Celtic and Brendan Rodgers are eyeing up an audacious move for a free agent to kickstart their summer transfer business, it has been revealed.

Joe Hart saying goodbye to Celtic

Joe Hart will play his last game of professional football this weekend as Celtic take on Rangers in the Scottish Cup final. The ex-England goalkeeper revealed back in February that he would be hanging up his gloves at the end of the season, and could yet still crown his swansong with a domestic double in Celtic colours.

Though his arrival was initially treated with scepticism, Hart quickly grew into a fan favourite at Celtic Park and was evidently emotional as his side lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy against St Mirren, bidding farewell to the Celtic supporters.

"Guys, I have never felt professionally that special before in my entire life. Myself, my family, from the bottom of my heart, I absolutely adore every single one of you, everyone associated with this football club.

“It’s such a special place. I was asked yesterday, how do you explain this to people? I don’t want to explain this to anyone, this is not a club that needs explaining, this is a club that speaks for itself.

“You guys are absolutely phenomenal. It’s part of you, you have made me feel so special and humble.

“I absolutely love it, thank you so much for having me."

The hunt to replace him is already well underway, with a whole host of shot-stoppers having been linked with the vacancy in Glasgow. Now though, a new name has entered the fray, and it may be the most ambitious target yet.

Celtic eye up free agent

That comes courtesy of The Daily Mail, who report that the Bhoys are throwing their hat in the ring for Koen Casteels, whose £66,000-per-week contract with Wolfsburg ends this summer.

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The left-footed goalkeeper is keen to move onto a new challenge after over 250 appearances for Wolfsburg, and has already held talks with Anderlecht over a potential return to Belgium. Celtic are keen too though, and can offer Champions League football to the Belgian international, something that the Pro League outfit cannot.

And The Mail claim that the Hoops have added Casteels "to a list of potential replacements" which also includes Asmir Begovic, Alex McCarthy and Ugurcan Cakir.

Casteels could be a different calibre of shot-stopper though, and such were his performances back in 2021 that he was compared to Manuel Neuer as the best goalkeeper in the German top flight by his then-manager Mark van Bommel.

"Koen has improved every year. He's moved up another level. With Manuel [Neuer] he’s the best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga," claimed the Dutch coach at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.

Koen Casteels vs Hart: by the numbers

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

Joe Hart 23/24

Appearances

28

34

25

37

Save %

68.6%

70.1%

67.8%

70.1%

Saves per 90

2.71

2.97

3.12

1.68

Goals prevented

2

-1.1

-0.6

N/A

Clean sheets

10

12

4

13

In the years since his form has wavered slightly, but he is still a top shot-stopper and would be a mammoth addition to Celtic's ranks. However, he may need to take a paycut to make a move happen, with Celtic unlikely to be able to afford anything like the £66,000-a-week he took home in Wolfsburg.

The search for new additions has already begun at Manchester United, with the centre-back spot being highlighted as a priority.

The Red Devils started the campaign with more than enough defensive cover, but over the last month, Erik ten Hag has been forced to field Casemiro at centre half due to a lack of options.

Injuries have been the biggest issue for the boss this season, and with more departures expected on top of Raphael Varane’s exit, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will sign defenders.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a potential summer signing who could prove to be an even better option than Jarrad Branthwaite.

Man Utd will sign a centre-back this summer

Branthwaite will be a huge topic of discussion over the summer, with a move from Everton looking almost inevitable.

Man Utd are one of many clubs interested in acquiring his services, but a price tag of £80m could force them to look for alternatives.

That said, according to a report from the Daily Mail, Man United could turn their attention to Marc Guehi if they’re unable to get their main target, who’s worth £65m.

The Red Devils are exploring a swoop and have been interested in the Crystal Palace defender for over a year, and he could become a real option in the event that United are unable to attain Branthwaite.

How Guehi compares to Branthwaite

Everton’s Young player of the Season, Branthwaite, has had a spectacular first breakthrough campaign in the Premier League.

Since working his way into the side, the 21-year-old has become completely irreplaceable, forming a strong partnership with James Tarkowski at the heart of the Toffees backline.

The England international has started 35 Premier League games this season, scoring three times and keeping 12 clean sheets, an impressive return.

Despite his potential being extremely high and his performances being excellent, United may find it difficult to justify spending £80m on the defender, especially when Guehi may be an even better option for a cheaper fee.

