Leeds United are embroiled in a battle for promotion under Daniel Farke; however, they could now have a fight on their hands to keep hold of one first-team player, according to a report.

Leeds prepare for January window…

Excitingly, the Whites will finally get the opportunity to strengthen their squad in the coming hours once the January window officially opens for business as they look to build on a respectable first half of the campaign in the Championship.

On the face of it, Leeds have coped admirably with life in the English second tier and can be proud of their showing that has them sitting fifth in the division; nevertheless, consecutive losses on the road against Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion have left food for thought heading into January.

Leeds United keen on signing "very talented" ace wanted by multiple clubs

Leeds United are in the market as Daniel Farke looks to strengthen his side’s promotion bid…

BySean Markus Clifford Dec 4, 2023

Incomings and outgoings may be expected during a busy period at Elland Road. According to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, Leeds and Southampton are both keen on Bournemouth attacker David Brooks, who they are keen to try and secure on a loan deal, as he stated on social media platform X:

Cape Town Spurs forward Luke Baartman has also been linked with a move to Yorkshire in the last few months; however, he would surely be regarded as a prospect to develop at Thorp Arch over the coming years.

Nevertheless, departures could also form part of the Whites' activity this window and one man could now be set to walk through the exit door, with interest in his services from elsewhere now coming to light, as per a report.

Charlie Cresswell open to Leeds exit…

According to The Sunday Mirror cited via MOT Leeds News, Charlie Cresswell is open to leaving Leeds United in January either on loan or permanently and the England Under-21 international is believed to have major interest in his services from clubs in the Championship.

Five similar players to Charlie Cresswell (FBRef)

Player

Club

Fernando Alarcon

Club Atlético Central Córdoba

Xavier Mbuyamba

Volendam

Joaquim

Santos

Cristian Lema

Lanus

Ryan Flamingo

Utrecht

Ipswich Town have entered the race for his signature; meanwhile, Sunderland, Southampton, Middlesbrough and Scottish side Rangers are also vying for the 21-year-old, who hasn't received regular senior minutes this campaign under Farke and is reportedly open to an exit.

Labelled "excellent" by former boss Gary Rowett, Cresswell has been on the periphery in Yorkshire this campaign, making just six appearances in all competitions (Cresswell statistics – Transfermarkt).

Of course, Cresswell isn't the only man keen on seeking a new challenge away from Elland Road. Recent claims have suggested that Italy international Wilfried Gnonto has designs on departing the club amid Lazio and Fiorentina being keen on acquiring the attacker's services.

Looking ahead, losing Cresswell alongside Gnonto could potentially prompt Leeds United to enter the market to bolster their squad depth in January, making these ones to watch.

Everton travelled to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon, having won four consecutive games in the Premier League for the first time in three years.

It was also the first time since 2002 that the Toffees won four games in a row without conceding a single goal. However, Sean Dyche’s men were unable to come away with anything from the game as two early strikes from Richarlison and Son Heung-min sealed the win despite a late fightback by the visitors.

While Dyche was aggrieved by certain refereeing decisions, the manager will also be disappointed with some of his players’ displays in London and one man in particular may be forced out of the side through injury.

Idrissa Gueye’s game in numbers

It’s not been a great week for Everton’s double-pivot of Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana. The pair missed their penalties on Tuesday as the Merseyside club bowed out of the EFL Cup in a shootout against Fulham but started together once more at the weekend.

Nevertheless, Everton were two goals down within 18 minutes. The duo played a massive helping hand in both of Spurs’ goals.

Both Gueye and Onana failed to adequately close down Pape Matar Sarr as he slid the ball into Brennan Johnson whose cross reached Richarlison for the opening goal. Meanwhile, the midfield partners were the two closest players to Son as he bagged Spurs’ second and didn’t react quickly enough to stop his rebound strike.

Both men were handed a dismal 4/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo for their performances in the middle of the park which reflects worse on Onana considering Gueye limped off in the 24th minute.

The Belgium international committed three fouls, was dribbled past once, and lost 56% of his total duels and 50% of his tackles, according to FotMob.

