Humble Lions and Arnett Gardens drew 0-0 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 27 stage in the 2011 season. The match was played at Effortville Community Centre in May Pen. The full-time result capped a Humble Lions vs Arnett Gardens meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Humble Lions and Arnett Gardens. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier LeagueRecorded meetings: 1 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Arnett GardensHumble Lions and Arnett Gardens drew 0-0 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 27 stage in the 2011 season. The match was played at Effortville Community Centre in May Pen. The full-time result capped a Humble Lions vs Arnett Gardens meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Humble Lions and Arnett Gardens. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier LeagueRecorded meetings: 1 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Arnett Gardens
Roma has revived its interest in Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli, with the Premier League club reportedly prepared to discuss a sale for between €40 million and €45 million. According to Tuttomercato, the Brazilian has returned to Roma’s list of attacking options after the Italian club considered him earlier in the transfer window. Roma has not […] The post Roma considers Gabriel Martinelli as Arsenal lowers asking price appeared first on SoccerNews.
Jayden Bogle doesn’t expect a calm affair when Leeds play Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images) Manchester United face Leeds at Croke Park on Wednesday and the Red Devils have been told that it will not be the friendliest friendly. The rivalry between the two clubs goes back decades and has been one of the most heated in English football. On the field it has been one-sided in Manchester United’s favour for a long time, but Leeds did pick up a memorable win at Old Trafford last season. After a 1-1 draw at Elland Road in January, Leeds won the reverse fixture 2-1 in April, with Noah Okafor scoring both goals for the Yorkshire side. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Jayden Bogle started in that victory for Leeds and he is looking forward to a very competitive pre-season contest in Dublin this week. Asked if anyone can truly call this fixture a friendly, he told LUTV: ‘No, you can’t. ‘Even though it is pre-season, it is not going to be a friendly. We will recover now and then prepare for that one next.’ Leeds have won friendlies this summer against RB Leipzig, Liverpool and Sunderland (Picture: Getty Images) Red Devils boss Michael Carrick was not looking to spice things up so much, just saying he is looking forward to a trip to Ireland. It has been a typically globe-trotting pre-season for United, having played inHelsinki, Trondheim, Solna and Goteborg already this summer and with fixtures in Ireland and Wroclaw in Poland, against AC Milan, to come. ‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Carrick said of the Ireland trip. ‘It’s been, a little bit, different chapters through pre-season and we’ll get everybody together, when we get to Dublin over the next couple of days. ‘It’ll be great, two more games this week and, again, I’m looking forward to seeing the group develop.’ Man Utd drew with PSG on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images) The Red Devils’ last two friendlies have been encouraging, with a win over Atletico Madrid and a 1-1 draw against European champions PSG. Marcus Rashford has joined up with the rest of the Manchester United squad in Ireland, as his reintegration at the club continues. The England winger has been handed a new squad number – 14 – and could feature against Leeds on Wednesday. Marcus Rashford is back after a season on loan at Barcelona (Picture: Getty Images) Michael Carrick has already confirmed that Rashford will be part of the squad for their final two pre-season friendlies, saying: ‘We have a full squad next week in Dublin. ‘We fly straight there and meet Leeds on Wednesday. We have a few days in Dublin where we have the whole squad, including Marcus, Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martinez]. ‘I’ve played with him [Rashford]. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal were ‘used’ by Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, says John Obi Mikel (Picture: The Obi One Podcast) Chelsea hero John Obi Mikel has trolled Arsenal supporters after the club missed out on signing Vinicius Junior, asking the fanbase ‘what they were smoking’ to convince them a deal was possible. Vinicius emerged as a surprise transfer target for Arsenal on the back of the club’s title triumph last season, with Mikel Arteta said to be ‘absolutely smitten’ with the idea of capturing the Brazilian. A proposed move had been approved ‘at all levels’ at the Emirates and the Gunners were reportedly ready to make the 26-year-old the highest-paid player in Premier League history. But Vinicius would go on to commit his future to Real Madrid, putting pen to paper on a six-year contract extension at the Bernabeu, forcing the English champions to consider alternatives elsewhere. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. It’s understood PSG’s Bradley Barcola and Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz remain on Arsenal’s radar with three weeks remaining of the transfer window, but it would likely take an earth-shattering offer to coax either club into a deal before the deadline. Prior to Vinicius signing his extension, Obi Mikel told Arsenal fans to ‘forget’ about the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up, insisting the attacker was simply ‘using’ the Gunners to get a better deal. And in the latest episode of The Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder couldn’t resist reminding supporters of his previous remarks. Vinicius ignored interest from Arsenal to sign a new six-year deal in Madrid (Picture: Getty) Arsenal had reportedly been prepared to make Vinicius the highest-paid player in Premier League history (Picture: Getty) Asked if signing a new deal had perhaps been Vinicius’ plan all along, Obi Mikel replied: ‘Of course, mate. F***inghell. I don’t know what the Arsenal fans were expecting. ‘You win the league after 22 years and then you all of a sudden think: that’s it, you’ve arrived, you’re one of the big boys again. No, you’re not. ‘They’ve just been humbled because I said it: there’s no way Vinicius Junior is leaving Real Madrid to go to Arsenal, a club that’s won one title in 22 years. ‘This guy wins titles, he’s won lots of titles at Real Madrid. He wants to win titles season after season, the Champions League, La Liga, competing year after year and winning those titles. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Martin Odegaard heads ball directly into police officer during Arsenal parade","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/06\/01\/188721103218914644\/480x270_MP4_188721103218914644.mp4","description":"Whoops!","duration":"T8S","height":480,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/06\/01\/12\/109008017-0-image-a-36_1780314932393.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-06-01T12:52:23+0100","width":270} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); ‘He’s tasted what it feels like winning the Champions League, Arsenal have never won the Champions League. Zero. ‘You expect a player who has won the Champions League with Real Madrid to leave that, everything that he’s built at Real Madrid, and the squad that Jose Mourinho
Joaquin Seys is catching the eye of a lot of big clubs (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal and Manchester United are among the many admirers of Club Brugge left-back Joaquin Seys and they now know how much he will cost. The 21-year-old has become a regular for his club side, already racking up 97 first team appearances in all competitions. 23 of those games have come in the Champions League, so he has been competing at the elite level, also picking up six caps for Belgium and playing at the World Cup this summer. There is little surprise that big clubs have come calling and the Red Devils and Gunners are not the only ones who have taken note. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Sun report that Newcastle United and Aston Villa have also been tracking his progress, while Porto and Benfica have also been touted as interested parties. The pull of Manchester United and Arsenal might give them a head start in the race for the full-back’s signature and they are both believed to have made enquiries over his availability. Club Brugge are realistic that they are unlikely to keep hold of the defender amid such heavyweight interest and have set an asking price of €35million (£30m) for him. Seys has won six caps for Belgium at just 21 years old (Picture: Getty Images) That price is not going to put off the Premier League sides, but it is yet to be seen whether any will choose to make the move. Seys has shown great promise, but stepping up to competing for clubs challenging for the Premier League title will be a huge test. Both Manchester United and Arsenal have other options at left-back, so it would be unlikely that the Belgian would be thrown straight in as first choice, but would be brought in to compete for a place in the starting XI. Seys faced the test of Lamine Yamal at the World Cup (Picture: Getty Images) Aston Villa are looking for a new left-back after Lucas Digne departed for Paris Saint-Germain in an £8.5m deal. They have Ian Maatsen in that position, but will want to replace Digne as they prepare for a return to Champions League action after winning the Europa League last season. A statement from the Villains on Digne’s exit read: ‘A consummate professional, who was highly regarded by his fellow players and staff alike, Lucas leaves Aston Villa with the very best wishes of everyone at the football club.’ Seys is under contract at Club Brugge until 2029, so they are under little pressure to sell the player who doesn’t turn 22 until March next year. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Ashley Young is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck didn’t rejoin Manchester United (Picture: Sky Sports) Ashley Young says he is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck made a transfer move to Chelsea rather than former club Manchester United this summer. Chelsea have moved away from their purely youth-led transfer policy to add some much-needed experience to their dressing room ahead of Xabi Alonso’s debut season at the helm. After beating Arsenal to a £117million deal for Morgan Rogers, the Blues turned their attentions to Welbeck, a move that took many fans by surprise given the forward is set to turn 36 in November. Welbeck would go on to leave Brighton for Chelsea for a fee in the region of £5million, with the veteran attacker putting pen to paper on a two-year deal in west London. