Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta used professional pickpockets to teach his squad a lesson.
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All was going well for Everton this season until their financial issues away from the pitch caught up to them to leave Sean Dyche's side to deal with a 10-point deduction, which was eventually reduced to six. Fighting to stay afloat in the Premier League ever since, the Toffees are reportedly set to finally receive some good news.
As things stand, Everton sit four points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand on Burnley in the relegation zone, with Dyche deserving a lot of credit for keeping the Toffees on track even amid off-field issues. Of course, if it wasn't for the six-point deduction, then Everton would be comfortably mid-table and just seven points behind Fulham in 13th, eight points away from Chelsea.
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It's a situation that those at Goodison Park will likely have to become familiar with too, according to finance expert Kieran Maguire, who told via Inews when quizzed about the likelihood of Everton being handed a second deduction that it's "pretty inevitable".
So, even if the Toffees avoid the drop this season, they are seemingly likely to have their backs instantly against the wall at the start of the next campaign. But there is still some good news among the negatives.
According to Inews, Everton's takeover by 777 Partners is set to be accepted by the Premier League in the next couple of weeks. This will end an incredibly long wait for the news many thought would come far sooner after Farhad Moshiri reached an agreement over the sale of the club all the way back in September. Now, seven months later, Everton are reportedly finally about to see the takeover given the green light.
The sudden news comes after 777 proved to the Premier League that they could pay back Everton's £150m loan from MSP Sports Capital and fund the finish of the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.
With another point deduction described as "pretty inevitable" by Maguire, Everton must still approach with caution in the summer transfer market. The last thing they need is to be walking a fine line with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules once again, especially considering that they're on course to maintain their top-flight status in the current campaign.
That said, it could be a summer of departures at Goodison Park. Amadou Onana has been the subject of reported interest from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in the last few months in a big-money deal that would ease some of Everton's FFP fears. Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite has even attracted the interest of Real Madrid, according to reports.
Large sales would impact Dyche's side, there's no doubt about that, but it could be a case of needs must if Everton are to balance the books at last. If they then spend that money from the sales wisely, then 777 will be able to hand Dyche a squad capable of survival once again, even if Everton face another frustrating deduction. Either way, the takeover is at least on its way in what is surely the first big step in the right direction.
Arsenal are flying this season and, as things stand, have a real chance of ending the campaign by lifting the Premier League or the Champions League – or both.
Mikel Arteta’s side have gone from a team who scored just one goal from 63 shots over the festive period to one that has won their last eight league games by an aggregate score of 33-4, and they managed to score most of those goals without star striker Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian has once again missed a number of games this season through injury, and with the transfer window rapidly approaching, he could see himself replaced in the starting XI with a more clinical number nine as the club continues to progress.
Arsenal’s desire for a new striker is no secret. Even though their recent run of form has seen some suggest the team are better off without a central target, Arteta and Edu Gaspar still seem deadset on bringing in a star forward in the summer.
Brentford’s Ivan Toney has been the player most heavily touted for a move to N5 over the last year or so, but recent reports claim that the Gunners have ‘cooled their interest’ in the Englishman in recent weeks, making it appear that his chance to play for the club has passed.
However, while Arsenal have distanced themselves from the former Peterborough ace, recent reports from Italian outlet Il Mattino Italy (via TEAMtalk) have revealed that the Gunners have upped their pursuit of Napoli star Victor Osimhen and that Edu has already been in talks with the club’s eccentric chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis over a summer move.
The report has revealed that while Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on the Nigerian, a lack of Champions League football has ruled out the former, and the striker’s desire to play in the Premier League the latter. According to the report, this lack of genuine competition for the 25-year-old’s signature, alongside the north Londoner’s reluctance to pay his full €120m – £103m – release clause, means he could leave Naples for as little as €90m – £77m – in the summer.
While this is brilliant news for Arteta and the fans, it could spell trouble for Jesus.
So, if the Gunners can get this deal over the line in the summer, how does Osimhen compare to his potential rival?
Well, when it comes to pure goalscoring, there really isn’t much competition at all. In his 24 games this season, he’s found the back of the net 13 times, while Jesus has scored just eight times in his 26 games this season.
|
Victor Osimhen vs Gabriel Jesus from 2022/23 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Osimhen |
Jesus |
|
Appearances |
63 |
59 |
|
Goals |
44 |
19 |
|
Assists |
9 |
12 |
|
Goal Involvements per Match |
0.84 |
0.52 |
|
All Stats via Transfermarkt |
||
It’s an even more one-sided comparison when looking at the pair’s numbers from last season, as in his 39 games, the “world-class” sensation, as described by José Mourinho, scored 31 goals, whereas the former Manchester City ace managed just 11 in his 33 games.
That said, the São Paulo-born dynamo does have the edge when it comes to assists, providing 12 since the start of last year compared to Osimhen’s nine over the same period.
However, with the Gunners looking for a clinical marksman to take advantage of the countless chances created by their fluid attacking unit, this slightly lower return of assists is unlikely to be an issue.
