According to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, reported via Metro, Juventus are prepared to offer Medhi Benatia to Arsenal this January in exchange for outbound midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
What’s the story?
Aaron Ramsey is set to leave the Emirates Stadium this year after a decade with the Gunners. His contract will expire at the end of this season, so if he does not leave or agree to a move elsewhere this month, then he shall become a free agent then.
Perennial Serie A champions Juventus appear keen on bringing the 28-year-old to Italy. However, the likes of Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG and Real Madrid have also been linked with the 58-cap Wales international.
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If, in order to secure Ramsey for themselves, Juventus have indeed offered Benatia to Arsenal, then Unai Emery ought to jump at this chance to sign the centre-back.
Emery’s own van Dijk
The Arsenal manager has recently stated that his club are only in a position to agree loan deals this month. However, a swap deal, involving no transfer fee, would surely be doable, especially as Ramsey’s wages would no longer be coming at Arsenal’s expense.
The Gunners are in dire need of a top class new centre-back. Benatia is exactly that. The 31-year-old former Bayern Munich man is a proven leader who has thrived at the top level of the game.
With Emery’s rearguard currently depleted by injuries and in disarray, the 55-cap Morocco international’s added authority, quality and experience could have a similar effect on the defensive contingent at Arsenal as Virgil van Dijk has had at Liverpool.
As Ramsey is leaving anyway, Arsenal must take this chance to make the most of his exit by securing the services of Benatia in return.
Liverpool fans have taken to social media in joyous fashion after it was revealed by the club’s official Twitter account that Andrew Robertson has signed a new five-year contract with the club.
The 24-year-old has been the standout left-back in the Premier League this season as the Reds sit four points clear of Manchester City at the top of the league, and was perhaps the best player in his position in the previous campaign after signing from Hull in the summer of 2017.
The captain of the Scottish national team has four assists in 20 league starts this season, and has become a firm fans’ favourite thanks to his full-blooded displays, tireless running and unwavered commitment to the cause.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have made a habit of signing their key players to long-term contracts having done so with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane recently, and securing Robertson’s future is just as important a deal…
Everton shelled out a huge fee when they bought Richarlison from Watford back in the summer, parting with an initial sum of around £35m to bring the Brazilian international to Goodison Park – as reported by the BBC, clauses in the deal could take the fee to around £50m, which would eclipse the club-record £45m spent on Gylfi Sigurdsson.
How has he done so far?
The 21-year-old started his Premier League career with the Hornets in impressive fashion, quickly introducing himself as a typically skilful Brazilian flair player, but with the ability to turn his mercurial talents into goals and assists.
However, after Marco Silva was sacked, Richarlison’s form nosedived, and he finished the 2017/18 campaign with just five goals and four assists to his name at Vicarage Road, as seen on his Whoscored page.
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There seems to be a good relationship between Silva and the former Fluminense forward, with that suggestion further reinforced when the Portuguese manager convinced his new bosses to splash the cash to bring his favourite to Merseyside.
It mustn’t be forgotten that Richarlison is a very young player, and arrived on these shores as a youngster who had never played his football outside of Brazil, so his debut season can be forgiven. This term, however, he has looked far more mature in a central role for the Toffees, scoring nine league goals in 20 starts, as per Whoscored, and proving to be far more efficient and consistent in his movement and end product.
The Verdict
At such a young age, and taking the state of the current market into account, the deal for Richarlison could be considered a snip in a few years if he continues his upwards curve.
It is encouraging to see that he has almost doubled his tally for goals from last season just over halfway through the current campaign, and most importantly, he is playing under a manager who trusts him and will give him sufficient game time to develop.
One stat which also catches the eye is the amount of aerial duels that he has won. The 21-year-old averages 2.3 aerial duels won per game in the league, as per Whoscored, which suggests that he is learning how to use his broad frame more effective in the physical English game.
