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Arsenal's transfer frenzy shows few signs of slowing down, as the Gunners are reported to be in the running to sign PSV star Xavi Simons this summer.

Dutch outlet ED reported last week that Arsenal are in talks to sign Simons, but the Dutch youngster has no shortage of potential suitors and journalist Paul Brown believes his development could increase tenfold under the stewardship of club captain Martin Odegaard…

How much would Xavi Simons cost?

Should the Gunners see off competition for the Netherlands phenom, they could have the perfect man in the Norway international to help him settle into his new surroundings at the Emirates Stadium.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the reporter said:

"I do think Odegaard has become a really important, quiet leader at Arsenal.

"He leads by example, but he doesn't need to charge around the pitch shouting at people.

"I do think behind the scenes he is capable of being that kind of mentor figure to anyone who comes into the club under any kind of pressure.

"I do think that that could be an important role for him. If someone like [Simons] was coming in he would be able to take him under his wing and help him along. I do think that could be quite important."

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano previously reported that Paris Saint-Germain have the chance to sign Simons for €6m (£5.1m), but that buy-back clause expires on July 31 and the midfielder will have the final say on his future.

Any other interested clubs face having to pay in excess of €50m (£44m), according to some reports in Spain (via Football365), given Simons' status as one of the best talents in European football.

Where would Xavi Simons fit in at Arsenal?

Ironically, it could be Odegaard that Simons eventually replaces in the Arsenal side. The Norway international is still only 24 himself, but he has been linked with a move away from the Gunners on more than one occasion.

The two players share a lot of similarities, not least the fact that they are both capable of scoring and assisting a large number of goals. Simons scored 19 and assisted eight in Eredivisie last season, while Odegaard scored 15 and set up seven in the Premier League.

Simons scored from 0.19 goals per shot he took last season, as per FBref, compared to 0.16 for Odegaard, while – pretty remarkably – they had an identical pass-completion percentage of 80.3.

While Simons comes out on top in terms of the combined tackles and interceptions managed per 90 (1.90 v 1.21), Odegaard edges things when it comes to successful take-on percentage (57.8 v 49.7).

Signing Odegaard's potential successor while he is still at the club makes perfect sense, though it may well be that Simons – on wages of £26k-per-week at PSV, according to Capology – is paired with the former Real Madrid player should he join.

Once described as "magnificent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, it is little wonder that many of Europe's elite clubs – Arsenal and PSG being just two of them – are eager to sign Simons.

Under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta, and with Odegaard to lean on, Simons will have the opportunity to fulfil his undoubted potential on the Premier League stage.

We’ve all been there, haven’t we? You turn up on a Sunday morning, look down, and see the brightest, newest Nike boots worn by a player in far better shape than you, already delivering instructions. It’s at that moment that you should request a substitution, because shortly afterwards you are left gasping for air, bamboozled by the movement of some feet far too quick to keep up with. Defenders in Europe’s top five leagues don’t quite have it that easy, however. They can’t just feign a tight calf and off they go. They have to face the prospect of the highest quality cameras witnessing their downfall in front of millions.When they are left flying to the ground after a few sharp stepovers, it doesn’t end at that very moment. No, it is clipped up, and instructed to follow them everywhere they go, before one day ending up on lists such as this.With that said, after Twitter users revealed what they believe are the most embarrassing one-on-one moments in football history, we, at Football FanCast, have decided to rank them.

5 Jefferson Montero vs Calum Chambers

There are many moments that sum up the latter years of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal side, but it’s hard to think of many more pertinent than this one as Jefferson Montero consistently ran riot up against a helpless Calum Chambers as the Gunners lost 2-1 against Swansea City.

The Swansea winger particularly embarrassed the Arsenal defender when his twists and turns resulted in Chambers losing his footing, signalling ruthless jeers from the Welsh club’s on-watching fans.

