The first half of the 2023/24 season has been mixed for Mikel Arteta's exciting young Arsenal side. They sailed through their Champions League group and spent Christmas day atop the Premier League tree but have since fallen back down to fourth following consecutive defeats before New Year's Day.

A team that had looked so good only a few weeks ago suddenly seem bereft of ideas, tired and in need of replenishment. However, injuries to the likes of Jurrien Timber, Fabio Viera and Thomas Partey have left Arteta with fewer options than he'd ideally want.

Arsenal can upgrade Havertz by signing one of "Europe's best young players"

The 21-year-old could unlock Arsenal’s midfield.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 5, 2024

Partey's injury record, in particular, has become a genuine concern over the last couple of years, and for as good as he can be, the latest player touted for a move to N5 could be the perfect replacement: Everton's Amadou Onana.

Arsenal transfer news – Amadou Onana

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal are on the lookout for midfield reinforcements this month and have now made an approach to sign Everton's impressive Belgian.

The report has revealed that while the Gunners are interested in several midfielders – including Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz – they have turned their attention to the Toffees star and could make an offer for him in 'the near future.'

Other Premier League sides have shown interest in the former LOSC Lille midfielder, including Chelsea and Manchester United, but the Gunners are keen to get ahead of them with a move this month.

While the other interested parties are sure to pose a challenge for the north Londoners, the most significant barrier to completing this deal could be the price that Everton are after, with TEAMtalk reporting that the Grand Old Team will not sell for anything less than £70m and are looking for offers closer to £90m.

Therefore, any move would require a massive investment from the Gunners, but for a player that talent scout Jacek Kulig described as the "complete package" and a "Swiss army knife in midfield", he might prove to be worth it.

Amadou Onana could replace Thomas Partey

Now, replacing a player as good as Partey is going to be a mammoth task for whoever is asked to do it, and at 22 years old, it could be argued that Onana is too young to do so. However, as the saying goes, availability is the best ability, and while it isn't his fault, Partey just never seems to be available anymore.

Since he arrived in North London in 2020, the former Atlético Madrid star has missed 63 games for club and country through injury, yet he missed just seven games in his entire career before joining the club. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how good you are if you can't be relied upon throughout the season.

In comparison, Onana has missed just nine games since making his professional debut for Hamburg three years ago, and more importantly, he has not suffered the same injury twice.

So availability is clearly something that the Dakar-born dynamo has over his potential competition, but how do the duo's underlying numbers from last season stack up?

Well, it doesn't look good for the Arsenal man, as despite his clear superiority when it comes to progressive passes, it's Everton's "midfield powerhouse", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, who comes out on top in the majority of essential metrics.

He won more tackles, made more interceptions, made no errors that led to a goal and won significantly more aerial duels.

Amadou Onana vs Thomas Partey
Stats per 90	Onana	Partey
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists	0.20	0.14
Progressive Passes	2.86	8.37
Progressive Carries	0.98	1.23
Tackles Won	1.56	1.45
Interceptions	1.34	1.01
Errors Leading to Goals	0.00	0.04
Aerial Duels Won	2.17	1.34
All Stats via FBref for the 2022/23 Domestic Season

Ultimately, Partey is a player who will have to be moved on given his poor track record with injuries, and while it'll cost the club an awful lot of money, signing the "one-man army", as described by Jacek Kulig, that is Onana would be a fantastic idea.

Burnley have made one signing thus far in the January transfer window, recruiting striker David Datro Fofana from Chelsea on a short-term loan deal, but they continue to be active as they look to strengthen Vincent Kompany's squad.

The Clarets are said to be on the verge of signing Maxime Esteve, the Montpellier centre-back, in a deal that will be worth just over £10m. They appear to have beaten off significant competition to land the Frenchman.

Another Ligue 1 player has also piqued the interest of the relegation-threatened Premier League side, this time a midfielder in Marseille's Pape Gueye. Kompany and Burnley have been "incessant" in their pursuit of Gueye, who's into the final six months of his contract at the Stade Velodrome. Now, as the deadline looms, there's been a significant update from France on the player's future.

Marseille doing all they can to force Gueye out

According to Foot Mercato, Marseille are desperate to sell Burnley target Gueye before the window closes. The player is of a mind to leave at the end of the season, potentially because he's already reached an agreement to join another club on a free transfer, but Marseille want him out now while they can still receive a fee.

