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There were some concerns in June that West Ham United were without coin this summer, but technical director Tim Steidten and new head coach Julen Lopetegui has since dispelled that notion by getting active in the transfer market.

18-year-old winger Luis Guilherme has been signed from Palmeiras for £25.5m, while Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Max Kilman has joined the London Stadium fold in a £40m deal. Landing a new centre-forward remains a pressing concern, though a bid has been submitted to sign Aston Villa's Jhon Duran and talks are ongoing.

Harking back to that defensive point, Kilman's arrival might not actually be enough. Both Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd flattered to deceive last season and both centre-backs could be sold. Lopetegui would be wise to welcome another star to partner Kilman.

West Ham transfer news

According to French outlet Nice-Matin – via Sport Witness – West Ham are still in the lead to sign OGC Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo this summer despite seeing a €35m (£30m) offer knocked back already.

Juventus are also sniffing around, while Manchester United had been set to sign the titan but for the transfer to be scuppered by Nice and the Red Devils' shared INEOS ownership, with UEFA rules denying such a transaction.

West Ham are the only team to have made a concrete transfer offer, however, and while the Ligue 1 outfit are holding out for €40m (£34m), the Irons must now return with a second offer to complete their backline.

Why Jean-Clair Todibo would be perfect for West Ham

Kilman and Todibo would make a formidable and dynamic partnership, with the former aerially dominant and progressive on the ball and the Nice defender regarded for his rounded mastery, hailed as the "complete package" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

To further illustrate this point: as per FBref, Todibo ranked among the top 12% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues last season for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 17% for progressive carries, the top 4% for successful take-ons and the top 17% for tackles per 90.

Lopetegui has already hinted that he's going to imprint a more possession-based style on the Hammers fold than that of his predecessor, David Moyes, who excelled in pragmaticism and counter-attacking, winning the Conference League and engineering the brightest period in West Ham's modern history.

Todibo would be perfect in that regard, ranking highly among the most active passers in Europe and proving to be combative and progressive besides. Journalist Antonio Mango hailed him as a “Rolls Royce of a CB" who's "very comfortable on the ball and likes to begin phrases of play.”

Last season, the 24-year-old started 30 matches in the French top flight, keeping 14 clean sheets, completing 90% of his passes, winning 59% of his duels and averaging 7.1 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

It's quite clear why he's such a touted target for some of Europe's finest teams, and if West Ham were to land him, he'd make a difference and then some, especially since he'd prove to be a monumental upgrade on club skipper Zouma.

Why Todibo would be an upgrade on Zouma

As per Nice-Matin (via Caught Offside), West Ham have been hoping to orchestrate a deal involving the Moroccan and Todibo, player-plus-cash, but have found the France defender's reluctance to move to London proving to be a stumbling block, with his sights set on Juventus instead.

Nonetheless, the Old Lady aren't in the soundest of financial situations and have already signed Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa in a £42.5m transfer this summer, requiring a player-plus-cash movement to see the move cross the line.

Kilman is the new prized possession on the left side of United's rearguard and it looks probable that Aguerd will leave regardless, and while that aforementioned proposal failed, Todibo could yet wind up in east London before the end of August.

A key factor being the promise that he would be able to saunter past Zouma into the regular starting berth alongside Kilman, with Todibo's compatriot failing to impress last term.

Journalist Jack Rosser criticised West Ham's "tired and hopeless" defence last season and singled out the "terrible" Zouma, who failed to live up to the expectations that come with the donning of the armband.

Uninspiring and languorous at times, Zouma does not fit the ball-playing mould that Lopetegui will demand, ranking among the bottom 4% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, and the bottom 35% for pass completion.

The table above shows the stark disparity between the 29-year-old's level of performance and Todibo's. Quite frankly, it's imperative that he is sold, lest West Ham stagnate next term or even regress.

Ultimately, Lopetegui knows what he's doing and will be able to make his system work with the likes of Aguerd and Zouma at the base. But after tasting the golden heights of European endeavours over these past few years, the Hammers fanbase wants to see ambition and effective action in the transfer market, translated into first-class performances on the field.

