Arsenal had to sit on the sidelines and watch the FA Cup action over the weekend, but following their thumping 5-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out, spirits are high.

That said, the arrival of a new face before the transfer window slams shut this week could help further lift the mood, especially as the latest name touted for a move to N5 could mimic Leandro Trossard's fantastically successful move last January.

What's better is that this player's finishing ability has been compared to arguably the greatest Premier League player of all time: Thierry Henry.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Conducting the right transfer has become something of an art form in the modern game, with a plethora of different strategies and ways of looking at the market, but in this case, it seems as if Arsenal are simply looking to repeat the same trick they pulled last year and head to the Amex for their latest star.

According to reports from Spain, the Gunners are keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion ace Karou Mitoma, either this month or in the summer if it comes to that.

The report has revealed that it is Mikel Arteta himself who is pushing for this transfer, although the club are set to face some stiff competition, with Manchester United and Manchester City both big fans of the Japanese international and keen to add him to their ranks this year.

If the north Londoners can get their man this month, it would be the second January in a row in which they have signed the Seagulls' premier winger. However, with the Mirror reporting last month that any deal would cost in the region of £70m, it would be a far more expensive transfer than the one for the Belgian.

How Mitoma compares to Arsenal's left-wingers

The Gunners are blessed with an incredibly talented team – of that there can be no doubt – and while this talent certainly extends to the left wing in the shape of Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, it stops there, and neither one has lit the league alight this season.

On a pure league goals and assists basis, the Japanese superstar has his potential new teammates beat, registering three goals and four assists in just 17 appearances.

In comparison, the Belgian has scored four times and assisted once in 17 appearances, and the Brazilian has four goals and two assists in his 19 league appearances.

Mitoma

Martinelli

Trossard

17

19

17

3

4

4

4

2

1

7

6

5

The "insane" 26-year-old, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, isn't just impressive because of his numbers, though, as in his short time in the Premier League, he has already racked up quite the catalogue of impressive goals and mazy runs.

In fact, his finishing was something that former teammate Christian Burgess flagged to Sky Sports, with the Englishman claiming that Mitomoa "finishes like Thierry Henry," which could be just the thing to convince Arsenal fans that he is a player worth signing, and when you watch his goal compilations, it's impossible to miss.

Ultimately, with the opportunity to end the club's two-decade title drought still within reach and Martinelli and Trossard not quite at the races this season, signing Mitoma should take precedence as one of the Gunners' critical objectives before the window ends.

Moreover, the sight of a left-sided forward bursting down the wing before gently guiding the ball into the far corner has been missing from the Emirates for far too long.

Manchester United could now be at the centre of a transfer saga that could develop in the coming days involving a midfielder who may move to Old Trafford.

Man Utd's hunt for new players…

The Red Devils have endured an inconsistent Premier League campaign that has thrown Erik ten Hag's management style under the microscope from some in footballing circles as the Dutchman continues to search for a winning formula at Old Trafford.

Of course, the January window will provide a platform to alleviate some of his concerns over his available playing squad; however, football director John Murtough has warned that the Red Devils may not be too active in the January window.

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"Looking ahead to the January transfer window, we are not expecting it to be particularly busy. 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. However, we’ve always been consistent in saying that we do not see January as the optimal time to do business and our recruitment strategy remains focused on summer windows."

Finding feasible transfer targets mid-season has historically led to the Red Devils exploring the loan market in the last few years to fill the gaps, with the likes of Wout Weghorst, Odion Ighalo and Marcel Sabitzer being recent examples.

Nonetheless, a permanent signing now looks to be on Manchester United's radar in a deal that could be set to develop in the coming days, as per a report.

Man Utd keen on Ederson

According to reports in Brazil via Sport Witness, Manchester United have made contact with Atalanta midfielder Ederson's entourage to discuss the conditions of a permanent transfer to Old Trafford. The outlet claim that the Red Devils are now internally evaluating whether to make an approach to try and claim his signature.

