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Fabrizio Romano has claimed Arsenal are still interested in signing Declan Rice this summer.

The Lowdown: Arsenal will look to strengthen in the summer

Earlier this year, Arsenal were credited as one of the frontrunners to make a move for Rice as he was seemingly interested in the Gunners’ project and what Mikel Arteta has been able to build at the Emirates Stadium.

Rice has long been linked with a move away from West Ham United,

with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea also said to be keen on the England international, but given they’ve recently signed Casemiro and Enzo Fernandez respectively, Arsenal could now be in pole position.

The Gunners could be on their way to lifting their first Premier League trophy since 2004 under Arsene Wenger, but to be continuously playing at the right end of the table for all of the top honours, including the Champions League, this squad will need to be improved upon in the transfer market.

The Latest: Rice will leave West Ham at the end of the season

Romano has been speaking about Rice’s future on his YouTube channel, where he confirmed the midfielder will be looking to leave this summer amid Arsenal’s continued interest in the star.

He said: “Many of you are always asking me about him, because I can confirm it’s true that many clubs still love Declan Rice; he is super appreciated on the market.

“Arsenal, internally, they really appreciate the player and discussed Declan Rice as one of the players they like in that position.

“At the moment, nothing has been discussed with West Ham, and a lot will depend on West Ham how much they will ask [for] in the summer.

“Summer 2023 is going to be the opportunity for Declan Rice to try something different.”

The Verdict: Arteta could land gem in Rice

If Arsenal were able to add someone of Rice’s experience, ability and pedigree in the game to their midfield alongside players such as Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka, it would be a monumental piece of business.

Rice is a very experienced midfield general despite his age, which can only be a good sign of what his potential could be for this Arsenal side thriving under Arteta compared to being part of a struggling West Ham outfit.

However, he certainly won’t come cheap, with David Moyes previously claiming that Rice would cost any potential suitor a British transfer record fee – and this would go well beyond the most Arsenal have ever paid for a single player, so this deal could test Edu’s resolve.

Arsenal regained their five-point lead atop the Premier League table with a convincing victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.

A hat-trick of assists from Leandro Trossard across a 25-minute spell in the first half sent the Gunners on their way, the first coming after the home side had an own goal ruled out for offside.

Gabriel Magalhaes headed home from a corner before his namesake, Gabriel Martinelli, also found the net with a header before Martin Odegaard displayed immense composure inside the penalty box to make it 3-0 right on the break.

The Belgian dynamo was certainly a standout player, earning Sky Sports’ pick for ‘Player of the Match.’ However, the performance from William Saliba deserved just as many plaudits as Mikel Arteta’s men finally kept a clean sheet.

Who was Arsenal’s best player vs Fulham?

Hailed as a “Rolls-Royce” by commentator Alan Smith during the match, the France international was an absolute rock at the back, helping to thwart the tricky test of Aleksandar Mitrovic, as well as players like Andreas Pereira and Manor Solomon, all of whom have led the Cottagers to eighth place.

Saliba, who cost the north Londoners around £27m, was at the heart of everything and he was unfortunate to not get on the scoresheet himself as one of his long-range efforts came very close to flying in – Vincent Kompany-esque.

Indeed, the 21-year-old registered more touches (90) than any other Arsenal player and that translated into 64 passes, which were delivered at a 90% accuracy rate. He was also successful in 100% of his dribbling attempts, via Sofascore.

As part the backline to keep Arsenal’s first shutout in three outings, Saliba contributed a lot defensively, managing to win 83.3% of his aerial duels whilst also putting in seven clearances, four tackles, two blocks and one interception, which kind of lives up to Smith’s aforementioned and glowing tag of being a “Rolls-Royce.”

The former Arsenal striker wasn’t the only person to provide superlatives to describe his outing in west London either – Fabrizio Romano dubbed him “perfect,” meanwhile journalist Sam Dean described him as “outstanding.”

Alongside Trossard, the Frenchman was also one of many to steal the show over at Craven Cottage.

