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Arsenal have been handed a key advantage in the race to sign a highly-rated forward this month, after discovering that he’s keen to link up with Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal "highly likely" to sign new forward in January

The Gunners boss has publicly confirmed that his side are actively pursuing a fresh forward option before deadline day on February 3rd, leading to multiple reports linking Arsenal with a host of high-profile strikers.

Related "Extremely quick" £60m striker is very keen on joining Arsenal in January

He’s believed to be increasingly keen.

Posts 7 ByEmilio Galantini

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres, Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen and Botafogo star Igor Jesus are just some of the reported Arsenal striker targets, as interim sporting director Jason Ayto weighs up the best possible option.

“We lost two very important players in Saka and Jesus, we lack goals and options in the front, it’s clear,” said Arteta on signing a centre-forward.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Wolves (away)

Today

Man City (home)

February 2

Leicester City (away)

February 15

West Ham (home)

February 22

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26

“If we can get the right player, that’s what we’re actively looking at. They’ve [the players] all been there, we have very short numbers for many weeks, they recognise the situation. Sometimes I consult the players on signings, especially if they know them. It’s away from the computer and the data, they can sense it, they know about them.”

While talks are yet to advance over any of their targets as things stand, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has reassured supporters – saying it is “highly likely” that Arteta’s side to end up bringing in a new centre-forward before the January deadline.

“It’s highly likely,” said Romano on Arsenal’s search for a striker to GiveMeSport.

“This is the expectation of Mikel Arteta, so I expect the club to back him and find a solution on the market even if big clubs are not available.”

Another heavily-linked striker comes in the form of Wolves star Matheus Cunha, who is yet to pen a fresh contract at Wolves despite apparently agreeing financial terms. The sticking point has reportedly been Cunha’s desire to include a relegation clause, with the Brazilian’s talks over a new deal stalling and handing a transfer opportunity to interested sides.

Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs writes that he won’t come cheap, though, and Vitor Pereira’s side could demand as much as £80 million.

Arsenal discover Matheus Cunha wants to join them in January

In better news regarding their pursuit of Cunha, as per GiveMeSport, Arteta has been handed a “significant boost” in the race for his services.

The outlet claims Arsenal have discovered that Cunha wants to join them this month, with the Gunners in pole position ahead of fellow suitors Chelsea, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

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However, that being said, Wolves remain determined to land the former Atlético Madrid star who’s scored 10 goals and assisted four others in all competitions so far this term – and in five different positions across the attacking third.

It could take a big-money bid from Arsenal to prise the “phenomenal” Cunha away from Molineux, but that was always going to be the case with any world-class forward midway through the campaign.

Unfortunately for Manchester United and their fans, it's already starting to feel like more of the same in the Premier League this season.

Erik ten Hag's men may have picked up all three points in their season opener against Fulham, but in the two games since, they haven't picked up any.

There is still clearly plenty of talent in this team, but with sides around them already starting to pull away, Ten Hag cannot afford to drop any more points against Southampton, and he must make changes.

One of those changes should be to drop Marcus Rashford, as his underwhelming form from last season has seemingly carried over, and the manager has a solution on the bench.

Rashford's recent form

So the first thing to say is that when he's on song, Rashford is easily one of the most dangerous attackers in the Premier League, if not Europe, but therein lies the problem: he's not on song and hasn't been for some time.

For example, he followed up his incredible haul of 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 appearances in the 22/23 campaign with a disappointing return of eight goals and six assists in 43 appearances last season.

In other words, the Englishman went from averaging a goal involvement every 1.36 games to one every 3.07 games last year, and unfortunately, he's carried on that underwhelming form into this season.

Rashford's 24/25 stats

Appearances

3

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots

0

Passes per Match

23

Offsides

3

All Stats via the Premier League

For example, in his three league games thus far, the 26-year-old has failed to score or assist a goal, and while he has created the odd chance for his teammates, he's just looked ineffective in attack.

There is undoubtedly still a quality player in there, but it feels like he could do with some time out of the team.

