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Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Martin Zubimendi to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report from Spain, who claim that, despite the Real Sociedad central midfielder reportedly having rejected the chance to join the Gunners after the Premier League side offered to pay the 23-year-old’s £52.5m release clause this winter, Mikel Arteta remains keen on a move for the Spain international at the end of the current campaign.

However, the report goes on to suggest that Arsenal are not alone in their pursuit of the playmaker, with Xavi Hernandez reported to view Zubimendi as the heir to Sergio Busquets in the heart of his Barcelona side – with the LaLiga outfit also believed to be keen on a deal to bring the Sociedad starlet to the Camp Nou in the summer transfer window.

Busquets 2.0

Considering the sheer amount of potential Zubimendi quite clearly possesses, coupled with central midfield arguably being the area of Arteta’s squad that currently lacks the most strength in depth, it is not difficult to understand why the Spaniard would be keen on a deal to bring the midfielder to The Emirates at the end of the season.

Indeed, over his 17 LaLiga appearances in the current campaign, the £22m-rated talent has been in sensational form in the heart of Imanol Alguacil’s side, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating two big chances, in addition to making an average of 0.5 key passes, playing 2.1 long balls and completing 40.9 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – per game.

The £50k-per-week wonderkid has also caught the eye in more workmanlike metrics, making an average of 1.9 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 1.6 clearances and winning 5.2 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per match.

These returns have seen the 23-year-old – who reporter Jose Alberto Chozas dubbed “exciting” and journalist Jacque Talbot labelled “the new Busquets” – average a simply sensational Sofascore statistical rating of 6.95, currently ranking him as third-placed Sociedad’s sixth-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football.

As such, with Zubimendi evidently being a midfielder who is incredibly creative in possession, strong in the tackle and excellent at reading the game, it is easy to see why the youngster has drawn comparisons to Barcelona legend Busquets, while it is also not hard to comprehend why Arteta would be keen to add the Spanish starlet to his midfield ranks in north London next summer.

Manchester United are already setting their sights on potential striker options for the summer transfer window and one of the names near the top of their list is Benjamin Sesko.

What’s the latest?

The Red Devils have been left short up top over the winter following the dramatic exit of Cristiano Ronaldo from the club in the latter stages of 2022.

This has seen United make a move in the January transfer window with the Burnley striker, Wout Weghorst, set to join on a short-term loan deal until the end of the season.

However, it is apparent the Dutchman is not the long-term successor for Ronaldo with United already setting their sights on the upcoming summer window.

And speaking on the latest episode of the Talking Transfers podcast, journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed the RB Salzburg striker, Sesko, is a player they are keen on.

The player is set to make his move up the RB ladder this summer with a deal in place to join RB Leipzig, however, bailey believes the door could be open to the German side looking to make an instant profit on the player:

(47:00) “United love this player, as we said Scott [Saunders],” Bailey said.

“I think Sesko is a player who not only United, a lot of teams like and they are considering offering, Leipzig, basically to double their money without him ever playing for them.

“And it’s a viable option it is, he’s very young. I think of all the ones you mentioned, [Harry] Kane, [Victor] Osimhen, I think Sesko might be the one to watch, Scott.”

Long-term planning

United are targeting a pot in the Champions League places this season, which does make the expected signing of Weghorst a slightly strange one.

The Dutchman does not have a great record in England having struggled in the Premier League last season during his time with Burnley which only resulted in him returning two goals from 20 games (via Transfermarkt).

But with the Glazer family having put the club up for sale, it is understandable why they aren’t looking to make big moves this month so are seemingly searching for stop-gap additions.

However, in their believed summer target, Sesko, United would be potentially adding a player with real potential with journalist Ryan Taylor dubbing him “the next Erling Haaland”.

It is apparent, though, the Red Devils are not the only side showing an interest in the player with Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur previously linked to the striker.

The 19-year-old is clearly a player full of potential, but it is also clear that he is perhaps not quite ready to make that leap up to the Premier League this month.

In 24 league appearances last season, Sesko was only able to return five goals, however, this season, the striker has already equalled that return in eight fewer games.

So it does appear the Slovenian is a player for the long-term future at Old Trafford, but perhaps Sesko will need to be patient if he is to make the move to Manchester in the summer.

The onus on replenishing the midfield ranks at Liverpool has never been more apparent, and the club might now turn to a former target to inject fresh life to save a fading season…

What’s the word?