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Just two days later, it was announced that 36-year-old Jordan Henderson had decided to terminate his contract at Brentford to follow Welbeck through the doors at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea supporters got a first glimpse of Welbeck in their colours last week as the ex-England international was given a 45-minute run-out in the side’s pre-season clash with Juventus. Young, who played alongside Welbeck for four years at Manchester United, has been impressed by Chelsea’s transfer business and is confident his old team-mate can make a big impact both on and off the pitch. Welbeck has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty) The veteran forward made his unofficial Chelsea debut against Juventus (Picture: Getty) ‘Chelsea have made some good signings and they need some experience in that squad,’ Young told talkSPORT. ‘He’s a really good friend of mine, Welbs is. ‘I’ve been speaking to him the last couple of weeks.’ Welbeck should have been in England’s World Cup squad, says Young (Picture: Getty) Asked if Welbeck is excited for the season ahead at Chelsea, Young replied: ‘Yeah, of course he is. He’s delighted to be signing for Chelsea, especially at this stage of his career. ‘He’s proved himself time and time again. ‘Could he have been on the plane going to the World Cup? For me, I’m probably being biased in saying he should have, but he wasn’t. ‘He’s been fantastic and I’m gutted he hasn’t gone back to United, to be honest.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Xabi Alonso says Chelsea are 'thrilled' to have Mykhailo Mudryk back with the squad","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/04\/3201686063122201576\/480x270_MP4_3201686063122201576.mp4","description":"Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso says he wants to 'fight for important things' this season. This comes as he spoke to the media ahead of a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong.","duration":"T4M44S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/04\/18\/110436895-0-image-m-12_1785863746233.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-04T18:15:03+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Earlier this month, Old Trafford great Gary Neville – another of Welbeck’s former team-mates – criticised United for allowing the striker to leave for Arsenal back in 2014. According to Neville, the 2012/13 Premier Leag
Could Michael Carrick pull off a major transfer coup for Man Utd (Photo: Getty) Manchester United have been told to consider signing Real Madrid striker Endrick, with the Brazil wonderkid looking to join a Premier League club. Real paid Palmeiras £50million to sign Endrick when he was just 16 and since then, the hype around the young forward has been immeasurable. But while tipped to be the future talisman of both Los Blancos and the Brazil national team, the now 20-year-old has struggled to make an impact at Madrid, with Kylian Mbappe firmly ahead in the pecking order. Endrick spent the second-half of last season on loan at Lyon and it has been reported that the player will seek another temporary transfer if he is not guaranteed regular minutes by Jose Mourinho. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Spanish outlet AS has claimed that Roma and Aston Villa have expressed interest in signing the striker, with the latter looking to replace Morgan Rogers following his record £117m transfer to Chelsea. It would present a major coup for Unai Emery’s side, but MLS icon turned pundit Ale Moreno thinks that Endrick would be a great fit at Old Trafford. ‘I really do think that Real Madrid could use Endrick this season. So, if I were Endrick, I actually would consider staying at Real Madrid,’ the former Venezuela international told ESPN. Endrick has struggled for first-team football at Real Madrid (Photo: Getty) ‘But if the question is about where he would go, where he should go, where he may end up… we’ve talked a lot about Manchester United. The more you think about it, the more it makes sense to have a player with a profile of Endrick. ‘He is different than anything else they have in the attack in a central position. So, I’m thinking that perhaps that could be a place that could think about Enrick as a possibility. ‘I would stay at Real Madrid if I were him but I’m looking at it from the perspective as to what team near the top of the Premier League could use a player like Endrick.’ Endrick recorded 16 goal contributions in 21 games for Lyon last season (Photo: Getty) Aside from Benjamin Sesko, United don’t have another natural No.9 in their squad, though Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and the returning Marcus Rashford can all play centre-forward. It is said that Endrick’s preference is to play Champions League football, something United, Villa and Roma can offer, with Moreno adding: ‘It wouldn’t feel like such a demotion [joining United from Real] if you will. ‘And after the season he had last year being out on loan and how well he did he must be thinking, “Alright, let’s keep it going. Is that going to happen at Real Madrid? Well, probably not. Let me go somewhere else that I can do that”. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are interested in signing the Brazil wonderkid (Photo: Getty) ‘I don’t know where that place can be. I’m just thinking that Manchester United could use a player like Endrick.’ On the contrast, Steve Nicol believes Endrick, who recorded eight goals and eight assists in just 21 appearances for Lyon, must join a club where it is certain he will start week-in, week-out. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of a Fulham where he’s 100 per cent going to play,’ the former Liverpool defender said. ‘Fulham are going to play attacking football. They’re not going to win all the time [but] they’re going to win a fair share, they’re going to create chances. ‘Somebody like Endrick has to go somewhere where he’s going to play all the time, otherwise what’s the point of moving away from Real Madrid?’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs (Picture: Getty) Ryan Giggs ‘tried to persuade’ England World Cup star Elliot Anderson to join Manchester United before his £116m move to Manchester City. Anderson signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium last month after Man City briefly made him the most expensive British player in history. Manchester United were interested in beating their local rivals to a deal but pulled out of the race once Nottingham Forest’s demands went above £100m. Anderson became arguably Forest’s most important player following his £35m move from Newcastle United, helping the club finish seventh in the Premier League and qualify for Europe. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The 23-year-old was an integral member of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, featuring in all of England’s games as they reached the semi-finals before a heartbreaking defeat to Argentina. Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley has revealed he and club legend Giggs bumped into Anderson earlier in the summer and tried to ‘persuade’ him to move to Old Trafford. After pulling out of the race to sign Anderson, Michael Carrick welcomed two new midfielders to Manchester – bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. England World Cup star Elliot Anderson (Picture: Getty) ‘Signing Youri Tielemans for £35m is a great bit of business,’ Bardsley told Casinolyze. ‘I think Manchester City and Tottenham certainly overpaid for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali. ‘I knew it was getting to a stage with Elliot Anderson where he’d be £100m plus and I just didn’t feel comfortable about going to that sort of price for him as a player. ‘Listen, he’s outstanding. I really like him. I was in Portugal earlier in the summer playing golf with Ryan Giggs and we saw Anderson on the golf course and had a chat with him to try and persuade him to join United. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbJFR9ajQwN/?hl=en&img_index=1 ‘He was still unsure what he wanted to do but north of £100m for a defensive midfielder like him? If I’m spending that money, I want a player who will add 30-40 goals to my team a season. ‘That’s what I’m looking for at that fee. That’s value for money. Compare that sum to what United have paid for Tielemans and it’s a steal. ‘He’s a proven Premier League player, he’s captain of Belgium, he can deliver and he’s won trophies. He won the Europa League with Aston Villa last season. Manchester United summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘He brings an element of calm and real class on the ball too but he’s also not afraid to get stuck into the ugly side of the game too so I think he’s a really good signing, even leaving aside the price but I’ve been really impressed with the deal.’ Manchester City have been the dominant team in English football over the past decade but said goodbye to legendary manager Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca taking over at the Etihad Stadium. Following his huge move to Man City, Anderson said: ‘As soon as I knew [City] wanted me, I was absolutely determined to make this move happen. ‘You want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity. ‘As soon as I arrive in Manchester after a break, I will be doing everything I can to establish myself in the City team. ‘They’re winners, they’re relentless, and that’s the sort of team I want to be a part of – champions and people who win trophies. Over the last 10, 12 years, they’ve dominated, so that’s why I wanted to join.’ Man City face Arsenal in the Community Shield next weekend before their Premier League opener at home to Bournemouth. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add a
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says recruitment this summer preparing for a Europa League campaign is "much harder" than it was before last season's Premier League return. Defender Thomas Meunier is the only player to arrive on a permanent deal to the Black Cats so far this window, on a free transfer after his departure from Lille. The transfer window is still unpredictable but we are working behind the scenes to strengthen the squad.
