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As the Friedkin Group continue to contemplate Sean Dyche’s Everton future, they’ve reportedly held internal discussions about hiring a manager who has won all there is to win in English football.

Friedkin could ruthlessly replace Dyche

Finally set to emerge out of the storm that is Everton’s ownership problem, Dyche could now find his job at risk in ruthless fashion. The Toffees have endured a dire start to the campaign, picking up the habit of dropping points from two-goal leads, but at least eased some pressure on themselves by defeating Crystal Palace for their first Premier League victory of the campaign last time out.

That victory has done no harm for Dyche, but the pressure is still on amid reports that the Friedkin Group want to appoint the likes of Gareth Southgate or former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri.

The Italian has even reportedly identified Piotr Zielinski as a player he would bring to Goodison Park, should the new owners turn his way in the coming months. If it’s not Sarri, meanwhile, then the Premier League may just get the return of one of its biggest pantomime villains.

Lampard wanted Everton to sign star now worth £85m but got Maupay instead

The Toffees could have missed a trick over one centre-forward signing…

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 3, 2024

According to Football Insider, the Friedkin Group have held internal discussions about appointing Jose Mourinho, despite the former Manchester United manager’s current role at Fenerbahce. Reports indicate that the so-called special one cannot be ruled out in what would be a sensational move from those at Goodison Park.

Dan Friedkin, of course, knows Mourinho well from their time together at AS Roma in a spell that saw the Italian side win the Europa Conference League. Now, they could be set to reunite and hand him what could be one last chance to leave an added mark on English football.

"Great" Mourinho would be blockbuster appointment

If Friedkin wants to steal the headlines, then appointing Mourinho is certainly the way to do it. Everywhere the manager goes, people watch, whether it’s Tottenham Hotspur, Fenerbahce or Roma. Now, as Everton prepare for the start of a new era at the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium, they could start fresh on the pitch with what would be a blockbuster arrival.

There would be questions over whether Mourinho can still perform wonders in England’s top flight, but after he worked his magic to welcome European gold during his time in Rome, Everton’s bet would at least be one to watch.

Earning high praise as a result of that Europa Conference League win, Mourinho earned the respect of Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, who told Radio Serie A, via Goal: “He’s been successful even if the Giallorossi are not considered among the best teams. It’s not surprising because Mourinho is an honest person and a great coach, so he built an amazing connection with the fans, which is positive.”

With the exception of Spurs, and Fenerbahce as things stand, Mourinho has won silverware at every club he’s managed in what must surely be a selling point for Friedkin to chase his signature.

Leeds United go into this weekend’s set of Championship fixtures raring to go again, as Elland Road sets the stage for a showdown between Daniel Farke’s Whites and Mark Robins’ up-and-down Coventry City side.

The Sky Blues have won only once this season, and so the West Yorkshire outfit will go into the game wanting to prove to fans that they mean business, against a team that did manage to draw with Leeds last season away from home.

Largie Ramazani will hope he’s given the nod to start against Coventry this coming Saturday, after impressing with his first goal in Leeds colours in the 2-0 win over Cardiff City last time out, with other attackers such as Mateo Joseph also lively in spurts.

Ramazani & Joseph's importance to Leeds

Ramazani might well retain his space, dependent on Manor Solomon’s fitness, after announcing himself to the Leeds faithful in Wales.

His breakaway strike in the first half versus the now managerless Bluebirds broke the deadlock and allowed the away side to feel less nervy in the game, as the ex-Almeria man powered home an effort confidently after finding himself one-on-one with opposition goalkeeper Jak Alnwick.

He will hope this is just the start for him donning a Whites strip, with Farke and Co hopeful he can be another tricky winger for the promotion chasers akin to the likes of Crysencio Summerville.

There will also be plenty more expected of the aforementioned Joseph this season, who found himself in and out of the 2-0 win for the most part but still managed to assist Ramazani’s crucial opener.

Games played

6

Goals scored

1

Assists

3

Shots per game

2.7

Big chances missed

2

Big chances created

4

Only managing 32 touches of the ball in total away from that important contribution, it is to be expected that Joseph – who is only still 20 years of age – isn’t the finished article just yet, but the table above suggests that he won’t be dropped for the test of Coventry on Saturday, owing to his promising numbers across the full campaign so far.

