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Arsenal are interested in a Premier League winger as Mikel Arteta aims to complete another signing during the January transfer window…

What’s the news?

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal are interested in signing AFC Bournemouth winger Jaidon Anthony as Arteta looks to add some more depth to his attacking options.

He could face competition for the 23-year-old however, with Leicester City, Borussia Monchengladbach, and Bayer Leverkusen also keen on Anthony.

His contract expires at the end of the season and Arsenal could be looking to secure a bargain move for him this month and with the club close to completing a move for Leandro Trossard, it could be a strong end to the window for Arteta.

He’s a dream signing

Anthony knows Arsenal well, having spent ten years at the Hale End academy during his formative years, playing alongside Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe, so settling in shouldn’t be a problem for the player.

At just 23 years old, he also fits Arteta’s vision for the future, with the Spaniard looking at bringing the average age of the side down significantly while signing young players who can develop and improve over time.

In the Championship last season, Anthony was excellent, featuring in all but one of Bournemouth’s matches as they gained promotion back to the Premier League. The winger averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.16/10 which ranked him as the club’s best performer during the campaign.

He underlined his attacking qualities by registering 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – while creating an astonishing 18 big chances across his 45 matches, demonstrating just how effective he was from a wide position.

Anthony didn’t shy away from the nitty-gritty work either, chipping in with 1.3 tackles and 0.5 clearances per game while winning 3.6 duels per match, proving that he can also provide solid defensive support when required.

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His former manager Scott Parker lauded his performances last season, saying: “What he does for this team is nothing short of incredible at times really.” And although he has struggled for game time this season, the Englishman has still scored three times in 18 appearances for the Cherries.

Following the disappointment of missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk, Arteta will be working twice as hard to secure attacking reinforcements and a move for Anthony could be a very shrewd investment indeed.

The shift in momentum at Manchester United since Erik ten Hag assumed the managerial position last summer has been extraordinary, and gilt-edged success is emerging as a genuine possibility.

Last week’s monumental derby day triumph over Manchester City, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford courtesy of strikes from Bruno Fernandes and the resurgent Marcus Rashford, the Red Devils have now closed the gap on their imperious neighbours to a single point in the Premier League.

With nine successive victories across and the club indeed firing across all cylinders, still active in every competition available, there is an embedded sense of optimism that overflows from the brim at the Theatre of Dreams.

But now with a pivotal away clash in the league against Crystal Palace, Ten Hag must ensure cohesion remains gelled and energy levels stay relentless, preventing a lackadaisical display that will hamper the monumental strides taken across recent months.  

With reports that Anthony Martial faces a race to find fitness following his withdrawal against City at the weekend, the talismanic door swings wide open to offer a platform for Wout Weghorst to make his debut for the club.

Signed from Burnley on a six-month loan deal – cutting his previous spell with Besiktas short – the 30-year-old Weghorst has been signed to provide the ambitious outfit with an imposing figure to lead the line following the mutual agreement to terminate Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract with the club in November.

The £35k-per-week Weghorst offers a formidable 6 foot 6 presence to lead the line, and ranks within the top 16% of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues for aerials won over the past year.

And if he can continue his golden touch on the offensive front, United will flourish. This season, for Besiktas, the “pressing monster”, as lauded by Mark Goldbridge, has scored nine goals and registered four assists, with his hold-up play an enticing prospect for United’s pacy flankers as they look to use his stature to weave in behind backlines.

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Palace have lost all three matches since the new year, and might see a continuation of the current woes that plague manager Patrick Vieira’s January, with United’s high-octane and fluid system more than capable of bypassing a defence that only kept one clean sheet in the league since October.

Victory on home soil against the Eagles on Wednesday night would cement the club’s stature firmly within the title race, and with United indeed searching for a tenth successive win, Weghorst could be vital in adding the dimension the attack so craves, and with the wealth of creativity and attacking prowess surrounding his centre-forward position, his debut might just bear fruit.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has urged Leeds United to sign Azzedine Ounahi amid the current January transfer rumours linking him with a move to Elland Road.

What’s the word?

According to reliable transfer source Fabrizio Romano, the Whites are keen on a move for the Angers midfielder and ‘conversations’ are ongoing regarding a possible deal.

The reporter also claims that Napoli are keen on a move, but only in the summer, and so this could leave the door open for Leeds to pounce if they can offer enough money.

With that in mind, McGilligan has urged the club to just get it done and not worry too much about how much it will cost. While speaking about it all on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he said: “It’s key really for Leeds to get this one done, for me.

“The overspending thing is interesting. Listen, I understand that people don’t want us to overspend, but that’s not our problem. We don’t need to be getting flashbacks from the Ridsdale era. I think this is a little bit different, to be honest with you.

