Lee Bowyer’s contract negotiations have hit a standstill, with both the Charlton boss and owner, Roland Duchatelet, refusing to budge on their respective stances – the former’s wage demands are deemed too steep by the latter, who has put an offer to Bowyer and will not negotiate any further.
Charlton released a statement on their official club website on Monday, detailing the difficulties both parties have encountered in their pursuit of an agreement, including the potential sale of the club, Bowyer’s insistence on bringing an agent in on negotiations and the club’s continuing loss of money.
Former midfielder Bowyer took an Addicks side estranged from their fanbase all the way to Wembley, where they won promotion to the Championship at Sunderland’s expense at the end of last season – it’s remarkable that he will be allowed to walk away from The Valley unless he accepts a salary far below many of his competitors in the second tier, something the club themselves have admitted.
Lionel Messis have been spotted at The Valley, Boundary Park and even in Wales in the video below…
And the statement itself has not gone down well, written almost to the tone of an opinion piece rather than outlining the facts of the situation and describing owners of Championship clubs as ‘crazy’ because of the financial debts that riddle the second tier of English football.
Here’s a look at what Charlton fans have been saying about the statement on Twitter…
As the summer transfer window gets well and truly underway, it’s time to look at the key deals that Premier League clubs will be hoping to get done before the start of the new season.
There are a number of different intriguing scenarios, deals, rumours which are already circulating which we will delve into as well as looking at how that player would fit in if they were to make a move.
There has already been one huge transfer in the shape of Eden Hazard joining Real Madrid for £88million and there is sure to be more to come.
We are also going to look at the price tag for each potential transfer and whether or not it is a viable option when considering the fee. They range from over £100m to absolutely nothing whatsoever.
And we start with the most expensive one of the lot, which involves last season’s Premier League champions Manchester City, who could break the bank by signing one of Napoli’s star men…
Man City – Kalidou Koulibaly – £107million
The moment Vincent Kompany announced he would be leaving Manchester City there will have been a sense among City fans that they need to bring in a central defender in the summer window.
Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly would be an expensive one at £107m, but he would be worth every penny going by his time at the Serie A club. He was a stalwart of Maurizio Sarri’s tenure in Italy and would improve City immeasurably.
However, despite being linked with him they have stated they have no interest in making a bid, according to Tutto Sport.
Burnley – Lewis Dunk – £40million
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Burnley took a nose dive last season as they plummeted from seventh the previous campaign to a disappointing 15th. One of the major reasons for that was their previously sturdy defence dissipated somewhat and as a result they were leaking a lot of goals.
Lewis Dunk was a vital part of keeping Brighton in the Premier League by the skin of their teeth and would be an effective solution to Sean Dyche’s problems, while also being a threat from set pieces at the other end.
When he was linked with a move away recently, he was valued at £40m though, so he would not go cheap.
Southampton – Che Adams – £14million
This is a deal which could get done in the coming weeks.
Che Adams had a stellar season with Birmingham despite the team as a whole struggling for wins. He bagged 22 goals for the Midlands club and now could be about to make the jump to the top flight.
Saints have been trying to negotiate the price for the striker down and now, according to The Sun, they have submitted a final ‘take it or leave it’ bid of £14m.
If Adams does sign then he will join fellow new arrival Moussa Djenepo in what will be a much-improved attacking front line for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.
Brighton – Salomon Rondon – £16.5million
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It was thought that Salomon Rondon could sign for Newcastle given he spent the season on loan there and managed to get his goal tally into double figures.
However, since the departure of Rafa Benitez was announced, it may open the door for other Premier League clubs to join the race for the 29-year-old.
Brighton need a player like Rondon – a powerful forward who works hard and can find the back of the net with consummate ease. The Seagulls have always struggled to score goals but last season was a real warning that they could go down if the don’t change things.
A fee of £16.5m will trigger a release clause and enable him to leave his parent club West Brom, which is an entirely feasible valuation for Brighton to pay.
Aston Villa – Tyrone Mings – £4.5million
Soccer Football – Championship Playoff Final – Aston Villa v Derby County – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – May 27, 2019 Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings gestures Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
Tyrone Mings was a rock at the back for Aston Villa last season. He played a pivotal role in them gaining promotion to the Premier League.
