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It feels like it’s now or never for Arsenal in the Premier League this season.

Mikel Arteta has done a sensational job taking the Gunners from mid-table mediocrity to genuine challengers, but following three back-to-back second-placed finishes, he needs to get them over the line this year.

Granted, Liverpool look as strong as ever, and Manchester City can’t be as bad as they were last season, but after the summer window, the Spaniard has the tools to get the job done.

Moreover, he already had several superstars in the squad to begin with, including one worth more than new signings Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi.

Reviewing Arsenal's summer transfer window

In early April, Mikel Arteta told the press that this summer was “going to be a big one,” and he was certainly right about that.

For starters, the North Londoners added some quality depth options to the side in Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke.

However, arguably more important than that, Arteta was handed a few top-quality additions that should dramatically improve the starting lineup.

For example, Zubimendi, who cost around £51m, was one of the most highly sought-after sixes in Europe and once again showed what he can do for Spain last night with a brilliant assist.

Viktor Gyokeres was the most prolific number nine in Europe last year, with a sensational tally of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 games, and while he wasn’t great on Sunday, he’s still got two goals already this season.

Finally, Eze was one of the most creative and exciting players to watch in the Premier League last season, racking up 25 goal involvements in 43 games, and while £68m is a lot of money, he could be just the player Arsenal need.

Yet, even then, he and Zubimendi are worth less than one of Arteta’s best-ever signings.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Zubimendi and Eze

Just like every other manager in the game, Arteta has made his fair share of poor signings.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

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However, he has also overseen plenty of fantastic ones during his time at Arsenal, and one of his very best has undoubtedly been Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain joined the North Londoners for a record fee, and instead of wilting under pressure, he has only improved over the last two years.

Impressively, he is still worth a king’s ransom as well, with Football Transfers valuing him at a whopping €114m, which translates to approximately £99m, or £48m more than Zubimendi cost the club and £31m more than Eze.

It might sound like an absurd valuation, but the Englishman’s performances over the last couple of years more than back it up.

For example, the “world-class” international, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, has made 106 appearances for the Gunners, totalling 8665 minutes.

In that time, he’s scored 16 goals and provided 22 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.78 games, or every 228.02 minutes.

Rice’s Arsenal record

Appearances

106

Starts

99

Minutes

8665′

Goals

16

Assists

22

Goal Involvements per Match

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

228.02′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That rate of return is only made more impressive by the fact that he started his career at the club playing as a six, only to move into the eight role.

In other words, his level of output is incredible for someone whose main job isn’t to score or assist goals.

Ultimately, while he cost a lot of money, and the pressure on him to succeed was immense, Rice has been a runaway success at Arsenal; therefore, his valuation more than makes sense.

Related Eze upgrade: Arsenal gem who left for £0 is now "one of the world's best"

The outrageous talent would be unreal alongside Eze at Arsenal.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 5, 2025

It’s well-known at this point that despite winning back-to-back European Championship titles and reaching a World Cup final in between, England’s Lionesses have a problem at left-back. There’s a real lack of options for Sarina Wiegman in the position and shoehorning players into it hasn’t helped much either – leaving many wondering just what Gabby George has to do to get her chance.

George was superb in that role for Manchester United last season, attracting Wiegman’s attention for England’s final camp of 2024, during which she started in a very experimental XI that beat Switzerland in Sheffield. However, that was her most recent appearance for the Lionesses, with her not making the cut for the squad that went on to retain their European title back in July.

Some players would be frustrated; some would use it as motivation. George, though, doesn’t see a reason to go down either avenue. After all, she’s not short of ambition and drive, and she was “over the moon” for her club-mates and close friends who enjoyed success this summer. “Everyone knows what it means,” she tells GOAL.

Instead, the goal for George is something much bigger. “I’ve lost a lot of time not playing football,” she explains. “My main focus is staying on the pitch, staying fit and enjoying my football. We’ll see where that takes me.”

• Getty Images
  

  'I couldn't come to terms with it'

  It was almost two years ago now that George was given the devastating news of her second ACL injury in less than four years. The first came in early 2020, while she was at Everton, robbing her of the chance to play in an FA Cup final later that year. The second, though, felt particularly cruel.

  The defender was just three games into her first season back at Man Utd, the club she spent the majority of her youth with until having to leave for Merseyside as a 17-year-old because of United’s lack of a women’s first team. To get the chance to return in 2023, then, was a full circle moment for someone who is also a lifelong fan of the club. She started brilliantly, too, until being forced off just minutes into a game against Leicester.