4 Mohamed Salah vs Lisandro Martinez

For the first time in a while, it was Manchester United who were the confident side ahead of their game against Liverpool at Anfield, with the focus on just how well Lisandro Martinez had settled in.

Seven. Yes, seven, Liverpool goals later, however, and the Red Devils could only hang their heads in shame after Jurgen Klopp’s side, even in the middle of a poor season, dismantled them once again.

The standout moment came when Mohamed Salah left Martinez literally facing the wrong way and then on the deck, before assisting Cody Gakpo’s second goal of the game.

3 Eden Hazard vs Francis Coquelin

Scoring one of the best goals in Premier League history, Eden Hazard delivered one of the best one-on-one moments that we’ve seen, in the process, leaving Francis Coquelin spinning like a “fidget spinner”, as one fan out it, at Stamford Bridge.

Mercilessly shaking the midfielder off, the Chelsea star went past the rest of the Arsenal defence, before finding the back of the net in vintage Hazard fashion. This was the Belgian at his absolute best.

2 Angel di Maria vs Carlos Puyol

Some say that this is the moment that Carlos Puyol decided it was time to hang up his boots. Angel di Maria simply made his body move in a way that an ageing defender simply should not stretch.

Leaving the legendary centre-back bewildered, Di Maria finished the move off by laying the ball off to a waiting Cristiano Ronaldo to slam home, as Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 3-1.

It’s all the more impressive when you remember just how good Puyol was.

1 Lionel Messi vs Jerome Boateng

With apologies to Jerome Boateng, this one was always going to be top. You have to feel for the former Bayern Munich defender, in a way. No matter how iconic his career has been, this is the moment he’ll be remembered for.

Lionel Messi, as he does better than anyone, slipped past Boateng, who lost his footing, before being forced to watch on as the Argentine chipped an on-rushing Manuel Neuer. You’ll simply struggle to find better goals, and a more embarrassing one-on-one.

West Ham United may have plenty of money available this summer thanks to the imminent sale of Declan Rice, but that does not mean the Hammers will not still be looking for some bargain buys.

What is the latest West Ham United transfer news?

Rice's £105m move to Arsenal is reportedly as good as finalised, meaning David Moyes will have to bring in at least one new midfielder this summer while also looking to strengthen in other areas.

Everton's Amadou Onana is thought to be high on Moyes' list of targets to replace Rice, with that deal expected to set the Hammers back around £50m.

According to The Sun, the Hammers are also lining up a move for in-demand teenage winger Dario Osorio from Chilean top-flight side Universidad de Chile for a reasonable fee of £7.5m.

However, a number of other Premier League teams have been credited with an interest in Osorio, namely Wolverhampton Wanderers, while AC Milan are also said to be weighing up an offer.

Who is West Ham United target Dario Osorio?

Osorio may only have made his senior debut for Universidad de Chile in April last year, but it did not take long for him to earn his first two caps for Chile's senior team.

The 19-year-old has made 46 appearances for the South American club, 37 of those coming in the league, during which time he has scored eight goals.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig describes Osorio as a "flamboyant winger" in terms of his playing style, one who has good pace and the ability to dribble and create, which has earned the youngster comparisons to Angel Di Maria.

That may be a fair call, but it is another star from Argentina that West Ham fans will be hoping Osorio can replicate. While not strictly the same type of player, Osorio will look to follow in the steps of a certain Carlos Tevez should he make the move to East London.

Tevez was signed by West Ham from Corinthians in 2006 for his first foray into football outside of South America, with Javier Mascherano also joining in a big transfer coup.

The fan favourite was 22 when he made his Premier League debut, meaning he is a few years further down the line in terms of his development then compared to Osorio now.

In his solitary season at Upton Park, Tevez scored seven goals in 26 Premier League games, including the only goal in a 1-0 win on the final day of the campaign at Manchester United to secure West Ham's stay in the top flight.

The now-39-year-old was named the club's Player of the Year before departing for Manchester United and then, controversially, Manchester City.

