Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno is being lined up by Bayern Munich.

Now 34, the Cottagers' No.1 has established himself as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the Premier League since his move to West London four years ago.

As one of the longer-serving and more experienced of Fulham's current first-teamers, losing Leno to Bayern would be a blow – though the call of the Bundesliga giants may be too great for the German to ignore.

Bernd Leno lined up for Bayern Munich role away from Fulham

According to BILD in Germany, Leno is being lined up in an “easy” to complete deal for the Bavarians to become Manuel Neuer's backup.

The former Arsenal stopper is, of course, used to that role, having played deputy for Neuer for Germany, limiting him to just nine appearances for his country since he made his debut in 2016.

Earlier this summer, however, Neuer retired from international duty at the age of 40, and given that he has just entered his 16th season at the Allianz Arena, there's an opportunity for Leno to usurp his senior, should he make the move.

The stopper has proven himself as statistically one of the more impressive between the sticks in the Premier League over the last decade, and may well put forward a good case to challenge for the No.1 spot – or at least take the shirt if and when Neuer calls it a day.

Leno wouldn't be the first to move to Bayern in recent seasons to compete with Die Roten captain Neuer.

In 2020, the club moved to tie up a deal for highly-touted Alexander Nubel from Schalke, but when asked about the deal, Neuer described the 23-year-old's transfer as “irrelevant” to him – and sure enough, the Gelsenkirchen-born custodian captained his side to six trophies that year.

Yann Sommer and Daniel Peretz, meanwhile, have both moved to Allianz as an understudy – with the former used as an emergency option following Neuer breaking his leg in a freak skiing accident – but neither could oust the veteran from his position for long.

The good news for Fulham is that they have no obligation to sell their No.1.

The German left Arsenal for just £8 million, according to the BBC – a cost-effective deal for the time – and with Fulham having an option to extend his deal until 2028, they may even recoup what they spent on the player.

Leno is worth €6m, according to Transfermarkt. The winless Whites play Ipswich Town when the international break concludes and Premier League action returns.

Liverpool have been given fresh hope of landing Alex Scott next summer from Bournemouth.

The Reds have started the season positively and are yet to lose a game under new manager Andoni Iraola, but the midfield remains a concern, with Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister all forward-thinking players in the centre of the park.

While youngster Trey Nyoni has featured in central midfield for Liverpool in recent weeks, it may well take a new signing to regenerate the engine room – and Iraola may get to reunite with Scott, following the pair's time together at Bournemouth.

Bournemouth working on conditional clause for Alex Scott, that would see Liverpool able to sign him

According to TEAMtalk, the Cherries have sent numerous proposals to Scott to renew his contract, with his current contract – signed in 2023 – set to enter its final year next summer.

While Bournemouth have collected big fees over the last couple of years for Antoine Semenyo, Dominic Solanke, Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Ilya Zabarnyi, they run the risk of having to sell the Guernsey schemer for a reduced price, and are keen to sign him to a deal that ensures a release clause has to be met in order to sign him.

According to the report from TEAMtalk, this has alerted Liverpool, who have joined Chelsea in the race for the 23-year-old.

The Blues were particularly interested in Scott over the summer but were rebuffed, as Bournemouth didn't want to lose one of their key players ahead of playing European football this term on the south coast.

The midfielder has continued the excellent form he displayed in the second half of last season under new manager Marco Rose, and has been rewarded with a second call-up to the England national team, where he is yet to feature for Thomas Tuchel.

FourFourTwo understands that Bournemouth see January as a target to get Scott signed up by, as they look to avoid a scenario like last year.

The Dorset outfit lost Semenyo to Manchester City in the winter transfer window – though did manage to remain unbeaten for the rest of the Premier League campaign and record their highest-ever finish of sixth under Iraola.

With the Basque's new squad currently learning his specific methods and demands out of possession, it is unlikely that the Merseysiders will challenge for the Premier League crown, with the squad in transition and adapting slowly – but Scott may well help with that, should he arrive in January, or even next summer.

The midfielder has plenty of experience working with Iraola, understands his methods, and still under 25, can learn further and develop into a complete midfielder at Anfield.

Scott is worth €50 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool face Man City when the international break concludes and Premier League action returns.

Talks for a Manchester City player to leave have begun, following last week's bombshell that the club have been found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League rules.

Although Manchester City are expected to appeal the Premier League's decision, speculation and uncertainty hang over the club, with the Citizens' future remaining unclear.

In the meantime, City have received an offer for one of their players – in what the club hope will not be the start of an exodus.

Manchester City star could leave in January on loan

On the field at least, new manager Enzo Maresca has started brightly despite a Community Shield loss, seizing 15 points from 15 in the Premier League securing passage to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and winning their first came in the Champions League.

The Italian has gotten to grips with his new squad and stamped his authority on the team – but just two senior players left at the club have failed to make a Premier League appearance thus far, with one of them being backup goalkeeper, Geronimo Rulli.

The other is Rayan Ait-Nouri, who joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer and made just 15 league appearances in Pep Guardiola's final season, with academy graduate Nico O'Reilly taking the left-back spot ahead of him.

With Maresca claiming earlier this season that “I see him more as a winger than full-back,” the Algerian international has a tough task fighting his way into his new boss's plans, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that he is a target for Juventus.

Sport Witness have relayed the news, noting that the Old Lady have spoken to the player's entourage and that, “They would like to offer an option to buy, with Ait-Nouri desperate to become a key player.”

FourFourTwo understands that part of Maresca's initial reluctance to seriously integrate Ait-Nouri was down to his profile, with the former Chelsea manager preferring full-backs capable of inverting.

The 25-year-old may not be the first-choice option should he move to Turin either, though, with Andrea Cambiaso likely to feature ahead of him in the pecking order.

Signing for City for a reported £31 million, Ait-Nouri went to the Club World Cup with his new club last summer and looked set to hold down the left-back spot, with Josko Gvardiol moving centrally.

While a Wolves player, the France-born defender had an almost unblemished injury record, but an ankle injury ruled him out for almost two months last autumn, and he never recovered his place as Guardiola's starting left-back.

Ait-Nouri is worth €40m, according to Transfermarkt. City face Liverpool when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is to leave the Reds on a free transfer after nine years of service at Anfield.

That's according to a new report, which says that the Dutchman is set to swap Liverpool for Milan “sooner rather than later” – and that a big replacement is already being lined up to take his place at the heart of manager Andoni Iraola's defence.

Van Dijk became the most expensive defender in the world when he swapped Southampton for Anfield, but now 35, his current contract expires at the end of the season.

Liverpool launching move for Premier League rival to replace Virgil van Dijk

Van Dijk has started the season strongly under Iraola alongside new signing Jeremy Jacquet, who is 14 years his junior.

According to veteran Italian journalist Carlo Pellegatti, via Football Italia, the Dutch captain is set to move to Milan next summer, noting, ““Every now and then, people make fun of me for saying Van Dijk would join, but then they [did] the same the January before Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived.”

“[Milan owner] Gerry Cardinale made clear: ‘Either we get him now by paying or next year for free,’” Pellegatti added, “I said that Van Dijk will arrive at Milan sooner or later.”

According to CaughtOffside, meanwhile, Liverpool are looking at bringing in Tottenham Hotspur captain Micky van de Ven as Van Dijk's replacement.

The 25-year-old plays alongside the Liverpool man for the Netherlands and not only is he capable of playing at left-back – a problem position for the Reds of late – he possesses the kind of recovery pace that could help Iraola to implement his high-risk high press.

Despite back-to-back 17th-placed finishes, Van de Ven is one of Spurs' better players and with the Lilywhites struggling again this season – finding themselves winless after five fixtures – the skipper may look to pastures new this summer.

FourFourTwo understands that Liverpool have admired the defender for a while, while CaughtOffside adds Manchester United to the mix as another Premier League rival interested in the star.

Van de Ven will surely not come cheap, however: the former Wolfsburg man is contracted in N17 until 2031, having signed an extension to his deal over the summer.

Both the Spurs man and Van Dijk are currently on international duty with the Oranje under new boss Xavi Hernandez.

Van de Ven is worth €50 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool host Manchester City when Premier League action returns following the international break.

Former England midfield man Dele Alli has been a free agent for the last year but has been aiming to keep himself fit in an effort to revive his career.

Alli left Serie A upstarts Como last autumn after making a single appearance under Cesc Fabregas, the latest in a string of abortive moves since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in 2022.

The 30-year-old spent seven years at Spurs after joining from Milton Keynes Dons in 2018 as one of the most exciting young prospects in English football.

Dele Alli is training at Barnet

He recently shared a video of himself training alone at the facilities of League Two outfit Barnet, where manager Dean Brennan has unexpectedly raised the possibility of the unsigned star taking his programme a step further.

Speaking to Alan Brazil and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT, Brennan extended an offer to Alli that he might very well be interested in taking up.

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"Our facilities are available to rent," explained the Bees boss when asked about Alli training at The Hive.

"We don’t live in Disneyland down at our level so our lads have to pay their bills, pay their mortgage and we don’t get 10,000, 20,000 [on the gate] a game. So renting our facilities out was part of the business process at our place and it looks like Dele’s done just that.

"I’ll take him all day long. You would be mad not to take him. He’s a serious footballer and look, he’s going through a real tough time. There’s obviously some kind of issue why people haven’t taken him on. Everyone deserves a second chance in life.

"At our football club we have lots of lads that train with us that are out of contract and if Dele wants to come train with us the doors are open. He can use us to get fit and train with the group."

Barnet are the unbeaten leaders of the fourth tier after seven matches. Their games against Crawley Town and York City over the next two Saturdays have both been postponed due to international call-ups.

Alli hasn't played competitively since he was sent off on his single, brief appearance for Como against AC Milan in March 2025.

The former Everton midfielder, who has 37 senior caps for England, had signed for Fabregas' side two months earlier on what was originally an 18-month contract.

He was released and left the Italian team last September, and has yet to secure a new club.

Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White is reportedly open to leaving the club next summer.

Gibbs-White secured a belated call-up to the current England squad after a number of players withdrew through injury. The 26-year-old was widely considered the most unjustified omission from the original 27-player selection.

He's been in impressive and productive form for Forest both in the calendar year overall and in the early part of the new season. As a player in demand, it was by no means certain he'd still be playing for Forest in 2026/27.

'Several leading clubs' are interested in Morgan Gibbs-White

Interest in the former Wolverhampton Wanderers youngster is plentiful, and Football Insider has claimed anew to have been told that Gibbs-White could push to leave Forest at the end of the season.

"The attacking midfielder is understood to be happy to stay at the City Ground if they can secure European football again, but is likely to look elsewhere if not," reports Pete O'Rourke.

"Sources say that several leading Premier League clubs are keen to offer him a move within the next 12 months, and an opportunity to play at the elite European level would be "hard to ignore" for the player.

"Gibbs-White is currently the highest-paid player in Forest's squad, but there is an element of uncertainty surrounding his contract situation.

"His current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2028, after Forest were only able to get him to commit to a three-year deal last summer."

Gibbs-White's 2025/26 performances were produced in the wake of a dramatic summer at the City Ground, where Forest were bumped up to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were demoted, but had to dig in to keep their captain.

Tottenham Hotspur triggered a £60 million release clause in his previous contract, sparking an angry reaction from Forest and owner Evangelos Marinakis, a threat of legal action and, ultimately, a shocking non-departure.

Gibbs-White helped Forest to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League despite working their way through four managers last season, and has hit the ground running this time around.

He started all five Premier League matches before the international break, scoring once and assisting two of Forest's four league goals.

After making his first two senior international appearances under interim boss Lee Carsley, Gibbs-White collected his next four caps on Tuchel's watch but hasn't played for the Three Lions since last October.

Manchester United have been handed a boost in their long-standing pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

United have been linked with De Jong for years and could finally have their chance to take the 29-year-old to Old Trafford.

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona sporting director Deco plans to bolster Hansi Flick's defence in the January transfer window. Consequently, the Catalan giants will need to make a big concession.

Barcelona 'need to sell' in January

"The club finished the summer having invested €174 million in signings and generating €104 million in revenue from transfers and economic rights," reports Fichajes.

"Planning is not yet complete, and defence has become a key focus in the analysis for the second half of the season.

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"The economic situation will dictate any move. La Liga has set a squad cost limit of €582 million for FC Barcelona for the 2026/27 season, compared to the €432 million limit after the previous winter transfer window."

Barcelona's position, therefore, is that they need to sell to buy. If Deco is to be able to bring in a defender of the kind of quality required to improve a team still on a perfect start seven games into the season, they need to sell big.

De Jong is yet to play this season and will face a battle to win his place back in a winning side. He is nearing a return from a knee ligament injury he sustained during his World Cup campaign with the Netherlands, and will be assessed by Barcelona after the international break.

Man United and De Jong has seemed like a destined romance at times over the years. The Red Devils are understood to have tracked him throughout his time at Ajax and have repeatedly been credited with an interest in signing him from Barcelona.