But he is still contracted to his parent club Bournemouth and would be a huge miss for Villa in the top flight if they failed to make the deal a permanent one.
It could potentially be a bargain for Dean Smith’s side, with his valuation around the £4.5m mark – a price he would repay with interest if he managed to contribute to their survival.
He also brings experience to the side, having played in the Premier League for The Cherries, which is invaluable to a promoted side.
Newcastle – Jose Mourinho – £18million
Following the announcement that Rafa Benitez will leave Newcastle on June 30, the priority for this summer at St James’ Park has to be finding a suitable replacement to steady the ship.
Now, Jose Mourinho is known more for rocking the boat than steadying the ship, but he would be a star name who could attract players who might not want to join the club without him being there.
There are few options left for Mourinho when it comes to the European powerhouses, so the Magpies could be an interesting next step for him.
The Portuguese ‘special one’ was reportedly on £18m a year at Manchester United and so it is likely it would cost Mike Ashley a similar amount to bring him to the club.
Sheffield United – Fernando Llorente – Free
Chris Wilder did a tremendous job to get Sheffield United promoted back to the Premier League after a 12 year hiatus. Now he faces he even tougher task of keeping them there.
Despite finishing second in the Championship, they scored fewer goals than both Norwich and Aston Villa, and goals will be harder to come by in the top flight.
As a result, they may need a man to lead the line who can bring others in to play and allow them to open teams up. Fernando Llorente carried out that role brilliantly last season for Spurs despite not scoring a huge number of goals.
Also, he is free as his contract is set to run out with Tottenham, so there would be no risk. It’s a no brainer for a side like Sheffield United and one they really should think about taking.
Liverpool – Divock Origi – £2.34million
Soccer Football – Champions League Final – Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool – Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain – June 1, 2019 Liverpool’s Divock Origi celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Divock Origi scored some of Liverpool’s most vital goals of last season – the winner in the Merseyside derby, the fourth goal in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, and the one that sealed European glory in the final against Spurs.
But it is still rumoured that he could be moving away from Anfield and that would be a grave mistake on the part of Jurgen Klopp.
It is reported the striker’s wages only cost Liverpool £2.34m per year and given how important he was in their last campaign they will not find a deal like that anywhere else on the market.
You can’t do much better than a Champions League trophy and 97 points in the Premier League. So, Liverpool should look in-house and keep what they know, rather than try to change a winning formula.
Tottenham – Tanguy Ndombele – £70million
Tottenham’s midfield issues were at breaking point towards the end of last season when Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli all picked up injuries. And that was after Moussa Dembele left in January.
They are in desperate need of reinforcements in the middle of the park and have been strongly linked with Ndombele as the man to fix their troubles.
According to the Daily Mail, the 22-year-old will set Spurs back £70m which would be a transfer record for the north London club.
But he is exactly the sort of player they need to try and close the gap on Man City and Liverpool.
Arsenal – Dan-Axel Zagadou – £27million
Arsenal’s defence was questionable to say the least last season. They conceded more goals than Leicester, Everton and Wolves in a campaign which was marred by inconsistency and frailties at the back.
A player who could solve their defensive woes is Dan-Axel Zagadou from Borussia Dortmund. At just 20 years of age he has already broken into the first team and impressed in the Bundesliga.
His market value is around 28 million euros which is just over £25m, so it would seem he is within Unai Emery’s budget. The Daily Express believe the Gunners boss’ spending limit to be around £40m this summer.
Leicester – Youri Tielemans – £40million
Youri Tielemans had an impressive spell on loan at Leicester from Ligue 1 side Monaco after moving to the Premier League side in the January window. The Belgian scored three times and assisted five more in just 13 appearances.
Now the Foxes will look to try and make the deal permanent, however there is interest from other Premier League clubs for the £40m man.
Tielemans filled a creative hole that had been missing at the King Power Stadium since the departure of Riyad Mahrez. They should see the signing of Tielemans as the key component which could push them on towards seventh place and possibly even cracking the top six.
Norwich – Kwasi Okyere Wriedt – £540k
Bayern Munich’s Kwasi Okyere Wriedt is rumoured to be in talks about a possible move to Norwich, but there is also interest from two Dutch teams – Utrecht and Groningen.
