Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that it is too soon to be discussing a contract extension with two years left on his existing contract at the Emirates, according to the Official Club Website.
Wenger’s response comes after Arsenal’s Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis confirmed that the club will be offering the Gunners’ boss a new contract at the club.
Wenger has been at the helm at Arsenal for sixteen years but is unsure whether he is the man to take the club forward in the long-term, “I’m an Arsenal man and I think I’ve always shown that. I have to consider if I do it well or not. If I don’t do well, I have to consider my future.”
Wenger will turn 63 next month and he admits that it gets tougher to manage at the highest level with age, “you always have to assess whether you have the fitness, the desire, the commitment that this job demands. Then of course you have to make your decisions.”
Arsenal are yet to concede a goal in the Premier League this season and Wenger admits that he is excited by the current crop of players he has at his disposal, “It is a very special year for the club because we look like we have potential. What is important for us is that we fulfil our potential this season.”
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Wenger will be hoping that this will be the season when he can bring silverware to the club after seven years without winning a major trophy. Arsenal begin their search for European glory when they travel to France to face Ligue 1 champions Montpellier on Tuesday.
Everton made five signings in January to bolster their squad for the final months of the season in an attempt to improve their chances of getting into a more comfortable league position in the Premier League, however, Frank Lampard has already been reported to be looking forward to his full season in charge after the summer.
The club is struggling to stay safe in the top tier this term, with the side currently sitting 16th in the league table, just four points off the relegation zone. If the new manager can keep the Toffees safe in the Premier League this season, he will not want to be in the same position next season and will want to move the club forward, competing for European spots like the club has done before.
With that being said, Lampard will surely be looking at areas of the team he can make improvements in and according to reports the former Chelsea boss has already put the cogs in motion to secure one player.
It has been reported by TEAMtalk that the 43-year-old manager has already contacted Chelsea about signing Conor Gallagher for Everton next season, and if Lampard could pull of a deal for the young player, it could be a huge upgrade in the team.
Gallagher, who was hailed “impressive” by Thomas Tuchel, has been drawing attention to himself this season during his loan spell at Crystal Palace, with the 22-year-old central midfielder making an impact on the side since he joined them in the summer. He has scored seven goals and delivered five assists across all competitions so far, as well as having the 9th highest chance creation in the Premier League this season.
By luring him to Goodison, he could also discover a new Mason Mount, someone he coached so effectively at Chelsea.
Speaking to Football Insider, Noel Whelan once said: “That’s what I like about the player. Even though he is young, he’s very much in the mould of Mason Mount. He’s got that kind of attitude where he wants to be the star, the next Mount, he wants to be the player who gets hold of the game and is always making things happen.”
Ultimately, Lampard will need to axe a player in his team to accommodate a new arrival and guarantee the youngster a high level of game time over the next season if Chelsea were happy to let Gallagher make the move, and there is no doubt that he would be the perfect upgrade for Andre Gomes.
The £120k-per-week dud has not proven himself to be as effective as he could be for Everton since he arrived at the club, with the midfielder making eleven appearances, delivering one assist this term, accompanied by his questionable defensive statistics, losing the majority of his duels (64%) and making just 0.1 interceptions per game according to SofaScore.
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Gomes has the joint highest wages at the club, and when you consider his impact on the team, it doesn’t seem worth having a player on that amount of money when they’re not making consistent outings for the side.
Thus, Lampard could potentially cash in on the 28-year-old this summer, to not only free up a place in the team for Gallagher, but to also bring down the wage bill and boost funds in the summer transfer window.
In other news: Lampard must finally unleash Anwar El Ghazi
Rangers took another step towards potentially retaining their Premiership title this season with a 1-0 victory at Ibrox.
Despite the positive result, there was one player for the home side who didn’t put in a particularly impressive performance on this occasion that arguably could have cost his side the game and potentially the title as well.
In 78 minutes on the pitch against Aberdeen, Alfredo Morelos had 46 touches of the ball – the lowest of any outfield Gers starter on the day – and didn’t do much with it when he had it or when he didn’t have it either.
Of the 30 passes that he attempted, the Colombian misplaced nine and ultimately ended up losing possession 15 times in total, also having just one clear shot at goal which was off target and failing to complete one of the two dribbles he attempted.
Out of possession, things weren’t much better for the 25-year-old, who only won 38% of his duels and failed to make even one tackle or interception for his team, also getting dribbled past on one occasion by an opponent.
This display ultimately earned the striker – who has been slammed in the past for his “appalling” behaviour and attitude by Kris Boyd – an underwhelming overall match rating of 6.5/10, making him the joint-lowest rated Rangers player on the day according to SofaScore.