The Dutch midfielder was in United's sights in 2024, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2026. He has since signed an extension that ties him to the Catalan club until 2029.

De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 and has played for them almost 300 times, winning three league titles and establishing himself as a senior figure in the national team.

He played 38 club matches in all competitions in 2025/26 and started all six of the Netherlands' matches at the World Cup, where they were ultimately eliminated on penalties – after he'd been substituted in extra time – by Morocco.

De Jong has now played 70 times for his country but will miss the start of their Nations League campaign this month and next.

Alejandro Garnacho is facing an Aston Villa exit already.

That's according to a new report, which says that the Argentine isn't favoured by manager Unai Emery, and has been offered an exit route from the Midlands already.

Aston Villa signed Garnacho on loan from Chelsea with a £43 million buy clause over the summer, but with the winger limited to just half an hour in claret-and-blue so far, it appears his Premier League career is spiralling.

Alejandro Garnacho given Aston Villa exit route already

Garnacho broke through at Manchester United as a teenager, but signed for Chelsea last summer in a cut-price deal, and failed to establish himself under either Enzo Maresca or his successor, Liam Rosenior.

While the Blues signed Morgan Rogers for a club-record fee in the summer, Villa took Nicolas Jackson and Garnacho off new manager Xabi Alonso's hands – but fellow Basque boss Emery has instead favoured youngster George Hemmings on the left flank.

The Mail have reported that Spanish clubs are already eyeing a move for the 22-year-old, who is already considering his future after a lack of opportunities thus far.

The situation has clear parallels with another signing that didn't work out in the shape of Harvey Elliott, who joined the Villains on loan from Liverpool with an option to buy last summer.

When it became clear that the eventual Europa League winners would have to fork out £35 million to make the move permanent, the Reds midfielder made just four Premier League appearances and was frozen out of Emery's plans – somewhat controversially, to some fans, given his clear potential.

While the conditions of Garnacho's move to Villa are undisclosed, it appears as if history is repeating if Emery has no intention to play the winger – though the situation differs slightly from Elliott's.

Given that Elliott had already appeared for Liverpool by the time he made the move to Villa, he was ineligible to play for a third club when the January transfer window came around.

Garnacho, however, hasn't played for Chelsea this season – meaning that a January move is still possible.

The Madrid-born forward is worth €28m, according to Transfermarkt. Villa host Brentford when Premier League action resumes after the international break.

Arsenal star Jurrien Timber has missed group training on international duty with the Netherlands.

The news may come as a concern to Arsenal fans, who have only just welcomed the full-back back to the fold in the last few Premier League matches.

Timber even missed the midweek Carabao Cup clash away to Ipswich Town last week, as he steps up his return from injury.

Mikel Arteta has a problem with Arsenal right-back workloads

After picking up an injury in the run-in of Arsenal's Premier League-winning season, Timber returned to the bench for the Champions League final, but wasn't fit enough to go to the World Cup with the Netherlands.

The Dutchman has been stepping up his recovery at the start of the season, with Ben White featuring at right-back – but now, White has picked up another injury on the cusp of the international break.

As reported by Voetbal International via Sport Witness, Timbers' native Netherlands, the Gunners have been liaising with new Oranje coach Xavi Hernandez over a modified schedule for Timber, with the defender sitting out of group training recently.

This individual programme suggests that the star won't be risked against Germany this week, after completing an hour against Brighton & Hove Albion – a fixture in which Declan Rice moved to right-back.

Now, however, Rice has also been sidelined through injury, pulling out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad.

This leaves the Gunners short on cover at right-back, with Cristian Mosquera still out with a knee problem and William Saliba's back injury meaning that new signing Ezri Konsa has played exclusively in the centre since joining over the summer.

Bruno Guimaraes, meanwhile, has had a slow start to his career in N5 after picking up a knock in the first Premier League fixture of the season at home to Coventry City.

The champions have picked up 12 points from a possible 15 after defeat at the Amex on Saturday afternoon, with this three-week break giving Arteta a chance to get players back from injury.

Timber is worth €65 million, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal take on Leeds United when Premier League action returns after the international break.

Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres is edging towards a January exit.

The Swede signed for the Gunners last summer as a long-awaited focal point in attack to spearhead manager Mikel Arteta's side – and his first season back in English football was, on paper at least, a success.

But though Gyokeres netted 21 goals in all competitions and was Arsenal's top scorer, as they won a first Premier League title in 22 years and reached just a second-ever Champions League final, it hasn't all been plain sailing.

Viktor Gyokeres' Arsenal exit gathers pace, as Milan plan 'expensive' move

Despite his healthy goal return as Emirates Stadium no.9, Gyokeres has been criticised at times over the last 12 months for his all-round game, with his hold-up play and aerial threat severely lacking.

FourFourTwo understands that the 28-year-old was touted for sale over the summer – and with Arteta opting not to bring Gyokeres off the bench in the Premier League before the transfer window closed, Kai Havertz has been preferred in attack.

PianetaMilan reports that Milan are weighing up a move for the centre-forward, with exploratory contact explored.

The Rossoneri signed Goncalo Ramos over the summer but the Portuguese has struggled to hit the ground running – and new manager Ruben Amorim can certainly unlock the best of Gyokeres, as proven during his stint at Sporting.

The Swedish international struck 97 times in 102 matches in Lisbon, with a league return in Portugal of better than a goal-a-game, prompting Arsenal to secure him as a much-needed killer in attack.

Gyokeres' poor appearances in Europe and the Carabao Cup, however, have suggested that Havertz is the undisputed first-choice centre-forward at Arsenal, while Mikel Merino also offers presence in attack.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal are still keen to improve in attack, with Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard all departing over the summer – and only Christos Tzolis replacing the trio.

This new report suggests that Milan would like a loan deal, with the 28-year-old unhappy with his lack of playing time – and FourFourTwo believes that the player himself would rather play elsewhere than sit on a bench for the Premier League champions.

Arteta is still interested in Julian Alvarez, who has yet to be fully reintegrated at Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona have cooled their interest.

Gyokeres is worth €65 million, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal take on Leeds United when Premier League action returns after the international break.

Hall, 22, signed a two-year extension with no release clause last week, tying him to the club until 2031 despite enquiries from the Red Devils and summer-long speculation linking him with a move to Old Trafford.

He capped off a great few days, which also included an England recall, with a goal in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Hull City on Saturday.

Newcastle fans could be forgiven for fearing Hall would follow the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali out of the door this summer, but he instead committed his future to the club he supported as a boy.

'When you're linked to another team, you know you're doing something right'

The speculation didn’t unsettle him, and he says signing the new deal at the height of its intensity shows he believes in the club’s future and wants to be part of it.

"No, honestly, it didn’t [affect me],” he said after the game.

"I guess whenever you're linked to another team, you know that you're doing something right. I guess it's just a credit to your own performances and how you are as a player, how you are as a person. I took that as a positive, but at the same time, I knew how much I love playing here.

"Obviously, I'm really grateful for the contract that I've received and the trust that I've been given from the board and from the manager and everything like that.

"But yeah, I'm just taking it game by game, just trying to do the best I can for this club. We've got ambitions and as long as we achieve these ambitions and achieve what we want to achieve, I'm sure I'll be here for a long time.”

Newcastle’s rocky summer took its biggest turn at the end of July when manager Eddie Howe stepped down and German coach Matthias Jaissle arrived from Al-Ahli.

Hall says Jaissle’s impact made signing a new deal a “no brainer” and is confident in the future with him in charge.

“Since the manager came in, the ambitions and what we wanted to achieve [have been clear].

“After not many conversations, not many training sessions, I knew that the manager was going to be really good for this club. Bringing in new players and improving the squad was really important and as soon as we did that, it was a no-brainer really to sign.

"He's a top guy. He's been so good to me. He gives me the licence to express myself as long as I do the defensive work and do the running that's required for this position, which is quite a lot of work.

“But I'm happy to do it as long as it benefits the team. He's been a positive for everyone who's come in so far."

Arsenal have been given fresh optimism of signing a striker in the January transfer window.

After winning all six of their opening fixtures of the season in all competitions, Arsenal came unstuck at the Amex at the weekend, with a 3-0 loss to a rampant Brighton & Hove Albion, highlighting some of the underlying issues that the Gunners have had despite great early-season form.

While not solely the reason for the defeat, manager Mikel Arteta had a distinct lack of pace in his frontline and from the bench, while Kai Havertz missed a one-on-one late on to salvage a consolation goal.

Arsenal could be back in for Julian Alvarez

Arsenal keenly pursued Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid over the summer, but the Argentine chose to remain in Spain, after practically burning bridges with his employers to force a move to Barcelona, which never materialised.

With Atleti flat-out refusing to sell to Barça, the Catalan giants pivoted and have fielded Raphinha as a centre-forward instead, to spectacular effect: the Brazilian has 14 goals in just eight games this season, with the Blaugrana having netted 31 times in seven La Liga fixtures.

According to Fichajes in Spain, Hansi Flick's side have moved on from the idea of signing Alvarez with pressing concerns elsewhere in the team – especially in defence, with a lack of options at centre-back.

The former Manchester City striker, meanwhile, has started just once for Diego Simeone since the World Cup – the opening Champions League loss to Liverpool – with Los Colchoneros winning the Madrid Derby at the weekend with summer signings Kang-in Lee and Jonathan David paired in attack.

The situation certainly gives Arsenal hope that a midseason move could suit all parties: with Alvarez clearly unhappy at the Metropolitano and Raphinha on fire, Arsenal may well represent a sensible option, even on loan.

With Alvarez's value seemingly tanking by the week and Arsenal keen to add firepower, even a short-term move could help rehabilitate the 26-year-old's fortunes ahead of a potential summer move.

Arteta, meanwhile, appears to have lost confidence in Viktor Gyokeres, with the Swede yet to start a Premier League match this term and disappointing in his appearances in Europe and the Carabao Cup.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal are evaluating all options ahead of the winter transfer window, with Max Dowman's status within the squad a possible knock-on effect for any move.

The teenager was preferred off the bench to Noni Madueke on Saturday afternoon, but while a loan move of his own could provide him with significant minutes in his development, he may well grow in importance to a team who lost Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard in attack over the summer, replacing the trio with just Christos Tzolis.

Alvarez is worth €120 million, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal take on Leeds United when Premier League action returns after the international break.

A Liverpool offer for a defensive midfielder has been revealed, with the Reds seemingly overrun in the engine room at the start of the season.

New manager Andoni Iraola has enjoyed an unbeaten start to his Anfield tenure – and hasn't lost in the Premier League since January – but there are huge concerns over his squad and the inbalance of profiles at the Basque's disposal.

With several big-money talents on the left and in attack, there are no qualms about Liverpool's attacking talent – but questions have been raised about how swamped the Merseysiders are in midfield.

Liverpool DO want a defensive midfielder - and have made a move

This weekend, Iraola fielded a double-pivot of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, in a 1-0 win over his former club Bournemouth.

Seeing Szoboszlai in a two-man midfield has become a fixture of the start of the season, with Reds one-club man Jamie Carragher critical of the club's set-up early in the Premier League season.

A new report from Tuttomercatoweb claims that the Reds made an offer to Aleksandar Stankovic over the summer, with the Inter Milan star having impressed last season at Club Brugge.

Stankovic – son of Inter legend Dejan – was apparently on the table as part of the deal that took Curtis Jones to San Siro, but with the Serbian wanting to remain at Inter, the move never materialised.

The Milan-born Serbian international midfielder has been on the periphery of the Nerazzurri's team this season, however, with a move for more playing time a possibility for January.

Liverpool currently have just Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister as their most senior defensive-minded central midfielders, with Trey Nyoni having impressed in glimpses this season, and FourFourTwo understanding that Iraola is keen to give him plenty of opportunities this term.

Despite bringing in the likes of Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet this summer to strengthen the first XI, Liverpool didn't land every target they set out to acquire.

Yankuba Minteh was high on the wish list to replace Mohamed Salah – but a move was difficult to navigate with the Gambian winger missing the start of the campaign through injury.

Liverpool also have concerns at full-back with 2025's marquee buys Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong both struggling in the early stages of the season.

Stankovic is worth €32 million, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool take on Manchester City when Premier League action returns after the international break.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of two teams without a Premier League goal this season. Four matches in, only Spurs and promoted Coventry City are still goalless.

It's the worst-ever start to a Spurs season in goalscoring terms but they have at least conceded half as many as the Sky Blues. New signing Jan Paul van Hecke is one of the reasons the major problem appears to be at the attacking end of the pitch.

The transfer of Van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion was a big investment in a proven Premier League central defender but it came with a catch, and not in hindsight.

Van Hecke and Vuskovic 'swap' will be profitable for Brighton on and off the pitch

Elite football's regulatory environment now incentivises player trading. Selling and buying, in combination, are broadly more compliant than keeping. Clubs twist that might otherwise be motivated to stick.

Players swapping between the same two clubs in the same window is becoming increasingly common but the same regulations make it clear that dealing them independently rather than as swaps is usually the way to go.

