da dobrowin： And just like that, any optimism slowly building around Arsenal has been dashed within a few days.

da pinnacle： Mikel Arteta’s side went into the weekend eight points off of Liverpool atop the Premier League table but with a game in hand.

However, Mikel Merino wasn’t able to repeat his goalscoring heroics, and, thanks to a Jarrod Bowen strike, the Gunners fell to a shock 1-0 defeat to West Ham United, made worse by the Reds picking up all three points away to Manchester Cityjust a day later.

While there were a lot of problems with Arsenal’s performance, their lack of firepower was once again evident, which only further puts a spotlight on the club’s dreadful January transfer window, which interim Sporting Director Jason Ayto could make up for in the summer by bringing in a genuinely game-changing attacker.

Arsenal's appalling January

In early November last year, amid a rocky run of form for the team, it was announced that then-Sporting Director Edu Gaspar had resigned from his position at Arsenal, which, in truth, came as quite a shock to fans and pundits alike.

The former Invincible had been a key player in the club’s recent resurgence and rebuild under Arteta, so there was plenty of uncertainty over what this meant for the project as a whole and, specifically, how this would impact the January transfer window.

In the Brazilian’s absence, Ayto, the assistant Sporting Director, stepped into the hot seat, and while there have been reports that the higher-ups at the club have been impressed by him, it would be fair to say the supporters have not.

The simple reason for this disconnect between the board and the fanbase is that, despite the squad’s evident need for attacking reinforcements, which was made all the more acute by the recent injury crisis, nobody was signed in the recent window.

Worse yet, there were undoubtedly deals that could be done, as evidenced by Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa’s significant business and then the fact that it appeared as if Ollie Watkins might’ve been attainable in the closing days.

In all, the abject failure to address the club’s dire needs in the last window has obliterated much of the fans’ goodwill that had been built up in recent seasons, and unless Ayto pulls off a miraculous game-changing signing in the summer, he might never win the fans back onside – fortunately, there is one star who could be just that for him.

The game-changing signing Arsenal could pull off

A number of attacking talents have been consistently linked with Arsenal over the last year, such as Nico Williams, Benjamin Sesko and Dušan Vlahović.

However, while all three of those forwards would undoubtedly improve the Gunners’ squad and even the first-team, it would be hard to honestly describe any of them as genuine game-changers who’d be able to come right into the first team and almost single-handedly fire the North Londoners to Premier League or even European glory.

On the other hand, Alexander Isak certainly could and, therefore, would, without doubt, be a truly game-changing addition to Arteta’s squad.

The Newcastle United striker is one of the most exciting forwards in world football and has been consistently touted for a move to the Emirates for quite some time now.

While signing him would be incredibly challenging, reports from late last year revealed that the Toon might be willing to cash in for a whopping £150m.

Now, that is an extraordinary amount of money, but the Swedish international is an extraordinary player, and from what we have seen of him over the last season and a bit, he is likely worth every penny.

For example, in just 40 appearances last term, totalling 2973 minutes, the Solna-born “nightmare,” as dubbed by Alan Shearer, scored 25 goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.48 games, or every 110.11 minutes.

Isak’s recent form

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

40

30

Minutes

2973′

2367

Goals

25

21

Assisrts

2

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.67

0.86

Minutes per Goal Involvement

110.11′

91.03′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Somehow, the 25-year-old monster, whom Jamie Carragher labelled “the best striker in the Premier League,” has done even better this season and, in just 30 appearances, totalling 2367 minutes, has scored 21 goals and provided five assists, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.15 games, or every 91.03 minutes.

Ultimately, Arsenal have done incredibly well to get back to the top table of English football in recent years, but their lack of business in January has undoubtedly damaged the trust the fans had in the board.

So if they, and especially Ayto, want to win that back in the summer, they have to go big in the transfer market, and they can’t go much bigger than signing Isak.

Related Outscoring Saka & Havertz: Arsenal must rue releasing "world-class" star

The incredible striker would be unreal for Arsenal.

