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Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is wanted by Arsenal this summer, according to an intriguing update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

Is Gundogan leaving Man City?

The 32-year-old has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this season, producing some magnificent performances for the newly-crowned champions. He has been lauded as "exceptional" by manager Pep Guardiola, scoring nine goals and registering six assists, in all competitions.

There has been plenty of talk surrounding Gundogan's future at the Etihad, however, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season, and an extension not yet being signed. A move to Barcelona has been mooted, with the German possibly wanting one more big move at this stage in his career.

Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding the silky City star's next step, with Premier League title rivals Arsenal seemingly in the mix to sign him.

Could Arsenal snap up Gundogan?

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, The Athletic's Ornstein claimed that the Gunners are interested in making a move for Gundogan in the summer window:

"Arsenal trying to sign Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan. Arteta wants 32yo if Xhaka goes. Fresh attempts will be made to keep him at #MCFC + other options. #AFC additionally pushing hard for Rice & Mount + renewed efforts to secure Nwaneri."

Losing Gundogan would be a big blow for City this summer, with his influence highlighted so much in recent months, and his performances going up another gear. He has arguably been as good as anyone since the turn of the year, Erling Haaland included, and the £140,000-a-week ace is someone who will hopefully decide to commit his future to the club.

Leaving for Arsenal wouldn't make a great amount of sense, considering Guardiola's men have ended up blowing the Gunners away in the title race, and it would feel like a step down, at a point where Gundogan still feels like someone performing at the peak of his powers.

The hope is that he eventually decides that signing at extension at the Etihad is the sensible option, hopefully even seeing out the rest of his career there, and further cementing his legendary status at the club in the process. He has already done so much good, making 301 appearances and famously scoring the title-clinching goal against Aston Villa last season, and there is still more to come from him.

Arsenal are reportedly already looking ahead to the summer transfer window as the 2022/23 campaign comes to a close later this month.

The Gunners have enjoyed an expectation-exceeding season, with a top-two finish and Champions League football confirmed, Mikel Arteta’s side can still win the Premier League title, should Manchester City drop points in their remaining fixtures.

Not many at the club would’ve predicted the success this year would bring, however a lot of room for improvement remains, with a lack of squad depth seriously tainting title hopes in north London following defensive injuries.

The absence of Takehiro Tomiyasu and particularly William Saliba left Arteta with little cover in defence and a lack of quality to fill the void the Frenchman left in central defence.

Ahead of the summer transfer window, the Gunners have been linked to a number of potential signings, with news emerging this week that another former City star could join the ranks in north London.

What’s the latest on Joao Cancelo to Arsenal?

According to 90min, Arsenal are one of the clubs monitoring Joao Cancelo’s future in the summer.

Currently on loan at Bayern Munich after making a swift exit from Pep Guardiola’s plans at the Etihad, the £250k-per-week star is 'unlikely' to be reintegrated into the Spaniard’s squad next season.

The Bundesliga champions are reportedly against paying the €70m (£61m) fee to sign the right-back on a permanent basis, according to renowned transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

90min, meanwhile, understands that Arteta is a fan of the versatile defender, who he believes would 'slot nicely' in his plans and tactical system heading into next season.

What could Joao Cancelo bring to Arsenal?

Once lauded by former City man Paul Dickov as “sensational” and being “right up there” with the best full-backs in the world, there is little doubting the quality Cancelo can produce.

After a tough year of unexpected change and being in and out of squads, the Portuguese has maintained a high level of performance among Europe’s elite, as shown by his numbers below, via FBref.

In terms of fitting into Arsenal’s young team, the experienced full-back could challenge the similarly versatile Ben White for a spot at right-back, and fits Arteta’s plans of having an attack-minded maestro, capable of playing as an inverted full-back in central midfield – a la Oleksandr Zinchenko but on the right.

As speculated by Football Insider, the Spaniard reportedly has an idea for a central role for the English defender mapped out, potentially leaving a vacancy at right-back for a player such as Cancelo to fill.

The 28-year-old wide player has similarities to White’s game, as shown through his statistics per 90 this season, as per FBref.

White averages 1.76 tackles per 90, as well as a huge 7.18 progressive passes per 90, showing his involvement going forward and transitioning play.

Cancelo top’s the England star for both, with 2.12 tackles per 90, as well as reading the game as an attacking full-back expertly by averaging 7.20 progressive passes per 90 – placing him in the top 3% for this area among Europe’s top five leagues in his position.

