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Former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor has urged Arsenal to complete more transfer business this summer. 

The lowdown: Edu on the march

So far, the Gunners have bolstered their ranks with the eye-opening additions of Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner and Marquinhos, as technical director Edu attempts to equip Mikel Arteta with all the tools required for a successful 2022/23 campaign.

Meanwhile, only Matteo Guendouzi, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Alexandre Lacazette have so far left the Emirates Stadium, with Eddie Nketiah opting to sign a new long-term contract in north London.

Despite the recruitment already achieved in N5, one pundit has suggested that there is still more work to be done if Arsenal are going to challenge in 2022/23…

The latest: ‘They need…’

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-Aston Villa frontman and regular talkSPORT contributor Agbonlahor has pinpointed the areas where he feels the North Londoners still need to strengthen.

He said: “For me, they need another winger. They were talking about Raphinha and it didn’t work out. Saka, Smith Rowe and Martinelli are very good players but they are young and will have a dip in form. Pepe hasn’t worked, they need one more.

“Then another midfielder. There was talk about [Youri] Tielemans but that’s gone quiet. Arsenal have still got business to do. Tierney’s got his injury problems at left-back. At right-back, I’m not so sure about Tomiyasu or Cedric.

“There are positions to be filled for Arsenal. If I was a betting man and nobody else signed any more players, I’d bet on Spurs to definitely finish above them next season.”

The verdict: More to come…

Last season, despite enjoying a much-improved campaign for the most part, Arteta’s charges finished two points outside the top four and an astonishing 24 adrift of Premier League champions Manchester City.

Therefore, in order to even begin to bridge that gap, a host of new arrivals were required and have so far been forthcoming.

However, as Agbonlahor correctly points out, there is still more to be done in order to compete with those teams around the Gunners, and adding Youri Tielemans would be a sensational piece of business.

Hailed as a ‘classy’ operator by journalist Joe Crann, the 25-year-old Belgian midfielder has been heavily linked with a switch to Arsenal. Having scored seven times across all competitions in 2021/22, he would add a much-needed ability to contribute in the final third which was severely lacking from the Gunners’ midfield last term, so he would appear to be an ideal recruit to target.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now dropped a big Newcastle United transfer claim on Moussa Diaby.

The Lowdown: Club-record move?

It has been reported that the St James’ Park outfit are now eyeing up a potential club-record move for Diaby in the summer transfer window.

It is not clear how much the Bayer Leverkusen winger would cost, but it is sure to surpass the £40m that they spent to sign Joelinton from Hoffenheim in 2019.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim

Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke has claimed that getting a deal for Diaby over the line would ‘be a huge statement of intent from the owners’ at Newcastle.

He outlined: “At Newcastle, we’re able to go and do that daily, it shows that they are serious contenders in transfer windows now and future transfer windows that they will be out there trying to sign the best players and I think, again, would be a huge statement of intent from the owners.”

The Verdict: Ambitious

Trying to lure Diaby to Tyneside would certainly be ambitious, but as O’Rourke says, it would represent a huge statement of intent from the Saudi ownership at St James’ Park.

Hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by reputable football analyst Statman Dave after a standout display against Borussia Dortmund in 2021, the Frenchman scored a sensational 17 goals and supplied a further 14 assists across all competitions last season (Transfermarkt), and would be sure to rip up the Premier League.

Magpies journalist Aaron Stokes claimed that the 23-year-old would be a ‘marquee’ signing for Newcastle and that the club would be ‘hitting the jackpot’ if they bring him in, adding that he has ‘electrifying pace’, is ‘good with both feet’ and is ‘fearless on the ball’.

If the Tynesiders were to sign Diaby, it would be sure to send a real statement to the rest of the English top flight.

Crystal Palace have faltered in contract talks in an effort to tie down their midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Football.London, who state that the midfielder looks set to leave Selhurst Park after no further progress was made in contract talks.

The Eagles had been trying to tie him down, but the parties had not been able to reach an agreement.

Palace had managed to agree to new contracts with four other players, however with Kouyate it now seems untenable.

Vieira will be gutted

The Senegalese midfielder earned a hero’s welcome upon his return from the African Cup of Nations, where he helped his side win the competition.

The 82-cap ace featured an impressive 27 times this season in the league for Patrick Vieira, and given his absence as he went away with his national team, it could be assumed this number would ordinarily be much higher.

It therefore makes his solid 6.85 average SofaScore rating all the more impressive, as he was clearly working relentlessly last season.