Wolverhampton Wanderers completed the signing of Matheus Nunes in the summer in a club-record £42.2m deal that was considered a major coup for the club, following intense speculation that the 24-year-old could join Liverpool.

And now, according to The Telegraph, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp and Sporting Director Julian Ward could be poised to dive back in for the Portuguese maestro, who could be available for €50m (£44m), although any move is unlikely to happen until next summer’s window.

Nunes has not quite hit the ground running since his arrival at Wolves from Sporting Lisbon, with the club languishing near the bottom of the Premier League table and in real danger of falling back into the EFL Championship.

Midfield saviour?

Nunes has been lacklustre since commencing his exploits in English football, having made 14 Premier League appearances from his central position and registering just the one assist, having yet to find the back of the net.

And his average league rating of 6.74 leaves plenty of room for improvement, as per Sofascore, with his lack of direct goal involvement hampering his progress, although his 1.1 shots per match and 0.9 key passes, knitted together by a slick 81% passing accuracy, certainly allude to a promising career at one of Europe’s elite outfits.

However, Liverpool are in dire need of a new face in the centre of the park to lift the club back to prominence, with a lack of grip, tenacity and vibrancy combining to wreak havoc on the Merseyside outfit’s ambitious aspirations.

Nunes, despite his tepid start to life on English soil, boasts all the attributes required to flourish at one of the Premier League’s elite, and could indeed prosper in and amongst Liverpool’s deep pool of world-class talent.

As per FBref, the 11-cap star ranks within the top 4% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes received, and the top 16% for touches in the attacking penalty area, indicating a willingness to surge forwards and look to split the opposing defences apart with deft darting runs and provide from a creative standpoint.

Praised by his former Sporting teammate Goncalo Santos for his natural pace, power and elegance when gliding through the field before his departure last summer, Nunes possesses every morsel of talent required to forge an eminent career indeed.

Santos said: “It’s unbelievable when he has the ball at his feet. Nobody can catch him; it’s impossible because he’s too fast.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola once lauded Nunes as “one of the best players in the world”, and he could become just that at Liverpool, thriving and serving as the focal point from the centre, finally gifting the Kop it’s marquee midfield signing so desired over the past few years.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte remains keen to bring Ruslan Malinovskyi to north London ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Corriere di Bergamo (via Sport Witness), who claim that Spurs are prepared to offer €15m (£13m) for his signature at the turn of the year, though Atalanta are holding out for a little more at around €18m (£16m).

The Ukraine international is out of contract in the summer and has rarely been used by manager Gian Piero Gasperini this season.

Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici nearly signed him during the summer and are still keen to make him a Lilywhites player, though they may need to increase their bid to secure him.

Kulusevski 2.0

Spurs appear to be pretty well stocked in the final third but a recent injury to Richarlison may have changed things somewhat. The side recently suffered in the absence of Dejan Kulusevski and that can’t happen again in the second half of the season.

Malinovskyi bears some similarities to the Swedish winger, though he could be a more versatile option as he’s capable of playing in a multitude of attacking and deeper midfield roles.

Last season for example, the 29-year-old netted 10 goals and laid on seven assists from 41 appearances in all competitions, and did so playing in four different central roles and on the right flank, as per Transfermarkt.

His ability to create chances and relentless work rate is what would lend a comparison to Kulusevski as the Atalanta ace ranks inside the top 4% for progressive passes (5.72), the top 8% for assists (0.41) as well as shot-creating actions (5.19) and the top 15% for successful dribbles (2.27) per 90 when compared to his positional peers across Europe in the last year, via FBref.

These are all key attributes of the Spurs right-winger and in fact, he only currently outranks Malinovskyi for assists per 90 (0.61).

The £21.8k-per-week dynamo would also offer Conte a long-range threat at goal – something that he only really gains from Heung-min Son – as he’s renowned for scoring the odd screamer, with his left foot previously being lauded as a “cannon” by commentator Tony Dorigo.

Also hailed as an “animal” by journalist Fernando Evangelio, it’s clear to see why the Italian would still remain keen on signing Malinovskyi for Tottenham.

As such, Paratici must look to pay the £16m that La Dea want for his signature, even if he’s out of contract in the summer because the squad needs strength in depth if they are to challenge on all fronts in 2023.

AND in other news, Spurs could seal Conte’s perfect Maddison alternative in Jan swoop for £30.5m “beast”…

Liverpool face a Premier League transfer battle for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice…

What’s the news?