Moreover, considering United are playing one of if not the weakest teams in the league tomorrow, it feels like the perfect opportunity to make a change and start one of the club's young and exciting wingers in his place.

Why Diallo should start

Yes, the youngster who should come back into the side is Amad Diallo, but he should do so on the right, meaning Alejandro Garnacho shifts over to the left, where he has started the majority of games in his career.

Now, nobody is claiming that the young Ivorian is a better player than Rashford at this point, but unlike the Englishman, he is not burdened with a combination of expectations for what fans know he can do and pressure due to what he has done.

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Moreover, while the former Atalanta gem is still young, 22 is old enough for him to be getting regular starts in the first team, and while he's still somewhat raw, he has looked good when given the opportunity to play.

For example, against Brighton & Hove Albion last month, he scored and looked dangerous in attack, and while last season saw him spend a lot of time out with injury issues, the campaign prior saw him light up the Championship with Sunderland.

In just 43 appearances, the Abidjan-born "superstar", as dubbed by football creator Liam Canning, scored 14 goals and provided four assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 2.38 games for the Black Cats.

Ultimately, while the step-up to Premier League football is significant, Diallo has shown he has the potential to thrive, and with Rashford still underwhelming, Ten Hag must take full advantage of a game against Southampton and start the Ivorian in place of the Englishman.

Related He's like De Jong: Man Utd have already sold their next Gomes for just £850k

The talented midfielder looks promising.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes

A quality member of the Aston Villa squad is now open to leaving this summer as he ponders moving to a major European club, which will come as a concern for manager Unai Emery amid his chase for Champions League football next season.

Villa in driving seat for fourth after fantastic Premier League campaign

The Villans are now overwhelming favourites to seal a fourth-place finish and qualification for Europe's most prestigious competition next term.

Related Aston Villa now eyeing £11,000-a-week target who starred in UCL semi-final

He’s a player in-demand…

Posts ByTom Cunningham

They've been locked in a tense battle with Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham for much of the season, but the north Londoners are now losing serious ground after three consecutive Premier League defeats, putting Villa in the ascendancy.

Spurs still possess a game in hand on Emery's side, though the gap between both sides is now much larger, so it would take a late capitulation from Villa for Tottenham to stand any chance of usurping them at this point.

Aston Villa's remaining matches

Tottenham's remaining matches

Brighton (away)

Liverpool (away)

Liverpool (home)

Burnley (home)

Crystal Palace (away)

Man City (home)

Sheffield United (away)

After a fantastic campaign, where critics have been taken aback by Villa's stellar form at times, the prospect of Champions League football in the Midlands next season is looking very real.

“We are fighting with Tottenham to get fourth position and the Champions League. It is an amazing season, if we are finishing like that,” said Emery on the race for fourth ahead of Brighton on Sunday.

“There is still work to do and we are very motivated because we have in front of us very important matches. On Sunday is Brighton and next Thursday in Athens. Sunday is a very important match to try and get closer to our first objective in the Premier League.”

If Emery does seal fourth, it will arguably be easier for him to keep hold of his star players. Arsenal have been interested in Douglas Luiz for a long time, and previous reports have suggested that they could lodge a summer move as they seek new midfielders (Football Insider via FFC).

Meanwhile, Arsenal are also thought to be fans of striker Ollie Watkins, coming as the Englishman enjoys his finest top flight campaign to date and as sporting director Edu seeks a prolific new goalscorer.

The Gunners could be spoiled in their potential attempts to lure away both of Emery's stars if Villa find themselves in the Champions League group stage pot for 2024/2025, but that isn't to say Villa will be completely immune to the prospect of players departing.

Diego Carlos open to leaving Villa as he ponders AC Milan move

Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, defender Diego Carlos is already eyeing an exit this summer.

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The Brazilian has suffered from a few injury problems during his time in Birmingham, like his hamstring issue most recently. However, when fit and available, Carlos has played a big role in Villa's success under Emery.