Five similar players to Ederson (FBRef)
Player	Club
Santi Comesana	Villarreal
Pablo Barrios	Atletico Madrid
Pierre Lees-Melou	Brest
Hicham Boudaoui	Nice
Mahdi Camara	Brest

The Serie A outfit have the Brazilian under contract at the Gewiss Stadium until 2026; however, Manchester United's board see him as a 'promising name' and it is suggested that he may swap Italy for England in the mid-season period and that a saga could now develop in the coming days.

Showing his eye for the target, former Brazil Under-20 international Ederson has hit the back of the net five times this campaign alongside recording an assist in 25 appearances across all competitions and the 24-year-old can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder, showing his versatility (Ederson statistics – Transfermarkt).

United could use some added dynamism in their engine room and Ederson may help to offer an alternative to their current crop of options at Old Trafford if he were to pitch up there this window, making this one to watch.

Lautaro Martinez will remain at Inter after he agreed to sign a new long-term deal with the club.

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• Martinez agrees to extend Inter stay
• Expected to sign a new contract in the next few days
• The new deal will be valid until 2029

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Inter officials met the player's agent Alejandro Camano on Friday night where the parties discussed the terms of the new contract after which the Argentina star agreed to put pen to paper, according to . Martinez, whose existing contract expires in June 2026, has decided to extend his stay until 2029.

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  As per the terms of the new deal, the striker is expected to pocket a salary in the region of €9m (£7m/$9m) along with bonuses. A final decision is expected to be taken in the next few days after which Martinez will officially sign the contract extension, barring a late twist.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Inter captain was in a rich vein of form in the 2023/24 campaign as he scored 27 goals across all competitions and provided seven assists in 44 appearances, as Inter won Serie A and the Supercoppa Italiana.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LAUTARO MARTINEZ?

  The attacker will be next seen in action on June 9 as Argentina take on Ecuador in an international friendly.

The January transfer window opened at the start of last week and Leeds United could look to add more quality to their squad before the end of the month.

Journalist Alex Crook recently told GIVEMESPORT that the Whites are due to be 'ambitious' in the market as they believe they have a good chance to earn promotion back to the Premier League.

The reporter also claimed that Bournemouth central defender Chris Mepham is one of the players they like, although it remains to be seen whether or not a swoop for his services is viable at this time.

Daniel Farke could repeat the masterclass he played with the signing of Joe Rodon last summer by securing a deal to sign the Cherries colossus.

The Welsh titan arrived on loan from top-flight side Tottenham Hotspur and, possibly thanks to his previous Championship experience, has hit the ground running.

Rodon's season in numbers

Leeds' fantastic loanee has established himself as a regular starter for the club with 22 league starts for the Whites so far this season since his summer switch.

He has been a reliable outlet in possession for his team with a pass success rate of 91%, which shows that the Spurs defender has rarely given the ball away when attempting to pass out from the back.

The 26-year-old ace has also been a dominant centre-back with a duel success rate of 68%, as he has been able to get the better of opposition forwards far more often than not.

Rodon had previously caught the eye for Swansea in the Championship during the 2020/21 campaign, with 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game and a duel success rate of 59% across 21 league outings.

Leeds could now similarly play another blinder by signing another Welsh centre-back with second tier experience from a Premier League team.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Mepham

Mepham has only started two Premier League matches for Bournemouth so far this season and could be tempted by the prospect of more game time at Elland Road.

However, during the 2021/22 campaign, the Wales international showcased his ability at Championship level for the Cherries across 22 appearances.

Passes attempted (66.82)

Top 9%

Progressive passes (3.78)

Top 23%

Progressive carries (1.23)

Top 24%

Clearances (5.18)

Top 8%

As you can see in the table above, the £35k-per-week is comfortable with being busy in possession during matches and can progress the play through both passes and carries at an above-average rate.

The Bournemouth enforcer, who was hailed as "fantastic" by former boss Scott Parker at Championship level, has also shown signs of being a solid operator in the Premier League.

Mepham started 24 top-flight matches for the Cherries last season and won 62% of his duels, which shows that he was able to deal with the physicality of the division.