He has been an astute signing who has impressed hugely, and so long as Silva is at the helm, he should continue his rapid rise as a footballer which has seen him score three times in his six appearances for Brazil – his form has also attracted glances from the Camp Nou, with Barcelona keeping tabs on his progress according to The Daily Star in December.
Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter delightedly after the Magpies confirmed a club-record deal to sign Paraguay star Miguel Almiron from Major League Soccer champions Atlanta United, for a reported fee of around £20m according to the BBC.
The Tyneside-based club’s transfer record hasn’t been broken since they signed Michael Owen from Real Madrid for £16m back in 2005, so Almiron’s arrival has ended a 14-year long wait to see that figure smashed whilst their rivals break records left, right and centre.
24-year-old Almiron scored 13 goals and recorded 13 assists last season as Atlanta won the MLS Cup (via the Magpies’ official site), and he arrives on a five-and-a-half year deal that will be sure to lift spirits around St James’ Park.
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The Paraguay international becomes the Magpies’ second signing of the winter transfer window, following the arrival of Antonio Barecca on a six-month loan deal from Monaco.
Understandably, however, Newcastle fans are more excited about the capture of Almiron if their reactions on Twitter are anything to go by…
In recent memory, it’s difficult to identify a manager that had such a profound effect on the footballing environment of a country; this is precisely what Arsene Wenger achieved during his 22-year tenure at Arsenal. Considering the extent of his influence at the club and given his immense success with the Gunners – he won ten major trophies with the North London side – the first season without the Frenchman at the helm was likely to be challenging for his successor.
Currently, Arsenal are situated in sixth place in the Premier League having won 14 out of a possible 25 games. To date, Unai Emery has overseen 36 games for Arsenal across all competitions, flaunting a respectable total of 22 victories, six draws and eight defeats. Six of those eight defeats have come in England’s top-flight, and despite embarking upon a 22-match unbeaten run, the Gunners lie three points and two places adrift of a top four finish.
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A simple comparison between the current Premier League table and the final standings from last season would indicate that the Gunners have failed to progress significantly under Emery’s tutelage – Arsenal finished sixth in the previous league campaign, and they currently occupy that same position in the table. Yet, such an assessment would be harsh on Emery during his first season in the Premier League, and it would wrongly ignore the time required for a new manager to successfully acclimatise to a new environment and implement their ideas accordingly.
Nonetheless, the issues that Arsenal face domestically have not arisen directly from the Spaniard’s appointment. Instead, they can be traced to the latter stages of Wenger’s period as their manager. Southampton and West Ham aside, Arsenal’s remaining four league defeats have come against direct top six rivals, three of which were away from home.
Manchester City have completed the double over Arsenal, registering a comprehensive 3-1 victory last weekend. Similarly, Emery’s men endured a 5-1 demolition at Anfield against Liverpool, and they lost away to Chelsea 3-2 at the start of the season.
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They also failed to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford at the start of December, a period in which the Red Devils were devoid of confidence and belief, while the Gunners maintained their unbeaten run to 20 games in all competitions. Therein is the best demonstration of Arsenal’s issues – their propensity to be utterly ineffectual away at top six teams.
When you couple this unfavourable streak with the fact that Arsenal have conceded 36 goals in 25 league games – Palace, Wolves and Brighton are among many teams that flaunt superior defensive records – then the Gunners’ hopes of triumph, at least domestically, seems rather bleak. Also, at the start of March, the Gunners travel to Tottenham in the North London Derby, a game that could have a significant bearing on the race for a top four finish.
To their credit, Arsenal have been far more defiant and competitive against the league’s best sides at the Emirates Stadium. A convincing 2-0 defeat of Chelsea and a characterful 4-2 triumph against Tottenham is evidence of their ability to compete with the best. They also contained one of the league’s most prolific attacks, Liverpool, to a solitary goal in November. However, if Arsenal are to achieve their ambitions, or replicate the days of former glory, they must improve upon their away record against the division’s best teams.