West Ham have hit gold on phenom who's worth even more than Watkins & Duran

Julen Lopetegui must relish the chance to wield this highly talented player.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 12, 2024

Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor revealed what she told her players to motivate them to victory over Manchester City in the Women's Super League.

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• Bompastor reveals message to Chelsea players
• London team ended Man City's unbeaten run
• Climbed to the top of WSL table

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues extended their winning streak to seven games as they clinched a comfortable 2-0 win over City on Saturday and climbed to the top of the Women's Super League table. City tasted defeat for the time in the 2024-25 season as Mayra Ramirez and Guro Reiten found the back of the net for the defending champions.

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  Bompastor has proved herself to be a worthy successor to legendary coach Emma Hayes, under whose tutelage the club enjoyed tremendous success. Since replacing Hayes at the helm, the former Lyon player and coach has guided the team to victory in every single game they have played in the 2024-25 campaign across all competitions. After Saturday's win over their title rivals, the 44-year-old coach revealed what she told her players to motivate them to clinch a comfortable victory.

• WHAT SONIA BOMPASTOR SAID

  Speaking at her post-match press conference, the French manager said: "We want to enjoy it and this is what I told my players before the game. Maybe we have the best job in the world being players and a manager, so tonight was an opportunity for us to put our hearts on the pitch and enjoy it because we are playing at home at Stamford Bridge, with fans coming and against a really good team. I just want to enjoy the win, the three points and we continue our run."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  The London outfit will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on Celtic in a Women's Champions League clash before meeting Manchester United in the WSL on November 24.

Out of all the clubs in the Premier League, Manchester City have the most players competing in the final at Euro 2024. This may not come as much of a surprise, given their prestigiousness when it comes to reaching, and winning, major finals in recent seasons, nor the fact they had the most players in the tournament in the whole of the Premier League.

The Cityzens’ representative for Spain is, of course, one of the world’s best midfielders, Rodri. The Spanish number 16 has been a key feature of the La Roja midfield and has even taken the captain’s armband when Alvrao Morata has not been on the pitch.

City’s three England players are all first-choice for Gareth Southgate; Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden.

The trio have started all of England’s games during the tournament and were particularly impressive against the Netherlands as the Three Lions stormed into their second consecutive European Championship final.

Unsurprisingly, the tournament has created several transfer links for some of the best-performing players to elite clubs across Europe. City themselves have recently been linked with one player who could switch to the Etihad Stadium once the tournament has finished, and it would see one of Rodri’s teammates join him at the Premier League champions.

Man City target Bundesliga midfielder

The player in question here is RB Leipzig’s Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo. The 26-year-old has lit up the European Championships so far this summer and has now been linked with a move away from Leipzig.

According to a report from Sky Germany, City are one of two clubs said to be “specifically interested” in signing Olmo this summer. However, the Premier League champions might find it easier to do a deal given the fact they have “completely different financial circumstances” to their competition.

The other club in for Olmo this summer are one of Europe’s biggest sides, Spanish giants Barcelona. The Catalan club are “still recovering” from the financial hits they have taken in recent years, before explaining that City could be “more comfortable” with the price for Olmo.

Whilst there is no price stated in the report, it explains that Leipzig will not sell their star man for less than his market value.

Why Olmo would be a good signing

Despite a tough season with injury issues, Olmo still had reasonably good output for Leipzig when he did feature. In all competitions for club and country, the Spaniard missed a whopping 29 games last term, the most he has missed in a single campaign.

However, the 26-year-old still featured 25 times in all competitions for his side. It was a season where he scored eight goals and registered five assists, including a hat-trick against Bayern Munich in the German Supercup.

However, it is his performances in Euro 2024 that Olmo has really attracted interest this summer. Against France in the semi-final, the Leipzig midfielder started as a replacement for the injured Pedri and was rated an 8/10 by Sky Sports journalist Lewis Jones.

The reporter was full of praise for Olmo and explained his goal against Les Bleus was “a thing of beauty”.

Indeed, his tournament so far has been phenomenal. According to Sofascore, no player has scored more goals than the Spaniard, with countryman Lamine Yamal and Dutch star Xavi Simons the only players to register more assists than Olmo’s two. However, he leads the way when it comes to combined goal involvement, sitting outright top with five.

