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In a move that would boost their attacking options even further, Fulham now reportedly have money to spend in the race to sign an experienced forward ahead of their Premier League rivals.

Fulham transfer news

The Cottagers enjoyed an underrated summer transfer window and have been reaping the rewards ever since, with Emile Smith Rowe particularly impressing since arriving from Arsenal. It all came together for Marco Silva’s side in their most recent Premier League outing, as they brushed Newcastle United aside in a game that saw Raul Jimenez show glimpses of his best form.

Now 33 years old, however, there’s no doubt that the Mexican could do with a little help within Silva’s frontline, be that from Rodrigo Muniz, who is yet to replicate last season’s stunning purple patch, or another experienced option to form a new partnership.

Fulham certainly proved that they’re willing to spend if they see fit during the summer and after such an impressive start to the Premier League campaign, they could improve even more in the winter window. According to The Sun, Fulham now have money to spend in the race to sign Callum Wilson ahead of West London rivals Brentford in the January transfer window.

Newcastle now believe they can replace Schar with "composed" two-footed ace

He’s a man in demand…

ByTom Cunningham Sep 25, 2024

Wilson is reportedly open to the idea of a Newcastle exit having played second fiddle to star man Alexander Isak in the last couple of seasons. Couple that with the fact that his current contract expires next summer and Fulham could even land a cut-price deal this winter.

Earning a reported £46,000-a-week at St James’ Park, Wilson’s arrival would not disrupt Fulham’s wage bill with their highest earner – Bernd Leno – reportedly receiving £130,000-a-week at Craven Cottage.

"Incredible" Wilson would complete Fulham frontline

Given that Wilson should not cost an extensive fee due to his contract situation, Fulham would be getting a relatively low-risk deal by signing the forward in the January window. Of course, if it wasn’t for that contract situation, then the Cottagers may be forced to act far more cautiously, especially when looking at Wilson’s injury troubles.

2024/25 – Back injury

6

2023/24 – Chest injury

10

2023/24 – Calf injury

6

2023/24 – Hamstring injury

6

It’s a risk that could lead to quite the reward for Fulham, with Wilson often clinical in front of goal when without his injury struggles. Having scored nine goals in 985 minutes of Premier League action last season – almost a goal a game – the 32-year-old could now make one last move in England’s top tier to hand Silva a major boost.

Wilson has earned plenty of praise from Eddie Howe despite his injury concerns at Newcastle, with the Magpies boss saying via the Independent in 2023: “Callum has an incredible mindset, he has that already. He is pushing himself all the time.

“In your playing career, you are going to have good spells and bad spells, but you need that inner belief always that you are the best and I think Callum has got that.”

It is safe to say Newcastle United have come a long way in recent years. Following promotion in 2017, Premier League finishes of tenth, 13th, 13th, 12th and 11th during their first five years looked like they had established themselves as a side who wouldn’t quite achieve a European place, but who also wouldn’t suffer relegation.

This changed when Howe arrived, as his first full season saw the Magpies claim a stunning fourth place finish during 2022/23, their highest since 2012.

While they could only secure seventh place last term, hopes are high after a promising start this year and Howe certainly appears to be the man to take the club back into Europe.

Long gone are the days when Sam Allardyce was in charge, as the club slipped back down the table rather than forcing their way up as contenders for Champions League qualification.

Sam Allardyce’s Newcastle statistics

At Bolton, ‘Big Sam’ created a team that not only secured promotion to the top flight, but one that remained there until 2012, with players such as Ivan Campo, Fernando Hierro and Jay-Jay Okocha ensuring they were one of the finest cult teams in the history of the Premier League.

He even secured European football for the club and came close to winning the League Cup in 2004, but when the Toon job became available, he took the opportunity with both hands.

The Englishman made a promising start to life at Newcastle, recording five wins and two draws from their opening nine league matches, but form started to drop off.

He was sacked in January 2008 after just eight months in charge, failing to inspire the team to much success.

Might it have been a different story had he signed the players he wanted to bring to Newcastle? Rather than settling for those who failed to make a difference.

Newcastle’s signings under Sam Allardyce

During the summer of 2007, players such as Alan Smith, Joey Barton, Mark Viduka and Habib Beye arrived at St James Park – to varying degrees of success.