It could be a real coup for the Canaries if they manage to complete the deal for the 24-year-old given he has scored 26 goals in 36 games for Bayern Munich II last season.
Norwich did an incredible job to get promoted last season, let alone win the Championship. It far surpassed everyone’s expectations, but now they do need to strengthen if they want to survive in the Premier League.
With a market value of just £540,000, Wriedt could be one of the signings of the summer.
Crystal Palace – Aleksandar Mitrovic – £30million
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Aleksandar Mitrovic scored 11 times in the Premier League for Fulham last season and was one of a handful of players at Craven Cottage that can say they performed well in the top flight despite being relegated.
The Serbian could leave the west London club this summer and if he wishes to stay in England then there is no better fit than down the road at Crystal Palace.
The Eagles have struggled to find a goal scorer for some time now, with Christian Benteke scoring just one league goal in the entirety of the last campaign.
Mitrovic, with a value of £30m, is more effective and prolific than Benteke and still brings the physicality that the Palace striker contributes. The team would not have to change the way they play to accommodate him, he would slot in perfectly.
Bournemouth – Victor Wanyama – £18million
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Victor Wanyama was out of favour for a long while at Spurs last season as a result of the form of both Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko, couple with the fact that the Kenyan was regularly struggling with injuries.
But when fully fit he is a great asset to have when it comes to breaking up the play and shielding a back four, snuffing out danger cleverly.
This is the sort of player Bournemouth need as throughout the previous campaign they did not receive sufficient defensive cover from their central midfielders and subsequently shipped a lot of goals – the Cherries conceded the third highest number of goals in the division last season.
Wanyama could provide the steel they need in the middle of the park to alleviate some of the strain that is currently put upon the Bournemouth defence. And with a market value of around £18m they would not need to break the bank for him.
West Ham – Callum Wilson – £35million
Callum Wilson had a terrific 2018/19 campaign with Bournemouth as he scored 14 goals in the Premier League to guide them to safety.
Now, he is being linked with a £35m move to West Ham – one that will excite Hammers fans greatly. With the addition of Pablo Fornals from Villareal having already been completed, a front four of Fornals, Felipe Anderson, Marko Arnautovic and Wilson would make fans of the Irons drawl.
It is a deal which is far from done, but if it is completed then West Ham surely have to be considered of the most dangerous sides next season. Very few will be able to compete with an attacking quartet like that.
Watford – Alex McCarthy – £4.5million
Soccer Football – International Friendly – England v United States – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – November 15, 2018 England’s Alex McCarthy in action Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine
Alex McCarthy was without question the number one for Southampton when Mark Hughes was in charge. But since Ralph Hasenhuttl arrived at St Mary’s Angus Gunn has taken the reigns as the man in the nets.
As a result, McCarthy is being linked with a move away given Saints also have Fraser Forster on their books and really cannot go into the new season with all three vying for just one spot.
And after the retirement of Heurelho Gomes, Watford could be the perfect fit for the Englishman to reignite the form which saw him earn an England call-up not too long ago.
Everton – Kurt Zouma – £22million
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Everton are trying to pry Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma away from Stamford Bridge following a successful season on loan at Goodison Park.
Zouma, who had also previously been loaned out to Stoke, has been out of the Chelsea team for a number of seasons. And his 32 Premier League appearances for Everton last season showed he is more than capable of handling in a top half of the table club.
Negotiations for the Frenchman have begun and Everton will be hoping they can land the young promising defender early on in the summer window.
Wolves – Robert Skov – £10.7million
Robert Skov is a midfielder who plays for FC Copenhagen and has been linked with a move to Wolves this summer.
He can play on either flank and has impressed in the Danish league by scoring six times in just eight appearances last season.
Tottenham are also thought to be chasing the 23-year-old, but with a price tag of only £10.7m it is thought Nuno Santo’s side could be able to bring the Dane to Molineux.
It is crafty additions like Skov which will allow Wolves to build on an incredible first season back in the Premier League. The goal now has to be to try and crack the top six and there is no doubting they have the finances to try and facilitate that.
Man Utd – Harry Maguire – £70million
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Manchester United look set to miss out on 19-year-old Ajax star Matthijs de Ligt, a man who could have gone some way to solving the club’s problems at the back.