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The spreadsheet rules all, and these de facto swap deals are happening more frequently than true swaps ever did. The transfer fees are for accountants. It's the players and the difference between their values that mean something.

Van Hecke's move to Spurs was officially unconnected to 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic going the other way but the deals will always be linked in the minds of Spurs supporters. They might come to view them with regret.

The young Croatian never played a first team game for Spurs before joining Brighton for a reported fee in the region of £46 million. Van Hecke, the older and more expensive of the pair, has been overshadowed by his successor in the early part of the season.

Vuskovic looks like a genuine talent, with all the technical ability, physicality and intelligence to succeed at the highest levels of the game.

He's dominant in the air and a major factor at set pieces in both boxes, and Fabian Hurzeler has been able to lean on him and Lewis Dunk in what's become a very fine start to the season.

Brighton's business model suggests that a player of Vuskovic's prodigious talent will eventually be sold on again for an even greater fee. Van Hecke himself is evidence of that.

For Spurs, the sale of Vuskovic marked the exit of a white-hot prospect who they wanted enough to sign three years ago but only had ownership of for a year before shuffling him off in exchange for a more established player.

Down the road, a cornerstone of Arsenal's 2025/26 Premier League title win was signed all the way back in 2019, and sent on three loans - the same number as Vuskovic - before working his way into the Gunners' starting lineup.

William Saliba may be injured currently but his 184 appearances for Arsenal over the past four seasons are testament to long-term squad planning and a club being able to see the bigger picture.

The worry from a Spurs point of view is that Vuskovic, potentially, could have been a short-term win too. Watching him continue to develop could make for difficult viewing.

Manchester United are set to lose England Under-17 forward JJ Gabriel, who has asked to leave the club months after being named Player of the Season in the Under-18 Premier League.

The Man United teenager's decision has thrust him even further into the spotlight than his playing prospects already had. Gabriel is 15 years old and the truth is nobody should be taking an interest in anything he does.

That's a bigger problem that football as a whole needs to start taking seriously, but as far as Gabriel goes, it's likely to prove a mis-step for Man United to fumble his progress.

Arsenal's Max Dowman is a demonstration of what might have been

Man United have had opportunities to demonstrate their faith in Gabriel and show him that the route to first team football has been laid out.

While it's possible to question the youngster's desire to leave before he's even 16 years of age, the advice he's receiving, and the rights and wrongs of other clubs sniffing around him, there is an example in the Premier League that points to a better outcome.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Down at Arsenal, 16-year-old Max Dowman has been given chances and taken them. The Premier League champions have a young talent of their own, and he made his league debut at 15.

Dowman is increasingly being tipped for a senior England call-up, a stark contrast with Gabriel even at this absurdly early stage in both of their careers.

Arsenal have managed Dowman through without over-use. He has six Premier League appearances to his name and another eight in the cups. He's played in the Champions League three times but his lone senior appearance this season was in Tuesday's Carabao Cup win at Ipswich Town.

He scored twice, and therein lies the clue that might have served Man United in Gabriel's case. Dowman is an obvious talent but he won't be thrown in for frequent appearances regardless of those goals.

Mikel Arteta is biding his time. Notably, though, Dowman has had sufficient chances to impress.

Dowman and Gabriel are different people with their own minds and their own advisors, but it's hard to ignore the sense that Man United could have thrown him a bone if they'd wanted.

It wouldn't have been to their detriment either; the Red Devils obviously believe he has huge potential. He might have been in line to play against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday but took himself out of contention with his request to leave.

But when Man United were preparing to play their Champions League opener against Azeri champions Sabah, Gabriel was scoring a hat-trick against them in the UEFA Youth League.

Perhaps the young forward is getting ahead of himself for whatever reason – that isn't and shouldn't be any of our business, and Man United have their own reasons to select him or not – but there's a good chance Dowman would have been selected in an equivalent Arsenal match.

If that's the difference between keeping and losing a top prospect, it could be a decision they come to regret.

Everton were in turmoil before Ainsley Maitland-Niles' 96th-minute equaliser against Manchester United last weekend. And to some extent, they still are - but all is not lost.

The Toffees are unbeaten in their opening three matches of the new Premier League season, with five points on the board, so the players are holding up their side of the bargain. At board level, though, it has been well-documented over the past couple of weeks that all is not well. Defeat at home to Man United would've seen a return of the phenomenon widely regarded as the 'Goodison boo' upon the final whistle.

A week prior, supporters had protested against the potential sale of academy graduate Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest which prompted a £40 million U-turn by the club's decision-makers. Then, fans could only watch as Everton jettisoned £100m worth of attacking talent on transfer deadline day, replacing them with nothing.

Silver lining to Everton's disastrous deadline day

It's understandable, then, that Evertonians are keen to hang their hats on Armstrong and his potential. And while many may assume he is the young player with the highest ceiling at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this season, FourFourTwo beg to differ.

Everton's signing of Chelsea academy star Tyrique George could prove to be some of the best business the club have done in recent years, because the 20-year-old has hit the ground running this season, despite the external noise surrounding the club's failings off the pitch.

The left-sided winger impressed against Man United, finding the net with a great effort to level the scoreline late in the game. It was his first Premier League goal for the club.

But it is not George's goalscoring that will, in our opinion, make him a dark horse for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Courtesy of Gradient Sports data, George is the Premier League's best ball-carrier so far this season. Admittedly, the campaign is merely three weeks old but the signs are promising.

George is performing well above average in various areas, including passing, shooting and winning duels, but it is his ball-carrying which really lights up the database.

So far this season, George has completed seven of his nine attempted dribbles, beating his man with regularity during the early knockings of the campaign. This aspect of his game is especially reminiscent of an Everton teammate's breakthrough at Aston Villa: Jack Grealish.

Grealish was - and to some extent, still is - an elite level ball-carrier. Both are capable of transporting play upfield, tens of yards at a time with the ball at their feet. For clubs who are likely to find themselves in mid-table and below, alleviating opposition pressure by taking the ball far away from their own goal is a useful skill to have, not to mention leveraging it to good effect in an attacking sense in the final third.

George is going to be tasked with doing the former an awful lot this season, not least because Everton's first-team squad only has 18 senior members. Opportunities are going to be forthcoming for the ex-Chelsea youngster and on early season evidence, he's ready to grasp them with both hands.

Everton have left themselves with one recognised striker in David Moyes' group, Thierno Barry, who is the type of striker who requires service from out wide, and runners. As he has shown in recent weeks, George can offer the latter from the left-hand side, and Brennan Johnson is more than capable of doing that on the opposite flank. It relies on all three remaining fit, but gives things a decidedly rosier outlook than when the window slammed shut last week.

Chances for George to break through at Chelsea were always going to be few and far between, despite the cameo role he played at Stamford Bridge before joining the Toffees. The Blues will be looking to challenge for the Premier League title this season, albeit as an outside bet, and the £116m signing of Morgan Rogers guarantees Chelsea a greater likelihood of success than if they were to give George equal importance in the squad.

If George can add tangible end product as well, as he demonstrated against Man United, then there is every chance due to the level of exposure, working alongside Grealish and the style Everton are likely to play, that George will be someone we're all talking about very highly come the end of the season.

Reports in Germany indicate Michael Olise is set to sign a massive new contract at Bayern Munich that will completely price Liverpool out of a move.

After breaking through the youth ranks and making his professional debut at Reading in the Championship, Olise earned himself a move to Crystal Palace. At Selhurst Park, his performances and creative output in the Premier League caught the attention of Europe’s elite.

Since arriving in Germany, Olise has taken his game to another level, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous attackers in world football, reportedly drawing the gaze of Liverpool's recruitment department.

Liverpool to look elsewhere after Michael Olise development

However, a return to English football now looks increasingly unlikely.

According to recent reports, Bayern are preparing to hand Olise a lucrative contract extension, one that includes an eye-watering release clause designed to deter potential suitors.

Historically, the Bavarian giants prided themselves on a refusal to include release clauses in player contracts, ensuring they held all the cards over any potential departures.

However, the shifting landscape of modern football has forced a change at boardroom level. Much like the agreement recently struck for Jamal Musiala, buyout clauses are becoming the new normal in Munich.

For Olise, Bayern are reportedly planning to insert an exit clause ranging anywhere from €150 million to €250 million (£126m–£211m), according to journalist Christian Falk.

Such an astronomical figure represents an insurmountable hurdle, even for a team like Liverpool. Under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the club operates with a strict financial model.

While they are certainly capable of making statement signings - evidenced by their recent captures of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola, all for in excees of £100m - obliterating their transfer record for Olise doesn't align with their financial reality.

Liverpool’s financial situation in the wake of recent arrivals dictates that they must be efficient with their remaining budget, finding value in the market rather than triggering world-record release clauses.

For many fans, the ex-Palace man would have been the dream acquisition but with Barcola now in the building, the requirement for a player of Olise's calibre has somewhat lessened.

Furthermore, the numbers required to pry him away from Germany are no longer viable given the Frenchman looks set to commit his prime years to Bayern, too.

Richarlison's future at Tottenham Hotspur is hanging in the balance, as the 29-year-old's transfer to Super Lig side Trabzonspor edges nearer.

The Brazilian previously rejected an Everton homecoming earlier this week, taking to social media to reveal that negotiations had broken down with the Toffees.

Now, Richarlison could join forces with Liverpool royalty in Mohamed Salah, as time ticks down on Super Lig deadline day.

Richarlison on verge of move to Trabzonspor, reveals Turkish transfer expert

The Brazilian was recently axed from Spurs's 25-man squad list, with boss Roberto De Zerbi confirming Richarlison had "said too many times that he wants to leave."

Earlier this week, it was reported by Turkish transfer expert Yagiz Sabuncuoglu that Richarlison had verbally agreed to move to Trabzonspor, and the deal has since progressed further.

September 4 is the Super Lig's deadline day, with hours remaining for the Turkish top-flight side to secure the Brazilian's services.

Sabuncuoglu provided an update via X (formerly Twitter) yesterday evening that clarified how close Trabzonspor are to pulling off the move.

"Trabzonspor will finalise the Richarlison transfer if they can send one foreign player from their squad before the transfer window closes," he wrote.

"Otherwise, the transfer will be cancelled," Sabuncuoglu concluded. The Super Lig's deadline day ends this evening at 11:59pm BST.

Trabzonspor recently signed another striker in their efforts to prevent Galatasaray from securing an unprecedented fifth-consecutive Turkish top-flight title.

That player is Franculino Dju, who moved from Danish Superliga club Midtjylland in a deal worth almost £15 million.

Trabzonspor appear to quietly be assembling a solid attack, led by Liverpool legend Salah who has scored three-in-three for the club domestically this term.

According to ESPN Brazil, the Egyptian even called Richarlison to convince him to join the Turkish top-flight side.

In that report, it is stated that Spurs have rejected a €20 million offer for their Brazilian forward, meaning that it is possible a fee has not been agreed upon, as of yet.

Richarlison, who is currently training with Tottenham Hotspur's Under-21s side, is pushing hard for the move.

The Athletic reported yesterday that Spurs had rejected a bid from Trabzonspor, claiming there was no guarantee that the Turkish club would try their luck again.

According to Sabuncuoglu, it appears that the deal has progressed since, as the hours tick down on Super Lig deadline day.

There is an argument that Chelsea are better at conducting transfers than they are at winning football matches. This summer's window has done nothing to redress that balance.

While rival fans mock and scoff at the volume of transfer activity at Stamford Bridge, the reality is they're quite good at it. Xabi Alonso’s side have emerged from the 2026 summer window stronger, more balanced, and the undisputed kings of the transfer market.

The marquee acquisition of Morgan Rogers is excellent business, even at a premium price. Signing Rogers gives Chelsea what could be the most lethal front three in the Premier League alongside Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, supported by enviable depth in reserve.

Chelsea's transfer window mastery

Equal significance lies at the opposite end of the pitch, where landing 2022 World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez provides an immediate upgrade on Robert Sanchez, and solves a problem position that has plagued the club for several seasons.

Chelsea finished the window £35 million in the black, despite signing £349m worth of players. The club recouped a staggering £384m in player sales, extracting significant fees for the likes of Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, and joint-British record man Enzo Fernandez.

Even in Alonso's brief tenure to date, Chelsea's recruitment has evolved, perhaps due to the Spaniard's influence, moving away from the rigid, youth-exclusive early iterations of the BlueCo transfer model.

Recognising that raw potential requires established leadership to properly flourish, the ex-Real Madrid manager sanctioned the arrivals of Jordan Henderson, Danny Welbeck, and the aforementioned Martinez. Inserting three seasoned campaigners into the dressing room provides the maturity, leadership, and also winning pedigree necessary to give the squad a more balanced feel.

But the youthful talent pipeline remains as vibrant as ever, too. The additions of Marco Palestra, Valentin Barco, and Geovany Quenda inject energy and genuine competition for places across the pitch. Paired with veteran guidance, Chelsea’s squad profile looks healthier than at any point in recent memory.