Hopes were high that Allardyce could attract high-class players due to his stature in the Premier League, but it didn’t quite turn out like that, which ultimately led to his downfall at the club.

Player

Club signed from

Alan Smith

Manchester United

Mark Viduka

Middlesbrough

Joey Barton

Manchester City

Jose Enrique

Villarreal

David Rozehnal

PSG

Abdoulaye Faye

Bolton

Habib Beye

Marseille

Geremi

Chelsea

Claudio Cacapa

Lyon

One of the most experienced players who linked up with Allardyce was former Real Madrid gem Geremi, who had featured for Chelsea under José Mourinho.

Geremi’s statistics at Newcastle

The Cameroonian won the Champions League and La Liga titles with Madrid during a three-year spell in the capital before moving to Chelsea in 2003. After 109 appearances in which he won the Premier League twice, Geremi was available on a free transfer.

Allardyce wasted no time, snapping him up that summer. Geremi would play just 54 times for the Magpies during his spell in the north-east as he was clearly slowing down as a player.

While the utility midfielder was seen as somewhat of a decent signing, things may have turned out a lot better for the club had they signed one of their main targets – Luka Modrić.

Newcastle missed out on Luka Modric in 2007

Speaking a few years after leaving the club, Allardyce claimed that he was keen on bringing the playmaker to Newcastle during his first summer transfer window, saying:

“I was then on the way to getting Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb, but by then, Mike saw the scale of the full debut and put the clamps on, so I had to make do with Geremi from Chelsea.”

What might have been at St James Park if the manager had gotten his wish and signed the young Croatian talent 17 years ago? He could have potentially saved his job, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

The current Real Madrid star hasn’t done too badly since then.

Luka Modric’s career statistics

Modric did eventually end up in the Premier League, but it wasn’t with Newcastle. After impressing in his homeland, he joined Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2008, going on to make a total of 160 appearances for the London club, emerging as a player to watch.

Former teammate Darren Bent hailed Modric as “incredible” before lavishing further praise on his ex-teammate while speaking about him, saying: “When Luka joined Spurs, the first thing you noticed was his technique.

“I had played against him for England but when you watched him up close, he was a player you knew straight away was levels above everyone.”

His performances clearly impressed Real Madrid, who came in for him in the summer of 2012, going on to become a club legend.

The 39-year-old has played nearly 550 games for the club, winning all there is to win in the process, but it has been at international level in which Modric has demonstrated his influence.

Not only did he lead Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final (losing 4-2 to France), but he came close to repeating the trick four years later, as the country had to settle for a third-place finish.

This is remarkable given the nation has a population of just 3.8m, smaller than Scotland. For his exploits in Russia and his club displays for Madrid in 2018, the midfielder won the Ballon d’Or, becoming the first player from Croatia to win the award.

What could have been if Modric had signed for Newcastle all those years ago? Would he have become a club legend? Unfortunately, no one will know, but his career trajectory may have changed significantly if he had pitched up on Tyneside rather than in North London, that’s for sure.

As it is, the Magpies – and ‘Big Sam’ – had to settle for Geremi…

Newcastle United chase £21m gem who outscored Erling Haaland at youth level

He could be a superstar of the future.

ByBen Browning Sep 20, 2024

Everton have plenty of problems, but Sean Dyche will be hoping that Dominic Calvert-Lewin can stay fit and that his frontline can muster enough firepower to rise above the relegation one and avoid another fear-inducing battle against the drop.

It's not been a great few years for the Merseysiders, though last term's travails were somewhat skewed by an eight-point deduction in the Premier League. Take that away, and the Toffees actually finished 12th, only one point behind Crystal Palace in the top ten.

It remains to be seen whether Everton will indeed have enough up top to turn the tide following a poor start to the season, but having a dynamic former forward such as Richarlison would be nice…

Why Everton sold Richarlison

Everton signed Richarlison from Watford in a £40m deal in the summer of 2018, and though this was a tall figure for an up-and-coming forward, his start to life in Liverpool led Gary Lineker to hail the "bargain".

He'd complete 152 appearances over five years, scoring 53 goals and assisting 13 more, but when Tottenham Hotspur came calling in 2022 and presented the club with a £60m offer, it was accepted in a heartbeat.

