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Manchester City have now swooped in and submitted an opening offer for a Manchester United target, amid widespread interest from rival Premier League clubs.

Man City looking to get one over on their bitter rivals

There has undeniably been a power shift in Manchester since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, with City breaking the record by winning three Premier League titles on the spin, and the gap between the two clubs was on show earlier this month.

Pep Guardiola’s side ran out emphatic 3-0 winners against Man United at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland bagging a brace after Phil Foden opened the scoring.

Not only have City often gotten the better of their rivals on the pitch in recent times, but they have also become a more attractive destination for new signings, with Gianluigi Donnarumma opting for a move to the Etihad, despite interest from Ruben Amorim’s side.

Earlier this week, it was also revealed the Blues have moved into pole position in the race for another key Man United target, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown, and they are now looking to beat their rivals to the signature of an up-and-coming prospect.

That is according to a report from Edinburgh News, which states Man City have now made an offer for Hearts midfielder Keir McMeekin, who has been attracting plenty of interest from Premier League clubs.

United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool have also expressed interest in signing the 15-year-old, who is currently weighing up his options, having travelled for talks with City and two other unnamed Premier League sides.

Hearts are eager to keep hold of the highly-rated youngster, having tabled an attractive contract offer of their own, but it remains to be seen whether he is willing to commit his future to the Scottish Premiership side.

"Creative" McMeekin is one for the future

Evidently, the Scottish youngster is still in the infancy of his career, but he is clearly held in high regard at club and international level, having already made his debut for the Scotland U17 side.

Journalist Joel Sked also rates the teenager very highly, describing him as a “creative” player, and “one of the most promising talents in the Hearts academy”, which explains the interest from a whole host of Premier League clubs.

Man City struck gold on "wonderful" talent worth more than Doku & Reijnders

Manchester City are reaping the rewards of Pep Guardiola’s faith in one rising star at the Etihad.

ByRobbie Walls Sep 21, 2025

At just 15, McMeekin is one for the future, but Man City should be well-placed to win the race for his signature, given that they are clearly still levels above their major rivals, as evidenced by the 3-0 victory earlier this month.

The Hearts ace may be some way off first-team level, but Guardiola is also keen on bringing in a central midfielder capable of making an instant impact, having identified Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic as a replacement for Rodri.

Captain Sam Northeast led stubborn late resistance with an unbeaten 72 as Glamorgan battled to stop Leicestershire registering a fifth successive victory on the third day of the Rothesay County Championship division two match at the UptonSteel County Ground, Grace Road.Northeast, who hit a record 410 not out on this ground three years ago, put together an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 95 with Colin Ingram after the visitors had been reduced to 36 for 3 in their second innings.Had a sharp chance given to second slip when Northeast was on only 20 been taken, Leicestershire might well have hoped to enforce a win with a day to spare.An impressive unbroken partnership between allrounders Logan van Beek and Ben Green had helped Leicestershire register their highest score of the season, enabling Northeast’s opposite number Peter Handscomb to declare in mid-afternoon with an imposing first-innings lead of 223.As had happened the previous day, when Green picked up two wickets in the first over of the day, the morning session saw wickets fall early. Nightwatcher Chris Wright had added only three singles to his overnight 16 when he edged a James Harris delivery to first slip, and Lewis Hill only four to his overnight 66 when he too edged to slip, Timm van der Gugten finding a little extra bounce, with Ingam the catcher in both cases.Handscomb and all-rounder Liam Trevaskis played patiently in building a partnership of 42 for the sixth wicket, but Glamorgan enjoyed a moment of good fortune when Hanscomb flicked at a legside delivery from young fast bowler Ned Leonard, got a faint but audible edge, and was comfortably held by Chris Cooke behind the stumps. When Trevaskis, having played solidly, edged a rising delivery from Leonard on to his middle stump, Glamorgan had taken four wickets for 57 runs and must have had hopes of restricting Leicestershire’s lead to not much more than a hundred.If so, Green and van Beek steadily extinguished them. The latter was particularly severe on the leg-spin of Mason Crane, stretching forward and delicately paddle-sweeping a series of deliveries to the fine leg boundary, and with the Glamorgan bowlers tiring as the ball got softer, hitting several fine lofted straight drives, one of which, off Zain ul Hassan, took him to his 50 from 70 deliveries. Green was not far behind, and the partnership was well past 100 when Handscomb called his batters in.Whether, as some Leicestershire supporters in the ground speculated, it was because Handscomb did not want two of the pillars of his bowling attack to get too tired was perhaps debatable, but van Beek’s opening burst certainly showed no signs of weariness, accounting for ul Hassan, bowled middle stump by a fast in-swinging delivery from around the wicket, and stand-in opener Crane, throwing his bat at a wider delivery and inside edging the ball on to his stumps.Kiran Carlson, yet to score, drove wildly at a Tom Scriven delivery and edged to Handscomb behind the stumps, and the odds on a three-day victory would have shortened dramatically had Trevaskis, diving to his right at second slip, been able to hold a Northeast edge off Wright in only the second over after tea.Having had that escape, however, Northeast batted with characteristic calmness, hitting eight fours in reaching his 50 off 86 deliveries. Ingram was similarly unflustered, closing on 37 not out off 92 balls, and giving the visitors real hope of saving the game.