Emery commands one of the division’s most prolific and talented attacks, and it’s difficult to dismiss the quality that’s present within his squad. Yet, without generalising all of the Arsenal sides in recent memory, or without ignoring the intricacies that are involved with match preparation, Arsenal’s trend of failing to perform at the best sides’ grounds suggest that the issue is deep-rooted, and more affiliated with the team’s psychology rather than its personnel or management.
In the previous five Premier League seasons, Arsenal have faced their top six rivals (Chelsea, Spurs, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool) on 23 occasions away from home, failing to win a single game, while losing 16. During that period, they’ve conceded a staggering total of 50 goals, attaining seven points from a possible 69.
Any prospective league success is immediately curtailed by this abysmal record, and it impacts severely on their ability to achieve Champions League qualification, especially when considering that 2015/16 was the last time that the Gunners have finished in the top four. The North London side’s previous away victory at a top six team was against Manchester City in January 2015, over four years ago, a damming assessment of their fractured mentality and a definite impediment to any potential success.
Celtic fans have taken to Twitter to react after Scott Brown ended his near two-year long wait for a goal with an absolute scorcher against St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup rout.
The 33-year-old, who has been with the Bhoys for almost 12 years, found the top corner from almost 30 yards out to score his first goal since netting against Inverness back in February 2017.
Brendan Rodgers’ men recorded a resounding 5-0 victory to extend their domestic cup winning run to a remarkable 24 games, as they look to complete another treble.
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Scott Sinclair also netted a hat-trick in the game, showing excellent composure in front of goal to ensure that he took the match ball home, whilst James Forrest also got in on the act to complete a fantastic victory.
Despite the former Manchester City man’s treble, it was Brown’s stunner that had the Celtic fans on Twitter talking, such was the rarity of the occasion…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Crystal Palace are interested in signing Chelsea striker Oliver Giroud, per The Daily Mirror.
What’s the word?
The report states that a number of clubs are keen on the Frenchman, including Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.
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Palace, though, could use the Blues’ interest in Wilfried Zaha to try to recruit the Frenchman.
Giroud has struggled for game time throughout this campaign, making just three starts in all competitions.
Still a quality striker
The 33-year-old remains a top forward.
Just last season, he scored 11 goals in 14 Europa League outings, finishing the competition as the top scorer.
He netted once and registered two assists in the final against Arsenal as the Blues won 4-1.
Giroud only made seven league starts in 2018/19 too and one feels that, if he is given a proper chance in the XI, he has the capability to score goals on a regular basis.
If Roy Hodgson’s men can beat European competition to his signature, they could reap some significant rewards.
Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson has issued a rallying cry over new signings.
According to Italian media outlet Tuttomercatoweb, if Everton appoint Carlo Ancelotti then it could increase their chances of bringing Steven Nzonzi to the club during the January transfer window, but they should avoid signing him at all costs.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the 31-year-old may well be up for grabs in the New Year having walked out on loan club Galatasaray and been indefinitely suspended, with manager Fatih Terim branding the 2018 World Cup winner as “disrespectful”.
Tuttomercatoweb report that Lyon manager Rudi Garcia is a fan of the AS Roma midfielder, who cost £27m in 2018 and is likely to learn his future in the coming days and weeks when he returns to the Italian capital.
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The report adds that the potential appointment of Ancelotti, which could happen before the end of the week according to Sky Sports, at Goodison Park could boost the Merseyside outfit’s chances of signing the 6 foot 5 colossus. Everton also wanted to sign him in the summer before he chose Champions League football with the Turkish giants instead.
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Avoid at all costs
History suggests Ancelotti would be getting his Everton reign off to a bad start if he brought Frenchman in during the upcoming transfer window.
Not only has he walked out on his current loan side and refused to return – being labelled as “disrespectful” in the process – but it isn’t the first disciplinary or bad attitude issue he has had during his playing career.