The club held talks with the player's entourage last month, but Gueye rejected two offers to extend his deal. Marseille offered him a pay rise and a "nice signing bonus", but it still fell short of his expectations because he wanted one of the highest salaries in the squad.

Burnley now closing in on £10m+ agreement for “dominant” star for Kompany

Burnley are now poised to make their second signing of the transfer window.

ByDavid Comerford Jan 27, 2024

After those talks broke down, the Ligue 1 club asked him to pack his bags, aware of interest from clubs like Burnley, but Gueye hasn't actively sought a winter move. Whether he stays or goes at this point, he may never play for them again, with bosses threatening to exclude him from the squad for the remainder of the season if he doesn't leave.

The report stated that Marseille would make this clear to him when he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal and, significantly, the holders were knocked out on penalties by the hosts Ivory Coast on Monday night.

Burnley hope Marseille threat works

Marseille signed Gueye from fellow French club Le Havre in 2020, but the circumstances of that deal were controversial. FIFA found that he'd already agreed to join Watford, only to go back on his word, and they subsequently banned him from playing for four months.

As a result, while Gueye has played 103 games for the club overall, he's only featured three times this season, coming off the bench in a few Ligue 1 matches before he headed off to AFCON.

Josh Brownhill

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Burnley can only hope that Gueye, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla, hasn't already shaken hands with a rival suitor, and that he sees the light when he returns from AFCON. The threat of not featuring for the next four months or so should be a fairly powerful one.

Australia will continue to dip into their deep supply of former greats with former captain Steve Waugh joining the Ashes squad as a mentor.Waugh will link up with the tour ahead of the first Test at Edgbaston on August 1 as Australia seek to win their first away Ashes since 2001.Waugh played in nine Ashes series, losing just his first in 1986-87, and piled up 3173 runs in the contests at an average of 58.75. He captained two of the series, including 2001 on English soil.Head coach Justin Langer has been keen to integrate the knowledge and experience of former players. Ricky Ponting has been an assistant coach during the World Cup while Matthew Hayden and Mitchell Johnson worked with the squad on the tour of India earlier this year.”I know it is something that JL [Langer] and myself have been quite big on, that is to try and get some of our past legends in and around the team,” Test captain Tim Paine told . “I think to have someone like him around during a Test series is going to be great for our whole group.””I know I will be trying to bounce off him as much as I can. As I said, coming to England at times, particularly with the pressure and scrutiny that is around the team at the moment, I think he is someone who is regarded for handling that sort of stuff really well.”

A proud occasion for the visitors will inevitably be overshadowed by what has gone before, and what is still to come

