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Mikel Arteta has been doing a tremendous job at Arsenal ever since taking over not so long ago. The biggest testament to that has perhaps been their FA Cup victory over Chelsea as the Gunners clinched their first silverware under the new coach. The first of many, the fans are hoping.

But the squad is not yet complete and there are at least a couple of deals reportedly on the cards for the ongoing summer transfer window. One of the players who was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates is Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey. According to the latest report from The Athletic, however, the midfielder’s wage demands have emerged and they just might be a big blow for Arsenal’s hopes of snatching him up.

The same outlet suggests the player wants a £200,000-a-week deal if he is indeed to replace La Liga with the Premier League this summer. Not only that but negotiating with Diego Simeone’s men could be an increasingly difficult task, especially given the club’s advances in the Champions League.

Partey is currently a part of a good project and even though he himself could be convinced, the papers say the Gunners would still have to get him through paying his £45m release clause. At the moment, however, this is something they are largely reluctant to do.

And yes, various swap deals including the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Matteo Guendouzi have been mentioned but also promptly dismissed by the Rojiblancos. That, alongside the huge £10.4m deal Partey wants in his contract, could indeed derail Arsenal’s attempts to snatch him away.

Verdict

There is no denying Partey’s overall quality. The young midfielder has the capacity and the ability to become one of the best in his position in the immediate future. Presently, he’s already one of La Liga’s top prospects and will only continue to grow.

The price, however, might just be too big for Arteta to pay. For that reason, and due to Atletico’s reluctance to sell, it might be for the best to look elsewhere instead.

Newcastle United have been dealt a fresh injury blow after Craig Hope confirmed on his official Twitter page that Paul Dummett picked up a fresh knock against Middlesbrough.

As per a tweet from the Daily Mail journalist, the 28-year old went off shortly after coming on and he was not the only one to pick up a knock after the friendly game:

“I’m told NUFC picked up a couple of fresh knocks at Boro, and perhaps explains why Monday’s rematch called off. Paul Dummett among them, he went off shortly after coming on. No update from club though.”

Indeed, the Tyneside club suffered a rather humiliating 5-1 thrashing by their local rivals managed by veteran Neil Warnock, as Allan Saint-Maximin scored the only goal for the Magpies, according to The Chronicle.

However, perhaps the most worrying bit of news to come out of it is the fresh injury to Dummett, who had already come off the back of an injury-hit 2019/20 term as he missed 12 matches with an Achilles tendon rupture, as per Transfermarkt.

As a result, the Welsh international was limited to just 17 appearances in all competitions, as Steve Bruce will be hoping that this new knock is not as serious.

Indeed, Dummett has been a loyal servant at St. James’ Park over the last nine consecutive seasons, in where he has played in 185 games in total, scoring three goals and making one assist (via Transfermarkt).

The Welshman is also very capable of filling in a number of different roles (per the website), which is handy for the squad, and so Bruce will be hoping that the injury is not a serious one.

As Hope has confirmed, there has been no update from the Toon as of yet.

Geordies, how big of a blow could Dummett’s injury be? Comment below!

According to The Daily Express, Tottenham have reignited their interest in VfL Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst.

What’s the word?

After the disappointment of losing their opening Premier League game of the season against Everton last weekend, Spurs have enjoyed a very successful week both on and off the pitch, first beating Lokomotiv Plovdiv in the Europa League, and then securing the return of Gareth Bale.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Now, The Daily Express claim that the north London side still have hopes of adding a new number nine to their ranks before the close of the transfer window next month, and that having an expressed an interest in signing him in January, Spurs are back in for Weghorst.

The report adds that the Netherlands international is valued at around £27m, but Wolfsburg are willing to sell at the right price and are open to accepting a payment plan for him.

Perfect for Mourinho

For those Spurs fans who watched the All or Nothing documentary, then the episode featuring the club’s chase for a new striker in the January transfer window revealed both Steve Hitchen and Daniel Levy revealing that Jose Mourinho wanted a specific type of forward ie. someone strong and physical.

In the 6 foot 6 man-mountain that is Weghorst, Spurs would be getting exactly that. The powerhouse naturally won his fair share of battles in the air last season in the Bundesliga, winning 58% of those duels. But whilst he’s built like an old-fashioned target man, there is more to his game.

His teammate at Wolfsburg, Admir Mehmedi, said: “He runs a lot for the team and has a really strong mentality. I can’t think of another player who is so crazy, in a positive way.” One of the big concerns for Mourinho from last weekend’s defeat to Everton was the kind of “lazy” work Spurs did when trying to get the ball back from the opposition, but Weghorst would bring that work-rate and energy.