The Scottish Daily Express also picked up on the attacker’s rather uninspiring performance by saying that he was “starved of service for the whole game and as a result couldn’t have any sort of role in the say of the game.”
Much to the relief of Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the Ibrox faithful, the Dutchman made the call to take off Morelos in the second half and put on Kemar Roofe, who ended up scoring the winning goal for the home side.
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With the Gers in a close race with Celtic for the league title, Van Bronckhorst will need the £11.7m-rated striker to be consistently scoring from now until the end of the season if they are to give themselves the best chance of securing the title again. Today, the Colombian almost cost his side dearly in the title race, with Roofe eventually bailing him out.
In other news: Van Bronckhorst can seal Rangers masterclass with “unbelievable” £6.5k-p/w gem, he’s a “class act”…
Newcastle United extended their unbeaten run to nine matches as they beat Southampton 2-1 away from home on Thursday.
The Magpies struggled in the early stages of the game as Armando Broja missed a big chance and Che Adams smashed the underside of the bar either side of the opening goal from Stuart Armstrong.
Eddie Howe’s side rallied, though, and found their equaliser through Chris Wood as he nodded in a sublime cross from Jonjo Shelvey.
January signing Bruno Guimaraes scored the winner in the second half as he brilliantly flicked the ball into the roof of the net with the back of his foot after a smart header across the box from Dan Burn.
Out of his depth
Along with securing the three points for the Magpies, Bruno’s goal bailed out a poor performance at right-back from Emil Krafth.
Ian Wright previously criticised the defender as being “out of his depth” at Premier League level and that is exactly what he looked like in this display as he left a lot to be desired at both ends of the pitch at St. Mary’s.
Defensively, he was weak for Newcastle. As per SofaScore, he lost a whopping 80% of his duels (8/10) and was dribbled past as many times as he completed tackles – twice.
This shows that he struggled badly with Southampton’s physicality and was unable to dominate his man throughout the match as the Saints looked to take advantage of his weakness at full-back.
Thankfully, for him, his teammates’ strong performance – and Southampton’s finishing at times – meant that his poor defending did not cost them the result in the end.
On the ball, he failed to impress. As per SofaScore, the £37k-per-week dud only completed 18 passes in 89 minutes at a success rate of 64%.
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He also failed with all of his attempted crosses and dribbles as he ended the game without a key pass to his name. This shows that he offered no threat in the Saints half as he did not provide any quality in possession.
In the end, though, he was not needed in the final third because of Bruno’s brilliance. However, Krafth’s disappointing showing would have cost the Magpies on another day if they were not so clinical with their own chances and Southampton were better in front of goal themselves, so he will be counting himself lucky for now.
Bruno bailed him out this time but that will not always be the case…
AND in other news, Sold for £90k, now worth 6900% more: NUFC had a shocker over “unstoppable” 6ft machine…
Crystal Palace will host the Premier League Champions at Selhurst Park this evening, and Patrick Vieira will be hoping that his team can take all three points for the second time this season with the advantage of being at home.
The Eagles have won twice and drawn once in their last three games, and have registered more wins at home than away this season, so the side are in prime form to snatch another win in their pursuit for a top-half finish, and can leapfrog Southampton into tenth with a victory.
Vieira’s team selection will need to be able to cope with the pressure that Manchester City have imposed on all of their opponents, and making sure he picks players who can offer flawless defensive qualities against Pep Guardiola’s fierce attack should be a priority.
One player who should make the starting XI tonight at Selhurst Park is Will Hughes, to replace Cheikhou Kouyate in the midfield alongside Jeffrey Schlupp.
The £5.4m-rated gem was dubbed “technical” by HLTCO podcaster Dan Cook, who sung the praises of the player and highlighted his impact and effectiveness following his first start for Palace in December against Everton:
“Being able to retain possession and have a ball-playing, good, technical footballer in Will Hughes.
“I think if you look at Will Hughes’ close control, you look at his ability to advance the play, his reading of situations, it was quite clear from the off yesterday that we really did benefit from having his technical nous in the middle of the park.”
Praise hasn’t stopped there for the former Watford man, however, with Vieira labelling him “unbelievable” earlier this term.
According to SofaScore, Hughes has a pass accuracy of 86% this season, is successful in the majority of his ground and aerial duels (52%) and makes 1.9 tackles on average per game, proving that he can offer the key defensive attributes that Crystal Palace will need against a strong Manchester City side.
