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Tottenham Hotspur’s week from hell continued as they were defeated in a second successive Premier League match by Brighton on Sunday night.

First, it was an injury blow to Harry Kane, and then defeat to Liverpool, and now Jose Mourinho’s men have lost again, putting their quest to make the top four in jeopardy.

Spurs were lacklustre in the absence of their leading talisman, but once again, there were underperformers in defence, namely Moussa Sissoko, who massively let his manager down considering his vast experience.

The £90k-per-week star was deployed in an unfamiliar right wing-back role as he was preferred to Serge Aurier – snubbed completely from the matchday squad – and Matt Doherty, which speaks volumes.

Though, that said, Sissoko has still played at right midfield or right-back 139 times, as per Transfermarkt’s recorded matches.

But he endured a nightmare evening at The Amex, and it culminated in the game’s only goal of the game coming from a switch-off defensively.

Pascal Gross was given time and space along the right flank, but Sissoko allowed his man, Leandro Trossard, into the penalty box without following him.

And that’s only half the story…

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The 31-year-old was also the most wasteful player on the pitch, from either side, as he lost possession a whopping 23 times. It meant he handed the ball back to the Seagulls once every 3.9 minutes or once every 4.3 touches as he had the second-most touches (100) of anyone on the pitch, via SofaScore.

Given his vast influence in the game, he should have done better.

Sissoko managed to only make one of five crossing attempts (20%) and was rather lightweight in his battles as he won only 50% of his duels, both aerially and on the ground.

Sissoko’s teammate, Steven Bergwijn, has taken a lot of flak on social media since kick-off but the young winger was exposed in a solitary striker role, so he should be forgiven for not having the same sort of impact that Kane would’ve had.

And at the end of the day, he was the only player to have a shot on target for Spurs.

The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick graded Sissoko a 5/10 in his post-match ratings column and wrote: “Completely ineffectual as a wing-back and effort was unusually lacking on occasion.”

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Sissoko was far worse than Bergwijn on the night.

Mourinho may want to think again before he axes Aurier or Doherty – he clearly needs one of them, however bad they may be, in their natural right-back role.

As evident above, the wasteful, inefficient and weak Sissoko massively let Mourinho down.

AND in other news, Levy have struck gold in dream deal for £45m-rated “born leader”…

Ben Chilwell has already made a huge impact on many Chelsea fans following his latest post on Instagram. 

The 23-year-old has shown off his latest Chelsea experience by posing with Stamford Bridge legend Ashley Cole. He has captioned the post with a heartwarming message, saying: “Great afternoon spent chatting to this legend! Hopefully I can have a career like yours at this amazing club.”

/CEo-en_FJSi/

The former Leicester man became one of the club’s latest signings after Chelsea met the Foxes’ £50m asking price (via Sky Sports). Adding Chilwell to the roster could mean he will usurp veteran Marcos Alonso, who has been linked with an exit.

Frank Lampard hasn’t held back on the transfer market in this window and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon either. A move for Kai Havertz is all but wrapped up and the Blues are also still eyeing West Ham’s Declan Rice. A goalkeeper is another priority of Lampard’s as the manager has lost faith in the ability of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Chilwell and the rest of the Chelsea team are preparing to take on Brighton in their first match of the 2020/21 Premier League season on Monday week as the Blues will be looking to build on their fourth-placed finish from last term.

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Are you glad that Chelsea signed Ben Chilwell? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Last season, West Brom’s success could largely be attributed to one man – Dwight Gayle.

Indeed, the Baggies were hugely reliant on the goals the Newcastle loanee scored for them last term, as he netted 24 goals for the Midlands club on their way to a fourth-place finish.

Gayle went back to St James’ Park in the summer, but despite losing their top scorer, the Baggies came back a stronger side, currently sitting top of the Championship, six points clear of the playoff spots.

However, Slaven Bilic has recently revealed that he did indeed try to bring the striker back to the club after his initial loan spell.

What’s the story then?

Gayle is set to return to The Hawthorns on Tuesday evening as the Magpies gear up for an FA Cup clash with the Championship club.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Understandably, Bilic was asked about Gayle, and he gave an honest answer when speaking about whether or not they tried to sign him in the summer.