  When GOAL asks if it helped having been through the process before, or whether knowing the long road ahead of her made it worse, George grimaces. “It was definitely worse,” she replies. “I think the second one was probably one of the hardest times of my life so far, in terms of football. I couldn't come to terms with it.”

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• Getty Images
  

  Coming through the other side

  Eleven long months of recovery lay ahead for George, plus the lingering impact of being sidelined for so long. “Research states that it can take up to 18 months after you do the ACL to get back to how you used to feel,” she notes.

  But as the 2024-25 season progressed, after her long-awaited return in United’s season opener, George looked more and more like herself, forming a key part of the second-best defence in England as the Red Devils secured a place in Champions League qualifying and reached a third successive FA Cup final. Now, she’s keen to build on that.

  “It was a tough season for me, physically and mentally,” she says. “The club were amazing in helping me look after myself and making sure that I lasted the full season. That was my aim last season, to get through. This season is to go above and beyond. I feel like I've got renewed energy and I'm ready to go. I'm on the other side now. I'm over it and we just keep moving.”

• Getty Images
  

  Fresh new faces

  It’s not been the start to the campaign that George would’ve wanted, with a small knock ruling her out of United’s first four games, the last of those a 1-0 defeat to Brann in the first leg of their final Champions League qualifier. But she made her return in the thumping 5-1 win over London City Lionesses at the weekend, a game which also brought about a club debut for Fridolina Rolfo, the Red Devils’ marquee summer signing.

  Rolfo won two Champions League titles at Barcelona, and played another final at Wolfsburg, so the club will hope she can provide a boost in their quest to beat Brann in Thursday’s return leg and secure a place in the competition’s new league phase. “She’s an amazing player with loads of experience,” beams George, who is likely to play behind the Swede on that left flank as the season progresses.

  Julia Zigiotti Olme, the midfielder from Bayern Munich who George describes as “a phenomenal footballer” and one she “admires watching”, has also joined the club, alongside England star Jess Park, whose deadline day switch concluded a transfer window with less activity than some might’ve expected from United.

  George, though, believes there are positives to that limited change. “Hopefully we can pick up where we left off in terms of the league and stuff, and hopefully we can keep pushing together,” she says. “We know each other a bit more and bringing in the new faces will obviously freshen that up still. We just want to keep pushing.”

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• Getty Images
  

  Taking that next step

  United have come on plenty since reforming in 2018, firmly establishing themselves among the Women’s Super League’s best teams before winning a first major trophy at the end of the 2023-24 season, beating Tottenham in the FA Cup final. But there is still another step for them to take in order to seriously challenge for that WSL title and become a regular in the Champions League.

  “I think at a club like Manchester United, the ambition talks for itself,” George says. “We do want trophies and we're going to keep working hard together to try and bring them back to Manchester. Every year, we've got to keep pushing and pushing and hopefully we can get closer and closer every time.

  “We've obviously made a few signings but we already have a great base as well, so I think it's just about us as individuals continuing to improve and progress, and hopefully we can take the club to where it should be. That's the aim.”

Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon for a £63.5m total fee at the weekend. Not a bad price, all things considered.

He’s one of the most prolific centre-forwards across Europe, after all.

Gyokeres, 27, is the positional solution to Mikel Arteta’s most pressing positional problem. Several windows have come and gone without the Gunners signing a centre-forward that they all saw they needed.

The Sweden star scored 97 goals across two seasons for Sporting, winning the Liga Portugal both years.

However, Arsenal may yet need another signing to complete their frontline. Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have all made improvements this summer, and Arteta has hit sights set on lifting the Premier League title next May.

Could that man be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo?

Arsenal's interest in Rodrygo

There’s no question Rodrygo is a terrific footballer, hailed by his former teammate Luka Modric for his “world-class” quality on the ball.

The 24-year-old’s desire to feature more regularly on the left wing aligns with Arteta’s Arsenal vision for the remainder of the transfer window.

As a senior professional, Real Madrid is all that he has known, having joined the Spanish giants from Santos in his homeland when he turned 18.

The Londoners have been keeping checks on the Brazilian this summer, with reports from earlier in July even claiming that Arsenal lead the race.

The problem, naturally, is that other suitors are lining up for the Brazilian forward, who Real Madrid would only consider selling for a fixed €90m (£78m) fee.