His form has attracted interest from AC Milan, who have earmarked the 31-year-old as one of their top targets. The Rossoneri have plans to bring in a quality new centre-half and are among the favourites to seal a deal for Villa's £100,000-per-week ace.

Carlos is apparently evaluating a move to Milan and is open to leaving Villa, which will come as a worry for Emery ahead of what could be a historic campaign next season.

Unlike some other English teams in Europe this season, Liverpool have already sealed their fate in the Europa League ahead of Thursday evening's clash with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

Jurgen Klopp's men have already qualified for the knockout phase and will finish top of Group E regardless of the result at the Stade Joseph Marien and with a huge Northwest Derby clash at Anfield against a wounded Manchester United to come on Sunday, Klopp will likely make changes to the starting lineup that faced Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

With that in mind, here is Liverpool's predicted XI for their final Europa League group game, with five potential alterations from the win over the Eagles – amid Klopp's decision to leave the likes of Alisson, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold behind for the trip.

1 GK – Caoimhin Kelleher

Due to an injury Alisson sustained in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, Caoimhin Kelleher was subsequently handed the reins between the sticks.

The Republic of Ireland international featured twice in the Brazilian's absence in the Premier League, with Liverpool winning both games, although Alisson has since returned from injury and started in goal on Saturday afternoon.

Nevertheless, Kelleher has been in the starting lineup four times in the Europa League this term and, given his Brazilian teammate is set to remain on Merseyside, will likely feature for the Reds in Belgium.

2 LB – Kostas Tsimikas

There is a high chance that Kostas Tsimikas will be in Klopp's first eleven by default.

The Greek defender is Liverpool's only available left-back as a result of Andy Robertson suffering from a shoulder injury which he sustained back in October. It's unlikely that the manager will remove Tsimikas from the team given the lack of options in this area.

3 CB – Ibrahima Konate

Van Dijk started at the back on Saturday against Palace and was Liverpool's best player, according to This Is Anfield – who handed the Dutchman a 9/10 match rating.

However, Klopp will want to keep the 32-year-old fit for Sunday's bout against Man United and thus could bring Ibrahima Konate into the team to get the Frenchman up to scratch, having recently recovered from a hamstring injury.

Konate could start at the back this weekend alongside Van Dijk so Klopp will want his £36m defender match fit, meaning the France international could take the skipper's place in the team for this one.

4 CB – Jarell Quansah

20-year-old Jarell Quansah has become a first-team regular at Anfield due to injury woes at the back. However, on Saturday, the youngster gave away a penalty for Palace's goal and was replaced in the 57th minute for Konate, having struggled throughout the game, failing to win a single tackle or ground duel while also coming out on top in merely 33% of his aerial battles.

Nevertheless, with Van Dijk set to be rested, Quansah could keep his place for Liverpool's final match in the Europa League group phase.

5 RB – Joe Gomez

Joe Gomez replaced Wataru Endo at half-time at Selhurst Park last week and the versatile defender had an excellent game, being handed an 8/10 match rating by This Is Anfield.

Gomez had four touches in the opposition's box, created one opportunity and won 67% of his ground duels in just one half of football and may have guaranteed a starting spot against USG on Thursday evening.

6 LCM – Ryan Gravenberch

Loanee Ryan Gravenberch earned one of his five Premier League starts at the weekend against Roy Hodgson's pragmatic side, but failed to make a real impact on the game. The two-time Eredivisie champion only had a 72% pass completion rate and failed to win a single tackle during the match.

However, with such a colossal game to come later in the week, Gravenberch will likely keep his place in the lineup again, particularly since he has started four of Liverpool's five matches in the Europa League this term.

7 DM – Wataru Endo

On Saturday, Endo was replaced at half-time by Gomez, with the latter moving to right-back. In turn, Klopp pushed Alexander-Arnold inside to play as Liverpool's deepest-lying midfielder.

The head coach has allowed the academy product to drift into these spaces naturally from his wide position but the tactical change saw Alexander-Arnold feature primarily as a holding midfielder.