Can Rangers start their Europa League campaign with a victory at Ibrox?

For those who don’t believe the Europa League to be the highest-quality competition around, well, on this occasion, they’d be right, given that Rangers sit second bottom of the Scottish Premiership, while visitors Genk are third bottom of the Jupiler Pro League.

Russell Martin is yet to oversee a league victory in five attempts, but did at least lead his side through to the League Cup semi-finals at the weekend, as the Gers defeated Hibernian 2-0 at home.

Key to that success was Nicolas Raskin, heading home the opening goal, back in the team following a two-match exile, which was both baffling and mystifying, considering he was, by some distance, the club’s best player last season.

If the Light Blues are going to make a winning start in the Europa League, Raskin will be a central figure once again, but Martin must also start his “creative” summer signing in attack.

Djeidi Gassama's start to life at Rangers

The unquestionable star of Rangers’ Champions League qualifying campaign during the summer was Djeidi Gassama.

After arriving from Sheffield Wednesday for £2.2m, the Frenchman announced himself by scoring home and away against Panathinaikos, doubling their advantage at Ibrox, before lashing home the clincher in Athens eight nights later.

In the following round, Gassama scored twice during a 3-0 demolition of Viktoria Plzeň in Glasgow which remains, by a landslide, the club’s best performance of the season.

Manager Martin said that the winger “really excites us”, labelling him a difference maker, while Nick McPheat of BBC Sport highlighted his excellent dribbling and goal-scoring statistics, concluding that he adds an extra dimension to Rangers’ attack.

So, while Gassama is yet to get off the mark in a domestic setting, a return to European competition could help to bring the best out of him, but who should start alongside him across the forward line against Genk?

Rangers' creative attacking star

Rangers signed a total of 13 new players during the summer, but the £3m paid to secure the signature of Oliver Antman could prove to be the best business of the lot.

The 25-year-old was outstanding at Go Ahead Eagles last season, scoring six goals and registering 16 assists across all competitions, helping them win the KNVB Beker, defeating AZ Alkmaar in the final on penalties at De Kuip, securing the club’s first major silverware since 1933.

The table below documents Antman’s impressive output in the Eredivisie.

Goals

6

38th

Assists

15

1st

Expected assists

9.1

1st

Big chances created

16

1st

Key passes

50

10th

Shot-creating actions

96

13th

Goal-creating actions

19

4th

Progressive carries

96

10th

Touches in the box

125

11th

As the table notes, Antman ranked first for assists, expected assists and big chances created in the Eredivisie last season, impressively doing so for the team that finished seventh in one of the most unbalanced leagues in Europe.

Well, just 24 hours after he arrived, Rangers supporters got a taste of what was to come, with Antman providing this assist, part of a free-flowing team goal, for Gassama during the aforementioned 3-0 annihilation of Viktoria Plzeň.

The Finnish international actually registered two assists on debut in that game, but is yet to notch either a goal nor an assist subsequently, left on the bench for all three matches in September so far, with Martin favouring Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore.

Nevertheless, his quality is unquestionable, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelling Antman a “creative winger”, while his numbers at Go Ahead Eagles, as well as at international level, scoring seven goals for Finland to date, speak for themselves.

