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After Arsenal spent nearly £300m in the transfer window, pundits were making no excuses for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Despite a tough opening run of fixtures, they were told in no uncertain terms that this season they simply had to win the Premier League title.

While expectations were no doubt lofty, they still have to overcome the challenge of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and a Liverpool team that in signing Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak had broken the division’s transfer record twice in one summer.

In spite of those circumstances, the Gunners are top by one point heading into the October international break.

It’s been a seriously impressive start to 2025/26, and while they signed a plethora of new forwards, it’s their sturdy defensive record they have to thank yet again.

After seven weeks, they have the best defensive record and have conceded just one open play goal all campaign; that strike from Erling Haaland against City a few weeks ago. Fair enough, really, few have kept the Norwegian quiet lately.

How Arsenal's defence can carry them to the title

It’s safe to say that Arsenal’s defence has come a long way since Arteta first took the reins at the Emirates Stadium.

The Spaniard’s first match in charge saw the Gunners head to Bournemouth on Boxing Day in 2019. A 1-1 draw played out in which Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rescued a point for the visitors at the Vitality Stadium.

GK – Bernd Leno

RB – Ainsley Maitland-Niles

CB – Sokratis

CB – David Luiz

LB – Bukayo Saka

CM – Granit Xhaka

CM – Lucas Torreira

RW – Reiss Nelson

No. 10 – Mesut Ozil

LW – P-E Aubameyang

CF – Alexandre Lacazette

A marker of the rise at Arsenal is the fact that Bukayo Saka started at left-back that day. Since then he’s become the poster boy of the Arteta project, playing in his 200th game for the club on Saturday.

It’s safe to say the backline has changed considerably. From those dreary days of Sokratis, David Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding, to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, the quality has soared.

From being a laughing stock defensively, the north Londoners now have not just the best defence in England, but arguably in Europe’s top five leagues.

In Saliba, they possess a Rolls-Royce defender, a player who in the words of Leandro Trossard is “one of the best in the world at the moment.”

In Gabriel, they have a colossus. He’s not as calm as Saliba, but that’s why the duo complement each other so well. The Brazilian is a titan and his goal record summarises that perfectly.

Even when one of them are injured, Arsenal have been able to cope well. When Gabriel sustained his hamstring injury during the second half of last season, Jakub Kiwior stepped up admirably, notably keeping a clean sheet against Real Madrid.

This term, with Saliba missing a few games due to his own injury problems, new £13m signing Cristhian Mosquera was outstanding, hailed by some as the club’s “signing of the summer”, such is the bargain price they have paid.

Combined with the likes of David Raya, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal have shipped just three league goals in seven matches. In the Champions League, they have conceded none. It’s a water-tight defence.

Now, however, they need a bit more help from the attackers.

How Arteta can improve Arsenal's forward line

It was blindingly obvious what the primary issue for Arsenal was last season; they didn’t score enough goals.

There were a number of reasons for that, chiefly the fact that Saka and Kai Havertz missed large parts of the campaign through injury.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Still, once all was said and done, for the first time since the 1923/24 season, an Arsenal player failed to make it to double figures across a league campaign.

So, over the summer, Andrea Berta and Co invested heavily in improving the attack. Viktor Gyokeres, the scorer of 54 goals in 2024/25 arrived, while Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze also came in to bolster the forward ranks.

Despite that, it still feels like there is a missing link in attack. Whether that be Arsenal’s left-hand side, or the chemistry being built with Gyokeres, there are a few problems.

Arsenal’s big Swede is improving game by game and Arteta appears to be happy with his performances, but ultimately, he will be judged on goals and he is not finding the net regularly enough.

After scoring against Nottingham Forest in the fourth gameweek of the season, he has not beaten the goalkeeper in his last six matches. In fact, across the striker’s last ten outings in all competitions, he has only scored once.

Yet, he is not the biggest problem. Like it was last season, the primary issue has been the left flank.

That being said, certain circumstances have dictated what they can and cannot do in that area of the pitch.

Madueke, now injured, played there against Manchester United and Leeds while Eze featured there against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Athletic Club.

Since then, he’s been preferred in a more central role and that will likely continue after Martin Odegaard’s new injury setback.

As such, despite improved form for Gabriel Martinelli, Arteta has turned back to Trossard. The Belgian has feen a mighty fine servant since arriving from Brighton, notably scoring 17 times during the 2023/24 campaign. Only Saka found the net more regularly that year.