Endo was dispossessed twice by Palace and made just four passes into the final third in the first half as the Merseyside club struggled to move the ball forward. Meanwhile, the Englishman created six opportunities which was more than any other player on the pitch and played 14 passes into the attacking third.

That could then mean the Japanese international is replaced this weekend in that midfield pivot, although the summer signing will be spared the axe tomorrow night, with Alexander-Arnold staying at home.

8 RCM – Curtis Jones

Dominik Szoboszlai didn't have the best performance of his stint at Liverpool on Saturday. The £60m summer signing had 63 touches of the ball but lost possession nine times in total, failing to create a single opportunity whilst having merely one shot at goal.

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With 15 minutes remaining, Klopp took the Hungary international off and replaced him with Curtis Jones. Within just over a minute on the pitch, the substitute grabbed the assist for Mohamed Salah's equaliser from a set-piece as the Reds cracked on to pick up all three points.

Furthermore, despite having such little time to get going, Jones won 67% of his ground duels, had two touches in the opposition's box and drew two fouls.

Klopp could look to rest Szoboszlai, who looked jaded at the weekend, by giving Jones a run in the team after his positive impact in the last match.

9 LW – Luis Diaz

Given Klopp likes to keep his left-back in a deeper position, the left-winger has to hold the width on that side.

Admittedly, Luis Diaz seems to be the only player who can do this in the squad without being drawn inside and congesting the middle of the pitch, hence why he has started 14 matches for Liverpool this season which will likely rise to 15 away at USG.

10 CF – Darwin Nunez

Against Palace, 0.48 of Liverpool's total 1.25 expected goals came from Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan had two big chances and missed both. Coincidentally, the Reds scored twice once he left the pitch.

However, Klopp will need his number nine in good form ahead of a visit from the Red Devils and will be hoping Nunez can bag a few goals in Belgium to help bolster his goalscoring mood.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have a history that goes back a long way. Football FanCast has everything you need to know about the fixture as the two teams prepare to meet in the Premier League.

While the form book is still taking shape, it is difficult to tell how each side comes into this fixture. United were rather fortunate to escape from their opening fixture against Wolves with three points.

Meanwhile, Spurs had to settle for a point against Brentford in their first match under new management.

Tottenham vs Man United: What's their head-to-head record?

Tottenham and United have met in 199 matches in their history, making their upcoming clash in north London number 200. It's a massive number of matches, of course, dating back to 1898.

In fact, Spurs have never faced anyone as often as they've faced United. But that doesn't mean it's their most successful fixture. United have won almost half of their 199 competitive meetings, with Spurs only just edging out the number of draws.

This fixture unquestionably belongs to the Red Devils.

Tottenham wins: 53 Draws: 51 Man United wins: 95 Tottenham vs Man United: What's their record at Spurs?

97 of the 199 fixtures have come in north London and it's certainly where Tottenham have had most of their luck. They've won 35 of them – nearly twice as many as they've managed at Old Trafford.

There have been 34 draws, too, leaving United with the spoils in the remaining fixtures. That's a positive record for Spurs, then, and few teams can boast that against United in their history.

Tottenham wins: 35 Draws: 34 Man United wins: 28 Tottenham vs Man United: What's their record at Old Trafford?

There have been 100 instances of this fixture at Old Trafford and, unsurprisingly, the figures swing in United's favour. Quite dramatically, actually.

They've won 67 of them – almost four times as often as Spurs do in Manchester. It's one that very rarely ends in a draw, either, with only 16 throughout the history of this tie.

So while things are quite mixed at Spurs, you can feel pretty confident when predicting a home win for United.

Man United wins: 67 Draws: 15 Tottenham wins: 18 Tottenham vs Man United: What's their record on neutral grounds?

Spurs and United have met twice at Wembley Stadium and in two different competitions. The first came in 2009 as the two competed in the EFL Cup final.

The game went through 120 minutes before heading to penalties, where United triumphed 4-1 to win the trophy. They'd then meet again nine years later in an FA Cup semi-final – albeit when Spurs were using Wembley as their temporary home.

Nevertheless, United once again came out on top, though within normal time on this occasion. Dele Alli had Spurs in front, but Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera scored in a 2-1 win.