Thus, we have already seen Gassama and Antman link up well on the European stage this season so, alongside new striker Bojan Miovski, that is surely Rangers’ best front three, one that is capable of defeating a struggling Genk on Thursday.

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Rangers lost a talented young player this summer and he is already being compared to Bukayo Saka.

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Purple Cap leaderboardNoor Ahmad, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) left-arm wristspinner, continues to head the Purple Cap table, adding the wicket of Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel to his tally to become the first bowler to get to the ten-wicket mark this season. The 4 for 18 in CSK’s first game, against Mumbai Indians (MI), remains his best so far.Mitchell Starc struck early, in the third over, in DC’s game against CSK, and that wicket has put him back at No. 2 with nine wickets from just three games. The big performance was the 5 for 35 against SRH, his career-best T20 returns.Dropping to third place is MI captain Hardik Pandya, who picked up the second five-for of the season – Starc’s was the first – against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday.2:26

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Orange Cap leaderboard

He scored just 12 against MI, but it was enough for LSG’s Nicholas Pooran to stay on top of the run-scorers’ table, with 201 runs from four innings. The good work was done in the first three games – 75 from 30 balls against Delhi Capitals (DC), 70 from 26 against SRH, and 44 from 30 against Punjab Kings (PBKS).Gujarat Titans (GT) opener Sai Sudharsan is in second position after his 49 off 36 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In the earlier two games, Sudharsan had scores of 74 and 63.Mitchell Marsh got back to No. 3 after dropping off for a bit, his 60 from 31 balls against MI a top effort that played a big part in scripting LSG’s win. He now has 184 runs from four innings. There was a duck against PBKS, but Marsh scored a half-century every other time he walked out.

Sunderland were reportedly denied the opportunity to add to their huge amount of signings at the end of the summer transfer window.

Geertruida completes Sunderland overhaul

An unforgettable summer is now over for the Black Cats, with Regis Le Bris bringing in endless new signings, from Granit Xhaka to Lutsharel Geertruida. The latter proved to be Sunderland’s last addition of the window, coming in on a season-long loan from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, and he can’t wait to get started at the Stadium of Light.

“First of all, I want to thank God for this opportunity, and I also want to thank the Club for their trust in me. I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League, and I’m so excited now that my opportunity is here.

“We are new to the league, so we need to fight, and I want to be a part of that. I’ve seen the recent games and think the group looks fresh and energetic. Now, I just want to be as important as possible for this Club. I’m ready, and I can’t wait to see the fans in the stadium.”

While Sunderland are now unable to sign players until January, barring free agents, a new update has now emerged regarding a potential late deal that almost happened.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£27.1m

Brian Brobbey

Ajax

£21.6m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.8m

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£17.2m

Noah Sadiki

Union SG

£14.6m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£12.9m

Nordi Mukiele

Paris Saint-Germain

£10.3m

Omar Alderete

Getafe

£9.8m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Bertrand Traore

Ajax

£2.5m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

free transfer

Arthur Masuaku

Besiktas

free transfer

Sunderland denied chance to sign young prodigy

According to a fresh claim FiorentinaNews [via Sport Witness], Sunderland made “concrete moves” to sign Eddy Kouadio from Fiorentina before the transfer window slammed shut. The Serie A club prevented the move from going through, however, even pulling the plug on their move to sign Victor Lindelof from Manchester United to convince 19-year-old to stay put and be a key figure in Florence.

Not signing the 6 foot 3 Kouadio is a shame for Sunderland, considering the defender is a player with the potential to have a bright long-term future in the game.

The teenager has been capped by Italy at both Under-19 and Under-18 level, and while only one appearance in Serie A highlights that he is still raw, he could have grown into a key man at the Stadium of Light.

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Still, this has been a wonderful summer for Sunderland, with the new faces coming in giving them as good a chance as possible of remaining in the Premier League this season.