He also, impressively, ranked within the top 2% of Premier League centre-backs for clearances (6.22) per 90 and the top 20% for blocks (1.64) per 90.

Therefore, Farke could repeat his Rodon masterclass by signing another progressive and proven Championship central defender who can dominate opposition attackers in physical duels from a top-flight side.

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Mepham could compete for a starting berth and provide competition across the backline to ensure that the likes of Rodon and Pascal Struijk do not become complacent.

India offspinner R Ashwin will join Nottinghamshire for the second half of the county season. Ashwin will replace Australia’s James Pattinson as Nottinghamshire’s overseas player at the end of June and is expected to feature in six of their final seven red-ball matches.His stint will start at home against Essex on June 30, followed by matches against Somerset and Surrey. He will miss the away fixture against Yorkshire but will return to play against Kent, Warwickshire and Surrey.”I’m really looking forward to joining up with Nottinghamshire, to playing cricket at an iconic venue like Trent Bridge and hopefully contributing to some County Championship victories,” Ashwin said. “I enjoyed my previous stint in England with Worcestershire. It’s a good, competitive standard of cricket over there and I can’t wait to get started.”ALSO READ: Ajinkya Rahane scores hundred on debut for HampshireThis will be Ashwin’s second stint in the county circuit. In 2017, he had played four matches for Worcestershire to take 20 wickets at an average of 29.15, and scored 214 runs at an average of 42.80.”We knew what we wanted to sign and that was a world-class bowler,” Nottinghamshire director of cricket, Mick Newell said. “Whether that was a fast or a slow bowler, we were prepared to look at all options.”As it happens, we’ve signed a very good spinner, a very experienced spinner and one we hope can contribute with the bat as well. We’ve seen world-class slow bowlers have a huge match-winning effect in county cricket over many years. Ravi certainly has that potential – and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming him to the squad and letting him loose on our opposition.”Ashwin will be the second Indian to play county cricket this season. Ajinkya Rahane had signed for Hampshire earlier and started his season with a century on Wednesday, against the team Ashwin has signed for.

The former West Indies opener has chosen not to extend his contract, and believes it is time for him to move on from the post

Nagraj Gollapudi19-May-2019Phil Simmons will step down as Afghanistan coach after the World Cup. The former West Indies opener, who was appointed to the position in December 2017, said the time was right for him to move on as the target he had been given – of helping Afghanistan qualify for the World Cup – had been achieved.Simmons is understood to have communicated his decision to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Saturday. His contract, which runs until the end of the World Cup, would likely have been extended given Afghanistan’s results during his tenure, including their tournament win in Zimbabwe at the World Cup Qualifier last March.”I have thought about it and I have actually given the ACB my notice that I will not be renewing my contract,” Simmons told ESPNcricinfo. “I will move on to something different once my contract expires on July 15.”I signed up originally for 18 months and I think I have done a lot in this period. It is time for me to move on to something else now. To want to get to the World Cup – that was ACB’s goal at the time they appointed me. My goal is always to leave things better than when I joined: the way we practice, the way we think about the game, the way we assess other teams. I’ve tried to help the players in all those areas.”Simmons’ decision to not extend his contract came close on the heels of the ACB’s much talked-about change in the side’s leadership, which brought an end to Asghar Afghan’s four-year captaincy reign across formats. Gulbadin Naib was appointed ODI captain, while Rahmat Shah and Rashid Khan were put in charge of the Test and T20I teams respectively. Rashid and Mohammad Nabi, the two global superstars of Afghanistan cricket, had strongly criticised the move, tweeting in support of Afghan. Nabi said it wasn’t “the right time” to change the captain, and credited Afghan for helping the team “gel” well. Rashid, who has also been the ODI vice-captain, called the move “irresponsible and biased”.Simmons revealed that neither the ACB nor the national selection committee had consulted or alerted him to the changes, catching him off guard.”No, I was not aware of it. I was not given any reasons. It was the decision of the Afghanistan Cricket Board and the selectors,” Simmons said. “How can I take it? I can’t change it. So I have to just get on with what I have to do and make sure the squad is preparing in the same way I wanted them to prepare barring the [captaincy] change.”