Ultimately, Jesus is an incredibly talented footballer. With his ability to play out wide, he’ll almost certainly have a role under Arteta, regardless of the club’s transfer business.
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Yet, if the Gunners can bring the Nigerian superstar to the Emirates, there’s no doubt he’ll become the outright number nine for the foreseeable future.
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Tottenham are now eyeing one club's star midfielder this summer as they become increasingly likely to lose him for nothing.
As the future of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg seems far away from Spurs, with the Dane's contract expiring next year, it is believed that Ange Postecoglou could look to shore up his midfield with a replacement more suited to his style.
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Hojbjerg has featured very regularly under Postecoglou and made real contributions, but the vast majority of his appearances have come from the substitute's bench. Fabrizio Romano backs that the 28-year-old could depart N17 in search of more game time.
In terms of the names linked to potentially succeed Hojbjerg ahead of 2024/2025, the likes of Chelsea star Conor Gallagher are attracting interest from Spurs.
Atalanta midfielder Ederson and Everton's James Garner have also been mentioned as Tottenham targets in the last two months, with technical director Johan Lange seemingly shortlisting Gallagher alternatives in the event he signs a new Chelsea deal.
"Garner is probably a Gallagher alternative that Tottenham might look at," said journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport in February.
"Obviously, it's very early days to be analysing the summer transfer window. We know that Tottenham are still waiting to see if Conor Gallagher does become available because there is a feeling still that he might and the longer that contract situation goes on, the longer they will believe that something might be able to happen. But if Conor Gallagher does end up signing a contract extension, they need to have a list of names they immediately turn to. And I guess James Garner kind of fits the profile somewhat so yeah, an interesting one to look out for."
You cannot rule out new targets appearing on a weekly basis as we slowly approach the summer window's opening, and a name now being floated by the press is Leicester City midfielder Wilfried Ndidi.
The 53-cap Nigerian has made 26 Championship appearances this season, scoring two goals and five assists. These numbers would be greater if he hadn't been ruled out from December-March through injury, with Ndidi contributing effectively during Leicester's chase for promotion.
|
Wilfried Ndidi's best Championship games for Leicester City |
Match Rating (via WhoScored) |
|---|---|
|
Leicester City 4-0 Plymouth |
7.94 |
|
Leicester City 3-0 Preston |
7.89 |
|
Southampton 1-4 Leicester City |
7.65 |
|
Leicester City 1-0 Bristol City |
7.43 |
|
Blackburn Rovers 1-4 Leicester City |
7.41 |
The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season, and according to HITC, Tottenham are a potential landing spot for him this summer.
Indeed, Leicester are "increasingly likely" to lose Ndidi for nothing, and this has alerted Lange and co. Spurs are said to be eyeing a free move for Ndidi alongside a host of other top-flight sides, and he could be a cost-effective option to succeed Hojbjerg.
“He is an incredible player," said former Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers.
"The offensive players get the credit but he does the dirty work. He has this brain for the game, where he can smell danger and always finds himself there. The timing of his challenge is very good and he’s up there with the top players at winning the ball back."
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Ever since Didier Drogba left Chelsea in 2012, and then again in 2015, they have struggled to replace the legendary Ivorian striker. There have been many different number nine signings at Stamford Bridge, brought in to try and fill the void left by Drogba, although few have been successful.
The best replacement Chelsea found for their former centre-forward was Diego Costa, who was a deadly marksman during his time at Stamford Bridge. Costa scored 52 Premier League goals in just three years and won two Premier League titles in that time, although one was whilst Drogba returned to the club on a season-long loan deal in 2014/15.
Part of Chelsea’s issue has been the fact that they either brought in big-name players who were at a bit of a crossroads in their careers, such as Radamel Falcao or Gonzalo Higuain, or paid extortionate amounts for the likes of Alvaro Morata, who cost the club £60m.
In actual fact, the likes of Olivier Giroud, who was also a great player during his time at Stamford Bridge, were smart investments. They paid just £18m for Giroud from Arsenal in January 2018, and he scored 39 goals for the club.
However, arguably Chelsea’s biggest miss on the striker market came in August 2021 when they broke their then-club record transfer fee to bring back a former player.
The player in question here is Romelu Lukaku, whom Chelsea broke their club record deal to sign for £97.5m from Inter. However, the Belgian's time at Chelsea did not work out how either party would have envisaged.
In his only season back at Stamford Bridge, he scored just eight Premier League goals and gave a controversial interview to Sky in Italy, where he said he was “not very happy with the situation” at Chelsea. The Belgian promptly left the club on loan the following season to return to Inter, before spending this season on loan at Roma.
Now, according to a recent report from RomaPress, Lukaku wants to remain in the Italian capital beyond this season, having “bonded with all his teammates and with Daniele De Rossi”, with boss De Rossi thought to be “happy to have Lukaku at his disposal again next year”.
Considering Lukaku’s toxic history at Stamford Bridge, and the fact he struggled in front of goal for the Blues, it certainly makes sense for a deal to be struck with Roma. Mattioli explained that Chelsea are willing to do “a discount or loan renewal” for Lukaku.