India went to tea with strong hopes of drawing the Boxing Day Test, but Cummins and Co kept pegging away to seal a fantastic win at the MCG

Andrew McGlashan30-Dec-2024
Early in the final hour at the MCG, Australia won an epic Test that had been played in front of a record crowd to take a 2-1 lead in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, having snared seven wickets in the final session when it appeared India were on track to save the game. Yashasvi Jaiswal defied the home side for 208 deliveries before falling to the herculean Pat Cummins while hometown star Scott Boland made three key incisions to secure one of Australia’s most significant victories of recent history.Nathan Lyon claimed the final wicket, when he pinned Mohammed Siraj lbw, sparking wild celebrations for the home side: a margin of 184 runs did not do justice to the tension and drama of the final day and the importance of the result to this Australia team who have turned their fortunes around after the crushing opening defeat in Perth.Related

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After India had slid to 33 for 3, Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant added 88 in 32 overs to take India into the final session with seven wickets in hand, but Travis Head burgled the wicket of Pant and Australia seized their moment as India lost 7 for 34. The quick bowlers were immense, Mitchell Starc bowling in the mid-140kph region despite a back niggle, while Cummins and Boland added further chapters to previous MCG heroics. Cummins earned the Johnny Mullagh Medal as Player of the Match for an outstanding all-round Test in which he also contributed 90 runs alongside his six wickets.There was a dose of controversy, too, when Jaiswal’s rearguard was ended via the DRS after he gloved a pull down the leg side against Cummins. Snicko did not register anything, but third umpire Sharfuddoula ruled he had seen a clear a deflection, which matched what was shown on TV. Jaiswal appeared to know he had hit it but spoke with the umpires on the way off. It meant India’s lower order had 21 overs to survive and it proved too much.The defeat means India’s hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final are now out of their hands, but in terms of this series they can still retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with victory in Sydney. For Australia, a win in the final Test – and a 3-1 margin – would secure their spot in the WTC final alongside South Africa who qualified yesterday with their own gripping victory over Pakistan.The final day dawned with Australia nine down and they opted to continue batting which added just a further six runs but removed four overs from the day’s allocation. Lyon became the fifth wicket for Jasprit Bumrah, retaining his record of having the most Test runs without making a half-century. It all meant that India needed 340 in 92 overs and talk of the Gabba 2021 was never far away.Pat Cummins was awarded the Mullagh Medal after being named Player of the Match•Getty ImagesIndia were very cautious early on against some extremely testing new ball bowling; Rohit Sharma later said they set out wanting to lay a platform for a chase but it always looked a long shot. Australia were made to wait for their opening incisions before, as has so often been the case, it was Cummins who came to the fore. He had the struggling Rohit edging to gully, where Mitchell Marsh took a sharp catch, and five balls later squared up KL Rahul with a superb delivery which ended in the hands of first slip.In the final over before lunch, Starc was rewarded for battling through the pain barrier when he lured Virat Kohli into his latest drive outside off, the edge reaching Usman Khawaja. The wicket ended a controversial time in Melbourne for Kohli, and made it clear that there was no realistic chance of India chasing down the target.Jaiswal and Pant played very solidly through the afternoon to repel everything Australia threw at them. Jaiswal, who dropped three catches yesterday, including a vital chance off Marnus Labuschagne, survived a tight lbw appeal against Starc on 31 and brought up his second fifty of the match off 127 balls.Shortly after tea, India were 121 for 3. Head, who was used partly to improve Australia’s over rate which risked WTC points deductions, dropped a ball short outside off stump and Pant went for the pull, finding Marsh at long-on who took an excellent catch. It gave Australia an opening. And belief.Cummins quickly returned to Boland and he soon made a delivery jump at Ravindra Jadeja to take the shoulder of the bat through to Carey. In the next over from Lyon, India’s first-innings rescuer, Nitish Kumar Reddy, edged a delivery which went straight on and Steven Smith took a superb catch, low to his left at slip. Australia had taken 3 for 9 to crack the innings wide open.Steven Smith gets into position to take the catch that got Nitish Kumar Reddy•Getty ImagesJaiswal’s dismissal will likely be dissected in detail over the coming days and the DRS was called into action again to rule that Akash Deep had got a thin edge into his pad which went to short leg. By then, Australia were firm favourites, especially with a new ball soon to be available, but in the end that wasn’t even needed.Boland found Bumrah’s outside edge, with Smith taking another superb catch, and then Lyon cannoned one into Siraj’s front pad. Inevitably India reviewed but it was going nowhere but the stumps. When the decision was confirmed, Lyon did a jig of delight. Overall, the Test had been watched by 373,691 spectators, a new record for a Test match in Australia. It will go down as one of the more memorable.