The Preview by Andrew Miller23-Jul-2019Big pictureWell, how do you follow that? The Greatest Game at the Greatest Venue. The Greatest Day for English cricket in, at the very least, a generation. And if Liam Plunkett’s telling comments in the aftermath are anything to go by, the Greatest Comedown imaginable for a band of England cricketers who, last Sunday afternoon, reached the highest high of them all – an unforgettable World Cup triumph at Lord’s.Well, in keeping with the sport’s ever-grinding treadmill, the only fit and proper follow-up is to march onwards, ever onwards, to a very different slice of cricketing history. Three strips north of the patch of grass laid out for that epic encounter with New Zealand, England and Ireland will do battle for the very first time in Test history, in a contest that offers a very abrupt change of pace from everything that we’ve so far witnessed this summer.First things first, let’s pay tribute to the visitors, for – with respect to their first overseas Test against Afghanistan in Dehradun in March – this is unquestionably the biggest occasion for Irish cricket since their inaugural Test against Pakistan last May. And in so many ways it is bigger still than that emotional home unveiling in Malahide.Will Porterfield takes a drink during training•Getty ImagesJust try to imagine the huge pride that Ireland’s players will feel as they walk through the Long Room for that very first time tomorrow, to compete in a Test match at Lord’s, no less. There is no more fitting ceremony to mark the completion of their journey from Associate obscurity to Full Member acceptance, and coming so soon after a World Cup from which they were forced to look on enviously from the sidelines (and watch a former team-mate raise the trophy on England’s behalf), the occasion is sure to be all the sweeter.But let’s be frank, the timing is not exactly ideal. In fact, it utterly sucks. Schedules are no-one’s friend, and the ECB are entitled to say, if not now, then when could they possibly have issued that maiden invitation? But there are only two contests on English cricket’s minds this summer – the World Cup that has already been, and the Ashes that are looming large in barely a week’s time. Everything that occurs in the next four days (and that in itself is a telling detail) will be viewed through a light blue filter, a green-and-gold filter, or both.Of course, that in itself will throw up some intriguing subplots. England have confirmed two debutants in their ranks for Wednesday morning – the familiar face of Jason Roy at the top of the order, and the lesser-exposed Olly Stone in the pace attack – and while both men will be justifiably proud when they receive their maiden caps before the toss, they will also know that this is just the pre-amble, an audition for a far more prestigious role in August and September.And Roy aside, what of the other World Cup survivors – the captain Joe Root, the keeper Jonny Bairstow, and the seamer Chris Woakes, whose chronic knee problems have been managed so efficiently that he is now back to being a front-line Test option after not featuring in the side for almost a year? How do they manage the emotions of returning to the scene of that triumph? Should they hold anything in reserve, pacing themselves for stiffer tests to come, or should they throw themselves wholeheartedly into the fray, and honour the occasion as an equal, even when pragmatism says that it is not?Of course they’ll give it their all. Root is the Test captain, and rightly proud of the honour; Bairstow doesn’t get out of bed with anything less than 100 percent commitment. Woakes was a centurion in his last Test at Lord’s and has missed enough matches in his six-year career to know never to take anything for granted. But it doesn’t make it right to expect them to be able to dredge up another performance so soon after playing their hearts out on the biggest stage of all. As shown in the new film, The Edge, which charts the rise and fall of England’s 2009-14 team, the dangers of burn-out are all too real and all too easily ignored.But, the show must and will go on, and it’s fair to say that Ireland won’t care too greatly if their opponents’ minds are caught in no-man’s land. Even eight years on, there are enough survivors in Ireland’s ranks from that mighty victory in the 2011 World Cup to know how sweet it can be to fell a giant when they are least expecting it. They’ve spent enough of their careers punching upwards to give it one last heave for glory.That said, there is a certain poignancy about Ireland’s international fortunes at present. They are not so much a team in transition as a team basking in the last sunbeams of a golden generation. Kevin O’Brien, Tim Murtagh and Boyd Rankin are closer to their 40th birthdays than their 30th; Ed Joyce and Niall O’Brien have already retired since that inaugural Test. Will Porterfield has been captain for a remarkable 11 years and counting.That said, England are missing a raft of key performers – not least the ever-green James Anderson – and if their new-look top-order suffers a familiar wobble on another grass-tinged deck, the circumstances are ripe for an almighty World Cup comedown. But for that to happen, Ireland may require a new generation of heroes to make their presence known. That faithful old guard can’t be expected to do the job every time.Form guideEngland WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Ireland LL—In the spotlightJason Roy is the anointed one. The manner in which he tore into Australia’s bowlers in that crushing World Cup semi-final was all the evidence required. Like David Warner before him, he is all set to complete the transition from white-ball to red-ball opening, and given the purity of the technique that lurks behind his extraordinary power, he is surely as well placed to make a success of the promotion as any player who has gone before him. That said, he didn’t have much fun against the swinging ball in the World Cup final (though he was hardly alone in that). If he can get set, however…If Ireland are to compete on an equal footing, then local know-how is sure to be a factor. Enter Tim Murtagh, 38 next week and still making the ball talk on the Lord’s slope for Middlesex week in, week out. He’s picked up 291 wickets at 23.98 in his Lord’s career to date, including two of his four ten-wicket hauls. The degree to which he can set the agenda could define his team’s prospects.Team newsDespite some optimistic noises about James Anderson’s calf injury, England’s senior seamer was never going to be risked with the Ashes just around the corner. Which means that Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes are the likely new-ball pairing, with the young gun Olly Stone lurking at first change to unleash his 90mph offerings, in only his third first-class outing since suffering a stress fracture of the back. Lewis Gregory will have to wait his turn after England opted for a twin-spin attack, with Jack Leach’s left-armers set to partner Moeen Ali, who will form part of a familiarly interchangeable raft of allrounders in the middle order, albeit with Jonny Bairstow pushed up to 5. Roy and Rory Burns will form an all-Surrey opening partnership.England 1 Jason Roy, 2 Rory Burns, 3 Joe Denly, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Jack Leach, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 Olly StoneThere’s the realistic prospect of as many as three Test debutants in Ireland’s ranks, with the young allrounder Mark Adair and the more seasoned seamer Craig Young in the frame, alongside the spinner Simi Singh, who could yet feature if Ireland ape England’s strategy and opt for two slow bowlers. Will Porterfield was giving little away on the eve of the game, saying only that all 14 squad members were fit, although it emerged later on Tuesday that James McCollum had suffered a back spasm.Ireland (possible): 1 Will Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Andy Balbirnie, 4 James McCollum, 5 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Gary Wilson (wk), 7 Mark Adair, 8 Andy McBrine, 9 Craig Young / Simi Singh, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Tim MurtaghPitch and conditionsAnother lush green offering has been served up at Lord’s, which may give Root a restless night given how strokeless he was rendered on a similar deck in the World Cup final – that one was two-paced and sticky, and favoured the slower seamers. The weather is set fair for at least the first three days, with a threat of rain at this stage for Saturday.Stats that matter This will be the first home England Test match since the 2005 Ashes – 89 Tests ago – in which Alastair Cook has not featured, and the first since August 2006 in which he has not opened the batting. This will also be the first Test match to feature numbers on the back of England’s shirts – the captain, Joe Root, will be wearing 66. Joe Denly will be making his first appearance in a home Test match, almost a decade after he made his ODI debut in Stormont against an Ireland that still features three of the same names.Quotes”It’s right up there – if not the pinnacle for everything that’s been achieved for the last while for Irish cricket. We have got quite a few World Cups under our belt, little things like that. They have been pretty big occasions, but getting to Test cricket and then having theopportunity to play here at the home of cricket is a pretty special thing.”
Will Porterfield on a special occasion for Irish cricket“They are a side that have always performed well, probably over-performed at times, I hope that doesn’t sound that I am underestimating them or not giving them a fair shout – they have upset sides like England in previous World Cups and they ran us close in the one-day format at the start of the year … it is great for the game that sides like Ireland are getting a chance in this format and I think they have earned the right to get thisfixture. “