Posts

da spicy bet： Tottenham Hotspur are planning to make an approach for a Real Madrid and Bayern Munich transfer target “soon”, with Ange Postecoglou’s side becoming more and more keen on bringing the player to north London.

Tottenham targeting new midfielder for Ange Postecoglou

da roleta： Spurs are believed to be targeting a new midfielder as one of their main summer priorities ahead of the 2025/2026 campaign.

Related £35m Premier League forward wants to join Tottenham after talks

Spurs are convinced.

Posts

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has even reported recently that Tottenham are ready to make a marquee midfield signing for that area of the squad, despite the club holding talks with Rodrigo Bentancur over a new contract (The Daily Mail).

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Bournemouth (home)

March 9th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Chelsea (away)

April 2nd

Southampton (home)

April 5th

Wolves (away)

April 12th

The Lilywhites have appeared light in midfield at points across 2024/2025, with Archie Gray forced into a makeshift centre-back role for extended periods of the season, while it is also believed that an exit for Yves Bissouma is gaining more traction.

Tottenham are continuing to be linked with Inter Milan star Davide Frattesi as one midfield target, with Lille midfielder Angel Gomes subject to interest from Spurs as his contract ticks down towards expiry.

Postecoglou’s midfield could look quite different by the time next season kicks off, and it will be interesting to see who could be complementing Bentancur in the engine room.

“In terms of his contract situation that is handled by other people and obviously a lot of our strategizing is not just about the short term but the longer term,” said Postecoglou on Bentancur’s potential new deal.

“Rodri, this latter period, is getting back to the levels he wants to be. He was coming off a long term injury last year, came back looked really good and then got another injury. It’s really disruptive. Even this year he got off to a false start with his long suspension.

“You can see he just needs regular game time and he is getting up to speed. Really good guy around the group as well. He is experienced now. From our perspective, in this run-in he is going to be really important.”

Tottenham plotting approach for Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara

According to CaughtOffside, Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara has also been identified by Spurs as a potential serious option.

Previous reports indicated that Tottenham have been displaying an interest in Camara, but it now appears they’re stepping it up, amid interest from Real and Bayern Munich.

CaughtOffside state Tottenham are plotting an approach to sign Camara “soon”, with Liverpool also believed to be fans of the Senegalese who has really impressed for Monaco in Ligue 1 this season.

The 21-year-old has registered their joint-highest amount of assists in the French top flight (6), and is currently their fourth-best performer by average match rating. That is according to WhoScored, who also state that Camara has averaged an impressive 2.4 tackles per 90 this season – more than any Tottenham player except Destiny Udogie.

Camara is a real all-rounder both defensively and going forward, but he won’t come cheap, with Monaco setting his price tag at up to £42 million.

da luck： As The Friedkin Group look to make their mark yet again, Everton have reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive central defender, who has already caught the attention of the Toffees’ scouts.

Everton transfer news

da aposte e ganhe： Since the arrival of David Moyes, any relegation concerns have been eased, with those at Goodison Park setting their sights on handing a historic ground a fitting farewell in its final five Premier League games. Even away from home, Everton have impressed – extending their recent unbeaten run to five games with a draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

Meanwhile, now that their relegation fears are all but over, Everton can begin turning their attention towards Friedkin’s first summer transfer window at the helm, in which they’ll aim to welcome the reinforcements needed to take the Toffees back into the top half.

The rumours have already been coming thick and fast on that front, with one particular defender now reportedly on the radar of those at Goodison Park ahead of the summer.

Related Fewer touches than Pickford: Moyes must axe Everton dud who lost 10 duels

Everton secured a point against Wolves in the Premier League.

Posts

According to The Boot Room, Everton are now battling to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers, who Friedkin have already scouted ahead of the transfer window. The former Tottenham Hotspur defender has found his best form since joining Celtic on a permanent basis almost three years ago and could now get the chance to earn Premier League redemption.

With Jarrad Branthwaite’s future in doubt as ever, Carter-Vickers certainly wouldn’t be a bad target for Everton to consider if they lose their star defender. He ticks boxes for experience at the top level and being a player at the peak of his powers who is capable of moving Moyes’ side beyond settling for top-flight safety.