Should Pep Guardiola add his fellow Spaniard to the Citizens squad, we would see Olmo link up with Rodri for club football as well as together with the national team.

It would no doubt be a similar partnership, with Olmo having a licence to roam all over the final third, knowing he has the security of Rodri behind him.

If there is one thing that can be said about Olmo, it is that he is a fantastic ball-carrier. Last season, as per FBref, in the Bundesliga, the 26-year-old averaged 3.79 progressive carries per 90 minutes but really excelled with those carries into the final third, in which he averaged 3.04 each game, ranking him in the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the German top-flight.

The exciting Spaniard also averaged 4.47 attempted take-ons in the Bundesliga last season, completing an average of 1.93 per game. Olmo has silky footwork, and glides with the ball at his feet, able to slalom in and out of defenders.

The midfielder is also a superb creative passer, as he has shown at the Euros. He averages 4.22 progressive passes each game, and an impressive 3.73 passes into the final third each game, a figure which places him in the top 4% of Bundesliga attacking midfielders and wingers. Not only that, Olmo plays an average of 1.99 key passes per 90, showing his creative spark with the ball at his feet.

The 26-year-old is clearly a player who Guardiola rates highly. Back in 2019, when the creative maestro scored for Dinamo Zagreb against City in the Champions League, the legendary Spanish manager called the midfielder a “top player”, before explaining he “has a bright future” ahead of him. With that in mind, it is not really a surprise to see City interested in signing him.

Should City sign the Spaniard, it could be a genius acquisition from Guardiola’s side. Imagine how good he and Rodri would be together, reigniting that connection they have at international level. He would be given a license to roam and get forward, looking to link up with City’s stars in the final third and show off his dangerous ball-carrying ability.

Whilst the price is currently unclear, it could be a masterstroke from Guardiola, and Olmo would only add to the quality City have going forward.

Doku upgrade: Man City register interest in £75m PL "menace"

The Cityzens are reportedly keen on a deal to sign the England international this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 9, 2024

Nottingham Forest are reportedly plotting an audacious loan move for a top-level international player this summer.

Forest in slow summer transfer window

Since securing promotion to the Premier League back in 2022, Nottingham Forest have had a phenomenally high squad turnover and are often among the busiest sides in the division.

In their first season back in the top flight, they signed 30 players, headlined by the arrival of Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi. They then followed that up by adding a further 17 new faces across the 2023/24 campaign, including the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Anthony Elanga and Murillo.

Nottingham Forest taking "last steps" to sign £10m+ ace "pushing" for move

The Midlands club are closing in on another reinforcement.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 26, 2024

By comparison, this season Nuno Espírito Santo's side have been dawdling, with just five new faces being welcomed to the City Ground. They have signed Elliot Anderson in a £35m move from Newcastle United, while Nikola Milenkovic has arrived from Fiorentina to replace Moussa Niakhate, who joined Lyon.

There have also been moves for Brazilian goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, as well as young pair Mark Stamenic and Eric Moreira from Red Star and St Pauli respectively. The club's biggest successes this summer to date have been their ability to keep hold of impressive defender Murillo as well as Gibbs-White, both of whom had been linked with moves away across the 2023-24 campaign.

Undoubtedly the two biggest stars at the City Ground, Forest are looking to build a quality side around them, and are reportedly plotting an audacious loan move to help Nuno do just that.

Nottingham Forest chase Arsenal man

That comes as The Sun report that the Reds are chasing an extraordinary move to sign out-of-favour Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The England international, who was Jordan Pickford's deputy at EURO 2024, fell out of favour at the Emirates Stadium following the arrival of David Raya last summer. He made just six Premier League appearances and just two after being dropped in favour of Raya, both coming against Brentford when the Spaniard was ineligible.

He seemed certain to depart this summer in search of first-team football, but the Gunners have struggled to find anyone willing to meet their reported £30m price tag, with both Newcastle and Chelsea having been linked previously but having since agreed deals to sign other goalkeepers.

Now, The Sun claim that Forest are considering making an offer to take the former Arsenal no.1 on loan for the upcoming campaign, with Espirito Santo's side not willing to meet the asking price for a permanent deal.