Minutes Played

24

79

Passing Accuracy

63%

85%

Touches

9

38

Passes To Final Third

1

4

Tackles

1

1

Defensive Actions

1

7

Recoveries

1

4

Dribbled Past

1

1

Gueye and Onana look awkward as a pair together and will likely be broken up when Manchester City come to town on Wednesday, particularly since Gueye went off injured, although this does mean that Onana may keep his place. Nevertheless, this could work in Everton's favour as it did on Saturday following one man's return.

Andre Gomes’ game in numbers

Andre Gomes’ time at Goodison Park has been blighted with a series of serious and recurring injuries. This season, the former Barcelona man had spent practically the entire campaign on the sidelines but recently began making a return to action with Everton’s U21s.

In a 5-0 win for the reserves against Southampton at the beginning of December, Gomes stayed on the pitch for 60 minutes, with U21s boss Paul Tait describing him as a “top-class player”, commending his composure and quality on the ball.

Nevertheless, due to a hamstring injury to Abdoulaye Doucoure, Everton’s midfield depth was looking quite bare on the bench, meaning Dyche had to throw Gomes into the deep end and the Portugal international certainly swam, grabbing the side’s only goal of the game which was the catalyst behind a potential late comeback by the Toffees, although it wasn’t to be in the end.

However, Gomes showed both Onana and Gueye up, having created two chances during his 66 minutes on the pitch and played six passes into the final third. Additionally, Gomes put a shift in defensively for his side and made five ball recoveries which was the same number as Gueye and Onana combined, as per FotMob.

Touches

41

Passing Accuracy %

81

Chances Created

2

Expected Assists

0.11

Expected Goals

0.07

Passes Into Final Third

6

Defensive Actions

3

Dribbled Past

1

Ball Recoveries

5

Despite his limited game-time this season, the £120k-per-week star looked levels above Everton’s starting double pivot, and with Gueye potentially out through injury, the 30-year-old could find himself back in the starting lineup quicker than anticipated, with Dyche's side set to take on league champions Manchester City on Wednesday night.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is eyeing a move for a "fantastic" attacking player who is also wanted by Arsenal, according to a new transfer update.

Liverpool eyeing Salah successors

The Reds are flying at the moment, progressing to the FA Cup fourth round after a 2-0 win away to Arsenal on Sunday, but that's not to say that new signings aren't needed in the near future.

Klopp is expected to be on the lookout for a new forward this month with Mohamed Salah away at AFCON, and the Reds will eventually need to replace the Egyptian King for good too, given his extensive links to the Saudi Pro League over the last 12 months.

It remains to be seen if anyone will arrive at Anfield in the January transfer window or if they wait until the summer, but one player who has been linked with a move to the club is Wolves star Pedro Neto.

The 23-year-old has stood out as one of his side's most impressive players in recent years, providing constant quality out wide and registering seven assists in just 11 Premier League appearances this season.

Jurgen Klopp considers Pedro Neto hijack

According to a new update from Caught Offside, Klopp wants Liverpool to sign Wolves winger Pedro Neto, who is also wanted by Arsenal, with the report reaffirming the Reds' desire to increase their attacking depth in Salah's absence.

"Finally, the Merseyside giants also have two targets in attack, with a potential battle with Arsenal on the cards as Wolves winger Pedro Neto works his way onto Klopp’s radar. The 23-year-old has been hugely impressive in the Premier League this season, and Fabrizio Romano has told CaughtOffside that he expects him to be a summer target for Arsenal."

Neto is a wonderful footballer, not only because he is easy on the eye with his slick dribbling ability, but also because he provides consistent levels of end product, proving that he has substance to his game. He is contracted at Wolves until 2027, however, so he won't be arriving on the cheap.

The Portugal international is someone who can play on either flank, either hitting the byline from the left or cutting inside from the right, and he is a player who should only get better for the next five or six years. Wolves manager Gary O'Neil is a big admirer of him, too, saying of him in September: "He will be hugely important for us, he’s a fantastic player, hugely talented and he’s working extremely hard without the ball as well as bringing big quality with it, so I’m really pleased with Pedro."

Liverpool clearly face stiff competition from Arsenal, who despite their current poor form, are still a side with some brilliant young players who Neto could want to play with, whether it be Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli.