In an attempt to kickstart what has been a quiet summer transfer window, Aston Villa have now reportedly entered the race to sign a Bundesliga winner ahead of rival interest from West Ham United.

Aston Villa's difficult summer

When they failed to defeat Manchester United to secure Champions League football on the final day of the season, it was always going to be a difficult summer for Aston Villa. Their European fortunes ensured that they would have to face up to their PSR struggles and endure a window without spending big unless a number of stars went in the other direction.

To that end, the Villans have so far prioritised keeping hold of current stars rather than going in search of fresh faces. There has been interest in both Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez, for example, but the stance in the Midlands has remained ‘not for sale’. Whether that changes as Villa become desperate to act in the market remains to be seen, however.

The signings that have arrived, meanwhile, are young centre-back Yasin Ozcan, who is unlikely to break into Unai Emery’s best side at this stage, and backup goalkeeper Marco Bizot. To say Villa’s window has so far lacked excitement would be an understatement.

With a month remaining until the window slams shut though, that could yet change. The transfer rumours are still coming thick and fast even as those at Villa Park look to navigate PSR.

Among those mentioned has been Lois Openda. The RB Leipzig forward, whether in years to come or this summer if Manchester United get their wish, would be the perfect replacement for Watkins and an excellent signing.

The same can be said for another Bundesliga star too, as Aston Villa set their sights on getting their summer up and running at long last.

Aston Villa firmly in the mix to sign Adli

As reported by Caught Offside, Aston Villa are now firmly in the mix to sign Amine Adli from Bayer Leverkusen this summer. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder reportedly wants to leave the German club in search of consistent minutes and, although West Ham hold concrete interest, Villa could yet hijack the Hammers’ move.

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Valued at around €25m (£22m), Adli’s arrival would likely keep Aston Villa within the lines of PSR whilst handing Emery a much-needed boost in the form of a Bundesliga winner.

Labelled a “sensational talent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango in 2022, Adli still has every chance of reaching that level again by joining Aston Villa and Emery. The midfielder has experience at the very top level as a title winner and, at just £22m, could quickly become an undeniable bargain this summer.

The already chaotic summer transfer window has certainly livened up in the past couple of days involving the newly promoted Premier League sides. Sunderland and Leeds United seem to be regularly locking horns over who to buy, with the Black Cats winning many of the battles so far, as seen in Regis Le Bris’ men pipping the Whites to the signature of £30m midfielder Habib Diarra.

On top of that, they are now raining on the Elland Road parade further by nearing a deal to land Noah Sadiki, who was also on Leeds’ radar.

Still, there’s plenty of time for Leeds to iron out deals away from finding themselves somewhat in Sunderland’s shadow, as a whole host of standout names continue to be linked to West Yorkshire.

Leeds' latest transfer business

The panic button won’t be pressed just yet, considering Leeds are already three signings down as they go about building a Premier League-ready team.

But, there are priority positions that are in need of reinforcements still, with Gustavo Hamer notably continuing to be linked to Elland Road to gift Daniel Farke and Co. more numbers down the left wing, and in the troubled number ten position.

On top of that, a brand-new goalkeeper to replace a shaky Illan Meslier is also a must, with a fantastic target now coming to the surface.

As per Leeds Live, the Whites are still monitoring the situation of Brazilian shot-stopper Lucas Perri, and are said to be ‘exploring’ a move, with the likes of AS Monaco also noted as an interested party in the Lyon goalkeeper.

Lyon’s dire financial situation remains up in the air, with Leeds potentially capitalising on their woes to land the 27-year-old for a cut-price deal, but no bid or even talks have occurred just yet.

Why Perri would be a better signing than Sadiki

This could well be seen as a better buy long-term for Leeds than their failed pursuit of Sadiki, with Perri at the top of his game last season in Ligue 1, meaning the Whites could be handed a top-flight-ready ‘keeper very soon, over having to persist with Meslier.

Of course, winning the services of the Congolese international would have been an ideal scenario as Leeds attempt to bolster all over the pitch.

Indeed, Sadiki – when glancing at his career-wide numbers – can slot into various spots on the pitch if needed, with the 20-year-old starlet having played in defence on 12 occasions, while also excelling as a central midfield option.