Osorio has a lot to do if he is to have a similar impact at West Ham and indeed in European football in the same way as Tevez, but the Irons certainly have proven success in getting it right when recruiting players from that part of the world.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Khephren Thuram this summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's progress in getting a deal done.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Khephren Thuram?

According to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs, the Merseyside giants could be handed the opportunity to sign the OGC Nice midfielder, despite the French club being keen to hold onto him.

Jacobs revealed on The Football Terrace YouTube channel: "I still think Khephren Thuram is the one to watch now in terms of Liverpool.

"It seems like there is less now in terms of Kone, who is another player who Liverpool have looked at. There are reports Nice wants to keep the player but the feeling is that Nice are going to have to sell some of their assets, so there is an opportunity there for Liverpool."

Will Liverpool sign another midfielder this summer?

The Reds have already secured the signing of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister this summer in an attempt to add more quality and youth to the centre of the pitch.

A midfield rebuild has been long overdue at Anfield with the former Brighton and Hove Albion star becoming the first permanent midfielder signing since the arrival of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich three years ago.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner have all been moved on upon the expiry of their contracts this summer and Thuram could be the dream replacement for the latter who will be joining Brighton this summer.

Milner has played a huge part in Liverpool's success over the last half a decade with the 37-year-old playing a number of midfield roles, and his versatility is something that the centre of the pitch has sorely missed as he has reached the latter stages of his career and seen less game time.

Now Klopp can replace that unrivalled work ethic and diversity in skill by landing a deal for Thuram who is renowned for his wide range of capabilities and has no trouble gliding from a deeper role in midfield to break the lines of attack.

Over 35 Ligue One appearances last season, the Frenchman offered a potent attacking threat with two goals scored, four assists registered and nine big chances created, as well as averaging 1.1 shots on goal, 1.1 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles per game.

Not only that, Thuram has not sacrificed his consistency in his defensive responsibilities as the Nice star averaged 1.1 interceptions, 3.8 duels won and 1.5 tackles per game, according to SofaScore.

For context, no Liverpool central midfielder provided more goal contributions in the Premier League, whilst only three players in the squad averaged more key passes. Meanwhile, defensively, he managed more tackles per outing than the likes of Andy Robertson, Jordan Henderson, Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip, via WhoScored.

Milner, meanwhile, could only average 0.8 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per game with 0.4 key passes to show for his efforts. Thuram, therefore, would represent a colossal upgrade at Anfield.

Possessing a reported €40m (£34m) price tag – he has been attracting a lot of attention and earning high praise over his short career so far, with U23 scout and football journalist Antonio Mango outlining the Frenchman's super capabilities:

"At a staggering 6'4ft, Khéphren's presence can't go unnoticed as he stands out above most players on the field. Khéphren excels in his defensive duties, ball-carrying & retention. Khéphren is big, strong, physical, athletic and brilliant in possession, a true diamond, right?"

With that being said, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will add more depth to the centre of the pitch this summer but Thuram is looking like the one to watch and could be a huge presence in midfield if a deal is done ahead of next season.

Newcastle United are in "advanced talks" over a move to sign Southampton youngster Tino Livramento over a move this summer, according to a key transfer update.

How good is Tino Livramento?

The 20-year-old joined the Saints from Chelsea back in 2021, having been a part of the Blues' academy but ending up moving further south, in order to be a regular elsewhere.

Livramento has proven to be one of the few bright sparks for Southampton since his arrival, catching the eye with his performances at right-back and making 34 appearances in total. Sadly, that figure would be a lot higher, had the youngster not suffered a cruciate ligament injury that kept him sidelined for many months last term.

With Saints now relegated from the Premier League, however, they will find it extremely difficult to keep hold of a number of star players, such as James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia.

Newcastle aren't wasting any time this summer when it comes to bolstering Eddie Howe's side, with Sandro Tonali set to make the move to St James' Park in a deal worth €70m, and another move for Livramento is also gathering pace.