“In the summer we tried. We lost 12 players and it’s not good to have such a huge turnaround in a squad,” Bilic said.

“Because he was so good and so instrumental last season, we wanted to get him back.

“We did everything to get him but it wasn’t to be. It was impossible.”

Blessing in disguise

Gayle playing in this Albion team does sound like a mouth-watering prospect, and we can’t even imagine how dominant they may have been if they had him leading the line this term.

However, they should be glad that they didn’t splash the cash on him.

It was widely reported in the summer that the Tyneside club wanted £20m for the striker, and that’s a lot of money for an attacker whose record in the Premier League is more than questionable.

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Indeed, the striker has scored just 21 goals in 110 Premier League games, and if he’d have come up with West Brom, there’s every chance that he would have needed replacing anyway.

Instead, the Baggies are on track to earn promotion without Gayle, meaning that the £20m they would have spent on the 29-year-old can now be used at the end of the season on a striker with a little bit more Premier League pedigree.

Gayle would have undoubtedly been a great addition to this Albion team after topping their scoring charts last term, but if they go up without him they’ll be glad that they missed out on his signature – achieving the ultimate objective for this season regardless.

In other news, West Brom’s summer priority should already be clear.

Everton caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson will look to go out with a bang in what could be his final match in charge when the Toffees host Leicester City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

The Scot has overseen a victory and a draw against Chelsea and Manchester United respectively in his two matches at the helm following the sacking of Marco Silva, although a report in The Telegraph suggests Carlo Ancelotti could be appointed and in place for the visit of Arsenal to Merseyside at the weekend.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

First up is the visit of the Foxes to Goodison Park though, and it is another tough opponent for the Scot given they currently lie second in the Premier League standings.

Watch Everton vs Burnley Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

This is the starting XI we think the 47-year-old should pick vs Brendan Rodgers’ men…

Even when Lucas Digne went off injured at Old Trafford on Sunday, the Everton back five – including Leighton Baines who replaced the Frenchman in the first half – were committed and stood up and were counted at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.

That quintet certainly deserves to start against Leicester on Wednesday, and of course they will need to watch out for the Premier League’s top goalscorer in Jamie Vardy, who is in sensational form right now with 16 goals in 18 appearances in 2019/20.

Ahead of them, Tom Davies and Mason Holgate should keep their spots in central midfield, with the latter particularly impressing the fans against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side despite being a defender by trade. Ferguson may not have too many options there either, considering Andre Gomes, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Morgan Schneiderlin and Fabian Delph were all unavailable at the weekend.

On the wings we have Richarlison – who drops back from his centre-forward role – on the left and Alex Iwobi on the right, and they will be tasked with making a difference in the final third as well as providing defensive support for Baines and Coleman as Bernard drops out.

How much do you really know about the Farhad Moshiri era? Answer 25 simple questions below…

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Sticking with the 4-4-2 formation that has served Ferguson so well thus far, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a shoo-in for a spot right now following his impressive displays. The big Scot should also make the right call by starting Moise Kean alongside him.

The 47-year-old of course humiliated the Italian by taking him off 18 minutes after he was introduced at Old Trafford, and rather than letting the situation drag on he should provide him with an instant chance to prove a point in a partnership rather than playing in a lone role.

In other Everton news, Guillem Balague has made an extraordinary claim about what the Toffees have offered Carlo Ancelotti…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Talk about the perfect time to turn the tide.

Having gone through a bit of a tough stretch in the past couple of weeks in terms of results, the Blues are heading into the international break very much on a high note.

Having come under a lot of criticism from the St Andrew’s faithful, perhaps there was that little voice in the back of Pep Clotet’s mind that was thinking ‘told you so’, after their dramatic victory on Friday night.

Clotet was given a bit of a difficult task when he took over from Garry Monk in the summer, not only being thrust into the position in the aftermath. but also with the dagger of last year’s Financial Fair Play punishment hanging over him. Given the circumstances, he’s been doing a relatively steady job.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

He even managed to get them as high as eighth in the table and managed to grab a scalp in high flying Charlton away from home a few weeks ago before they went through their slump.