Perhaps most impressive was Chelsea’s execution in clearing out the periphery of their squad.

Unused players who faced exclusion from the Premier League’s 25-man squad list - including Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, and Mykhailo Mudryk - were successfully moved on, most for modest transfer fees.

Despite rival clubs knowing Chelsea needed to trim the edges of their first-team group, the Blues negotiated well. In doing so, they generated vital capital given their underlying financial situation, while avoiding contravention of FIFA and FIFPRO’s new anti-’bomb squad’ regulations, which grants powers to isolated players to demand free transfers.

Naturally, no transfer window is completely flawless and Chelsea's is no different. Missing out on deadline day midfield targets Lamine Camara and Manu Kone leaves Alonso slightly lighter in central areas than ideal following Fernandez’s departure to Manchester City.

Looking at the window from a big picture perspective, Chelsea have, somehow, pulled it off, again. Generating £384m in sales while leaving the squad demonstrably stronger, balanced, and stacked with depth is an achievement, make no mistake. With no European football to distract from domestic ambitions, Stamford Bridge is primed for a serious campaign.

AS Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro has revealed the extraordinary sequence of events behind Folarin Balogun’s deadline day transfer collapse to Everton.

Speaking to Get French Football News (GFFN), Scuro detailed how medical doubts raised by the Premier League club ultimately provoked the striker to reject the move at the final minute.

Scuro explained that Monaco had established a clear financial strategy entering deadline day, combining player sales with wage relief.

'I don't want to sign after the way they treated me'

"During the day, we had a clear agreement for Balogun to go to Everton," Scuro said. "Balogun flew yesterday morning to go for medicals and sign a contract.

"Balogun, besides the salary, was also an important source of income for the club, which would help us also to balance the season."

Folarin Balogun medical dispute

While Monaco held firm against Chelsea's late-in-the-window advances for Lamine Camara, Balogun arrived in Liverpool for tests. Four hours before the deadline, Everton’s medical staff raised concerns that Scuro and the player's own medical team strongly rejected.

"At 4pm, Balogun was in Liverpool undergoing his medical. Everything was going pretty well. Around 7pm, we were contacted by Everton, raising questions about Balogun’s medical, which, for our medical staff, as well as for the player’s personal medical staff, made no sense at all.

"The explanations were not enough to justify or to bring concerns regarding the future of the player, which there aren’t. This discussion started between medical departments from here and there. It took Everton around two-to-three hours to go deep into the assessment and check with other doctors. This is a normal situation when the doctor of the club raises concerns. It’s quite normal that clubs will look for other specialists, share the images and discuss the case. This was ongoing."

Reports that Balogun had failed his medical surfaced in the media while consultations continued.

"I would say around half an hour after we were contacted. It was already in the media that Balogun has failed his medical.

"What happened was that around 10pm (9pm BST), in our time here, maybe a bit earlier, Everton realised that, OK, there is no problem. We are ready to do it. Let’s sign the contract."

"Five minutes to close the transfer window there, I signed the contract, Everton signed the contract. At the last moment, the player decided not to sign. And basically, Balogun’s allegation is that I’m not feeling well because of the way the club treated me. 'I’m not feeling well because Everton’s medical department raised doubts about my future or my health. I have nothing [wrong with me], so I’m not comfortable signing a long contract here.' And that’s the way we finish our transfer window.

"On Everton, I was not there. We have to respect [Balogun's] decision. We tried to do the work on the club side. We found solutions.

"The reality is that when 'Balo' mentioned to us this feeling that he was not comfortable, he didn’t want to sign, we didn’t see ourselves in a position to push him. We had to respect."

Manchester United are close to completing a deal with a club in the Netherlands that will see one of the Red Devils' most highly-rated youngsters spend the season out on loan.

Michael Carrick's higher-ups have negotiated some shrewd incoming business this summer, adding the likes of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to the squad.

However, the club have not been as adept at getting unwanted and unused players off the wage bill and out of the door, particularly in recent years.

Manchester United teenager to sign for Dutch club on loan

Dutch outlet Voetbal International are reporting that 18-year-old wonderkid Chido Obi is close to joining Willem II on loan for the 2026/27 season.

Last month, reports in the Netherlands claimed Feyenoord were taking a keen interest in the youngster's immediate future, but it now appears Obi will be playing his football in Tilburg this term.

Obi came to attention in Arsenal's Hale End academy, making his under-21 debut at the age of just 15 and making international headlines when he netted 10 goals in 14-3 win against Liverpool, at under-16 level.

The Danish youth international made the move to Manchester United in 2024, along with Ayden Heaven, in search of more playing time.

Obi was handed a Premier League debut by Ruben Amorim in February 2025, and against Brentford a few months later, became the youngest player to start a Premier League game for Man United at just 17 years, 156 days. On the whole, though, he has found a pathway into the first-team hard to come by and has made a meagre seven Premier League appearances to date.

Obi's task at Old Trafford is not an easy one by any means, having to try and oust the likes of £200m trio Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

FourFourTwo understands that the club still value Obi highly and prefer a loan move – though wouldn't be opposed to selling if an offer deemed acceptable came their way.

While the English transfer window closed at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1, Dutch clubs are still able to do business until 11pm BST on Wednesday, September 2.

Willem II were promoted from the Eerste Divisie last season and are currently winless in three Eredivisie matches in 2026/27.

Obi is worth €5m, according to Transfermarkt.

Everton are closing in on a dramatic deadline day loan deal for Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee after their proposed move for Monaco forward Folarin Balogun appeared to collapse.

The Toffees had been on the verge of finalising a move for Balogun to spearhead their attack, but negotiations have ground to a halt following the player’s medical, according to reports.

Everton’s medical staff reportedly identified issues during Balogun's screening tests on deadline day.

Everton chase late Zirkzee loan deal

As a direct consequence of those results, the club hierarchy have seemingly taken the decision to pull the plug on the transfer, unwilling to commit significant financial resources to a deal with potential underlying risks.

Left scrambling for an alternative goalscorer in the final hours of the window, Everton have pivoted toward Manchester United’s outcast Dutchman Zirkzee.

According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Everton have been in contact with Man United directly to negotiate a late loan deal, in response to Balogun’s medical falling through.

The 25-year-old forward has found himself sidelined at Old Trafford for months, failing to log a single minute of action across either of the club's opening two Premier League fixtures of the 2026/27 season.

Zirkzee’s standing at Old Trafford has plummeted, too, following last summer's additions of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

His last goal in a competitive fixture for Manchester United came at the end of 2025 during a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he has struggled to play any sort of consistent role ever since.

Having fallen completely out of favour under manager Michael Carrick, Zirkzee is clearly not in the head coach's long-term plans, making a deadline day exit the ideal resolution for all parties.

For Everton, bringing in Zirkzee serves as a salvage operation following the disappointment of the Balogun collapse.

While the Dutch forward arrives as a secondary fallback option rather than the club's primary target, his arrival provides much-needed depth and competition upfront for the Toffees following Iliman Ndiaye's exit for Manchester City.

The transfer deadline in England is at 11pm.

Liverpool have suffered another setback in the transfer market as Premier League rivals Chelsea appear to have won the battle to sign AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara.

According to Italian transfer reporter Nicolò Schira, the Blues are into the final stages of agreeing terms to sign the Senegalese international, successfully outbidding the Reds in the final stretch of the summer window.

It was reported last week that both Liverpool and Chelsea were actively weighing up moves for the coveted 22-year-old, whose performances in Ligue 1 had helped establish him as one of Europe’s best young central midfielders.

Liverpool double down on midfield squad depth high-wire act

While Liverpool hesitated to firm up their interest, Chelsea have moved decisively to advance discussions and seal an agreement.

Chelsea’s willingness to splash out substantial fees late in the window, simultaneously pushing for both Camara and AS Roma’s Manu Kone, points to a major outgoing at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues hierarchy must know they are on the verge of receiving a huge financial windfall from the sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City.

Knowing that City are prepared to pay a massive sum to secure Fernandez, Chelsea are reinvesting those projected funds, adding greater physicality and tenacity to their engine room before the Argentine’s exit is formally announced.

Failing to land Camara is a blow that exacerbates an already delicate squad situation at Anfield. The Reds' fixture schedule sees them competing across four competitions, with three first-team central midfield options in Dominik Szoboszlai - who may be required to fill in at right-back - Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.

Head coach Andoni Iraola’s tactical style is notoriously demanding, relying on high-energy pressing, vertical play, and off-the-ball work-rate. Attempting to implement this with a limited number of personnel in the middle of the park could leave Iraola with a difficult few months ahead.

Chelsea's capture of Camara also runs the risk of reigniting deep-seated frustration among the Liverpool fanbase.

Supporters remain concerned that the club have never truly replaced Fabinho since the Brazilian anchor departed three years ago. While temporary fixes and attack-minded central players have filled in, Liverpool have lacked an out-and-out defensive midfielder capable of breaking up counter-attacks and establishing balance.

Camara’s blend of tenacity and athleticism would have made him an ideal candidate to solve that lingering problem.

Instead, Chelsea have seemingly beaten their rivals to a top-tier target.

West Ham have got their Championship campaign underway as the Hammers look to bounce back from last season’s dire relegation campaign.

Nuno Espirito Santos’ side finished the season in 18th place to end a 14-year stay in the top flight, a period which saw them regularly oscillate between European pushes and survival battles.

Throughout this time, West Ham have been heavy spenders in the transfer market, but according to one former Hammers star, their recruitment has lacked the foresight and planning to build a balanced squad.

Tony Gale on West Ham’s transfer policies

Ex-West Ham favourite Tony Gale believes that the constant turnover of directors of football and other key transfer figures has meant cohesiveness has been lacking, leading to the club falling behind one of their rivals from across London.

“Fulham’s buying strategy has been far and away the better of the two,” Gale tells FourFourTwo. “It's designed to build a more balanced squad, with a good sell-on value for players.”

This has seen the Cottagers establish themselves as a mid-table Premier League side following their 2022 promotion from the Championship, with finishes of 10th, 13th, 11th and 11th over the past four seasons.

An effective transfer model, where the ability to develop players so that their sell-on value increases alongside their effectiveness on the pitch is vital in the current financial climate, but for Gale, this is not something West Ham have been able to replicate.

“West Ham seem to have been more reactive than proactive in the transfer market, taking action when a weakness is exposed,” he bemoans.

Central to his problem has been the revolving door of decision-makers behind the scenes.

“Then there’s been the constant changing of directors of football and the people recruiting,” he adds, before raising the basic issues that this problem brings on.

“Who’s been doing the buying? An agent comes on the phone and sells you his player. Well, every agent is going to do that.”

Gale’s ultimate conclusion here is one of another former Hammers favourite.

“What was it Harry Redknapp said? ‘They’ll have your trousers down’.”

Arsenal could pivot to bring in Marcus Rashford from Manchester United before deadline day.

That's according to a new report that says there is “internal surprise” at London Colney that the Gunners are looking to sell Gabriel Martinelli after seven years of service before bringing in a replacement.

While Arsenal are still in the market for Julian Alvarez in the event that the Argentine opts to leave Atletico Madrid, there are fewer options at this stage of the market, with several big targets' futures decided.

Marcus Rashford could move to Arsenal in “temporary” deal

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has expressed his interest in keeping Rashford as part of his squad this season, even bringing the England international off the bench last week in the defeat to newly promoted Hull City.

With the forward one of the Red Devils' highest earners, however, owner Jim Ratcliffe has been happy to move Rashford on in the last few years, with loans to Aston Villa and Barcelona helping to alleviate the wage bill at Old Trafford.

Miguel Delaney of The Independent has now written that the United academy graduate remains an option for Mikel Arteta's side – though Arsenal aren't desperate to sign either Rashford or their big target, Alvarez.

“If Arsenal don’t get [Alvarez], they are relatively relaxed,” Delaney says, adding, “There is some internal surprise they let Gabriel Martinelli go before securing an alternative in that area, although some sources believe it could see Arsenal move for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford on a temporary deal.

“It’s just as possible they keep the money and wait.”

Arsenal have had a number of major setbacks in the transfer window this summer, with interest in Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Jr and Bradley Barcola at one stage or another.

While Rogers shocked the Gunners by going to Chelsea and Vinicius turned down Arteta's advances to sign an improved deal at Real Madrid, Barcola is on the cusp of signing for Liverpool, without Arsenal ever putting in a serious offer in the end for the Frenchman.

If Arsenal do sell Martinelli and fail in their pursuit of Alvarez, that would leave Arteta with just Christos Tzolis as an out-and-out left-winger – though the Basque brought Eberechi Eze on in his place last week in the win over Coventry City.

Noni Madueke could well play on that flank, too, while youngster Max Dowman could feature on the left as well.

Rashford is worth €40m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Arsenal are readying themselves to potentially let go of a player who only joined this summer.

The Gunners have been measured during the transfer window, adding Ezri Konsa to the defence, Bruno Guimaraes to the midfield and Christos Tzolis to the attack, with Julian Alvarez targeted as the marquee buy of the window.

