Category Uncategorized

Arsenal could save themselves millions in the summer transfer window if manager Mikel Arteta looks to their famed Hale End academy for the Gunners’ next star…

What’s the latest on Moussa Diaby to Arsenal?

The north London outfit have regularly been linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen dynamo Moussa Diaby, with their latest interest being in the recent January transfer window.

According to reports, the Bundesliga side would only let the French winger leave for a whopping fee north of £88m – the same as in the summer, which would eclipse the £72m they paid Lille for Nicolas Pepe in 2019.

Leverkusen’s thinking could change in the summer as it’s not halfway through the season, though under contract until 2025, he still wouldn’t come cheap with FootballTransfers estimating his current worth to be around €6o.7m (£53.5m).

Who is Amario Cozier-Duberry?

It’s no secret that Arteta’s squad depth is still lacking, even despite the winter additions of Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard.

Young winger Amario Cozier-Duberry was named on the bench against Brentford over the weekend for the third time since Boxing Day and that’s not just to fill numbers as he has enjoyed quite a successful time in the academy.

The 17-year-old, who turns 18 in May, has provided seven goals and six assists in the Premier League 2 this season, adding to his return of eight direct contributions last season. It’s this form that saw him play in friendlies against Juventus and Lyon during the World Cup break too.

Capped at youth level for England, Cozier-Duberry has earned plenty of rather expected comparisons to that of Bukayo Saka, given they are both versatile and similar types of players, though it is his likeness to the aforementioned Diaby that is most interesting.

Why pay in excess of £88m when you already have a player with the potential to become the very same option for free?

Indeed, the teenager has been compared to the Leverkusen star by scout Jacek Kulig, who also describes his strongest assets as being his pace, dribbling, ball control and dynamism.

It’s perhaps little surprise to have also seen Arsenal’s “atom ant” lauded as “Hale End’s finest” by the aforementioned talent-spotter, as well as someone who can create “lots of problems” for the opposition by football.london reporter Kaya Kaynak.

As such, if Arteta were to promote the youngster into the first-team squad full-time, he could save ownership group KSE a lot of money in the transfer market – or at the very least, put funds towards bolstering other areas of the pitch.

Cozier-Duberry could well be Diaby 2.0 for the Gunners heading into 2023/24.

AND in other news, Cost nothing, now worth £98.5m: Arsenal hit the jackpot on “phenomenal” Gunners maestro…

One major problem at Manchester United in recent times has been the inability to offload players who are surplus to requirements, with the long-serving Phil Jones the most obvious example of a figure who has arguably outstayed his welcome.

By contrast, there have also seemingly been occasions where the Red Devils have hastily moved players on, only to see that decision blow up in their face, with promising youngster Angel Gomes one such talent who has thrived since exiting Old Trafford.

The diminutive playmaker – who was part of England’s U17 World Cup-winning squad under Steve Cooper in 2017 – had been earmarked for big things at United after making his first-team debut at the tail end of the 2016/17 campaign, with the then-16-year-old replacing Wayne Rooney late on at home to Crystal Palace.

Despite that early bow under Jose Mourinho, the 5 foot 6 starlet was unable to force his way into the senior setup on a consistent basis, going on to make just ten appearances for the club over the next three years.

Lauded as an “unbelievable” talent by former youth coach Nicky Butt, the London-born sensation particularly fell by the wayside during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time in charge, with the Norwegian said to have taken a ‘dim view’ of the youngster’s failure to agree to a new contract.

That “dispute” – as worded by Butt – ultimately ended with Gomes moving on when his deal expired in summer 2020, having only made six appearances under Solskjaer during the 2019/20 campaign.

Having had concerns over his ability to earn a regular place in the team at the Theatre of Dreams, the then-teenager took the decision to join Ligue 1 side Lille on a free transfer, having since proven his former employers wrong for allowing him to depart.

After an impressive season on loan at Primeira Liga outfit Boavista in 2020/21, in which he provided 12 goals and assists in 32 games in all competitions, the eye-catching ace subsequently returned to his parent club the following year, forcing his way into the first-team reckoning at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

After recording three goals and two assists in 30 games last season, the Englishman has truly “exploded” this term according to journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos, who added that Gomes has proven himself as a player who “makes a difference” in the final third.

This breakthrough campaign has seen the 22-year-old score three goals and provided three assists in 24 games to date, ensuring that he ranks in the top 15% among his positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues for assists.