Guehi vs Branthwaite 23/24 PL Stats

Stats

Guehi

Branthwaite

Touches

61.6

52.2

Pass accuracy

87%

80%

Passes completed

45.3

31.4

Tackles

1.1

1.9

Interceptions

0.7

1.4

Balls recovered

4.8

5.2

Duels won

3.6

5.3

Via Sofascore

As you can see by the statistics, it’s clear that both of the England internationals are fantastic centre-halves who not only defend with dominance but are also comfortable on the ball.

The latter is particularly evident in the 23-year-old’s case, as he boasts higher touches, passes completed, and pass accuracy than the Everton ace. In truth, he looks to be a more composed defender, one who could adapt to playing out from the back more swiftly. Indeed, the clip below just shows how technical he truly is, which is one reason why he's been dubbed "brilliant" by analyst StatmanDave.

On the other hand, the fact that Guehi averages fewer tackles, interceptions, and duels than Branthwaite indicates that he’s a much more reserved centre-half who is far less likely to make a rash decision. That said, he still possesses immense brute force, notably described as an “absolute tank” by by former England U21 teammate Josef Bursik.

Given that Lisandro Martinez is an undroppable figure when fit, it’s fair to presume that the signing would partner the Argentine, who’s known for his aggression and proactive approach. In essence, Guehi could become the new Rio Ferdinand – a composed pass master – and Martinez could become the next Nemanja Vidic.

Despite only being two years older than the former PSV loanee, Guehi has experience being a true leader on the field, as he wears the captain’s armband at the Eagles, which is the exact profile United have lacked for most of the season.

Overall, both players would significantly improve the United side, but Guehi could just prove to be a better value-for-money deal, especially if they can strike a deal with Palace.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Neste domingo (18), o presidente do São Paulo, Julio Casares, se manifestou em suas redes sociais após o desabafo do treinador Hernán Crespo em coletiva de imprensa em seguida àderrota para o Fortaleza. O presidente ressaltou o apoio da diretoria ao técnico e afirmou o compromisso da direção do clube em quitar as dívidas pendentes.

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CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

No sábado (17), o treinador explicou o momento complicado da equipe e citou a dificuldade financeira como um fator dificultante para a execução do trabalho, mas ressaltou o trabalho em união com a diretoria.

-Com potencial econômico, os tempos para resolver os problemas são mais curtos. Mas isso não acontece, isso não pode continuar, então devemos trabalhar dia a dia, sabendo que vamos sofrer, que vamos passar por situações difíceis, mas que vamos continuar trabalhando como estávamos fazendo até aqui, todos juntos, a diretoria pagando dividas, nós provando sermos competitivos, no limite do possível – disse Crespo em entrevista coletiva.

Em suas redes sociais, o presidente Julio Casares reafirmou o trabalho da diretoria e garantiu o apoio ao treinador Hernán Crespo. Em sua publicação, o dirigente utilizou uma imagem sua ao lado do técnico para ilustrar sua manifestação.

-Estamos trabalhando para reconstruir o clube. Reorganizando e QUITANDO as dívidas terríveis de curtíssimos prazos. O planejamento continua com serenidade e total apoio da diretoria ao competente técnico Hernán Crespo – publicou o presidente do São Paulo.

Em situação financeira difícil, com dívidas a serem pagas, o Tricolor passa, ainda, por um período crítico de desfalques. Ao todo, o time tem cinco jogadores se recuperando de lesões e não conta com Daniel Alves, defendendo a seleção olímpica do Brasil.

Com desfalques e um calendário apertado, o time viaja para a Argentina nesta segunda-feira (19) para enfrentar o Racing na terça-feira (20), pela partida de volta das oitavas de final da Libertadores.

Após empatar em 1 a 1 no Morumbi, o time entra em campo às 21h30 (horário de Brasília), no estádio El Cilindro, precisando de gols para se classificar, uma vez que o 0 a 0 classifica os argentinos pelo critério de gols fora de casa.

علق آرني سلوت، المدير الفني الهولندي لفريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ليفربول الإنجليزي، على تصريحات محمد صلاح الأخيرة عقب الفوز على مانشستر سيتي.

وقال محمد صلاح في تصريحاته عقب مباراة مانشستر سيتي، إن تلك المواجهة قد تكون الأخيرة له في مواجهة أزرق مانشستر، في إشارة إلى اقتراب نهاية عقده والرحيل.