But it's actually in goal that Arsenal could well see a shock departure before deadline.

Arsenal readying themselves for Illan Meslier approach from Marseille

French custodian Illan Meslier was manager Mikel Arteta's first signing of the summer, arriving at London Colney to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga for a chance to be David Raya's backup.

World Cup-winning Spaniard Raya is an undroppable first choice between the sticks for the Gunners, having won the Premier League Golden Glove in each of the last three seasons – and FourFourTwo understands that his place is as untouchable in the side as the likes of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

There could well be movement in the goalkeeping department though, according to journalist Santi Aouna, who has claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Marseille are looking at Meslier.

Aouna claims that “Marseille still need to trim the squad before they can make concrete progress”, but could well make a loan move for the Frenchman before next week's transfer deadline.

Arsenal have been widely expected to sanction a loan move for 20-year-old Tommy Setford, who served as a third-choice keeper for Arteta last season – however, this new development suggests that Dutch-born England youth international may well stick around for another season, with Meslier heading out instead.

The Premier League champions have had heavy turnover when it comes to goalkeepers, having signed one every year since Arteta took the reins as manager.

In 2020, FA Cup-winning Emiliano Martinez departed for Aston Villa, to be replaced by Alex Runarsson, who in turn was upgraded when the Gunners signed Mat Ryan on loan in January, and again in the summer of 2021, when Aaron Ramsdale signed to be the club's new No.1.

USMNT glovesman Matt Turner signed in 2022 to replace the ousted Bernd Leno as Ramsdale's backup, before Raya signed in 2023 on loan – and then permanently in 2024.

With Ramsdale exiting in the summer of 2024, the North Londoners brought Neto in on loan from Bournemouth, before Kepa became the club's cup keeper when he signed from Chelsea 12 months ago.

Meslier is worth €8m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Tottenham Hotspur are still in the market for another striker, with one Bundesliga star targeted.

This summer has been the busiest in N17 for some time, with Jan Paul van Hecke, Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes and Savio signed for a combined £300 million, and Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi both joining on free transfers.

But even though Tottenham are on the cusp of announcing Omar Marmoush next, the transfer business still isn't complete, as another Bundesliga hitman has been targeted.

Tottenham Hotspur in the market for another striker

Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed that Spurs are in for Igor Matanovic of Freiburg, along with Manchester United.

Despite the Lilywhites having landed Marmoush, to add to a forward line that also includes Richarlison and Dominic Solanke, they would reportedly like to add Croatian Matanovic – which is complicating Fiorentina's pursuit of the forward.

To add further drama to the saga, Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici is now at the Viola, as the North Londoners look to get one over on a familiar face from the Daniel Levy years.

Spurs and Paratici are believed, however, to be on good terms, and even did business over the summer with Fiorentina signing defensive flop Radu Dragusin on loan.

As relayed by Sport Witness, “The Italian side believe Matanovic is the heir to Mario Mandzukic for the Croatian national team,” thanks to his excellent aerial ability – something that Solanke offers a little more than Richarlison or Marmoush.

United are also looking to the 23-year-old to bolster their attacking depth, though their interest may hinge on Joshua Zirkzee's status as a Red Devil by the end of the transfer window.

Spurs were humbled 3-0 at the weekend against Brentford but recovered to beat Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the Carabao Cup third round last night, as manager Roberto De Zerbi looks to turn around a dreadful two seasons in North London, in which the club have suffered back-to-back 17th-placed finishes.

Heavy spending in the transfer market has been offset by big sales in the form of Cristian Romero, Djed Spence and Luka Vuskovic, all fetching over £30m each in transfer fees.

Spurs have also been busy renewing key players' contracts, with Ben Davies, Pedro Porro, Antonin Kinsky and Micky van de Ven all rewarded with bumper new deals.

Matanovic is worth €22m, according to Transfermarkt. Tottenham play Newcastle United when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Arsenal have reached an agreement for the purchase of Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid.

That's according to a new report, which says that the Argentine is closer than ever before to a return to the Premier League, following a breakdown in his relationship with Rojiblancos fans.

Alvarez was booed and whistled at the Metropolitano after publicly stating that it was his “dream” to leave – with Arsenal ready to capitalise on Atletico's refusal to sell to Barcelona.

An 'agreement exists' between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid

Sport Witness have relayed news from Spanish publication AS, which claims that Alvarez is “starting to see” that the Premier League champions are his only chance to leave Diego Simeone's team this summer.

Though Barcelona are interested in signing the World Cup winner, Atletico are unwilling to discuss a move for the star with a rival – and with a release clause set at over £400 million, negotiations can't begin without their consent.

Arsenal have been quoted a price of £128m, and now AS says that an “agreement between the clubs exists” for a €150m deal, plus Viktor Gyokeres heading to Spain in the opposite direction.

Gyokeres was manager Mikel Arteta's top scorer in all competitions last term as the club won the league and reached the final of the Champions League, but has come under criticism for his lack of all-round game and didn't make it off the bench for the first game of the season against his former club, Coventry City.

Now, all Arsenal need is an agreement with Alvarez – though that has always been the sticking point in any deal.

Earlier this summer, Arteta spoke to Alvarez personally to convince the former Manchester City forward to come to North London – but his preference remains to go to Barcelona.

Barça, meanwhile, have been linked with the likes of Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus to bolster their frontline following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

Arsenal are closing in on the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al Hilal, with Alvarez an option to play either on the left or at centre-forward.

Alvarez is worth €120m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Arsenal’s ongoing quest to bolster their frontline has seen them linked with superstar names such as Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. and the like.

However, smart recruitment often lies in identifying world-class potential before the price tag hits eye-watering figures.

Enter Olympique Lyonnais' 21-year-old winger Malick Fofana.

Arsenal have found their cut-price Martinelli replacement

The Belgian international, who operates on the left-hand side, has suddenly become much more affordable following the French outfit's failure to qualify for the Champions League.

In last night's agonising Champions League play-off second leg against Fenerbahce, Lyon fought back to level the aggregate score in the second half. What appeared to be their decisive goal, though, was ruled out by VAR, allowing Fenerbahce to prevail and consigning Lyon to the Europa League.

Lyon's failure carries significant financial consequences for a club that has been no stranger to balance sheet issues in recent times.

Under UEFA’s current distribution model, reaching the Champions League league phase guarantees earnings of €18.62 million (£15.7m) simply for participation.

By contrast, dropping into the Europa League yields a modest base fee of just €4.31m (£3.6m) - an immediate deficit of €14.31m (£12.1m).

Similarly, a victory in the Champions League yields €2.1m (£1.8m) compared to the Europa League's €450k (£386k).

Factoring in the diminished value pillar allocations alongside the smaller performance bonuses, Lyon stand to miss out on an estimated €30m to €40m (£25m–£34m) in total European revenue this season.

For a club already walking a financial tightrope, this shortfall is the worst case scenario.

Severe financial distress nearly saw Lyon demoted to Ligue 2 by the DNCG (Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion) - the financial watchdog and regulatory body for professional football clubs in France - a couple of summers ago, compelling them to sell players like Rayan Cherki to Manchester City on the cheap.

According to French journalist Romain Molina, Lyon must generate €100m (£86m) before June 30, 2027 or risk sanctions from the relevant financial and regulatory bodies again. Most of that figure is likely to come from player sales, meaning members of the squad like Fofana will probably be jettisoned.

This hands Mikel Arteta, Arsenal and other interested suitors, something of a transfer open goal.

With Gabriel Martinelli looking set to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Fofana could offer Arteta an option as a replacement and long-term ceiling-raiser.

Where a player like Vinicius Jr. would have commanded an astronomical fee well over £150m alongside structure-busting wage demands, Lyon’s vulnerable negotiating position means Fofana can be acquired for a fraction of that cost. Arsenal have effectively been given the green light, but must move swiftly to capitalise before competitor clubs swoop in.

Arsenal could be about to sign another defender before the transfer window closes.

The Gunners are clear in their intention to upgrade an attack that stuttered at times during their Premier League-winning campaign – but are yet to sign a big-money forward, with just left-winger Christos Tzolis added for a modest fee.

Yet the temptation to bring in yet another defensive face might be too much for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to resist, with an opportunity having arisen in recent days.

Arsenal in for another defensive signing

Arteta has improved his defence and defensive midfield this summer, with acquisitions for Ezri Konsa and Bruno Guimaraes totalling over £120 million.

And now, ESPN Brazil says that the champions could be about to spend on another defender in the form of Santos teenager Joao Ananias.

The Gunners are among a throng of clubs interested in the 19-year-old, which includes Brentford, Atletico Madrid and Besiktas, with only the Istanbul-based outfit submitting a concrete offer so far.

The report states that Benfica came close to signing Ananias for £6 million in June, though failed to come to an agreement with Santos, who are using those negotiations as a “reference point for any new talks”.

The centre-back is under contract until 2030, but with the Alvinegro's financial situation demanding sales, a departure could help to balance the books.

In adding Konsa to their squad, Arsenal now have eight players who can play in central defence, with Ben White, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Pierro Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori the other seven.

FourFourTwo understands that the club are exercising caution around the back injury that Saliba sustained during the World Cup, while Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Zubimendi are all candidates to play at full-back in a pinch – but it would not be unusual for Arteta to bring in another centre-back to develop.

Rob Holding was used as an emergency option towards the end of his Arsenal career, with the Gunners bringing the long-serving centre-back to shore up the backline and offer experience, even from the bench.

16-year-old Marli Salmon has made four appearances for Arsenal's senior side in defence, too, and may well feature across this campaign.

Ananias is worth €500k, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Manchester United have a squad full of exciting talents.

Club captain Bruno Fernandes was arguably the best player in the Premier League last season, new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have bedded in nicely, while Marcus Rashford, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba could well add plenty of star quality to manager Michael Carrick's team this term.

And yet, Manchester United legend Lee Sharpe didn't name any of them when FourFourTwo asked him which current star he wished he'd played alongside…

Lee Sharpe names Joshua Zirkzee as the Manchester United player he wished he'd played with

“Joshua Zirkzee is one of my favourite players to watch,” Sharpe somewhat surprisingly responded when asked for a current Red Devil he'd have loved to line up with, courtesy of esports betting at Thunderpick.

“His ability on the ball is phenomenal: in tight areas, he's got great feet and the ability to go past people.

I'm surprised they didn't play him a bit more or give him a chance at the weekend against Hull. It was tight and they needed goals, after all.”

“Surprised you didn't say Bruno,” FourFourTwo asked.

“Well, I really like Kobbie Mainoo, too,” Sharpe responded. “Mainoo is a top player as well.” Fair enough!

Zirkzee arrived at Old Trafford two years ago during Erik ten Hag's tenure as manager, getting off to a flier with a goal on the first day of the 2024/25 season against Fulham – but has struggled to hold down a first-team place since then.

The emergence of Cunha, Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko limited the Dutchman to just 26 appearances in all competitions last term, and a return of just two goals, both of which came under Carrick's predecessor, Ruben Amorim.

Zirkzee has been linked with a move away from United this summer, as Rashford returns from loan to compete for a starting berth.

The Red Devils also have the likes of Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu competing for places in attack.

Zirkzee is worth €20m, according to Transfermarkt. United face Ipswich Town when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Liverpool are in the market for another forward or two before the transfer window closes, as Andoni Iraola rebuilds a misfiring team.

The Reds were criticised after a disjointed opening-day draw on Tyneside in which Dominik Szoboszlai snatched a point for Liverpool against Newcastle United, with questions asked over the defensive midfield, full-backs and Florian Wirtz in particular.

Despite their woes further back, however, it appears the Merseysiders are still chasing a number of targets to improve the frontline.

Liverpool sees transfer hopes dashed by Jose Mourinho

One player that Iraola won't be welcoming to Merseyside, however, is Endrick.

The wonderkid has struggled to adapt to life since moving to Real Madrid from Palmeiras at the age of 18, going on loan to Lyon last term – and ESPN Brazil recently confirmed that Liverpool were one of a number of sides monitoring the striker as cover for the injured Hugo Ekitike.

Spanish outlet El Desmarque have relayed comments from Los Blancos boss Mourinho, however, pouring cold water on any exit for the Brazil international.

“I didn’t want to loan him out or sell him because I enjoy working with this young player who possesses significant talent,” the Special One is quoted as saying.

“I’m not sure if he’ll make Carlo Ancelotti’s first national team squad, but having a great friend as the national team coach [helps]. He is a player I like very much, one who has attracted interest from many clubs wanting him either on loan or via a permanent transfer.”

The 15-time European champions rehired the Portuguese legend over the summer, and despite attackers including Vinicius Jr, Brahim Diaz and Arda Guler all being linked with moves away from Valdebebas, all of them have remained with the club, with Yan Diomande signing from RB Leipzig in a nine-figure move.

Liverpool were long-linked with Diomande themselves, before recalibrating to target Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh – who could both move to Merseyside before the deadline.