It is the quality of the £12k-per-week youngster’s goal contributions which have particularly caught the eye, however, having netted a stunning long-range strike against Pau last month before following that up with a “filthy backheel assist” against Rennes earlier this week, as per writer Zach Lowy.

That remarkable rise in recent months has ensured that Gomes is now valued at around £13m according to CIES Football Observatory, albeit with that figure only set to increase should his impactful displays continue.

With Erik ten Hag’s side currently lacking a playmaking alternative to Bruno Fernandes, it may well be a source of frustration for United to see their former creative asset blossoming in France.

Journalist Joe Donnohue was awestruck by a ‘moment of magic’ from Wilfried Gnonto in Leeds United’s 0-0 draw at home to Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Leeds held by Brentford

The Whites faced another big game in their battle against relegation, as an in-form and dangerous Bees outfit made the trip north to Elland Road.

It was a game which had plenty of needle to it, with tackles flying in from both teams (31 in total), but technical quality came at a premium for much of proceedings.

In the end, both Leeds and Brentford had to settle with a share of the spoils, the goalless draw likely to please the visitors more than the home side.

The Latest: Gnonto catches Donnohue’s eye

Gnonto was a vibrant presence throughout the game, and while providing live updates via Twitter, Donnohue lauded one particularly eye-catching dribble from the Leeds starlet in the 32nd minute.

The Yorkshire Evening Post reporter gushed:

“Willy Gnonto with his first little moment of magic today. Wrestles possession free from Roerslev and just drives through the Brentford midfield, picking his pass and releasing at the right moment. Nothing comes of it in the end, but it was gooood.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-14/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Huge talent

This was another hugely encouraging performance by Gnonto, who caused Brentford problems all afternoon with his pace, trickery and unpredictability.

The aforementioned dribble was just one moment of class and he always looked like making someone happen, making one key pass and taking two shots (one on target), as per Sofascore.

Gnonto is someone whose inclusion in Jesse Marsch’s starting line-up is swiftly becoming a regular occurrence, and the hope is that the eight-cap Italy international continues to go from strength to strength.

Everton have found themselves yet again struggling to compete comfortably in the Premier League this season and Frank Lampard will surely be feeling the pressure as his team continue to put on poor performances.

Not only have the Toffees been knocked out of both domestic competitions, they are also 19th in the league table with only 15 points collected from their first 19 outings which has set them up for a difficult relegation scrap for survival over the second half of the season.

One of the main contributors in Everton’s inability to pick up crucial points is their failure to score enough goals with the side having tallied up the second-lowest number in the entire top-flight this term.

As a result, the signing of a goal-scoring and creative forward should be the top priority for the powers at Goodison Park over the remaining days and weeks of the current transfer window as they cannot continue to stagnate and drop points if they are to have any hope of avoiding relegation at the end of the campaign.

One player who has recently been linked with a move to the blue side of Merseyside is Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic, a player who could be a short-term fix.

Over 464 career appearances, the 33-year-old striker – who was dubbed “powerful” by Jack Wilshere – has scored 127 goals and registered 73 assists with a goal contribution every 162 minutes – an output that could be hugely valuable to Lampard during the next few months.

Importantly, the Austrian goal machine could be a big upgrade on summer signing Neal Maupay with Arnautovic outperforming the Everton striker in many attributes this season, largely in terms of goal contributions with Arnautovic’s eight significantly trumping the sole involvement from Lampard’s French outlet.

In short, the former West Ham man appears to be a much greater nuisance in the penalty area, besting Maupay for his shot-on-target rate (47.6% v 40%), shot-creating actions (34 v 9), goal-creating actions (3 v 0) and progressive passes (78 v 40).

Indeed, Arnautovic is not a long-term solution for Everton as a prospective striker for the future but his goal-scoring form is desperately needed at Goodison Park to secure their future in the top flight so if the club can snap him up for a £10m transfer fee that was touted last summer, it could be a big addition in their pursuit of safety.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has hailed Cameron Carter-Vickers’ performance in the Hoops’ 2-2 draw away to Rangers, describing him as ‘immense’.

The Lowdown: Celtic snatch point at Rangers

Ange Postecoglou’s side went into their trip to Ibrox with a nine-point lead over their rivals in the Scottish Premiership title race, making a win for the hosts almost essential.