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The Eagles boss has a number of options from his in form squad to select from and will surely look at the team that comfortably defeated Pep’s side at the Etihad Stadium last October to inject a similar winning formula into the clash tonight.
Taking all three points would be some achievement and put Vieira’s side in the top half of the table.
In other news: Crystal Palace targeting swoop for Morgan Gibbs-White
Aston Villa’s owners have shown in recent years just how capable they are when it comes to spending money in the transfer market and bringing new players to the Midlands club since their arrival back in the Premier League.
However, regrets will surely now be emerging for Villa over one player they failed to secure after they were previously linked in 2020; Said Benrahma.
During his time at Brentford, the Algerian racked up 30 goals and 27 assists in 92 appearances across all competitions before eventually making the move to West Ham United on loan in October 2020.
In the 2021 January transfer window, the east London club secured the winger on a permanent deal for a fee of £20m.
This season has seen the 26-year-old, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £58k-per-week according to Salary Sport, score five goals and provide six assists in 25 league games, earning himself an overall performance rating of 6.87 according to WhoScored.
Benrahma’s goal contributions and performance rating both eclipse the number of goal contributions and performance rating that Villa’s summer signing Emi Buendia has managed to acquire at this point in the season, with the Argentine having just two goals, four assists and an overall rating of 6.78 to his name, also from 25 league appearances.
In addition to this, the Algerian has created more big chances (19) in the league this season than the current Villa playmaker (7).
To put it simply, Benrahma is a magical player on his day, with Brentford B’s assistant coach. Sam Saunders one exclaiming that “he could nutmeg a mermaid.”
Having been praised by former West Ham player Michael Owen for his “unplayable” performance for the Hammers against Genk in the Europa League, Benrahma could have been a cheaper option for the Villans than Buendia, who the club splashed out a club-record fee for in the previous summer transfer window.
With the former Brentford star also scoring three goals in seven Europa League games for David Moyes’ side in this campaign, he has shown just how useful he is in the Premier League and in their European clashes.
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Also, having been deployed in numerous positions across the pitch in this campaign, the £22.5m-rated star has shown what a versatile and reliable attacking option he can be.
Taking all of this into account, it wouldn’t be wrong to suggest that Villa’s hierarchy could be kicking themselves over having missed out on signing Benrahma, who now has the chance to win the Europa League with the Hammers and potential finish in the top four of the Premier League table.
In other news: Lange could seal his next Coutinho as Villa eye up “relentless” £22.5m-rated “machine” – opinion
The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered a significant update on Leeds United stalwart Luke Ayling.
What’s the story?
The journalist said: “I’m pleased for him (after Wolves) because he hasn’t had a particularly great season and I think, like with a few others, he’s probably going to come under consideration now about what needs to happen in the summer.
“He’s had two really good games, particularly the back end of the Wolves game; really, really influential. But there is going to now be that consideration in the summer of ‘what do we do with the squad?’
“On the basis of this season, using cold hard facts, what needs to change? He has given everything to this last four years, whatever you think about form.”
A Leeds cornerstone
Usually one of the first names on the team sheet, there’s no questioning that Ayling has been one of Leeds’ most trusted players over the past few years.
The £45k-a-week ace played the full 90 minutes in every single Premier League game last season bar one, and even that was when former Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa took him off to try and find a goal in the last 20 minutes against ten-man Arsenal.
In the past, Hay has emphasised how important Ayling is to the team, declaring: “The more you look at him and analyse him, the more you realise he’s integral to everything Leeds do.”
Speaking just last year, former Scotland manager Alex McLeish raved about the consistency that Ayling brings to the table on a weekly basis, saying: “We talk about Luke nearly every week, we always give him a mention. He’s such an enthusiast for the game. It’s a guy who clearly loves his football and his roles within Leeds United, not only as a full-back, he’s got the centre-back skills as well – he’s got versatility.
“He’s a really, really good example to any young player coming up because he’s been through the ranks. You see where he started and now he’s playing in the Premier League.”
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With doubts already surfacing over the long-term futures of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, seeing Ayling leave the club would be a hammer blow to the Elland Road faithful.
AND in other news – “We’re told…”: Graham Smyth drops big Leeds United update which will delight supporters
Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson has experienced the highs and lows of the transfer market since arriving at Ibrox in 2019.
He has been able to seal impressive deals for the likes of Ianis Hagi and Joe Aribo, but he has also been culpable of a clanger or two – Cedric Itten being one example of a failed move.
However, the Gers chief has also dropped the ball at times with transfers that he has wanted to complete but has been unable to get over the line.