There’s no denying the talent the Portuguese star has in his locker, can Mikel Arteta be the one to settle the full-back after a challenging year?

That remains to be seen, though what is clear is the fact that Cancelo can be a mighty signing for the Gunners during the off-season and one that could either rival White or aid their defensive frailty.

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be named Chelsea's new manager by the end of this week, according to a fresh update regarding the Blues' next boss.

Is Pochettino taking charge at Chelsea?

It is no hidden secret that the 51-year-old will take charge at Stamford Bridge next, following a tumultuous season on and off the pitch in west London. Both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have been sacked during the campaign, while Frank Lampard has struggled in a caretaker role since replacing the latter.

He won't be Chelsea manager any longer than the end of this season, with Pochettino picked out as the best possible candidate to come in and turn the Blues' fortunes around. The Argentine did an excellent job as Tottenham boss, guiding them to the 2019 Champions League final, and he also won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain last season.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding when the ex-Spurs man will officially be appointed at Stamford Bridge – it looks as though it will be sooner rather than later.

When will Pochettino be confirmed as manager?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea "will confirm their new manager by the end of this week, with Pochettino "expected to land the role" after a recent "breakthrough". Talks reached their "final stages" during discussions last week and he is "keen to take the reins" in west London. There are talks taking place over "backroom staff and other small, but important, details", but it now appears to be very close to being confirmed.

It will be great to finally unveil Pochettino before the end of the season, giving Blues supporters a renewed sense of hope, following such a taxing campaign. Granted, he may not take over until this summer, but just knowing that the deal is done and dusted will bring some much-needed positivity.

Pochettino looks like a great appointment, even though his stock has fallen a little since leaving Spurs – he didn't do a great job at PSG, failing in the Champions League like so many of their managers – but he is someone who possesses great man-management skills, plays an attacking brand of football and who generally carries himself with dignity.

The pressure will certainly be on from minute one, with so much work to do to get Chelsea back to the top of English football, but if Todd Boehly backs him in the transfer market and allows him to run things his way, the Blues could have a gem on their hands.

Everton had their four-game unbeaten run destroyed on their visit to Old Trafford in their Premier League clash with Manchester United, and Sean Dyche will be disappointed with the result as the pressure mounts on avoiding relegation.

The Toffees could fall back into the drop zone later this afternoon as a number of their rivals are in action this weekend, so it will be out of their hands as to whether they will keep their head above water or fall into deeper trouble before their next game.

Dyche opted for a change in formation against the Red Devils, deploying a 4-4-2 system instead of the successful 4-1-4-1 used in the draw against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week, and it massively back-fired with the Everton defence completely smothered by their hosts' attacking threat.

Everton failed to dominate any area of the pitch with just 36% possession, fewer shots on target (1 v 11) and fewer big chances created (1 v 8). Meanwhile, they completed 300 fewer accurate passes (233 v 533) and lost possession on more occasions (130 v 129), suggesting that the 2-0 defeat could have been much worse if United had been more clinical in front of goal (stats via Sofascore).

In the first half, the Toffees had only Jordan Pickford to thank for staying in the game as long as they did, as Erik ten Hag's side ran riot in the channels, which led to a whopping 21 shots against them as Scott McTominay eventually broke the stalemate with a goal in the 36th minute.

Dyche made a crucial change at half-time with Vitaliy Mykolenko replacing Ben Godfrey on the left flank after he struggled to keep up with Antony throughout the opening 45 minutes.

However, it wasn't the left side that the Everton boss had to worry about in the second half, as Seamus Coleman had an absolute howler which led to Anthony Martial's 71st-minute strike to kill the game.

How did Seamus Coleman get on vs Manchester United?

The Everton club captain has been a consistent feature in the team since Nathan Patterson suffered an injury earlier in the season and has become a trusted player since Dyche's arrival at Goodison Park in January.

However, today's display will be one the experienced £55k-per-week Irishman will want to forget about in a hurry, as his lack of concentration was severely punished and ultimately cost Everton the opportunity to get back into the game in the dying minutes of the clash.

Over his 87-minute performance, Coleman lost possession of the ball 17 times, failed to win any of his aerial duels and completed just 24 accurate passes, with 33% of his pass attempts misplaced – and made the horrendous error that led to Martial's goal.