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The influence of Klopp is something that could easily give the Reds the edge, however, given his standing out as one of the greatest man-managers of his generation, and he could be a superb replacement for Salah, even though the Egyptian staying put for a few more years would be preferable.

Leeds United lost valuable depth in the full-back position when they decided to send Djed Spence back to his parent club earlier this month.

The versatile defender had been deployed as a left-back and a right-back in the Championship for the Whites this season and has now returned to Tottenham Hotspur.

This has left Daniel Farke without an abundance of options in the number two and three positions heading into the second half of the campaign.

Journalist Graeme Bailey recently said that he has heard Burnley full-back Charlie Taylor's name mentioned in connection to a possible move back to Leeds this month and stated that he thinks a left-back will arrive at Elland Road.

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It was reported by Foot Mercato in November that Real Betis were interested in a deal for Junior Firpo, who they claimed wanted a move away from Yorkshire.

Farke could now ruthlessly ditch the Spanish defender, if that interest is still there, by securing a deal for Taylor to replace him before the end of the window. Whilst it would not solve the depth issue, it could improve the squad.

Firpo's last 18 months in numbers

The former Barcelona left-back has only made six appearances in the Championship so far this season and has been named in the starting XI once.

He has averaged 1.8 tackles and interceptions combined and 1.2 clearances per game for the Whites, to go along with a duel success rate of 55%.

Last season, Firpo made 19 appearances and started 14 of those games in the Premier League as Leeds were relegated from the top-flight.

The 27-year-old dud was dribbled past 1.2 times per game and only won 50% of his duels as opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him week-in-week-out.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Taylor

Farke could allow Firpo to move on by signing Taylor as the Burnley left-back's form over the last 18 months suggests that he has more to offer than the current Leeds defender.

The £30k-per-week battler played 33 times in the Championship last term as his side romped their way to the title and he started 17 of those matches.

Appearances

16

Goals

One

Assists

One

Duel success rate

53%

Tackles per game

1.6

Vincent Kompany hailed the talented gem's versatility, as Taylor was deployed as a left-back and a centre-back, and described him as being "quick and strong".

This means that Farke would bring in a player who can offer him depth in multiple positions, as the Clarets ace could be used at full-back or as cover on the left side of the defence.

In the Championship last term, Taylor was only dribbled past 0.2 times per game and won an impressive 63% of his duels across the campaign.

This shows that the experienced defender was able to dominate opponents in physical contests and did not allow forwards to go past him with ease.

Firpo has struggled with both of those aspects of defending and that is why the Burnley battler could come in as an upgrade on the Leeds number three.

Therefore, if Leeds could convince Taylor to make the drop back down to the Championship to enjoy a second spell at Elland Road then Farke could ditch Firpo in the process.

Leeds United already have a hat-trick of signings done and dusted as the new Premier League season grows ever closer next month.

Lukas Nmecha, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastiaan Bornauw have all relocated to England in quick succession to be a part of Daniel Farke’s top-flight camp, but their speedy business has been somewhat overshadowed by Sunderland stealing the transfer market limelight.

Before Sunderland won his services for a handsome £30m, Leeds were very much in the running to snap up Habib Diarra from Strasbourg, with history unfortunately rapidly repeating itself when you also consider the Black Cats are edging closer to signing Noah Sadiki right from under Farke and Co’s nose.

All this drama will surely make the race to beat the drop even spicier this forthcoming campaign, with Leeds wanting to press on now to make even more signings.

Leeds targeting other midfielders

The number of arrivals at Thorp Arch could soon go up, particularly Leeds’ bank account is set to be boosted soon by Maximilian Wober’s £11m exit.

That money could be spent on new midfielders with the likes of ex-Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz and Southampton youngster Mateus Fernandes on their radar.

Yet, the most tantalising transfer rumour comes from the Netherlands, via Sport Witness, which states that Leeds are in the driver’s seat over a deal for Sheffield United ace Gustavo Hamer.

It’s no secret that Leeds have been admirers of the ex-Coventry City man for some time now, with this new development suggesting that Hamer is more inclined to accept a summer move to a Premier League club over Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven.

This has all the ingredients of being a game-changing signing for Farke’s men in improving their attacking personnel, with the recent Championship Player of the Season winner reportedly available for £18m, which could also mean he’s a much better pick-up in the long run than gambling on Diarra.