However, his powers are waning and he ended last year with just ten goals in all competitions from over 50 matches.

The forward has scored some big goals in Arsenal red. To some, including one content creator on X, he is “the best finisher at the club.” Certainly, some of his goals throughout his career in the capital have showcased why that is the case.

That 2023/24 season saw the 30-year-old net two goals against Chelsea, while he also scored against Manchester United, Liverpool and came up with vital strikes in the Champions League versus Porto and Bayern Munich.

Truth be told, Trossard is a clutch player, but he isn’t a player in 2025/26 that Arteta should be relying upon to start regular games.

His involvement over the last three games demonstrates why. Last weekend against Newcastle he only created one key pass and was unusually wasteful in front of goal, striking the post in the first half when he should have at least hit the target.

The Belgium international was again wasteful in midweek against Olympiacos, missing what were deemed as two ‘big chances’.

Then, against West Ham on Sunday, his influence was limited once again. Reduced to two blocked shots and only one accurate cross from six attempts, he lost possession a whopping 16 times and only completed one dribble. Nuno Santo’s men played with a deep block but Trossard only continues to look like the weak link in this forward line.

So, as much as this Arsenal team need to find a way to get more out of Gyokeres, equally, they need to find solutions on the left-hand side. That could well begin by dropping Trossard after the international break.

Unlucky Arsenal star is very quickly becoming the new Jack Wilshere

The new Jack Wilshere may have emerged for Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 5, 2025

علق أيمن يونس، لاعب الزمالك السابق، على فوز الأهلي على سيراميكا كليوباترا، بهدفين لهدف، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس السوبر المصري.

والتقى الأهلي نظيره سيراميكا كليوباترا، في نصف نهائي كأس السوبر المصري، على ملعب هزاع بن زايد، في نصف نهائي بطولة السوبر المصري.

وقال أيمن يونس في تصريحات لقناة “أون سبورت”: “فوز مستحق للأهلي، وسط الملعب هو العامل الرئيسي للفوز، الأهلي كان مسيطرًا في وسط الملعب مع عملية تحرير للاعبين، الـ3 أهداف سرقة مشروعة من اللاعبين”.

طالع | موعد مباراة الأهلي القادمة بعد الفوز على سيراميكا كليوباترا في السوبر المصري

وتابع: “تريزيجيه سرق المدافع وسجل الهدف، ومروان عثمان سرق محمد هاني وسجل هدفًا، بلحاج هو سر تألق سيراميكا وعندما يغيب يتأثر الفريق”.

وأضاف: “الشوط الثاني نفس شخصية الأهلي، القوة والاستحواذ، كنت متوقع إن علي ماهر سيهاجم أكثر، لكنه لم يفعل ذلك، بل فعله على استحياء، وجراديشار سجل الكرة بلمسة حب، وكان من المهم للنادي الأهلي أن يترجم سيطرته”.

واختتم: “توروب يغير من شخصية الأهلي، حول اللعب لـ5-3-2، لكن في المضمون فوز مستحق للأهلي، وعلي ماهر قدم مباراة متواضعة، وفخري لاكاي هو البعبع والمهاجم الثقيل، ومروان مهاجم صندوق، لكن بلحاج كان معزولًا ولم يوصل لهما الكرة بسبب ضغط مروان عطية عليه”.

“I’m in the media talking about the media,” said Ollie Pope, rolling his eyes as he broke the fourth wall on the outfield at Trent Bridge, not long after England’s victory over Zimbabwe.The first Test of the summer had a bit of the ouroboros about it, and not because Shoaib Bashir made light work of the tourist’s tail on Saturday to confirm a simple innings victory inside three days.Ben Stokes’ pre-match quotes when asked about the reintroduction of Jacob Bethell after his IPL stint seemed to suggest Pope – and, by association, Zak Crawley – might be at risk when it came to turning 12 into an XI. Stokes bristled at the subsequent coverage, believing he had made it clear he meant Bethell’s return to the was a no-brainer, and went a step further in his post-match briefings, suggesting the misunderstanding was wilful as part of an agenda against Pope.Related