Inter Milan could sacrifice Davide Frattesi before the transfer deadline as Cristian Chivu continues pushing for Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones. The Serie A champions have identified Jones as a priority addition, but completing the deal appears closely connected to creating both financial and squad space. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source […] The post Club ready to sell midfielder in order to make place for Liverpool star Curtis Jones appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Niko Kovac masterminded Borussia Dortmund’s 3-2 win over Arsenal (Credits: Sportimage) Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac offered one struggling Arsenal star a surprising vote of confidence following Sunday’s 3-2 win. Mikel Arteta’s side slumped to a second consecutive pre-season defeat, this time in front of their own fans at Emirates Stadium. Although he got on the scoresheet with a second half penalty, it was another disappointing afternoon for Viktor Gyokeres. The Sweden international looked well off the pace against Real Betis last week in his first outing since his World Cup exploits against Sweden and was again the focus of much criticism in the aftermath of yesterday’s reversal. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Despite another poor showing, Kovac singled out the former Sporting Lisbon star for surprise praise when asked if any Arsenal players caught his eye. He said: ‘There are a lot of top players when you see Gyokeres he is strong, he is quick, he is fast he is very direct. ‘We know him very well but I can mention all the players.’ Viktor Gyokeres struggled in Arsenal’s defeat against Borussia Dortmund (Credits: Alamy Live News.) Arteta, meanwhile, has backed ‘warrior’ Bruno Guimaraes to ‘ignite something different’ in the Premier League champions. Brazil midfielder Guimaraes was introduced to Gunners fans ahead of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat after completing his £75million move from Newcastle. The 28-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal, bolsters a star-studded midfield which already boasts the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Bruno Guimaraes was unveiled ahead of the game against Dortmund (Credits: Alamy Live News.) ‘You can see the immediate reaction,” Arteta told the club website after Guimaraes was given a warm reception by supporters. ‘I think he describes himself as a warrior. I think he’s a warrior with a tremendous quality as well and intuition and leadership and charisma that is going to help us, that is going to really ignite something different in the team. ‘I think he’s going to push everybody inside the team as well and that’s the type of player that we need.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal could face another major attacking decision before the summer transfer window closes, with Galatasaray making an approach over Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian’s future has become more uncertain following Arsenal’s latest recruitment. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust Mikel Arteta […] The post After Bruno Guimaraes: Arsenal could be involved in transfer of another Brazilian appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Michael Carrick during Manchester United’s pre-season camp (Picture: Getty) Manchester United have been told they have already secured one of the signings of the summer ahead of the new Premier League season. Michael Carrick has welcomed Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Karl Darlow to his first-team squad at Old Trafford this summer. Tynan Thompson, Kit Margetson and Cristian Orozco have also arrived at Manchester United but will join the club’s academy. United made Brazilian midfielder Santos their first signing of the summer in a £48m move from big-spending Chelsea. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Red Devils raided another Premier League rival in Aston Villa to sign Belgium international Tielemans for £35m. Hundreds of millions has already been spent on midfield reinforcements this summer, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes all sealing lucrative moves. John Obi Mikel rates Manchester United’s deal for Tielemans as the pick of the bunch, however, describing the signing as a ‘f****** steal’. Man Utd summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘For me, it’s Youri Tielemans,’ the Chelsea legend said on The Obi One podcast when asked for his take on the most impressive midfield signing of the summer. ‘Honestly, how the f*** did Manchester United get him for £35m? That’s a f****** steal. I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player. ‘Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a ten and when you have a player that can play anywhere, it gives you the variety to change the way you want to play. Tielemans is that guy. Tielemans during Man Utd pre-season (Picture: Getty) ‘He scores goals, he’s dangerous from set pieces, he’s brilliant on the ball, and he rarely gives it away. The only thing people can say is that he’s not the quickest, but he reads the game so well. ‘He is very intelligent with and without the ball. When I look at all the midfielders that have transferred to different clubs [this summer], the best one is Tielemans.’ Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has also praised Manchester United’s move for Tielemans. https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbdvh2TAoys/?hl=en ‘The problem with modern football is that sometimes we look too much at stats like assists and goals,’ he told Hajper. ‘Of course, Youri Tielemans creates assists and scores goals, and can shoot from outside the box and score free kicks, but he is so much more than that. ‘Tielemans is a link up player, and you have to watch him to understand why he is so important to his teams, not just look at his stats, because he is always trying to play the ball forward. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel (Picture: Getty) ‘You have some midfield players who have a pass success rate of 98% but they are always playing the ball backwards. Tielemans is a guy who turns, opens up and plays the ball between the lines, and that’s very important for a club like Manchester United who need to break other teams down. ‘Even when he’s playing in a deep role, he’s playing it in an attacking way. He’s thinking about going forwards, always. ‘Sometimes he will lose the ball but that’s what happens when you take some risks in games to make things happen, and I think that’s something United need, and he has the mentality to be brave and positive under the big pressure of the shirt. ‘He will put in ultra big effort and say to his team mates, give me the ball and let me change the game for you. He will take the responsibility to take Manchester United forward.’ Carrick is still interested in bringing a third new midfielder to Old Trafford this summer before the transfer window shuts. United drew 1-1 with European champions PSG in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night. Manchester United have two more tun
Leandro Trossard was unveiled as a Besiktas player last month (Picture: Getty Images) Besiktas have approached Arsenal in an attempt to make another big signing from the Premier League champions, having already landed Leandro Trossard this summer. The Belgian has made the switch to the Turkish Super Lig in a deal worth an initial £15.3million and another potential £1.7m in add-ons. The 31-year-old becomes one of the star names in the Besiktas squad but they are hoping to add another high profile star this summer. Turkish publication Fanatik report that Besiktas have approached Arsenal over a deal to sign striker Gabriel Jesus. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Brazil international is available for transfer this summer, having falling down the pecking order behind Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres. The Gunners want £20m for the striker, who has just one year left on his contract, while they are only interested in a permanent exit rather than a loan deal. There is no shortage of interest in the 29-year-old, with Napoli pursuing a deal for his signature, but Besiktas are trying their luck as well. Gabriel Jesus looks likely to be leaving Arsenal this summer (Picture: Getty Images) Jesus arrived at Arsenal from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 in a £45m deal but has seen much of his time at the club hampered by injury. He has performed in fits and starts, but has played just 123 times in four seasons, scoring 32 goals. He remains in first team contention and has featured in pre-season, but an exit is looking increasingly likely this summer. There is also interest from Turkey in another Arsenal star, with Galatasaray reportedly keen on Gabriel Martinelli. Gabriel Martinelli has been at Arsenal since 2019 (Picture: Getty Images) TalkSPORT report that Galatasaray have made an initial inquiry for the Brazilian winger and talks have been held over a fee. The 25-year-old featured regularly last season, making 53 appearances across all competitions and scoring 11 goals. He has one year left on his current contract, although Arsenal do have an option to extend that by another 12 months. Martinelli would only be allowed to leave if the Gunners bring in a new signing on the left wing, as they are already a bit short there after the departure of Trossard. The pursuit of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr was unsuccessful and Arsenal are now thought to be looking at the likes of Kenan Yildiz at Juventus and Eli Kroupi Jr at Bournemouth. They are also interested in Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, as are Barcelona. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal lose 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in Emirates CupMan City’s wide players shine in 3-2 win against AtléticoThe Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has backed “warrior” Bruno Guimarães to “ignite something different” in the Premier League champions. The Brazil midfielder was introduced to fans ahead of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup after completing his £75m move from Newcastle.The 28-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal, bolsters a midfield which already includes Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Continue reading...
Dario Essugo captained Chelsea in Jakarta on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images) Chelsea youngster Dario Essugo admits it was a surprise to be handed the captain’s armband in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, but hopes it can inspire other young players at the club. The 21-year-old skippered a the Blues in their meeting with Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim, which ended 3-3. Chelsea beat AC Milan 3-0 in a friendly on Saturday, so manager Xabi Alonso completely changed the starting line-up, but there were still plenty of recognisable names in it. Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Estevao made up the front three, with the likes of Jamie Gittens, Tosin Adarabioyo and Geovany Quenda all starting as well. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. It was Essugo who got the nod as captain, having also worn the armband earlier in pre-season as well. The midfielder suggested his maturity has earned him the honour, hoping to show to other young players at the club that age is just a number. ‘For me it was a surprise but of course it’s a pleasure,’ the Portuguese prospect said. ‘I didn’t expect to be captain at this age and at this big club so for me it’s just a pleasure and I enjoyed it a lot. Essugo will be hoping for more first team opportunities this season (Picture: Getty Images) ‘For me it means everything because I didn’t expect it. It’s a message for me and for all the players that it’s not about the age, but maybe it’s about maturity. It’s learning and staying positive.’ On how he feels he is developing at Chelsea, he said: ‘[I’ve learned] a lot because here we have a lot of big players, so I try to learn from everyone. I think that’s it, learning from my teammates and enjoy.’ Essugo was signed from Sporting last year in a deal worth £18.5 million, but had little impact in his first season at Stamford Bridge. Essugo has a lot of competition in Chelsea’s midfield (Picture: REUTERS) The Portugal Under-21 international made just three Premier League appearances and five in total over the campaign. He will be hoping that the faith Alonso has shown in him over pre-season is a sign of more action to come when the new season gets underway later this month. Chelsea have one more summer friendly, against Real Sociedad on Saturday, before starting their Premier League campaign at Fulham on August 24. Alonso spoke after the 3-0 win over AC Milan of using multiple systems and attempting to be as unpredictable as possible. Xabi Alonso is already mixing things up at Chelsea (Picture: Getty Images) The Spaniard has played a back three and back four over the summer so far. ‘We want to be versatile in our approach and system,’ he said. ‘I think we have the players to adapt to different ones because they understand how to support each other. ‘The principles are the same but the movements can change; we need to be unpredictable, we want to be flexible, and we want to have a threat. The system is just a picture; you need to move, rotate and create dynamics [in the team] and that is when the picture becomes a movie. ‘We are not just sticking to one idea and the more options that we have, the better team we will be.