Tottenham vs Man United: What's their Premier League record?

Spurs and United have met on 62 occasions since the start of the Premier League – and it won't surprise anyone to learn that the latter have been utterly dominant in that span.

United have won 39 of these fixtures, losing only 10. There have only been 13 draws, in fact.

Boosting those numbers is the fact that United didn't lose to Spurs from 2001 through 2012. It's one of the most dominant runs in Premier League history – Spurs managed only five points against them in that span.

Tottenham vs Man United: Which team has the most goals?

Well, it's United, as you may have guessed. They've scored 319 goals in 199 games, with Spurs replying with only 259.

Though, Spurs hold a sizeable lead in their home games. They've scored 156, having conceded 124 to United when the fixture takes place in north London. That's not quite as impressive as United's own home record, however.

That reads as such: 100 games, 190 goals, 100 conceded. United are nearly outscoring Spurs 2:1 in Old Trafford fixtures, then – and that's even with their 6-1 defeat a few years ago.

Tottenham vs Man United: What happened in last season's fixtures?

United won the first meeting last season. It took place at Old Trafford and ended up being a fairly routine result for the Red Devils. Fred put them 1-0 up just after half-time before Bruno Fernandes finished to make it 2-0 on 69 minutes. It finished that way to give United the three points.

Things weren't so straightforward at Spurs, however. Jadon Sancho had United 1-0 up after only seven minutes and Marcus Rashford sent them into the break 2-0 up with a goal on 44 minutes.

However, Spurs hit back 10 minutes after the restart through Pedro Porro. That set the stage for Son Heung-min to equalise on 79 minutes and split the points with United.

Tottenham vs Man United: What is Marcus Rashford's record?

Rashford typically does well in this one. He's faced Spurs 14 times in his career so far, with 13 coming in the Premier League. He's managed five goals against them in that span, all of which came in the top flight.

Only Leicester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have conceded to Rashford more often than Spurs. Combined with his eight wins, this is a fixture that usually leaves him happy.

Read more about Rashford's record vs Spurs HERE…

Tottenham vs Man United: What is Son Heung-min's record?

Son has faced United 17 times in his career, though two of those did come while he was at Bayer Leverkusen. He played two Champions League group-stage ties against them – losing both, but registering an assist in one.

Things haven't been too much better in the Premier League. There have been 14 meetings with United, where Son has lost eight of them. He's only won four of his 17 meetings, actually – not a fine record.

But Son does have four goals and an assist against the Red Devils for Spurs. Encouragingly, they've all come in his last six Premier League fixtures against United, while he scored in the most recent meeting.

Tottenham vs Man United: What is Tottenham's biggest win?

Tottenham's record win over United is, as you might have guessed, 6-1. Though, you may not have known that they've done this twice against the Red Devils.

The first occurrence was all the way back in 1932 when both teams played in the Second Division. Spurs won 6-1 at home in a game that wasn't nearly as high-profile as their later effort.

Of course, Tottenham went to Old Trafford and won 6-1 in October 2020. United actually took the lead in that one – Bruno Fernandes scored after just two minutes from the penalty spot. Then Spurs went a bit mad.

They were 2-1 up inside eight minutes thanks to goals from Tanguy Ndombele and Son. Harry Kane then scored with 30 minutes on the clock and Son found another seven minutes after that.

The second half was a little more mellow – Spurs only scored twice more. Serge Aurier bagged one before Kane got himself a second to complete the scoring.

Tottenham vs Man United: What is United's biggest win?

Again, we're split between two results here. United have never managed a win as big as Spurs' 6-1 scoreline, but have won by four goals in this fixture on three occasions.

The first came in 1965 in what was the first truly legendary United team. George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law all featured in a 5-1 win – Charlton opened the scoring and Law scored twice.

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The next occasion came in 2002 as United won 4-0. David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy each bagged a brace in a dominant win at Old Trafford.

