury-hit campaign with the Blues, yet has still managed nine goal contributions in all competitions. This has allowed a 7.05 average rating in the league to be mustered, upheld through 1.3 key passes and 1.4 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

talkSPORT pundit Dean Saunders even lauded him as part of England's "world-class" group of players before the World Cup too, suggesting that even during a weaker season his quality shines through.

After all, it was only last year when the England international posted 11 goals and ten assists in the league alone, highlighting his statistical success can mirror his work rate.

Now, placing this kind of creativity with Rice could immediately see both of them shine, as a pairing that would fight for one another as if they were brothers.

The Irons' star man, with his 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game, via Sofascore, would provide the perfect defensive foundation for his potential teammate to thrive.

Whether they start as a six and an eight beside one another, or with Mount in an even more advanced role, these two in the same team could offer that perfect connection needed to only bolster the good vibes at the Emirates, propelling them ever-closer to that coveted title.

Manchester United look set to lose one of their first-team players this summer, with Football Insider reporting that Scott McTominay wants to exit the club during the transfer window.

Who are Manchester United selling this summer?

The midfielder has been in and around the Red Devils' starting eleven for about seven years now, having really broken into the reckoning for them back in the 2016/17 campaign. That year, at just 19 years of age, he played in 17 Premier League outings for the club and his appearance tally has only grown since then. The Scot has since turned out on 143 occasions in the top-flight, 99 of which have been starts.

He's been used frequently again this season, with 23 appearances in the league. However, under Erik ten Hag, he has struggled to establish himself as a starter on a regular basis as he has in the past, with only ten starts to his name. It means that this campaign has seen the least amount of action for McTominay since the 2019/20 season.

Now, it appears that he could want out of United, with a report from Football Insider stating that the midfielder wants to leave the club during the summer window. He has told friends that he plans to try and exit Old Trafford in order to get more regular minutes, with the player well aware that he needs to be getting onto the field a lot more.

In addition, with other midfield options potentially coming into the equation, there is every chance he could fall even further down the pecking order, and with the Scotland man desperate for minutes, that would be a further blow to the player.

Are Man United letting Scott McTominay go?

The Red Devils then could finally bring an end to McTominay's stint at the club this transfer window. Having come up through the ranks at Old Trafford, it would be sad for them to see one of their own youth team players leave, but it could work out better for player and club.

The 26-year-old has proven that he can still deliver when called upon by Ten Hag though, and it suggests that more regular action could get the best out of him again. For example, for the club this season, he has still averaged 1.4 tackles per game, a better rate than Fred, Raphael Varane and Christian Eriksen, showing that he remains one of their best options in terms of standing in front of the defence and stopping opposition attacks.

He's been lauded in the past for his abilities too, with football journalist Josh Bunting commending him for one of his previous performances by admitting he had been a "standout" for the side when thrown onto the field, whereas he was also once hailed as a "physical monster" by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The midfielder can still do a good job in the centre of the field – so if he does leave United for first-team football, it could be a good move for the player if he can get regular minutes and show his footballing abilities. If they did let him go too, CIES Football Observatory suggest his value could be around £26m, so United could also fetch quite a respectable fee.