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Mikel Arteta is dealing with some big injuries before the season has begun (Picture: Getty Images) Mikel Arteta has given the latest on the injury status of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber and it sounds like Arsenal fans will not be seeing either for a while. The Gunners boss was speaking after a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday at the Emirates which the German side won 3-2. Neither Saliba nor Timber were involved as the Frenchman deals with a back problem and the Dutchman is out with a groin issue. Arsenal are back in action in a friendly with Como on Wednesday before taking on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Their Premier League title defence starts with a home game against Coventry on August 21 and it sounds unlikely either injured player will be involved. Asked on their return dates, Arteta told a press conference on Sunday: ‘I cannot be very precise with that. Jurrien is progressing really well, he’s on the pitch, he’s doing quite a lot right now, but is still weeks away, I cannot say how much. ‘William is in rest mode at the moment. For two weeks he had to do almost nothing, don’t aggravate the injury. It’s going to take some time to heal, we know that. William Saliba has been ruled out after the World Cup (Picture: Reuters Connect) ‘As quick as we have more news we can inform.’ Two weeks ago Arsenal released a statement on Saliba, saying he ‘has suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.’ The club added: ‘Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme. ‘William’s rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period.’ Jurrien Timber has been training but is not fit to play (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal are not short of options at the back, with Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly also in the squad. However, Arteta accepted that Saliba is a huge loss given his level of influence in the side. ‘We have experienced that in the past, unfortunately,’ the manager said on being without the Frenchman. ‘When he’s been available, his stats are incredible. ‘We know that we have lost an incredible player. Same with Jurrien.’ Arteta was asked if he is looking to add a defender to his squad in the transfer window, but did not suggest this is where he is looking to strengthen. ‘We conceded some poor goals the other day, some poor goals today, in the way we competed especially, but that’s a collective responsibility,’ he said. ‘We need to improve with the players that we have.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty) Arsenal have received an approach for Gabriel Martinelli after completing a £75m deal for Bruno Guimaraes. After weeks of negotiations, the Premier League champions finally agreed a big-money deal to sign Guimaraes from Newcastle United. The Brazilian bolsters an Arsenal midfield which already includes the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Arsenal have also strengthened Arteta’s options on the wing, signing Christos Tzolis in a £34m deal from Club Brugge. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Arteta sanctioned a move for the Greek international after allowing Leandro Trossard to leave in a £15m move to Besiktas. Trossard is not the only Arsenal winger being linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium, however, with Martinelli also a possible departure. Martinelli is Arsenal’s longest-serving player having made his Gunners debut back in 2019 at the age of 18. Gabriel Martinelli could end his long spell with Arsenal (Picture: Getty) The Brazilian has been a mainstay in the team since then, making 278 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions. But Martinelli struggled to make an impact last season, only scoring one goal in 30 Premier League games, and is expected to be behind new signing Tzolis in Arteta’s pecking order. There remains a possibility that Arsenal will sell Martinelli and they have received a tempting transfer approach from Galatasaray, according to Football London. Arsenal summer signing Christos Tzolis (Picture: Getty) Turkish clubs have already made waves in the summer transfer window, with Trabzonspor securing a stunning deal for Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah. As mentioned, Besiktas have signed Arsenal title winner Trossard and Fenerbahce have held talks to sign England star Marcus Rashford from Manchester United. It is claimed Arsenal are reluctant to entertain interest in Martinelli after they fell short in their bid to sign Real Madrid icon Vinicius Junior. https://www.instagram.com/p/DYznzdrCB9W/?hl=en&img_index=1 However, Arsenal are already looking at alternative targets and could allow Martinelli to leave if they bring in another winger. For his part, Martinelli is believed to be settled in north London but aware his game-time could suffer if Arteta brings in a new winger. Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith understands why Arteta may consider selling Martinelli but disagreed with Trossard’s transfer exit. Arsenal signed Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle (Picture: Getty) ‘The only one from that list I wouldn’t want to see go is Leandro Trossard,’ Smith told Metro on behalf of BestBettingSites. ‘I think he had a great season. ‘He can score important goals and he’s a very clever player, versatile as well. He’s mainly played on the left, but he can come inside. He’s a big fan favourite as well. ‘Looking at Gabriel Martinelli, it’s been a frustrating few years for him. Ben White, yeah, again, I’m sure there’s defenders coming to the club so he might feel like it’s time to go. ‘I can see Gabriel Jesus going as well, certainly if Arsenal buy another striker which it looks like they’re trying to do. ‘I think he would be the first one that they would try and offload. But Leandro Trossard, for me, is one you wouldn’t want to let go.’ Martinelli’s countryman Jesus was linked with a return to Brazil earlier in the summer and has recently emerged as a target for Napoli. Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield next weekend before their Premier League opener against newly-promoted Coventry City. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal were successful with a £75m transfer bid for Newcastle skipper Bruno Guimaraes (Picture: Getty) Dietmar Hamann has backed Bruno Guimaraes to add a new dimension to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side – but claims the midfielder is still yet to prove he is ‘top class’. Arsenal identified Guimaraes as a top target at the start of the summer transfer window, with the Premier League champions eager to add strength to their title-winning midfield. The Brazilian captained Newcastle to their first domestic trophy in 70 years under Eddie Howe and and is considered one of the most sought-after central midfielders in the English game. While Newcastle had initially been reluctant to lose Guimaraes to a direct rival, the Gunners broke the Magpies’ resistance with a successful £75million bid – having missed out on the 28-year-old when he was at Lyon four-and-a-half years ago. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Guimaraes was unveiled to the Emirates crowd ahead of Arsenal’s pre-season clash with Borussia Dortmund this weekend, but was unable to take part in the match. The former Newcastle man will be expected to train with his new team-mates for the first time over the coming days and may be in line to make his unofficial debut in Arsenal’s next friendly against Como on Wednesday evening. ‘We are delighted to welcome Bruno Guimaraes to our club,’ Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta said of the midfielder’s arrival. Guimaraes has signed a four-year deal with the Gunners (Picture: Getty) Arsenal’s summer signing is yet to prove he’s ‘top class’, says Hamann (Picture: Getty) ‘Bruno is a player with a great mentality and great quality, who will bring strong leadership to our squad. ‘With Bruno joining us, we are further strengthening the heart of our team. As we have all seen, Bruno can play as a defensive midfielder and as a box-to-box player. He combines quality with quantity, and has provided goals and assists for his team every year. ‘Bruno will allow Mikel to further develop our playing style and will also increase our internal competitiveness, which is essential for maintaining the standards required when we are aiming to win major trophies.’ Guimaraes captained Newcastle to Carabao Cup glory last year (Picture: Getty) Discussing the big-money transfer with Sports Mole, Hamann speculated that Arsenal had made the move for Guimaraes in order to add some much-needed creativity in the middle of the park. But according to Hamann, it would be ‘premature’ to place Guimaraes in the bracket of an elite midfielder at this stage. ‘Bruno has been a big player for Newcastle, and he’s been the captain as well, led the way, led from the front,’ the 2005 Champions League winner explained. ‘But we’ve seen him in the World Cup. I think part of some of the biggest issues for the Brazil team were in the middle of the park. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Martin Odegaard heads ball directly into police officer during Arsenal parade","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/06\/01\/188721103218914644\/480x270_MP4_188721103218914644.mp4","description":"Whoops!","duration":"T8S","height":480,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/06\/01\/12\/109008017-0-image-a-36_1780314932393.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-06-01T12:52:23+0100","width":270} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-
Man Utd seem to have beaten Arsenal to the signing of highly-rated young midfielder (Photo: Getty) Manchester United are in talks to sign one of the most exciting young players in the EFL ahead of rivals Arsenal, according to reports. Following the arrival of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, Michael Carrick is looking to add another midfielder to his squad ahead of the start of the season. While plenty of big names have been linked to Old Trafford, the club are also snapping up young prospects, with BBC Sport reporting they are working on a deal to sign teenager Louis Page from Leicester City. Page only turned 18 last month, but has already made 21 senior appearances for the Foxes, most recently in the Carabao Cup win over Northampton Town on Saturday. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The England youth international enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, but was powerless to prevent the former Premier League champions from being relegated to League One. At season’s end, he was named Championship Apprentice of the Year and his impressive performances and high ceiling have clearly caught the eye, with Arsenal and Aston Villa showing a big interest in the box-to-box midfielder. But it appears United are winning the race for his signature, with Page said to be keen on moving to Manchester. Louis Page only made his senior debut last season but already has plenty of admirers (Photo: Getty) If so, it would be the second time this summer that Arsenal have missed out on signing a highly-rated teenager from Leicester after Jeremy Monga joined Manchester City for an initial £10million. Last September, then Leicester manager Marti Cifuentes showered praise on both Monga and Page, highlighting the youngsters’ fearlessness. He said: ‘They are playing because they are good. Of course we need to help them to develop their qualities, because there’s a lot of quality with those guys. Jaydan Kamason has impressed Man Utd during pre-season (Photo: Getty) ‘They will play better some days than others because we know as a young player sometimes there are ups and downs. But I’m most pleased that they show personality. ‘They want the ball, they are not afraid. They play with the freedom I like them to play with.’ While United look to sign one teenager they must make a decision whether to sell another, as the Daily Mail report there is much interest in their academy graduate Jaydan Kamason. Southampton are keen to sign the 19-year-old on a permanent deal, while the right-back has also attracted interest from Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday. However, those at Carrington rate Kamason very highly, especially after impressing in the first-team during pre-season and it seems he will likely stay at United for at least the first-half of the season. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
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Roma has revived its interest in Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli, with the Premier League club reportedly prepared to discuss a sale for between €40 million and €45 million. According to Tuttomercato, the Brazilian has returned to Roma’s list of attacking options after the Italian club considered him earlier in the transfer window. Roma has not […] The post Roma considers Gabriel Martinelli as Arsenal lowers asking price appeared first on SoccerNews.