That’s according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs who tweeted about the interest in the 23-year-old, saying:

“As previously reported, Chelsea really want Rice (always been a priority) and believe a summer move may be possible for under £75 million.

“Multiple EPL clubs looking. Don’t rule out #LFC. #MUFC keen. No clear frontrunner yet because Rice expecting plenty of concrete interest.”

Jacobs claims that the Hammers will be hoping for a bidding war over Rice, however, they won’t get anywhere near the price quoted earlier this year which was believed to have been around £150m.

Ideal Jordan Henderson heir

Jurgen Klopp is undergoing somewhat of a transitional season this year with the Anfield side, winning just six league matches as they went into the World Cup break sixth in the table.

There is no doubt the midfield needs some rejuvenation, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, and James Milner all out of contract at the end of the season and the likes of Henderson and Thiago on the wrong side of 30, next summer represents a perfect chance to add some quality to the side.

Rice would be a great signing as he could also become the ideal heir to Henderson, especially with the 32-year-old’s playing time suffering this season.

He has started just seven Premier League matches, averaging a rating of 6.92 as per Sofascore. Rice offers much more of a threat going forward, registering more goal contributions than Henderson (two to zero), more shot-creating actions (47 to 23) and completes more dribbles (44.4% to 33.3%) and this clearly shows the Liverpool player doesn’t quite offer the same attacking impetus as Rice.

Defensively, the West Ham midfielder – once dubbed as a “machine” by BBC reporter Paul Carter – also has the upper hand when it comes to tackles won (16 to five), blocks (20 to nine), and aerial duels won (60% to 55.6%), via FBref, proving that Rice has all the required attributes to eventually succeed Henderson as the leader at the heart of the Liverpool midfield, perhaps sooner rather than later.

Bournemouth caretaker manager Gary O’Neil lavished praise upon Rice, saying he is “The best all-around English midfielder we have.”

And Klopp, especially for the fee quoted, should be acting sooner rather than later in order to bring the player to Liverpool.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has been reacting to Aston Villa’s plans to move for Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze.

The Lowdown: Villa links

Unai Emery looks set to be backed by NSWE in the January transfer window with a ‘huge’ budget, and it seems as if Chukwueze is a top target for the Spaniard.

Football Insider revealed earlier this month that Villa are plotting a move for the 23-year-old, who fits the bill due to his speed, direct approach and ability to create and score goals.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones was speaking to GiveMeSport regarding Villa and Chukwueze, saying that Emery may want his new club to be at the ‘front of the queue’ for the Nigeria international.

The journalist stated: “It’s being played up a lot and it seems like he is a player that Emery has clearly got on his radar for January.

“Managers always want to bring in somebody that they recognise and a game-changer is, obviously, something they all look for too. It comes hand-in-hand with an appointment like this, that they’ll be looking for someone like Chukwueze.

“He won’t want him to go anywhere else either. If he’s actually going to make a transfer, they want to be at the front of the queue.”

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The Verdict: Record move?

Reports have suggested that any club would need to pay around €50m (£43.5m) for the forward, which would make him Villa’s most expensive signing of all time if they land him for that amount.

Chukwueze has been hailed by ESPN journalist David Cartlidge as a ‘ridiculous’ talent who ‘tortures’ defenders and has played under Emery more than any other manager in his career.

He has contributed to 29 goals in 94 games for the current Villa boss and you’d like to think that he still has time to improve before reaching his prime, so this could be an ideal deal to try and pull off and one to keep a close eye on heading into 2023.

Manchester United star Harry Maguire enjoyed an interview with a difference as he was interrupted mid-sentence by a wandering cat.

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Article continues below

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• Maguire preparing for Euros with England
• Defender conducts interview with Man Utd
• Interrupted mid-sentence by wandering cat

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  On Wednesday, United posted a snippet of an interview with centre-back Maguire, who was asked what motivates him. As the 31-year-old pondered his response, a cat came into shot, causing hysterics on set. The England man was thrown off his strikes but immensely enjoyed the interaction.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• WHAT HARRY MAGUIRE SAID ABOUT THE CAT

  In an interview with the Red Devils, the former Leicester City star said: "What motivates me… we're joined here by a cat, look. That's good for the socials. Yeah, the cat motivates me."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Maguire is gearing up for this summer's European Championship, however, his build up to the tournament has been hampered by a muscle injury that forced him to miss the end of the season. He and England will hope he is fit for their tournament opener against Serbia on June 16.

Tottenham Hotspur star Dejan Kulusevksi will miss today’s Premier League clash with Everton after an injury setback.