MatériaMais Notícias

Brigando para permanecerem na zona de classificação do Campeonato Paranaense, Operário-PR e Coritiba duelaram na tarde deste sábado, no estádio Krüger, em partida válida pela 5ª rodada. Mesmo com a insistência de ambos os lados na primeira etapa, o placar só foi aberto no segundo tempo, por Schumacher, fechando a conta em 1 a 0.

Com o resultado, a equipe do Fantasma chegou aos 7 pontos, pulando para a 3ª colocação. Já o Coxa, por conta do tropeço fora de casa, acabou descendo para a 4ª posição com seus 6 pontos somados até então.

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OPERÁRIO-PR COMEÇA O JOGO NA PRESSÃO

Buscando mais um feito na competição, o Operário-PR não quis saber de ceder espaços ao Coritiba e foi logo dando o aviso ao rival. Com isso, nos primeiros movimentos, criou duas jogadas sendo a primeira com Bonfim, tentando surpreender a defesa do alviverde, enquanto que na segunda, após cobrança de lateral na área, Pedro Ken tentou o desvio passando próximo à trave de Arthur.

COXA TENTA MELHORAR, PORÉM MANDANTES SEGUIAM ASSUSTANDO MAIS

Vendo o adversário dar um verdadeiro sufoco, aos poucos a equipe de Gustavo tentava aparecer em seu campo de ataque com mais frequência. Com isso, chegou até mandar a bola contra o gol de Simão, mas sem perigo.

Porém, tentando não perder o controle do confronto, o time Matheus Costa seguia causando mais sustos. Entre as chances, o meia Leandro Vilela devolveu o chute que sua equipe sofreu, tentando encontrar o gol, mas a bola continuou insistindo em não balançar as redes.

MUDANÇAS NA SEGUNDA ETAPA

Buscando resolver a situação, Matheus Costa então optou por duas trocas entre elas tirando Ricardo Bueno para colocar em seu lugar Schumacher. E quase surtiu efeito. Em um das tentativas, o goleiro Arthur foi obrigado a mostrar serviço na bomba de Rafael Oller, sobrando para Schumacher, mas a bola acabou indo para fora.

Já por parte do Coxa, Gustavo também resolveu recuar para seus suplentes, colocando Robinho no lugar de Valdeci, além de Cerutti no lugar de Valdeci. Porém, diferente do adversário, não teve boas chances até meados dos 20 minutos.