That’s an awful lot of money, and technical director Andrea Berta might be inclined to direct his club’s transfer cannon in a different direction.

Arsenal could sign Rodrygo alternative

Given that Rodrygo went 17 matches without a goal or an assist across the second half of last year’s La Liga campaign, Arsenal might be wary about forking out such a heavy sum to bring him over.

Instead, technical director Andrea Berta might be inclined to act on Arsenal’s interest in AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, who has been linked with a move to the Emirates this summer. In May, it was revealed that the club were engaged in talks with the Serie A giants for their Portuguese winger.

As with Rodrygo, Leao would cost a pretty penny, though perhaps he’d be the cheaper man, with Manchester United previously pushing to seal a £60m package this summer.

Regardless, there’s an elite player in there. Analyst Ben Mattinson has even gone as far as to say that he’s “one of the best left wingers in the world” while Milan coach Stefano Pioli once said that “Leao reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry.”

Over the past two terms, the 26-year-old Leao has scored 27 goals and has supplied 27 assists across all competitions for Milan, making an interesting comment on his prolific capacity.

Just imagine how high he could reach in Arteta’s Arsenal team, playing alongside a higher calibre of goalscoring teammate in Gyokeres, and with Bukayo Saka matching him out on the right too. Writer Theo Mwangi has actually claimed that the high-speed winger is a “superstar”.

Rodrygo might have been earmarked as an exciting option to complete the set, but there’s little question that Leao is on a similar level, and given that he would arrive for a cheaper fee, it feels right that Arsenal should push for the latter man.

Goals

0.32

0.35

Assists

0.26

0.22

Shots taken

2.37

2.54

Shot-creating actions

4.13

4.56

Touches (att pen)

6.15

5.84

Progressive passes

3.58

4.69

Progressive carries

4.74

5.07

Successful take-ons

2.83

2.15

They match up rather well. The Milan winger might not be the most prolific on the block, but he’s in the same ballpark as Rodrygo – and that’s hardly an indicator of poor form.

Leao is actually a bit more of an effective dribbler, successfully taking on more opponents per 90 than the Los Blancos star. He also ranks among the top 19% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for his success rate (49%) in such duels.

Such a balanced and well-rounded physical force, Leao could be the missing piece in an Arsenal puzzle which just needs that extra injection of quality to cross the boundary that has lingered between them and glory over the past three campaigns.

Moreover, Leao has come off the back of a difficult campaign, with AC Milan struggling for form and finishing eighth. Even so, he held his own, notching eight goals and eight assists apiece in the league and averaging 4.5 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

Leao has also been regarded by Napoli sensation Scott McTominay to have been the most impressive opponent he has faced since swapping Old Trafford for Naples.

Capable of outrageous tricks, flicks and moments in key areas, Leao would both raise the fun factor at the Emirates next season while improving Arteta’s squad’s output concurrently.

With both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard mooted for an exit from north London this summer, this may well be a signing that becomes a necessity for the Gunners, especially if a move for Rodrygo comes to nothing, and he signs for a rival or indeed stays put in Madrid.

Arsenal have some tough choices to make over the coming weeks, but having enjoyed such an impressive transfer window so far, it would hardly be a bad thing to forge ahead and make a play for Leao.

Saka will love him: Arsenal reach agreement in principle to sign £68m star

Arsenal are ready to supply Viktor Gyokeres with an exciting new wideman.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 29, 2025

It has been a quiet summer so far for Aston Villa. After the disappointment of losing out on a Champions League finish at the back end of last season, the Villans have only made a couple of signings to strengthen ahead of the new season.

With the season now less than two weeks away, Unai Emery’s side have reportedly agreed a deal to sign OGC Nice striker Evann Guessand. The 24-year-old, who was also a target for Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, cost £30m including add-ons.

With Guessand all but through the door, Villa have seemingly turned their attention to another attacker, who can help to strengthen in forward areas.

Aston Villa’s next target after Guessand

The Villans lost Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio at the end of last season, with the loans of both players expiring. There is a clear focus from the club to strengthen in attack, with the signing of Guessand the first new forward through the door at Villa Park.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Now, a report from journalist Graeme Bailey suggests that the West Midlands club are ‘holding an interest’ in Manchester United and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho.

The 21-year-old is said to be a target for three Premier League sides, with a desire to stay in England’s top flight, and Villa ‘have also entered the race’ for his signature.