Iraola currently has Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo competing for the centre-forward spot, with the latter linked with a move away in recent weeks, and Ekitike likely to miss the majority of the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in the Champions League last term.

While backup Real striker Gonzalo Garcia has moved to Fulham this summer, Endrick has been handed the no.9 shirt at the Bernabeu ahead of the new campaign.

The 20-year-old is worth €40m, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool face Nottingham Forest when Premier League action continues next weekend.

The Manchester club have unintentionally derailed the Magpies’ pursuit of Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, according to reports.

Newcastle had been in negotiations over a fee with the Ligue 1 outfit for the Belgian international forward, but the club may now go in a different direction after failing to agree.

The high-profile transaction between Manchester City and Lille, which sees Ayyoub Bouaddi join Enzo Maresca's side, has altered the negotiating landscape.

Manchester City land Ayyoub Bouaddi but deal has consequences

Man City’s £81 million purchase of the teenage midfielder has deposited a massive windfall of cash into Lille's accounts, transforming the French club's balance sheet.

Before Man City’s intervention, Lille were - as is the case with huge swathes of French football - operating under pressure to balance their books.

This would have made structuring a deal for Fernandez-Pardo achievable for Newcastle, however, that financial leverage has now vanished.

With their coffers overflowing from the Bouaddi deal, Lille no longer need to sell for economic reasons. Consequently, the French side have been able to play hardball in talks, holding out for a steep asking price that far exceeds what Newcastle are willing to pay.

Therefore, with Newcastle unwilling to overpay in an inflated market, the Magpies have reached a roadblock in negotiations, according to reports on the continent.

The setback occurs while Newcastle and Manchester City remain engaged in direct business elsewhere.

Newcastle are finalising a reported £50 million transfer for Man City midfielder Nico Gonzalez, which will reinforce Matthias Jaissle's options in the middle of the park.

Arsenal have been given the green light to begin talks for Julian Alvarez with Atletico Madrid.

The 2022 World Cup winner was booed and whistled by his own fans on Sunday night, making his first appearance in Rojiblancos colours since publicly stating that he wishes to leave the Spanish capital.

With Arsenal chasing Alvarez all summer, The Standard has relayed information from The Athletic, stating that Atletico have acquiesced and are now willing to discuss terms for their previously untouchable forward.

Atletico Madrid prepared to sell Julian Alvarez to Arsenal – for £128m

With the animosity between Alvarez and Atletico fans crystal clear after scenes at the Metropolitano over the weekend, there's been a reported change in stance from his employers: Atleti rejected a £128 million bid for their star in June from city rivals Real Madrid, but are now willing to discuss a sale for that figure.

This would make the former Manchester City player Arsenal's record signing, with the Premier League champions having spent just over £100m on Declan Rice in 2023 – while the Gunners are looking to shift Gabriel Martinelli for over £50m to the Saudi Pro League in the coming days to balance the books.

The Standard has reiterated that Alvarez's desire is not to move to North London but to Barcelona – but with Atletico unwilling to do business with their La Liga rivals, the Catalans have given up on signing the 26-year-old.

That leaves Alvarez at an impasse: either he remains playing under Diego Simeone for another season or leaves for a new challenge at the Emirates Stadium.

FourFourTwo understands that both Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres have been talked about as pawns in a potential deal, with the former now into the final year of his Arsenal contract, and the latter left on the bench against former club Coventry City last Friday in the first Premier League game of the season.

Both players have been discussed as cut-price options to strengthen Barcelona's attack – though the Blaugrana are working on deals to offload La Masia alumni Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado and Hector Fort – while Gyokeres has been touted as a potential replacement for Alvarez himself.

Arsenal are also looking to loan out an academy graduate of their own in Ethan Nwaneri, as manager Mikel Arteta looks to finalise a squad capable of competing on all four fronts this term.

Alvarez signed for Atletico two years ago, after two years in English football in which he won the league twice and the Champions League – along with a World Cup in Qatar.

As reported by David Ornstein for The Athletic back in 2024, Los Colchoneros signed the centre-forward in a deal worth over £80m, giving him a six-year contract and including a release clause worth €500m (£427.1m).

Alvarez is worth €120m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Manchester United have begun talks to sell one of their most highly-rated young players.

The Red Devils have been savvy in the transfer market so far this summer with their incomings, but few players have headed out the door to balance the books.

While Manchester United now look to be keeping the likes of Marcus Rashford and Manuel Ugarte – players previously tipped for transfer – it seems one young talent is up for sale, with negotiations underway for him to leave Old Trafford.

Champions League club in to sign supremely talented Manchester United youngster, Chido Obi

Dutch outlet De Telegraaf reports that 18-year-old wonderkid Chido Obi is a target for Feyenoord, with the Rotterdammers in talks to bring the centre-forward to De Kuip on loan.

The report calls the deal “surprising” given that the club have Ayase Ueda, Ignacio Ferri and teenage nepo baby Shaqueel van Persie all as options in attack – but while “Feyenoord is currently only interested in a loan deal”, United have set a price tag of €5 million.

Obi came to attention in Arsenal's Hale End academy, making his under-21 debut at the age of just 15 and making international headlines when he netted 10 goals in 14-3 win against Liverpool, at under-16 level.

The young Dane made the shock move to Manchester United in 2024, however, along with Ayden Heaven, in search of more playing time.

Obi was handed a Premier League debut by Ruben Amorim in February 2025, and against Brentford a few months later, became the youngest player to start a Premier League game for United at just 17 years, 156 days – but found the pathway into the first team difficult and has thus far only played seven times in the Premier League.

Obi claimed Amorim challenged the teenager to “be humble” and wait for his opportunity – but with the club signing the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha last summer, the 18-year-old didn't feature once all season for United's first team last term.

FourFourTwo understands that United still value Obi highly and would prefer a loan – though wouldn't be opposed to selling the player for the right price.

New manager Michael Carrick has been seemingly more open to giving youth a chance than his predecessor, meanwhile.

Amorim reportedly failed to watch an entire academy game during his time at Old Trafford, with Carrick attending one within weeks of being named interim boss at the club.

Obi is worth €5m, according to Transfermarkt. United face Ipswich Town when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli has team-mates on his side, following his brutal freeze-out from manager Mikel Arteta.

According to a new report, the Brazilian's imminent exit from North London after seven years has caused “discomfort” in the Emirates Stadium dressing room – and that Arsenal stars have shown “plenty of sympathy” for their colleague.

While ESPN Brazil reports that Martinelli is understandably upset about the situation, The Mirror has revealed that this could be a wider problem at London Colney, with team-mates backing the 25-year-old.

Arsenal turning attentions to Matias Fernandez-Pardo

Arsenal are currently pursuing Julian Alvarez as a late signing in the closing days of the transfer window, though FourFourTwo understands that the move is difficult, with the Argentine currently not favouring a transfer back to England.

Martinelli, meanwhile, is on the cusp of a move to Al Hilal, having rejected a move to Galatasaray, having not featured in either of Arsenal's first two games of the season.

The winger last featured in an Arsenal squad in pre-season, seeing himself dropped for the Community Shield in Cardiff before Arteta again left him out of his matchday squad against Coventry City, as the champions began their title defence.

In both fixtures so far, new signing Christos Tzolis has started on the left wing for Arsenal, with Eberechi Eze replacing him last Friday night against the Championship winners in a comfortable 3-0 win.

Martinelli made the move to North London in 2019 under former manager Unai Emery, but established himself as a regular under Arteta during the club's resurgence up the table.

Having scored 15 league goals in 2022/23, it looked like the Brazilian would push on and develop further – but Martinelli has stagnated somewhat and last term only put up a single strike in the club's first league win in 22 years.

This is not the first time that Arteta has frozen out a player or shown a cold side when trying to move on a star: not only were one-time record signings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil omitted from the squad before having their contracts terminated, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was dropped in favour of David Raya, in a move that felt controversial at the time.

Despite Arteta insisting that both Ramsdale and Raya were competing for the same spot, the England international made just two appearances in the league in his final season – both against Brentford when the on-loan Raya was cup-tied.

FourFourTwo understands that Arteta still has the overwhelming support and backing from all of his squad, with no suggestion or hint of any kind of dressing room mutiny.

Martinelli is worth €45m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Liverpool have been given a “zero per cent chance” of landing a top young star they were linked with earlier in the transfer window.

The Reds have started life under Andoni Iraola in disjointed fashion, salvaging a late point at St. James' Park on Sunday – but despite questions being asked of their defensive midfield, marquee buy Florian Wirtz and both full-backs, it appears that Liverpool are chasing another winger.

A deal for Yankuba Minteh is close, while Bradley Barcola has been linked all window – though it appears one wonderkid defensive midfielder is not on the radar.

Liverpool have no chance in pursuit of wonderkid midfielder

One-club Liverpool man Jamie Carragher was scathing in his criticism of his former side's opening weekend draw with Newcastle United, calling out Ryan Gravenberch for his positioning and stating that Dominik Szoboszlai doesn't have the “discipline” to play in a double-pivot midfield.

“I think Liverpool do need someone alongside Gravenberch.” Carragher said, adding “It doesn't necessarily have to be a player who can't get on the ball, who's just tackling and stopping players.

“If you play for one of the top teams in the world, like Liverpool are, you need to be able to get hold of the ball: but I want someone in [the midfield] who can run, and I just think Szoboszlai has to go to the no.10.”

According to Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra, that won't be Matias Orozco, who has been ruled out of a move to Anfield.

The Barranquilla-born deep-lying playmaker burst into Colombian side Deportivo Cali's first team last season, with local outlet VBar Caracol stating that the 18-year-old was close to leaving for Merseyside.

That information now appears to be premature – at least in terms of Anfield links, with Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Everton, Aston Villa, Fulham and Manchester City all touted as interested in the talent.

City have just completed a deal for another South American-based wonderkid in the form of Palmeiras winger, Allen, as per The BBC.

Leeds United and Brentford were both touted as potential destinations for Oroczo.

The Colombia youth international is worth €1.4m, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool play Nottingham Forest when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Liverpool are plotting their next move in the Yankuba Minteh saga – despite a ‘bizarre’ issue.

The Reds opened their Premier League season with a disappointing draw at St. James' Park, as Dominik Szoboszlai salvaged a point for Liverpool with a last-gasp penalty against a dogged Newcastle United.

But despite calls for the club to bring in more defensive-minded players – even from Anfield legend Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football, who was critical of his former club's opening performance – Liverpool are pressing on with bringing in two more wingers before the transfer window slams shut in a week, with Minteh the standout option on the right.

Liverpool still want Yankuba Minteh - despite 'bizarre' setback

Liverpool have had two bids rejected for Yankuba Minteh already in the last week.

The Gambian has become the Reds' top target to replace Mohamed Salah on the right flank – with TEAMtalk relaying that the club are weighing up whether to increase their bid to a minimum of £65 million.

The report describes the continued interest as “bizarre”, however, following journalist Florian Plettenberg revealing in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Minteh is expected to be out of action for a minimum of eight weeks.

The Brighton & Hove Albion man picked up the knock in pre-season against Roma and missed the Seagulls' romp at home to Aston Villa at the weekend, with Plettenberg noting he may need “two to three months to be fully match-fit after his injury”.

Given how disjointed Liverpool looked in their draw with Newcastle, the injury news comes as a blow to new manager Andoni Iraola, who is trying to get his squad up to speed and ingrained in his methods as soon as possible.

Youngster Rio Ngumoha started out of position on the right on Tyneside, while the Reds had questions to answer with their high-flying full-backs, lack of cover in defensive midfield, how best to compensate for the ageing Virgil van Dijk and which position best suits big-money playmaker Florian Wirtz.

FourFourTwo understands that a fee of around £70m would be enough for Brighton to accept – with journalist Ben Jacobs corroborating that figure on TalkSPORT.

“With Minteh, they held some talks over the weekend,” he claimed, adding, “They’re deciding today; so it could change any minute and very quickly whether they want to make a third bid.”

“If they go to £70m, it’ll be a done deal, according to Brighton sources: my sense is Liverpool might consider £65m first.”

Minteh is worth €45m, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool play Nottingham Forest when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Arsenal have been “seduced” by a leftfield option for their frontline.

That's according to a new report, with the Gunners running out of time to secure a new forward before the transfer window closes next week, and moves for big targets having not progressed in the last few weeks.

Arsenal have already replaced one Belgian this summer in the form of Leandro Trossard – but could they be about to bring in one of his international team-mates?

Arsenal turning attentions to Matias Fernandez-Pardo

Sport Witness has relayed information from Sky Deutschland and Foot Mercato regarding Belgian World Cup star Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who is said to be close to a move to RB Leipzig.

The East German outfit have targeted the Lille man as one of two options, along with former star Christopher Nkunku – while Newcastle United are preparing a final bid of around €60 million for Fernandez-Pardo, too, as per Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Sport Witness notes that Leipzig have an agreement in principle, but that Arsenal have been “seduced by his explosive qualities” and “aware they need an astronomical fee of €70m” to hijack a move for the player, who was a surprise call-up for the 2026 World Cup.