Amazingly, despite both players playing their part in Leeds’ last win on the road, their wages are still lower than one player who should be given the boot from Elland Road.

Why Leeds need to get rid of Darlow

Leeds fans must have thought the purchase of Karl Darlow last year was going to see Ilian Meslier be pushed all the way for a starting spot between the sticks, with the former Newcastle man having amassed 154 Championship games across his career, on top of featuring in 52 Premier League clashes.

Yet, the £400k move organised by Farke and the 49ers just hasn’t worked out whatsoever with the forgotten-about shot-stopper simply a bench warmer for the manager now, with his only display this season against Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup also very poor.

The nervy ‘keeper on the night would leak three goals as Leeds were comprehensively beaten by Michael Carrick’s men, with his hefty £30k-per-week wage now rightly under the microscope.

Alongside his £400k fee, Leeds have wasted £2m already on Darlow when taking into account his wage costs for all of last season too – as the fringes ‘keeper has also only made five appearances in total for the Whites, keeping zero clean sheets in the process.

In contrast, both Ramazani and Joseph take home a lesser £17.5k-per-week and £15k-per-week respectively, despite linking up in Wales to help their side go back to Elland Road with three points in hand.

It’s not just Darlow’s wage that will make for grim reading, with Patrick Bamford also raking in an outrageous £70k-per-week salary, even as Joseph gets more first team minutes now over the ageing attacker.

Leeds could look to move on the ex-Magpies man soon, therefore, with Meslier very much secure in his first-team spot away from Darlow’s woes.

£12m wasted: Farke must sell Leeds man who earns more than Gnonto

The Whites loanee must be ditched from the squad in one of the next two transfer windows.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 25, 2024

Arsenal are believed to already be in contact over a possible £63 million signing for next year, as Edu Gaspar and the club's recruitment team look to jump ahead of rival suitors.

Arsenal spend under £100 million on five summer signings

Mikel Arteta and Edu will be very happy with how the club conducted their business over the summer, with five major signings brought in for under £100 million, not to mention a few marquee sales made on top of this.

TalkSPORT pundit says £89m Chelsea star should follow Sterling to Arsenal

The ex-Man City star could make his debut against Tottenham this weekend.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 10, 2024

David Raya signed from Brentford in a £27 million deal, which was a formality of his loan-with-obligation-to-buy move last year. After the Spaniard, Riccardo Calafiori swapped Bologna for the Premier League, with midfielder Mikel Merino also joining Arsenal later in the summer.

Arsenal managed two last-gasp deals at the eleventh hour, with both Neto and Raheem Sterling joining the north Londoners on deadline day. Sterling's capture comes as particularly interesting, and arguably their highest-profile move of the year.

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

The 29-year-old, who's scored 123 goals in the English top flight alone, provides both Premier League pedigree and trophy-winning experience – not to mention versatility.

It is believed Arteta is planning to use Sterling as a false-nine against Tottenham in the north London derby this weekend, with Arsenal looking short in midfield and Kai Havertz potentially dropping further back.

While the Gunners are suffering from a few injury worries and absentee concerns ahead of their trip to Spurs, they've arguably been unlucky in that regard so soon after the start of this new season.

Merino fractured his shoulder in his first ever Arsenal training session at London Colney, and there's been concerns surrounding Calafiori after he suffered a freak injury on international duty with Italy.

All-in-all, despite Arsenal's misfortune when it comes to their new arrivals, Edu and Arteta will still be ecstatic about the business conducted.

Arsenal already in contact over 2025 move for Benjamin Sesko

According to CaughtOffside, the Gunners are already planning for 2025, almost immediately after the closure of the last window. RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko was a widely reported transfer target for Arsenal over the summer, but the Slovenia striker decided to remain at his current club by signing a contract extension.

It is believed Arsenal have already been in contact over a 2025 move for Sesko, as Edu and co look to get ahead of rival suitors like Chelsea and Man United for his signature next summer – indicating they haven't given up hope of landing the 21-year-old.