Having a player like him, who is comfortable with any role he is handed, is imperative for a team like Palace who relies on stability.

During the last campaign, Vieira labelled him “massively important” for his side, and also praised his role in Senegal’s cup win: “I knew how determined he was to win the competition… We will be really happy and proud for him.”

His defensive work both deputising at the back or in midfield is nothing short of exceptional, and his experience is priceless for the Eagles. He ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks and the 93rd percentile for clearances per 90 when compared to other midfielders.

It is therefore no surprise why the club wanted to ensure that the 32-year-old stayed at Selhurst Park for a little while longer.

As a result, supporters and Vieira alike will both be disappointed to see this stalwart leave on a free following his four years at the club.

AND, in other news: Reliable journo: CPFC set to complete 3rd transfer after Doucoure, Vieira will love it.

It is ‘likely’ that a bid for Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo will arrive at Ibrox and that a bidding war could ensue between Premier League clubs, according to popular insider The 4th Official.

The Lowdown: Aribo’s contract

After a successful season in the Premiership, the 25-year-old has attracted strong interest from a number of English top-flight sides.

The midfielder’s current deal at Ibrox expires at the end of next season, possibly forcing Rangers into selling the player this summer as a way of avoiding losing him on a free transfer next year.

Aribo has a current Transfermarkt valuation of £9m, so the Glasgow outfit will surely be desperate to yield a decent transfer fee from his possible departure.

The Latest: Bidding war?

According to The 4th Official, the insiders who first broke news of Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s move to Ibrox back in November, it seems likely that Crystal Palace will make a move for the Nigeria international, possibly sparking a bidding war for the Rangers gem.

Taking to Twitter, the insider claimed: “I spoke with several people close to action at Crystal Palace & it seems that a bid’s likely for Joe Aribo.

“Details inside as possibility of a bidding war for the Rangers midfielder cannot be ruled out with Aston Villa & Nottingham Forest also interested.”

The tweet included a snippet from The 4th Official’s Patreon which posed the question as to whether Palace could land him for £8m or the Light Blues would demand closer to £12m.

The Verdict: Big dilemma

When analysing Aribo’s underlying statistics, it makes sense as to why Van Bronckhorst’s side would be so reluctant to let their midfielder leave.

When compared with positional peers across Europe’s major leagues and continental tournaments over the past year, the 25-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile for aerial duels won, the 97th percentile for expected assists and the 95th percentile for interceptions and clearances (via FBRef).

However, having entered the last 12 months of his contract at Ibrox, there is a big risk that Aribo could leave the club on a free transfer next summer.

Therefore, depending on the offers received in the coming months, the Light Blues may have a significant dilemma to ponder.

Nottingham Forest are advancing on a deal to sign Mainz centre-back Moussa Niakhate this summer, journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Defensive additions needed?

As Steve Cooper gets his team ready for life in the Premier League, there is no denying that new signings are required to strengthen the squad.

Taiwo Awoniyi looks likely to be summer signing number one in a £17.5m deal from Union Berlin, with attention now turning to other positions.

While Forest were impressive defensively last season, conceding 40 times in 46 Championship matches, they are about to come up against a different level of attacking talent.

And it looks as though Cooper is focusing on acquiring a new centre-back, following a fresh transfer update.

The Latest: Forest eye up Niakhate move

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Romano claimed that Forest are working on a deal to bring Niakhate to the City Ground this summer:

“Nottingham Forest are also working to sign Moussa Niakhaté from Mainz – negotiations are advanced.”

The Verdict: Strong summer signing

Niakhate could be a perfect summer signing for Forest, bringing with him the type of defensive dominance that is required in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old started 29 Bundesliga games for Mainz last season, averaging 2.2 clearances and 1.9 aerial duel wins per game. He also scored four goals for good measure, which is an extra string to his bow at 6 foot 3.

The fact that Niakhate’s current Mainz deal expires next year means they may be willing to sell now, in order to receive a fee for him, making it an ideal situation for Cooper and Co to swoop in.

In other news, Romano has also dropped another key Forest transfer update. Read more here.

Recent reports have seen Scottish Champions Celtic linked with a move for Welsh youngster Rabbi Matondo, the former Manchester City man set to be yet another player with Etihad links to make the switch to Parkhead.

Currently on the books of Schalke – having joined from City in an £11.3m deal three years ago – the 21-year-old appears set for pastures new with just 12 months remaining on his existing deal having spent the most recent campaign on loan at Belgian outfit, Cercle Brugge.