Although it is West London giants Chelsea who are the ‘standout option’ for the youngster, he is ‘open to working’ with Emery, and Tottenham Hotspur are also showing an interest. Last month, it was reported by The Mirror that the Red Devils have slashed their asking price to just £40m.

Why Garnacho would be a good signing

Despite being just 21 years of age, Garnacho has already gained lots of experience at the highest level for United. Statman Dave described him as a “special talent” last season, and there were some standout moments.

He played 58 games in all competitions for the Red Devils, whose academy he came through back in 2022. In that time, the winger scored 11 goals and grabbed a further ten assists. However, just eight of those goal involvements came in the Premier League, in 36 appearances.

He has already played a lot of first-team football, notching up an impressive 144 games for United. His record of 26 goals and 22 assists stands out for someone aged just 21, and he’s scored some excellent goals, too. The most famous one came against Everton in 2023/24, with his stunning overhead kick earning him the Puskas Award.

The winger, who was born in Madrid, could well become unplayable with Guessand. Villa’s new attacker shone last term for Nice, scoring 12 goals and grabbing nine assists in 33 Ligue 1 games.

The Ivory Coast international can play right across the front line, highlighted by former manager Antoine Kombouare during his loan spell at Nantes in 2022/23.

Kombouare also described him as a “powerful” and “fast” attacker.

With the Nice academy graduate, a player who is effective both in and around the penalty box and out wide, he could form a deadly partnership with Garnacho at Villa. The winger is a player who loves to drive inside from wide positions, which could lead to some fluid rotations between the pair.

Garnacho’s numbers from the 2024/25 Europa League campaign suggest he could become a regular provider of goals for Guessand. The stats on FBref show he averaged 2.04 key passes per game and 0.37 assists, ranking him in the 82nd and 85th percentile, respectively. If he achieves those numbers for Villa, Guessand could strike gold.

Assists

0.37

85th

Key passes

2.04

82nd

Shot-creating actions

4.17

73rd

Goal-creating actions

0.65

78th

Progressive carries

5.84

95th

Despite his age, Garnacho is already very experienced and has shown his ability to score and assist regularly for United. With Guessand being a striker who facilitates play and creates chances, plus his ability to put the ball in the back of the net, this could become a deadly duo.

£40m is not too much of an investment for 21-year-old Garnacho, with United looking to move him on this summer. Perhaps he is the perfect player for Villa’s new look attack, alongside Guessand.

Dream for Watkins: Aston Villa reach agreement for "Fernandes-esque" star

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ByBen Gray Aug 5, 2025

Mikel Arteta was handed a major boost earlier this week with the Gunners finally sealing a deal for Viktor Gyokeres, but Arsenal haven’t had it all their own way.

Related Gyokeres would love him: Arsenal eyeing up move for £100m "nightmare"

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Posts 2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 23, 2025

The Sporting CP striker and his camp are now putting the finishing touches on his blockbuster Premier League move after weeks of talks. Arsenal reached an agreement in principle to sign Gyokeres for around £64 million nearly a fortnight ago (The Athletic), with the hold-up centered around final bonus payments.

Arsenal’s confirmed transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£140m

However, it appears that any and all issues have now been rectified, and Gyokeres is about to become their sixth signing of the summer after Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera.

It is worth noting that Gyokeres, despite his incredible 54 goals in all competitions last season, wasn’t always sporting director Andrea Berta’s main target, nor was he Edu Gaspar’s constant priority either.

Arsenal also worked on a deal for Benjamin Sesko at around the same time they started moving for Gyokeres (BBC), and they tried to sign the Slovenian last summer as well as in January (Ben Jacobs).

According to reliable media sources, Newcastle United star Alexander Isak was also a “dream” signing for Arteta at one stage (Fabrizio Romano).

Arsenal informed Alexander Isak is focused on joining Liverpool

The north Londoners, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, gave up hope of signing the Swede after being informed that Isak is focused on joining Liverpool if he is to depart St. James’ Park.

Chelsea were apparently told exactly the same thing, with Arsenal swiftly moving on to Gyokeres as they prepare to welcome Isak’s international teammate.

Isak’s rumoured price tag of around £150 million was always too steep for Berta and co, even if Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie suggests a deal would more likely be done around the £130 million mark, which would still smash the Premier League’s all-time transfer record.

Eddie Howe’s side are set to dig their heels in over any potential exit for their star striker, especially after his exceptional 2024/2025.

“Alex is a world-class talent,” said Howe in a December press conference.