Some reports claim that the forward's new deal includes a £63 million release clause, so a transfer is entirely possible, and CaughtOffside claim Arsenal are optimistic they can land Sesko this time round.

As the 2023/24 Premier League season nears, Football FanCast continues to preview the opening weekend, which includes AFC Bournemouth's clash against West Ham United in a game featuring two sides looking to avoid relegation and more in the coming campaign.

When is the match and is it on UK TV?

Unfortunately, due to the blackout for 3pm games in English football, Bournemouth's fixture against West Ham on Saturday, August 12 will not be televised on UK TV.

Of course, the last time these sides met saw a total of four unanswered West Ham goals, including a stunning Pablo Fornals scorpion kick.

Fans will be forced to catch the highlights of this one, however, as the two relegation contenders do battle once more to kick off the new season in style.

Premier League: Every Opening Day Fixture

Who is Bournemouth's key player?

When it comes to key players at Bournemouth, there's no player more important than Dominic Solanke. The forward finally made his mark on the Premier League last season, scoring six goals and assisting a further seven as the Cherries comfortably survived.

There's no doubt that the former Chelsea and Liverpool man will be looking to pick up where he left off in the new season, too, starting on the opening day against West Ham.

Who is West Ham's key player?

It doesn't get more important than the man who scored the winner to clinch the Europa Conference League for West Ham, does it?

Jarrod Bowen, even after a difficult spell at the start of last season, remains West Ham's key player – the player they turn to when it matters most.

With a hand in 21 goals in all competitions, with 13 goals and eight assists to his name, Bowen will only be looking to improve those numbers next season, as the Hammers look to enjoy more than just survival in the Premier League.

How will Bournemouth line up?

Yet to make any new signings so far this summer, Bournemouth could get their business underway now that they've welcomed new manager Andoni Iraola in what was an unexpected twist at the Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries have already suffered a significant loss, however, with Jefferson Lerma completing a move to Crystal Palace, potentially opening the door for a new central midfielder this summer.

As of right now, though, here's how Iraola's side could line up on the manager's debut:

Neto; Lloyd Kelly; Marcos Senesi; Adam Smith; Matias Vina; Philip Billing; Joe Rothwell; Dango Ouattara; David Brooks; Ryan Christie; Dominic Solanke

How will West Ham line up?

Like Bournemouth, West Ham are yet to complete any signings this summer. But, that has not stopped the transfer rumours.

According to Dean Jones, the Hammers will make a bid for Southampton's James Ward-Prowse.

If new faces arrive before the opening day, we may well see them thrown straight into David Moyes' side, who will otherwise have the simple task of picking from player who have just won a European trophy.

With that said, here's how West Ham could line up:

Alphonse Areola; Valdimir Coufal; Kurt Zouma; Nayef Aguerd; Emerson; James Ward-Prowse; Tomas Soucek; Jarrod Bowen; Lucas Paqueta; Said Benrahma; Michail Antonio

What were the last five meetings between the two sides?

West Ham have enjoyed their last five meetings with Bournemouth, it's fair to say, having lost just once against the Cherries.

It is a record that new manager Iraola will be looking to put to an end right away in what would be an incredibly impressive start to life on the south coast.

Last time out, of course, Bournemouth suffered a 4-0 defeat, with goals from Antonio, Paqueta, Rice, and Fornals securing the points for West Ham.

With that said, here's how the last five games went:

April 2023: Bournemouth 0-4 West Ham October 2022: West Ham 2-0 Bournemouth January 2020: West Ham 4-0 Bournemouth September 2019: Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham January 2019: Bournemouth 2-0 West Ham Who is going to win?

Given West Ham's recent record against Bournemouth, it's hard to look past a win for Moyes' side.

It must be said, however, that an added intrigue to the game will be how Iraola tactically sets his side up in his first-ever Premier League game.

FFC predicts: West Ham United win

Tottenham Hotspur are now hopeful they will be able to hijack Barcelona's move for Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque, having recently made contact with the player's entourage, according to reports from Spain.

Who is Vitor Roque signing for?

Reports have indicated that Roque is on the verge of a move to Barcelona, with the La Liga club agreeing a deal worth €45m (£39m) for the forward, despite the likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain making late attempts to hijack the move.