Why Hamer would be a better signing than Diarra

Leeds have already raided the Blades effectively for some of their top-quality talent, too, with Jayden Bogle formerly a Bramall Lane favourite before defecting to Elland Road to seal promotion at his former side’s expense.

Now, Hamer could follow suit, having been an exceptional talent to watch during all of that promotion run in himself, but unfortunately, coming up short in South Yorkshire.

In total, the exciting Blades number 8 would chip in with ten goals and eight assists across all competitions last season, which included an effort being brilliantly hammered home against Plymouth Argyle.

To add context, Manor Solomon, who slotted into many of Farke’s XIs last season down Hamer’s trusty left-hand side, just about beat the 28-year-old with his own healthy tally of 22 goals and assists.

With Solomon looking unlikely to return to Elland Road, Hamer could be a perfect replacement for him, alongside also boasting the versatility to be able to line up as a number 10, with Brenden Aaronson a notable worry in this position as Premier League football returns.

AM

13

2

3

CM

13

2

2

RM

1

0

0

Based on the table above, Diarra might well have struggled with the pressure of being a starter for Leeds in this problem area, as seen in just five goal contributions coming his way from this position last season in Ligue 1.

Moreover, the expensive Senegal international might well have struggled further back in Farke’s side in a bid to displace Ao Tanaka, with the Japanese gem eclipsing Diarra in many different areas last season, as seen in him averaging a glowing 90% pass accuracy in the second tier, next to his counterpart’s lesser 87% success rate.

On top of that, Tanaka also displayed more steel by winning 4.5 duels per game in league action, next to Diarra’s 3.3, meaning this might have been a sum of money ultimately wasted.

Whereas, landing the “outstanding” Hamer, as he’s been glowing labelled by ex-manager Chris Wilder – at £18m feels like a steal, particularly with the 28-year-old’s impressive return of four goals and seven assists when previously starring in the top-flight.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O'Neil is keen to wrap up deals this month, and transfer insider Dean Jones has indicated that his side could look to offer a Premier League star the perfect chance to become a key player at Molineux.

Wolves shopping for bargain deals

It has been well-documented over the last year or so how much Wolves have had to move things around to contend with Financial Fair Play regulations, and they have only just managed to keep their heads above water in that respect due to their impressive £140 million fire sale in the summer.

Big names such as Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves, Conor Coady and Nathan Collins were among those sold to balance the books at Molineux and Gary O'Neil will undoubtedly be keen to avoid any further agitation in the market moving forward as his side continue their quietly impressive Premier League endeavours.

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The Telegraph have reported that the Old Gold will prioritise bringing in loan signings this window as financially advantageous deals take precedence in the West Midlands.

West Ham United striker Danny Ings is believed to be a target for Wolves after falling out of favour at the London Stadium and could offer some guile and experience in attack as a proven goalscorer. Acquiring an out-and-out centre-forward and an addition on the flank looks to be the direction the Old Gold are keen to take in January, with goals hard to come by from their traditional number nine options.

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

Norway

14

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

Egypt

14

Dominic Solanke

Bournemouth

England

12

Son Heung-min

Tottenham

South Korea

12

Jarrod Bowen

West Ham

England

11

Hwang Hee-chan

Wolves

South Korea

10

Alexander Isak

Newcastle

Sweden

9

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

England

9

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

England

8

Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea

Senegal

7

Now, journalist Jones has shed some light on a player he believes Wolves could consider that would also fall under the bracket of a loan signing.

Dean Jones drops Reiss Nelson to Wolves verdict

CBS Sports claimed at the turn of the year that Wolves and Sevilla are both keen to bring Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson on loan in January following his limited involvement at the Emirates Stadium this term.

Reiss Nelson statistics in 2023/24 – Premier League (Sofascore)

Total games played

9

Games started

0

Accurate passes per game

5.2 (92%)

Big chances created

1

Average match rating

6.56/10

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones has now indicated that Wolves could consider the possibility of bringing the former England Under-21 international to Molineux and called it a perfect fit: "Obviously, he's struggling to make himself a regular part of Arsenal's starting XI and that's fine, but a club like Wolves would be perfect for him in order to get more game time and make an impact more regularly."