They report that Forest are "willing to gamble" and see if the Gunners will let Ramsdale "leave on loan right at the end of the window", and believe that "paying all of Ramsdale’s wages plus a chunky bonus may give them a real chance" of pulling off the coup.

The goalkeeper penned a new deal at Arsenal in 2023, which means that he has just two years left to run on his £120,000-a-week deal at the Emirates Stadium, though the Gunners have an option to extend that deal by a further year.

Despite being second choice, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was quick to praise his backup shot stopper last season, dubbing his attitude "exceptional".

“He’s been exceptional around the place with the situation. Like everybody. We love him more for sure. We have him every day. We know him, we know his character and we are really happy to have him."

Ramsdale is undoubtedly a cut above the current options at Nuno's disposal, but the arrival of another two goalkeepers this summer would only muddy the waters further following the fight for the no.1 spot at the City Ground since their promotion.

South Korean wonderkid Yang Min-hyeok has won the K-League's Young Player of the Year award prior to his move to Tottenham.

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• Min-hyeok wins K-League prize
• Set to join Spurs in January
• Impressed throughout campaign

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Min-hyeok is set to join Spurs from Gangwon FC in the January transfer window. The club struck a deal to secure the 18-year-old in the summer and he is set to move to England in the New Year. Prior to his arrival, though, he has been awarded the prize as the K-League's Young Player of the Year, and has also been named in the division's Team of the Year.

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  The teenager is a South Korea youth international and has been called up by the first-team, although he has not made his debut. In 38 K-League games, he scored 12 goals and registered six assists; Gangwon finished second in the table, eight points behind Ulsan.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Min-hyeok will aim to bolster Spurs' options in the forward line, and could even be seen as a long-term replacement for Son Heung-Min, who is now 32 and is seeing his minutes managed by Ange Postecoglou. He has regularly been substituted off late in games, and his countryman will hope to take some of his minutes upon arrival in north London.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Min-hyeok moves to Spurs in January ahead of a critical point in the season. Postecoglou's side are sixth in the Premier League, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

Over the last couple of transfer windows, Liverpool’s midfield has undergone somewhat of an overhaul, with the Reds aiming to push back towards a Premier League title fight.

Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai both arrived at Anfield in big-money transfers, with the duo making a combined 66 appearances in the league during the 2023/24 campaign.

However, new boss Arne Slot still wants more reinforcements at the heart of his side, with Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi edging closer to agreeing a deal to move to Merseyside this summer.

It had recently been reported that the Reds had advanced talks and could be prepared to pay the Spaniard’s €60m (£51m) release clause, fending off interest from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the race for the 25-year-old.

Whilst he is undoubtedly a marquee signing that would transform Slot’s three-man midfield, he could yet target another talent to potentially feature alongside Zubimendi this season.

Liverpool want £20m ace who Klopp loves

According to GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool still have Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Manu Kone on their shortlist alongside Zubimendi, in an attempt to increase squad depth in midfield.

The 23-year-old, who’s part of France’s side for the ongoing Olympic Games, made 22 appearances in the Bundesliga last season, scoring once, as Mönchengladbach narrowly avoided relegation to the German second-tier.

A prior report claims that the German side only want a fee in the region of £20m to part ways with the youngster after their rapid decline in recent years.

It’s not the first time the Reds have been linked with a move to sign the Gladbach ace, with former boss Jürgen Klopp trying on numerous occasions to bring the Frenchman to Merseyside, but to no avail.

However, Liverpool could get their man this summer, with Kone potentially able to form an excellent partnership with Zubimendi should the pair complete their respective transfers.

Why Kone and Zubimendi would be perfect together for Liverpool

A natural number six has been on the agenda for some time at Anfield, with Slot’s side needing a player who can sit and regain possession, before supplying the passes to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz to cause chaos in the final third.

The Spaniard would be the perfect player to do just that role, with his average of 1.7 tackles per 90 in LaLiga an impressive tally and one that would allow for added cover to the backline.

He also is more than capable of picking out a pass, finishing the campaign with an 86% pass completion rate, with an average of 5.2 progressive passes per 90 falling straight into the hands of fellow new addition Kone.