And that recouped sum looks to be more and more masterful business by the month, with the Brazil international foundering through his debut campaign in the capital, scoring one Premier League goal across 27 matches, even being branded a "joke" by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino.

Richarlison might have been a menace for the Blues but he's fallen by the wayside since leaving, albeit enjoying a bright purple patch during the 2023/24 season.

Still, as per Football Transfers, the 26-year-old is currently worth just £28m, meaning that he has suffered a depreciation totalling £32m, or, to put it another way, a 53% drop.

And anyway, Everton now has a talented winger who's more valuable than their erstwhile talisman, and his name is Dwight McNeil.

Everton have hit gold on Dwight McNeil

Lauded for his "magic" creative quality by journalist Joe Thomas, McNeil is a playmaking monster and has been one of Everton's most underrated players since signing from Burnley in 2022 for a £20m fee by then-manager Frank Lampard.

Everton might have made a torrid start to the campaign but McNeil has been breathtaking. As per Sofascore, the 24-year-old has averaged 4.3 key passes per game and he is proving to be a linchpin for a side that views his playmaking ability as indispensable.

And it's reflected through his rise in value. Football Transfers record McNeil at £30m, meaning that he is higher-rated than Richarlison and enjoying a more significant impact over these past few years.

1.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

22

2.

Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City

21

2.

Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United

21

4.

Son Heung-min

Tottenham Hotspur

20

5.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool

17

5.

Dwight McNeil

Everton

17

5.

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

17

5.

Martin Odegaard

Arsenal

17

He's been fantastic, and though Everton have endured a bleak beginning to the 2024/25 season, with players such as McNeil fighting to restore prominence and the feel-good factor, there's every chance that the future could be brighter on the blue half of Merseyside.

Everton flop left on a free in 2022, now he's outscoring Calvert-Lewin

A former Everton striker has been in wonderful form since leaving Goodison Park

ByRoss Kilvington Sep 10, 2024

Manchester United appear to be keen on possibly bringing Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to Old Trafford.

Are Man United interested in signing Robert Sanchez?

The Red Devils unveiled Mason Mount as their first summer signing on Wednesday, with the midfielder penning a deal until 2028 and the option of a further year in a deal worth a total package of £60m.

Arriving from Chelsea, the England international could be the first of many through the door ahead of Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge, with a new goalkeeper now seemingly next on the agenda.

Reports have suggested that Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is a real target, with an Old Trafford contract already agreed upon between the player and United.

However, a fee still needs to be agreed with Inter and Man United have verbally proposed a new £39m offer for his services. The Serie A side want around €60m, though, which could result in United looking elsewhere, where Sanchez comes into play.

According to The Daily Mail, Man United and other Premier League clubs are circling over a potential move for Sanchez.

The Spaniard has fallen out of favour under Roberto de Zerbi, with Jason Steele number one on the south coast and Bart Verbruggen recently brought in from Anderlecht for £16.3m.

As a result, Sanchez could be on the move this summer, and United view him as a cheaper alternative to Onana as he is valued at £30m.

Who is Robert Sanchez?

Sanchez, who shares the same agency as Luke Shaw, first moved to Brighton from Levante back in 2013 and has come through the youth ranks with the Seagulls.

The 25-year-old, now a full Spain international, spent time out on loan with the likes of Forest Green Rovers and Rochdale during the early stages of his career, turning out on 17 occasions in League Two and 26 in League One.

He broke into the first team setup during the 2020/21 season and has made a total of 90 senior appearances for Brighton, keeping 29 clean sheets, one of which came in the FA Cup semi-final with the Red Devils last season.

He is under contract until 2025 and earns £25,000-a-week with his current employers, and he came in for praise from former Brighton boss Graham Potter, who labelled him as ‘powerful’ and ‘fast’ who has ‘everything to be a top goalkeeper’.

“He is a monster in terms of his physicality. He’s not just big but he is powerful, he is fast.

“In terms of attributes as a goalkeeper, he has got everything to be a top goalkeeper.”

As per WhoScored, Sanchez averaged more passes and had a better completion rate than De Gea last season, whereas he stopped more crosses and averaged a shorter average length of goal kick than Onana, as per FBref. This shows how he could suit Ten Hag’s style of playing out from the back, and by the looks of things, a move could be one to keep an eye on.