While Celtic may not have earned all three points in the end, Kyogo Furuhashi’s late equaliser proved to be priceless, ensuring Rangers made no ground on them and the Hoops will certainly be the happier side as the dust settles.

In truth, Ange’s side were never at their best in the match but their ability to get something from a game with late goals shone through again.

The Latest: Sutton hails ‘immense’ CCV

Taking to Twitter after the match, Sutton assessed matters fairly, giving Carter-Vickers special praise:

“Celtic got away with that. CCV was immense. Too many players way off it. Mooy excellent when he came on. Juranovic would have struggled to impress any watching scouts… would Willie Collum in the VAR hut have awarded a penalty had a Celtic player handled the ball like Goldson??”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-9/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Superb performance

On a day when numerous individuals struggled to find their best form, Carter-Vickers was largely magnificent and deserves all the plaudits that come his way.

[freshpress-quiz id=“419088″]

The American was physically strong throughout, winning five out of six aerial duels, making five clearances and also enjoying an 89% pass completion rate (71% on long balls), with one late tussle summing up his brilliance.

This was an afternoon that again showed how important Carter-Vickers is to this Celtic side and he is one of the best centre-backs to have represented them in recent years.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that signing Leeds United signing Chris Wood would be ‘strange’, but he could also ‘tick the boxes’.

The Lowdown: Leeds January interest

As per Football Insider, the Whites are currently weighing up a move for Wood in the January transfer window, as Jesse Marsch looks for viable alternatives to current striker options Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo.

They are thought to be plotting a loan bid for the Newcastle United forward, who of course used to play at Elland Road.

The Latest: ‘Strange’ move?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that the Yorkshire club going back in for Wood is ‘strange’, but he would ‘tick the boxes’ for them if they are looking for ‘proven’ Premier League experience:

“Chris Wood had a successful time at Leeds before he eventually moved on to Burnley.

“I still find it a bit strange that maybe they’d be in for Wood, but if they’re looking for proven Premier League experience, he’d tick the boxes for them.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-12/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Avoid

As tempting as it may be for the Peacocks to bring Wood back, they should avoid signing him if they can.

He did manage 44 goals in 88 matches in all competitions over three seasons at Elland Road averaging a goal every other game, but he is now unfortunately past his best at 31 years of age.

More was expected of Wood at the Magpies after his £25m move from Burnley last January, but he has only managed four goals in 33 games so far at St. James’ Park.

The New Zealand international is believed to be on more than £100,000-per-week on Tyneside, and could prove to be a total waste of money if Leeds decide to make a move.

West Ham United are looking to secure January deals for Brazilian duo Pablo Maia and Luizao, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The Lowdown: West Ham linked with Brazilian duo

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Hammers and fellow Premier League club Fulham have their eyes on signing Maia, who currently plays in midfield for Sao Paulo.

It has also been claimed more recently that the east London club have been trying to work out a deal with the Brazilian club for defender Luizao.

With the January transfer window around the corner, it appears that Jones has done some digging into the reports linking West Ham with moves for the two players.

The Latest: West Ham’s January transfer agenda

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones shared some insight when asked about the Irons’ links with Maia and Luizao.

He said: “The stories are being driven from South American sources. I’ve checked it out and it does seem like there’s something to it. They’re quite open about this being one that is on the agenda.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

The Verdict: Smart investments for West Ham

Looking back over the latest Brazilian Serie A campaign, only two Sao Paulo players ended up making more passes into the final third of the pitch than Maia (121). In addition, only two players at the club racked up a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions than the midfielder (62).

This highlights how capable and well-rounded a midfielder the 20-year-old is both with and without the ball, and why he’d be a smart investment for West Ham.

As for Luizao, only four players at Sao Paulo made more blocks (18) and clearances (54) than the defender, despite him only making 14 league appearances throughout the season.

Taking all that into account, we feel that if the Hammers are able to secure deals for the youngsters in January, they could well be getting their hands on two exciting future stars.

Express & Star reporter Liam Keen has shared the news that Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes is ‘being assessed’ ahead of a potential return from injury this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Shoulder injury

The 24-year-old came off with a shoulder injury in the first half of the Old Gold’s 1-1 draw at home to Brentford in the Premier League last weekend.

He tried to carry on when in pain, but in the end he had to come off for Joao Moutinho.

The Latest: Nunes ‘being assessed’

Taking to Twitter, Keen has shared an update on Nunes from Steve Davis’ pre-game press conference ahead of Wolves’ match at home to Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon.