Yet, at £17.75m – which is the agreed fee Sunderland have reportedly signed off on – it is a risky move, with the up-and-coming Union Saint-Gilloise prospect having to get up to speed with the demands of the Premier League fast.

Further, with Ao Tanaka, Ilia Gruev, and Ethan Ampadu already at Farke’s disposal centrally, a pricey addition here might not be seen as the most pressing capture to make.

Whereas, for a reported £13m, snapping up Perri’s signature should be viewed as a no-brainer to try and get over the line, with the South American ‘keeper even featuring in the Europa League last season for Paolo Fonseca’s men.

Games played

33

39

Goals conceded

44

29

Saves

116

65

Goals prevented

+6.05

-2.35

Clean sheets

10

21

Whilst the table above might initially sway those into thinking Meslier is just about the stronger ‘keeper when staring at clean sheets numbers alone, Perri was in a far tougher terrain last campaign in the French top division, with the Lyon number 23 preventing a whopping 6.05 goals in the process courtesy of his shot-stopping.

On the contrary, his ex-Lorient counterpart had far too many error-strewn displays – irrespective of his 21 clean sheets overall – leaving him with a worrying -2.35 in this regard.

Further lauded as being “the best goalkeeper in the world” by Fonseca last season, this feels like a signing that would make Leeds a far more competitive force when returning to the Premier League, rather than hoping for Sadiki to come good in such a challenging environment.

Better signing than Diarra: Leeds line up move for "exceptional" £30m star

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You can almost physically feel the shift in mood and anticipation at Arsenal. With deals wrapped for Noni Madueke and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres (who has not formally completed his move), the frontline is reshaping before our eyes.

The pursuit of Sweden sensation Gyokeres felt to have gone on for an interminably long time. And it did. So lengthy was the saga that Gyokeres, with his express focus on transferring to the Emirates Stadium in spite of rival interest, was nearly hijacked on two occasions over the past week. He turned a blind eye to Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United both times.

Madueke’s arrival evoked less fanfare, but he’s a talented player and a fitting profile, one who will provide support for Bukayo Saka on the right flank.

Kepa Arrizabalaga saved three penalties in an exhibition shootout after the Gunners kicked off their pre-season tour with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan. Fellow new recruits Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard got their first tastes of action too.

The next phase in Mikel Arteta’s ambitious plan is coming together, but the Londoners may yet add more to their ranks as they look to end five years without silverware.

What's next for Arsenal

With a deal for Gyokeres done and dusted, Arteta finally has the free-scoring centre-forward he has sought over the past several years.

But more is needed. Cristian Mosquera’s transfer from Valencia to north London remains incomplete, albeit all but wrapped up. There are not expected to be any eleventh-hour issues regarding either of the club’s outstanding bids.

With Chelsea closing on a deal for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, Arsenal may soon accelerate their interest in Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that talks are ongoing between Arteta’s side and the player’s camp.

And then there are the futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard to contend with. Either could be playing elsewhere a few months from now.

Should that be the case, the Gunners will need a new left winger. Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has emerged as a top target in recent weeks, though he would cost around £87m and is coming off the back of a disappointing campaign, going 17 matches for Los Blancos without a goal.

However, Rodrygo is not the only talented wide winger on Arteta’s list.

Arsenal looking at deal for Premier League winger

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal “are looking” to complete a deal for Anthony Gordon this summer, with reporter Charles Watts confirming that technical director Andrea Berta is still keen on signing a left-sided forward before the summer’s out.

Gordon, 24, has emerged as one of the Premier League’s leading wingers over the past few years, and Newcastle United know it. Thus, he has been priced at a rather lofty £100m, though Arsenal would surely seek a reduced fee.

An out-and-out winger with impressive athleticism, the England international is also being pursued by Liverpool, who may accelerate their interest if the £70m-rated Luis Diaz is sold to Bayern Munich.

Why Arsenal should sign Anthony Gordon

Off the bat, Gordon has a wealth of experience in the Premier League – and that matters. Many are the talented players who have entered England’s top flight with much hype only to struggle against the current.

Rodrygo, of course, isn’t a nobody, and he hasn’t won two Champions League titles and risen to a position as one of Europe’s leading forwards to be told that he doesn’t have what it takes to impress in a robust and fluent Arsenal side.