Jayden Bogle doesn’t expect a calm affair when Leeds play Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images) Manchester United face Leeds at Croke Park on Wednesday and the Red Devils have been told that it will not be the friendliest friendly. The rivalry between the two clubs goes back decades and has been one of the most heated in English football. On the field it has been one-sided in Manchester United’s favour for a long time, but Leeds did pick up a memorable win at Old Trafford last season. After a 1-1 draw at Elland Road in January, Leeds won the reverse fixture 2-1 in April, with Noah Okafor scoring both goals for the Yorkshire side. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Jayden Bogle started in that victory for Leeds and he is looking forward to a very competitive pre-season contest in Dublin this week. Asked if anyone can truly call this fixture a friendly, he told LUTV: ‘No, you can’t. ‘Even though it is pre-season, it is not going to be a friendly. We will recover now and then prepare for that one next.’ Leeds have won friendlies this summer against RB Leipzig, Liverpool and Sunderland (Picture: Getty Images) Red Devils boss Michael Carrick was not looking to spice things up so much, just saying he is looking forward to a trip to Ireland. It has been a typically globe-trotting pre-season for United, having played inHelsinki, Trondheim, Solna and Goteborg already this summer and with fixtures in Ireland and Wroclaw in Poland, against AC Milan, to come. ‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Carrick said of the Ireland trip. ‘It’s been, a little bit, different chapters through pre-season and we’ll get everybody together, when we get to Dublin over the next couple of days. ‘It’ll be great, two more games this week and, again, I’m looking forward to seeing the group develop.’ Man Utd drew with PSG on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images) The Red Devils’ last two friendlies have been encouraging, with a win over Atletico Madrid and a 1-1 draw against European champions PSG. Marcus Rashford has joined up with the rest of the Manchester United squad in Ireland, as his reintegration at the club continues. The England winger has been handed a new squad number – 14 – and could feature against Leeds on Wednesday. Marcus Rashford is back after a season on loan at Barcelona (Picture: Getty Images) Michael Carrick has already confirmed that Rashford will be part of the squad for their final two pre-season friendlies, saying: ‘We have a full squad next week in Dublin. ‘We fly straight there and meet Leeds on Wednesday. We have a few days in Dublin where we have the whole squad, including Marcus, Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martinez]. ‘I’ve played with him [Rashford]. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal were ‘used’ by Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, says John Obi Mikel (Picture: The Obi One Podcast) Chelsea hero John Obi Mikel has trolled Arsenal supporters after the club missed out on signing Vinicius Junior, asking the fanbase ‘what they were smoking’ to convince them a deal was possible. Vinicius emerged as a surprise transfer target for Arsenal on the back of the club’s title triumph last season, with Mikel Arteta said to be ‘absolutely smitten’ with the idea of capturing the Brazilian. A proposed move had been approved ‘at all levels’ at the Emirates and the Gunners were reportedly ready to make the 26-year-old the highest-paid player in Premier League history. But Vinicius would go on to commit his future to Real Madrid, putting pen to paper on a six-year contract extension at the Bernabeu, forcing the English champions to consider alternatives elsewhere. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. It’s understood PSG’s Bradley Barcola and Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz remain on Arsenal’s radar with three weeks remaining of the transfer window, but it would likely take an earth-shattering offer to coax either club into a deal before the deadline. Prior to Vinicius signing his extension, Obi Mikel told Arsenal fans to ‘forget’ about the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up, insisting the attacker was simply ‘using’ the Gunners to get a better deal. And in the latest episode of The Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder couldn’t resist reminding supporters of his previous remarks. Vinicius ignored interest from Arsenal to sign a new six-year deal in Madrid (Picture: Getty) Arsenal had reportedly been prepared to make Vinicius the highest-paid player in Premier League history (Picture: Getty) Asked if signing a new deal had perhaps been Vinicius’ plan all along, Obi Mikel replied: ‘Of course, mate. F***inghell. I don’t know what the Arsenal fans were expecting. ‘You win the league after 22 years and then you all of a sudden think: that’s it, you’ve arrived, you’re one of the big boys again. No, you’re not. ‘They’ve just been humbled because I said it: there’s no way Vinicius Junior is leaving Real Madrid to go to Arsenal, a club that’s won one title in 22 years. ‘This guy wins titles, he’s won lots of titles at Real Madrid. He wants to win titles season after season, the Champions League, La Liga, competing year after year and winning those titles. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Martin Odegaard heads ball directly into police officer during Arsenal parade","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/06\/01\/188721103218914644\/480x270_MP4_188721103218914644.mp4","description":"Whoops!","duration":"T8S","height":480,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/06\/01\/12\/109008017-0-image-a-36_1780314932393.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-06-01T12:52:23+0100","width":270} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); ‘He’s tasted what it feels like winning the Champions League, Arsenal have never won the Champions League. Zero. ‘You expect a player who has won the Champions League with Real Madrid to leave that, everything that he’s built at Real Madrid, and the squad that Jose Mourinho
Joaquin Seys is catching the eye of a lot of big clubs (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal and Manchester United are among the many admirers of Club Brugge left-back Joaquin Seys and they now know how much he will cost. The 21-year-old has become a regular for his club side, already racking up 97 first team appearances in all competitions. 23 of those games have come in the Champions League, so he has been competing at the elite level, also picking up six caps for Belgium and playing at the World Cup this summer. There is little surprise that big clubs have come calling and the Red Devils and Gunners are not the only ones who have taken note. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Sun report that Newcastle United and Aston Villa have also been tracking his progress, while Porto and Benfica have also been touted as interested parties. The pull of Manchester United and Arsenal might give them a head start in the race for the full-back’s signature and they are both believed to have made enquiries over his availability. Club Brugge are realistic that they are unlikely to keep hold of the defender amid such heavyweight interest and have set an asking price of €35million (£30m) for him. Seys has won six caps for Belgium at just 21 years old (Picture: Getty Images) That price is not going to put off the Premier League sides, but it is yet to be seen whether any will choose to make the move. Seys has shown great promise, but stepping up to competing for clubs challenging for the Premier League title will be a huge test. Both Manchester United and Arsenal have other options at left-back, so it would be unlikely that the Belgian would be thrown straight in as first choice, but would be brought in to compete for a place in the starting XI. Seys faced the test of Lamine Yamal at the World Cup (Picture: Getty Images) Aston Villa are looking for a new left-back after Lucas Digne departed for Paris Saint-Germain in an £8.5m deal. They have Ian Maatsen in that position, but will want to replace Digne as they prepare for a return to Champions League action after winning the Europa League last season. A statement from the Villains on Digne’s exit read: ‘A consummate professional, who was highly regarded by his fellow players and staff alike, Lucas leaves Aston Villa with the very best wishes of everyone at the football club.’ Seys is under contract at Club Brugge until 2029, so they are under little pressure to sell the player who doesn’t turn 22 until March next year. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Ashley Young is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck didn’t rejoin Manchester United (Picture: Sky Sports) Ashley Young says he is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck made a transfer move to Chelsea rather than former club Manchester United this summer. Chelsea have moved away from their purely youth-led transfer policy to add some much-needed experience to their dressing room ahead of Xabi Alonso’s debut season at the helm. After beating Arsenal to a £117million deal for Morgan Rogers, the Blues turned their attentions to Welbeck, a move that took many fans by surprise given the forward is set to turn 36 in November. Welbeck would go on to leave Brighton for Chelsea for a fee in the region of £5million, with the veteran attacker putting pen to paper on a two-year deal in west London. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Just two days later, it was announced that 36-year-old Jordan Henderson had decided to terminate his contract at Brentford to follow Welbeck through the doors at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea supporters got a first glimpse of Welbeck in their colours last week as the ex-England international was given a 45-minute run-out in the side’s pre-season clash with Juventus. Young, who played alongside Welbeck for four years at Manchester United, has been impressed by Chelsea’s transfer business and is confident his old team-mate can make a big impact both on and off the pitch. Welbeck has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty) The veteran forward made his unofficial Chelsea debut against Juventus (Picture: Getty) ‘Chelsea have made some good signings and they need some experience in that squad,’ Young told talkSPORT. ‘He’s a really good friend of mine, Welbs is. ‘I’ve been speaking to him the last couple of weeks.’ Welbeck should have been in England’s World Cup squad, says Young (Picture: Getty) Asked if Welbeck is excited for the season ahead at Chelsea, Young replied: ‘Yeah, of course he is. He’s delighted to be signing for Chelsea, especially at this stage of his career. ‘He’s proved himself time and time again. ‘Could he have been on the plane going to the World Cup? For me, I’m probably being biased in saying he should have, but he wasn’t. ‘He’s been fantastic and I’m gutted he hasn’t gone back to United, to be honest.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Xabi Alonso says Chelsea are 'thrilled' to have Mykhailo Mudryk back with the squad","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/04\/3201686063122201576\/480x270_MP4_3201686063122201576.mp4","description":"Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso says he wants to 'fight for important things' this season. This comes as he spoke to the media ahead of a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong.","duration":"T4M44S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/04\/18\/110436895-0-image-m-12_1785863746233.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-04T18:15:03+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Earlier this month, Old Trafford great Gary Neville – another of Welbeck’s former team-mates – criticised United for allowing the striker to leave for Arsenal back in 2014. According to Neville, the 2012/13 Premier Leag
Could Michael Carrick pull off a major transfer coup for Man Utd (Photo: Getty) Manchester United have been told to consider signing Real Madrid striker Endrick, with the Brazil wonderkid looking to join a Premier League club. Real paid Palmeiras £50million to sign Endrick when he was just 16 and since then, the hype around the young forward has been immeasurable. But while tipped to be the future talisman of both Los Blancos and the Brazil national team, the now 20-year-old has struggled to make an impact at Madrid, with Kylian Mbappe firmly ahead in the pecking order. Endrick spent the second-half of last season on loan at Lyon and it has been reported that the player will seek another temporary transfer if he is not guaranteed regular minutes by Jose Mourinho. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Spanish outlet AS has claimed that Roma and Aston Villa have expressed interest in signing the striker, with the latter looking to replace Morgan Rogers following his record £117m transfer to Chelsea. It would present a major coup for Unai Emery’s side, but MLS icon turned pundit Ale Moreno thinks that Endrick would be a great fit at Old Trafford. ‘I really do think that Real Madrid could use Endrick this season. So, if I were Endrick, I actually would consider staying at Real Madrid,’ the former Venezuela international told ESPN. Endrick has struggled for first-team football at Real Madrid (Photo: Getty) ‘But if the question is about where he would go, where he should go, where he may end up… we’ve talked a lot about Manchester United. The more you think about it, the more it makes sense to have a player with a profile of Endrick. ‘He is different than anything else they have in the attack in a central position. So, I’m thinking that perhaps that could be a place that could think about Enrick as a possibility. ‘I would stay at Real Madrid if I were him but I’m looking at it from the perspective as to what team near the top of the Premier League could use a player like Endrick.’ Endrick recorded 16 goal contributions in 21 games for Lyon last season (Photo: Getty) Aside from Benjamin Sesko, United don’t have another natural No.9 in their squad, though Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and the returning Marcus Rashford can all play centre-forward. It is said that Endrick’s preference is to play Champions League football, something United, Villa and Roma can offer, with Moreno adding: ‘It wouldn’t feel like such a demotion [joining United from Real] if you will. ‘And after the season he had last year being out on loan and how well he did he must be thinking, “Alright, let’s keep it going. Is that going to happen at Real Madrid? Well, probably not. Let me go somewhere else that I can do that”. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are interested in signing the Brazil wonderkid (Photo: Getty) ‘I don’t know where that place can be. I’m just thinking that Manchester United could use a player like Endrick.’ On the contrast, Steve Nicol believes Endrick, who recorded eight goals and eight assists in just 21 appearances for Lyon, must join a club where it is certain he will start week-in, week-out. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of a Fulham where he’s 100 per cent going to play,’ the former Liverpool defender said. ‘Fulham are going to play attacking football. They’re not going to win all the time [but] they’re going to win a fair share, they’re going to create chances. ‘Somebody like Endrick has to go somewhere where he’s going to play all the time, otherwise what’s the point of moving away from Real Madrid?’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs (Picture: Getty) Ryan Giggs ‘tried to persuade’ England World Cup star Elliot Anderson to join Manchester United before his £116m move to Manchester City. Anderson signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium last month after Man City briefly made him the most expensive British player in history. Manchester United were interested in beating their local rivals to a deal but pulled out of the race once Nottingham Forest’s demands went above £100m. Anderson became arguably Forest’s most important player following his £35m move from Newcastle United, helping the club finish seventh in the Premier League and qualify for Europe. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The 23-year-old was an integral member of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, featuring in all of England’s games as they reached the semi-finals before a heartbreaking defeat to Argentina. Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley has revealed he and club legend Giggs bumped into Anderson earlier in the summer and tried to ‘persuade’ him to move to Old Trafford. After pulling out of the race to sign Anderson, Michael Carrick welcomed two new midfielders to Manchester – bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. England World Cup star Elliot Anderson (Picture: Getty) ‘Signing Youri Tielemans for £35m is a great bit of business,’ Bardsley told Casinolyze. ‘I think Manchester City and Tottenham certainly overpaid for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali. ‘I knew it was getting to a stage with Elliot Anderson where he’d be £100m plus and I just didn’t feel comfortable about going to that sort of price for him as a player. ‘Listen, he’s outstanding. I really like him. I was in Portugal earlier in the summer playing golf with Ryan Giggs and we saw Anderson on the golf course and had a chat with him to try and persuade him to join United. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbJFR9ajQwN/?hl=en&img_index=1 ‘He was still unsure what he wanted to do but north of £100m for a defensive midfielder like him? If I’m spending that money, I want a player who will add 30-40 goals to my team a season. ‘That’s what I’m looking for at that fee. That’s value for money. Compare that sum to what United have paid for Tielemans and it’s a steal. ‘He’s a proven Premier League player, he’s captain of Belgium, he can deliver and he’s won trophies. He won the Europa League with Aston Villa last season. Manchester United summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘He brings an element of calm and real class on the ball too but he’s also not afraid to get stuck into the ugly side of the game too so I think he’s a really good signing, even leaving aside the price but I’ve been really impressed with the deal.’ Manchester City have been the dominant team in English football over the past decade but said goodbye to legendary manager Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca taking over at the Etihad Stadium. Following his huge move to Man City, Anderson said: ‘As soon as I knew [City] wanted me, I was absolutely determined to make this move happen. ‘You want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity. ‘As soon as I arrive in Manchester after a break, I will be doing everything I can to establish myself in the City team. ‘They’re winners, they’re relentless, and that’s the sort of team I want to be a part of – champions and people who win trophies. Over the last 10, 12 years, they’ve dominated, so that’s why I wanted to join.’ Man City face Arsenal in the Community Shield next weekend before their Premier League opener at home to Bournemouth. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add a
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says recruitment this summer preparing for a Europa League campaign is "much harder" than it was before last season's Premier League return. Defender Thomas Meunier is the only player to arrive on a permanent deal to the Black Cats so far this window, on a free transfer after his departure from Lille. The transfer window is still unpredictable but we are working behind the scenes to strengthen the squad.