“The way he took his goals, he has that coolness and composure very few have. When you add into the mix his technical skills, I think he’s got it all.

“He has unique skills, and the challenge is to get him into the game as much as we can. Earlier in the season we weren’t doing that, but now the team are performing much better.

“He’s a player with a real confidence and we’re seeing a return to his really best levels – that’s highlighted by the goals he has scored.”

Australia allrounder Sophie Molineux could face a race to be fit for the New Zealand series ahead of the T20 World Cup after suffering a fractured rib during training which will rule her out for up to eight weeks.The injury has ruled Molineux out of the Hundred, where she had been due to join Manchester Originals. Grace Harris, another likely selection in the World Cup squad, will also miss the tournament where she was set to play for London Spirit, after picking up a calf strain.Related

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“Molineux suffered an acute rib fracture after being struck by a ball in the chest while batting last week,” a CA statement said. “Harris suffered an aggravation of a calf injury sustained in her preparation for The Hundred and the upcoming season. She is now working through a graduated rehabilitation and [a] return-to-play program.”Australia play three T20Is against New Zealand between September 19 and 24, before heading to Bangladesh for the T20 World Cup which starts on October 3.Molineux, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder, returned to Australia colours in February for the first time since 2021 after a run of injuries. She made her comeback in the one-off Test against South Africa in Perth, before being named as the Player of the Series in the T20Is against Bangladesh after taking six wickets at 8.33. Earlier in the tour, she took 3 for 10 on her return to the ODI side.Kim Garth will replace Molineux at Originals, while Megan Schutt has been added to the Oval Invincibles squad as a replacement player.*Their signings mean adjustments to the Australia A squads due to face India A in Queensland next month, with Maitlan Brown and Kate Peterson being called up. Brown was already set to feature in the one-day matches but will now be part of the T20 series too, while Peterson was initially only in the four-day squad.Outside of Harris and Molineux, the only Australia contracted players who will not be playing in either the Hundred or the Australia A series are captain Alyssa Healy and fast bowler Darcie Brown, who is continuing her recovery from a stress fracture of the foot.Internationally, Australia have another busy season ahead. They host India at home in early December before heading to New Zealand for three ODIs. In January, there is the multi-format Ashes, which features a day-night Test at the MCG, before a return trip across the Tasman in late March. There is also the WBBL which starts a week after the T20 World Cup, while the WPL is expected to take place in early March.*CA’s release incorrectly stated that Schutt would play for London Spirit, but she has replaced Tash Farrant at Oval Invincibles.

Celtic are taking some time to assess where they need to strengthen in the transfer market and are now looking to close in on a talented young star who could improve their backline, according to a report.

Celtic's left-back situation remains in a state of flux

Although there hasn’t been an official parade of Kieran Tierney back at Parkhead yet, the Scotland international is returning to Celtic on a free transfer after his Arsenal contract expires.

Brendan Rodgers will be delighted to secure the services of a modern-day club icon who won eight trophies during his first spell at the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, but who will provide competition for the 27-year-old next season?

Jeffrey Schlupp has held discussions over a permanent Celtic transfer following his loan spell in Glasgow and is available for nothing due to his time at Crystal Palace drawing to a close.

However, the Ghana international earned £60,000 while on the books at Selhurst Park, which may complicate matters if the Bhoys decide he is the man to strengthen their left-hand side of defence.

Another player set to be a free agent before too long is long-serving Celtic full-back Greg Taylor. After six years as first-choice, it appears he may move on this summer despite Rodgers’ desire to retain the Greenock-born man.

Dream XI Celtic could build: Idah axed for "sensational" CF, Tierney starts

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2

By
Dan Emery

May 31, 2025

Time is on Celtic’s side as they plot how best to proceed with adequate cover for Tierney, who has played just 20 matches this season following a spate of injury issues over the last few years.

Now, the Bhoys have reportedly made an approach for an exciting talent that could deputise when needed under Rodgers’ stewardship.

Celtic make approach for Peterborough United left-back Harley Mills

According to Football League World, Celtic have made an approach for Peterborough United left-back Harley Mills, and Fulham have also previously offered £1 million for his services.

Spending the first half of the campaign on loan at Enfield Town, he shot to prominence after returning to Posh due to scoring a delightful free-kick in their famous Vertu Cup final victory over Birmingham City earlier this year at Wembley Stadium.