The 18-year-old is likely to be announced as a Barca player later this week, however that has not deterred Tottenham from making a late swoop for the youngster, as reported by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness).

The Blaugrana are in very advanced talks to sign the Athletico Paranaense star, having already reached a "pre-agreement", but Spurs are now hopeful they will be able to hijack the deal, and they have already made their first move.

Tottenham are one of the clubs who have called the player's entourage in an attempt to make him change his mind, however it does not appear as though they stand much chance of turning his head.

The Brazilian is focused on his switch to Barcelona, and only the final documents need to be sorted before his switch to the Camp Nou will be confirmed.

Who is Vitor Roque?

After making his initial breakthrough with Cruzeiro, the starlet has since gone on to establish himself as an important first-team player for Athletico Paranaense, recording seven goals and two assists in 13 Brazilian Serie A games last season.

Football Scout Jacek Kulig has spoken about the youngster very highly, hailing him as a "top talent" due to his fantastic goal return last season, while he has also described him as "unstoppable."

It is no wonder so many top clubs are queuing up to sign the versatile forward, who is also able to play on the right-wing, but it appears as though Tottenham have very little chance of winning the race for his signature, with a move to Barca now very close.

As such, Ange Postecoglou should continue to focus on his other targets in attacking areas, having recently been linked with the likes of Beto and Ollie Watkins, with the latter viewed as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, amid the Englishman's uncertain future.

The summer transfer window officially opened for business earlier this month and Manchester United could be busy in an attempt to bolster their squad in the coming months.

Erik ten Hag's side finished third in the Premier League last season but could look to improve their attacking options after they scored 58 times, which was the eighth-highest in the division.

One player who could come in to solve some of their problems in the final third is reported transfer target Goncalo Ramos, who is valued at around £80m by Benfica.

It is difficult to gauge how a player will adapt to moving to England when signing someone who has no prior experience of performing in the Premier League, but United got it spot on when they snatched Bruno Fernandes away from Portuguese football in 2020.

The former Sporting CP midfielder has been a terrific signing for the Red Devils and was able to hit the ground running after the move from his home country.

He won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in both of his first two campaigns with the club and has racked up 64 goals and 54 assists in 185 matches in all competitions to date.

How did Goncalo Ramos perform last season?

United could now repeat the blinder they played with the signing of Fernandes by swooping to sign another star from Portugal in the form of Ramos, who enjoyed a terrific year in front of goal for Benfica.

The 22-year-old centre-forward averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.15 across 30 Liga Portugal outings and contributed 19 goals and two assists, which shows that the exciting ace was able to provide quality end product on a regular basis.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once hailed the Portugal international as "incredibly prolific" and described him as being "on fire" throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

The talented Benfica star's return of 27 goals and 12 assists in 47 outings last season, coupled with three goals in four World Cup appearances, backs up that claim from Kulig, as the lethal finisher has proven himself in front of goal domestically and at international level.

Ramos, who scored 27 goals in 55 youth team outings for his current club, also plundered 14 goals in 18 Portugal U21 matches before his step up to the senior squad.

Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford (17) was the only United player who managed more than eight Premier League goals last term, and this suggests that Ten Hag is in desperate need of another reliable goalscorer, which is exactly what Ramos would be if he can follow in Fernandes' footsteps and adapt to English football next season.

Newcastle United have been strongly linked with a move for Sandro Tonali this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Sandro Tonali?

According to The Athletic, Newcastle are closing in on a move for the Italian midfielder.

The report suggests that a fee in the region of €70m (£60m) has been agreed after face-to-face meetings took place on Wednesday.

He has emerged as a key target in the early stages of this window with Craig Hope later revealing that Dan Ashworth boarded a plane today in order to fly out to Milan to conclude a deal.

Would Tonali be a good fit for Newcastle?

It is no secret that Bruno Guimaraes' attacking talent has been sacrificed to an extent this season due to the departure of Jonjo Shelvey in January, meaning the Brazilian star has needed to adopt a much more defensive role in the midfield set-up.