United also won 4-0 away at Spurs back in 2007. Once again, it was down to a legendary side, with Cristiano Ronaldo opening the scoring and Nemanja Vidic adding a second before goals from Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs rounded off a big win.

Tottenham vs Man United: What are the recent results?

Things have been all United across the last five meetings. The most recent match – happening in late April – finished 2-2, however, with Spurs hitting back after falling behind 2-0.

The other fixture last season was a 2-0 home win for United, though, and that was the last of a string of four back-to-back wins for the Old Trafford side.

The previous season saw a 3-2 win for United at home and a dominant 3-0 win away at Spurs. Before that, they'd won 3-1 at Spurs – though that was the same season that they lost 6-1 at home to Tottenham.

What is interesting, though, is that game is the only time Spurs have beaten United at home since 2018. It's usually a happy hunting ground for United, or at least has been as of late.

Tottenham vs Man United: When is it?

Tottenham host United on Saturday 19th August at 5.30pm UK time. As always, it's one of the most notable fixtures of the Premier League season and one where both teams have a lot to prove.

Spurs go into it having undergone big summer changes. Ange Postecoglou will want to generate some early momentum if he's to turn things around at Tottenham.

Of course, he'll have to do it all without Harry Kane following his departure to Bayern Munich, while there is a fresh feel to the team given ex-captain Hugo Lloris has also left, while the likes of Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison made their debuts last weekend.

United still very much have Erik ten Hag as boss, but they've still made some big changes. They, too, changed their long-time goalkeeper as David de Gea left and André Onana has come in.

Mason Mount is another big-money signing, while Rasmus Hojlund will hopefully be the striker they've been searching for once he reaches full fitness.

Both teams have the top four in their sights this season and can send an early message in the race with a win in this one. It promises, as ever, to be an intriguing clash.

Arsenal have now "agreed personal terms" with Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo, according to a recent report from Ecuadorian outlet Teradeportes.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners are searching for a new central midfielder, with Granit Xhaka set to depart, and they have identified Declan Rice as a key target, having recently agreed personal terms with the West Ham United captain.

With Mikel Arteta keen on bringing in three new midfielders this summer, Mason Mount has also been identified as a potential target, although the Chelsea midfielder now appears to be poised to complete a move to Manchester United.

As such, Arsenal may have to turn their attentions elsewhere, and they could look at signing Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan, who will be available on a free transfer later this month, upon the expiration of his contract.

Another midfielder the Gunners have been linked with is Caicedo, and according to Terdapatores, they have now "agreed personal terms" with the Brighton star, who has made a move to the Emirates Stadium his "priority."

However, there will be competition for the Ecuadorian's signature from some other Premier League clubs, with Chelsea "willing to pay a higher figure" than Arsenal, although they will not be able to offer him European football of any description next season.

Liverpool are also name checked as potential suitors, however the Reds have not made the £15k-per-week youngster a priority signing, as they do not want to meet Brighton's asking price.

Who will Caicedo sign for?

Given that Arsenal have Champions League football to offer the 21-year-old, and the report claims he favours a move to north London, they should be well-placed to win the race for his signature this summer.

If the Gunners do sign the central midfielder, he could be an excellent addition to the squad, given his stellar defensive abilities, making 100 tackles in the Premier League last season, the second-highest amount of any player in the top flight.

Hailed as "incredible" by members of the media, the Ecuador international also excels in his distribution of the ball, ranking in the 94th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90 over the past year.

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With Arsenal set to return to the Champions League next season, Arteta needs to bolster his squad with players who can make his side competitive in Europe's elite competition, and Caicedo has proven he is capable of making the step up.

West Ham United have enjoyed considerable success under the tutelage of David Moyes, and certainly owe a lot to the veteran Scottish manager, having risen to European stature over the past two campaigns.

Granted, progress has fallen by the wayside this term, and the Hammers languish near the nadir of the Premier League after 22 matches, just two places and two points above Everton in 18th place, but there have certainly been the highest of highs to counteract the perils that plague the outfit at present.