Manchester Evening News' chief correspondent for Manchester United, Samuel Luckhurst, took to Twitter to make a scathing statement about Coleman's mistake:

"Not the first time Seamus Coleman has crumbled with Anthony Martial near him. Easy goal that should kill the contest."

Indeed, it was a costly mistake, but we think there will is little doubt that Dyche will continue to put his trust in the right-back over the remainder of the season, as his experience at the club will continue to be a valuable asset to Everton in their fight for survival.

Manchester United are set to return to Premier League action away to top-four rivals Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon, with Erik ten Hag's men gearing up for what will be yet another relentless run of fixtures over the coming weeks.

With the former Ajax boss set to see his squad depth tested to the extreme, the Dutchman will likely be anxious to see teenage sensation, Alejandro Garnacho return to the fold sooner rather than later, with the 18-year-old having sustained ankle ligament damage during the draw with Southampton in the club's last league game.

The expectation is that the Madrid-born speedster will be available for selection before the end of the campaign, although in the meantime, Ten Hag will have to make do without a player who has become something of a "game-changer" for the Red Devils, as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

Despite his relative youth, the Argentine international has already contributed nine goal involvements in all competitions so far this term, having looked "unstoppable" at times prior to his recent injury setback, according to pundit Darren Bent.

Such has been the youngster's impact at senior level to date, it would appear that the Old Trafford outfit are already intent on handing out a new, bumper new deal to the former Atletico Madrid asset, with another La Liga giant, Real Madrid, having been circling in recent times.

A long-term extension would seemingly be just reward for a player who has truly exploded onto the scene this season, with United left to feel that they truly hit the jackpot with the signing of the wing wizard, following what has been a remarkable, meteoric rise.

How much is Alejandro Garnacho worth now?

While it is still early days in Garnacho's Red Devils career, it already looks as if the Premier League side pulled off a true bargain deal when bringing the teen starlet to England back in 2020, having prised the 5 foot 11 man from the Spanish capital for a fee of just £420k.

It is clear to see that the exciting showman is already a far more valuable asset, with CIES Football Observatory now valuing him at around £18m, with that roughly 42 times more (4,185%) than what United initially paid for his services.

Not that Ten Hag will be contemplating a sale any time soon, with Garnacho having quickly cemented his status as a vital part of the 53-year-old's squad, notably netting at Elland Road last month, while also providing an assist for Marcus Rashford's winner in the Manchester derby back in January.

Those two moments, in particular, have illustrated that the emerging superstar is a truly fearless and confident individual, having shown no sign of nerves despite the often pressurised nature of competing in the senior set-up.

While there have been concerns over his attitude at times this season, Garnacho has swiftly earned the adulation of those at the Theatre of Dreams due to his direct and dynamic nature, possessing the ability to get the crowd off their feet with a moment of trickery or a penetrating run in behind.

There are, of course, still issues to iron out – with Ten Hag stating earlier this month that the forward needs to begin making more of an "impact as a starter" – yet last season's FA Youth Cup final hero is fast becoming a cult figure among the United support.

Everton suffered greatly under Frank Lampard, who despite being a personable and largely well-liked manager across Merseyside, was clearly not up to the monumental task this club presents.

It takes a very specific kind of manager to deal with the trials and tribulations of an outfit currently steeped in huge fan unrest, as alongside their undeniable devotion to supporting the team have come protests with regard to the board.

Sean Dyche, with his steely resolve and matter-of-fact personality, has already made it clear that he does not want to associate himself with politics; instead he has focused on changing the fortunes of a struggling side that seemed destined for the drop.

Adding another layer of solidity was his first port of call, as he opted to pack out the midfield in a divergence from the 4-4-2 everyone thought he would employ.

Given the lack of fit strikers at the club, the former Burnley boss has instead opted to use the physical prowess of Abdoulaye Doucoure to press alongside a sole forward, with his work rate making him the perfect mould for such a role. Given how the Mali international struggled in the first part of the season, he has been reignited under this new leadership.

How is Abdoulaye Doucoure playing?

Having been signed by Carlo Ancelotti, the £20m midfielder came with rave reviews from Watford as an offensive threat from the engine room with a physique that made him unlike few others in his position.

He could score and he could assist, but most importantly he boasted a work rate that rivalled most in the Premier League.