تواصل لجنة الحكام بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم سعيها لتطوير المنظومة وتعزيز التنافسية، وذلك قبل انطلاق الموسم الجديد.

وكشف مصدر خاص بلجنة الحكام بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، النقاب عن الاتجاه الجديد الذي يسعى مسؤولو قضاة الملاعب للسير نحوه.

محمد فاروق: هناك من يحاول إبعادي عن لجنة الحكام.. ويوضح موعد صرف المستحقات

وأكد المصدر لـ”بطولات” أن لجنة الحكام ترغب في إضافة عناصر صغيرة في السن للقائمة الدولية. 

وشدد على أن أن اللجنة تسعى إلى إعطاء الفرصة للحكام الشباب للظهور على الساحة القارية، مما يسهم في رفع مستوى التحكيم المحلي ويمنح الحكام الصغار مساحة للتطور والتميز على الصعيد الدولي.

ويهدف هذا القرار إلى خلق بيئة تنافسية صحية بين الحكام، ما سينعكس إيجابًا على الأداء في المباريات وتحقيق العدالة في الملاعب.

ومن المتوقع أن يتم اختيار الحكام صغار السن بعناية، بناءً على قدراتهم ومهاراتهم الفنية، لضمان تحقيق النجاح في هذا المسار الجديد الذي يفتح آفاقًا جديدة للتحكيم المصري.

الجدير بالذكر، أن اتحاد الكرة قرر عدم تجديد تعاقد فيتور بيريرا رئيس لجنة الحكام السابق، بعد نهاية عمله آخر الموسم المنقضي.

West Ham United could move for another late January signing to replace centre-back Nayef Aguerd, according to journalist Wayne Veysey.

Aguerd linked with West Ham exit

Aguerd, who shined for West Ham during his debut season last year, has been linked with a move away from the club to Saudi Arabia in recent months.

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Surprisingly, given manager David Moyes' lack of depth behind the Moroccan, West Ham would consider selling Aguerd for the right price. The 27-year-old put in some vital performances for Moyes to help boost West Ham's 2022/2023 survival bid, scoring a crucial winner at home to Southampton which went some way in aiding their battle against the drop (Jacob Steinberg).

Aguerd, called a "revelation" by Martin Keown, was also backed to replace Declan Rice as captain by club insider ExWHUemployee at one point.

“If Declan does go in the summer, which I’m pretty sure he is, then I think he [Aguerd] would be a great shout to be captain as well, and apparently, he’s a real, real great lad as well, which is really good to hear," said Ex on The West Ham Way podcast (via WHZ).

“From what I’ve heard from all the staff, from all the other players, he’s very well-liked, a bit of a joker, a bit of a bubbly character, so for me, he’s got the whole package.

“[Moyes] lost him from before we even kicked a [ball] in the Premier League, and that was a massive loss for us. There’s no coincidence that things are turning with him in the side.”

Fast-forward to now, and West Ham are now willing to part company with Aguerd in what has apparently left staff "surprised" (Football Insider).

Aguerd, who is currently at the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco, played a crucial role as his country sailed through to the AFCON knockout stages on Wednesday.

West Ham have been linked with possible replacements for Aguerd, like Wolves defender Max Kilman, and the club bringing in a new centre-half is apparently something that can still happen.

West Ham could replace Aguerd with centre-back

Indeed, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, writing a small line for Football Insider, West Ham could swoop late to sign a centre-back if Aguerd leaves.

It will be interesting to see if the Hammers and technical director Tim Steidten can faciliate such a move with just days of the January window remaining, and having already sealed moves for the likes of Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan.

West Ham will apparently front the entirety of Phillips' big wage packet during his stay at the London Stadium, and clubs may demand a premium fee to sell their star centre-halves so close to deadline day.