• Key: England's No. 3 decision won't define careers

• Stokes blames media 'agenda' for pre-match pressure on Pope

• Bashir shows he belongs despite all evidence to the contrary

• Shoaib Bashir seals innings win as Sean Williams stars for spirited Zimbabwe

• Pressure on Pope and Crawley with Bethell in line for role against India

In between, Stokes also spoke to Pope about those circulating comments, though the man himself did the best job of quelling any awkwardness by strumming a breezy 171 to all but cement his usual spot at No. 3 for next month’s India series, having selflessly vacated the position in New Zealand to take the wicketkeeping gloves, allowing Bethell to state such a compelling case.”Whenever I do media now I get asked if I’m reading what’s in the media,” Pope said. “So I try not to read what’s in the media and focus on scoring my runs.”[I’m] just trying to ignore it and try to become a better player. Whenever I’ve stood still, that’s when I’ve not become a better player. It’s trying to block it out, trying not to let it affect me in the Test match week. Every time I go into a series, trying to make sure I’m a better player than I was before, and hopefully cash in when it counts.”It’s all noise to us, we have a tight-knit unit, we will keep chatting amongst ourselves.”He even grasped the nettle on Bethell’s return, with something of a smile: “It’ll be good to have him back in the squad and the selectors can make their decision, and I will try to score my runs.”Ollie Pope notched his eighth Test hundred•Getty Images

That bolshiness is nothing new, particularly given how much of Pope’s career recently has been underpinned by external uncertainty as to what his best role may be, and even whether he is in England’s strongest team outright.Right now, the answer to both those questions seems to be No. 3 – where he averages 43.06 – and an unequivocal yes from Stokes. “He’s my vice-captain, and he’s been incredible for me at number three and the team,” Stokes said.Nevertheless, Pope acknowledges the variety of roles undertaken means much of his work behind the scenes has been geared towards being more adaptable. In the last year alone, he has batted at first drop, at No. 6 with the gloves and even captained four Tests.”I’ve been trying to work on my all-round game and everything that will make me successful in Test cricket,” Pope said, accepting his future may well be as a high-calibre utility pick. “I’ve done a lot of different roles. I’ve kept, I’ve captained, batted six, batted three. It’s focusing on my main job at No. 3 and making sure my game is in as good an order as it can be.”That immediate focus will come to the fore against India at Headingley on June 20, the first of 10 huge, legacy-defining Tests, finishing off with the Ashes in Australia. Barring a stunning 196 in Hyderabad at the start of 2024, Pope has a poor record against both of England’s biggest rivals. His average against India, against whom he debuted in 2018, is a lowly 24.60, but almost 10 runs higher than his 15.70 against Australia. He accepts the next engagements are as much a defining period for himself as the team.”Yeah absolutely,” he said, when asked if he had something to prove over the next two series. “But I also feel I am a much better player now than I was [four years ago] when we last played India at home and Australia away.”I completely own that my numbers aren’t good enough against those guys, and I accept that. But I think I am a better player to deal with the competition ahead this summer. Hopefully over the next year I can prove that. I did that a little bit in India last year, but look forward to doing it this summer and winter.”

Chelsea’s summer transfer window once again made headlines, combining record spending with significant sales.

After finishing fourth in the Premier League last season, winning the Europa Conference League, and lifting the Club World Cup by beating PSG 3-0 in the summer final, the Blues are back in the Champions League for the first time since 2023.

The club continued to invest heavily, bringing in João Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Jorrel Hato, and Liam Delap, among others, for huge fees.

At the same time, Chelsea balanced the books by offloading players such as Christopher Nkunku, João Félix, and notably, Noni Madueke.

Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s youthful squad has shown promise but also inconsistency.

Two wins against Fulham and West Ham have been tempered by draws with Crystal Palace and Brentford, a reflection of a side still searching for rhythm.

Their return to the Champions League offered a reality check about the demands of competing at Europe’s highest level. While Madueke thrived for Arsenal, a Blues winger struggled.

Noni Madueke: From Chelsea to Arsenal

Madueke was once seen as a cornerstone of Chelsea’s rebuild.

The 23-year-old right-winger scored 20 goals and registered nine assists in 92 appearances during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Explosive when on form, he could change games with pace, dribbling, and direct running.

However, his Chelsea career was defined as much by frustration as by highlights.

The club decided to sell him to Arsenal for £52m this summer, a transfer that drew an immediate backlash from Gunners supporters.

More than 5,000 fans signed a petition under the hashtag #NoToMadueke, questioning the move.

Arsenal pressed ahead regardless, handing Madueke a full 90 minutes on his Champions League debut against Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday.

Statistically, Madueke has always been a player who offers high involvement in forward play.