Indeed, the Newcastle talisman has done a fine job in the lone deep-lying role just ahead of the back-line, notably contributing to ten goals last term. As such, it would be advantageous to Howe next season if he could unlock Guimaraes and allow him to return to his more free-flowing role where he thrived expeditiously in his first six months at St James'.

As a result, Tonali could be a huge asset in the competitive midfield when they take on multiple competitions next season in their pursuit of success and trophies, as he could be the ideal profile player to partner Guimaraes in the centre of the pitch.

Over 34 Serie A appearances, the 23-year-old talent – hailed "world-class" by the Athletic's Martino Puccio – registered seven assists, created 12 big chances and tallied up an 81% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.9 tackles, 1.8 key passes and 3.5 duels won per game, operating as a prolific ball-winner with strong play-making and progressive capabilities too.

Not only that, the Italian ranks in the top 14% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for chance creation – according to Opta Analyst Radar – again demonstrating that Tonali could work well alongside Guimaraes to deliver strong attacking opportunities for Newcastle's front-men.

The news of the Magpies' bid for the Champions League semi-finalist led football analyst and writer Connor Holden to speculate about a potential midfield partnership between the two, suggesting the Toon were looking for an "elite partner" for Guimaraes.

With that being said, a move for Tonali is definitely a big coup as he could be an ideal like-minded companion for their Brazilian dynamo in the heart of the team.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe confessed last month that he would love to target a 'marquee' signing this summer after his side defied expectations and ended a two-decade absence from the Champions League with a fourth-place Premier League finish.

Thus far, the work plied on the transfer front has been calculated and diligent, with the imperious defence in particular consisting of Kieran Trippier (£12m), Dan Burn (£13m) and goalkeeper Nick Pope (£10m) – all signed since the revolution created by the lucrative PIF takeover in October 2021.

Different now, is the allure of European nights, and there are indeed few outfits more tantalising than Newcastle, who could now use their newfound success to bring in someone such as Bayern Munich's Sadio Mane, who is set for departure in Bavaria after signing for £35m from Liverpool just one year ago.

According to BILD, the Senegalese forward fronts Thomas Tuchel's proposed summer clear-out strategy as he prepares for a major rebuild, with the German newspaper – via Caught Offside – also recently linking Newcastle and Manchester United with a move for the 31-year-old who could cost £30m.

Should Newcastle sign Sadio Mane?

Mane is on the wrong side of 30 but would bring a wealth of illustrious experience and prolific potency at the highest level to St. James' Park at a time when the club could do with such a star to galvanise the troops as they search for silver-laden success of their own.

During his time in the Premier League, the £363k-per-week forward plundered 111 goals and 47 assists from 263 appearances for both Liverpool and Southampton, earning praise from former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp for his "world-class" credentials as an unrelenting "machine".

While the balance within the Magpies ranks is just right at present, targetting first-class signings to enrich the different facets of Howe's system could pay dividends as silverware and successive seasons in the Champions League are targetted.

And Mane could well hold the key to ensuring such endeavours are successful; he may even emulate his former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah on Tyneside.

Indeed, the Egyptian is considered the second most comparable player to Mane on FBref's 'Similar Players' model, with the Bayern star ranking among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90.

Salah, comparatively, ranks among the top 3% for rate of non-penalty goals and also ranks among the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90, and given that the 30-year-old has posted 30 goals and 16 assists across all competitions this term, Mane could match such heights under Howe's tutelage.

Mane has indeed demonstrated his aptitude and then some across his career and, despite not quite integrating as hoped in Germany, he could reignite his distinguished career on Tyneside.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to bolster their squad during the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Odin Thiago Holm to Celtic?

According to Norwegian outlet Nettavisen, the Hoops are in talks with Eliteserien outfit Vålerenga as they close in on a deal to sign defensive midfielder Odin Thiago Holm.

The report claims that the two clubs are discussing the details around a transfer that would send the 20-year-old to Scotland ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and that a switch is imminent barring any late setbacks.

It states that an offer in the region of 30m kroner (around £2.2m) is on the cards from Celtic, who will also give up a percentage of their profit from any future sale to sweeten the deal.

What is Odin Thiago Holm's style of play?