One player that he reportedly wanted to bring to Ibrox was left-back Aaron Hickey. The ex-Southampton chief was keen on a swoop for the youngster in 2019 and Hearts reportedly wanted £1.5m for him in 2020, but they were unable to strike an agreement as Italian side Bologna swooped in for that price.
It is now being reported by Fabrizio Romano that Newcastle United are eyeing up a deal worth up to £20m to sign the full-back this summer. This means that the Gers had a howler as they have missed out on a whopping £20m payday – and an £18.5m profit – because of Wilson’s inability to bring Hickey in during the 2020 transfer window.
Kamara 2.0
It was also a shocker from Rangers, as Hickey could have been Glen Kamara 2.0 at Ibrox.
Kamara 2.0? You may be asking yourself how that makes sense given their positions at left-back and defensive midfield respectively, but the Scot has been tipped to transition into playing centrally in the future.
Scottish coach Austin MacPhee previously claimed that the defender may develop into being like one Spain and Barcelona’s greats, saying: “He’s so young he could play a lot of positions. He could end up being like (Sergio) Busquets. Right now he reminds me of Jonny Evans, who I’ve seen in training with Northern Ireland. It’s the way he defends, moves and always wants the ball as a defender.”
Daniel Stendl labelled the 19-year-old an “extraordinary talent” and added further weight to a potential positional change, claiming: “Aaron as a player is like Philipp Lahm. For me at Hearts, he played as a full-back. He not only runs up and down the line, but looks for attacking moves like Lahm once did. And Aaron can also play in the central midfield.”
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Hickey has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.89 in Serie A for Bologna this term, producing four goals and one assist from left-back. The 19-year-old has won five duels per game, at a success rate of 60%, and is showing that he can perform to a high standard on a regular basis despite his age – suggesting that he has the potential to improve further and develop into a midfield general, like Kamara, in the future.
One that got away…
AND in other news, Rangers had a major disaster on “complete” 243 G/A ace who’s “like Harry Potter”…
It’s been a tough season for Eddie Howe and Newcastle United, who have been unable to establish the kind of fluency and form that has been a staple across the past four years.
Technical director Ross Wilson is ready to enforce action on the transfer front, with Newcastle’s recent draw against Chelsea in the Premier League underlining the problems Howe is beset with.
No side in the English top flight have dropped more points from winning positions – 13 – than the Magpies this year, and this tells of issues in intensity and mentality.
Newcastle are also embroiled in a defensive injury crisis, but the backline isn’t the only area of the pitch that Howe and Wilson and co plan to improve.
How Newcastle plan to strengthen midfield
In Burno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, Newcastle have two of the best midfielders in Europe. But Howe could do with another elite option to serve as a counterpoint, especially with Joelinton drifting at times this term and with Jacob Ramsey yet to prove himself after moving to Tyneside from Aston Villa for £42.5m in the summer.
You get a sense that Newcastle will pounce on a full-back this January should the right opportunity arise, but a top-class centre-midfielder could go a long way toward firing the St. James’ Park side back into the ascendancy.
The interest in academy graduate Elliot Anderson should offer an insight into Howe’s plans, and where he feels Newcastle need reinforcement to reach the next stage in their development.
Should the £100m-rated Anderson prove out of reach, Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves has been earmarked as a potential alternative. According to Caught Offside, the £410k-per-week Portugal star has expressed a desire to return to the Premier League this winter, and Newcastle are at the front of the pack.
The Toon face stiff competition from Manchester United.
What Ruben Neves would bring to Newcastle
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers star Neves, 28, has Premier League experience and a completeness of style that would align with the way Howe has sculpted his United midfield.
He might not have as high a ceiling as Anderson, but a deal would be far more doable, and he would be ready to provide for Howe’s side for the remainder of the campaign. The prospect of prising Anderson away from the City Ground next month is negligible.
Neves, moreover, has much to give. He has been in fine fettle during his several-year stay in the Saudi Pro League, having been hailed by analyst Raj Chohan as perhaps being the “most underrated player in world football” in recent years, with Wolves’ downfall a by-product of the Portuguese midfielder’s £47m sale in 2023.
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There’s no question that Anderson is the talk of the town this season, but when you look at how he ranks against Neves’ own performance for the Old Gold during the 2022/23 campaign, you see why the latter could be the perfect addition to drive Newcastle back to top form.
