Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could dip into the market and snare a former academy prospect, bringing him back to the Emirates Stadium with a lucrative bid.

What’s the word?

90min are reporting that Valencia have initiated contract talks with their rising star Yunus Musah, who signed for the Spanish outfit in 2019, after departing from the Gunners academy. 

With Liverpool and Chelsea also emerging as potential suitors for the dynamic midfielder, Arteta will need to move swiftly if he is indeed to make his move for a player they have been tracking since 2019.

The report states that while Valencia would be open to sale, should they fail in their contractual offer, Musah’s release clause of €100m (£86m) could be a wall too insurmountable to overcome. 

Ramsey heir

Arsenal have gone from strength to strength across the past few seasons, and now top the Premier League table after 14 matches played, ahead of the formidable Manchester City by five points.

There is a desire to improve several departments of the team, however, with The Sun reporting earlier this season that Gunners owner Stan Kroenke will present the Spaniard Arteta with funds to target impactful additions, with the centre of the park and the wide flanks desired.

Musah played an integral role in the USA’s commendable World Cup campaign, where the side finished second in the group phase and lost in a thrilling round-of-16 encounter against the Netherlands.

As per Sofascore, the industrious midfielder recorded an 87% pass success rate in Qatar, making 2.0 tackles per match and aiding his team as the central focal point, linking the offensive and defensive departments with a refined presence that belies his tender age.

His tenacity in the centre offers shades of Aaron Ramsey, who starred for the Gunners, making 371 appearances for the London giants, scoring 65 goals and assists apiece and playing a vital role in securing three FA Cup trophies during his lengthy stay. 

Musah, who ranks within the top 7% for dribbles completed when compared to midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues this term, as per FBref, displays a clear aptitude for seeking out forward transitions and instigating positive plays. 

Much like Ramsey, there is a knack for implementing a forward-thinking mindset into the game, and Arsenal would certainly welcome this approach back to the Emirates, with the “connector” – as Gregg Berhalter calls him – raising the performance of all his teammates when he’s fit and firing. 

Having already plied his trade at Arsenal at youth level, the door remains open for a return, and despite the deal likely being rather expensive, Arsenal would boast a newfound presence of dogged ubiquity in the middle, who could help them continue to rise.

Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich is on the verge of sealing a move to MLS side D.C. United, according to a key update from journalist Tom Bogert.

The Lowdown: Klich out of favour at Leeds

The 32-year-old has been a good servant for the Whites, not always standing out as a headline-maker but doing a solid job in the middle of the park.

Klich has had a frustrating 2022/23 season to date, however, failing to start a single Premier League game and being limited to 11 cameo appearances.

It has led to rumours linking Klich with a move away from Leeds and it now looks as though his wish is set to be granted.

The Latest: DC United move ‘close’

Writing on Twitter, Bogert claimed that Klich’s move to DC United is almost complete:

“BREAKING: D.C. United are finalizing a deal to sign Poland midfielder Mateusz Klich from Leeds United per sources. Not 100% done yet, but close. Klich, 32, wouldn’t be a DP. @UEFAComPiotrK first on interest.

“Klich has 42 caps with Poland. Joined Leeds in 2018, has 192 apps.”

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The Verdict: Right time to move on

In truth, this feels like a natural conclusion to Klich’s Leeds career, with Jesse Marsch clearly not seeing him as a key player moving forward.

To have not started at all in the league, despite some injury issues in midfield, is a testament to that and he is now a level below someone like Tyler Adams.

Klich will benefit from playing in the slower-paced MLS, as age continues to catch up with him, but he should be remembered as a good player for the Whites, being hailed as ‘wonderful’ by David Prutton.

Chelsea’s form heading into the World Cup break wasn’t great, losing against Newcastle United, Manchester City, and Arsenal in the Premier League to slowly build the pressure on Graham Potter.

The January transfer window can’t come quickly enough, with a few new faces expected to arrive at Stamford Bridge and this could give Potter the licence to ditch a few underperformers, especially Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has struggled majorly since arriving in the summer.

The former Arsenal frontman cost Chelsea around £10m plus defender Marcus Alonso, however, the £160k-per-week star has scored just one league goal from six matches, averaging a measly 15 touches per match and it’s clear he is struggling to get involved.

Once dubbed a “maverick signing” by Matty Lawless upon his arrival at the Emirates in 2018, the 33-year-old has now seen his stock fall quite low and Potter will require more firepower in front of goal if he wants to lead Chelsea to success.

The club were linked with a move for LOSC Lille forward Jonathan David in recent months and following his admission of wanting to play in the Premier League, Potter should be prioritising a move for the Canadian international.