But Arteta needs to choose wisely if he is to bridge that canyon and cross past Liverpool, all the while keeping Manchester City and a growing force in Chelsea at bay. And others.

Describing himself as a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, Gordon has what it takes to elevate Arsenal’s frontline higher, with his balance and pace and tenacity all exactly what is needed to serve Gyokeres at number nine and contrast with Saka out on the right.

For a range of reasons, Gordon didn’t reach his finest level last season. However, the previous term was one of great individual merit for the Three Lions star, who was awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year award after clinching 28 goal contributions across the season.

Looking at that high level against Rodrygo’s in La Liga, we begin to see why Arsenal are considering a move for the Magpies man in spite of Rodrygo’s ostensible availability.

Stat Comparison – Anthony Gordon vs Rodrygo

Stats (* per game)

Gordon (23/24)

Rodrygo (24/25)

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

30 (22)

Goals

11

6

Assists

10

5

Shots (on target)*

2.3 (0.9)

1.8 (0.7)

Big chances missed

9

1

Pass completion

82%

91%

Big chances created

16

5

Key passes*

1.6

1.6

Dribbles*

1.5

1.6

Ball recoveries*

3.6

2.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.1

Duels won*

5.3

3.8

Stats via Sofascore

Rodrygo, no doubt, is an elite forward, crisper than Gordon in possession and more clinical in the final third. However, they are both creatively on par, and the Newcastle star’s work rate and combativeness are underlined by his duel and ball recovery metrics.

From this, we can see why he ranks so highly on Arsenal’s analytical findings. Let’s hypothesise for a moment: if Gordon plyed his trade at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Rodrygo at St. James’ Park, can we honestly surmise that the data would remain in the same frame?

Arsenal’s transfer activity this summer bespeaks improvements up top, and Gordon would be the cherry on the cake. Moreover, he would find that he could lift himself to the next level under Arteta’s wing, part of an ever-improving side that is so hungry for that final piece of the puzzle.

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With Nico Williams set to reject Arsenal in favour of Barcelona, the Gunners have reportedly set their sights on an unexpected move to sign a Chelsea star this summer.

Arsenal set to miss out on Nico Williams to Barcelona

There was a time when Williams looked like a serious option for Arsenal both last summer and this time around. In the end, however, the temptation of a potential Barcelona move proved too strong for the winger to turn down.

Now, as reported by Fabrizio Romano, the Catalan giants have agreed personal terms with the Spanish international and are now working on an agreement with Athletic Bilbao.

It’s a frustrating blow for Arsenal whose attacking limitations saw them miss out on the Premier League title once again – this time at the hands of Liverpool. And as the Reds continue to strengthen themselves, those at The Emirates must ensure that Mikel Arteta’s side are not left behind this summer.

It’s a big task for new sporting director Andrea Berta, but signing an alternative for Williams should now be seen as one of the top priorities at Arsenal in the coming months.

On that front, names such as Real Madrid’s Rodrygo have already threatened to steal the headlines and there’s no doubt that his arrival would make the required statement.

Whether Arsenal are willing to spend big to secure the Brazilian’s signature is another question, however. Instead, as per recent reports, the Gunners could turn towards a London rival in an unexpected move.

Arsenal intensify interest in Chelsea's Madueke

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now intensifying their interest in Noni Madueke as an alternative to Williams. Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is reportedly open to offers for the winger as the Blues welcome even more fresh faces and that has seemingly left the door open for the Gunners to make their move in the coming months.

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What’s more, although Chelsea initially valued their winger at as much as €65m (£56m), it is now reportedly believed that they could accept offers worth just €50m (£43m). Given that Madueke is still just 23 years old, that deal could quickly turn into a summer bargain.

Premier League stats 24/24 (via FBref)	Madueke	Saka	Martinelli
Minutes	2,033	1,729	2,290
Goals	7	6	8
Assists	3	10	4
Successful Take-ons P90	1.99	2.14	1.3

Although he lacked consistency at times, Madueke’s numbers from last season represent a player full of potential with his ability to take players on particularly standing out compared to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

England boss Thomas Tuchel recently described the Chelsea star as “dangerous” in the post-season international break and that’s the type of praise that should catch Arsenal’s eye.

If those in North London sign Madueke from a rival club for a cut-price and then get the best out of him, then it would quickly look like an act of genius from Berta.