Inter Milan could sacrifice Davide Frattesi before the transfer deadline as Cristian Chivu continues pushing for Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones. The Serie A champions have identified Jones as a priority addition, but completing the deal appears closely connected to creating both financial and squad space. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source […] The post Club ready to sell midfielder in order to make place for Liverpool star Curtis Jones appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Niko Kovac masterminded Borussia Dortmund’s 3-2 win over Arsenal (Credits: Sportimage) Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac offered one struggling Arsenal star a surprising vote of confidence following Sunday’s 3-2 win. Mikel Arteta’s side slumped to a second consecutive pre-season defeat, this time in front of their own fans at Emirates Stadium. Although he got on the scoresheet with a second half penalty, it was another disappointing afternoon for Viktor Gyokeres. The Sweden international looked well off the pace against Real Betis last week in his first outing since his World Cup exploits against Sweden and was again the focus of much criticism in the aftermath of yesterday’s reversal. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Despite another poor showing, Kovac singled out the former Sporting Lisbon star for surprise praise when asked if any Arsenal players caught his eye. He said: ‘There are a lot of top players when you see Gyokeres he is strong, he is quick, he is fast he is very direct. ‘We know him very well but I can mention all the players.’ Viktor Gyokeres struggled in Arsenal’s defeat against Borussia Dortmund (Credits: Alamy Live News.) Arteta, meanwhile, has backed ‘warrior’ Bruno Guimaraes to ‘ignite something different’ in the Premier League champions. Brazil midfielder Guimaraes was introduced to Gunners fans ahead of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat after completing his £75million move from Newcastle. The 28-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal, bolsters a star-studded midfield which already boasts the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Bruno Guimaraes was unveiled ahead of the game against Dortmund (Credits: Alamy Live News.) ‘You can see the immediate reaction,” Arteta told the club website after Guimaraes was given a warm reception by supporters. ‘I think he describes himself as a warrior. I think he’s a warrior with a tremendous quality as well and intuition and leadership and charisma that is going to help us, that is going to really ignite something different in the team. ‘I think he’s going to push everybody inside the team as well and that’s the type of player that we need.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal could face another major attacking decision before the summer transfer window closes, with Galatasaray making an approach over Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian’s future has become more uncertain following Arsenal’s latest recruitment. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust Mikel Arteta […] The post After Bruno Guimaraes: Arsenal could be involved in transfer of another Brazilian appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Michael Carrick during Manchester United’s pre-season camp (Picture: Getty) Manchester United have been told they have already secured one of the signings of the summer ahead of the new Premier League season. Michael Carrick has welcomed Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Karl Darlow to his first-team squad at Old Trafford this summer. Tynan Thompson, Kit Margetson and Cristian Orozco have also arrived at Manchester United but will join the club’s academy. United made Brazilian midfielder Santos their first signing of the summer in a £48m move from big-spending Chelsea. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Red Devils raided another Premier League rival in Aston Villa to sign Belgium international Tielemans for £35m. Hundreds of millions has already been spent on midfield reinforcements this summer, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes all sealing lucrative moves. John Obi Mikel rates Manchester United’s deal for Tielemans as the pick of the bunch, however, describing the signing as a ‘f****** steal’. Man Utd summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘For me, it’s Youri Tielemans,’ the Chelsea legend said on The Obi One podcast when asked for his take on the most impressive midfield signing of the summer. ‘Honestly, how the f*** did Manchester United get him for £35m? That’s a f****** steal. I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player. ‘Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a ten and when you have a player that can play anywhere, it gives you the variety to change the way you want to play. Tielemans is that guy. Tielemans during Man Utd pre-season (Picture: Getty) ‘He scores goals, he’s dangerous from set pieces, he’s brilliant on the ball, and he rarely gives it away. The only thing people can say is that he’s not the quickest, but he reads the game so well. ‘He is very intelligent with and without the ball. When I look at all the midfielders that have transferred to different clubs [this summer], the best one is Tielemans.’ Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has also praised Manchester United’s move for Tielemans. https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbdvh2TAoys/?hl=en ‘The problem with modern football is that sometimes we look too much at stats like assists and goals,’ he told Hajper. ‘Of course, Youri Tielemans creates assists and scores goals, and can shoot from outside the box and score free kicks, but he is so much more than that. ‘Tielemans is a link up player, and you have to watch him to understand why he is so important to his teams, not just look at his stats, because he is always trying to play the ball forward. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel (Picture: Getty) ‘You have some midfield players who have a pass success rate of 98% but they are always playing the ball backwards. Tielemans is a guy who turns, opens up and plays the ball between the lines, and that’s very important for a club like Manchester United who need to break other teams down. ‘Even when he’s playing in a deep role, he’s playing it in an attacking way. He’s thinking about going forwards, always. ‘Sometimes he will lose the ball but that’s what happens when you take some risks in games to make things happen, and I think that’s something United need, and he has the mentality to be brave and positive under the big pressure of the shirt. ‘He will put in ultra big effort and say to his team mates, give me the ball and let me change the game for you. He will take the responsibility to take Manchester United forward.’ Carrick is still interested in bringing a third new midfielder to Old Trafford this summer before the transfer window shuts. United drew 1-1 with European champions PSG in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night. Manchester United have two more tun
Leandro Trossard was unveiled as a Besiktas player last month (Picture: Getty Images) Besiktas have approached Arsenal in an attempt to make another big signing from the Premier League champions, having already landed Leandro Trossard this summer. The Belgian has made the switch to the Turkish Super Lig in a deal worth an initial £15.3million and another potential £1.7m in add-ons. The 31-year-old becomes one of the star names in the Besiktas squad but they are hoping to add another high profile star this summer. Turkish publication Fanatik report that Besiktas have approached Arsenal over a deal to sign striker Gabriel Jesus. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Brazil international is available for transfer this summer, having falling down the pecking order behind Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres. The Gunners want £20m for the striker, who has just one year left on his contract, while they are only interested in a permanent exit rather than a loan deal. There is no shortage of interest in the 29-year-old, with Napoli pursuing a deal for his signature, but Besiktas are trying their luck as well. Gabriel Jesus looks likely to be leaving Arsenal this summer (Picture: Getty Images) Jesus arrived at Arsenal from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 in a £45m deal but has seen much of his time at the club hampered by injury. He has performed in fits and starts, but has played just 123 times in four seasons, scoring 32 goals. He remains in first team contention and has featured in pre-season, but an exit is looking increasingly likely this summer. There is also interest from Turkey in another Arsenal star, with Galatasaray reportedly keen on Gabriel Martinelli. Gabriel Martinelli has been at Arsenal since 2019 (Picture: Getty Images) TalkSPORT report that Galatasaray have made an initial inquiry for the Brazilian winger and talks have been held over a fee. The 25-year-old featured regularly last season, making 53 appearances across all competitions and scoring 11 goals. He has one year left on his current contract, although Arsenal do have an option to extend that by another 12 months. Martinelli would only be allowed to leave if the Gunners bring in a new signing on the left wing, as they are already a bit short there after the departure of Trossard. The pursuit of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr was unsuccessful and Arsenal are now thought to be looking at the likes of Kenan Yildiz at Juventus and Eli Kroupi Jr at Bournemouth. They are also interested in Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, as are Barcelona. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal lose 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in Emirates CupMan City’s wide players shine in 3-2 win against AtléticoThe Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has backed “warrior” Bruno Guimarães to “ignite something different” in the Premier League champions. The Brazil midfielder was introduced to fans ahead of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup after completing his £75m move from Newcastle.The 28-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal, bolsters a midfield which already includes Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Continue reading...
Dario Essugo captained Chelsea in Jakarta on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images) Chelsea youngster Dario Essugo admits it was a surprise to be handed the captain’s armband in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, but hopes it can inspire other young players at the club. The 21-year-old skippered a the Blues in their meeting with Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim, which ended 3-3. Chelsea beat AC Milan 3-0 in a friendly on Saturday, so manager Xabi Alonso completely changed the starting line-up, but there were still plenty of recognisable names in it. Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Estevao made up the front three, with the likes of Jamie Gittens, Tosin Adarabioyo and Geovany Quenda all starting as well. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. It was Essugo who got the nod as captain, having also worn the armband earlier in pre-season as well. The midfielder suggested his maturity has earned him the honour, hoping to show to other young players at the club that age is just a number. ‘For me it was a surprise but of course it’s a pleasure,’ the Portuguese prospect said. ‘I didn’t expect to be captain at this age and at this big club so for me it’s just a pleasure and I enjoyed it a lot. Essugo will be hoping for more first team opportunities this season (Picture: Getty Images) ‘For me it means everything because I didn’t expect it. It’s a message for me and for all the players that it’s not about the age, but maybe it’s about maturity. It’s learning and staying positive.’ On how he feels he is developing at Chelsea, he said: ‘[I’ve learned] a lot because here we have a lot of big players, so I try to learn from everyone. I think that’s it, learning from my teammates and enjoy.’ Essugo was signed from Sporting last year in a deal worth £18.5 million, but had little impact in his first season at Stamford Bridge. Essugo has a lot of competition in Chelsea’s midfield (Picture: REUTERS) The Portugal Under-21 international made just three Premier League appearances and five in total over the campaign. He will be hoping that the faith Alonso has shown in him over pre-season is a sign of more action to come when the new season gets underway later this month. Chelsea have one more summer friendly, against Real Sociedad on Saturday, before starting their Premier League campaign at Fulham on August 24. Alonso spoke after the 3-0 win over AC Milan of using multiple systems and attempting to be as unpredictable as possible. Xabi Alonso is already mixing things up at Chelsea (Picture: Getty Images) The Spaniard has played a back three and back four over the summer so far. ‘We want to be versatile in our approach and system,’ he said. ‘I think we have the players to adapt to different ones because they understand how to support each other. ‘The principles are the same but the movements can change; we need to be unpredictable, we want to be flexible, and we want to have a threat. The system is just a picture; you need to move, rotate and create dynamics [in the team] and that is when the picture becomes a movie. ‘We are not just sticking to one idea and the more options that we have, the better team we will be.