But after confidently winning their Europa Conference League group, West Ham await the results of the first knockout phase in the competition as they prepare for their opposition, sights fixed on a surge towards what would be a monumental European triumph, should they succeed.

Did Olivier Giroud nearly join West Ham?

Moyes will be confident in his side’s ability to rectify the wrongs and end the season on a high, but he might cast a rueful gaze back to the transfer activity of 20/21 when assessing his team’s prospects of success, both domestically and in Europe, when a certain record-breaking French talisman slipped through Iron fingers.

Olivier Giroud, formerly of Arsenal and, more recently, Chelsea, departed Stamford Bridge for AC Milan in the summer of 2021, mere months after West Ham’s swoop for the veteran striker fell wide of the mark.

Did West Ham miss a trick with Giroud?

The roaring success of the past few years will have swiftly dissipated any dark clouds that followed the failed transfer to sign Giroud, with last season’s run to the Europa League semi-final an indication that the Hammers were on the up.

However, his abundant pedigree could have been just what Moyes needed, with his physicality and towering presence the perfect magnet to draw in defenders and create pockets of space for the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma to weave into.

And his experience, indeed a winner of the World Cup and Champions League among many other major honours, could have been the catalyst to ensuring the club overcame adversity against Eintracht Frankfurt, eventual Europa League champions, in the bitter disappointment of the penultimate stage.

Since the failed bid, the Hammers have spent £35.5m on Gianluca Scamacca and now £15m for Danny Ings, and with Giroud reportedly costing Milan just £855k, the deal certainly could’ve been one of the shrewdest, most prudent buys in recent West Ham history.

The latter, Ings, fell out of favour under Unai Emery at Aston Villa, starting only on two occasions in the league since the Spanish manager’s debut against Manchester United, and given that the fee paid dwarfs what Milan parted with for the illustrious Giroud, there might be a sense of resentment over the predicament – that could have been averted – that resulted in the requirement for a new forward.

Giroud is not only an imposing and physical forward threat, but an exquisite master of ball control, selfless, and a wise reader of the game, one of the more abundant footballing intellects on the major stage.

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The World champion, hailed as “intelligent” and “exceptional” by Gary Lineker, is France’s all-time top goalscorer, plundering 53 goals from 120 appearances and breaking Thierry Henry’s record at the 2022 World Cup, and the storm that is his attacking calibre is showing no sign of abating, despite his twilight age.

The 36-year-old has scored 262 goals and supplied 91 assists at club level over the duration of his professional career, and despite his age, has landed 35 direct contributions from 67 appearances for the Rossoneri, including 11 goals this season.

Moyes would have dearly benefitted from a signing of Giroud’s ilk, and while £15m has been splashed on Ings to combat the club’s concerning position in the Premier League, one can’t help but feel the impact won’t be quite as profound, had Giroud donned the claret shirt.

Sunderland could reportedly lose both Ross Stewart and Dennis Cirkin in the January transfer window, as a number of clubs consider making bids for the duo.

The Lowdown: Key players

There is no doubt that Stewart and Cirkin are two key members of Tony Mowbray’s squad at the Stadium of Light.

The former played in every minute in the Championship for which he was available before his injury earlier this season, scoring five goals and supplying three assists in his opening seven games in the division [featured heavily under the current manager.

Nonetheless, with their 3-0 win over Millwall at the weekend taking them to within one point of the play-off places, the Wearside club will not want to lose anyone in the January transfer window in a manner which may halt their momentum.

The Latest: Bids considered

As per The Sun, Stewart is a January target for Olympiakos, and the Scotland striker is ‘open’ to a move abroad.

He has yet to sign a new deal with the Black Cats, and his contract is up in the summer. Sunderland have the option to extend Stewart’s deal, but they ‘expect bidders’ in January.

Meanwhile, Premier League duo Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford are thought to be ‘considering bids’ for Cirkin, whose contract expires in 2024.

The Verdict: Keep them!

If Sunderland are to have any chance of clinching a play-off spot by the end of the season, and potentially secure back-to-back promotions, they need to keep hold of Stewart and Cirkin in January.