Are Newcastle in talks with Livramento?

According to The Telegraph's John Percy and Luke Edwards, the Magpies are in advanced talks to sign the right-back, with Howe personally keen.

"Newcastle United are in advanced talks with relegated Southampton over a potential £15 million deal for Tino Livramento.

Eddie Howe, the Newcastle manager, wants to raid the Championship club for the 20-year-old defender and negotiations are ongoing, though they remain apart at this stage on valuation."

Livramento could be such an exciting signing by Newcastle this summer, being viewed as someone who can provide competition for Kieran Trippier, but also eventually usurp him as the first-choice right-back at the club.

Theo Walcott once claimed that he was "fantastic" and had an "aura" about him, even despite his tender years, and assuming he overcomes his serious injury, he could have a massive career ahead of him.

Livramento, who shares the same agency as Howe, already has five caps to his name for England's Under-21s – again, that could be more without the fitness woes – and in an era of so many impressive English right-backs, whether it be Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold or Reece James, the Saints starlet could be the next great one to come along.

Improved squad depth could be key for Newcastle next season as well, with Champions League football making their schedule far more intense, and Livramento is someone who could come in and dovetail with Trippier, arguably playing less but still having an important role to play week in, week out.

Manchester City are reportedly in pole position to sign RB Leipzig and Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol, leading Premier League rivals Liverpool in the race to sign the 21-year-old.

Manchester City transfer news – Josko Gvardiol

The highly-rated defender is high of the watchlist of a number of big European clubs, but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has tipped Manchester City as the most likely to secure the signing.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano hinted that the champions of England and Europe are best placed to sign the central defender who starred at the World Cup for Croatia.

"Leipzig are not even accepting €80 million as a price tag for Gvardiol, so I think it will be around €100 million [£85m] instead and I see Man City being in a better position to sign him, but only if they are willing to spend that money, otherwise the player could stay in Leipzig for one more season," he said.

Josko Gvardiol could be City's next Vincent Kompany

City have a wealth of quality at the back, and signing Gvardiol would improve their elite defence even more.

Pep Guardiola tweaked City’s system this season, opting for an unusual 3-2-4-1 formation instead of their traditional 4-3-3 formation in which full-backs were constantly overlapping.

In the defensive three were three ball-playing centre-backs.

Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias were typically the trio, while John Stones was turned into a transitional midfielder in a hybrid holding role.

Although Dias would be considered the premier defender in this side, City have yet to match the quality of club legend and former captain, Vincent Kompany.

Gvardiol could be that very replacement, and at just 21 years-old, he could become a pivotal part of the Manchester City team for years to come.

The Croatian "monster" – as hailed by Romano back in December – is the glue of the RB Leipzig defence.

The Bundesliga outfit have won 32 of the 59 games the centre-back has played.

Similar to the no-nonsense Kompany, Gvardiol loves a tackle, registering 219 of them in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season and winning 60 aerial duels.

Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra both put the Leipzig defender in their World Cup 2022 team of the tournament, with Ferdinand proclaiming that the City target was his favourite centre back at the tournament.

“He’s young, he’s 21 years old, so to come and perform the way he did, so mature, so calm.

“He is really good on the ball, in the early stages coming out with the ball a lot. Against Messi and Argentina he got turned quite a few times, but this is Messi, so I would put that to one side. In general, I thought he was [a] stand-out for me. I think he has got a chance to go on and become one of the best defenders in the world, if he can continue improving like this.”

Kompany was of the world’s best defenders in his time at City, and Gvardiol could become the second coming of the Belgian international for the blue half of Manchester.

He, at 22, made a similar switch from the Bundesliga, signing for the Manchester giants from Hamburger SV back in 2008.

Good teams don’t wait until the team becomes stale to begin rebuilding, they continually look to improve whether results are good or bad.

Guardiola, fresh from the treble, could send out a major statement signing one of Europe’s hottest young prospects to add to his already stout defence.