And just like one of Mourinho’s former strikers, Didier Drogba, Weghorst also has a clinical touch to go with his power-based game. He scored an impressive 20 goals in 43 games last season across all competitions, and as someone to ease the burden on Harry Kane, he could give the Spurs boss that something different he is said to be looking for.

Leeds United have reportedly made an approach for a Serie A midfielder this week – and it’s not Rodrigo De Paul nor Erick Pulgar…

What’s the word?

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, the Whites are in the race to sign Inter Milan’s Joao Mario, who appears to have no future under Antonio Conte at the San Siro.

It’s claimed that Premier League rivals Newcastle United and his former loan club West Ham United are also keen on signing him before the transfer deadline.

The report also suggests that the Serie A giants have asked for €13m (£12m), which is something Lokomotiv Moscow aren’t prepared to pay after his most recent loan spell.

One-time flop?

Temporary stints in east London and Russia is hardly what you’d expect from a player that’s won the Euros and one that cost a total of €45m (£41m) in 2016 but that’s where Joao Mario finds himself.

He’s struggled to make much of an impact in recent seasons.

During his time at the Hammers, the 27-year-old only contributed to three goals from 13 appearances, averaging 1.3 dribbles, 1.2 key passes and 1.2 shots per game, though that improved to five goals and 2.5 key passes per match in Moscow last term, via WhoScored.

Perhaps it’s his versatility to be able to play through the middle and out wide that has held him back as he’s never been able to cement down a proper position despite possessing undoubted technical ability.

His idol is Zinedine Zidane and he’s even been compared to former Spurs beast Mousa Dembele, so maybe that’s a glimpse into what he believes is his ‘true’ position.

David Moyes believes the Portuguese maestro “brings a little bit of flair, he’s good on the ball, and a bit of natural talent,” adding: “What goes unnoticed is that he’s actually a really hard-working boy as well.”

Whether Marcelo Bielsa can be the man to bring the potential back out of him very much remains to be seen.

AND in other news, Leeds open talks with £12m-rated “accident waiting to happen”, Orta has signed him before…

Manchester United are seemingly drawing close to a move for Porto defender Alex Telles.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano tweeted (via @FabrizioRomano) that the Red Devils have agreed personal terms with the Brazil left-back, with talks having now moved on to final details of the move such as the transfer fee and commission for agents.

Valued at £36m by TransferMarkt, Telles has been hailed by one of his most famous predecessors as a left-back for Brazil, namely Roberto Carlos, while Porto manager Sergio Conceicao has praised his “professionalism” after he recently scored twice against Braga amid continuing speculation over his future at the club (as per Goal.com).

Indeed, the 27-year-old has an excellent record in terms of his attacking contribution, given that he plays in defence. In 315 career appearances he has scored 29 goals (one per 10.86 games) and provided no fewer than 65 assists (one per 4.85 games), as per TransferMarkt.

There is more to his game than simply bombing forward to set up attacks, though – match averages of 1.5 successful tackles and three successful headers in the early weeks of the season illustrate that he is also committed to his defensive duties.

While Telles’ statistics would make him seem like an excellent acquisition by United, who appear close to clinching the deal, his arrival could spell danger for two English defenders already at the club.

Luke Shaw has started both of United’s league games so far this season but the injury-prone ex-Southampton man has often been a lightning rod for criticism from numerous supporters, while he has contributed just two goals and 11 assists in 141 games for the club.

Youngster Brandon Williams, who broke into the first team over the last year, is seemingly already behind Shaw in the pecking order, reduced to a solitary Carabao Cup appearance thus far in 2020/21, and Telles’ signing could leave him badly struggling for game-time.

It may not be a welcome development for those two, but with United making just one signing so far in a window which will shut in seven days’ time, the Red Devils need to get the Telles deal done rather than be left regretting any last-gasp mistakes which could scupper the transfer.

Man United fans, how big a coup would Telles be if the deal is completed? Comment below with your views!

When Ciaran Clark finally took to the field against Blackburn Rovers earlier in September, following a horrible run of injuries, it was no surprise that Newcastle boss Steve Bruce was quick to tip his hat to the defender.

Speaking after the Magpies’ Carabao Cup victory, he said: “Ciaran Clark was the big one for me – I thought he was immaculate considering he hadn’t played since around last Christmas time.”

Since the full game that he played against Rovers, the Republic of Ireland international has featured in just one other match, getting 45 minutes under his belt in the next round of the League Cup, in the game against Morecambe.

Getting onto the pitch for some Premier League action has been a completely different story for the 31-year-old, making the bench once (against Brighton), and not even being named in the match-day squad for the other three.