FANTASMA ABRE A CONTAGEM

Após a primeira tentativa, Schumacher teve outra chance de marcar e, desta vez, não desperdiçou. Aos 17 minutos, o atacante aproveitou o erro do goleiro Arthur sobrando para o jogador, com o gol vazio, só completar. 1 a 0.

COXA TEM JOGADOR EXPULSO NA RETA FINAL

Precisando correr atrás do prejuízo no placar, a situação da equipe da capital paranaense acabou ficando ainda mais difícil. Aos 41 minutos, Matheus Bueno levou o cartão vermelho após tocar o braço no rosto de Leandro Vilela.

Sendo assim, até os acréscimos dado pelo árbitro, a equipe local segurou-se até o fim para garantir a vitória que a mantém no topo da classificação.

FICHA TÉCNICA
OPERÁRIO-PR x CORITIBA – 5ª RODADA DO CAMPEONATO PARANAENSE
Estádio: Germano Krüger, Ponta Grossa (PR)
Data: 3 de abril de 2021, às 16h (de Brasília)
Árbitro:José Mendonça da Silva Júnior
Assistentes:Bruno Boschilia eSidmar dos Santos Meurer
Cartões amarelos: Alex Silva, Leandro Vilela e Felipe Garcia (OPE) / Luciano Castán e Luiz Henrique (COR)
Cartões vermelhos: Matheus Bueno (COR)

GOLS: Schumacher, 17’/2ºT (1-0).

OPERÁRIO-PR (Técnico: Matheus Costa)
Simão; Alex Silva (Fábio Alemão, aos 25’/2ºT), Rafael Bonfim, Léo Rigo e Leandro Vilela; Silva, Jean Carlo (Leandrinho, aos 35’/2ºT) e Pedro Ken; Ricardo Bueno (Schumacher, no intervalo), Marcelo (Felipe Garcia, no intervalo) e Rafael Oller (Fabiano, aos 21’/2ºT).

CORITIBA (Técnico: Gustavo Morínigo)
Arthur; Igor, Wellington Carvalho, Luciano Castán e Guilherme Biro (Lucas Nathan, aos 34’/2ºT); Matheus Sales (Waguininho, aos 34’/2ºT), Matheus Bueno e Luiz Henrique; Valdeci (Robinho, aos 8’/2ºT), Taílson (Cerutti, aos 8’/2ºT) e Pablo Thomaz (Igor Paixão, aos 23’/2ºT).​

Florentino Perez has invested intelligently to piece together the most well-rounded team in the sport

Real Madrid fans used to hate Vinicius Jr. The mercurial Brazilian, now the Ballon d'Or frontrunner and consensus world-class talent, couldn't stop missing chances. He did all of the right things asked of a modern winger; he beat his man, made dangerous runs, and put in a shift defensively. In terms of effort, there was little more he could have done for the famous white shirt.

But when it came to the crucial bit – putting the ball in the net – he was maddeningly inconsistent. Around that time, in the 2018-19 season, Vinicius began to feel like an expensive mistake, a pricey venture into the emerging South American market that didn't quite work out.

Now, five years down the line, and a further €800 million (£680m/$870m) later, every skewed opportunity feels like it was worth it. These days, Vinicius is deadly, and the centre-piece of something resembling a juggernaut. What seemed to be a pricey mishap has proven to be the first of a new wave of signings, the maiden investment in turning an ageing squad into Europe's most talented team.

Madrid have spent big in recent years, but they've also spent well, and have set themselves up for both short- and long-term success.

• Getty
  

  Varying success

  Florentino Perez wasn't always the most intelligent club president during his first spell at the helm. In an effort to grow the Madrid brand as much as improve the footballing product, he proposed the idea of the "Galacticos." Every summer, he demanded, Madrid must buy the best player in football – regardless of the price. Throw them all together, put trust in a manager, and surely this team could win domestically and in Europe.

  And so the big names came in. Madrid broke the world record – then €60m (£54m) – to buy Luis Figo in 2000. Zinedine Zidane arrived a year later, Los Blancos smashing their own mark to the tune of a €78m (£70m) fee. Throw in Ronaldo in 2002, David Beckham in 2003, Michael Owen in 2004, and this looked like a super team.

  Except, it didn't quite work out that way. The Galacticos were good, but perhaps should have won more. Whether it be an imbalanced squad or poor coaching – or both – they weren't the dominant side Perez envisioned. They went trophy-less from 2003-2006, and Perez resigned from his post in February 2006.