The “incredible” Frenchman, as described by scout Antonio Mango, had an impressive personal season despite Gladbach’s failures – averaging four progressive passes per 90, along with 2.4 progressive carries – making him perfect ahead of Zubimendi in a three-man system.

He also managed an average of 2.1 successful take-ons, demonstrating his ability to get past a man and get into forward areas, potentially allowing Salah to further increase his goal tally in 2024/25.

However, from time to time, he’s going to be unsuccessful in his attempts at carrying the ball forward, but he’s more than able to regain possession, as shown in his tally of 2.6 tackles won per 90 – making him the perfect box-to-box option for Slot.

Whilst it’s unclear whether the signing of the Sociedad talent would prevent a move for Kone, their respective figures over the last 12 months demonstrate how well they could work together in Liverpool’s midfield.

The duo would provide added stability at the heart of the side, handing the club the perfect opportunity to push towards a Premier League title push in the Dutchman’s first campaign at the helm.

Having previously been identified by Klopp a year ago, now could be the time for Kone to finally arrive at Anfield under the new regime.

He's like Suarez: Liverpool could land bargain £150k-p/w Gordon upgrade

The Reds could turn their attention elsewhere this summer.

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By
Robbie Walls

Aug 8, 2024

Football fans have accused former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard of faking a ribbon-cutting stunt that went viral.

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• Lingard in ribbon-cutting stunt
• Clip tops 50 million views
• Fans claim it was all fake

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The FC Seoul forward posted a clip on Instagram of him appearing to fire a football towards a huge structure, held up by a ribbon. The fiercely-struck ball then undoes said ribbon and two golden hands, in the style of Lingard's famous celebration, appear. The 32-year-old revealed that the clip has received more than 50 million views but fans think the whole thing was fake – with the tagged 'vertex.cgi' a bit of a giveaway.

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• WHAT THE FANS SAID

  bayleybeats wrote on Instagram: "Never seen a more fake video in my life."

  jeanko_25 commented: "Is real?," and hazard_currencz posted: "Haters will say this is real."

  __abhi__x__nav__ put: "Nice skills bro. Nice editing skills bro."

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  Lingard was without a club for more than six months before moving to the Korean side earlier this year. After an injury-hit start and criticism from his manager, Lingard helped Seoul reach the end of season play-offs and it seems he is enjoying his football once more.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Former Nottingham Forest man Lingard is currently enjoying the close-season before he returns for the 2025 K League campaign, which will get underway in a few months' time.

Ruben Amorim insisted that Manchester United are "better with Marcus Rashford" while responding to the struggling forward's shock transfer revelation.

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• Rashford hinted he is ready to leave Man Utd
• Had been left out of squad against Man City
• Amorim unwilling to give up on the forward

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After being omitted from the squad for United’s 2-1 derby victory over Manchester City, Rashford shocked fans with his statement about being ready for a "new challenge" away from Old Trafford. While speaking about his potential departure, the England international said to Henry Winter: "I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps. When I leave it’s going to be ‘no hard feelings’. You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United.”

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  Amorim has not yet spoken to Rashford directly about the situation, as Tuesday was a rest day for the squad. However, the United boss reaffirmed his commitment to helping Rashford regain top form after a slow start to the campaign that has seen him score just four times in 15 Premier League appearances.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  When asked about Rashford’s future, Amorim underlined his desire to keep the forward at Old Trafford.

  "Of course, because this kind of club needs big talent and he’s a big talent," the manager told reporters. "He just needs to perform at the highest level. That is my focus. I just want to help Marcus. He’s our player and he’s ready for the next game. What I want is to take the best of Marcus Rashford and the other players. I don’t talk about the future. I talk about the present. I want to best of each of them. I just want to win and help the team to be better. We are better with Marcus Rashford, that’s simple and we try our best to push Marcus Rashford to the level he is at before.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Amorim suggested that he kept Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of his plans against City because they failed to meet his standards in the build-up to the derby, revealing he watches "the way you eat, the way you dress for a game, everything". However, they could be reinstated to the squad for the Carabao Cup quarter-final fixture against Tottenham, which will be ultimately determined by their performances in training.