"Fantastic" Carter-Vickers would take Everton up a level

It wasn’t so long ago that Carter-Vickers was keeping Harry Kane quiet as Bayern Munich were forced to escape an evening to forget through Alphonso Davies’ last-gasp winner to knock Celtic out of the Champions League’s last 16. Now, after proving the level that he belongs for the rest of Europe to see, the defender could arrive in Merseyside to drag Everton back to where they belong.

Earning plenty of praise after that performance against the Bundesliga giants, the American was dubbed a “strong” and “fast” central defender whose passing ability is “fantastic” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker.

In Everton’s ideal world, Branthwaite will once again stay put this summer before Moyes completes his backline with a player of Carter-Vickers’ calibre. It’s then that the former West Ham United boss could have James Tarkowski, Jake O’Brien, Branthwaite and the American defender to choose from, providing four excellent options.

However, with Aston Villa and others also interested, it remains to be seen whether the Toffees step up their pursuit of the Celtic star this summer.

da imperador bet： Glasgow Rangers are heading for their worst domestic season in years. Knocked out of the Scottish Cup under Philippe Clement by Championship side Queen’s Park came just a couple of months after losing the League Cup final.

da spicy bet： In the Premiership, the Ibrox side trail rivals Celtic by 13 points, having lost six and drawn five of their 30 league games so far this season.

Despite this underwhelming campaign, Barry Ferguson delivered two of the club’s finest moments just three days apart.

Firstly, he led the Gers to a penalty shootout victory over Fenerbahçe, leading the club to the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the first time since 2022.

Secondly, he ended their five-year Parkhead hoodoo on Sunday afternoon, with the Light Blues triumphing in the third Old Firm clash of the season, winning 3-2 courtesy of a late winner by Hamza Igamane.

When his effort hit the back of the net, it was a moment of pure inspiration, with the vast majority of the supporters forgetting all about the dismal season at that point.

The key thing now is for the players to carry this sort of form into the remaining few games, proving that the result isn’t a flash in the pan.

Several players proved their worth against Celtic, none more so than Nico Raskin.

Why Nico Raskin is captain material for Rangers

Raskin has stepped up to the plate for Rangers since making his return to the first-team squad back in September after missing the first few weeks of the season due to injury.

It looked as though Raskin would have to force his way back into the starting XI, especially as Connor Barron and Mohamed Diomande were beginning to form a solid partnership in the heart of the midfield.

Since returning to full fitness, however, the Belgian has arguably been the club’s best player. Across 26 Premiership matches, Raskin has an 87% pass success rate, while also creating six big chances, making three tackles per game and winning 6.5 total duels per match – a success rate of 59% – in the league.

Against Celtic on Sunday, Raskin made sure the Gers wouldn’t return to Ibrox empty-handed. After testing Kasper Schmeichel with a fizzing shot early on, he subsequently scored from the resulting corner.

Throughout the clash, the 24-year-old dictated the game, working well with Diomande at the heart of the midfield, giving Celtic no time to create anything in the first half.

The Belgian even assisted his midfield partner for the second Rangers goal and this duo could be one to star for the Light Blues over the next few years, that’s for sure.

Raskin certainly exudes plenty of qualities that would make him a fine captain for the club, especially when James Tavernier finally leaves the club.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Expand Collapse

It is Diomande, however, who perhaps has the attributes to be the most important player for the Ibrox side next season and beyond.

Why Diomande is worth more than Raskin

Over the past few months, both midfielders have seen their market valuations soar due to some impressive displays.

According to Transfermarkt, Raskin is now worth €6.5m (£5.5m), which is a massive rise from what the club paid to sign him in January 2023.

Diomande – who cost the Gers £4.5m last January – is now worth slightly more than his partner in midfield, with the Ivorian star now worth €7m (£6m), which is marginally more than Raskin.

Whoever takes over Rangers in the summer ahead of 2025/26 must utilise these two players in their best positions. If so, then the next term could be a lot different to the current one.