Indeed, any potential move may cost around €50m (£43m) but with the form he has been over the previous 18 months, plus the talent he possesses, this could soon turn into an excellent investment for the future.

Since the beginning of last season, David has scored 28 goals across all competitions, while also chipping in with three assists and this has led to him becoming one of the most sought-after youngsters on the continent.

Aston Villa were linked with a move alongside Manchester United and Chelsea face a transfer battle in order to secure the signature of the 22-year-old next year.

He was selected for the Canada squad ahead of their first World Cup since 1986, however, the tournament didn’t go how they planned, with three straight defeats and David struggling to display his talent on the world stage.

This shouldn’t deter Chelsea from making a move, especially considering Canada manager John Herdman described the striker as a “silent assassin” and if the Blues need anything, it’s goals.

Aubameyang and Armando Broja, the club’s two senior centre-forwards, have netted just four times between them this season and if David did make the move to Stamford Bridge, he could be a roaring success that gives the 47-year-old a licence to ditch Aubameyang in the process.

Newcastle United have reportedly joined a big Premier League chase to sign Glasgow Rangers gem Jack Wylie.

The Lowdown: Contract difficulties

As per Football Insider, Rangers are ‘pulling out all the stops’ to retain Wylie’s services, although his age means that they cannot yet offer him a professional contract until his 16th birthday.

The 15-year-old has ‘caught the eye’ of Premier League suitors, but the Ibrox outfit are ‘rolling out of the red carpet for him’ in a bid to persuade him that staying at the club is best for his development.

The Latest: Newcastle join chase

According to an update from Football Insider, the St. James’ Park outfit have now ‘joined the chase’ for Wylie, alongside Tottenham Hotspur.

The defender is in demand after top-flight scouts delivered ‘rave reviews’ on his performances for the Gers’ youth sides and also for Scotland at U16 level.

Manchester United, Arsenal and Leeds United have all ‘registered their interest’ in Wylie ahead of the January transfer window, while the Magpies and Spurs are ‘also in dialogue’ with his camp.

Michael Beale’s side do not want to lose any more of their young stars, after Billy Gilmour signed for Chelsea and Rory Wilson headed to Aston Villa in recent years.

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The Verdict: Talent pool growing

The North East club are certainly growing an exciting pool of young talent following the expected January arrival of Australian teenager Garang Kuol, who played for his country at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Lauded as a ‘top talent’ and a ‘wonderkid’ by transfer expert and Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Wylie certainly has a bright future ahead of him as well, and would be a valuable addition to the Tyneside academy.

However, they need to act fast if they are to secure his signature, given the level of competition from some of their fellow Premier League rivals.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson has given an emphatic response to claims that he has mishandled players’ contract situations at Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Contracts dwindling down

Several important players at the Premiership giants are now into the final six months of their contracts, including Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield, Allan McGregor and James Sands, all of whom will be free to discuss pre-contract moves to other clubs from January onwards.

Kent and Morelos in particular have been the subject of potentially lucrative transfer interest in recent months, but whereas they may have been able to command big fees earlier this year, the prospect of them walking out of Ibrox for nothing looms ever larger.

The Latest: Wilson hits out

As per Daily Record, Wilson was asked if it was a mistake on his and the club’s part to allow so many first-team players to come so close to letting their contracts run down without new deals being agreed.

The Rangers chief sniped back: “I don’t buy it. I don’t buy into that at all. Nonsense. There are two key assets here who have been talked about for a long time in Kent and Morelos.

“There is another group of older players who I’m sure everybody understands good contract management is to have those lads on one-year contracts and review them year on year. And there are a couple of boys who have been injured quite a lot so again it is sensible to keep reviewing before the end of the season as well.

“So I don’t buy into that. I don’t think the criticism has been unfair because I think everyone is entitled to their opinion on that, of course they are.”

The Verdict: Rangers taking a gamble

It will not be lost on Wilson that, this time last year, Connor Goldson was in a similar scenario to Kent and Morelos now in terms of nearing the end of his contract, although the defender eventually agreed to new terms in June.

There is a chance that several of those at Ibrox whose contracts are approaching their end will agree to new terms and remain Rangers players for another while yet.

However, with only a few months remaining to get those contracts sorted, supporters could be forgiven for any apprehension or worries as to whether Kent, Morelos, McGregor et all will still be at the club in 12 months’ time.

The Ibrox faithful will already be frustrated from their underwhelming start to the Premiership season and their Champions League humiliation, so getting the ball rolling on sorting out contracts could help to deliver some much-needed good news.

Manchester United have reportedly made an audacious approach to sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, as manager Erik ten Hag steps up his search for a new centre-forward.

What’s the word?