Last season, he averaged 6.81 progressive carries per 90 minutes, a measure of how often he drives the ball upfield.

He also attempted a high volume of shots, posting 1.33 shots on target per 90 minutes with an accuracy rate of 37.5%.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

These numbers highlight both his intent and his end product – a winger eager to make things happen, though not always efficient. One Chelsea winger is like that now.

Chelsea's new Noni Madueke

Chelsea’s 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener showed just how raw this youthful team remains.

Defensive errors – including Trevoh Chalobah’s own goal after Michael Olise’s cross and a clumsy Moises Caicedo foul that gifted Harry Kane a penalty – set the tone for a tough night.

In attack, Pedro Neto was handed the role of left-winger in Maresca’s 4-2-3-1.

It proved a difficult evening. Neto was replaced in the 68th minute after a performance that earned him a 5.8 match rating.

His individual numbers reflected the struggle:

Touches

25

Accurate Passes

11/14 (79%)

Crosses

1 (0 accurate)

Dribble Attempts

4 (2 successful)

Grounds Duels

7 (2 won)

Possession Lost

9 (2 won)

Neto’s inconsistency mirrored some of the very frustrations Chelsea fans once voiced about Madueke.

He can explode with pace and creativity, but also drift out of games, as he did in Munich.

Across last season, Neto managed 35 matches with ten goal involvements – identical to Madueke’s tally in 32 appearances.

While Neto averaged fewer progressive carries (5.00 per 90) and shots on target (0.67 per 90 at a 28.8% accuracy), he outperformed Madueke in progressive passing distance, covering an average of 96 metres per 90 minutes compared to Madueke’s 82.0.

The data illustrate why Chelsea’s decision to sell Madueke and entrust Neto with a similar role has sparked debate.

Both wingers bring pace and unpredictability, both contribute to chance creation, and both are capable of flashes of brilliance. But the numbers confirm their limitations as well.

Madueke’s higher output in progressive carries and shots suggests a winger more inclined to take risks and force opportunities.

Neto, on the other hand, contributes more in ball progression through passing, reflected in his superior progressive passing distance.

Each offers something slightly different, yet neither has consistently delivered match-winning influence.

When comparing shot creation, the two players are virtually inseparable. Madueke averaged 3.50 shot-creating actions per 90, while Neto produced 3.57.

This parity shows that both are involved in their teams’ attacking buildup, even if their execution varies.

Madueke’s numbers underline why Arsenal were willing to pay a premium despite fan scepticism.

His willingness to carry the ball forward and threaten goalkeepers with regular attempts makes him a high-upside option.

Neto’s profile fits Chelsea’s philosophy under Maresca – linking play, stretching the pitch, and helping transition through midfield – but his display against Bayern revealed how much more is needed to reach Champions League standard.

For Chelsea, the swap of Madueke for Neto feels less like a fresh direction and more like a gamble on a winger with a strikingly similar profile: exciting, unpredictable, and still searching for the consistency required to define matches at the highest level.

Maresca must drop Chelsea dud who was as bad as Chalobah vs Bayern

Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich in their first Champions League game of the season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 18, 2025

Wolves’ summer window has been one marked by exodus. Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri have joined Manchester clubs, and long-standing players like Nélson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia have also left on free transfers.

These departures have led to some pundits talking about Wolves in terms of Premier League relegation candidates, but the board are making moves to ensure they survive the drop.

Underrated striker Jorgen Strand Larsen’s time at the club has been made permanent, and he has arrived alongside his Celta Vigo teammate Fer Lopez for a combined £43.3 million. These signings will go some way in securing the club’s future, but Vitor Pereira is looking to further deepen their roster by bringing in a versatile player who can support the team across the pitch.

Pereira working to bring in versatile Tchatchoua

Ben Jacobs has shared on X that Wolves have approached Hellas Verona over the signing of Jackson Tchatchoua “with club-to-club talks active”. The Cameroon international spent most of his early career in the Belgian league before joining Verona last summer. He is seen as one of a number of targets that Wolves are currently exploring.

Verona paid just under £2.6 million for Tchatchoua last summer and are looking to make a hefty profit on him already. Fabrizio Romano reported that Nottingham Forest had previously been interested, and there were other reports of a £10 million offer from the Reds, though nothing materialised.