He then added: "I think the fan base would actually really like a player like Reiss Nelson, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if they look into the potential around the loan deal. But again, why would Arsenal want to loan out a player that they might need to call upon off the bench across this season? It's a difficult discussion to have."

Despite his obvious talent, Nelson continues to find it difficult to become a regular fixture in Mikel Arteta's side and Wolves could be an ideal destination to kickstart his 2023/24 campaign.

It’s been non-stop for Chelsea fans this summer.

One moment, Enzo Maresca’s men are winning another game in the Club World Cup, and then the next, they’re welcoming in yet another new signing.

The latest player to join the Blues is set to be João Pedro, who has reportedly completed his medical today.

The West Londoners aren’t done there, though, as if reports are to be believed, they are linked with another Premier League star who could be a dream teammate for the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace.

Chelsea target Premier League stars

While Chelsea have already made several brilliant additions to their squad this summer, the Conference League Champions look determined to add more, and they’ve been linked with a few stars from the Premier League, such as Mohammed Kudus and Emiliano Martínez.

Transfer Focus

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The former has just come off a fairly lacklustre season with West Ham United in which he racked up just nine goal involvements in 35 games, but that hasn’t deterred the West Londoners, as reports from earlier this week claim that they made an offer worth around £50m for his services.

No such offer has been made for Martínez, but he could be available for a fee of around £45m, which might just prove too good to ignore for a World Cup-winning shot-stopper.

However, there is another Premier League ace who has seemingly caught the attention of the Blues this summer, someone who very much could join Maresca’s exciting project: Alejandro Garnacho.

At least that’s according to a recent report from The Athletic, which has revealed that Chelsea are still interested in the Manchester United ace.

The report claims that the Argentine came up in discussion between the two sides.

A potential price for the 20-year-old is not mentioned in the story, but according to reports from late last month, he could be available for around £60m.

It might not be a popular transfer, but Garnacho has shown a great deal of ability and potential at United over the last few seasons, so it is one Chelsea should pursue, especially as he could be a dream teammate for Pedro.

Why Garnacho would be a dream for Pedro

There are two key reasons why Garnacho could prove to be an excellent teammate for Pedro at Chelsea, and the first is all about his output.

While the young winger is undoubtedly guilty of making the wrong decision in games every now and again, it’s important to remember he is still just 20 years old, and when you take that into account, his output this season is nothing short of remarkable.

For example, in 58 appearances for the Red Devils, totalling 3,568 minutes, the young “superstar,” as dubbed by football content creator Liam Canning, scored 11 goals and provided ten assists.

Appearances

58

Minutes

3568′

Goals

11

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

169.90′

That means the exciting prospect was able to average a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or every 169.90 minutes for a United side that many would consider far and away the worst in the Premier League era.

In other words, if he’s able to produce 21 goal involvements in a team like that at his age, just imagine what he might be able to achieve with the West Londoners in the coming years and with a striker like Pedro alongside him.

Now, the second reason he could prove to be an ideal teammate for the former Brighton ace is down to his style of play.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and touches in the opposition’s penalty area and the top 7% for carries into the penalty area, all per 90.

These three statistics help to demonstrate how effective the Madrid-born gem is at getting the ball into dangerous areas, specifically the penalty area, which should be music to the ears of the former Watford poacher, as he could have a consistently brilliant supply of chances thanks to these traits.

Ultimately, it might not be a game-changing transfer in the present, but Garnacho has shown enough this season to suggest he could develop into a special player; therefore, Chelsea should do what they can to sign him, for their own sake and Pedro’s.

Chelsea offered £337k-per-week ex-Aston Villa star with decision made

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Arsenal begin their hunt for a record-extending 15th FA Cup victory as they prepare to face Liverpool this evening.

Mikel Arteta won't be resting on his laurels as he aims to secure his second trophy as manager of the club – four years after winning the same competition against Chelsea.

Over the previous few weeks, however, the Gunners have suffered two defeats in the Premier League, and they have only won one fixture since a 4-3 victory over Luton Town at the start of December.

This signifies that despite the club sitting fourth in the table and just five points behind the Anfield side, Arteta needs to bolster his squad in the January transfer window.

small

They have naturally been linked with a few names so far, yet it is a potential swoop for a current Premier League midfielder which could be one of his most important moves.