However, everything that was going disastrously for them on the pitch, were all things that could easily have been prevented.

For instance, the winner that Wigan Athletic scored last week was the definition of a howler from goalkeeper Lee Camp. Going back even further to the game against Derby County, the second goal that day came about because of a slip by Marc Roberts.

So it’s not as if they were being blown apart in the same way that they were earlier in the season against Nottingham Forest and Swansea City.

Thogden ranks all 24 Championship home kits in the video below…

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After a pretty much mistake-free game against Middlesbrough and with the international break coming up to sure up any holes in the team, this could be the perfect opportunity for Clotet to finally put his foot down on the team and get them back on track the way they were before their recent troubles.

After all, it’s been the mistakes of his players, rather than his own that has led to some recent troubles.

Birmingham fans aren’t expecting much this season, so Clotet shouldn’t really have been under much pressure to begin with, but perhaps this result will be enough to get them off his back for the next couple of weeks as fortunes begin to change.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Rekeem Harper’s future with West Brom seemed to be in doubt for a while.

After it was revealed he’d been offered a new deal in the club’s retained list, it took until beyond the 1st July, when players out of contract usually become a free agent, to finally put pen to paper.

The news will likely have come as a welcome relief to the club who are clearly keen to tie down their best young stars.

Unfortunately for Albion, the same couldn’t be said for Louie Barry who rejected a new deal, but Harper’s contract and the addition of Filip Krovinovic on loan could signal a key change that’s already happening under new manager Slaven Bilic.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

On the chalkboard

West Brom’s midfield last season was incredibly one dimensional, boasting players like Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Chris Brunt.

It was an area of the pitch that lacked much energy with all three players, barring Livermore now ageing individuals. Barry, at the age of 38, has now left the club, but the two latter names are still embedded within the squad.

Brunt has the ability to pick a pass, claiming six assists last term but beyond that, is nothing more than a steady player.

However, Harper’s new contract and the arrival on a temporary basis of Krovinovic is signalling a key switch.

All of a sudden there is a far more energetic and refreshing feel to the midfield, one which could arguably help drive the club forward in a new era.

Watch fans explain why the Football League is better than the Premier League in the video below…

It’s likely that Albion’s new Croatian will play as a number ten whilst their academy graduate could play behind him as a box-to-box midfielder.

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As a result, the middle of the park could look far more vibrant for West Brom going into the 2019/20 campaign, particularly if Sam Field is also trusted.

Krovinovic is only 23 whilst Harper is still a teenager, meaning the wheels have already been put in motion for a changing of the guard from the older heads that dominated their failed promotion campaign.

Since Bilic has arrived, there has already been significant losses in regards to the playing staff but those of the experienced members that still remain are unlikely to influence things too much in the future.

Under the ex-Hammers man, a youthful approach looks to be coming to the forefront, and after giving a season to those who came down with the team from the Premier League, it’s now evident that a new form of approach is being taken.

While they’ve faced more than a few questions over the transfer policy in recent seasons, Chelsea have built a squad stacked with sensationally talented gems.

Enzo Maresca has some incredible players all throughout his squad now, but it’s still easy to point to his most important: Cole Palmer.

The Englishman has only been at the club for two seasons, but has already amassed an unreal haul of 43 goals and 29 assists in 98 games.

When fit, the former Manchester City gem is the first name on the teamsheet, and so fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea with someone who could be their new Palmer.

Chelsea chase their new Palmer

In a shock to nobody, Chelsea have had another busy summer when it comes to transfers this year.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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On top of selling a host of players for a tidy profit, the Blues have made a number of exciting additions to Maresca’s Conference League-winning side.

The likes of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap should make the frontline far more potent, while Jorrel Hato looks like he could be one of the club’s star defenders in a few years.

Yet, with the window still open until Monday night, the West Londoners appear intent on adding more quality to the squad, and could be in with a chance of landing someone who may well be their new Palmer.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Kobbie Mainoo.