Whilst a loan seems like the most likely option, Lukaku’s value is estimated to be £34m according to the report. That's a seismic loss of £63m on their initial investment with it now looking like he's played his last game for the west Londoners.
As such, Chelsea may want to recoup some of the money they paid for him and reinvest it in a new centre forward to finally replace Drogba.
There are two main strikers Chelsea could invest the money from a potential deal involving Lukaku in; Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres. There have been links to both players, each for a similar price tag.
According to Goal.com, Sporting want £86m for striker Gyokeres, after previously stating the £73m Chelsea initially wanted to pay the Sweden international is not enough to complete a deal.
Gyokeres would certainly be a good option for the Blues this summer. He is having a stellar season for Sporting and has scored 38 goals in 45 games, as well as registering 16 assists. His game is very refined, and he is as good a creator as a goalscorer, which would add an extra threat to Chelsea’s attack.
The other option the Blues have is Napoli striker Osimhen. According to TEAMtalk, Nigeria international Osimhen would be ready to agree on a deal with Chelsea, should they match his £112m release clause value.
Like Gyokeres, Osimhen is having an excellent season. Although he missed a large part of the season due to AFCON in the New Year, he has scored 15 goals and has four assists in 28 games. In Osimhen, Chelsea would be signing one of the best finishers in world football, who is deadly in the box, with great instinct in front of goal, exactly what they have missed this season.
Should the Blues decide to sell Lukaku and invest the money to help fund a new striker, both of the above targets would be a great option. This is ultimately thanks to their clinical goalscoring nature, which is something Chelsea have been crying out for all season. Perhaps signing one of the pair could be the catalyst for Pochettino's men to climb the table and return to their former glory.
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Newcastle United travel to face Burnley at Turf Moor this afternoon, looking to build on the 5-1 hammering of Sheffield United at St James' Park last weekend.
Goals from Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson, Bruno Guimaraes and an own goal from Ben Osborn secured the win for Eddie Howe's side, keeping the Magpies' slim hopes for European football next season alive.
The club have the opportunity to make it back-to-back wins against another relegation-threatened side when they face Vincent Kompany's side, who have a slim chance of staying up this season.
However, if Howe's side are to secure all three points, they will have to do it without experienced centre-back Fabian Schar, who limped off with a hamstring issue during last weekend's victory against the Blades, with the Magpies boss confirming it's unlikely he will feature again this season.
The Swiss international's setback sees him join Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles on the sidelines, with Howe potentially having a dilemma on who should replace the 32-year-old for the trip to Lancashire.
That being said, we take a look at three potential players who could partner Dan Burn this afternoon…
1. The Obvious Choice
Swedish defender Emil Krafth has enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence under Howe in the first-team due to the club's injury problems, featuring 13 times in the Premier League this season.
His appearance tally has drastically increased from last campaign, where the defender only managed one singular league appearance – coming on as a last-minute substitute in the 3-3 draw with Manchester City.
However, like Lascelles and Botman, he suffered an ACL tear that would see him miss the vast majority of the season, before catapulting himself back into contention in recent months.
Before last weekend, the 29-year-old was on a run of four consecutive Premier League starts, but Schar's hamstring issue saw the right-back feature in a slightly unnatural central role.
However, he's been a dependable figure in among the chaos at St James' Park, with Howe likely to rely on his experience once more this weekend.
The Younger Alternative
After bringing him off the bench last weekend, Magpies boss Howe could hand youngster Alex Murphy a first Premier League start given the club's injury woes.
The 19-year-old joined the club from Irish side Galway United during the summer of 2022, with Murphy joining Newcastle's academy side upon his arrival.
Murphy, who can play left-back and centre-back, has made seven appearances for Newcastle's U21 side in the Premier League 2 this season, whilst also being included in the first-team squad for the warm-weather training camp in Saudi Arabia.
However, the Magpies boss handed him a rare opportunity against Wilder's side at St James' Park, but didn't get the opportunity to flourish in his few minutes off the bench.
The "impressive" defender, as branded by Newcastle Chronicle writer Mark Carruthers, deserves the opportunity between now and the end of the campaign to impress the fans – potentially allowing him to make more first-team appearances in 2024/25.
The Wildcard Option
Although Cathal Heffernan is yet to make his senior debut on Tyneside, the promising youngster has played an important role in the club's youth squad since joining.
After arriving from Italian side AC Milan last summer, the 19-year-old centre-back has made 23 appearances for various youth levels, scoring on three occasions, including against the Italian side in the UEFA Youth League.
It would certainly be a shock to see the Irish defender be handed his first opportunity in the Magpies' first-team this weekend, but given the current injury situation at the club, it could be the perfect opportunity for Heffernan to prove his talents.
Newcastle have given multiple chances this season to youngsters Lewis Miley and Elliot Anderson, who have made giant steps and cemented their places as regular players within Howe's squad.
Howe should look to repeat his decision with Heffernan, with the club and the youngster potentially reaping the rewards of putting their faith in the youngsters, with the Irishman having the potential to be the next academy breakthrough into Howe's side.
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