Celtic could soon sign Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun, with the K League 1 side now ready to sanction a deal.

Are Celtic signing Yang Hyun-jun?

The Hoops are prepared to back new manager Brendan Rodgers with a £30m transfer kitty this summer, with midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio both signing five-year deals from Valerenga and Melbourne City respectively.

Scotland internationals Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay have also been linked with moves to Celtic Park from Arsenal and Manchester United, with Yang another player of interest.

It emerged last month that the Hoops had made a significant offer to bring the forward to Scotland, and recent reports claimed a £2.1m fee has been agreed between the two clubs.

However, Gangwon wanted to keep their forward until January when their season finishes, but it looks as if their stance has now changed.

Football Scotland relayed an update from Sports Chosun regarding Celtic and Yang, describing it as a transfer breakthrough.

It is believed that Gangwon are now ready to allow the forward to leave immediately, adding that CEO Kim "showed an open-minded and embracing attitude" and that Yang's transfer "remained a matter of time".

Yang has been desperate to make the move to Parkhead, saying that he would even give up his salary in order to push through a transfer.

"It is an opportunity that does not come easily (to join Celtic). I told the CEO, general manager, and coach that I wanted to advance.

"Celtic is a good offer, so I want to go. I have to do my best as a member of Gangwon. But I think the desire to go will still be there.

"I want to go to Celtic this summer. I hope Gangwon will allow me to transfer. If the transfer fee isn’t enough, I’ll even give my salary."

Who else is leaving Celtic?

The Hoops will be without midfielder Aaron Mooy next season after he announced his retirement, whereas star winger Jota has completed a move to Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m.

Meanwhile, Liel Abada could also be on the move later this summer, with Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas claiming the forward is of interest to both Sporting CP and Ajax.

Therefore, should Abada join Jota in leaving Glasgow, Yang could arrive and bolster Rodgers’ wide options. The 21-year-old is primarily a right-winger who can also play on the left or through the middle, so would bring plenty of versatility to Scotland.

He was hailed as “excellent” and a “level above” in the media following a pre-season display against Tottenham last year, so he could be the next success story when it comes to Celtic signing players from Asia, potentially playing alongside the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Oh Hyeon-gyu, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda.

A transfer appears to be on course following the apparent change in heart from Gangwon, so we could soon the forward make the move relatively soon with an agreement already reached, making this one to keep an eye on over the coming days.

West Ham United have submitted an enquiry for AZ Alkmaar star Tijjani Reijnders in the hope of bringing him to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Tijjani Reijnders?

Reijnders is naturally a central midfielder who currently plies his trade at the AFAS Stadium having joined the U21s there from PEC Zwolle back in 2017 before getting promoted to the first team the following year, as per Transfermarkt, where he’s since gone on to become a regular feature.

In the Eredivisie, the Dutchman started all 34 games under Pascal Jansen last season and established himself as his side’s third overall best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.26, and David Moyes has already had the chance to assess him live in action.

During the Europa Conference League, the Irons had to face the 24-year-old’s side and will know exactly what he’s capable of having put a goal past Lukasz Fabianski, something which has tempted the boss into trying to entice him to E20.

Are West Ham signing Reijnders?

According to Sport Italia (via Sport Witness), West Ham have made an "in-depth" enquiry to discover the availability of Reijnders in the "past few days" ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. AC Milan and other unnamed clubs are also believed to have "expressed their interest" in AZ Alkmaar's prized asset, but at this stage, there's no indication as to how much it would cost to secure his services.

Should Moyes consider a bid for Reijnders?

Whilst Reijnders is a central midfielder, West Ham will know that he is much stronger in the attacking aspect of his game, and having been dubbed “unplayable” by journalist Josh Bunting, Moyes and the hierarchy should definitely consider tabling an opening offer.

The ESA & GFM client, who earns £8k-per-week, racked up 11 goal contributions (eight assists and three goals) in 34 Eredivisie appearances last season, with this form seeing him collect three man-of-the-match awards, but he’s also a creative threat away from the net.

Reijnders, who has the versatility to operate in seven various positions, including everywhere across the centre and out wide on both wings, ranked in the 96th percentile for progressive carries so loves to push up the pitch but was also calm and composed in possession with an 88.8% pass success rate which was higher than any Irons player, therefore he would be an upgrade on the boss’ current options at the London Stadium.