Manchester City winger Jack Grealish has very much been living it up since winning the treble and has now been caught amid all the celebrations begging Bernardo Silva to stay.

What has Grealish been doing in the Man City celebrations?

Over the weekend, Pep Guardiola and his team – who have a number of serious allegations against their name – completed a historic season as they beat Inter Milan to secure the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

This sealed a treble for the Manchester club – matching the 1999 efforts of their biggest rivals – with City also lifting the Premier League and the FA Cup over the course of the past campaign.

Unsurprisingly then, the Cityzens have been leaving it up ever since, with Grealish apparently leading the way when it comes to the celebrations.

For instance, numerous videos – such as this one – have caught him drunkenly stumbling around, enjoying himself to the fullest extent.

While a video has also gone viral of Erling Haaland pouring champagne over his head – with the Englishman not looking too impressed.

Is Bernardo Silva leaving Man City?

However, amid all the drunken antics, perhaps the most interesting bit of footage to emerge came via the Football Daily Twitter feed.

“Please don’t go” ðŸ™Jack Grealish begging Bernardo Silva to stay 😅 pic.twitter.com/aJJbZAYTuR— Football Daily (@footballdaily) June 12, 2023

Indeed, while the City players celebrate together on a tram, Grealish can be seen pressing his hands together in prayer and mouthing to Silva: “Please don’t go.”

Unfortunately, though, it seems as though the Englishman probably won’t get his wish. After all, 90min have recently reported that the City star wants to leave this summer.

Indeed, the article explains that the 28-year-old, who is contracted to City until 2025, has reaffirmed to the club that he is ready for a new challenge.

It seems he will be allowed to go with Guardiola’s side willing to do business providing they receive an offer around the £75m mark.

Barcelona were linked in the recent past and seem like a strong possible option right now but perhaps other options will emerge in the coming weeks.

Aston Villa are reportedly in the running to sign Burnley defender James Tarkowski this summer, according to reports.

What’s the word?

As per the Daily Mail, the Midlands side have been named as one of a handful of clubs who are interested in the 29-year-old, with the player set to be available on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract in June.

The Clarets had held firm on their asset in January to thwart any potential interest from Premier League rivals, although now appear set to lose the centre-back for nothing, with the Turf Moor outfit’s drop into the second tier likely to only heighten the £19.8m-rated man’s desire to depart.

Alongside interest from Steven Gerrard’s men, however, newly-promoted Fulham and Everton are also in the running for his signature, as per the report.

Instant upgrade

Not only would his arrival prove something of a coup owing to its bargain nature – particularly as he had been valued at roughly £50m just under two years ago – securing the services of the two-cap England international would also prove an instant fix to try and solve the club’s defensive woes.

Villa’s final day defeat at the Etihad saw the visitors ship three goals in the space of just five minutes to squander a 2-0 lead and hand their hosts the title, with those efforts also ensuring that Gerrard’s charges ended the campaign with 54 goals conceded – the tenth worst record in the division.

That is in fact a marginally worse record than that of Burnley, even though the Lancashire side suffered relegation, with it having largely been problems at the other end of the pitch that had culminated in relegation for Mike Jackson’s men.

Amid that difficult campaign, the £70k-per-week Tarkowski still boasted some impressive statistics, averaging 5.2 clearances per game, as well as 1.4 interceptions and 1.8 tackles, while also winning an impressive 68% of his total duels.

Compared to centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues, he also ranks in the top 1% for blocks and aerial duels won, as well as in the top 3% for clearances made, while also proving himself more than just a defensive asset as he ranked in the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area and in the top 17% for progressive passes received.

A real solid presence at the back – having been labelled a “rock” by journalist Alex James – the former Brentford man is a defender first and foremost, with his arrival at Villa Park likely to allow the creative, attacking talent ahead of him to shine with less concern about having a leaky defence.