Diomande may have been a Jekyll and Hyde-like figure among the Ibrox faithful, with some not convinced of his talents, but his display against Celtic has certainly proved the doubters wrong.

Operating behind Cyriel Dessers in Ferguson’s 3-4-2-1 system, Diomande was given free rein to work alongside Vaclav Cerny in using his running power to have a go at the Celtic defence.

Diomande vs Raskin this season (Premiership only)

Metric

Diomande

Raskin

Assists

5

5

Key passes per game

1.1

0.9

Total duels won per game

4

6.5

Tackles per game

1.1

3

Shots per game

1.4

1

Pass success rate per game

86%

87%

Indeed, the midfielder starlet succeeded with 100% of his dribbles, made one key pass, won four of his six ground duels contested and made two tackles, contributing whether or not his side had the ball.

He scored the second goal for Rangers with a well-taken effort, proving that he can be a key threat in the opposition penalty area.

Overall, it was a sublime performance by the 23-year-old, who has a bright future in the game. That’s a certainty.

Analyst John Walker hailed the midfielder last week, saying: “Scanning is an absolute basic in football but the regularity in which you do it is what can stop a player going beyond SPFL level.

“This basic skill-set, often overlooked, is exactly what can leave you with a 96% pass completion in a massive European tie. Add to that, calm & composed on the ball with the aggression to work off the ball and you have a pretty complete midfielder.”

When compared to his positional peers in the Europa League this season, Diomande ranks in the top 6% for pass completion percentage (82.6%) along with ranking in the top 6% for passes into the final third (4.21) and in the top 14% for tackles won (1.53) per 90.

These statistics showcase his ability to shine in European competition, which will naturally see the player attract interest from elsewhere.

This summer, a new manager will be appointed at Rangers. There are plenty of things to focus on ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but the most important aspect will be to retain his key players.

This includes Raskin and Diomande. Another season at the club could see their market valuations continue to soar, while also allowing the Gers the perfect chance of securing significant profit on the duo.

Related 83% duels won: Rangers star has just made himself as undroppable as Raskin

The Rangers star put in a fantastic shift against Celtic, as well as Nicolas Raskin.

Posts

da mrbet： In recent days, Leeds United have been linked with a fairytale reunion with former midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the summer should they achieve promotion from the Championship.

da fazobetai： The 29-year-old departed Elland Road back in the summer of 2022, joining champions Manchester City in a £45m deal – allowing him to take the next step in his career after racking up over 200 appearances for his boyhood side.

However, the move hasn’t worked out as either party would’ve anticipated, featuring just 31 times for the Citizens before being sent on separate loan spells to West Ham United and Ipswich Town.

It would be a special transfer should the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ return to the side where he made his name, potentially allowing him to get his career back on track after a stop-start few years.

One thing is for sure, the hierarchy conducted phenomenal business with the funds generated from his departure, allowing them to sign numerous stars as a result.

Leeds’ signings made with the Phillips fee

In the summer of 2022, Leeds managed to pull off a deal to land Tyler Adams from RB Leipzig, offering a direct replacement for the departing Phillips.

The American would join in a £20m deal, making 28 appearances during his solo year in Yorkshire, departing for a £23m fee 12 months after joining, allowing for a quick £3m profit.

Georginio Rutter was another player who joined in the same season, costing £35m from German outfit Hoffenheim – taking his time in being a success at Elland Road.

The Frenchman failed to score in his first six months at the club but sparked into life in the Championship last campaign, notching eight goals and 16 assists, leaving in a £40m to join Brighton – also netting a profit in the process.

One other player moved to Elland Road during the 2022/23 season, with his market value soaring as a result of his showings during his own stint in Yorkshire.

The player who’s now worth more than Phillips

The Championship has been a fiercely competitive division this year, with Leeds still in the race for promotion as the season edges ever closer to its conclusion.

Daniel Farke has done a superb job in leading the side to another promotion battle after picking up from their playoff final defeat against Southampton last season.