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Mikel Arteta is dealing with some big injuries before the season has begun (Picture: Getty Images) Mikel Arteta has given the latest on the injury status of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber and it sounds like Arsenal fans will not be seeing either for a while. The Gunners boss was speaking after a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday at the Emirates which the German side won 3-2. Neither Saliba nor Timber were involved as the Frenchman deals with a back problem and the Dutchman is out with a groin issue. Arsenal are back in action in a friendly with Como on Wednesday before taking on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Their Premier League title defence starts with a home game against Coventry on August 21 and it sounds unlikely either injured player will be involved. Asked on their return dates, Arteta told a press conference on Sunday: ‘I cannot be very precise with that. Jurrien is progressing really well, he’s on the pitch, he’s doing quite a lot right now, but is still weeks away, I cannot say how much. ‘William is in rest mode at the moment. For two weeks he had to do almost nothing, don’t aggravate the injury. It’s going to take some time to heal, we know that. William Saliba has been ruled out after the World Cup (Picture: Reuters Connect) ‘As quick as we have more news we can inform.’ Two weeks ago Arsenal released a statement on Saliba, saying he ‘has suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.’ The club added: ‘Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme. ‘William’s rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period.’ Jurrien Timber has been training but is not fit to play (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal are not short of options at the back, with Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly also in the squad. However, Arteta accepted that Saliba is a huge loss given his level of influence in the side. ‘We have experienced that in the past, unfortunately,’ the manager said on being without the Frenchman. ‘When he’s been available, his stats are incredible. ‘We know that we have lost an incredible player. Same with Jurrien.’ Arteta was asked if he is looking to add a defender to his squad in the transfer window, but did not suggest this is where he is looking to strengthen. ‘We conceded some poor goals the other day, some poor goals today, in the way we competed especially, but that’s a collective responsibility,’ he said. ‘We need to improve with the players that we have.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty) Arsenal have received an approach for Gabriel Martinelli after completing a £75m deal for Bruno Guimaraes. After weeks of negotiations, the Premier League champions finally agreed a big-money deal to sign Guimaraes from Newcastle United. The Brazilian bolsters an Arsenal midfield which already includes the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Arsenal have also strengthened Arteta’s options on the wing, signing Christos Tzolis in a £34m deal from Club Brugge. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Arteta sanctioned a move for the Greek international after allowing Leandro Trossard to leave in a £15m move to Besiktas. Trossard is not the only Arsenal winger being linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium, however, with Martinelli also a possible departure. Martinelli is Arsenal’s longest-serving player having made his Gunners debut back in 2019 at the age of 18. Gabriel Martinelli could end his long spell with Arsenal (Picture: Getty) The Brazilian has been a mainstay in the team since then, making 278 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions. But Martinelli struggled to make an impact last season, only scoring one goal in 30 Premier League games, and is expected to be behind new signing Tzolis in Arteta’s pecking order. There remains a possibility that Arsenal will sell Martinelli and they have received a tempting transfer approach from Galatasaray, according to Football London. Arsenal summer signing Christos Tzolis (Picture: Getty) Turkish clubs have already made waves in the summer transfer window, with Trabzonspor securing a stunning deal for Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah. As mentioned, Besiktas have signed Arsenal title winner Trossard and Fenerbahce have held talks to sign England star Marcus Rashford from Manchester United. It is claimed Arsenal are reluctant to entertain interest in Martinelli after they fell short in their bid to sign Real Madrid icon Vinicius Junior. https://www.instagram.com/p/DYznzdrCB9W/?hl=en&img_index=1 However, Arsenal are already looking at alternative targets and could allow Martinelli to leave if they bring in another winger. For his part, Martinelli is believed to be settled in north London but aware his game-time could suffer if Arteta brings in a new winger. Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith understands why Arteta may consider selling Martinelli but disagreed with Trossard’s transfer exit. Arsenal signed Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle (Picture: Getty) ‘The only one from that list I wouldn’t want to see go is Leandro Trossard,’ Smith told Metro on behalf of BestBettingSites. ‘I think he had a great season. ‘He can score important goals and he’s a very clever player, versatile as well. He’s mainly played on the left, but he can come inside. He’s a big fan favourite as well. ‘Looking at Gabriel Martinelli, it’s been a frustrating few years for him. Ben White, yeah, again, I’m sure there’s defenders coming to the club so he might feel like it’s time to go. ‘I can see Gabriel Jesus going as well, certainly if Arsenal buy another striker which it looks like they’re trying to do. ‘I think he would be the first one that they would try and offload. But Leandro Trossard, for me, is one you wouldn’t want to let go.’ Martinelli’s countryman Jesus was linked with a return to Brazil earlier in the summer and has recently emerged as a target for Napoli. Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield next weekend before their Premier League opener against newly-promoted Coventry City. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Arsenal were successful with a £75m transfer bid for Newcastle skipper Bruno Guimaraes (Picture: Getty) Dietmar Hamann has backed Bruno Guimaraes to add a new dimension to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side – but claims the midfielder is still yet to prove he is ‘top class’. Arsenal identified Guimaraes as a top target at the start of the summer transfer window, with the Premier League champions eager to add strength to their title-winning midfield. The Brazilian captained Newcastle to their first domestic trophy in 70 years under Eddie Howe and and is considered one of the most sought-after central midfielders in the English game. While Newcastle had initially been reluctant to lose Guimaraes to a direct rival, the Gunners broke the Magpies’ resistance with a successful £75million bid – having missed out on the 28-year-old when he was at Lyon four-and-a-half years ago. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Guimaraes was unveiled to the Emirates crowd ahead of Arsenal’s pre-season clash with Borussia Dortmund this weekend, but was unable to take part in the match. The former Newcastle man will be expected to train with his new team-mates for the first time over the coming days and may be in line to make his unofficial debut in Arsenal’s next friendly against Como on Wednesday evening. ‘We are delighted to welcome Bruno Guimaraes to our club,’ Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta said of the midfielder’s arrival. Guimaraes has signed a four-year deal with the Gunners (Picture: Getty) Arsenal’s summer signing is yet to prove he’s ‘top class’, says Hamann (Picture: Getty) ‘Bruno is a player with a great mentality and great quality, who will bring strong leadership to our squad. ‘With Bruno joining us, we are further strengthening the heart of our team. As we have all seen, Bruno can play as a defensive midfielder and as a box-to-box player. He combines quality with quantity, and has provided goals and assists for his team every year. ‘Bruno will allow Mikel to further develop our playing style and will also increase our internal competitiveness, which is essential for maintaining the standards required when we are aiming to win major trophies.’ Guimaraes captained Newcastle to Carabao Cup glory last year (Picture: Getty) Discussing the big-money transfer with Sports Mole, Hamann speculated that Arsenal had made the move for Guimaraes in order to add some much-needed creativity in the middle of the park. But according to Hamann, it would be ‘premature’ to place Guimaraes in the bracket of an elite midfielder at this stage. ‘Bruno has been a big player for Newcastle, and he’s been the captain as well, led the way, led from the front,’ the 2005 Champions League winner explained. ‘But we’ve seen him in the World Cup. I think part of some of the biggest issues for the Brazil team were in the middle of the park. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Martin Odegaard heads ball directly into police officer during Arsenal parade","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/06\/01\/188721103218914644\/480x270_MP4_188721103218914644.mp4","description":"Whoops!","duration":"T8S","height":480,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/06\/01\/12\/109008017-0-image-a-36_1780314932393.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-06-01T12:52:23+0100","width":270} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-
Man Utd seem to have beaten Arsenal to the signing of highly-rated young midfielder (Photo: Getty) Manchester United are in talks to sign one of the most exciting young players in the EFL ahead of rivals Arsenal, according to reports. Following the arrival of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, Michael Carrick is looking to add another midfielder to his squad ahead of the start of the season. While plenty of big names have been linked to Old Trafford, the club are also snapping up young prospects, with BBC Sport reporting they are working on a deal to sign teenager Louis Page from Leicester City. Page only turned 18 last month, but has already made 21 senior appearances for the Foxes, most recently in the Carabao Cup win over Northampton Town on Saturday. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The England youth international enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, but was powerless to prevent the former Premier League champions from being relegated to League One. At season’s end, he was named Championship Apprentice of the Year and his impressive performances and high ceiling have clearly caught the eye, with Arsenal and Aston Villa showing a big interest in the box-to-box midfielder. But it appears United are winning the race for his signature, with Page said to be keen on moving to Manchester. Louis Page only made his senior debut last season but already has plenty of admirers (Photo: Getty) If so, it would be the second time this summer that Arsenal have missed out on signing a highly-rated teenager from Leicester after Jeremy Monga joined Manchester City for an initial £10million. Last September, then Leicester manager Marti Cifuentes showered praise on both Monga and Page, highlighting the youngsters’ fearlessness. He said: ‘They are playing because they are good. Of course we need to help them to develop their qualities, because there’s a lot of quality with those guys. Jaydan Kamason has impressed Man Utd during pre-season (Photo: Getty) ‘They will play better some days than others because we know as a young player sometimes there are ups and downs. But I’m most pleased that they show personality. ‘They want the ball, they are not afraid. They play with the freedom I like them to play with.’ While United look to sign one teenager they must make a decision whether to sell another, as the Daily Mail report there is much interest in their academy graduate Jaydan Kamason. Southampton are keen to sign the 19-year-old on a permanent deal, while the right-back has also attracted interest from Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday. However, those at Carrington rate Kamason very highly, especially after impressing in the first-team during pre-season and it seems he will likely stay at United for at least the first-half of the season. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
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