Tchatchoua doesn’t look like a replacement for one specific player, as during his time for Hella Verona, he has been utilised in six different positions, including right and left back, on both sides of the midfield and further up as a left or right winger. He could fit comfortably in any of the roles that were previously occupied by Ait-Nouri, Sarabia or Semedo.

Tchatchoua's versatility and his drawbacks

The phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” may come to some apprehensive fans’ minds when hearing of a player who can play in six different positions. With Tchatchoua, there may be some merit to this fear.

When looking at his stats in comparison to similar profile players, there are very few categories where he stands out, and in most metrics, he is middle of the pack. Where he does shine is in his dribbling, his winning of possession high up the pitch and in not letting players past him.

However, he struggles in terms of pass accuracy (where he was in the bottom third of players in Europe last term) and touches per 90 (where he was in the bottom 5 per cent of players). These are some worrying results that indicate he is not a confident player with the ball, but with his previously mentioned ability to win the ball and dribble, he will get Wolves further up the pitch with his directness.

While he may not specialise in any position and has some areas of weakness, he should do a competent job wherever Pereira puts him, and with the high volume of games teams now face, he may become an invaluable addition to the squad.

انتهت المباراة الودية التي جمعت بين نادي بيراميدز ونظيره وي، بفوز الضيوف (وي) بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدفين، في اللقاء الذي جرى بين الفريقين على استاد الدفاع الجوي.

ويستعد فريق بيراميدز لمواجهة نهضة بركان المغربي، في نهائي كأس السوبر الإفريقي، يوم السبت المقبل. 

طالع.. بيراميدز يخوض مباراة ودية استعدادًا لـ نهضة بركان في السوبر الإفريقي

سجل هدفي بيراميدز في المباراة، دودو الجباس والبرازيلي إيفرتون داسيلفا، في اللقاء الودي التحضيري الذي يقام خلال التوقف الدولي وفي ظل غيابات كبيرة لانضمام أغلب لاعبي الفريق سواء المحليين أو المحترفين للمنتخبات المختلفة، بجانب إصابة الثنائي محمود زلاكة وأسامة جلال.

وخاض بيراميدز مباراة وي بتشكيل مكون من:

حراسة المرمى: شريف إكرامي.

خط الدفاع: محمود مرعي – طارق علاء – علي جبر – أحمد توفيق.

خط الوسط: محمود دونجا – إيفرتون داسيلفا – عبد الرحمن مجدي – مصطفى زيكو – محمد رضا بوبو.

خط الهجوم: دودو الجباس.

وفي الشوط الثاني، شارك عبد الرحمن جودة وعدد من الناشئين والشباب، منهم: زياد هيثم، وأدهم نبيل وحسن طارق وزياد النواوي وزياد شاكر وأحمد سيد.

وقرر الكرواتي كرونسلاف يورتشيتش المدير الفني، منح اللاعبين راحة سلبية لمدة 24 ساعة قبل العودة بداية من يوم الثلاثاء لاستئناف التدريبات، تحضيرا للقاء السوبر الأفريقي أمام نهضة بركان المغربي والمقرر له السبت المقبل.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly on the lookout for an heir to club legend Son Heung-min amid their dire need for a new playmaker too, with Spurs expected to be busy during the final few weeks of this summer window.

The Lilywhites take on PSG in a highly-anticipated UEFA Super Cup clash next week, but as things stand, Thomas Frank will battle the French treble winners with a severely weakened squad.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Son’s £20 million move to LAFC brought an end to what was an historic 10 years at Spurs for the winger, culminating in the 33-year-old waving an emotional goodbye to an adoring Korean crowd in Seoul last weekend.

Unfortunately, the tribute was marred by James Maddison suffering a serious injury to the same knee which kept him out of the Europa League final last season.

Maddison was forced off on a stretcher, with Frank describing the issue as “bad” in what was a devastating blow for the Dane ahead of his imminent first competitive game in charge.

After just 90 minutes against Newcastle, Frank lost Son to the MLS and Maddison swiftly returned to the treatment table, with Daniel Levy now tasked with somehow filling the voids left by both men.

In an ideal world, Levy and technical director Johan Lange would bring in a versatile-enough attacking option to cover both positions, if they can’t sign two new attackers.

There are a few intriguing possibilities in this regard, with reports suggesting that Liverpool sensation Harvey Elliott could emerge as a target for Tottenham. However, the north Londoners face stiff competition from RB Leipzig, who are now moving for the England Under-21 international after his stellar Euros.