AND in other news, Cost £0, now worth £44m: Arsenal have hit the jackpot on “extraordinary” 5 ft 8 dynamo…

Glasgow Rangers are still in agent contact to bring Morgan Whittaker to the Scottish Premiership this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Failed January move

In January, Michael Beale admitted that the Swansea City winger was a target that was on his radar, with the player even having agreed personal terms to make the move to Ibrox.

The Light Blues reportedly saw three different offers worth up to £2m rejected but there was hope after he was left out of his side’s matchday squad towards the end of the window.

Journalist Jordan Campbell later revealed that the 22-year-old wouldn’t be leaving Wales due to Russell Martin’s shortage of numbers, but it sounds like the boss is ready to take a second bite at the cherry.

The Latest: Rangers still in contact

According to Football Insider, Rangers ‘remain in pursuit’ of Whittaker despite their three failed attempts to secure his signature last month.

The Teddy Bears are still ‘in contact’ with the 6 foot 2 colossus’ representative as they start to ‘plot a fresh move’ ahead of the summer.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Whittaker spent the first half of the 2022/23 season out on loan at Plymouth Argyle, and given how much he excelled, Rangers completing this deal is a no-brainer of a decision to make.

The Derby-born talent clocked up 16 goal contributions in 25 League One appearances where he was averaging 3.1 shots per 90 minutes (WhoScored).

The Swans starlet would also offer Beale plenty of versatility given his ability to operate in three various positions, making him a useful option to have in the building.

Finally, Whittaker has been described as a ‘flamboyant’ player and even likened to Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez by talent scout Jacek Kulig so he would be a hugely exciting signing for the future of the club.

Journalist John Gibson has shared his concerns over the worrying form of Newcastle United’s number nine Callum Wilson.

The Lowdown: Newcastle struggling for goals

Since joining from Bournemouth in the summer of 2020 Wilson has been a very reliable goal scorer for Newcastle, although he has never been one to stay fit for a prolonged period of time.

However, that appears to have been flipped on its head with Wilson now seemingly able to stay fit, he’s featured in the last seven games across all competitions but hasn’t found the back of the net since October.

In fact, club-record signing Alexander Isak who is yet to start a game since he returned from injury, has scored more goals than Wilson having netted the winner against Fulham at St James’ Park, whereas Wilson’s most recent display against Southampton saw him complete just one dribble.

The Latest: Wilson has to step up

While Eddie Howe has admitted he still has confidence in Wilson, the same can’t be said for Gibson who admitted he is worried about Wilson on the Everything is Black and White podcast.

He said: “I remain worried about Callum Wilson, I think Callum Wilson is not yet the Callum Wilson we have known all the time he’s been at St James’ Park.

“We’ve always prided the fact that in the past whenever Callum Wilson has been out injured he’s come back into the team and unbelievably hasn’t needed matches to get up to pace, he’s come back in the team and almost hit the ground running every time he’s come back in.

“This time, he looks strangely lethargic, it’s nothing to do with I think his mind like Saint-Maximin, Maxi is confused about whether he’s got a future here or whether his future is elsewhere, Callum Wilson is all here but he hasn’t got that pace he’s shown, he’s not running the channels, he’s not getting behind, the ball not sticking with him and he’s not got that clinical ice-cold finish.”

The Verdict: Howe will be praying for Wilson’s form to return

With Isak likely to miss out this weekend due to the fact the striker seemingly showed signs of concussion after taking a James Ward-Prowse free kick to the face on Tuesday, Wilson has to step up.

The England international will know that he’s now got real competition for the centre-forward spot in the form of a £60 million Sweden international who’s scored three goals in just five league appearances.

Howe will be doing everything he can to get Wilson back on form and playing with confidence having worked with him for a number of years at Bournemouth and now on Tyneside, so if anyone can get him ticking again, it will be the Toon boss.