Current skipper Tyrone Mings has been the notable source of blame this season, with pundit Danny Mills suggesting that there is “a mistake in his game somewhere”, with the 29-year-old notably ranking in just the top 44% for aerial duels won among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues, as well as in just the top 82% for tackles made.

Those statistics make pretty grim reading, with it clear that an upgrade is needed for Gerrard next season, with Tarkowski seemingly the man to do the job.

AND in other news: “Villa would…”: Gregg Evans drops huge transfer claim, supporters will be buzzing

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou made no bones in making some significant changes to the squad at Parkhead after he was appointed manager back in June.

The previous summer transfer window saw some big names wave goodbye to the club such as Odsonne Edouard, Ryan Christie, Kristoffer Ajer, Olivier Ntcham and Scott Brown among others.

As well as this, the Hoops saw numerous other players sign to the Parkhead side on loan or permanent deals.

One figure that was signed during that period was defender Carl Starfelt, who joined from Rubin Kazan on a four-year deal for a reported fee of £4m.

Throughout his debut campaign with the Bhoys, the £17k-per-week centre-back racked up 49 appearances across all competitions, showing just how much of an important figure he was for Postecoglou.

Not only did he play more minutes in the league than any other outfield player in the squad, but he also showed what a capable and solid defender he is.

With the second-highest number of interceptions (42) and tackles won (30) to his name, Starfelt also had the joint-second highest average of clearances (3.5) and joint-highest average for aerial duels won per game (4.2).

Looking at how Celtic ended the season with the best defensive record with only 22 goals conceded in 38 games, it’s safe to say that their defensive recruit has been a big reason the Hoops have that record under their belt.

This also backs up why the Sweden international was labelled as being a “crucial” player for his manager by journalist Sacha Pisani on Twitter.

Back in April 2020, Transfermarkt rated the 26-year-old’s market value at £473k, whereas it currently stands at £3.6m, highlighting a significant increase of 661%.

This shows the sort of trajectory he’s been on over the past couple of years and based on what he’s done for his new club since his arrival, there’s no reason that progress can’t continue for the foreseeable future.

Taking all of this into account, it’s hard to deny that Starfelt has been a fantastic signing for not only Celtic but for Postecoglou as well at the start of his tenure in charge of the Bhoys.

In other news: “Postecoglou is planning..”: Insider drops exciting Celtic claim, it’s great news

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has dropped a worrying injury claim regarding winger Jack Harrison ahead of Sunday’s crucial clash with Brighton.

The Lowdown: Marsch’s comments

Harrison was withdrawn in the first half of the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday evening. Jesse Marsch admitted after the match he was hoping the injury wasn’t too serious, describing the issue as a ‘contusion’ that ‘limited him from moving’.

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The 25-year-old, described as a ‘big influence’ by Marcelo Bielsa, has missed just three Premier League games all season and none under Marsch but was due to have a scan on Thursday morning.

However, it looks as if he could join a number of senior stars on the sidelines due to injury and suspension for the final home game of the campaign.

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Hay shared a story for The Athletic following another night to forget for Leeds against Thomas Tuchel’s side. When it came to injuries, he stated that Harrison is ‘probably beyond Marsch’s reach for the meeting with Brighton’.

Raphinha was also taken off with a slight hamstring concern in the second half, but that was thought to be simply as a precaution.

The Verdict: What next?

Leeds are running out of time, games and players in their attempts to avoid the drop, so should Harrison miss out on Sunday, Marsch will be left with limited resources in attack on what would be another big blow.

Providing Raphinha makes it, he could be the only senior wide man available at Elland Road. Youngsters Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, who are suited to more central roles, could be Marsch’s only options.

An even narrower formation could be deployed as a result, and who knows, Patrick Bamford may make a timely return to the squad in a rare injury boost, should he return to team training today as expected.

In other news: Phil Hay says £15k-p/w Leeds man will now leave Elland Road over the coming weeks.