Harley Mills at Enfield Town and Peterborough United
Appearances	25
Goals	2
Assists	2

Lauded for his ‘wand of a left foot’ by Darren Ferguson, the youngster has completed 66.7% of his dribbles and won the same percentage of tackles on League One duty this term.

Admittedly, his inexperience may be cited by some as a point of contention. Still, Celtic have identified gems such as Moussa Dembele and Matt O’Riley from the lower leagues of English football, so it may not be a total surprise that the Scottish champions could repeat the trick.

In more recent times, Finnish goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo was signed from Aston Villa after a productive loan spell at Exeter City, demonstrating that the Bhoys have their ear to the ground regarding emerging talent.

Ultimately, the ball is now in Peterborough’s court. Mills has the offer of a fresh contract on the table at the Weston Homes Stadium, but he only has 12 months remaining on his current terms and seems to be exploring his options.

Arsenal have moved in to make one highly-rated player an offer to join them, sensing an opportunity, with La Liga giants Real Madrid stalling on a potential deal.

Arsenal go trophyless after Champions League semi-final defeat to PSG

Mikel Arteta was cut a frustrated figure after PSG knocked his side out of the Champions League semi-finals.

Arsenal make offer to £30m star after Berta successfully convinced Arteta

The Italian and Arsenal’s manager are already working on the club’s transfer plans this summer.

9

By
Emilio Galantini

May 9, 2025

PSG’s 3-1 win on aggregate means Arsenal are set to go trophyless for yet another campaign, with attention now turning to the summer window again as the Gunners seek to mount a more successful push for silverware next term.

Arsenal’s final Premier League games	Date
Liverpool (away)	May 11th
Newcastle United (home)	May 18th
Southampton (away)	May 25th

While injuries to key players arguably crippled Arsenal’s chances this season, it is becoming a real worry for Arteta that the club have precious little to show for their £500 million net spend on transfers since the Spaniard took charge.

“It depends,” said Arteta on whether Arsenal can win a trophy soon.

“This squad, two years ago, nobody believed that we could even qualify for the Champions League, or even think that we could finish second or compete in the league. Or have the amount of points that we had that in any other year you are a champion. Or have the run and the results and the performances that we had in the Champions League. But the reality at the end is that you need something to lose, and that trophy with all the work that we do, and disappointment is that it’s not going to happen.”

New sporting director Andrea Berta’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium is a major boost for Arteta ahead of next season, as the astute transfer operator is expected to seriously back him in the transfer market this summer.

According to widespread reports, Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen is a top target for them after his very impressive debut season in the Premier League with Bournemouth.

As per the reliable David Ornstein, Arsenal have already held talks with Huijsen’s representatives and are ready to pay his £50 million release clause, but competition for his signature is fierce to say the least.

Arsenal make "formal" offer to Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen

As per Cadena SER, Arteta’s side will have to contend with Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool for the 20-year-old, not to mention Real Madrid.

However, in a bid to get ahead of Los Blancos, it is believed Arsenal have presented a “formal” offer to Huijsen and his representatives, while Real are forced to delay their proposal due to complications.

They’re waiting on the potential appointment of Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso before making any approaches, as they need to gauge what the Spaniard would want in terms of players to improve his Real squad for next season.

This gives Premier League sides like Arsenal a chance to swoop in and tempt the player first, but Huijsen has every intention of giving Real a chance to present their offer, as his team have hired a law firm to negotiate with the Spanish heavyweights on the “sensational” defender’s behalf.

Glasgow Rangers may end the season without any silverware, but with the 49ers Enterprises reportedly having ‘productive conversations’ with the Ibrox side, next season could be a different story.

A deal is expected to be completed ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and it will see Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers gain 51 percent of the shares at the club. This could suggest a boost to the finances, allowing the new manager flexibility in the transfer market.

Building a side that can challenge Celtic domestically is a must for the US-led consortium, especially having not won a Premiership title since 2021.

That, plus continued improvement in Europe, will go a long way to pleasing the Ibrox faithful.

The summer transfer window doesn’t open for another few weeks, but it looks as though the club are trying to get some deals completed as early as possible.

Having already raided Dundee to sign talented midfielder Lyall Cameron on a pre-contract agreement, it looks like the Light Blues are set to lure another youngster from the Dens Park outfit…

Rangers eye move for Premiership starlet

According to Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie, the club are showing interest in bringing Josh Mulligan to the club from Dundee this summer, which could make him the first signing of the 49ers era after the takeover is complete.

Taking to X, he said: “Rangers are interested in Dundee’s Josh Mulligan. 22-yo is out of contract at Dens this summer and on the club’s radar.