As a result, they need to look elsewhere and possibly a little closer to home to seek out a central defender who could change their fortunes.
Harry Maguire is rumoured to be making a move to Old Trafford, a piece of business that could be a success for two reasons. Firstly, he is a solid defender and one who is far more capable on the ball than many give him credit for.
Secondly, he is a very popular figure in England because of his display’s for the national side and United fans need a likeable, fan-friendly character to try and repair the relationship between them and the team.
It will be a costly one transfer though, with the Evening Standard reporting that he will cost around £70m.
Chelsea – Christian Pulisic – £57.6million
Chelsea were slapped with a transfer ban from FIFA and therefore are unable to do any business in the summer window.
Thankfully for Blues fans, they managed to get a deal over the line in January for Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic to come to Stamford Bridge.
The 20-year-old international will look to replace the vigour and energy which Eden Hazard brought to the team after he left for Real Madrid earlier this month.
The price tag of £57.6m is a substantial one, but given it is the only expenditure the club will have this summer it is a risk they can afford to take.
With a season back in the Championship just over a month away, Luton Town are seemingly yet to click into gear when it comes to buying players.
With Callum McManaman from Wigan Athletic the Hatters’ only signing this summer, the biggest story surrounding the club seems to be negotiating a deal for James Justin with Leicester City, who the Telegraph report is on the verge of joining the 2015/16 Premier League winners for a reported £6 million.
Of course, we are only in the opening stages of the transfer market, but with teams in the Championship already actively signing players, with Stoke City signing five on one day, Luton may face being behind other sides when it comes to summer arrivals, though that could all change very soon.
The Coventry Telegraph report that Coventry City defender Jordan Willis is all but certain to leave the club this summer as the 24-year-old Luton target failed to turn up for the start of pre-season training with the Sky Blues, and with other sides interested in the experienced defender, the Hatters can make a big statement by signing the centre-back.
Although Willis is just 24, the former Coventry skipper has been an established member of the League One side since the 2013/14 season, EFL Trophy in 2017 and to promotion from League Two to the third-tier a year later, scoring in the play-off final against Exeter City in a 3-1 win.
Jones has previously spoken to Luton Today about how the player caught his eye while watching the Sky Blues on TV, so capturing him while more established second-tier clubs such as Bristol City are linked (per the Coventry Telegraph too) would be somewhat of a coup for a newly-promoted side.
Luton fans, would Willis be a good signing this summer? Let us know!
According to France Football, via Get French Football News, Watford are in pole position to sign reported Crystal Palace target Allan Saint-Maximin, and Eagles fans on Twitter are understandably not impressed.
The Daily Mail reported last month that the south London outfit are interested in the attacker, who could cost £25m, with the Frenchman being viewed as not only providing competition for Wilfried Zaha at Selhurst Park, but potentially even replacing him in the long term.
However, while France Football, via GFFN, have acknowledged the interest from Palace in their latest report, they believe that their Premier League rivals are in direct contact with Maximin’s entourage about a potential move to Vicarage Road.
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The 22-year-old certainly enjoyed an impressive 2018/19 campaign with Nice, scoring six goals and providing a further five assists in 34 Ligue 1 appearances.
Crystal Palace supporters have been quick to have their say on the latest twist on social media, and they are clearly far from happy.
Are Crystal Palace right to slap a £100m valuation on Wilfried Zaha’s head? Check out the video below to see why they are…
While one fan said “I really hate how Parish deals with transfers”, another individual simply asked “what are Palace doing?”
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
In what is probably the most bizarre Newcastle story of the summer so far, the Magpies are being linked with a move for Fabio Borini.
What’s the story?
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Nicolo Schira, Borini is not in Milan’s plans this season.
The 28 year-old currently earns a ridiculous €2.5m (£2.2m) salary, says Schira, which the San Siro outfit are trying to offload.
He mentioned two clubs as possible landing spots for the ex-Sunderland striker – Newcastle and Bordeaux.
Watch the best fails from the world of indoor football in the video below…
Downright ridiculous
There’s no question the Magpies need a striker. Salomon Rondon’s loan spell from West Brom has ended and Ayoze Perez left the club this week.