More than that, though, the report has revealed that the Manchester United gem is now open to the idea of leaving Old Trafford after being left on the bench against Arsenal and Fulham.

While a price has not been mentioned in the report, other updates from this week revealed that the Red Devils could allow the Englishman to leave for just £45m.

It remains to be seen if Chelsea will be able to work out a deal for Mainoo in time, but if they do, they could be getting themselves their new Palmer.

Why Mainoo could be Chelsea's new Palmer

Now, while Palmer and Mainoo tend to play in different positions on the pitch, there are several other reasons why the latter could be seen as Chelsea’s new version of the former.

The first is the simple fact that, like the former City prospect, this potential transfer would see the United gem move from Manchester to West London after being deemed not good enough to play regular first-team football by his current manager.

Moreover, it would be another example of the Blues signing an academy graduate from one of the Manchester sides, and one that is widely considered to be tremendously exciting, even if Ruben Amorim does not seem to rate him.

On top of that, both midfielders are English, although instead of signing someone who was thriving in the youth setup, the Blues would be getting their hands on someone who has shone in the senior side this time.

However, perhaps the most important way in which Maresca could be getting his hands on another Palmer is that Mainoo could well develop into a world-beater at Stamford Bridge.

After all, even though he is still young and has been out of the Red Devils’ side since Amorin took over, the 20-year-old has already shown us that he could be something really quite special.

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For example, FBref rank him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions stemming from his take-ons, the top 2% for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for carries into the penalty area, the top 5% for take-ons attempted, and more, all per 90.

Mainoo’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

SCA (Take-On)

0.38

Top 1%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.71

Top 2%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.65

Top 4%

Take-Ons Attempted

2.77

Top 5%

% of Dribblers Tackled

63.9%

Top 6%

Touches (Att Pen)

2.88

Top 8%

Successful Take-Ons

1.19

Top 10%

Progressive Passes Rec

3.42

Top 16%

Passes Completed (Short)

24.88

Top 19%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.27

Top 19%

All Stats via FBref

What these numbers show is that, even though he’s still young and not getting the game time his talent warrants, he’s a sublime ball-carrier and someone who can help break up attacking high up the pitch.

In other words, he has the tools to be an elite all-action midfielder, and as teammate Rasmus Hojlund described him, looks to be a “generational talent.”

Ultimately, while it might be difficult, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Mainoo before the window shuts next week, as they could just land themselves another Palmer-esque gem.

Related Better deal than Lopez: Ornstein expects £50m "diamond" will join Chelsea

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Posts ByBen Gray

It may feel bizarre to say, following a 15th Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon, but there is a growing sense of optimism at Manchester United, following a potentially pivotal week both on and off the field.

On Thursday night, of course, the Red Devils completed a barnstorming turnaround against Lyon to progress into the last four of the Europa League, with Ruben Amorim edging ever closer to European glory and potential Champions League qualification.

Even the weekend loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers was somewhat overshadowed by the standout display of the club’s latest academy debutant, Tyler Fredricson, while the man pictured next to him, Matheus Cunha, looks like he could be back at Old Trafford permanently.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, last week provided a positive update regarding Amad Diallo’s injury rehab, with Amorim no doubt itching to have the Ivorian back fit and firing again.

Latest on Amad's injury return

Excluding Bruno Fernandes – who yet again leads the way for goals and assists at Old Trafford – the shining light of 2024/25 has been Amad, with the 22-year-old notably contributing 12 goals and assists in just 20 games following Amorim’s arrival.

Amad’s Man Utd record by coach

Manager

Games

Goals

Assists

Erik ten Hag

24

3

3

Ruben Amorim

20

6

6

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

Ruud van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

Michael Carrick

0

0

0

Total

57

12

9

Stats via Transfermarkt

From his late heroics against both Manchester City and Liverpool, to his stunning hat-trick against bottom side Southampton, the former Atalanta starlet had repeatedly stepped up in the early months of a real breakthrough campaign on an individual basis.

Frustratingly for all concerned, the £120k-per-week winger – who signed a new contract in January – was struck down by an ankle issue in early February, with Amorim seemingly ruling him out for the season at the time.