  He returned three years later, however, and went big again. Over the next five years, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric – among others – arrived to be managed by a series of celebrity coaches, notably Jose Mourinho. The big spenders were back.

  That nearly 10-year era yielded immense success, both domestically and in Europe. But by 2018, that generation was ageing and had started to grow stale. Something had to change.

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• Real Madrid
  

  Raiding South America

  European football has always shown interest in the South American market. Indeed, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Neymar, Lionel Messi and co. all had to come from somewhere. But Madrid, historically at least, had been loathe to venture into it – such was their power on the European stage. Why sign prospects when they could afford the biggest names in Europe whenever they wanted them?

  That approach changed with the growing influence of head scout Juni Calafat. The failed footballer-turned-top recruiter had a deep understanding of the global talent pool. Spanish-born but raised in Brazil, Calafat knew that there was talent in the Americas that could be bought, trained and perfected in the Spanish capital. And when Perez famously presented him with the demand to "not let another Neymar slip through the net" after the Brazilian playmaker chose Barcelona over Los Blancos, Calafat went to work.

  The next Neymar didn't exist, so instead Calafat went about signing a slew of South American talents, some cheap, others pricey, to help form the next generation of this Madrid side. Signed in 2018, Federico Valverde was first, brought in from Uruguayan giants Penarol and sent straight into the Madrid youth set up. Then came the more established names: Vinicius, Rodrygo and, most recently, Endrick.

  The latter three, all teenagers when their moves were agreed, cost a total €150m – hardly a cheap outlay. Should Endrick follow in the footsteps of his two Brazilian predecessors, that investment might just be worth every penny.

• Talent over experience

  While Madrid knew there was value in South America, they didn't ignore what was happening in Europe, and indeed went about investing in young talent closer to home, too.

  Eder Militao was the first example, brought in from Porto in 2019 for €50m (£43m/$57m). At the time, the Brazilian wasn't quite ready for the Madrid first team, and made just 15 La Liga appearances in the 2019-20 campaign. But he worked his way into the side, and was among the best centre-backs in the league for a three year period – before seeing his progress stalled by a torn ACL last August. Ferland Mendy was also brought in for a similar fee, and is starting to show why many believed he could be a long-term replacement for Marcelo.

  They did much the same with Eduardo Camavinga. The Rennes midfielder was regarded as one of the top teenage talents in Europe, having bossed Ligue 1 since the age of 16. It was assumed that he would move to a team where he could immediately play, before then seeking a bigger deal down the line, but he instead went to Madrid for €40m (£34m/$47m) in August 2021 in the knowledge that Los Blancos wouldn't be able to guarantee him a starting spot. Camavinga accepted a bench role, and has since grown into a regular starter with the departure of Casemiro and the impending retirement of Toni Kroos.

  Madrid took a similar approach with Aurelien Tchouameni. More expensive, and not quite as immediately effective as his compatriot, the former Monaco man seemed primed to be an outright replacement for Casemiro. Although he hasn't quite hit his best for Los Blancos, manager Carlo Ancelotti managed to adapt without him in the XI in 2022-23 before bringing the best out of him over the course of the most recent campaign.

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  Still dealing in superstars

  There have, of course, still been the big-money ventures – the superstars. This is Real Madrid we are talking about, after all.

  Thibaut Courtois rather forced Chelsea's hand with a late transfer request after Madrid came calling in 2018, but still cost €39m (£35m/$48m). He has since developed into one of the best shot-stoppers in the world, with another impressive Champions League final performance only reinforcing his claim as being among the game's best.

  Jude Bellingham, meanwhile, arrived In typical Madrid style, as his arrival was steadily orchestrated for months. Publicly, it seemed that the midfielder was torn between Liverpool and Madrid, but behind closed doors, Los Blancos had already put the work in to make things happen. They flattered Bellingham with meetings from Zidane, and laid out a vision in which he could become a crucial part of the emerging project – a modern Galactico. Ten months after he first donned a Madrid shirt, the initial €103m fee looks like a bargain.

  And now, Kylian Mbappe is arriving. Technically, Los Blancos haven't sent a penny to Paris Saint-Germain for his signature, but they have still invested heavily to get Mbappe to the Bernabeu. His salary is comfortably the highest at the club, while Madrid have committed to a gaudy €130m signing bonus – spread out over the course of his contract – to secure the world's best forward. There are vague concerns about his tactical fit into the side, but this is a player who Madrid couldn't afford to let slip.