According to Newcastle Stats, the departed pair combined for 53.5% of the side’s goals last season, leaving them in desperate need of more firepower.
However, there is absolutely nothing in Borini’s past to suggest he is the man to provide that missing spark up front. In fact, his goalscoring record is so bad this feels downright ridiculous.
He flopped at Liverpool, scoring just three times in 38 senior appearances, before finding the net 17 times in 93 games for Newcastle’s Wearside rivals, per Transfermarkt.
His goal output has declined too since leaving the North East, bagging just eight goals in 73 appearances in Milan.
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Given that Borini is an ex-Sunderland player with limited goalscoring ability, on a salary far outweighing his talents, as well as the fact that no one even knows who Newcastle’s owner or manager will be next season, this is surely the most bizarre transfer link of the window so far, a non-starter if there ever was one.
Monday’s Arsenal transfer roundup shared comments from a Brazilian target, a rejected bid for a Scotland left-back and the desire to bring in a 36-year-old serial winner. Today’s edition brings you an update on that South American, a final offer for the full-back and the potential departure of a Spain international.
Arsenal send doctors to Brazil
Arsenal have sent doctors to Brazil to test the medical condition of Gremio’s Everton according to Fox Sports Brasil. The 22-year-old impressed at the Copa America this year, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer to help his country lift the trophy.
Gunners to make last Tierney bid
The Daily Express is reporting that Arsenal are to make one last bid for Celtic’s Kieran Tierney. The Gunners are starting to lose patience in their attempts to sign the Scotland international but will make a revised proposal. However, they will not go above £25m.
Bellerin could be sold
Journalist Duncan Castles is reporting that Arsenal are open to selling Hector Bellerin this summer with a view to bringing in his long-term replacement. Speaking on The Transfer Window Podcast (15/07), he said that the Emirates outfit need to sell a player due to their difficult financial situation, and the 24-year-old right-back is someone they could profit on.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Rangers have sold Daniel Candeias to Genclerbirligi. He is the fifth player Steven Gerrard has permanently gotten rid of so far this summer.
What’s the story?
In moving to Turkey, the 31-year-old joins Gareth MacAuley, Lee Wallace, Ryan Hardie and Lee Hodson in finding pastures new away from Ibrox. Youngsters Ross McCrorie and Jordan Rossiter have also been loaned out as Gerrard reshapes his squad.
In the £250,000 deal, the winger has ended his spell at the Gers after just two years and nearly 100 games, stopping just shy of the landmark on 97 games.
At 31, there was no guarantee that Candeias could continue to average roughly 50 games anymore. As well as getting older, the added competition from new arrivals Jake Hastie, Sheyi Ojo, Greg Stewart and Jordan Jones might’ve been a contributing factor to the Portuguese ace moving on.
A new dawn at Ibrox?
As well as the four wingers brought to Ibrox this summer, Gerrard has added Filip Helander, Steve Davis, Joe Aribo and George Edmundson. The eight new arrivals have an average age of just 24.8-years-old, a stark contrast to the outgoings.
The five players to leave the Light Blues for good this summer have a mean age of a whopping 30, considerably higher than the pups coming in this summer.
With Kyle Lafferty, Jason Holt, Eros Grezda and Graham Dorrans all set to go, according to Football Insider, it looks like a deliberate ploy from Gerrard and Director of Football Mark Allen.
The lowering of the average age of the squad by Allen and the manager could be a direct consequence of the amount of football they’ll expect to play this season.
A repeat of the last year’s Europa League group stage qualification would mean at least 14 continental matches (qualifiers and the six group games). The league of course brings 38 guaranteed games and with the thirst for silverware desperately needing to be quenched, deep runs in both domestic cups could make for a hectic schedule at Ibrox this season.
With the potential for a 60-game season certainly on the cards, it is perhaps no surprise to see the gaffer make a conscious effort to freshen up his squad with younger, fitter players.
This change in approach should hold the Gers in good stead come the turn of the year, when the chaos of competing on multiple fronts can really take its toll.
According to Football Insider, Borussia Dortmund have made an approach to sign Liverpool attacker Harry Wilson on a permanent deal.