Since arriving to take the reins at Aston Villa in October, Spanish manager Unai Emery has been something of a revelation, winning five of the seven Premier League matches in the dugout and making shrewd moves to bolster the squad in the ongoing January transfer window.

With Steven Gerrard dismissed from his duties in October after a damaging 3-0 defeat to newly-promoted Fulham, the Claret & Blue hierarchy had decided to sever ties with the former Liverpool legend and prise Emery away from Villarreal; a manoeuvre that has thus far been a resounding success.

Villa have fallen to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and, more ignominiously, Stevenage in the FA Cup, but have won five of the seven league matches with Emery in the dugout, with the only defeat coming against Liverpool.

The promising early signs have been fortified by the acquisitions of left-back Alex Moreno and young forward Jhon Duran, with a further offensive bid looking likely before the conclusion of the ongoing January transfer window, but with recent information brought to light concerning Calum Chambers’ role in the squad, a defender might also be targeted.

With Chambers indeed considered expendable, Villa technical director Johan Lange would be wise to revisit the rumours linking Emery’s former Villarreal favourite Pau Torres to the club as a replacement, with the coveted colossus likely to represent a monumental upgrade for the Villan backline, with 90min linking the outfit to what be a seismic transfer a few weeks ago.

The £35m-rated defender would indeed be a “dream” signing, as dubbed by content creator Ryan Haber, with the exploits of the titan leaving him desired by the likes of FC Barcelona. 

Having made 156 appearances for the Yellow Submarine, including 105 under his former Spaniard head coach, Torres has exhibited his “extraordinary” nature – as labelled by his former coach Javi Calleja – and could indeed rise to stand as one of the Premier League’s most salient defenders if given a starring role in the Midlands. 

And having won the 2020/21 Europa League under Emery’s leadership, the opportunity to rekindle the relationship could be a factor that swings the odds in the favour of Villa Park.

As per FBref, the 26-year-old ranks within the top 5% for dribbles completed and the top 16% for progressive passes when compared to centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues – and with this in mind, the potential to bolster the collective fluidity and offensive drive from the heart of the Villan outfit could prove to be a catalyst for impactful change.

While landing a player of Torres’ calibre might appear to be fruitful thinking for many of the Villa faithful, it would embody the progressive transition that appears to be remoulding the clay at the ambitious Midlands outfit, and could indeed be a watershed moment for a football club striving to return to former glory and clinch silverware once again.

Tottenham Hotspur have a clearly defined way of playing under Antonio Conte, with the Italian a devout user of a three-at-the-back regime.

He utilised it to great effect to win the Premier League title with Chelsea, and then again to win Serie A with Inter Milan.

However, it seems like he is struggling to have the same transformative effect in north London, where he is yet to see huge progress despite having been in the job for well over a year now.

The 53-year-old has persisted with his formation and looked set to have secured an integral long-term star for right wing-back when he acquired Djed Spence in the summer.

However, with a surprising lack of game time, rumours have now begun suggesting the Lilywhites will once again enter the market for a full-back.

It seems that their dream man will be Pedro Porro, who has announced himself as one of Europe’s best attacking full-backs for Sporting Lisbon.

In fact, earlier this week it was reported that sporting director Fabio Paratici was just €11m short of the Spanish wing-back’s €45m (£40m) release clause that the Portuguese outfit are adamant must be met.

Regardless, progress seems to be being made.

Whilst Emerson Royal has his critics, his goal against Manchester City in midweek outlined exactly why he remains an asset to the club.

This is instead a deal that will likely spell the end of Matt Doherty’s career at Spurs, who has seen his play time dwindle. The Irish defender – who cost £15m under ex-boss Jose Mourinho – has just seven starts to his name this season and has hardly impressed when handed minutes.

The 31-year-old hardly poses an offensive threat anymore either, with just one goal and no assists whilst making 0.5 key passes per game, a poor return, via Sofascore.

Meanwhile, his potential successor already has 12 goal contributions this season and seems poised to obliterate his five goals and seven assists in all competitions from the campaign prior.