Wilfried Gnonto has played a key part in the club’s success in recent times but has dropped out of the side as of late due to the form of others around him.

The Italian cost just £3.8m from Swiss side FC Zurich back in the summer of 2022, with very few supporters having any idea how impressive he would turn out to be in Yorkshire.

The 21-year-old has registered 18 goals during his three seasons at the club, with five of his efforts coming in the second tier this campaign, playing an important role in their quest for promotion.

Gnonto, who has previously been dubbed a “monster” by one analyst, has registered over 100 appearances for the Whites, highlighting his importance to the club after his bargain move.

Given his displays, he was valued at £50m by the club at the end of January amid interest from Saudi Arabia – desperately wanting to keep hold of the 21-year-old who could improve further given his tender age.

His subsequent value is higher than that of former midfielder Phillips, who’s now valued at £16.8m by Transfermarkt after his failed move to Manchester City a couple of years ago.

Wilfried Gnonto’s stats for Leeds United in the Championship (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

34

Goals & assists

10

Pass accuracy

82%

Successful dribbles

1.9

Touches in opposition box

5.5

Chances created

2.1

Shots taken

3.1

Stats via FotMob

The opportunity to land the 29-year-old this summer would undoubtedly inject excitement into the fanbase, given his previous run of form in the first team under Marcelo Bielsa.

However, there’s no denying the club made the right call in allowing him to leave, banking a huge profit and allowing for investment in the likes of Gnonto, who too could also command a mammoth fee in the future.

Related Worth more than Solomon: Farke hit the jackpot with "dangerous" Leeds star

Leeds United struck gold when they brought the attacker to Elland Road in 2023.

Posts

da dobrowin： An “incredible” Premier League player is keen on joining Newcastle United at the end of the season, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Newcastle linked with new signings

da cassino： The Magpies continue to be linked with fresh faces in the summer transfer window, with Jonathan Burkardt one potential target who has been mentioned. The Mainz star has enjoyed a fantastic season, scoring 15 goals in just 21 starts in the Bundesliga, also chipping in with two assists.

Newcastle are also said to be working on striking a deal for Villarreal winger Yeremy Pino, as Eddie Howe looks for more attacking options in his squad, especially following the exit of Miguel Almiron in the January window. He has a £67m release clause in his current deal.

Semih Kilicsoy has been mentioned as a possible signing for the Magpies for a while now, and they are continuing to track him. They are battling to sign the Besiktas ace, who has even been likened to Sergio Aguero.

The future of Alexander Isak is also a major talking point currently, with Newcastle doing all they can to keep him at St James’ Park for as long as possible. Champions League football will be key to that, with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal seeing him as a perfect choice to lead the line.

"Incredible" Premier League champion keen to join Newcastle

According to The Chronicle, Manchester City winger Jack Grealish is keen on moving to Newcastle this summer, in a development from a previous rumour claiming the Magpies could be offered his services.

The 29-year-old sees it as a way to “resurrect his stalled career”, having fallen out of favour under Pep Guardiola this season, and his price tag is now seen as a “fraction” of the £100m City paid Aston Villa for his services back in 2021.

Grealish’s stock has fallen over the past year or so – City wouldn’t be considering selling him if that wasn’t the case – but that’s not to say that he couldn’t be a shrewd signing for Newcastle.

The England international, who has won three top-flight titles with City, could love the idea of being able to express himself more than at the Etihad, as was the case during his Villa days, with Guardiola’s style of play more precise and robotic. The Spaniard may have struggled to give his player minutes this season, but he has still heaped praise on him in the past:

“I want him to make goals and assists and he does too but it’s not about that. It’s about his contribution without the ball and what he can produce for the other ones. We didn’t sign Jack Grealish for the incredible goals or assists at Aston Villa. It was for another reason. He competes with top, top players as well and he knows it perfectly. He never complains about that.”

Related Odegaard loves him: Man City already have a bigger talent than Echeverri

There is much excitement at Manchester City following Claudio Echeverri’s arrival from River Plate, but do they already have a bigger talent?