Gary O'Neil and Wolves find themselves in a difficult position in this month's transfer window. Despite making an £80m profit last summer, the Midlands outfit still aren't out of the woods when it comes to Financial Fair Play compliance, and that's set to shape any business they do before the deadline.

There's a chance that Wolves may sign targets on an initial loan with a later obligation or option to buy, deferring payments to next season's accounts, or they could alternatively reinvest money they generate through outgoings. Either way, there will be an emphasis on finding bargain gems for now, rather than doing headline deals. And Wolves' talent-spotters may have found one player who fits that bill.

Wolves one of six clubs keen on Rosario

According to Chris McKenna, a journalist for The Daily Mirror, Wolves are interested in Pablo Rosario at Nice. They're one of a quartet of Premier League sides "keeping an eye on" the midfielder this month, alongside Fulham, West Ham and Brentford.

Wolves have been scouting the player "in recent months" and have clearly been impressed by what they've seen, but Rosario is also attracting interest from Germany in the form of Stuttgart and Werder Bremen, so they don't exactly have a free run at the player.

Rosario offers possible Gomes solution amid Spurs interest

Rosario played for Feyenoord, Ajax and PSV during his time in youth football, but eventually left his homeland to join Nice in 2021. He's four short of a century of appearances for the south-of-France club, having tacked 17 onto his tally this season. While he's not considered undroppable by manager Francesco Farioli, he has been heavily involved, starting ten of their 18 Ligue 1 games so far this season.

While he's a defensive midfielder by trade, Rosario has featured in four different positions this season, also filling in as a centre-back, right-back and more advanced midfielder. All that chopping and changing makes it hard to assess him statistically, but it's the kind of versatility that makes him a manager's dream and an asset to any squad.

It should also be noted, given that the majority of those roles are defensive in nature, that Nice have only conceded 11 league goals this season, fewer than any side in Europe's top five leagues. Rosario deserves credit for the role he's played in that achievement.

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Wolves are currently fielding interest in 2023 signing Joao Gomes, who's caught the eye of Champions League-chasing Tottenham Hotspur and could be subject to a "substantial" bid. Given that Rosario is primarily a defensive shield, he could be a short-to-medium term replacement for the Brazilian in Gary O'Neil's midfield, if indeed he does leave. In light of Wolves' FFP concerns, it might be that the money from his potential sale is directly put towards this deal, though we'll wait to see if Spurs match Wolves' asking price first.

Sheffield Wednesday would have felt encouraged by a 0-0 draw at Hillsborough last night versus Watford, but the Owls are still in desperate need of a deadly striker to lead the line.

With Danny Rohl's men quiet recently in the transfer window, after signing the likes of Ike Ugbo and James Beadle early on in loan deals, the South Yorkshire club could well become busy again today as last-ditch deals are frantically finalised.

In particular, Wednesday look set to go after one clinical attacker to improve their chances of surviving in the Championship.

Wednesday's search for a striker

According to Fabrizio Romano, a deal could well be back on the table for Orlando City striker Duncan McGuire who looked set to join fellow second-tier club Blackburn Rovers over the Owls.

Yet, in a last-minute change of events, that deal collapsed with those at Wednesday now swooping back in to land the potent American forward before the window officially slams shut later today.

Wednesday are now in talks over a deal, according to Romano, the Owls hopeful that McGuire can slot into the weak Wednesday attack effortlessly with Djeidi Gassama potentially forming a feared duo up top with the current Orlando man.

Why Gassama would benefit McGuire

Gassama shone in Wednesday's stalemate with Watford last night, twisting and turning defenders for fun with no striker present feeding off of the ex-Paris St.Germain winger's weaving runs forward to then fire home.

Completing four successful dribble attempts in total, alongside notching up two key passes as a thorn in the Watford side, Ugbo as the lone striker was just a bystander to Gassama's constant inventiveness and never really looked threatening in the contest.

Gassama's numbers v Watford

Minutes played

90

Touches

55

Shots on goal

3

Key passes

2

Successful dribble attempts

4/10

Duels won

12/23

Stats by Sofascore

The Chelsea loanee accumulated a dire 22 touches of the ball, hitting the woodwork once with a rare effort on goal a slight highlight before being hauled off by Rohl late into the second 45 minutes.