“Capable of playing at full-back or in midfield. Mulligan’s viewed as a player with strong physical attributes and potential.”

These types of low-risk, potentially profitable, signings are exactly the sort of deals the club should be doing. Mulligan won’t cost a penny, but if he performs in Glasgow, there is no doubt he could go on to brighter things in the next couple of years.

The 49ers are certainly looking to get things in motion, and this move could work well for all parties involved.

Although typically used on the right side of the midfield for Dundee this season, a move to Rangers could see the Scot drop deeper into a right-back role.

If so, this may allow the Gers to move James Tavernier on after ten seasons with the club, especially as this summer represents the final chance for them to properly cash in on the Englishman.

James Tavernier’s future is uncertain at Rangers

The defender has certainly enjoyed a productive spell in Scotland when it comes to attacking statistics.

Across 508 appearances at the time of writing, Tavernier has scored 130 goals while recording 141 assists in that time. These are truly incredible numbers from a right-back; there is no doubt about that.

He has bailed the club out on so many occasions over the years during tricky spells in matches. Perhaps his most telling contribution was during the knockout stages of the 2021/22 Europa League campaign.

Having scored no goals during the group stage, Tavernier netted three goals against Borussia Dortmund, twice against Braga and even netted in the semi-final against RB Leipzig to help steer the Light Blues to their first European final in 14 years.

This season has looked like a step too far, however. The 33-year-old has managed just five goals and 12 assists across 48 matches, a far cry from his 36 goal contributions last term.

He even missed a penalty against Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup that would have sent the tie to extra time. With one year left on his contract, perhaps now is the time to bid farewell while trying to secure a transfer fee for the player.

In Mulligan, Rangers have a young, vibrant replacement who has the potential to improve as time goes on.

Why Rangers want to sign Josh Mulligan

As mentioned, Mulligan has played the majority of this season out wide on the right side of the midfield. Occasionally, he has been tasked with slotting into the middle of the park, but it is clear he is best on the flank.

Five assists in 36 matches for a struggling Dundee side isn’t too bad and is an improvement on the two he registered during the 2023/24 season for the club.

Josh Mulligan’s stats for Dundee

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25 (so far)

36

0

5

2023/24

23

1

0

2022/23

42

2

5

2021/22

37

6

2

Via Transfermarkt

Scottish analyst Kai Watson has kept tabs on the Scot and praised him on X amid the reported interest from Rangers, saying: “Been a fan of Josh Mulligan for a while now and think signing him on a free would be smart business for Rangers.

“An aggressive, high energy wingback/CM that’s consistently improving technically and in the final third.

“Future Scotland international for me.”

His Premiership stats are certainly encouraging. In 29 matches for Dundee this season, Mulligan has created eight big chances, averaging one key pass per game while also succeeding with one dribble per match.

These are decent attacking statistics from someone playing in a team that currently stands 11th in the domestic table, just five points ahead of the bottom side.

His defensive statistics are also fairly impressive, as Mulligan wins five total duels per game, along with making 1.8 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, and recovering 4.6 balls per match in the top flight.

Mulligan also has plenty of pedigree at international level, making a total of 14 appearances for the Scotland U21 side since making his debut in June 2022.

A move to Rangers would certainly help bolster his ambitions for a senior cap in the coming months, that’s for certain. He has the talent, now he needs to make the move to a bigger side to finally showcase it at a higher level.

Will this signing signal the end for Tavernier at Rangers in the summer? Or will he hang around for one more season before departing on a free transfer in the summer of 2026?

Only time will tell, but one thing looks certain: the 49ers won’t be playing the sentiment card when it comes to improving the squad ahead of one of the most important seasons in the club’s recent history.

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While some struggled to switch between formats and others continued their lean patch, Green continued his red-ball form from the Sheffield Shield

Alex Malcolm29-Feb-20241:59

Malcolm: Green century a vindication of his move to No. 4

While three of Australia’s top six were preparing for Australia’s T20I series in Wellington last week, in between golf rounds at nearby Royal Wellington and Paraparaumu Beach, Cameron Green was peeling off an unbeaten Sheffield Shield century for Western Australia in Hobart.Just 10 days later, in similar climes to Hobart, at a similar ground to Bellerive, Green peeled off another to hold Australia’s increasingly fragile Test batting line-up together with the finest Test knock of his career and prove beyond any doubt that he is the real deal at international level.While the likes of Steven Smith, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh had come and gone having had just three days to adjust from T20I batting to the Test-match challenge, and Marnus Labuschagne continued his lean run, Green dug in to continue to red-ball rhythm he had found in Hobart.Related