Similarly to Elliott, wantaway Manchester United starlet Alejandro Garnacho can operate both on the left-hand side and as a CAM.

Alejandro Garnacho refuses to rule out joining Tottenham

Chelsea are believed to be in talks for Garnacho as they eye a double-swoop for the Argentine and Xavi Simons, but according to journalist Graeme Bailey, Spurs are not entirely out of the race.

Speaking to TBR Football, Bailey reports that Frank’s side and Aston Villa are other suitors, and Garnacho hasn’t “discounted” joining either of them over Chelsea, even if Stamford Bridge is his preferred destination right now.

“Garnacho is determined to leave Old Trafford, we know that, and Chelsea appeal, but I am told he has not discounted other options,” said Bailey.

“A move to Stamford Bridge does (stand out to him). Spurs and Villa like him, but Chelsea have done a lot of work so far.”

The 21-year-old fits seamlessly into Tottenham’s transfer policy of buying young players with high potential and sell-on value, with reports also suggesting he’d cost around £40 million after Ruben Amorim’s side reduced his asking price.

Garnacho’s 11 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last season tells you all you need to know about how devastating he could be in the final third, but Spurs will need to hijack Chelsea’s discussions for the “real deal” forward – so a move won’t be easy by any means.

Martin Keown has fired back at "deranged" Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel for claiming that Arsenal play "ugly" football under Mikel Arteta. Schmeichel was critical of Arsenal's style of play in their 1-0 loss to Premier League champions Liverpool before the international break, homing in on their "annoying" focus on set-pieces.

• Keown hits back at Schmeichel
• United legend slammed Arteta's style
• Arsenal beaten by Liverpool

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• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Liverpool in August, Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane were among those to raise questions over the Gunners' style of play under Arteta. Schmeichel was also critical of the Spanish coach as he labelled the Gunners' style of football "ugly" and "annoying" and admitted he wanted Liverpool to win the clash.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Now, Arsenal icon Keown has hit back at Schmeichel, claiming that the former Denmark goalkeeper's comments were "deranged". The ex-England defender did, however, admit that Arteta's side need to change their mentality to win the Premier League this season.

• WHAT KEOWN SAID

  Speaking on , the 59-year-old said: "We want more. Arsenal I feel now are at the stage where it’s a mentality change, they need to change gear, they’ve really got to go after it. You’ve got to have the eye of the tiger to really go and win these games. Looking back, I hope we don’t regret it, but it’s too early in the season to write Arsenal off.

  "I don’t know if it’s been calm in the media. I’ve listened to some people, sometimes these ex-players like Peter Schmeichel has said that Arsenal bring something “ugly” to the Premier League. I think that’s deranged, what's he talking about."

  Keown added: "Was it they changed the back-pass rule in 1992 because it was him [Schmeichel] that was one of the advocates of that? Everyone kept passing it back to him, that was ugly as well. Arsenal are a long way down the line to being successful. I think Arsenal look good right now. It’s not lucky Arsenal anymore, by the way, with all these injuries. That will clear up and they’ve now got a squad to go the distance, but Liverpool are still ahead."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  The Gunners will be back in action in the Premier League this weekend as they take on Nottingham Forest at home.

All Leeds United fans will be crossing their fingers now that the Whites can maintain a Premier League position for the foreseeable.

Daniel Farke’s side do jump back up the unforgiving league dripping with confidence, having just lifted the Championship title with a colossal 100 points, but the West Yorkshire outfit will be very aware of how challenging the step up can be.

The Whites unfortunately tasted the bitterness of relegation at the close of their dire 2022-23 season, with another relegation also on their record way back in 2004 when Mark Viduka was still leading the line.

To avoid a hat-trick of slip-ups, Leeds will now be in the market for a whole host of players to enhance their options in the Premier League, with this defensive target one body who could really boost Farke’s side.

Leeds now ready to sign £1.2m defender

As per a report in the Express journalist Charlie Gordon, Leeds are readying a move for Millwall star Japhet Tanganga with his transfer valuation all the way down at a meagre £1.2m.

This is the case as Tanganga has a release clause around this slim amount for all Premier League clubs, which has alerted Farke’s men back to his services, who would be more than happy to fork out this reasonable fee. However, they are not alone in their advances.

As is revealed above, Crystal Palace view the ex-Tottenham Hotspur defender as a cost-effective possible replacement for Marc Guehi, with both Sunderland and Burnley also keen on Tanganga’s services after their own jubilant promotion stories.