The young battler is a defensive-minded ace who has the ability to win possession back for his side on a regular basis whilst also having the quality on the ball to function in a progressive system.

Holm could be the club's next Nir Bitton, who left Parkhead at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, by coming in as a strong no.6 with excellent passing.

In his last season with the Hoops, the Israel international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 across 24 matches in the Scottish Premiership and made 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game and completed 91% of his attempted passes.

The 6 foot 5 stalwart, who made 271 appearances for Celtic, also won 54% of his individual duels that year, which was after he came out on top in 62% of his battles in the division in 20/21.

This shows that the experienced ace was a reliable passer who also bullied opposition players to win the ball back for his team and prevent them from creating chances in the final third.

Holm, meanwhile, enjoyed an impressive campaign in the Eliteserien in 2022.

The youngster, who won 60% of his physical contests, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.96 across 22 outings and managed to complete 88% of his passes and made two tackles and interceptions per match.

These statistics suggest that the 20-year-old gem, who plays in the same position as Bitton, could come in and replicate the former Celtic enforcer's success in Scotland as a strong defensive midfielder who can make an impact in and out of possession.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once described the Norway U20 international as a "huge talent" and cited his defensive reliability and ability to dictate games with his passing quality as some of his biggest strengths, which is backed up by his form in the Norwegian top-flight.

Therefore, Holm could come in as Bitton 2.0 for the next Celtic manager ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and his arrival, based on his impressive statistics at such a young age for Vålerenga, could be an excellent first signing of the summer for the new head coach.

Arsenal have been linked with one of the Premier League’s top performers ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta sets his sights on bolstering his squad this summer.

The Spaniard enjoyed a strong title charge with his side this season and despite falling short of Manchester City on the final straight, can take many positives from the campaign.

The Gunners will play Champions League football again for the first time since 2016, and with an additional competition comes added need for squad depth, something that tainted Arsenal’s title charge this term.

As reported ahead of the summer, the Emirates may become home for a player that could significantly improve the side.

What’s the latest on Ilkay Gundogan to Arsenal?

As first reported by The Athletic at the end of last month, Manchester City ace Ilkay Gundogan is on Arsenal’s radar.

The 32-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the campaign should he fail to strike a new deal with the Citizens, which has become an appealing prospect for the Gunners.

Most recently, the Evening Standard claimed that Arteta’s relationship with the German could provide vital in the north Londoners’ pursuit of the midfielder, a player whom he worked with in Manchester.

What could Ilkay Gundogan offer to Arsenal?

As the season progresses, the experience and quality of the midfielder becomes more and more evident, as seen last weekend when he single-handedly fired City to complete the double, scoring two outside-the-box volleys at Wembley in the FA Cup final.

The Gelsenkirchen-born ace could provide so much to Arteta’s budding Arsenal side, and would most prominently provide as a perfect partner for Martin Odegaard.

The Spaniard could replicate the success of the 32-year-old in Guardiola’s midfield, just as he has done with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s role in the defence since making the switch from the Etihad to the Emirates.

Alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan has one of the best creators in the Premier League, with the Belgian acting as the pacemaker for creative midfielders to follow year after year.

The German could replicate the success in his play with Odegaard, who himself has been lauded as a “playmaking genius” by scout Antonio Mango.

The £140k-per-week City gem averages 63 attempted passes per 90, as well as maintaining a completion rate of 87.7% as per FBref, showing he could be a second creator in Arsenal’s midfield, giving Odegaard more to work with in the number 10 role.

De Bruyne reaps the positive vibrations from the 32-year-old, with the duo described by the Daily Mail’s Jack Gaughan as being ‘masters of slowing games down when City lead’, something that could be integral to Odegaard.

Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend that the Arsenal skipper is just 24 years old, however, the Gunners have suffered recently in holding their leads, as shown in drawing consecutive games in the run in this season with Southampton, West Ham and Liverpool.

The “exceptional” gem, as lauded by his manager, could not only support the Norwiegan’s progression in an offensive light but also defensively and through experience, in his ability to conduct the tempo of a game.

There are many ways that a player of the calibre of Gundogan could influence Arteta’s budding Arsenal squad, though his influence on Odegaard could unlock another level to the Gunners’ ace.