With the Pro League side recently announcing that they won’t be making his move permanent – having opted against exercising the reported €3.5m (£3m) option to buy fee – the door has been opened for other potential suitors to make their move.

Although Premier League sides are believed to be sniffing around – notably Leeds United – those of a Hoops persuasion will be hoping that the “electrifying” starlet – as he has been dubbed by Ryan Giggs – will favour a move to the Glasgow outfit this summer.

Should the £3.6m-rated gem make the move in the current window, he could potentially form an explosive duo with the hero of the most recent campaign, Jota, with the Portuguese starlet believed to be “very close” to making his loan move permanent.

The 23-year-old plundered ten goals and a further ten assists in 29 Scottish Premiership games in last season’s triumphant campaign, having initially joined the Old Firm side on a temporary deal on deadline day last summer.

The fleet-footed star has dazzled with his speed and trickery on the flanks under manager Ange Postecoglou, with the former Yokohama boss potentially set to be able to form a lethal wing-duo should Matondo join him at Celtic Park prior to the start of next term.

It is a mouthwatering notion just thinking about the pair tearing defences apart down both flanks, with the two men also likely to provide high-quality entertainment for the home crowd, with the Welshman, in particular, having been dubbed “very exciting to watch” by journalist Ian Mitchelmore.

The £12k-per-week “wing wizard” – as he has been described by Alex Chaffer – proved just what an asset he can be during his loan stint in the 2021/22 campaign, netting ten goals and providing two assists in all competitions to show just a flavour of what he can produce if handed regular game time.

As Postecoglou’s men look to kick on again next term, having such a deadly attacking partnership in tow would no doubt help in their quest for even more glory.

IN other news, Deal Imminent: Celtic “very close” to big summer move, it’d be Ange’s best swoop yet…

Former Glasgow Rangers defender Alan Hutton has given his reaction to the links to bring Sunderland striker Ross Stewart to Ibrox. 

The lowdown: Gers’ interested

This comes as Rangers are heavily linked with a move for Stewart should Alfredo Morelos leave Ibrox this summer.

The 25-year-old frontman enjoyed a stellar campaign in League One and was an integral part of the side that earned promotion to the Championship via the playoffs.

Stewart is fast approaching the final 12 months of a deal in the North East of England and one invested onlooker has had his say on the potential move to Glasgow…

The latest: Hutton on Stewart

Speaking to Football Insider, regular BBC pundit and Rangers TV man Hutton suggested that the Scotsman could be a worthwhile addition but only alongside further transfers.

He said: “You’re going for Champions League football, that’s how high the bar is at this moment in time. Can he play to that level? We’re unsure. Of course, he was outstanding in League One but we’re talking about elite level. Only time will tell if he can reach those heights.

“I’m pretty sure Giovanni van Bronckhorst will have sights on a few different players. Stewart is a particular type of number nine. He’s a big guy, he’s not the usual profile that Rangers go for.

“So they might look to bring in another type of attacking threat as well.”

The verdict: Two needed

With a remarkable 164 goal involvements in 224 appearances for Rangers, losing a player of Morelos’ quality this summer would leave a huge hole in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad that cannot be filled by the addition of Stewart alone.

That’s despite netting 26 times in 49 league and play-off games during a breakout 2021/22 season following a switch from Ross County, earning an outstanding 7.25 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.6 duels, making 1.3 key passes and finding the target with 1.2 shots on average per game.

However, having left Scotland on the back of just three-goal involvements in the Scottish Premiership in 2020/21, Van Bronckhorst would be wise to avoid pinning all the responsibility and expectation on Stewart and Kemar Roofe when it comes to replacing Morelos’ output.

In other news, Rangers have a potential Alfredo Morelos replacement in mind

The Athletic’s Rangers correspondent Jordan Campbell has shared an update on Borna Barisic and his current situation at Ibrox after it was reported that he was attracting interest from abroad.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, the journalist revealed that the 29-year-old is attracting interest from clubs on the continent, with the potential of significant wages being offered to the defender.

Campbell tweeted: “European teams interested in Borna Barisic, including Trabzonspor, which Turkish media have reported. The 29yo Croatian int still has two years on his deal. Big wages will be on offer but Rangers will demand a substantial fee if he is to leave. No club-to-club contact so far.”

The journalist then followed up with another tweet on the situation, stating: “This is not to say that Barisic will definitely leave this summer. It’s a possibility if the right bid comes in and it’s the right challenge for him but that’s probably unlikely to be Turkey right now.”