  "We have one more training but it’s the same as the other players," he said. "If they train well, then I have to make a choice. We’ll see at the end of training. I expect the best of each player every day so we will see after training."

A member of Mikel Arteta's squad is now closer to leaving the Emirates Stadium after agreeing to a drastic wage cut elsewhere.

Players who could leave Arsenal next as deadline day looms

Arsenal's most high-profile departure of the window thus far has been that of Emile Smith-Rowe. The 24-year-old put pen to paper on an Arsenal exit after seeing his opportunities limited under Arteta last season, making just 13 Premier League appearances with only three of those coming as fully fledged starts.

Mikel Arteta convinced signing £55m star for Arsenal will help Declan Rice

The Spaniard has set his sights on another signing.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 9, 2024

The Hale End academy graduate's lack of inclusion was thanks partly due to reoccurring fitness issues, with Smith-Rowe deciding to complete a £35 million move to Fulham to further his career – a club-record fee for Marco Silva's side.

The Englishman joins Mohamed Elneny, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares and Albert Sami Lokonga in leaving the north Londoners, but a few more are expected to follow them.

Reports in recent weeks have cast doubt on the futures of Kieran Tierney, Aaron Ramsdale, Jakub Kiwior, Thomas Partey and Reiss Nelson as well – who are all players linked with an Arsenal exit before deadline day.

Partey is out of contract next year, and a potential Arsenal arrival for Mikel Merino could push the 31-year-old further down Arteta's pecking order. Ramsdale lost his place between the sticks to new number one David Raya last season, meaning the 26-year-old could well depart before deadline day on August 30.

Journalist Charles Watts believes it's a matter of when, not if, Ramsdale leaves Arsenal – while Kiwior could be sold after Arsenal agreed to sign Riccardo Calafiori.

An interesting few weeks lie ahead in terms of how Arsenal finish the summer window, and another player who's been widely tipped to leave is striker Eddie Nketiah. The striker has attracted serious interest from Marseille this window, and according to reports this week, his move to Ligue 1 is still very much on the cards.

Nkeitah close to Marseille move after agreeing wage cut

Indeed, as per Football Transfers, Nketiah is now closer to joining Marseille from Arsenal after agreeing to take a wage cut on his £100,000-per-week salary.

The deal would be an initial loan, including an obligation to buy clause for next summer, and it is believed Arteta's side want to conclude this deal as soon as possible so they can source a replacement for the 25-year-old.

Nketiah is apparently valued at around £30 million by Arsenal, and even though the French heavyweights haven't agreed to meet that valuation, the transfer is now "progressing" and moving in the right direction.

The 25-year-old scored five goals and assisted two others in 27 Premier League appearances, but the majority of his cameos came off the substitute's bench. Arteta seemingly preferred Kai Havertz in a makeshift forward role, or Gabriel Jesus, so perhaps Nketiah's best career decision is to move on for more game time.

Sergio Reguilon made a shock cameo in Tottenham Hotspur's win over Manchester United, and shared a hilarious message after the wild Carabao Cup clash.

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• Reguilon makes first appearance this season
• Plays just over a minute in 4-3 win over Man Utd
• Reguilon shares hilarious message after shock cameo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Reguilon was linked with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer after the Spanish defender was told that he was not in Ange Postecoglou's plans for the season. However, the 28-year-old was unable to secure a move before the end of the summer transfer window and ended up staying with the North London side.

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  Reguilon had not made a single appearance this season for Tottenham Hotspur this season but made a surprise substitute cameo against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup quarter-final as he came on in the 91st minute as Postecoglou looked to secure Spurs' 4-3 lead against Ruben Amorim's Red Devils. Reguilon has now shared a hilarious message on his Instagram, reacting to his first appearance this season.

• WHAT REGUILON SAID

  Reguilon shared a post on Instagram, with the hilarious caption: "Look mum, I played a football game yesterday," despite only playing one minute in the clash.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REGUILON?

  The Spaniard who spent the last season on loan at Manchester United and Brentford was in Tottenham's matchday squad for three straight games but missed out on the call-up from Postecoglou in their last Premier League clash. The same is likely to be the case once again when Spurs take on Liverpool on Sunday, December 22 in the Premier League.