FourFourTwo understands that Newcastle are still closest to bringing in Fernandez-Pardo, though Arsenal's lack of options elsewhere could potentially lead to a shock deal of some kind advancing seemingly out of nowhere.

Gabriel Martinelli is said to be close to a £50m switch to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, and time is running out for Arteta to source a replacement, with Julian Alvarez seemingly uninterested in leaving Spain and Kenan Yildiz having only signed an extension to his Juventus contract earlier in 2026.

The Gunners have also been linked with the likes of Bradley Barcola and Victor Osimhen.

Arsenal have been smart in the market to bring in another player with Belgian connections, signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for the left wing spot to replace Trossard – with Fernandez-Pardo having played in the Pro League, too.

The 21-year-old came through Lille's academy, leaving for Gent in 2020 before returning across the border in 2024, where he has made 71 appearances for Les Dogues.

The winger only made his senior international debut this year, choosing the nation of his birth, Belgium, over Spain and Italy, who he was eligible to play for through ancestry.

Fernandez-Pardo is worth €35m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Imagine you were to offer Arsenal a left-winger who scored more goals in the Champions League last season than Bradley Barcola, Vinicius Jr or Leandro Trossard. A left-winger with a proven work ethic to do the dirty work defensively and essentially run wing-back shifts. A left-winger with a knack for huge goals in huge moments, who scored against Real Madrid and Manchester City in the last couple of years. A left-winger who has never agitated to start ahead of anyone else and simply bided their time for opportunities. A left-winger who is still just 25 years old. A left-winger who adores Arsenal.

You get where this is going. You read the headline: you know that we're talking about Gabriel Martinelli. But just in case we weren't: who else is available right now who ticks even most of those boxes?

If Arsenal had a guaranteed upgrade waiting for the no.11 shirt, you could maybe understand the freeze-out. But they apparently don't. Not even club legend Ian Wright understands why the Gunners are leaving Martinelli out of squads right now, as he said on Sky Sports last Friday.

“It really makes me feel uncomfortable,” Wrighty said. “He's done enough with this squad to be treated with a little bit more respect than he's being treated with at the moment.”

“Done enough” is putting it mildly. Martinelli was there in the trenches with Bukayo Saka: one of three players left in manager Mikel Arteta's squad whom he didn't actually sign or give a debut to, as a fourth-tier Brazilian bargain who came into an Arsenal side at its lowest and came to define this new era. He was pacy and exciting and scored goals against big teams, but more than that, he was selfless and hard-working and desperate to impress.

The treatment feels particularly cold, given how much Arsenal owe their Premier League title to this guy – and not just for salvaging them a point against Manchester City last season. Is this what Arsenal will do to Saka or Declan Rice one day?

But it's also baffling. He can still contribute – more so than some of his team-mates.

It feels as if Martinelli's own selflessness has led to his stagnation. He announced himself in 2022/23, contributing 15 league goals, dovetailing with Gabriel Jesus and Granit Xhaka on the left-hand side. He registered six goal contributions in his first 10 games, earned a call-up to the midseason World Cup, then registered another 12 in his last 12. It felt like his ceiling was as high as Saka's.

And then Jesus picked up the first of a series of serious injuries. Xhaka left – and rather than replacing him with another passing, Arteta brought in a runner for that left-hand no.8 position, using Kai Havertz, and then Declan Rice. Martinelli was limited to the touchline. He never developed that diagonal cut inside into the box; instead, he looked to stay wide – stay out of Rice's feet – and beat a man on the outside.

He should have been a little more ego-driven. He was a centre-forward before Arteta: he had a knack of getting his head to absolutely anything. Yet from 2023 onwards, the Brazilian has essentially kept his head down (literally and figuratively) to be a touchline winger, despite lacking the 1v1 burst.

He's never been given much of a sniff of playing further in-field – yet whenever he's played there, he's impressed. He last led the line against Liverpool in 2024/25 and scored, in a superb second-half performance. He's never had the space to counter-attack into, given how teams low-block Arsenal – yet last season he scored in six of his seven Champions League group games when he was given breathing space.

Martinelli will usually deliver when given the conditions to – and suddenly, Arsenal have more of a passing presence on the left-hand side, in Myles Lewis-Skelly or Bruno Guimaraes, and a reliable overlap from left-back, in Piero Hincapie. Arsenal have finally built a team for Martinelli… and it's only now that they're selling him.

It sort of feels like the Brazilian is being judged against what was expected of him. Jurgen Klopp once labelled Martinelli as a “talent of the century” – which feels a little overblown now. But if we're being completely honest, did Noni Madueke have a better season than him last year?

There are bigger issues at play here. Viktor Gyokeres lacks an all-round game, and the drop-off between Kai Havertz and the Swede is the biggest between two players in the squad. Arsenal have several players who can play on the left-hand side: unless they can land a significant upgrade on Martinelli – which it doesn't seem they can – the sensible thing would surely be to keep him for another six months as backup to Eberechi Eze and Christos Tzolis on the left, and an alternative to Havertz and Gyokeres through the centre. Wait six to 12 months until a genuine level-raiser – a Junior Kroupi or a Kenan Yildiz, perhaps – appears. Is it even taking a financial hit when you're going to buy a nine-figure player in the next 18 months anyway?

But that's not the popular decision. Martinelli has been there seven years, and unlike Saka, he's not developed into the world-class forward everyone thought he would become. This is the last chance to recoup a big fee for a player with two years left on his contract – and given that he's not improved over the past three years, it's easier to move him on and wonder “what if” than to endure another below-average season.

It seems like things are more black-and-white in football than ever before. Only last night, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher slammed his former club's business 12 months ago as potentially the “worst transfer window in Premier League history”. It may not have even been the worst last summer – and if signing Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak is truly that disastrous, surely Arsenal would love a taste of that.

Just as Martinelli is not a terrible, unusable forward, Julian Alvarez is not the magical silver bullet to replace him. If Arsenal choose to drop £100 million on a player with a handful of senior appearances on the left wing, that's a gamble: if they choose to invest quite so much money in a footballer who so plainly obviously doesn't want to go there, that feels more like a lottery.

The decision to freeze out Martinelli and pursue Alvarez doesn't feel massively in line with Arsenal's careful approach of signing attackers – driven as much by their failed pursuits of Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Jr as by their desperation to upgrade.

Maybe those who criticise the devil they know should be careful what they wish for. Upgrading on Martinelli seems like a good idea in theory, but it might not be quite as straightforward when reality hits.

Manchester United have an offer on the table for Alejandro Balde, with the full-back being ushered out of Barcelona.

Balde was left out of Hansi Flick's matchday squad at the weekend, and with Manchester United chasing an upgrade at left-back, Balde has been frequently touted as a long-term solution in that position.

With Barcelona having re-signed Joao Cancelo over the summer and Flick favouring Gerard Martin in Balde's role, too, the 22-year-old is considering his future ahead of the transfer window closing.

Alejandro Balde closer to a Manchester United move, given “uncertain” Barcelona future

According to a Cadena Ser report, Balde is uncertain about his immediate future at Camp Nou, and manager Hansi Flick “has not clearly defined his role for the current season.”

Balde has a “firm proposal” from Manchester United but has not been formally asked to leave Catalonia, despite Flick recently asserting that he “expects more commitment, more competitiveness, and more intensity” from the defender.

Michael Carrick's team lost 2-0 to newly promoted Hull City on Saturday in the shock of the weekend, with long-serving left-back Luke Shaw coming under fierce criticism.

Red Devils legend Gary Neville – ranked at no.48 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest Premier League players of all time – dissected Shaw's performance on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports, noting that while Shaw has plenty of experience, he had “no idea what [he was] doing” for the goal.

31-year-old Shaw is now in his 13th season as a Manchester United player, with last term the first time that he featured in every league game of the season.

United have been linked with a younger upgrade in the form of one of Joaquin Seys, Lewis Hall and Myles Lewis-Skelly – though the latter two are not for sale – and while Balde has been a long-term target, he is unlikely to leave Barcelona in the coming days unless he is explicitly told he has no future.

FourFourTwo understands that Barça are also keen to move another two La Masia graduates out of the club in Hector Fort and Marc Casado, with Premier League interest in both players at one stage.

Deemed one of Barcelona's most exciting young players after his breakthrough in 2021, Balde made his debut for his hometown club at 18, made an international debut a year later, and signed a long-term contract with his hometown club in 2023 with a billion-euro release clause, marking his ascension as one of the most exciting young defenders in world football.

A hamstring injury in 2024 somewhat stunted his development, however, and despite a surprise call-up to the 2022 World Cup, the left-back star was left out of Spain's triumphant Euro 2024 and 2026 World Cup squads.

Balde is worth €50 million, according to Transfermarkt. United host Ipswich Town when Premier League action continues this weekend.

Liverpool are to submit a third bid for Yankuba Minteh, as the Brighton player waits to formalise personal terms.

The Reds have been linked with the likes of Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye this summer, but last week, reports dropped of Liverpool's interest in Minteh, with his entourage dismissing the claims as “old news”.

Now, however, the Merseysiders are expected to ramp up their offer for the Gambian – who didn't feature in table-topping Brighton's first fixture of the season at the weekend – in their search for a needle-moving wide man.

If Liverpool bid over £70m for Yankuba Minteh, Brighton are likely to accept

According to journalist Foday Manneh in a post on X (formerly Twitter), a third bid is expected for Minteh, with the Reds “ready to go with an improved and convincing offer”.

Minteh himself is described by Manneh as “[waiting] to formalise personal terms” once a fee is agreed between the two clubs, with Sport Witness claiming that £70 million should be enough for the Seagulls to accept.

Minteh signed for Brighton from Newcastle United in 2024, making 66 league appearances over the past two campaigns for Albion and becoming a hit at the Amex opposite Kaoru Mitoma on the opposite flank.

The BBC reported his original transfer fee to Sussex as being £30m, with the deal sanctioned along with the sale of Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest, so that the Magpies could satisfy Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

A sale at £70m would represent a profit of more than double what Brighton paid – though they don't particularly need the money – reportedly turning down over £90m for Mitoma last year.

Last Thursday, it was widely reported that Brighton had rejected a £50m bid for the winger, with a second bid also rejected over the weekend.

FourFourTwo understands that Minteh is extremely keen for the move to one of Europe's elite and that personal terms aren't thought to be an issue, though he hasn't agitated for a transfer just yet.

Liverpool may well land Barcola on top of Minteh before the transfer window closes, with Victor Munoz secured in attack as well – as the World Cup winner made his debut for the Reds over the weekend.

Youngster Rio Ngumoha started Andoni Iraola's first game as manager on the right wing meanwhile, with Minteh a more natural fit for that flank.

Minteh is worth €45m, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool play Forest when Premier League action continues next week.

Arsenal could collect a record sale for one of their squad – but there's a catch: they don't want to sell.

The Gunners got off to a storming start in the Premier League on Friday night, playing with a lot more freedom and expression than Arsenal fans came to expect last season against a newly-promoted Coventry City.

But with the transfer window drawing to a close next week, manager Mikel Arteta could well part with a star that he wants to keep, and actually used on the opening day of the season.

Martin Zubimendi could yet leave Arsenal for Real Madrid

Martin Zubimendi has been linked with an exit from Arsenal since the Gunners signed Bruno Guimaraes in the same position – given that Real Madrid were desperate to sign the midfielder before he penned a move to North London last summer.

Los Blancos lost out in their pursuit of Rodri earlier this summer, and now Spanish outlet Fichajes has relayed information from journalist Tomas Gonzalez Martin that Arsenal have set Zubimendi's price tag at £100 million – over £60m more than Arsenal have ever sold a player for – with the 15-time European champions considering him as a deep-lying playmaker for manager Jose Mourinho's midfield.

According to the report, “Zubimendi would be willing to play for Real Madrid, but [Madrid president] Florentino Perez is not considering making the move for that amount.”

Arteta has publicly denied that Arsenal will part with the 27-year-old, meanwhile, recently calling him an “important player”.

“Without a doubt, he was one of the best players for Arsenal last season,” the Gunners boss said of his fellow Basque, adding, “Without him, we would never have got into the position that we got into in the last few weeks”.

Zubimendi started 34 of 38 league fixtures in Arsenal's Premier League-winning campaign – appearing in the other four off the bench – and started 11 of the club's 14 matches in the Champions League, establishing himself as a key man for his new club and becoming integral to Arteta's new-look midfield.

But while the no.36 started the season strongly – even recording a brace in just his fourth appearance for Arsenal, against Nottingham Forest – Zubimendi ran out of steam towards the end of the season and lost his place in the engine room to Hale Ender, Myles Lewis-Skelly.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal would only consider moving Zubimendi on for the right price, with Arteta wanting depth in his midfield this season to compete on four fronts.

New signing Guimaraes missed the opening game of the campaign following a knock, while Declan Rice has suffered with injury and fatigue in recent months, meaning that Zubimendi may well have a bigger part to play than is perhaps immediately obvious.