Posts

At 29 and on £15.6m-a-year, Grealish isn’t getting any younger, but if Howe believes he can bring him back to his best for several years, he could prove to be an inspired signing.

da dobrowin： As Arne Slot looks to overhaul his frontline, Liverpool have reportedly made contact over signing their own free agent in the same type of deal that is likely to see Trent Alexander-Arnold join Real Madrid this summer.

Liverpool eyeing Trent-like deal

da luck： They may sit top of the Premier League and on course to become champions in Slot’s debut campaign, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows at Liverpool. In fact, a fairly dark cloud has formed this week courtesy of Alexander-Arnold. News finally broke regarding his future, with reports indicating that he is set to join Real Madrid as a free agent instead of signing a fresh Anfield contract this summer.

Leaving the Reds to assess their options, the likes of Jeremie Frimpong have since been linked with a move to Merseyside to become Alexander-Arnold’s replacement. Meanwhile, as much as they’ll be frustrated by the nature of their right-back’s departure, the champions-elect are reportedly set to take a page out of Madrid’s book.

According to The i Paper, Liverpool have now made contact to sign Jonathan David on a free deal from LOSC Lille this summer, reaching out to the goalscorer’s agent over a move in the coming months.

Related Liverpool change their minds and now "happy" to sell "incredible" £60m+ ace

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is lining up big changes at Anfield this summer.

Posts

Joined by Barcelona, Newcastle United and others in pursuit of the Ligue 1 star, Liverpool will hope to flex their potential title-winning muscles for the first time and convince David to make an Anfield move. There’s no doubt that he’s needed at Liverpool given their striker struggles this season.

"Insane" David would be instant Nunez upgrade

One of Liverpool’s biggest problems in a season otherwise full of strengths has come within their frontline. Whilst the finger can’t be pointed the way of Cody Gakpo and certainly not lead marksman Mohamed Salah, it can be sent towards the strikers.

Whether it’s been Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz or Darwin Nunez leading the line, all have struggled to leave their mark on a consistent basis and that has left Liverpool desperately relying on Salah to produce moments of magic. Amid Gakpo’s recent injury, if it hasn’t been Salah, then it hasn’t truly been anyone stealing the headlines for the Reds.

David’s arrival would change that, however. The Lille forward has scored 23 goals in all competitions whilst assisting a further 10. At the peak of his powers at 25 years old, the Canada star is finally destined for a big move.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Jonathan David

Darwin Nunez

Minutes

1,904

970

Goals

14

5

Assists

3

2

Expected Goals

14

5

What instantly stands out when looking at the numbers is just how clinical David has been in Ligue 1 – scoring 14 goals from 14 expected. His impressive numbers were once dubbed “insane” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and it’s hard to disagree with that statement these days as Liverpool make their move.

da apostaganha： It was a night of conflicting emotions for Arsenal last night.

da gbg bet： Mikel Arteta’s side finally returned to Premier League football after two weeks off for the international break, and while they looked a little rusty, they picked up all three points, winning 2-1.

However, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhães both came off injured and while the former didn’t look too bad, the latter appeared to be holding his hamstring, which could be terrible news ahead of next week’s Champions League game against Real Madrid.

Furthermore, while they ultimately won, the home side’s performances were mixed. Some players really stepped up, while others looked poor, including one Arteta signing who has to be dropped ahead of the next two games.

Arsenal's stand-out performers vs Fulham

So, before we get to the disappointing player in question, it’s worth looking at those who played well last night; the team did win, after all.

While Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have received much of the praise following last night, deservedly so, other starters stepped up to the plate, such as Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain had a good international break, starting both games for Thomas Tuchel, and carried that form back into the match against Fulham as he was seemingly here, there, and everywhere throughout the 90 minutes.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse

Granted, he did miss a chance towards the end of the game, firing well over the bar, but in all, it was a composed and dominant performance, as fans have come to expect, and enough to earn a 7/10 match rating from football.london’s Tom Canton.

Two players who did one better than the Englishman were Timber and Merino who received 8/10 match ratings from the journalist.