Adding McGuire to the striker ranks in South Yorkshire could well see Gassama become an assist king in contrast, rather than letting his forays forward go to waste currently, the American transfer target an instinctive finisher in the MLS.

Scoring 15 times from 37 appearances to date with Orlando, McGuire would blow his Owls competition out of the water on his arrival to the Championship club with those deadly goalscoring statistics.

Young Wednesday hotshot Bailey Cadamarteri pales in comparison with just three goals managed this season after breaking into the first team picture under Rohl, whilst Owls' top-scorer Anthony Musaba only has five next to his name from down the right wing.

Described as being a "lethal" forward player by Orlando manager Oscar Pareja at the height of his goalscoring powers last year, McGuire will hope a move to the Owls goes smoothly today to push himself even more in the cut and thrust of a Championship relegation battle away from home comforts.

Gassama would no doubt be delighted to see McGuire come in through the door this deadline day too, as Wednesday look to significantly bolster up top to stave off the dreaded second-tier drop-zone.

Manchester United will trim their squad this month and could be about to let one gem leave Old Trafford, following on from already being in the final stages of losing another talented youngster this window, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

Man United's outgoings…

In terms of players coming through the door at Old Trafford, there really isn't that much to discuss as Manchester United are yet to finalise any signings this month. Outgoings have been the main focus so far at the Premier League giants and it is likely that Erik ten Hag will be keen to reduce his squad size further over the next few weeks.

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Speaking at an official Fans Forum last month, Red Devils' football director John Murtough hinted that several fringe players would leave to receive regular game time elsewhere, as he stated: "There will always be the possibility of deals around the edges of the squad, particularly in terms of finding opportunities for players who are not playing as much football as they would like."

Eintracht Frankfurt moved swiftly to sign Donny van de Beek on by the time January rolled around and his teammate Jadon Sancho has already departed to join Borussia Dortmund on a similar deal, notching an assist in his first appearance against Darmstadt.

Now, Romano has let it be known that Manchester United could now be set to let a prodigious talent walk through the exit door as Ten Hag's squad cull continues.

Mateo Mejia set to leave Manchester United…

According to transfer guru Romano, Manchester United's young winger Mateo Mejia is set to join Sevilla on a free transfer and official documentation of the deal will be processed next week. Taking to social media platform X, the Italian journalist has indicated that the Red Devils will insert a 25% release clause into his agreement.

Of course, Alvaro Fernandez is also nearing a loan move to Benfica, which will include an obligation to buy, a sell-on clause and an option to purchase him again from the Portuguese giants at some point in the future.

Zaragoza-born Mejia has made 12 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United's development side this campaign, registering three goals and five assists (Mejia statistics – Transfermarkt).

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Despite the Red Devils' plight in the Premier League this campaign, Ten Hag doesn't seem too keen to introduce an influx of young stars and Mejia will now try to kickstart his senior career in Andalusia.

Lamine Yamal has described Xavi's sudden sacking as "very strange" but is very excited for the arrival of new Barcelona boss Hansi Flick.

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Xavi sacked by BarcelonaFlick to replace him next termYamal reacts to manager changesWHAT HAPPENED?

Spanish international Yamal was handed his Barcelona debut by manager Xavi in April 2023 but just over a year later, the former Blaugrana midfielder was dismissed by the Spanish giants. Ex-Bayern Munich boss Flick was named as his successor soon after and now the 16-year-old has weighed in on Barca's managerial changes.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT YAMAL SAID

When asked about Xavi's sacking, he told Mundo Deportivo: "It was a very strange moment. At first he left, then he stayed… It was strange, because we saw the same thing that you saw too. [It was] very sad because for me he was the first coach in the elite that I've had, but these are things that happen in football."

The youngster added on Flick's appointment: "The last thing I saw was when he was at Bayern, and also in the German national team. They have a fairly offensive game, quite direct. I'm very excited."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

It's been a chaotic six months for Barca. Xavi initially said he would step down in January at the end of the season, before being convinced by the club's board to stay on. President Joan Laporta took exception to Xavi's comments about the state of the Catalan outfit and now Flick is at the helm. But the club's financial issues remain and more players may have to be sold to balance the books.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

While Yamal heads out to Germany to represent Spain at this summer's Euros, the teenager is likely to return for their pre-season fixtures against Manchester City, Real Madrid, and AC Milan in late July and early August.