The World Cup winner is worth €75m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next week.

Liverpool have seen their hope for another big-money signing dashed.

The Reds have had a modest summer after spending well over £400 million last summer – and with the likes of Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh still on the table, new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has promised that new players will arrive at Anfield.

But the Basque won't be getting his hands on Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace – and that's confirmed.

Adam Wharton's Liverpool move won't be happening, says manager

So far this summer, only Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet have joined Liverpool on permanent deals – but speaking to Reds one-club man Jamie Carragher in an interview for Sky Sports, Iraola confirmed, “We'll definitely sign players”.

“Some deals you have to wait until the end,” the former Bournemouth gaffer stated, adding, “At the end, the important picture is the one we have on September 1, because we are still quite thin.”

The Reds have just parted with academy product Curtis Jones, and CaughtOffside recently dropped an exclusive report on how the 20-time champions of England were “targeting an ambitious move” for Palace controller Wharton to replace his fellow England international.

But in quotes relayed by transfer influencer Fabrizio Romano in a post on X (formerly Twitter), new Palace boss Pierre Sage says that “it's not the moment” for Wharton to leave Selhurst Park.

“Adam can play at a big club but I think one year with us, one year with a new dynamic, will be good for him and we need him,” Sage said.

Wharton signed for the Eagles from Blackburn Rovers in January 2024, after breaking into his hometown club's senior side as a teenager and becoming a regular in the Championship.

A call-up for England and four international caps have followed, with plenty suggesting that Wharton could be one of his country's most important midfielders of the next decade.

The 22-year-old has been linked with moves to Liverpool and both Manchester clubs this summer, after being named as the Man of the Match in the Conference League final for Palace last term.

FourFourTwo understands that Palace view Wharton as almost unsellable this summer, with the Lancastrian likely to become a £100m transfer when he eventually departs South London.

Wharton is worth €70m, as per Transfermarkt. Liverpool play Newcastle United when Premier League action begins again this weekend.

Aston Villa are moving for Tosin Adarabioyo to replace the Arsenal-bound Ezri Konsa.

Villa fans have endured a tough summer, selling the likes of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne, with Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins seemingly following next out of the door, along with Konsa.

Rogers in particular was a record sale from Aston Villa to Chelsea – and there could be much more business to be done between the two teams.

Tosin Adarabioyo could now move to Aston Villa from Chelsea

Villa have already confirmed the loan signing of Alejandro Garnacho – and with Konsa now heading to Arsenal, the Europa League winners have identified another Blue in Tosin as his replacement.

That's according to Sky Sports, with The Sun claiming that Benfica have also made an offer, as ex-Fulham manager Marco Silva looks to reunite with his former Whites centre-back.

There could yet be even more business between Chelsea and Villa, with Nicolas Jackson said to be on the table – with transfer influencer Fabrizio Romano claiming in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the Midlands outfit have chased the Senegalese for 12 months.

Jackson worked with manager Unai Emery at Villarreal and could be one of three ex-Blues making the trip to Birmingham this summer, as a relationship between Chelsea and Villa develops.

With both clubs needing to do creative business in recent years to satisfy the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), the likes of Ian Maatsen, Jadon Sancho and Axel Disasi have all been signed by Emery.

Chelsea would be able to bank Tosin's sale as “pure profit”, too, given that he signed for them on a free transfer originally.

The former England youth international began his career at Manchester City before a Deadline Day move to Craven Cottage in lockdown of 2020, and a cross-capital move across SW6 four years later, to become one of Enzo Maresca's first signings.

Tosin established himself as a regular in his first season at Stamford Bridge, with 41 appearances in all competitions, but found game-time harder to come by last term – and will likely see that reduced further if he stays at the club, given the acquisition of Maxence Lacroix in his position.

FourFourTwo understands that Villa have sold Konsa for £51 million plus add-ons – meaning that they've made a profit of well over £200m this summer after securing a European trophy and confirming their place in this season's Champions League.

Tosin is worth €16m, as per Transfermarkt. Villa begin their season with a trip to Sussex on Sunday, as they play Brighton & Hove Albion when Premier League action gets underway.

Arsenal could yet pull off a deal for Julian Alvarez to sign before the transfer window closes.

The Premier League champions have chased the Argentine all summer, yet FourFourTwo understands that the player himself would rather remain in La Liga than return to England with Arsenal, favouring a Barcelona move as his dream.

Reports out of Spain, however, suggest that the deal isn't dead in the water for the Gunners, with Alvarez becoming ever-more likely to move to North London.

Julian Alvarez could yet make Arsenal move before deadline

A new report from Spanish outlet Sport claims that “Julian Alvarez’s future will be decided in the coming hours, and all signs point to England,’ with Atletico Madrid “pushing” the striker to N5 over a rival.

The 26-year-old said earlier this summer that “the ​best thing for everyone is ‌a transfer and I want to fulfil my dream,” with Real Madrid reportedly seeing a £129 million move rejected by their city rivals.

Since then, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has phoned Alvarez personally, but it appears that the former Manchester City star only has eyes for Barcelona.

Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany is currently in London to discuss a deal for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, with Sport Witness noting that Alvarez could also be discussed as an option for the Gunners during this trip.

Arsenal could well have another part to play in the saga, with Viktor Gyokeres now linked with Barça and Gabriel Jesus said to be on the Blaugrana shortlist, too – but FourFourTwo understands that Arteta is prepared for the possibility that he doesn't bring in another forward at all this summer.

Gabriel Martinelli has reportedly turned down an offer from Galatasaray, while there is said to be interest in Victor Osimhen from Arsenal.

The Gunners are not involved in the Bradley Barcola pursuit, and have seen pursuits for Vinicius Jr and Morgan Rogers come to nothing, with the former opting to extend his contract in Madrid and the latter choosing to sign for Chelsea in a British record transfer.

Sport Witness have relayed the Sport report from Spain, noting Arsenal's Alvarez offer stands at “€80m plus Viktor Gyokeres,” and that the star “can double his salary at the Emirates and have a key role under Mikel Arteta.”

The Argentine could well replace Martinelli on the left-wing, or feature more as a centre-forward alternative to Kai Havertz – depending on who leaves London Colney in the coming weeks.

Alvarez is worth €120m, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Coventry City as Premier League action returns tonight.

Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres is pushing to leave – just a year after signing for the Gunners.

That's according to an explosive new report from Spain, which claims that the Swedish hitman is in “daily” conversations to leave Arsenal for Barcelona, who are interested in his services.

Gyokeres netted 21 goals in 56 appearances in all competitions last term as Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final – though he didn't win over everyone.

Viktor Gyokeres apparently pushing for Arsenal exit

According to Spain outlet Cope, the striker “wants to leave” N5, with his agent in conversation with Barça sporting director Deco – who isn't interested in the player just yet.

Though Gyokeres spearheaded a first Premier League title for Arsenal in 22 years, manager Mikel Arteta often preferred Kai Havertz in attack in the biggest games, thanks to the German's superior hold-up play.

Gyokeres himself has been criticised for his all-round game: though he has scored plenty back in English football, his record against last season's top 10 was patchy, leading to Arteta pivoting to pursue Julian Alvarez as a potential replacement.

Right now, however, the suggestion that the 28-year-old isn't happy simply doesn't tally with what he's said of late – with Fotbollskanalen relaying comments earlier this summer.

“Of course it’s flattering to see that clubs are interested, but I feel extremely comfortable at Arsenal,” Gyokeres said, adding, “After the season we have had, I only have positive feelings.”

FourFourTwo understands that Gyokeres is further down the pecking order than others when it comes to potential outgoings before the end of the transfer window, with fellow forward Gabriel Jesus also said to be of interest to Barcelona.

Gyokeres has relished the competition with Havertz in Arsenal's squad up until this point – with the German spending swathes of the Gunners' title-winning campaign on the sidelines through injury.

The Athletic reported last year that Gyokeres' agent had waived his fee for the transfer to help facilitate an exit from Sporting, where the striker hit 97 times in 102 appearances in Portuguese football.

It remains highly unlikely that he is pushing for an exit just yet – despite struggles at times last term.

Gyokeres is worth €65m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Coventry City when Premier League action returns.

A Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has agreed an exit, with his departure now at an advanced stage.

That's according to a new report, which claims that the Lilywhites are starting to accelerate outgoings, having committed well over £160 million on bringing Matheus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali into the engine room.

With Tottenham also said to be interested in signing both Omar Marmoush and Savinho, they may have to trim the deadwood a little more to avoid heading into the season with a bloated squad.

Pape Matar Sarr on the cusp of Tottenham Hotspur exit

According to a report from Africa Foot, Galatasaray are closing in on signing Pape Matar Sarr.

Sarr has reached an agreement for a three-year contract, having been offered what is described as a “lucrative contract”.

The 23-year-old played 26 games in the Premier League for Tottenham last term, but only played just over an hour of football under De Zerbi.

The Senegalese international joined as a highly-rated young prospect from Metz in 2022 and has impressed sporadically – but with De Zerbi favouring a double-pivot, Sarr may not be one of the first few options in the pecking order.

Fernandes and Tonali will likely be Spurs' most-favoured pairing this term, with Conor Gallagher, Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur all options in the centre of midfield.

Lucas Bergvall – another young player from before De Zerbi's era – is also an option, though FourFourTwo understands he could well leave, too.

Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Xavi Simons and Dejan Kulusevski are all options in the no.10.

Turkish outlet Takvim noted earlier on this year that Fenerbahce were in for Sarr, though they appear to have dropped out of the race completely now.

Africa Foot states that talks are progressing well between the North Londoners and Galatasaray over Sarr, with the move now expected to happen.

The midfielder is worth €14m, according to Transfermarkt. Tottenham kick off their Premier League season against Brentford this weekend.

Newcastle United are ready to make another major sale, as the Toon exodus continues.

Despite making some exciting young signings, the Magpies have endured a tough summer on the whole, losing Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes, as well as manager Eddie Howe.

It appears as if the departures haven't stopped either, with Nick Pope leaving before another Newcastle midfielder.

Newcastle United to sell another first-team midfielder

SporDepor reporter Musafa Karatas has claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Besiktas have made a move for Joe Willock.

The Istanbul outfit have made a €7 million offer for the midfielder with €5m of add-ons, some €8m less than the Toon are demanding.

Willock has been on the radar of Besiktas since July, according to journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, but Newcastle have only reduced their demands by a couple of million pounds.

The former Arsenal man originally moved to Tyneside on loan in 2020 and struck eight Premier League goals in 14 appearances in the second half of the season, helping propel the Magpies away from the drop zone.

Appearances haven't been a problem for the Englishman, who has played 80 games in all competitions over the past two years – but with Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali ahead of him in the pecking order, Willock hasn't kicked on and developed into a more influential player at St. James' Park.

Now 26, he may have expected to feature more this season with two of Newcastle's first-choice midfield of last term having left, though given that the club have brought in replacements in Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba, Willock may still be competing for a place.

Newcastle will also likely favour Lewis Miley in midfield, too, as one for the future worth developing.

Newcastle have also brought in the likes of Amar Dedic and Bazoumana Toure this summer, while giving Will Osula the no.10 shirt and making Dan Burn club captain.

Willock is worth €14m, according to Transfermarkt. Newcastle kick off their Premier League season against Liverpool this weekend.

Arsenal are looking to bring in a €100 million superstar, but may have to wait until next summer to do so.

The Gunners kick off their Premier League campaign this Friday night, having only added Bruno Guimaraes and Christos in terms of first-team regulars likely to feature in that fixture, with Ezri Konsa now on the way.

But while Arsenal are still on the hunt for a difference-maker in attack, they now seem unlikelier than ever to bring one in before the deadline.

Arsenal looking to next summer for Kenan Yildiz

Sport Witness have relayed TuttoSport's back page today, which states that the Gunners are still looking to bring in Kenan Yildiz.

The Juventus man is a long-time target for the Gunners, who have also pursued the likes of Vinicius Jr and Morgan Rogers for their left-wing spot.

With the Old Lady handing Yildiz a new contract earlier this year, it's always been a long shot that the Gunners could convince the Turkish international to join this summer.

This new report states, meanwhile, that he could well become a €100m option for next summer, with manager Mikel Arteta wanting to make the right signing rather than simply panic-buying before the window ends.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal only want to improve the squad if they can sign a player that they deem to be a genuine upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli – who remains for sale.

“With not long to go for the window to close, it would be difficult for Juventus to sell Yildiz,” Sport Witness says, adding, “They don’t have long to find a replacement, which will make things complex for Arsenal.”

Additionally, Arsenal are looking to get Gabriel Jesus on the wage bill, with Barcelona and Napoli reportedly sniffing around for the Brazilian's signature.

Barcelona apparently want Jesus as an alternative to Julian Alvarez, who the Catalan outfit still want to bring to Camp Nou.

With the Alvarez saga likely to drag on until the end of the window, however, Jesus may stick around until then, too.

Yildiz is worth €75m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal kick off their Premier League season against Coventry City.