Fans will be livid

Rangers signed the defender from NK Osijek in 2018 on a four-year deal worth a reported £2.2m. Since then, the Croatian has gone on to make 155 appearances for the Light Blues across all competitions, scoring seven goals and delivering an impressive 35 assists along the way.

Despite only playing 23 league games this season, the 29-year-old still posted the second-highest number of crosses (158) and won the third-highest number of tackles (33) out of anyone in Rangers’ squad. This highlights just how important a figure he is for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team in an attacking and defensive sense and why he’d be a big miss for them if he were to leave this summer.

With fellow Rangers defender Calvin Bassey also being linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer, having him and Barisic both potentially waving goodbye to the club in the same transfer window would surely have lots of supporters fuming.

Even though Campbell said that the Gers would consider selling the Croatian if a significant offer comes in, we feel that they shouldn’t let him leave this summer unless they have a suitable replacement for him to come straight into Ibrox.

In other news: Rangers now plotting bid for “clinical” £5.4m-rated sensation, he’d be a dream for Van Bronckhorst

Southampton striker Shane Long is reportedly being watched by his former side Reading ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Long set to become free agent

The 35-year-old veteran first joined the Premier League side from Hull City back in 2014 for a fee believed to be in the region of £12m, where he’s since gone on to make 244 appearances for the south coast outfit during his eight-year spell at the club.

Despite his long-term service though, the forward’s current contract with the Saints is set to expire at the end of the month, making him a free agent to any clubs interested, and it would appear that a familiar suitor has emerged.

The Latest: Reading monitoring Long’s situation

In a new article published by Berkshire Live, it’s claimed that Paul Ince’s Reading are ‘monitoring’ their former player’s situation at Southampton ahead of making a ‘potential move’ for Long in time for the new season.

The sources further states that the Irishman is ‘expected to leave’ Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad following the conclusion of his deal, with him now having to weigh up what will likely be the ‘final move’ of his career before hanging up his boots for good.

Due to the Championship side’s financial transfer problems, they are currently only able to sign free agents or loan players this summer, and can offer them no more than a one-year contract.

The Verdict: A Royal reunion?

Long has significantly dropped down the pecking order under the Austrian boss, having made just 13 top-flight outings this season, netting one goal during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

The 88-cap international, who was once hailed for being an “incredibly talented” player by his former teammate Charlie Austin, enjoyed a hugely successful previous spell with the second tier outfit, recording 82 goal contributions over six years.

A former Reading fan favourite, it now looks highly unlikely that Long will be staying at Southampton beyond the summer, and if this interest is serious, we could be seeing a Royal reunion in weeks to come.

In other news… it’s been reported that the Saints have given the green light for one of their players to leave on loan during the upcoming window.

A big Rangers update has emerged on Leon Balogun and his future at Ibrox under Giovanni van Bronckhorst heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, Rangers have set a meeting with the centre-back to discuss a new deal with the Glasgow giants.

He is out of contract this year and the Gers will now hold talks with the 6 foot 2 brute to see whether or not they can come to an agreement on extending his terms.

Ibrox will be rocking

Van Bronckhorst can get Ibrox rocking by securing a deal to keep Balogun in Glasgow heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

He is a crucial player for the club and retaining his services would be a huge boost for the club, particularly given Connor Goldson’s expected departure at the end of the month.

Former Gers man Alex Rae previously dubbed him a “tremendous addition” to Rangers, having joined on a free transfer from Wigan in the summer of 2020. Since arriving, he has played 65 games for the Light Blues in all competitions as he impressed under Steven Gerrard and carried that form over to his time with van Bronckhorst. 

In the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.13 in the Premiership as he helped the team to win the Scottish title.

He was reliable, once again, in the top-flight for the Gers in 2021/22 as he was a defensive rock for Rangers…

These statistics show that he was a strong, commanding, presence at the back for van Bronckhorst as he won the ball back for his team on a consistent basis and won the majority of his individual battles.

Balogun also played a key role on the way to the Europa League final. He made ten appearances in Europe and averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.96 as he chipped in with two goals and made an outstanding 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game.

The Nigeria international has proven his quality domestically and in Europe and that is why supporters will be rocking with joy at Ibrox if van Bronckhorst can agree a deal to keep the defender at the club.

He is a reliable, quality, player to call upon when needed and losing him this summer would be a big blow as there is no guarantee that any replacement coming in will be able to offer the same experience and defensive nous.

AND in other news, Rangers can land dream Kent heir in deal for £1.5m “asset” who can “affect the game”…