Declan Rice's future continues to dominate the transfer columns, but West Ham United may well have already found an ideal replacement for their departing captain.

England international Rice is certain to move on this summer – chairman David Sullivan confirmed as much earlier this month – but United are continuing to haggle over a fee for a player they value at a nine-figure sum.

It seems likely they will get their wish, with Arsenal now joined by Manchester City in the bidding, meaning plenty of money will be available to bring in a new central midfielder.

What's the latest on West Ham's hunt for Declan Rice's replacement?

According to The Sun reporter Alan Nixon, David Moyes is hopeful of raiding former club Everton for in-demand Amadou Onana, who is also being eyed up by Chelsea and Manchester United.

Moyes is said to have missed out on Onana last summer when Everton signed him from Lille for £30m, and his valuation has now climbed to as much as £50m.

Given that will potentially be just half the amount they get for the sale of Rice, it surely makes sense for West Ham to move quickly and bring in the Belgium international, rather than being left stranded come the second half of the transfer window.

Is Amadou Onana a good replacement for Declan Rice?

Onana has taken no time at all to settle into the Premier League, as reflected in a number of key metrics. For example, he ranked in the top 10% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won last season, as per The Analyst.

Rice was only in the top 40%, though he does, of course, thrive in other areas. There are plenty of similarities between the two men, however, such as direct goal involvement (0.14 per 90 minutes for Rice, 0.11 for Onana), pass completion rate (86.5% v 83.3%) and take-ons attempted (1.73 v 1.88).

As per FBref, both players find the target at an identical rate (0.22 per 90 minutes) and, while Rice edges things in terms of shot-creating actions – which factors in passes and take-ons leading to a shot – at 2.75 per 90 to Onana's 1.63, the latter comes into his own in the tackles won per 90 metric (1.56 v 1.04).

As the Manchester Evening News reporter Tyrone Marshall put it in October, Onana is a "supreme athlete and very mobile", which would also be a good way to describe Rice.

Whoever is brought in by West Ham will have to hit the ground running if they are to come anywhere close to replacing fan favourite Rice. In Onana, they have a Premier League-ready option waiting to do exactly that.

Financial expert Kieran Maguire has been reacting to a Leeds United update involving the 49ers Enterprises and Elland Road.

What’s the latest Leeds news on the 49ers?

It was confirmed earlier this month that the 49ers Enterprises have completed a full takeover of Leeds from Andrea Radrizzani. The investment vehicle, which have links to NFL side the San Francisco 49ers, are now full owners of the Whites after previously having a 44% stake in the club.

A takeover was valued at £170m and includes the ownership of Elland Road, something which Maguire has been giving his thoughts on.

Talking to Football Insider regarding the news, Maguire, who contributes for Sky Sports, believes that “Leeds fans will love” the fact that the stadium and club are in the hands of the same party.

“I think there is an inevitability in regards to the 49ers’ investment in Leeds United that has been mooted for some time.

“It became quite clear that Andrea Radrizzani to a certain extent had lost interest in his ownership of Leeds United and was ready to move on. Therefore this is the logical and appropriate step to make.

“As far as the Elland Road acquisition, it makes sense, effectively the money from the 49ers will be knocked off the value of Elland Road and it will go into part of the overall pot.

“I think it is a very good idea to have continuity of ownership of both football club and stadium and I’m sure Leeds fans will love this.”

What did Andrea Radrizzani try and do with Elland Road?

Radrizzani has moved on from Leeds, heading back to his native Italy with a takeover of Sampdoria. However, the former Leeds owner and chairman recently explored the prospect of offering to use the club's Elland Road stadium as security against a £26m bank loan, doing so without informing the 49ers.

That was before a Leeds agreement was reached with the 49ers, so it is good to see that Elland Road has been included in the takeover and is not still on the books of a company run by Radrizzani.

The new owners are now looking to take the club back into the Premier League at the first time of asking and are on the search for a new manager, and who knows, should they succeed, they may look into plans to redevelop Elland Road over the coming years.

Manchester City appear to be closing in on reaching an agreement with RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

What’s the latest Man City transfer news?