If Leeds were to win the services of the cheap 26-year-old, they could be about to land their next Ethan Ampadu, with Ampadu now viewed as a successful bargain in his own right after repairing his career in the EFL.

How Tanganga could be Ampadu 2.0

Ampadu would join the Elland Road ranks for around the £7m mark in the summer of 2023, having failed to ever make an impression at Chelsea.

The Welshman won’t be plagued with any lingering disappointment in the here and now as to how his Stamford Bridge tale ended, however, with the 24-year-old going on to be a key part of Farke’s camp. Last season saw Ampadu notch up a formidable 16 clean sheets from 29 league appearances, on top of looking ice-cold with the ball at his feet with a 90% pass accuracy averaged per clash.

Tanganga will hope he can be as pivotal to Leeds’ defence if he relocates from the Den to West Yorkshire shortly, with the 6-foot defender also having to get over the dismay of walking away from Spurs, much like Ampadu at Chelsea, to be the imposing option at the back he is today.

He will already be known to Leeds fans for this poked finish he managed against Farke’s champions last season, but away from silencing the Whites masses in this instance, he could soon be cheered in the same manner as Ampadu for his similarly classy yet dominant performances.

Tanganga’s league numbers for Millwall (24/25)
Stat – per 90 mins*	Tanganga
Games played	40
Goals scored	2
Assists	0
Touches*	49
Accurate passes*	26 (78%)
Tackles*	1.4
Ball recoveries*	3.8
Clearances*	5.4
Total duels won*	5.8
Clean sheets	14
Stats by Sofascore

As can be seen glancing at the table above, the Hackney-born target operates in a very similar vein to Ampadu, with Tanganga an equally capable performer on the ball when looking at his passing statistics, on top of his ability to rise valiantly into duels with 5.8 won on average. To add context, his Welsh counterpart won less at 5.1 on average, even as promotion was sealed.

The former Spurs youth product was even hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Premier League icon Alan Shearer when starring for the North London titans previously, with Tanganga actually already boasting 27 top-flight appearances on his career resume.

Pundit Carlton Palmer also claimed that the defender is “capable of playing in the Premier League” because of his “tremendous recovery pace”.

He could well be a perfect fit in West Yorkshire, therefore, as Farke’s men continue to hunt down Premier League-ready talents.

Better than Bijol: Leeds targeting "best CB outside the top five leagues"

Leeds United can forget about Jaka Bijol with a move for another star defender.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 14, 2025

Arsenal have now been contacted by the entourage of a Manchester United star, ahead of a potential summer move, according to a report.

Gunners stepping up winger pursuit

With Mikel Arteta’s side poised to finish second for the third year on the bounce, the board are set to spend big in the upcoming window, and The Mirror’s John Cross has revealed there are two key areas in which the manager is looking to strengthen.

Bukayo Saka’s lengthy spell on the sidelines this season underlined his importance to the Gunners, but there may be some concerns about Gabriel Martinelli’s attacking output, with the Brazilian hardly setting the world alight in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old picked up just eight goals and four assists in the 2024-25 campaign, and the north Londoners could now be presented with the opportunity to raid one of their Premier League rivals for a potential replacement.

Indeed, according to a report from The Boot Room, the agents of Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho have now been in contact over a potential move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, with the left-winger set to be sold.

Garnacho is frustrated about not being included in the starting XI for the Europa League final, and having accepted he needs to leave Old Trafford this summer, the Argentine is keen on a switch to Atletico Madrid, while Napoli are also in the picture.

It remains to be seen whether the 20-year-old is tempted by a move to Arsenal, but any deal is expected to amount to around £51m.

£359k-per-week striker would join Arsenal "immediately", Berta wants him

He’s apparently very keen.

ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025 "Generational" Garnacho needs summer move

Much like a whole host of other top players, the Argentina international’s career has stalled at Old Trafford, picking up just six goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, but there are plenty of signs the youngster could be a success elsewhere.

Lauded as “generational” by Statman Dave, the starlet holds the record for most goal involvements by a teenager in United’s history, while he has also received praise for his ability to create chances.

That said, Arsenal have identified a number of other winger targets, and it would be a risk to take a punt on Garnacho, rather than a player who is more proven at the top level.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Rafael Leao

AC Milan

£145m

Nico Williams

Athletic Club

£49m

Ademola Lookman

Atalanta

£55m

Rodrygo

Real Madrid

£85m