Before coming off, the former put in a brilliant showing, getting forward to help out in attack and making several impressive defensive contributions, including a vital tackle on Antonee Robinson in the second half.

Merino scored yet another goal for his efforts, and while it was a little scrappy, he continues to deliver for his manager and teammates.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all great last night, as there was one Arsenal ace who underwhelmed and once again showed that the club should probably be looking to move him on as soon as possible.

The Arsenal star who must be axed after Fulham

It is a cruel irony that Arteta got Saka back from injury last night and then lost Timber and Gabriel. What makes it worse is that Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori are also injured.

So, with few options, the manager turned to Jakub Kiwior to replace the Brazilian titan.

While he’s shown glimpses of quality in the past, this performance further reinforced the idea that Arsenal need another centre-back in the summer and that, as podcaster Phil Costa claims, he just “isn’t good enough” to regularly feature for the Gunners.

As he was against Fulham earlier in the season, the Polish international looked uneasy at the back, unconvincing on the ball and was a significant step down in quality on the man he replaced and the star he was playing alongside.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by Canton, who awarded him just a 6/10 on the night and laid part of the blame for the Cottagers’ goal at his feet for his ‘tussle’ with the rapid Adama Traore.

Interestingly, his statistics for the game are rather mixed, with the positive being the fact he won four of five ground duels, made five clearances and completed 93% of his passes.

Kiwior’s game in numbers

Minutes

74′

Clearances

5

Tackles

3

Dribbled past

1

Errors Leading to a Shot

1

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Lost Possession

4

Passing Accuracy

41/44 (93%)

All Stats via Sofascore

However, on the other hand, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, made an error that led directly to a shot and was dribbled past, which, if it happens against Fulham, could be a serious problem against Real next week.

Therefore, if there is any chance that White, Timber, or even Rice can fill in at centre-back in the next two games, Arteta must drop Kiwior from the starting lineup, as he’s just not good enough to start for a team like Arsenal.

Related Better than Saka: 8/10 Arsenal star just dropped his best game in years

Bukayo Saka returned to the Arsenal team as they beat Fulham 2-1.

Posts

da 888casino： Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks with a target’s representatives in the last few days, according to David Ornstein, but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta also personally wants him at the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham draw 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt in Europa League first leg

da poker： Despite forcing save after save from goalkeeper Kaua Santos, dominating the play overall and creating many openings, the under-pressure Ange Postecoglou had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Spurs’ Europa League quarter-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night.

Related Tottenham make contact over "exciting" manager to replace Postecoglou

The Australian made some candid admissions about his future this week.

Posts

On-fire Eintracht star Hugo Ekitiké, who’s attracting rumoured Premier League interest amid a sublime campaign, opened the scoring early on for Dino Toppmoller’s side with an excellent long-range finish past Guglielmo Vicario.

It was their first attack of the game, and Postecoglou cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as Tottenham were sliced open. However, it didn’t take long for the home team to notch their deserved equaliser, with Pedro Porro scoring an ingenious back-heeled effort just 20 minutes later.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Santos managed to keep the score level despite Tottenham’s relentless pushing at times, with Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur also hitting the crossbar, so the unfortunate north Londoners are now set to make the trip to Germany with the aggregate score on a knife edge.

“A little bit frustrated by the result obviously but I thought the performance in general was really good from the boys,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Eintracht.

“We conceded early which was not ideal and it was a fair strike by the lad but I thought our response to that was really good. We stayed in control. We scored a good equaliser. We made them work hard in the first half so we knew in the second half, with our ability to break teams open, we would put them under pressure. It is exactly what happened and the boys did everything right.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more from them.”

Tottenham hold talks with Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen's representatives

In the build up to Postecoglou’s crucial Europa League first leg tie, Ornstein has now reported that Tottenham had been working on the potential arrival of Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen behind-the-scenes.

The Spain international centre-back has enjoyed an excellent season under Andoni Iraola on the south coast, partnering either Illia Zabarnyi or Marcos Senesi to excellent effect, and his performances are attracting attention from elite rivals.