طالع أيضًا | ذا أثلتيك: الجميع فائزون.. محمد صلاح يمنح حلًا سحريًا لـ ليفربول بشأن مستقبله

وعلق سلوت على تصريحات صلاح في المؤتمر الصحفي لمواجهة نيوكاسل غدًا: “ربما يعرف مو أكثر عن الـ115 تهمة الموجهة لـ مانشستر سيتي، لذلك فهو لا يتوقع تواجدهم الموسم المقبل. لقد كانت هذه مزحة، أكرر إنها كانت مزحة”.

ويواجه مانشستر سيتي 115 تهمة، قد تؤدي إلى هبوطه من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بسبب المشاكل المالية والقانونية مع رابطة البريمرليج.

واختتم: “أكرر، هذا ليس المكان المناسب للتحدث عن مستقبل محمد صلاح، أعرف أنها إجابة مملة لكم، لكن ليس لدي إلا هذه الإجابة وتلك الجُمل التي لا تحبونها”.

وينتهي عقد محمد صلاح مع ليفربول في يونيو 2025، وحتى الآن لم يتوصل لاتفاق بشأن التجديد مع النادي الإنجليزي.

BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit head says shifting IPL 2020 away from India won’t hamper intelligence gathering

PTI26-Jul-2020

Taking the IPL to the UAE would be quite a task logistically for the tournament organisers, but for BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit head Ajit Singh, the move will make monitoring the event “slightly easier” as it would be restricted to just three venues.IPL 2020 is set to start in the UAE on September 19 and the final will be held on November 8 or November 10, with three venues – Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi hosting the 60 games over 51 days.ALSO READ: IPL 2020: UAE board waits for India government nod to ‘ink the final deal’ with BCCI”In the UAE, it will be slightly easier doing [monitoring ACU activity] as there are only three grounds compared to eight venues in India,” Singh told .”That’s not an issue at all. Once the schedule comes, we will decide the workforce.”In 2014, the UAE hosted a part of the IPL because of general elections in India.Singh said currently there are “eight ACU officers who are on BCCI payrolls”.So, will that be enough for managing the work through 60 matches as well as keeping a tab on hotels? “It’s too early to comment on measures as we need to first check what kind of bio-security measures will be created,” Singh said. “We first need to see how things are taking shape there and we will deploy our men accordingly. In case, we need men, we will hire them.”With the ICC headquartered in Dubai, the BCCI, if need be, can take help of the global body, which has a huge team of ACU officials, according to senior a BCCI official.”If it is a private league that approaches ICC for hiring ACU officers and they agree to cover the event, then the league organisers bear the costs,” the official said.ALSO READ: IPL 2020 to start on September 19, final on November 8 or 10The BCCI might need extra workforce considering that each team will have one dedicated Integrity Officer as per rules.”It is the BCCI that will designate one Integrity Officer per team during the course of the IPL,” a senior franchise official said.” Now whether they will be a part of the bio-bubble (if created), we don’t know, but the Integrity Officer is completely their domain.”Matches held in the UAE have previously been vulnerable to the impact of bookies and fixers, but the ACU head is quite confident that they can prevent wrongdoing.”Whoever is involved (bookies/fixers) they are all inter-connected,” he said. “If we have our sources here, they also know how these bookies operate. If they get an information of this place, they will get an information of that place also. It’s not so much of an issue.”

Cristiano Ronaldo sent out a sweet farewell message for Luis Castro after Al-Nassr fired the Portuguese manager.

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Ronaldo sends message to CastroAl-Nassr fired Portuguese managerSaudi Pro League side tipped to appoint PioliFollow GOAL's official WhatsApp channel!Join nowWHAT HAPPENED?

Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr parted ways with Portuguese manager Luis Castro on Tuesday after the club's slow start to the new season which saw them pick up two draws from their first three league matches. As the 63-year-old exited the club, talisman Cristiano Ronaldo sent out a sweet farewell message for his countryman.

AdvertisementWHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID

Ronaldo took to Instagram to share a photograph of himself with Castro as he wrote, "Thank you for everything."

Cristiano Ronaldo InstagramGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With Castro out of the club, the Saudi Arabian side have reportedly shortlisted former AC Milan boss Stefano Piolo as their new head coach, according to Fabrizio Romano. Pioli, who left the Serie A giants at the end of the 2023/24 season, was earlier linked with a move to Al-Ittihad, however, talks over a possible deal later collapsed.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CRISTIANO RONALDO?

The 39-year-old, who missed Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League opener against Al-Shorta on Monday due to a viral infection, is expected to be back in action ahead of their upcoming Saudi Pro League clash against Al-Ittihad on Friday.