The Lowdown: Kulusevski tipped to return…

The Sweden international has missed Spurs’ last two top flight matches against Brighton and Arsenal through injury as well as their double header with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League (Transfermarkt).

The exciting winger was expected to return to action in north London this afternoon after coming back from his recent hamstring problem, with Conte stating just three days ago that Kulusevski will ‘probably be available’.

However, after a fresh setback, Kulusevski will now miss today’s top flight encounter.

The Latest: Kulusevski missing…

Indeed, as per a new update, the 22-year-old has been handed a new blow behind-the-scenes.

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Conte confirmed that Kulusevski will not be available for Everton after all, and as shared by reliable journalist Alasdair Gold, this is down to a ‘knock in training’.

Tottenham are now waiting on the scan results.

The Verdict: Setback for Conte…

The forward has been one of Spurs’ brightest outlets in the attacking areas when available so news of his absence yet again will come as a blow.

Kulusevski has been a brilliant acquisition since joining from Juventus in a loan-to-buy deal at the start of 2022, ranking among Tottenham’s most threatening players for shots at goal, key passes made and completed dribbles per 90 (WhoScored).

Called a ‘huge’ player by journalist Oliver Young-Myles, Kulusevski will be a sore miss as Conte’s side look to go seven points clear of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Glasgow Rangers have been surprisingly linked with a former Premier League midfielder who has 20 international caps for England…

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claim that Rangers are interested in signing former Everton midfielder Fabian Delph on a free transfer following his summer release from the top-flight club.

There are a host of Championship sides clambering for his signature, amongst them Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion, and Sheffield United.

Signing Delph would be a big mistake

Rangers have struggled recently, losing three successive matches in the Premiership and Champions League, shipping 11 goals and scoring zero.

Despite their apparent struggles, all over the pitch not just in the midfield area, manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst would be making a big mistake bringing Delph to Ibrox.

Firstly, he would command a high wage, despite being 32 and this could be invested in someone a lot younger and who could offer much more in the future.

He only made 11 appearances for Everton last season, helping Frank Lampard’s men avoid relegation by the skin of their teeth

The Englishman ranked 12th in the Everton squad last season with a WhoScored rating of just 6.61 and this would have placed him at 21st position in the Rangers squad last season, proving that he wouldn’t justify the high wages he would inevitably demand.

All in all, due to a series of injuries, he has featured just 41 times since making the move from Manchester City in 2019.

Not only would he fail to improve the starting XI at the Ibrox side, but it would also be a big blow in confidence for the academy talents who are seemingly so close to breaking through at the club.

The likes of Alex Lowry and Charlie McCann are incredible talents and with more game time being awarded to them this season, they can significantly improve their development.

Even though sporting director Ross Wilson has had previous failings in the transfer market, a move for Delph will hopefully not materialise in the coming days, otherwise, it could just alienate the fanbase even more.

This surprise move could be the latest in a string of big decisions that the chief has mismeasured in recent times.

West Ham United are targeting Chelsea forward Armando Broja as talkSPORT have shared some transfer news in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Irons keep busy…

Irons head coach David Moyes is still well in the market for further additions after sealing the signings of Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Alphonse Areola, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet and Thilo Kehrer.

West Ham are looking to challenge for a European spot again after failing to qualify for either the Champions League or Europa League last campaign, instead having to settle for a place in the Europa Conference League.

The east Londoners have just under a fortnight to strengthen their options ahead of a long Premier League season with news now emerging on Broja.

The Latest: West Ham eyeing Broja…

Indeed, according to reports, it is believed the Albania international remains of interest to West Ham following their links earlier in the window.

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TalkSPORT claim that Broja is on the ‘radar’ of Moyes’ side as they chase more incomings before September 1 – coming after claims that the 20-year-old was ‘keen’ on a London Stadium move last month (Charlie Gordon, Daily Express).

The Verdict: Make the move?

Having signed Scamacca from Sassuolo, coming with real potential, a move for Broja could perhaps be seen as a luxury.

It was once believed, before West Ham sealed the transfer of their new Italian, that Moyes could have ended up signing both him and Southampton’s former loanee in a double swoop (Dharmesh Sheth).

Called a ‘sensational’ striker by Saints legend Francis Benali, if head of recruitment Rob Newman and co try to push again for Broja, then Moyes may well end up with an abundance of depth in the forward areas.

Time will tell if they can bring him through the door before the end of this summer window and will certainly be an interesting final stretch.