Pep Guardiola and his City squad completed a historic treble during the 2022/23 season, however, it looks as if City aren’t wasting any time when it comes to adding to their squad.

A deal for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic appears to be close, with a verbal agreement reached with the Croatia international. However, Kovacic isn’t the only Croatia star City have their eyes on, with Gvardiol another target.

The Secret Scout took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share a claim on City and Gvardiol. They said that everything is in place when it comes to an Etihad contract for the defender, who is a key target once Kovacic is signed. City still need to agree on a fee with Leipzig for Gvardiol, though.

“Everything now in place in relation to contract between Man City and Gvardiol.

“Once Kovacic deal complete, Gvardiol is the key target for LCB. Now it’s for RB Leipzig & Man City to agree T&Cs of the fee + add ons.”

Who is Josko Gvardiol?

Gvardiol is primarily a left-footed centre-back who can also play as a left-back and appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €75m (£66m) Transfermarkt valuation.

The defender actually scored against City in the Champions League earlier this year, and admitted he had a conversation with Guardiola after the second leg.

"I extended my hand to Guardiola and congratulated him on advancing in the Champions League. Guardiola, a great coach, threw a few words at me, but I will keep them to myself."

He appears to be a real star in the making, with pundit Owen Hargreaves believing that Gvardiol will be "the best centre-back in the world one day” following the game against City.

"He [Gvardiol], I think, is an absolute top one. I think he’ll be the best centre-back in the world one day. He’s learned a lot today, and probably wouldn’t mind playing in a team like this rather than against them."

As per WhoScored, the Leipzig man actually outperformed City defenders Manuel Akanji and Kyle Walker last season, while also averaging more interceptions per game than any City player.

As per FBref, Gvardiol also ranks in the 99th percentile for centre-backs when it comes to passes attempted, progressive passing distance and medium passes completed, so he could be a shrewd addition to Guardiola’s side who are known for building attacks from the back.

Arsenal could be set to immediately bin one of the club's recent failures, with another big-money move, but this time of Mikel Arteta's choosing.

What's the latest on Samuel Chukwueze to Arsenal?

That's according to CalcioMercato, who claim that the Gunners are battling with many clubs over Villarreal's star winger Samuel Chukwueze.

With AC Milan and Real Madrid also in the race and contact expected to be made soon, it will take an almighty task to tempt this Super Eagles star to the Emirates ahead of such European royalty. This hefty competition likely aids the €80m (£68m) asking price that continues to be referenced by the Spanish club.

Such an astronomical fee will likely have fans of the north London outfit worried that this left-footed right-winger might follow down the same path that Nicolas Pepe took, having struggled since his £72m move in 2019.

In fact, it has been revealed that Edu is currently seeking out a buyer for their Ivory Coast flop, as he aims to trim their squad starting with their biggest duds. Another potential transfer howler is a situation the club simply must avoid.

Is Samuel Chukwueze better than Nicolas Pepe?

Pepe's drop-off since moving to the Emirates was nothing short of astronomical, and was made all the more apparent when Unai Emery later admitted it was a deal he did not sanction.

Given he would go on to play just 121 times, scoring 27 goals, it is clear to see that this once impressive wide man was a fish out of water in England. Especially considering how in his final year before moving from Lille he would notch 23 goals and assist a further 12 in all competitions, nearly equalling that aforementioned tally across four whole years in north London.

Having since been temporarily sent back to Ligue 1 last term, just six league goals are suggestive that their ridiculous investment continues to fall flat.

Meanwhile, in a division ranked as the second-best in Europe just behind the Premier League, as opposed to the fifth-place standing of France, Chukwueze has slowly been growing into a stunning footballer who seems ready to take that next step.

This year has comfortably marked his pinnacle thus far, with the 24-year-old having scored 13 and assisted 11 from that right flank.

Having also dressed that up with an immense level of finesse and flair, it even led his boss Quique Setien to claim:

"For a few weeks, he’s been giving us a lot, he’s a permanent threat. Not just in goals, but in passes, chances, he’s an extraordinary player, who is giving us a lot". This culminated in his status as a "crazy dribbler" too.

With Pepe seemingly already with one foot out the exit door, to spend big once again on another in his exact role would surely mean the end of an Arsenal career that promised much but delivered next to nothing.