Bruce understandably will be trying to ease Clark back into first-team action, but with the defender’s contract coming to an end next summer, the Magpies are facing an incredibly tough decision.

The 31-year-old has been a fairly reliable performer for the club, playing 91 times and even chipping in with an impressive ten goals. Former Sunderland striker Darren Bent, who played with Clark whilst the pair were at Aston Villa, made his feelings clear about just how good the veteran is.

When asked whether the Ireland ace is under-rated, Bent replied: “Yeah, I played with Ciaran at Villa for a few years. The same Ciaran you’re seeing there is the same one we used to see in matches and training, where you’d hit shots and he’d block absolutely everything.

“He’s actually a defender who likes to defend which is a funny thing to say as some defenders are good footballers yet they don’t want to put their body on the line, but he will. They’re passionate fans up there and they won’t expect anything less than 100% and Ciaran knows that, he will fight tooth and nail for that football club and as I said, he’ll take shots to the face, put his body in the way, he’ll just do anything to stop the ball going in the net.”

But at his age, and with a long-term ankle injury on his record too, the time may be right for both sides to part ways in 2021. The signings of Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser and Jamal Lewis show that Newcastle have got designs on grander things instead of just fighting to avoid relegation.

Letting the £35k-a-week earning Clark go, and bringing in a star to potentially partner Jamaal Lascelles in the heart of defence, could be the key to Newcastle taking that crucial next step.

And in other news, Newcastle may already have a future upgrade on Joelinton in this academy starlet.

There’s no doubting that Pablo Hernandez has been Leeds’ best player over the past few years.

The Spaniard became the first player in the club’s history to win three Player of the Year awards, but this season has been something of a slow burner for the 35-year-old.

He was injured in the first game of the season against Liverpool, and since then he hasn’t been seen in United’s starting XI.

Fortunately, he’s back fit appearing in two substitute cameos against both Wolves and Aston Villa, but we can’t help but feel that this is the role Hernandez may now have to accept going forward.

Marcelo Bielsa revealed last week that he sees Rodrigo as more of an attacking midfield option rather than a striking option, and you don’t spend a club-record fee on a player you’re just going to leave on the bench.

It’s also worth noting that Rodrigo is only getting better as the weeks go on, the 29-year-old was sublime against Villa playing two key passes, and getting into some really dangerous positions, getting four shots off.

The sad reality is that Hernandez may no longer be Leeds’ star man, and his new role may be as a substitute option.

The fact is that father time is undefeated, Hernandez turns 36 this season and the Premier League is so much faster than the Championship, so in his advanced years, he may not be athletic enough to be as integral as he was in the second-tier.

We all know how good he can be, but playing at such intensity for 90 minutes in such a fast league is a young man’s job, and Hernandez may have to come to terms with the fact that he doesn’t have that same speed he once had.

We’re sure he will still do a great job off the bench, after all, it was only last week that Alex McLeish was describing him as a ‘terrific’ player, but the arrival of Rodrigo may finally have seen him slip down the pecking order.

According to a report by Portuguese news outlet A Bola, via Sports Mole, Tottenham could be set to offload 2020 loan signing Gedson Fernandes back to his parent club Benfica after he was omitted from Jose Mourinho’s Europa League squad. 

Fernandes, who was signed in January on an 18-month loan deal to provide midfield cover whilst testing out a potential star of the future, has found life difficult in north London recently.

Fernandes back to Benfica?

Mourinho refused to name him in Spurs’ 24-man squad along with fellow outcasts Paulo Gazzaniga and Danny Rose, leaving Fernandes on the periphery of Tottenham’s team. Reports have now emerged from Portugal that he will more than likely return to his parent club, with Levy now looking like he’ll offload one of his first signings of 2020.

Described as a ‘Mourinho version of Harry Winks’ by talkSPORT host Adrian Durham, the Tottenham manager hasn’t exactly supported that tag with the game-time he has given to Fernandes.

Transfer Tavern take

According to WhoScored, the 21-year-old played a total of just 63 minutes over seven Premier League substitute appearances; and judging by this latest update, Mourinho clearly doesn’t rate him too highly.

The manager also claimed it was ‘difficult’ for Fernandes to adapt upon his first English top-flight match, with the youngster possessing bags of potential but arguably not enough to warrant a permanent deal.

His reputation on the continent motivated Levy to pursue a loan deal in order to test the youngster as a future option, but after nearly a year, it looks as if Fernandes could be going back to his homeland.

In other news: Spurs could be in line to capture a £36.5m-rated attacking giant; find out more here and don’t forget to comment below with your views!

Crystal Palace have suffered from an inconsistent start to the season, but one player has stood out from the rest. And no, we’re not talking about Wilfried Zaha.