Arsenal transfer news – Amadou Onana

It is no secret that Arteta is after some midfield reinforcements – either this month or in the summer – and according to a report from TEAMtalk earlier this week, Arsenal have shown interest in Everton gem Amadou Onana ahead of making a swoop for the player.

Indeed, the report indicates that the Gunners have in fact made an approach for the Belgian as they look to add some more talent into their midfield area.

The club have been linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz in recent months following his impressive start to the season for the Midlands outfit, scoring seven times as Unai Emery’s side have lit up the top flight.

It appears as though Arteta is looking to move on to other targets, with Onana now being targeted.

Any prospective move could come at a huge cost, however, as the Goodison Park outfit are reportedly valuing the midfielder between £70m-£90m and this could prove to be a big stumbling block for Arsenal.

2023

2023

2023

2022

2021

During the summer, the Spaniard splashed out a club record £105m transfer fee to lure Declan Rice from West Ham United and despite the lavish sum, he is certainly shown his worth.

This suggests that a move for Onana could perhaps allow Arteta to replicate his Rice masterclass and sign another midfielder from a fellow Premier League side and give them a platform to continue their development.

Declan Rice’s Arsenal statistics

The Englishman swiftly emerged as one of the most gifted midfielders in the country during his spell at West Ham, progressing from the academy to club captain within just a few years.

He eventually made 245 appearances for the Irons since making his debut during the 2016/17 campaign, and he departed as a hero, leading the club to their first major trophy since the 1980 FA Cup by winning the Europa Conference League in June 2023.

He had been admired by a host of clubs, yet it was a move across London to Arsenal which was the logical option, and he hasn’t disappointed during his first six months at the Emirates.

Indeed, the midfielder currently ranks second among the squad for accurate passes per game in the top flight (62.8) along with ranking second for tackles (2.1) and first for interceptions (1.5), indicating that he has been a positive influence in the Arsenal side, especially from a defensive viewpoint.

The 24-year-old can also contribute in an attacking sense too, as he has scored some vital goals this season.

His first goal for the Gunners came against Manchester United in a thrilling 3-1 victory in September, while the former West Ham starlet netted a wonderful last-minute header against Luton to claim all three points, and he has adapted well to Arteta’s methods and demands.

Onana is in a similar mould to the Arsenal midfielder and there is no doubt he could settle in well at the club should he make a move to the Gunners in the near future.

Amadou Onana’s season in numbers

Frank Lampard may have struggled in his role as Everton manager, but his signing of Onana was among one of his finest pieces of transfer business.

The 22-year-old cost the club £33m from French side Lille in August 2022 and he enjoyed a decent first season for the Toffees, making 35 appearances across all competitions and scoring once.

This has given him a platform to become one of Everton’s best performers this season under Sean Dyche.

His displays this term have seen him garner praise from a wide range of sources. Under 23 scout Antonio Mango was one such admirer, saying: “He’s such a physical specimen, he has all attributes to become a real Midfield Powerhouse.”

Talent scout Jacek Kulig went even further in his praise for the talented Belgian, claiming he was a “complete package” following another excellent performance for the Toffees last month.

Across the whole Everton squad in the top flight this season, Onana ranks first for accurate passes per game (32.7) while also ranking third for big chances created (four) and third for tackles per game (2.6) which demonstrates how effective he is in various performance metrics.

He is without doubt, one of Dyche’s most important players this season, and he could thrive at the heart of the Arsenal midfield, enabling the likes of Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz to utilise their attacking abilities.

The Belgian’s defensive acumen sees him rank in the top 5% in Europe’s big five leagues for aerial duels won per 90 (2.47) along with ranking in the top 25% for tackles won per 90 (2.47) and if there is one player Arteta should target this month, it must be Onana.

Much will depend on how much the Spaniard has to spend in the current transfer window, and he may have to move on some deadwood in order to raise the required funds to sign the Everton gem.

Rice has proved that £105m can go a long way and with the Toffees wanting around £90m for their star man, Arteta could repeat his stroke of genius by luring Onana to the Emirates in the summer.