Whilst those first two assets have seldom been seen at Goodison Park, with only flashes of the French-born midfielder's goalscoring prowess across his three years at the club, it seems this new role has unlocked him offensively whilst he upholds the system with his pressing.

In the last three matches, the 30-year-old has scored twice and assisted two more, playing key roles in earning vital points on the road to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest and a refreshed Chelsea.

He truly has been "reborn" under Dyche, as writer Peter Guy put it after they claimed a huge victory over the league leaders Arsenal.

To think that Doucoure nearly left in January too, as his feud with Lampard nearly reached breaking point. Before his sacking, the £120k-per-week dynamo had started just twice in all competitions under the former Chelsea man, yet he has now become an important cog in the system that seems to be slowly guiding them towards safety.

With an international break now on the horizon, it offers ample time for further teaching from the new boss who seems far more assured than his predecessor in keeping the Toffees in the division.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Jacob Greaves heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Jacob Greaves to Aston Villa?

According to the Daily Mail, the Villans are eyeing up the Hull City central defender with a view to a potential swoop for the youngster at the end of the season.

The report claims that fellow Premier League sides Nottingham Forest and Brentford are both keen on the centre-back, who has caught the eye of top-flight scouts this term.

It is stated that the Englishman is valued at around £7m by the Championship outfit but it remains to be seen whether or not NSWE will lodge an offer for him.

Could Jacob Greaves be the heir to Tyrone Mings’ throne?

Unai Emery could land the dream heir to Tyrone Mings’ position on the left of his centre-back pairing by swooping to sign the Hull star in the summer.

The current Villa defender has been a solid performer at the back for the club in the Premier League this season. He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.80 across 21 starts and won 59% of his duels, which shows that the enforcer has been fairly efficient in his defensive work.

Mings has made the step up to the top flight in recent seasons after catching the eye for the Villans in the Championship in the second half of the 2018/19 campaign under Dean Smith. The England international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.03 and won 67% of his battles across 15 outings in the second tier and has since gone on to play 126 times in the Premier League for the club.

Greaves – a left-footed centre-back – could make the same transition based on his impressive form for Hull this season. The 22-year-old, who is seven years younger than the Villa star, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 in 33 Championship outings for the Tigers and won 64% of his duels.

He has also made 3.7 tackles and interceptions and 3.8 clearances per game – compared to Mings’ 2.2 and four per match at that level – and this shows that the battler is able to consistently cut out opposition attacks with his defensive strength and positioning.

At the age of 22, Greaves is a young player with the potential to develop and improve – with ex-boss Grant McCann stating that he is “going to be special”. Indeed, that may well mean that Emery could bring the battler in as a long-term signing with the view to him taking over from Mings in the future.

His performances for Hull this season are similar to the ones that the Villa enforcer produced during his time in the Championship with Smith’s side and the Tigers star could, therefore, have the quality to make the step up to the Premier League, as his compatriot did.

Conor McGilligan doesn’t believe Nuno Espirito Santo would be interested in staying with Leeds United in the Championship.

The Lowdown: Leeds remain managerless

Despite seeing clubs around them all change managers in the last few months, Leeds and Victor Orta have seen it fit to sack Jesse Marsch without having a ready-made replacement waiting to jump into the hot seat.

After failing to land either Arne Slot or Andoni Iraola, Orta decided to place his trust in Michael Skubala for the two biggest games of the clubs season in the form of Everton- which they lost – and seemingly he will be in the dugout next weekend against Southampton.

However, given the manner of defeat yesterday against Everton it should come as no surprise if Leeds decided to move for a linked manager with more experience in the form of former Wolves boss Espirito Santo.

The Latest: Nuno Espirito Santo being linked

McGilligan was asked on his YouTube channel if Nuno would look to stay around at Leeds if he was appointed but then failed to keep them in the top flight and he was far from convinced that would be the case.

He said: (32:15) “I don’t know Nuno as a person, I think his stock is a little bit too high to go back to the Championship. He was obviously trying to build his stock when he was at Wolves, then got into the Premier League and [achieved] two consecutive seventh-place finishes and left when they were 13th or 14th.

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“I think his stock is too high at the minute to go down, I know he’s been in Saudi Arabia but he could just get another gig like that again, get paid a ridiculous amount of money, and ride off into the sunset but I don’t know his character.”