What’s the word?

That’s right folks, we’re talking about Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell. According to the club’s website, Palace TV is launching an exclusive mini-documentary which will cover his career so far, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look into his daily life.

In spite of all of this, his contract is still set to expire in 2021. And Dan Cook has recently discussed the uncertainty surrounding his future at Selhurst Park on an episode of the HLTCO podcast, insisting “the vultures will begin to circle,” as quoted by This is Futbol. So, Palace chief Steve Parish must convince the academy graduate to sign a new contract at all costs.

Better than Wan-Bissaka?

Palace have produced a number of youngsters over the years that have gone on to achieve big things and it’s fair to say that the 21-year-old is a player who could fall into that bracket if they aren’t too careful.

Mitchell has made six appearances in the Premier League so far, whilst he has played in every single minute of the competition prior to his absence against Wolves, having broken into the first team towards the end of last season.

Per WhoScored, he is averaging a staggering 4 tackles and 2.3 clearances per game in the English top flight, via WhoScored. By comparison, Manchester United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is one year older than his countryman, has only managed 2.8 tackles in the Premier League so far, via WhoScored.

Whilst it would be a bit too much of a reach to suggest that Mitchell is a better player, it does seem as though the signs are already starting to show if these statistics are anything to go by.

Once lauded as an “excellent” player by Palace boss Roy Hodgson, Mitchell has been recently described as something akin to a “silent assassin” by his former U16s coach Anthony Hayes.

With the more experienced veteran Patrick van Aanholt only recently returning from a spell on the sidelines, the youngster has been the club’s first-choice left-back in recent weeks. And the £4.5m-rated ace must be rewarded with a new and improved deal, otherwise the Eagles may regret letting him leave for free if they cannot convince him to sign an extension.

AND in other news, Roy Hodgson must unleash Crystal Palace ace Eberechi Eze against Wolves…

Farhad Moshiri must not allow Marcel Brands’ contract as Everton’s Director of Football to expire next summer, with AS Roma now said to be eying the Dutchman for their vacant position.

What’s the word?

According to Il Tempo, via Sport Witness, new Roma owners the Friedkin Group have instructed Retexo Intelligence to headhunt a new DoF following their purchase of the Serie A side this summer.

Retexo have been tasked with sourcing the most suitable candidate to take charge at the Stadio Olimpico, and must report back the strengths and weakness plus previous track record in the transfer market of their potential options.

The Friedkin Group’s specific criteria has led Retexo to target young figures who have close ties to scouting networks, rather than those allied to agents, sparking Brands’ name to enter their thinking.

Leeds United chief Victor Orta and LOSC Lille’s Luis Campos have also been considered, but the pair were dismissed with the Friedkin Group hoping to secure a new Director of Football as soon as possible.

Brands is seen to be in the running for the position with his Everton contract due to expire next summer, and talks over a new deal not scheduled to take place until the start of the New Year.

Brands joined Everton from PSV Eindhoven in 2018, where he worked for eight-years following spells with AZ Alkmaar and RKC Waalwijk.

Catastrophic scenario

It would be catastrophic for Everton if Brands were to leave Goodison Park at the end of his current contract next summer, as the Dutchman has played an instrumental role in turning the Merseyside outfit’s fortunes around following the calamitous efforts of Steve Walsh.

Walsh was the first man to hold the position of Director of Football at Everton and was behind a string of disastrous signings during his two years on Merseyside, including Davy Klassen, Nikola Vlasic, Sandro Ramirez and Cuco Martina.

Alongside Marco Silva in their first window at the club, Brands and the Portuguese tactician then worked together to complete the signings of Bernard, Richarlison and Yerry Mina plus the loan deal for Andre Gomes, with the latter trio going on to start five, seven and five Premier League games under Ancelotti this term.

Brands and Ancelotti also worked well together this summer to unite the Blues boss with Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez, who have each hit the ground running.

Ancelotti was full of praise for Brands’ work in the transfer market, lauding the Dutchman and their “fantastic relationship” while endorsing a new contract.

“What can I say? He is doing a fantastic job and he has done a fantastic job,” the former Chelsea boss said, via quotes by the Daily Mail. “I have a fantastic relationship with him, the board still has a fantastic relationship with him; if he has to renew the contract I don’t know.

“The job that he is doing is really good. I said before the transfer window [when] we had the discussion about the new players, and we were totally agreed to sign these players. I would not force a club or a director to sign a player that they don’t like.”

If Moshiri and the Everton board decide against handing Brands a new contract, heaven knows what the future could have in store for Everton in the transfer market.

AND in other news, seriously naïve comments from a Premier League hero show a “fantastic” Everton ace is criminally underrated.