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It may be tempting to accept bids for both given their respective contract situations, but the Black Cats must push to tie them down for the longer term, as they remain crucial members of the squad.

Also, it would be difficult to find adequate replacements for the pair in January, so ultimately it is not worth the risk of cashing in on them.

Southampton’s transfer of Mohamed Elyounoussi has proven to be a huge disappointment, with the Norwegian yet to contribute towards a goal this season.

The Saints signed the tricky winger from Basel for a reported £16m back in 2018 but he has only managed 58 appearances in all competitions since. He has had his chances and even been handed loan spells with which to revive his career at St Mary’s.

His poor form in England is made all the more frustrating due to his fine performances on loan at Celtic, where he scored 24 and assisted 14 in just 67 appearances.

He has made more appearances for the Scottish club on loan than he has for his parent club, which is a depressing stat for fans of the club.

Having seen such a large outlay for a man who has contributed to just 12 goals during his time at the club has meant that they have spent £1.3m for each goal contribution.

He has done this whilst picking up a wage of £60k-per-week, further adding to the financial strain he has put on the club.

Forest Green Rovers manager Ian Burchnall, who was assistant coach at his boyhood club Sarpsborg suggested that his desperation for the ball could have frustrated Southampton fans.

He claimed:

“He wants to take players on, to create chances, drifting into positions where he can affect the game.

“Sometimes that can be to his detriment. Southampton fans were frustrated by him being out of position a lot of the time and being one-dimensional.”

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Having finally returned from his two-year spell at Celtic, Ralph Hasenhuttl is clearly hoping for a turnaround to get some kind of return on their investment all those years ago by starting him in their opening five Premier League fixtures.

However, with just four goals in the competition across his four years at the club, it seems like a thankless task.

He should just cut his losses and try to move on from this waste of money, who continues to drain the club without giving anything back in return.

Arsenal are reportedly interested in Torino’s Brazilian centre back, Gleison Bremer.

What’s the word?

That’s according to 90min, who claim that the Italian club are meeting with several clubs to discuss a possible transfer.

Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are said to each be hosting Davide Vagnati, the Torino sporting director.

All three clubs are in the market for a centre-back, however, the Gunners reportedly still are in talks with Ajax over a possible move for Lisandro Martinez.

Could be an Edu masterclass

If Edu could tempt his compatriot to the Emirates, it could prove a smart piece of business as Arsenal look to sure up their defence and increase their Brazilian ranks.

The reported fee was quoted at around €30m (£25m) back in April when several clubs first showed an interest, which will surely have risen due to the competition for his signature.

To sign the 6 foot 1 defender amidst all the interest from their rivals would not only improve Mikel Arteta’s back line, but also give them a mental advantage going into the new season.

Last term, the 25-year-old featured 33 times in the league as his side slumped to a tenth-placed finish. Despite this, he did stand out as one of few impressive performers. His 7.13 average SofaScore rating is indicative of this.

In fact, out of all of his Torino teammates, this rating was only bested by his goalkeeper, of those who had played over one game that season.

It is this form that led one of teammates, Mergim Vojvoda, to praise his abilities: “[Bremer] is very strong, an animal.

“He has made an incredible leap in quality in the last year. But he can still improve a lot because he is young. He has renewed, we hope he stays because he is really strong.

“Physically, he is strong. He works hard and as soon as I arrived, I was impressed by how much he trained. He is also fast, he is tall and has made a great leap in quality on a technical level, with the ball at his feet. Work pays off, you can see it with him.”

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His defensive stats are phenomenal, as he ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks and aerials won, the 98th percentile for interceptions, and the 96th percentile for clearances per 90 across Europe’s top five leagues. He clearly loves to defend, and he could act as the perfect partner to Benjamin White.

If Arsenal can get this deal over the line, it should be regarded as a masterclass by their sporting director, who will have acquired a physical demon who will do anything to stop opposition attacks, and also steal a target from their Premier League rivals.

AND, in other news: Arsenal plotting move for £19.8m-rated “assist machine”, could be better than Raphinha.