تحدث مدرب برشلونة هانز فليك، عقب الفوز على بوروسيا دورتموند في منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتغلب برشلونة على دورتموند بثلاثية لهدفين ليلة الأربعاء ضمن مباريات الجولة السادسة لمرحلة الدوري بدوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال فليك في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “يمكننا أن نكون سعداء جدًا بما فعلناه، الشوط الأول كان رائعًا، وفي الشوط الثاني عندما سجلوا، كنا مستقرين”.

وأضاف: “المعاناة ليست الكلمة الصحيحة لوصف الأمر، دورتموند لعبوا بشكل جيد جدًا وبإيقاع عالي، من الصعب الدفاع ضدهم، ولكننا قمنا بذلك بشكل جيد، أهدافهم كانت بسبب أخطائنا، دائمًا يمكننا التحسن ويمكننا التدريب على ذلك، اليوم يجب أن أهنئ الفريق، لقد قاموا بعمل رائع”.

وأشار: “أكثر شيء إيجابي كان الاستحواذ على الكرة في الشوط الأول، لعبنا بهدوء، مع دخول فيرمين لوبيز وفيران توريس، أصبحنا أكثر مباشرة”.

وعن حالة لاعبه البرازيلي رافينها، أفاد فليك: “رافينها لا يعاني من شيء، فقط كان متعبًا”.

واستطرد: “أعتقد أننا قدمنا مباراة جيدة، الشوط الأول كان أفضل رغم أننا لم نسجل، كنا جيدين بالكرة، بوروسيا لديهم مهاجمون جيدون وقد فقدنا بعض الكرات وهم سريعون، لهذا سجلوا في مرمانا، لكننا كنا مستقرين بعد التعادل 1-1”.

وشدد: “من المميز جدًا الفوز هنا، كان هناك الكثير على المحك من أجل التأهل، نريد أن ننهي تلك المرحلة بين أول ثمانية فرق، كان الفريق جائعًا للنجاح”.

وتابع: “يوم الأحد مباراة أخرى (أمام ليجانيس)، وبناءً على كيفية تعافي اللاعبين سيشاركون، لكن لدينا دكة بدلاء قوية، الجميع الذين يدخلون في المباراة يؤدون بشكل جيد، أنا فخور بجميع اللاعبين”.

وأردف: “عادةً، يجب أن يمنحنا مثل هذا الفوز ثقة كبيرة، لدينا فريق شاب ونلعب كل ثلاثة أيام، بالنسبة للبعض، كان الحمل كبير جدًا، لكن اللاعبين يتعافون بشكل جيد، أمام ليجانيس يجب أن نلعب بنفس التركيز”.

وواصل مدرب برشلونة: “اليوم رأينا أن الفريق متماسك جدًا، وأنا أيضًا سعيد جدًا لرؤية هذا العدد الكبير من المشجعين هنا”.

وعن اتحاد الفريق، أوضح: “الأمر كذلك، كمدربين، نحب أن نرى ذلك، اللاعبون يهتمون بزملائهم، في غرفة الملابس، الأجواء رائعة جدًا”.

وعن فيران توريس، تابع: “إنه لاعب سريع، وقد سجل في المباريات الثلاث الأخيرة، الهدف الثاني لم يكن سهلاً، أنا سعيد جدًا به، لديه عقلية إيجابية جدًا وموقف رائع”.

وحول عقوبة الإيقاف لمباراتين (في الدوري الإسباني)، رد: “يوم السبت سأجيب على هذا السؤال”.

وعن دعم الجماهير، شدد: “أعتقد أنه أمر رائع أن يأتي كل هذا العدد من المشجعين هنا، سيعودون إلى برشلونة سعداء، يوم الاثنين قال لي جار لي إنه سيأتي إلى دورتموند مع أولاده وطلب مني أن نلعب مباراة جيدة، كانت مباراته الأخيرة في ليفربول ولم يكونوا سعداء، لكن اليوم هم سعداء”.