The France international handed in two transfer requests in the space of 12 months during his time with Stoke City in the Premier League, while he handed in one during his spells with Blackburn Rovers and Sevilla, too.
Sam Allardyce was another to criticise the then 21-year-old during his tenure at Ewood Park, while he also reportedly went AWOL from Roma during the summer.
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All of that adds up to Nzonzi not being a good egg, and is that what Everton really need right now in what has been a tumultuous season where they are very much fighting at the wrong end of the Premier League table? Certainly not.
There has been a real show of togetherness and unity among the players since Duncan Ferguson took caretaker charge, with committed performances on the pitch and everyone pulling in the same direction yielding four points from a possible six available.
Nzonzi is not the character the Toffees need right now then, and Ancelotti should avoid at all costs if he ends up taking the job.
In other Everton news, Moise Kean has reacted on Instagram to a post saying Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become the club’s new manager…
If Aston Villa avoid a loss against Southampton on Saturday, the team will ensure they don’t drop into the bottom three for Christmas.
They will, of course, be aiming for more than a draw in this game, especially as they are at home, but this indicates how important it is that they at least come away from the game with a point.
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With this in mind, we have predicted that there will be nine changes made from the team that defeated a youthful Liverpool side 5-0 in the Carabao Cup.
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Tom Heaton is the undisputed Villa number 1, having played 16 league games this campaign, so he should retake his place in goal despite Orjan Nyland’s impressive performance.
Frederic Guilbert and Matt Targett seem to have cemented their place as the team’s first-choice full-backs on their respective flanks, starting 13 and 11 games respectively. The latter’s place should be especially safe after Neil Taylor’s suspect performance against Liverpool.
Kortney Hause put in a colossal display on his first start of the league term against Sheffield United, despite the loss, so it would be harsh for his place in the team to be taken away, especially as Tyrone Mings is still out injured.
James Chester gave a good showing in midweek against Liverpool, but it would be risky to play him twice in quick succession, so Bjorn Engels retakes his place in the team.
The two players to keep their place in the lineup from the 5-0 victory both come in midfield, with Conor Hourihane and Douglas Luiz staying put. Dean Smith has claimed that he should have gone toe-to-toe with Sheffield United, a game that neither of these two started, so there may be a temptation to put keep them in the team.
John McGinn hasn’t missed a single game this season, while Jack Grealish has done so just twice, meaning they are natural starters and should play here.
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With Trezeguet proving wasteful against Liverpool, failing to score from any of his six shots, it seems likely that Anwar El Ghazi will continue in the starting lineup.
One man who wasn’t wasteful was Wesley when he came on, as he stuck the ball into the bottom corner. This should be a big confidence boost for him as he hadn’t scored or assisted in the nine previous matches, so it would be pretty poor management to leave him out for the following game.
In other news, one Villa man has been linked with a quartet of clubs.
Tom Heaton has sustained an injury to his knee ligaments that will keep him out of action for the rest of the season, as reported by the club’s official channels.
This leaves the club’s hierarchy with a decision to make about whether they will sign a replacement during the summer.
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It has now been reported by The Daily Mail that they are showing an interest in signing Stoke City stopper Jack Butland.
Villa fans are far from impressed by these links, as plenty of them have completely dismissed the idea of signing the 26-year-old.
In the 19 Championship games he has played this season, Butland has managed just three clean sheets, conceding a total of 32 goals.
His cause is also not helped by the fact that he has made three errors that have led to the opposition scoring this term.
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There have been suggestions made that Dean Smith would be better off using Orjan Nyland in Heaton’s absence than making the signing.
The Norwegian has only had one start this campaign, which came in the 5-0 Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool, making eight saves in a performance that saw him named Man of the Match by SofaScore.
One fan suggested that the Norwegian “looks a new player recently” while another has said they should “let Nyland have the job”.
In other news, Villa fans gave their initial reaction to Heaton picking up his injury against Burnley.