As per Ornstein, in a Q&A for The Athletic, Tottenham have held talks with Huijsen’s representatives this week, but they’re not alone, as Arteta and Arsenal’s new sporting director Andrea Berta are also “huge fans” of the 19-year-old.

The Gunners have reached out to his camp as well, amid news that his contract will include an active £50 million release clause this summer.

Huijsen could be the ideal summer signing for Spurs, given Cristian Romero’s links with a move away and their serious struggles at centre-back this season due to consistent injuries.

Tottenham will need more reinforcement in that area of the squad ahead of 2025/2026, with or without Postecoglou at the helm, and Huijsen is a young defender of serious quality.

“Sensational CB prospect, so happy to see him starting week-in-week-out,” wrote Football Analyst Ben Mattinson on X.

“Huijsen should be the most in-demand CB in the world in no time. Bournemouth’s recruitment team are absolute geniuses for securing him early for so little. Huge profit pending.”

da pixbet： Sheffield United ran into a roadblock in the race for promotion back to the Premier League on Tuesday night when they lost 1-0 to Millwall at Bramall Lane.

da mrbet： The Blades were looking to bounce back from their disappointing 1-0 defeat to Oxford United away from home last weekend, but were met with another loss.

Chris Wilder’s side have failed to score in their last two games and have failed to score more than one goal in five of their last six games in the Championship.

Ben Brereton Diaz was substituted at half-time in the defeat to Millwall, as the Chile international continued his struggles in front of goal for the Blades.

Ben Brereton Diaz's goalscoring troubles

The English-born forward started the campaign with Southampton in the Premier League and failed to score in ten appearances in the top-flight before his loan move to Yorkshire in the January transfer window.

Since returning to Bramall Lane, Brereton Diaz has scored three goals in 14 matches and only one goal in his last nine matches in the Championship.

He has scored those three goals from an xG of 3.58 and missed four ‘big chances’ – including one against Millwall – and this suggests that he has been wasteful with the chances that have come his way in the box.

Whilst Brereton Diaz has failed to offer a consistent threat as a goalscorer since his return to Sheffield United, there is a former Blades gem who is currently outscoring him in Europe – Benie Traore.

Why Sheffield United messed up with Benie Traore

The club signed him from Hacken, with their sporting director Martin Ericsson describing it as an “incredible” journey, in the summer of 2023 and the Premier League seemed a step too soon for him, as he failed to score in eight appearances.

Instead of giving the young Ivorian forward an opportunity to shine as part of a team chasing promotion from the Championship, instead of in a struggling Premier League side, Sheffield United decided to sell him to Swiss side Basel last summer.

The 22-year-old attacker, who has been capped five times by his country this season, has enjoyed an impressive campaign in the Swiss top-flight in the 2024/25 campaign, outperforming several Blades attackers.

Traore has played the majority of this season off the left flank, which is where Brereton Diaz has also played at times, and racked up eight goals and seven assists in all competitions.

24/25 season

Traore (Super League)

Brereton Diaz (Premier League + Championship)

O’Hare (Championship)

Appearances

29

24

40

Goals

8

3

2

Big chances missed

6

6

4

Big chances created

9

3

7

Assists

5

3

6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Sheffield United gem has outscored both Brereton Diaz and O’Hare at league level, by some distance, despite missing a similar number of ‘big chances’.

He has also created more ‘big chances’ for his teammates than they have for the Blades and the Saints combined, which suggests that Wilder made a mistake by sanctioning his exit last summer.

Sheffield United cashed in on a talented young winger capable of scoring and creating goals at an impressive rate before he got the chance to showcase his talent at Championship level.

Related Sheffield Utd now want to sign star who will be "sold for a lot of money"

Chris Wilder is plotting a swoop that would delight Sheffield United supporters.

Posts

Their goalscoring woes in recent matches could have been solved by having a winger of his quality available for selection, as evidenced by his return of two goals in his last five Super League games.

It may be one that Wilder looks back on with regret if Traore continues his impressive form and goes on to return to one of Europe’s major leagues in the future.