The Hammers also paid a reported £3 million loan fee to seal his services, so if they're to sign a new defender, any interested side may presumably have to fork out an offer worth considering.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a source of inspiration to everybody at Al-Nassr, with the Portuguese superstar teaching his team-mates a new “trick or two”.

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Evergreen frontman has lost none of his touchHis game is more about goals than dribblingAll-time great still going strong at the age of 39WHAT HAPPENED?

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner burst onto the scene as a fleet-footed winger, as his dribbling ability bamboozled opposition defences at Sporting and Manchester United. It was during his time at Old Trafford that the all-time great was transformed into a fearsome frontman.

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Ronaldo is now the finest goalscorer that the world has ever seen, with countless records being broken down the years during stints with United, Real Madrid and Juventus. He is still in the business of rewriting the history books in Saudi Arabia at 39 years of age.

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DID YOU KNOW?

The evergreen forward has lost none of his technical ability either, with his ball-juggling skills being put to the test when laying on a show for his Al-Nassr colleagues. He has been trying to teach them how to complete a difficult double ‘around the world’ flick.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's regime at Manchester United could begin with a bang as the club are already thought to be eyeing up a key summer transfer, just days after the winter window slammed shut.

United hamstrung by financial fair play

Despite the clear need for reinforcements this January, with Erik ten Hag keen on adding a striker to his ranks to provide competition for the in-form Rasmus Hojlund, United were forced to watch on as other clubs did business thanks to their position with financial fair play.

"I looked but there is no space," Ten Hag explained in the dying days of the transfer window. "No space on FFP to do something about this lack of quantity in the striker position. Of course, [Marcus] Rashford can play as a striker and we have some other creative alternatives. It's clear Anthony [Martial] is out for a couple of months and it's a gap in our squad."

They were not the only side to find themselves in this position, with just nine Premier League clubs making permanent moves in the winter window, and spending falling from a massive £815million last season to just over £100m this time around, less than was spent on deadline day alone 12 months ago.

Summer planning underway

With the January window now slammed shut, attention has turned to the summer. United are thought to be keen on adding another centre-back, central midfielder and winger as well as a striker before the new season, irrespective of who is in charge of the club, and will be bolstered by the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who acquired a 25% stake in the club back in December.

As per Italian outlet Tutto Mercato, the Red Devils have already identified their ideal target in central midfield in the form of OGC Nice midfielder Khéphren Thuram, the son of French Icon Lilian and brother of Marcus Thuram, whom Manchester United have previously been credited with an interest in.

The Italian outlet claims that the French midfielder has a value believed to sit around 40m euros (£34m) and that he is also catching the eye of Serie A pair Juventus and Inter Milan, but that United could 'easily surpass any Italian offers' for the 22-year-old and Ratcliffe specifically is 'more inclined than ever to dip into his wallet'.

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Thuram has over 150 senior appearances for Nice and is a regular starter for the side when fit. His form saw him handed his France debut in March 2023, though he has yet to add to that tally of appearances for Didier Deschamps' side.

Out of contract in 2025, this summer represents the Ligue 1 side's last chance to turn a profit on the Frenchman, and he is expected to leave the club. He has previously been linked with Liverpool as well as Arsenal, though both links have since cooled.

Manchester United's current midfield options

Contract expiry

Casemiro

2026

Mason Mount

2028

Kobbie Mainoo

2027

Christian Eriksen

2025

Scott McTominay

2025

Sofyan Amrabat

2024

Looking at Manchester United's midfield options, it is clear that Thuram would provide a strong option in the Old Trafford engine room. With Scott McTominay perennially linked with a move away, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro both past their best and Kobbie Mainoo still a raw talent (albeit a very good one), an overhaul in the centre of the park is just what the Red Devils require.

Of course, the arrival of Ratcliffe could speed matters up significantly, with his company INEOS also the majority owners of the Ligue 1 side where Thuram plays his football currently. Should they opt for the Frenchman, a deal may materialise very quickly.

Thuram is not the only OGC Nice star that United have previously shown interest in, with centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo also on the club's radar should Harry Maguire depart this summer.