The Portuguese midfielder is ‘being assessed’ ahead of the match and is ’50/50′ to play, with the Old Gold’s interim boss stating: “Nunes is being assessed. He’s the only one that is 50/50, it could go either way.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Wolves will no doubt be having their fingers crossed that Nunes is fit and available to feature at Molineux today.

He has played in every game this season since signing in August and has already established himself as a key member of Davis’ team.

The 24-year-old ranks highly among his team-mates for average tackles, clearances, shots, key passes and dribbles per match in the top flight (WhoScored), and the Old Gold will surely have a better chance of securing all three points against Brighton with Nunes in their side.

Nonetheless, Wolves supporters will be facing an anxious wait over whether or not he makes the matchday squad this afternoon.

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice won’t sign an extension on his current deal with the Hammers, according to a fresh claim by journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Rice’s contract ticking away

The 23-year-old has matured from exciting academy graudate into arguably the first name on the Hammers’ team sheet these days, as well as becoming a dominant figure for England.

Rice’s current West Ham contract expires in the summer of 2024 however, and there is sure to be a lot of interest in him at the end of this season.

At that point, it could the last opportunity for the east London side to earn huge money for his services, unless he decides to extend his stay at the club.

The Latest: Journalist makes contract claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown claimed that Rice won’t sign a new deal with West Ham:

“I don’t think there is anyone pushing that hard at the moment to sign Declan Rice, but I think he’s trying to keep his options open and won’t be signing any contracts that tie him to the club and knock down a move in the near future.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Big blow, but unsurprising

This is clearly a negative update from a Hammers perspective, with Rice someone who will hopefully stay put for the rest of his career, having been hailed as ‘superb’ by another midfield great in the shape of Steven Gerrard.

In truth, there does seem to be a predictability about the midfielder’s exit in the near future, however, as he looks to kick on to the next stage of his career.

Rice belongs at a club playing Champions League football and challenging for major honours, and sadly, that is something that West Ham cannot provide currently. A summer exit in 2023 makes sense, with the Hammers hopefully banking a massive profit and reinvesting wisely.

Nottingham Forest made 22 new signings over the summer with the newly-promoted Premier League club showing the ultimate ambition to build a team that can compete at the highest level.

However, the fairytale promotion success has been short-lived as Steve Cooper’s new-look side have struggled to pick up points in their first 11 league outings with just six points collected out of a possible 33.

The Garibaldi Reds have scored the joint-second fewest goals in the entire Premier League and are currently just one point off the bottom of the table, which has ultimately led to the sacking of the head of recruitment and the head scout at The City Ground.

Evangelos Marinakis put trust and ambition into the powers appointed to make the best decisions to build a team that could retain the club’s Premier League status for years to come, and after spending £150m during the summer, there is no doubt that the owner would have high expectations.

As a result, many of the players acquired over the transfer window have not been up to scratch and although there were many acquisitions made, it will haunt Marinakis when he considers not only the money that could have been saved but the players that could have been retained.

One of the biggest concerns Nottingham Forest are showing in their performances is a lack of attacking threat, goals and poor work ethic in the forward line, which is a huge contribution to their current league position in the relegation zone.

There were several players that shined for the Tricky Trees last season whilst on loan with the club in the Championship but didn’t ultimately make their stays permanent, including James Garner and Djed Spence. However, the biggest loss has arguably been Philip Zinckernagel, who was key to the team’s formidable attacking threat last season.

Over 42 league appearances, the Danish winger scored six goals, delivered seven assists and created seven big chances during an impressive campaign. He also contributed defensively and worked hard, making 1.4 tackles and winning 4.4 duels per game. Since then, he has continued to flourish on loan from Olympiacos with Belgian side Standard Liege.

The 27-year-old ace who was dubbed “brilliant” by former Watford boss Xisco Munoz, has scored two goals and created three big chances, making 1.2 key passes, one tackle and winning 4.8 duels per game over five appearances so far.

Back on Trentside, the forward’s replacement in Jesse Lingard has delivered no goal contributions whatsoever so far, despite being the highest-paid player on £200k-per-week, which will be incredibly frustrating for the manager, supporters and Marinakis.

It has been reported by The Guardian that the Forest boss rejected the opportunity to keep hold of Zinckernagel which will surely be a decision that he regrets in hindsight. Indeed, it could well haunt Cooper if his side are unsuccessful in retaining their Premier League status at the end of the season.