The former Sporting CP boss did subsequently hint that Amad could actually return before the campaign is at an end, a fact that has been bolstered by images of the youngster back in training last week.

Amorim suggested that while his rising star is “not ready” to feature in April, his return could well come in May, with that set to be a welcome sight amid United’s shortcomings in attack.

A welcome sight would also be the signing of a similarly exciting young talent this summer, with United seemingly stepping up their search for the next big thing from across the globe.

Man Utd ready to sign teen sensation this summer

While it has taken time to come to fruition, United are beginning to reap the rewards of having plucked Amad from Italy as a teenager back in October 2020, with the then-17-year-old ultimately arriving in January 2021 on an initial £19m deal that could reach £37m with add-ons.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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That relatively costly deal looks like it could be repeated in the near future, with reports outlining that INEOS are ready to trigger the £38m release clause for River Plate sensation, Franco Mastantuono.

The 17-year-old is believed to be being watched closely by those at Old Trafford, with United seemingly needing to act quickly if they are to win the race, amid rival interest from the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Inter.

The report claims that while the Argentine outfit are keen to hang on to their teenage diamond, a ‘serious bid’ from those in Manchester would likely ensure a deal gets done.

Why Man Utd are keen to sign on Franco Mastantuono

Having already looked to the South American market to sign Paraguayan full-back, Diego Leon, ahead of next season, United appear to be ready to add to that deal with the signing of another potential superstar, in the form of Mastantuono.

Like Amad before him – who was likened to Lionel Messi by Atalanta teammate, Papu Gomez, before joining United – the River starlet is earning rave reviews in his homeland, amid comparisons to Manchester City’s Phil Foden.

A left-footed attacker, like both Foden and Amad, who can operate on the flanks or as a number ten, Mastantuono has been hailed as a “creative genius” by analyst Ben Mattinson, following a fine start to life at senior level.

Still just 17, the Argentina U20 international has already made 53 appearances for his current side in the first team, with that regular involvement seeing him chalk up 11 goals and assists to date.

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What particularly sets the teenager apart is both his ability to create chances for his teammates, but also his innate ball-carrying ability, as evidenced by the fact he averages 2.3 key passes and 2.9 successful dribbles per game in the league in 2025.

To put that into perspective, that places the in-demand talent just ahead of Amad in that regard, with the current United man averaging 1.8 and 1.6 for those same two metrics, respectively, in 2024/25.

Like with the Ivorian, it may not be expected for Mastantuono to immediately hit the ground running in a United shirt, although all the signs point to him being a future star, with Mattinson even noting that there are “shades of Kevin De Bruyne” about him.

Seemingly a perfect fit in one of the two number ten roles in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, the £38m playmaker certainly appears worth investing in, even despite the eye-catching nature of the price tag, with the case of Amad showcasing the benefits of putting faith in the next big thing.

After years of being burned by short-term, expensive signings, the Red Devils now need to do things differently.

Related After Cunha: Man Utd in talks to sign a "monster" upgrade on Delap

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Posts ByRobbie Walls

The mood around Arsenal at the moment is an odd one.

On the one hand, the North Londoners have a record of ten wins and two draws in their last 12 games, but on the other, they still find themselves six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand to boot.

Mikel Arteta’s side are playing well, in no small part thanks to Gabriel Jesus’ return to form, but there is a distinct feeling that they could go up yet another level, and that they must if they want to claim the title come May.

Fortunately, recent reports have linked the club to a sensational winger could help them do that and help Jesus get even better to boot.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal are once again keen to sign Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams this year.

In fact, the report claims that the Gunners are in ‘ongoing discussions with the player’s agent’ and that should they get the green light from the player, they’ll activate his €58m release clause this month, which converts to around £48m.

While the Gunners were interested in the Spanish international over the summer, the report has revealed that the recent injury to Bukayo Saka has been the catalyst for this new urgency to get this deal done by the North Londoners.

It’s still a lot of money to spend on a 22-year-old, but given Williams’ incredible ability and how he could help the likes of Jesus get even better, it looks like it would be money very well spent.