West Ham United are now closely monitoring an “intelligent” £84m striker, who is also in the sights of Premier League rivals Arsenal and Aston Villa, according to a report.

Hammers set sights on new striker

Niclas Fullkrug may have won over some West Ham fans with his extremely honest reflection on the team’s performance in the 1-1 draw against Southampton last month, which left manager Graham Potter not best pleased.

However, the German has hardly set the world alight himself during his first season at the London Stadium, netting just three Premier League goals, and with the striker now 32-years-old, it could be a shrewd move to bring in a replacement this summer.

Celtic’s Daizen Maeda is one potential option, with the Hammers currently preparing a substantial offer for the versatile Japanese forward, while Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap also remain of interest.

Delap could be an ambitious target, given the level of interest in the Englishman, and the same applies to Botafogo striker Igor Jesus, with a report from Spain now revealing that West Ham are now racing their Premier League rivals for the Brazilian’s signature.

Arsenal and Aston Villa are also keen on Jesus, who the Hammers have been closely monitoring, with the Gunners thought to be seriously considering a move, which could pose a major problem for Potter’s side.

The 24-year-old is also protected by a €100m (£84m) release clause, although the Brazilian club should be willing to sanction his departure for a lower price.

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ByBen Gray May 18, 2025 "Intelligent" Jesus impressing for Botafogo

Brazilian pundit Walter Casagrande has been impressed by some of the Brazil international’s performances since returning to his home country after a spell with Dubai-based side Shabab Al-Alhi, lauding him as “very intelligent” in September last year.

The forward played an important role in Botafogo’s 2024 league title triumph, picking up five goals and three assists and receiving some very high praise for his displays.

Jesus could now be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, and at 24-years-old he is at the right age to be a long-term success at the London Stadium, but the serious interest from Arsenal could be a major issue for West Ham.

Chelsea are trimming their bloated squad right now after sealing around £140 million worth of summer signings thus far, and it is believed that another player is set to join Noni Madueke out of the exit door.

Chelsea defender spotted at club's training ground amid talks to leave

The Club World Cup finalists could soon wave goodbye to him.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025

While BlueCo are poised to bank a significant financial windfall after Chelsea reached the Club World Cup final, estimated to be around £80 million, which could rise to around £88 million if they win the tournament on Sunday, there is still a glaring need to sell players.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Their recent UEFA fine for breaking FFP rules comes as a stern warning to the Stamford Bridge hierarchy when it comes to Europe’s financial regulations, even if they’re thought to be within the PSR threshold right now.

There are also many unwanted players on Chelsea’s books right now who are draining the wage bill, not least high earners like Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka – with the trio earning a combined £625,000-per-week.

Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi and Djordje Petrovic could also depart west London this summer after falling way down Enzo Maresca’s pecking order.

However, while there is still work to be done on selling the aforementioned men, Chelsea have made real headway in their attempts to sell a few others.

Young left-back Ishe Samuels-Smith is thought to be closing in on a permanent move to Strasbourg, and was spotted at their training ground on Wednesday (L’Equipe).

In a much more high-profile departure, Chelsea have agreed another deal with Arsenal to sell Madueke, with Maresca’s side set to bank north of £50 million, including add-ons, for the England international after accelerated talks.

Madueke is set to become the latest in a long line of deals between the London clubs, after Kepa Arrizabalaga also completed a switch to the Emirates earlier this window.

Chelsea agree permanent sale of Mathis Amougou to Strasbourg

Chelsea have been very busy with outgoings in the last few days, as it is now also believed that January signing Mathis Amougou is set to join sister club Strasbourg permanently too.

Alongside Madueke, the 19-year-old will depart Cobham indefinitely, but reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano says this was the preferred outcome rather than using up another allocated loan spot.

Chelsea included a buy-back clause in Amougou’s transfer to France, and documents surrounding the deal are described as “all signed”.

The teenager, who’s been likened to Chelsea star Moises Caicedo, played just 22 minutes in total for the Blues before his move back to Ligue 1.

The competition for places in Maresca’s first team meant that Amougou never quite got a chance to showcase his best, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson previously calling him a “machine”.

He could yet follow a similar trajectory to Andrey Santos at Strasbourg, and if Amougou impresses in similar fashion, don’t be surprised to see him back in the English capital eventually.