England captain praises ECB response after latest allegations of racism at Yorkshire

Andrew Miller03-Sep-2020Eoin Morgan has backed the ECB’s efforts to foster a more inclusive culture in English cricket, but admits that stories such as Azeem Rafiq’s claims of institutional racism at Yorkshire demonstrate how much further the sport has to go to truly embrace equal opportunities.Speaking on the eve of the first T20I against Australia, Morgan – who was born in Dublin and played for Ireland for three years before qualifying for England in 2009 – said that the diversity of England’s World Cup-winning squad had not only showed the value of embracing different cultures but, in his opinion, it offered a fairer reflection of the current status of English cricket.”When I hear these stories I’m surprised to start with,” Morgan said. “But also, in light of these stories coming out, the ECB have been active in trying to rectify and become more diverse and create equal opportunity for everybody.”I think given the squad of players we have and the guys of different cultures, backgrounds, different races, I think the diverse nature of it really does epitomise where English cricket is at.”In addition to Morgan, England’s current squad includes three players of Pakistani origin in Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and the stand-by Saqib Mahmood; two who were born in Barbados in Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan, and three of southern African background in Dawid Malan and the Curran brothers.And speaking immediately after the World Cup victory last July, Morgan had responded to an enquiry about the “luck of the Irish” in the closing stages of that remarkable contest by saying, semi-seriously, that Rashid had told him that “Allah is with us”.”It actually epitomises our team,” Morgan said at the time. “With quite diverse cultures and backgrounds, and guys growing up in different countries. To find humour in the situation that we were in at the time was pretty cool.”That diversity, he added, had been reflected in the ethnic mix of the fans that England encountered on their World Cup travels, as they played their fixtures in each of the tournament’s major venues and found support from a range of different backgrounds.Players and match officials take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign•Getty Images”I think travelling around during last year’s World Cup and going to 10 different grounds up and down the country and watching the supporters flood in of all different races, all following England was great,” he said.”It made us all feel extremely proud. One of the noted things we talked about when we watched back the World Cup final and the camera pans to the crowd – people in England shirts are not all white. They are of different races and for us, as a team, I think that’s quite a thing we can be proud of.”Nevertheless, Rafiq’s comments – which drew a promise of an official inquiry from Yorkshire – include claims that senior players, including one of his club captains, had been “openly racist”. They follow a similarly explosive testimony from Michael Carberry, the former England opener, whose claims that “black people are not important to the ECB” forced the board to embrace some “uncomfortable truths”, according to the chief executive, Tom Harrison.In a subsequent statement, the ECB said that they were “deeply troubled” by Rafiq’s experiences, and reiterated the board’s commitment to “making the changes needed to make cricket a game for everyone”. Harrison is understood to be taking a personal involvement in his case.”Azeem’s story is similar to some of the experiences we have heard about during the Black Lives Matter movement and demonstrates how much work is needed across the game, sport and society as a whole to eradicate racism,” said the ECB.Morgan also recognised that more needed to be done to ensure that such situations get dealt with more proactively when they first arise, but reflected on the England team’s response to the Black Lives Matter movement as proof that they were making a effort to keep the issue visible. Players on both sides during the Tests against West Indies and the ODIs against Ireland took a knee in support of the movement, although this was not done during the Pakistan series and will not be repeated against Australia.ALSO READ: Yorkshire promise independent review into Azeem Rafiq allegations”I think our display throughout the Ireland series [showed] our ambition to try and create more sustainable awareness around our fight against racism and the creation of equal opportunities and equality in sport,” Morgan said. “It’s important to drive that forward because it shouldn’t exist in society. When people talk about it they should feel comfortable coming out to talk about it – we want everybody to know that.”An area where we can get better is telling people our story more, getting comfortable talking about growing up in a different country or growing up in a different environment within this country, and our journey to where we are today,” he added.”There’s not one player that’s had an easy ride throughout this. It’s very difficult to get into an England cricket changing-room or an England cricket shirt. But even more so by coming from a diverse background, it creates different challenges.”

Newcastle United's injury troubles this season have been well documented, with Eddie Howe's side struggling to replicate the results of last campaign as a result.

The Magpies produced a sensational season during 2022/23, which saw the club claim a place in the Premier League's top four, qualifying automatically for the Champions League group stages.

Howe's side were placed in the group of death, alongside AC Milan, PSG and Borussia Dortmund, with the latter in the final facing Real Madrid at Wembley in just a few weeks.

However, the added fixtures, coupled with Newcastle's thin squad, have highlighted the Magpies' need for extra bodies this summer, with Howe often resorting to more inexperienced players to fill the void.

One of which has taken his chance in the first-team with both hands, including an excellent display against Brighton and Hove Albion at St James' Park on Saturday.

Elliot Anderson's stats vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Youngster Elliot Anderson was handed another start against Roberto De Zerbi's side, producing an excellent display – one that will certainly keep him within Howe's plans for next season.

The Scotsman started alongside Bruno Guimaraes and goalscorer Sean Longstaff, with the 21-year-old demonstrating his qualities.