Why Williams would be an excellent signing for Arsenal & Jesus

So, while there are likely a number of reasons why Williams would be a brilliant addition to Arsenal’s squad, from his age profile to the marketability he might have, the primary reason he’d be a dream signing for the club and Jesus, for that matter, is his ability and output.

Now, it is true that his return of two goals and five assists in 23 games this season is hardly world-class, but he was simply unplayable last season, and if he could do it before, there is no reason to think he couldn’t do it again.

For example, in just 37 appearances, the European champion, whom analyst Ben Mattinson described as “one of the best wingers on the market,” scored eight goals and provided 19 assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.37 games.

Williams’ 23/24

Appearances

37

Minutes

2729′

Goals

8

Assists

19

Goal Involvements per Match

0.72

Minutes per Goal Involvement

101.07′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Now, while his goalscoring ability is certainly impressive and would undoubtedly help the team as a whole, it’s his incredible ability to provide assist after assist that would make him such a brilliant teammate for Jesus.

For example, the player with the most assists for the Gunners last season was Saka with 14, and then Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice were the only other players to reach double figures, with 11 and ten, respectively.

Finally, another aspect of the 22-year-old’s game that would make him a dream to play alongside for the Brazilian is his directness.

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According to FBref, which compares players across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the Pamplona-born dynamo sits in the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

This suggests he’d be able to reliably beat his man on the outside and then fire a pass across the box for Jesus to get on the end of and put away.

Ultimately, while Arsenal have a number of talented left-wingers at the club, none of them seem able to reliably supply their teammates in the same way Williams is, and therefore, Arteta and Co should do what they can to bring him to the Emirates this summer.

Related He's a bit like Harry Kane: Arsenal target "remarkable" £50m Jesus rival

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

Still searching for a solution for their goalscoring problem, Chelsea have reportedly turned their focus away from Victor Osimhen amid his eye-watering wage demands and towards a Premier League striker.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues have once again been one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window, welcoming as many as 10 fresh faces. Yet, still, they remain without a clinical out-and-out goalscorer to lead the line for Enzo Maresca. Reports have linked those at Stamford Bridge to the likes of Jhon Duran and Samu Omorodion, who was seemingly close to a move before it suddenly collapsed, but remain without a rival to Nicolas Jackson.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington

It's still a situation to keep an eye on, however, especially after Napoli reached an agreement to sign Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis at long last according to Fabrizio Romano to open the door for Osimhen to complete his departure.

That door may not be open for a move to Stamford Bridge, however, despite Lukaku's pending departure. According to The Sun, Osimhen's staggering £500,000-a-week wage demands have forced the Blues to look elsewhere amid reluctance to make the forward their highest-paid player by almost £200,000-a-week.

Searching for cheaper alternatives, those in London are reportedly looking closer to home. According to The Sun, Chelsea are now eyeing a move to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin following Osimhen's demands late on in the the summer transfer window.

The Everton forward knows all about finding the back of the net at his best, but question marks over his injury history would undoubtedly come to the fore if he sealed a move to Chelsea this week.

"Excellent" Calvert-Lewin may not solve Chelsea's problems

If Chelsea were chasing Calvert-Lewin's signature fresh from the 2020/21 campaign, in which he scored 21 goals in all competitions, then they'd be receiving deserved applause for their transfer strategy. The truth is though, Calvert-Lewin is not that same, clinical striker three seasons later amid injury struggles and poor form, with just seven Premier League goals last time out.

Given their history of underperforming strikers – from Fernando Torres all the way to Alvaro Morata and Lukaku – Chelsea cannot afford to get things wrong once again; they're in no position to take a risk on Calvert-Lewin.

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What's more, Everton boss Sean Dyche won't be keen to let the England international leave, even if he is yet to replicate his form of three seasons ago. Dyche was full of praise for Calvert-Lewin after he scored in a shock Merseyside derby victory over Liverpool in the last campaign, telling BBC Sport: "I thought he was excellent. His physical performance was outstanding."

"This season has not been too bad on the injury front. But it shows it does take time mentally and physically to clear your mind of that and start to play freely again."