His attacking exploits have seen him lauded as a “special talent” by journalist Zach Lowy, to which Fabrizio Romano claimed he would be “perfect” for Spurs.

This is exacerbated in his underlying statistics, as when compared to other fullbacks in Europe he ranks in the top 1% for total shots, assists and touches in the attacking penalty area.

There are few that would fit the mould of a Conte player as perfectly as Porro, and his arrival would likely be majestic. However, Doherty would feel slightly aggrieved, as his time at the club would be forcefully drawn to a close.

Newcastle United have had a phenomenal start to their Premier League campaign and Eddie Howe will surely be delighted about the position his team has got themselves in after just 12 months since his arrival at St James’ Park.

The Magpies are currently third in the league table ahead of their return to action on Boxing Day against Leicester City – losing just one game over their first 15 outings.

Not even the most optimistic Newcastle supporter could have predicted how quickly the team has improved and climbed the table after being stuck at the bottom of the table this time last year.

Now the former AFC Bournemouth boss will take on the challenge of retaining Newcastle’s top-four spot and securing Champions League football over the second half of the season.

As a result, adding depth to the squad could be a wise move for Howe when the transfer market reopens next month as bolstering key areas of the pitch could boost Newcastle’s chances of competing on all fronts.

The North East club qualified for the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup earlier this week and remain in the FA Cup too, so bringing in some new players in January could help Howe rotate his team whilst maintaining the quality on the pitch.

One player who has been linked with a move to St James’ Park is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the Napoli winger could be just what the team needs to retain their successful run.

Over 12 Serie A appearances so far this season, Kvaratskhelia has scored six goals, registered five assists and created eight big chances, as well as averaging 2.8 shots per game, 1.9 key passes, 1.6 successful dribbles and 4.4 duels won per game.

The Georgia sensation – who was dubbed “cheeky” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp – ranks in the top 11% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots in total, assists and shot-creating actions, proving that he could be a huge prospect for Newcastle in the attacking threat.

Howe could even land his own Bukayo Saka with the signing of the 21-year-old talent as the Arsenal star is named as one of the most comparable players to Kvaratskhelia over the last 12 months, according to FBRef.

The wide-forward pair share many similarities in their output over the season so far including goal contributions (11 v 10), pass completion rate (77.3% v 78.3%), shot-creating actions (58 v 57) and goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (1.14 v 1.00).

With that being said, the signing of Kvaratskhelia – who is valued at an eye-watering €100m (£88m) – would be a great piece of business for Newcastle as they aim to continue their dominance in the top flight over the remainder of the season.

The Aston Villa faithful are quickly unearthing more and more optimism following the appointment of Unai Emery, with the Spaniard replacing the beleaguered Steven Gerrard at the helm.

Emery, being an esteemed manager holding a knack for drawing in silverware, has galvanised the Villa faithful with his appointment, with a host of big names now arising on the transfer front. 

Tammy Abraham is one such name, with the prolific forward kick-starting his career in the Championship with the club during the 2018/19 campaign, on loan from Chelsea.

Enjoying a marvellous campaign for AS Roma last year, Abraham has failed to replicate the same feats this term, with his untouchable spot in the squad now shifting to a stance that warrants lucrative bids for the forward, with reports from Italy now claiming that Villa may swoop. 

Emery’s next talisman

Signing the colossal forward will be no easy task, with his prowess in the box attracting the interest of the likes of Arsenal, who have been admirers of the player since his time at Chelsea.

When he played at Villa, Abraham scored 25 goals in 37 second-division appearances, earning himself a shot in Chelsea’s team the following year, where he continued to golden touch in front of goal with 18 strikes – including three in the Champions League – and three assists across 47 outings during the 19/20 season.

Having since signed for Jose Mourinho’s Roma in a £34m deal last summer, after slipping down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, Abraham served as the focal point and helped the team lift the Europa Conference League. 

Scoring 31 goals in 73 fixtures for I Giallorossi, the 25-year-old has transferred the spark he lit in England and created a fire in Italy, although with just four goals this term, he might be searching for a move back to his homeland. 