Prem Comparison – Ruben Neves vs Elliot Anderson
Stats (*per game)
Neves (22/23)
Anderson (25/26)
Matches (starts)
35 (33)
17 (17)
Goals
6
1
Assists
1
1
Touches*
73.5
92.2
Accurate passes*
48.8 (84%)
58.9 (86%)
Chances created*
0.9
1.6
Succ. dribbles*
0.5 (68%)
1.2 (53%)
Ball recoveries*
7.1
8.3
Tackles + interceptions*
3.7
3.5
Duels (won)*
4.0 (53%)
7.4 (54%)
Data via Sofascore
And two years in Saudi don’t appear to have dulled Neves’ technical sharpness, his senses. In fact, he remains an important part of Roberto Martinez’s Portugal set-up, so combative and cultured and crafty.
Newcastle could do a lot worse than beat Man United to his signature this January. In fact, the Iberian ace would be the perfect complement to Tonali and Guimaraes in the engine room.
Will they win the race? Well, Neves is set to push for a return to English shores this summer. It might just happen for the Magpies.
Huge Anthony Elanga upgrade: Newcastle ready to bid for £100m "superstar"
Newcastle need to strengthen their frontline, having struggled for sharpness at the season’s midpoint.
Glasgow Rangers were hit hard by their outgoings in the summer transfer window, as they lost a lot of attacking quality from their side ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Vaclav Cerny returned to Wolfsburg, before signing for Besiktas on a permanent deal, after his loan spell last term, whilst Hamza Igamane was sold to Lille for £10.4m.
Igamane delivered 12 goals in the Scottish Premiership, per Sofascore, whilst Cerny racked up 12 goals and four assists playing on the right flank for the Gers.
Centre-forward Cyriel Dessers was also sold to Panathinaikos, just a few weeks after playing against them for Rangers, and his absence has also been felt.
Why Cyriel Dessers was underrated at Rangers
Strikers who miss a lot of opportunities will naturally draw frustration from the stands because fans, obviously, want to see their team score. Missing big chances consistently will, therefore, not endear you to a fanbase.
Per Sofascore, Dessers missed a staggering 59 ‘big chances’ to score in his two full seasons at Ibrox. He was far too wasteful with the chances that came his way, which is why it was understandable that he was hardly a fan favourite, and understandable as to why they sold him in the summer.
However, the frustration borne out of those misses perhaps made him underrated, because the experienced frontman also scored 52 goals in 116 games for the Gers, per Transfermarkt, which is far from a horrendous return.
Whether you were a fan of his or not, there is no denying that Dessers was a constant threat because of his exceptional movement and positioning in the box that created so many chances.
Something that may make supporters look back and appreciate the Nigeria international even more is just how poor Youssef Chermiti has been for the Gers this season.
How Chermiti makes Dessers look amazing
The Scottish giants swooped to sign the Portugal U21 international from Everton for a fee of £8m in the summer transfer window, in an attempt to replace Dessers.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
On current evidence, former Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell did a horrible job of replacing the 52-goal striker, because Chermiti has been a huge flop so far.
The 21-year-old striker has simply failed to offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues this season, with one goal and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.
It is not just his finishing that has hampered his start to life at Ibrox, though, because he has only missed five ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, and only missed one ‘big chance’ in ten outings in the Premiership.
This suggests that he has struggled with his movement in and around the box, as well as with his finishing, because he is not generating anywhere near as much in front of goal as Dessers did during his time at the club.
Premiership per 90
Dessers (24/25)
Chermiti (25/26)
xG
0.74
0.29
Goals
0.77
0.26
xG on target
0.80
0.40
Shots on target
1.79
1.55
Chances created
1.02
1.03
xA
0.04
0.05
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the Nigerian striker averaged more than twice as much xG per 90 as Chermiti has managed this season for Rangers in the Premiership.
These statistics make Dessers look like an amazing goalscorer in comparison to the £8m summer signing, because he was a prolific striker who just missed too many ‘big chances’ to make him a reliable player.
Chermiti, though, has not provided any sort of genuine threat in front of goal for the Scottish giants, with big misses or goals, which is why supporters may look back on Dessers’ time at Ibrox a little more favourably now.
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Journalist Jonny McFarlane described Chermiti as a “mind-blowingly bad” signing who “offers nothing”, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you look at his output this season.
A return of one goal by the end of December after being signed for £8m as a striker is simply not good enough, particularly when you compare it to what Dessers provided on the pitch for the Gers.
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It would be interesting to know how many Rangers fans would gladly swap Dessers for Chermiti at the moment, given how poor the former Everton man has been this season.
However, the 21-year-old is still in the infancy of his Gers career and, hopefully, will be able to turn his form around and prove that he was worth spending £8m on.