Wilson came through the youth system with the Reds, but has only ever made one first-team appearance for the club, which came back in January 2017.
The 22-year-old enjoyed an excellent 2018-19 campaign on loan with Derby County, though, scoring 18 times and registering six assists in 49 appearances in all competitions.
The Wales international has been involved in Liverpool’s preparations for the 2019-20 campaign.
However, according to Football Insider, Dortmund have registered their interest in the attacker ahead of the new season.
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The same website recently claimed that Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also both considering moves for Wilson before the transfer window closes early next month.
The Liverpool fans have been on social media offering their views on the Dortmund speculation and a selection of their reaction is available to view below:
Crystal Palace icon Neil Shipperley does not envisage a Marko Arnautovic-esque saga from unfolding if Wilfried Zaha ends up staying at Selhurst Park this summer.
What did he say?
Zaha has been linked with a move away from Palace all summer, with Arsenal and Everton appearing especially interested.
And it has now been reported that the Ivory Coast international handed in a transfer request with just over 24 hours to go before the deadline passes.
A similar situation unfolded at West Ham in January, albeit with much more time remaining before the deadline, as Arnautovic’s agent publicly slated the Hammers for not allowing the Austrian to leave.
A contract was eventually signed but the mood remained sour. The former Stoke City star’s form considerably declined and, after the saga had blown over, he didn’t notch a single Premier League goal until the penultimate game of the season.
While speaking to Football Fancast, Shipperley suggested that Zaha’s loyalty to the club will ensure there is no glaring dip in the standard of his performances next season. That is, of course, if he doesn’t leave before the deadline.
“No, I can’t see that with Wilf. I think he’s got too much respect for the club to do that, so I can’t see that happening no.”
The 44-year-old also expressed his frustration with players who lose interest and let standards slip when they don’t get their own way in the transfer market.
“I find it hard to get my head around.
“It’s ridiculous. You’ve signed a deal at the club. I’m a bit old-fashioned but just get on with it, that’s all the fans want.”
A part of modern football
Despite his reported desire to move on, time is running out for Zaha and the various parties involved to strike a deal.
The rising number of transfer requests in the Premier League represents a symptom of increased player power.
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From a footballer’s point of view they simply want to earn the best possible financial deal or most prestigious opportunity, but the Arnautovic saga underlined how detrimental it can be to deprive a player of the move they crave.
In Zaha’s case, however, his emotional link with Palace suggests his performances will not be spoilt by events that have unfolded during the transfer window.
That’s what the fans will be hoping – but in this day and age nothing can be ruled out.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking to The Daily Mirror, former Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas has revealed Arsenal’s front two of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will fire the Gunners into the top four next season.
What did he say?
The north London side’s strike pair struck up a fine relationship both on and off the pitch, and provided the bulk of the goals last season.
Now, Jenas has compared the duo to Liverpool’s much-vaunted front-three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, and claimed the Lacazette-Aubameyang partnership could see the Gunners return to the Champions League.
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He said: “Emery has the best front two in the league in Aubameyang and Lacazette. The front three at Liverpool are a machine but in terms of front twos, old school style of play, they are as good as it gets. They have that chemistry like Firmino, Mane and Salah. When it really happens, it happens. I think that is what will get them into the top four.
“But they won’t go toe to toe with the Liverpool attack yet, but if they deliver on a weekly basis, maybe in the future. If you look at the defensive structure at Liverpool, that midfield and defence, it allows Liverpool’s front three far more freedom that Arsenal’s.
“There is no doubt they are an attacking force, they proved that last year with the amount of goals they scored, they just leak a lot of goals. If they fix that they will definitely finish top four.”
Emery’s toughest job
After the signing of Lille winger Nicolas Pepe for a club-record fee, there is no doubting that Unai Emery’s job of trying to juggle all of his attacking weapons just got that much harder. The Gunners boss ended the campaign with Lacazette and Aubameyang starting up front together, but pre-season has seen more of a return to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
As Jenas suggests, Arsenal simply don’t have the defensive solidity that Liverpool possess, and are far more reliant on their forwards to track back and help out. But if the side’s big-money strikers can gel and adapt to Emery’s new style of play, then there will certainly be a great chance that the Gunners can take advantage of another closely-fought race for the top four.