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It was a win for the selectors. They had resisted the urge to add Green to the T20I squad, even when both Marcus Stoinis and Aaron Hardie were ruled out, insisting that they wanted to keep him focussed on red-ball cricket knowing that he could find his T20 touch at the IPL.It was a win for Green too, who had become a target for an unhappy section of Australian fans who did not think he was worthy of being promoted to the coveted No. 4 position, while one of Test cricket’s best-ever No.4s in Smith was exposed to the new ball.Green spoke of the value of that Shield game after the day’s play.”I think it’s really important,” Green said. “I probably struggled to have the red ball practice leading into Tests [recently].”I think it’s been always one or two net sessions then thrown in the deep end a little bit. But that’s what international cricket is like at the moment. Unfortunately, it’s been a pretty busy 18 months and there’s not much practice in between changing formats. It’s just a bit of a work in progress for myself. I’m trying to obviously learn off guys that do it quite regularly like Steve and Mitch Marsh, Dave Warner. I think they stay true to their technique. And it’s something that I need to work on. I’m not trying to be changing so much in between formats.”He did need some luck. There were plenty of plays and misses on a surface that produced swing, seam and excessive bounce after New Zealand inserted Australia under overcast skies.But there was plenty of quality too. Fabulous, brave drives down the ground. Powerful pull shots. A muscled slap past deep cover to get to 99 with nine men on the fence in the last over of the day. And then a deft late cut to bring up his century. The emotion poured out of him just as it did when he scored his first Test century in Ahmedabad last year.Cameron Green stuck his second straight first-class century•AFP/Getty ImagesGreen, 24, has put so much pressure on himself to perform at Test level. The weight of expectation from the Australian cricketing public is nothing compared to the burden he carries in his own mind about scoring centuries for his country. It should be joyous for a player to reach such a milestone, but the first words Green used to describe his century in the aftermath were revealing.”Equally as relieving as my first one,” Green said.Australia were relieved that he pulled them out of a jam.Green did not have to bat at all in the opening session after Smith, Usman Khawaja and Labuschagne had ground their way to 62 for 1 in 27 overs, with Smith the only one to fall to an excellent delivery from Matt Henry.But you could make a case that batting got a little more difficult after lunch when the sun peaked through the clouds and the pitch hardened up. Smith and Khawaja had played pretty comfortably earlier in the day when there was moisture in the surface and the bounce was true and a fraction slow.Green noted after play that some divots had hardened in the surface and made batting tricky. He copped a ball on the elbow that reared back at him from wide of off stump from Will O’Rourke.But he rode the waves. He absorbed pressure and was aided by Marsh’s counter-attacking 40 after Australia had slumped to 89 for 4. Henry prised out the patient Khawaja with a cracking late inswinger through the gate.The form of Labuschagne remains an ongoing concern. He nicked off for a torturous 27-ball 1. The manner of the dismissal was more concerning than the score. He was caught on the crease, squared up again to a Scott Kuggeleijn outswinger that angled in and straightened. In isolation, it was a good delivery that could be written off as such. But it is the 10th time he has nicked to the cordon in his last 23 Test innings, and while no dismissal is ever the same, all 10 bear alarming similarities.Head too looks a shadow of the player who smashed a stunning century in Adelaide three Tests ago. He has since been dismissed three times in eight balls across three Test innings for one run. In between times, he has played some bizarre and erratic white-ball knocks while also needing a rest.It only serves to further highlight the importance of the decision to keep Green in red-ball mode. While the minds of his team-mates raced, he was calm throughout. He deliberately held up the bowler several times during the day to ensure he was not hurried through his mental process, and it paid dividends.”I think that’s probably the beauty of getting another red-ball game,” Green said. “You got a really good chance to lock into your own bubble and would be able to basically practice switching on and switching off in between deliveries and going through your methods.”Green was quick to note that this century did not guarantee his position at No. 4 was safe for the long term. But it does underline why he has been rated so highly. His record under pressure and in tricky batting conditions is also better than he is given credit for with this innings sitting alongside the vital 77 he scored on a raging turner in Galle and his 74 on a green monster in Hobart against England.It hasn’t always been easy being Cameron Green. But he lived up to the expectation at the Basin.