The Verdict: Orta must make an appointment

It would be a slight risk from Leeds to appoint Espirito Santo given that he’s been managing out in Saudi Arabia since July 2022, so may take a while to get him back up to speed with the tactical demand of the Premier League.

Also, the fact that his last job in England was far from a success as he was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur after just 10 league games in charge but he does indeed have Premier League experience which will appeal to Leeds.

No matter what though, Victor Orta should be looking to appoint someone very quickly with Premier League experience and perhaps even Championship experience so they have a contingency plan if the worst does indeed happen.

Diogo Jota is expected to return to full training for Liverpool at some point next week, following a positive update from journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Jota out vs Wolves

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds make the trip to Molineux this weekend for another vital Premier League game, with a quick turnaround in form now essential in the top-four battle.

Liverpool will be hoping to bounce back from their FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton last Sunday, in what has the potential to be a tricky afternoon.

Someone who won’t be able for the game is former Molineux favourite Jota, who hasn’t featured since back in October, but a positive update has emerged regarding the forward.

The Latest: Jota timeline

Taking to Twitter, journalist Neil Jones confirmed that Jota will be back in full training next week:

“Klopp says Diogo Jota had a full session with the team this week. ‘I think he will be back in normal training next week.'”

The Verdict: Big boost for Klopp

This is a massive boost for Liverpool ahead of a crucial upcoming run of fixtures, with Jota someone who Jurgen Klopp has described as an ‘exceptional’ player.

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The £140,000-a-week Portuguese forward has been a regular contributor of end product since arriving from Wolves in the summer of 2020, scoring 34 goals and registering 14 assists in 93 appearances.

Jota’s return will help take the burden off Mohamed Salah, whose form has suffered of late – he has only scored once in his last seven appearances –  and suddenly provide Klopp with an extra option capable of playing across the attack.

If he was available for the home clash with Everton a week on Monday it would be ideal for Liverpool, giving him time to hit his stride before the Champions League tie with Real Madrid later this month.

Alasdair Gold believes that Harry Kane is very open to staying at Tottenham Hotspur – but only on the correct terms.

The Lowdown: Still hope for Spurs

With Harry Kane now into the final 18 months of his contract, the striker has a decision to make as to what he wants his career to be remembered for. Is it being a Spurs and Premier League one-club legend, or does he go somewhere and win silverware?

Kane has been very loyal to Spurs over the years and is now the club’s joint-top scorer of all time alongside Jimmy Greaves, and despite interest from clubs such as Manchester United and Bayern Munich, he could be in line to extend his stint with Tottenham.

The Athletic has recently reported that Kane is very much open to extending his stay at Spurs, which will be music to the ears of fans and Daniel Levy, although Gold doesn’t believe it’s completely straightforward.

The Latest: Pressure now on Daniel Levy

Gold has claimed on his YouTube channel that Kane has passed the emphasis onto Levy in contract talks as he is open to staying if the club can meet his ambitions.

He said: “Everyone that I’ve spoken to around him or that knows him says that he’s very focused on the now at the moment and getting Spurs into the top four, try and hopefully win an FA Cup and also progress in the Champions League.

“But everyone I’ve spoken to has said the same thing, that he would be open to discussing the right contract with Tottenham if the club do open talks as expected in the weeks after the transfer window closes.

“So that’s exactly what the Spurs fans want to hear and I also think it’s actually quite clever manoeuvring and positioning from his camp, I think it’s quite clever in that regard as well because it piles the pressure on Levy and the club, it absolutely does.

“It’s pretty much saying ‘ok, Harry will sign a deal if the deal is right and he senses that the club is progressing and showing the ambition that he wants to show’.”

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The Verdict: Kane looking to stay at Tottenham

It will be huge for Spurs if their star man and record goalscorer decided to extend his stay beyond next summer, as it shows his loyalty and commitment to finally bringing some much-needed silverware to Tottenham.

However, if Spurs were to finish without a trophy this season, finish outside of the top four and lose Antonio Conte at the end of the campaign, that certainly wouldn’t be a sign of the club being ambitious.

Therefore, it is indeed now all down to Levy to back Antonio Conte in the transfer market and get the Italian to commit his own future to the club, as that would perhaps be the biggest sign of Spurs moving in the right direction to keeping Kane, otherwise, they could lose one of their greatest-ever strikers.