According to reports in Spain, via Football 365, the Red Devils – as well as Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain – have made an offer to sign the France international in the New Year, with the 34-year-old currently having just six months remaining on his existing deal at the Bernabeu.

The report suggests that the La Liga outfit have only offered the veteran marksman a one-year extension to remain in the Spanish capital, while United are said to have offered a ‘crazy salary’ in order to tempt the prolific marksman into making the switch.

This comes following Ten Hag’s recent confirmation that the club are looking to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese icon having left the club by mutual consent last month.

Cantona-esque

While it may appear that the Old Trafford outfit are targetting yet another short-term, centre-forward fix – after bringing in the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Ronaldo in recent years – the addition of Benzema would certainly prove a real coup for the club, with the former Lyon man still arguably very much in his prime.

Despite his advancing years, the £395k-per-week sensation is currently the reigning Ballon d’Or winner having helped to steer Carlo Ancelotti’s men to Champions League glory last term, scoring 15 goals in just 12 games in the competition in total.

The ruthless “genius” – as described by broadcaster Nathan Murphy – produced a number of clutch moments during the knockout stages of that European run, memorably netting back-to-back hat tricks against PSG and Chelsea en route to glory.

That prolific form was also replicated domestically as the evergreen asset scored 27 goals and laid on 12 assists in just 32 top-flight games, taking his total club career tally to 395 goals in 765 games across spells in both Spain and France.

Should the experienced ace – who has six goals in 12 games to his name this season – make the move to England next month, the hope will be that he can emulate the impact of compatriot Eric Cantona at the Theatre of Dreams.

The legendary forward proved an instant hit in Manchester after arriving from rivals Leeds United in 1992, going on to win four league titles and score 70 league goals over the next five years to solidify his status as a true cult hero.

While something of a footballing God among those of a Red Devils persuasion, the enigmatic figure was not a mere single-minded presence despite his undoubted self-confidence, having illustrated his brilliance as a team player after also laying on 56 assists during his time at the club.

That unselfish nature is also a trait that can be attributed to Benzema, with the Madrid talisman having seemingly sacrificed himself at times for the aforementioned Ronaldo during their time together in the Spanish capital, while he also boasts 187 assists to his name in his career to date.

Equally, the two are also alike due to their dalliance with controversy, with Benzema having notably endured a five-year hiatus from the France squad due to a blackmail scandal, while Cantona memorably suffered a nine-month ban for his attack on a Crystal Palace supporter at Selhurst Park in 1995.

Despite that baggage, both men are and were true masters of their craft, with having such a presence leading the line only set to be a real bonus for any side.

While Ten Hag and co may have a fight on their hands to prise Benzema from Los Blancos, it could well prove worth it to have a Cantona-esque talent to spearhead the attack.

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has provided his verdict on reported Celtic target Cho Gue-sung following speculation linking the South Korea international with a move to Parkhead.

What’s the word?

The Scottish Sun revealed at the end of last month that the Old Firm outfit had joined the race for the 24-year-old, with the Premiership champions said to be one of ‘several’ European clubs who are interested in the Jeonbuk centre-forward.

The player himself has raised hopes regarding a move to Glasgow after outlining his desire to go to Europe in the near future, with the Hoops said to be plotting to secure a new attacking addition in January.

According to O’Rourke – in an interview with Football FanCast – the 20-cap marksman seemingly has what it takes to be a “success” for Celtic, with such an acquisition likely to help strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s firepower.

The respected journalist stated of Cho: “He’s a player who looks like he’s got all the attributes to be a success in Europe. He’s a big strong forward as well.

“Obviously Celtic have had their problems with [Giorgos] Giakoumakis being injured on numerous occasions, while [Kyogo] Furuhashi has also had his injury problems as well. So it’s an area of the team that it looks like Ange Postecoglou would like to strengthen in”.

Big coup

Bringing Cho into the fold at Paradise could well be a notable coup for the Premiership champions, with the 6 foot 2 ace having been in prolific form of late at club level, having scored 21 goals and laid on five assists in 35 games in all competitions in the 2021/22 campaign.

That stunning season has ensured that his overall club career record now stands at 51 goals and 16 assists in 133 games at senior level, with the eye-catching talent having been lauded by journalist Jason Lee for his “incredible” form.

That hot streak was also replicated for his country in recent weeks, with the former FC Anyang man having starred at the World Cup in Qatar, notably scoring twice in an eventual 3-2 defeat to Ghana in South Korea’s second group game.

That clinical double saw the highly-coveted ace showcase his ruthlessness in front of goal, having twice powered home with two bullet headers, with such an impact unsurprisingly having caught the attention of Postecoglou and co.