He provided the assist for Longstaff's first-half goal, before running the show in the heart of Howe's midfield – a really impressive feat for such a young player.

Anderson also managed 75 touches during his 90-minute display, completing 43 passes at a completion rate of 90% – the second-most of any Newcastle player during the draw.

Minutes played

90

Assists

1

Touches

75

Passes completed

43/48 (90%)

Duels won

10/13 (77%)

Clearances

2

Tackles

1

Whilst he's primarily an attacking-minded midfielder, the youngster also excelled defensively for Howe's side, winning ten duels during the 1-1 draw.

He also won one tackle and two clearances, but it wasn't enough to prevent the Seagulls from finding the back of the net on Tyneside.

Anderson was subsequently awarded a 7/10 match rating by Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder, with the midfielder producing one of his performances of the season.

Elliot Anderson's market value in 2024

As a result of his impressive performances under Howe in recent months, the midfielder has seen his market value take a sharp increase.

According to Transfermarkt, the "phenomenal" youngster, as dubbed by former Rovers teammate Alex Rodman, currently has a market value of £11m, a figure that is higher than captain Kieran Trippier, with the 33-year-old now only worth £9m, despite registering ten league assists this season.

Anderson's rapid rise has seen his value increase from £6.8m – a huge jump of 63% over the last nine months despite his injury struggles this campaign.

The Scotsman has missed 17 Premier League games with a back injury this term but has kept himself fit over the last few weeks – with the youngster being rewarded with a consistent run in the first-team.

Whilst the club are expected to strengthen once more this summer, Anderson has definitely staked his claim for a spot under Howe once more next season, potentially saving the club a lot of money in their battle to stay within the league's strict FFP rules.

PIF enquire over dream Isak successor who's scored 3 vs Newcastle in 23/24

The club are exploring potential replacements for the Swedish international.

ByEthan Lamb May 10, 2024

After coming agonisingly close to a Premier League title for the second successive season, it appears that Edu Gaspar is prepared to give Arsenal the backing they need to finally get the better of Man City.

Arsenal want to sign a midfield partner for Rice

It is well known that the top of Mikel Arteta's wishlist going into the transfer window is a new central midfielder. Since Declan Rice arrived in a club-record £105million deal last summer, the Gunners have struggled to find a suitable partner for the Englishman in the middle of the park.

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Thomas Partey was once the favoured personnel in this position however, the 30-year-old was limited to just nine starts in the league last season. The Ghana international now looks set for a move away from North London with talks ongoing over the midfielder's exit.

In the absence of Partey, Arteta has opted to deploy Jorginho in a more prominent role than first imagined. The Italian arrived at the Emirates with the view of being a backup however, the lack of other options saw the 31-year-old make 24 league appearances for the Gunners last season.

In regard to the transfer market, Edu has had his eye on a number of targets. Leeds United's Archie Gray is among those on the wishlist, but the Gunners' priority for some time has been Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz. Whilst Arsenal have courted the Brazilian for a number of seasons, the club have now been dealt a significant blow in their pursuit.

Villa want Arsenal to pay premium to secure Luiz deal

Reports out of Italy via Sports Witness have suggested that Arsenal will now face competition from across Europe for Luiz's signature. According to the outlet, the Gunners are joined by the Premier League's Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as Italian giants Juventus in the race to sign the midfielder.

Villa appear to value the 26-year-old at £60million with the Midlands outfit reluctant to let the Brazilian leave for any less than this figure. It is also suggested that the Villans' preference is for Luiz to move to the continent, and to ensure this they could even demand up to a £17million premium on any Premier League club wishing to get a deal done.

Even if Arsenal are forced to pay extra to secure his services, Luiz would still be a major coup for the Gunners. Branded as an "underrated", player by Arsenal legend Paul Merson, the Brazilian was even dubbed as "better than Rice", by former winger Jermaine Pennant after the Villans' 1-0 win over Arsenal last season.

Premier League stats 2023/24

Declan Rice

Douglas Luiz

Goals

7

9

Assists

8

5

Passes completed

2041

1800

Tackles

83

58

Progressive carries

75

60

From the stats shown above, it is evident that Luiz can offer a good balance with Rice, providing more goals but also with plenty of defensive contribution too. With Arteta expecting all of his players to be comfortable on the ball and able to contribute on the attacking front, there is no doubt that the Brazilian would slot into Arsenal's starting eleven with ease.

Even if they have to pay a little extra to get a deal over the line, it is clear that bringing Luiz to the Emirates would be a major step towards Arsenal finally lifting the Premier League title.