Praising Mourinho for turning him into a “monster”, Abraham would flourish at Villa Park if he put pen to paper and returned to the club that gave him the perfect start to his career. 

As per Sofascore, the talisman has mustered an average of 2.3 shots per game and created four big chances, despite not enjoying the same success this season in Serie A, and would provide Villa a consistent goal threat if he were indeed to sign. 

With three European trophies already under his belt, and a career steeped in goals, entwining him with Emery’s philosophy could be a match made in heaven.

Liverpool are currently sixth in the Premier League after a run of inconsistent performances in the top flight, and with so much uncertainty at Anfield, it is hard to predict what could be the next steps for the club.

In the last few weeks sporting director, Julian Ward has resigned from his position just six months after being appointed and reports have revealed that FSG are putting the club up for sale.

Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be looking for solutions to stabilise the situation on the pitch and will be keen to shift the attention onto improved performances on the pitch.

One way that the manager can achieve this is by identifying players that can become the next generation of success at the club, with many of Klopp’s squad formed over the last seven years either out of contract, moved on or coming to the latter stages of their career.

The midfield is demanding the highest urgency of refreshment, with Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all entering the last six months of their contract, whilst Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are well into their thirties.

This leaves Klopp with only Fabinho as his most experienced player in the centre of the pitch, alongside the likes of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, who are only just coming into their own on Merseyside.

Indeed, a youth revolution is desperately needed and one player who has been linked with a move to Anfield is Germany and Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala.

The talented 19-year-old is one of the hottest young prospects in football at the moment and his performances for Bayern this season have given reasoning for the attention the player has attracted.

Over 14 Bundesliga appearances, the £137m-rated ace – who was hailed a “handful” by journalist Joe Crann – has scored nine goals, registered six assists and created five big chances, as well as averaging 1.8 key passes, 1.1 tackles, 2.6 shots at goal and winning 4.4 duels per game.

Not only that, the youngster was given the huge responsibility of representing his national side at the World Cup in Qatar and showed glimpses of his capabilities and talents.

Over his three appearances in the competition, Musiala registered one assist, created one big chance and tallied up an 82% pass completion rate, whilst averaging 2.7 key passes, 4.0 shots at goal, 6.3 successful dribbles and winning 9.0 duels per game – with the youngster well and truel being Germany’s breakout star, despite their early exit from the competition.

With that being said, although Musiala may not possess the defensive or central profile of a midfielder that Liverpool need to sign immediately, there is no doubt that it will be hard for the powers at Anfield to ignore the player’s growing talent and what he could bring to the Liverpool team of the future.

Leeds United could still sack manager Jesse Marsch despite some improved form, according to Football Insider. 

The Lowdown: Leeds beaten at Spurs

Marsch’s side played their part in a thrilling Premier League encounter on Saturday afternoon, eventually losing 4-3 away to Tottenham.

The defeat came off the back of memorable victories away to Liverpool and at home to Bournemouth, with Leeds showing signs of a resurgence.

It has suggested that Marsch is doing enough to keep his job, although a fresh update suggests he should be worried.

The Latest: Sacking still possible

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey prior to the defeat in north London, the American is ‘still on shaky ground’.

Those high up at Leeds are reportedly ‘still not convinced’ that Marsch is the man to take the Whites forward and some ‘fear’ the club could be dragged into another relegation battle if they do not make a managerial change during the break.

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The Verdict: Matter of time?

Sadly for Marsch, it seems as if there is a lingering feeling of when and not if he is sacked unless a staggering run of form comes their way.

The fact that there is now a six-week break for the World Cup is arguably not a good thing for the 49-year-old, acting as a chance for the owners to make a possible change of manager.

Doing that would arguably feel unfair, though, considering the recent upturn in fortunes, and it would be nice for Leeds to show some loyalty to Marsch, at least until the end of the season. Whether or not the fans want that is up for debate, though, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him sacked.