As O’Rourke referenced, there is seemingly a need for further competition in the centre-forward ranks at Celtic due to the injury woes of Kyogo Furuhashi, with the Japan international having been absent for much of the second half of last season with a hamstring issue.

The same is also true of Giorgos Giakoumakis, who has endured his own injury woes over the last 18 months, with the Greek marksman currently facing an uncertain future in Scotland after contract talks hit an impasse.

As such, a new striker has become something of a priority for Celtic heading into the New Year, with Cho’s prospective arrival likely to be a big coup as the Hoops look to maintain their rampant autumn form.

Manchester United are reportedly among the ‘main suitors’ to seal the signing of Atletico Madrid and Portugal superstar Joao Felix.

The Lowdown: Constant United rumours

Erik ten Hag is sure to be considering a number of signings in the coming transfer windows as he looks to continue his promising start to life at Old Trafford, and a marquee attacking signing is surely a must after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

One player who has been linked with a move to United more than most recently is Felix, who looks increasingly likely to leave Atletico either in January or next summer.

The rumour simply isn’t going away, with a fresh claim now emerging from the Spanish press.

The Latest: Red Devils among ‘main suitors’

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Felix has a ‘free path’ to leave Atletico and his agent Jorge Mendes ‘will present offers of around €100m (£86m)’.

United are among the ‘main suitors’ to snap up the 23-year-old and they have shown ‘more interest’ since the huge development of Ronaldo’s departure.

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The Verdict: Feels increasingly likely

This is a transfer that really does feel like it has legs to it and it would have the potential to be a hugely exciting capture by United, given Felix’s potential.

The attacker is a prodigiously gifted footballer who has already scored 53 goals at club level, and while some may argue that he hasn’t kicked on enough recently, he has been playing in an Atletico team hellbent on adopting a defensive approach.

Under someone more attacking like Ten Hag, Felix could absolutely flourish, showing precisely why Alvaro Morata has called him a ‘special’ player and providing much-needed guile and end product in the final third at Old Trafford.

Chelsea have ‘registered an interest’ in Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi ahead of January, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Midfield revamp

The Premier League giants are reportedly planning a midfield revamp in the New Year, with Todd Boehly and Graham Potter currently in the process of identifying the right candidates.

The Spaniard still has five years remaining on his contract in La Liga, but after an impressive start to the 2022/23 season, is now being heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge next year.

The Latest: Zubimendi contact made

Taking to Twitter, Phillips revealed that Chelsea have made contact to sign Zubimendi ahead of a potential move in 2023. He wrote:

“Told Chelsea have registered an interest in Real Sociedad defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi (23).”

The Verdict: Kante successor?

N’Golo Kante’s deal is set to expire at the end of the season, and after recently being linked with an exit next summer, Zubimendi would be the perfect successor should he depart.

The Real star is naturally a defensive midfielder, where he’s currently averaging 2.4 aerial wins and 1.6 tackles per league game, though he has also provided three goal contributions this term, showing he can be a threat in the final third too (WhoScored).

Zubimendi has been hailed a ‘special’ player by Sid Lowe, and at just 23 years of age, he would be a fantastic signing for the future of Chelsea.

Philippe Coutinho’s agent is working on securing a move away from Aston Villa for his player, following a patchy spell during his time at the club.

The Lowdown: Coutinho’s hit-and-miss spell

The Brazilian made an exciting move to Villa Park back in January, as he looked to rebuild his career after a disappointing post-Liverpool stint at Barcelona.

After a bright start to life at Villa though, Coutinho’s form has tailed off fairly dramatically, with only six starts coming his way in the Premier League this season due to injuries and inconsistent displays.

The 30-year-old may not be a part of Unai Emery’s plans moving forward and a new update further suggests that that could be the case.

The Latest: Agent working on exit

According to Globo Esporte [via Sport Witness], Corinthians are interested in signing Coutinho, seeing him as a ‘high-level player’ who could strengthen them.

The Brazilian’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, ‘will do his best’ to get a Villa exit over the line – the fact that he has sealed moves to Corinthians for Willian and Vítor Pereira in the past bodes well.

There is allegedly a ‘real chance’ the deal goes through.

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The Verdict: Time to move on?

Coutinho’s time at Villa has ultimately been hugely disappointing, considering what a huge talent he is, having been described as ‘magical’ by Roberto Firmino in the past.

That’s not to say that there haven’t been good moments along the way, not least his first goal for the club against Manchester United on his debut, but he feels too much like a luxury player these days instead of someone who is great in a rigid system.

For that reason, Emery is unlikely to see him as a key part of his plans, so allowing him to leave and receiving money for his services feels like the best decision moving forward.