“So yeah, I’m really excited by this one. I hope we can get it done.”

Time to live the dream…

McGilligan refers to former chairman Peter Ridsdale, who mismanaged the club’s finances in the early 2000s, leaving the club in turmoil. He later admitted: “Should we have spent so heavily in the past? Probably not, but we lived the dream, we enjoyed the dream.”

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However, now back in the Premier League, the Whites have shown a willingness to spend this winter already – paying notable fees for Maximilian Wober and Georginio Rutter.

As for Ounahi, he could boost in the region of €40m (£35.5m), if Angers’ reported demands are to be met this winter. It remains to be seen if Leeds feel the player is worth it but he could well be the difference between relegation and survival at the end of the season.

West Brom are reportedly interested in signing Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson on loan this month and the midfielder could be a big upgrade on Jake Livermore in Carlos Corberan’s side.

According to Football Insider, a number of Championship sides including the Baggies, Reading and QPR are all keen on taking the 21-year-old on loan until the end of the season after his impressive displays north of the border with Aberdeen.

The Dons are keen on keeping the England U20 international at Pittodrie until the end of the season but Liverpool could potentially terminate his loan in Scotland before sending him to any of the interested Championship sides.

The Liverpool academy graduate has already made three appearances for the senior side and spent the second half of last season on loan with Blackburn Rovers but failed to make much impression.

However, his displays at Aberdeen so far this campaign have been very impressive, as he boasts four goals and one assist in 17 Scottish Premiership appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a strong 6.84 average rating for his performances.

He is clearly highly thought of at Anfield too, with Jurgen Klopp singing his praises in 2021 after a friendly win over Osasuna.

He said: “Leighton is one of the biggest talents in our club, he’s been there for ages. He’s a midfielder, a number six type, can play eight as well.”

Should he arrive at the Hawthorns this month, it seems clear that he would be a significant upgrade on ageing captain Jake Livermore, who has struggled immensely on his appearances in the second tier so far this campaign.

The 33-year-old has lost his place under Corberan and it is no surprise that results have dramatically improved since, with it also noticeable that the Baggies shipped three goals against non-league Chesterfield when Livermore did return to the side last weekend.

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WhoScored have awarded him a woeful 6.33 rating for his performances in the Championship this season, while he has also averaged far fewer tackles (1.7 vs 0.8), key passes (1.1 vs 0.3) and shots per game (one vs 0.4) when compared to Clarkson, which suggests that the Liverpool man can be an upgrade from both a defensive and attacking perspective.

Although Corberan has preferred a midfield duo of Okay Yokuslu and Jayson Molumby for much of his time in charge, this has been perhaps due to a lack of other reliable options, and Clarkson could certainly give the Spanish manager even more to think about as he looks to continue the Baggies’ surge up the table.

Wolves picked up another valuable point in their fight against relegation on Wednesday night as they drew 1-1 with Aston Villa.

Daniel Podence handed Julen Lopetegui’s side the lead with a brilliantly taken strike, with the Old Gold excellent value for a half-time advantage, but they failed to hang on to what would have been a superb three points against a resurgent Villa side.

Danny Ings was the man to break Wolves’ hearts late on, as he collected Tyrone Mings’ ball over the top and easily beat Jose Sa for the leveller.

It could have been much worse for Lopetegui too, had Leon Bailey taken his golden late opportunity but the Jamaica international would inexplicably shoot wide after rounding Sa.

While Podence scored a brilliant goal, Lopetegui arguably has Max Kilman to thank for his side holding on to a point at Villa Park on Wednesday evening.

As per Sofascore, the centre-back would earn an impressive 7.5/10 rating for his performance, with only Podence and Mings (both 7.7) rated higher.

With Wolves leading, the former Futsal star produced a superb piece of defending to keep the scores level, as he turned Ludwig Augustinsson’s goal-bound volley wide on the line.

This certainly impressed Express and Star journalist Liam Keen, as he tweeted:

“Absolutely unbelievable from Kilman. Augustinsson shot beats Sa and is going in, but the defender makes an incredible header off the line.”

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Kilman would also contribute a mammoth 11 clearances, three tackles and two blocks, which is even more impressive when you consider he has averaged just 4.3 clearances, one tackle and 0.9 blocks per game in the Premier League so far this campaign.

The 25-year-old was also assured in his passing, completing 46/55 passes at Villa Park with an accuracy of 84%, which once more, is slightly better than his season average of 82.8%.

If Wolves are to remain in the Premier League this season they will need defenders to put their bodies on the line on a regular basis, as Kilman did against Emery’s side on Wednesday, so the English defender should be recognised as Lopetegui’s true star performer.

Transfer expert Rudy Galetti has now revealed that ‘in the last hours’, there have been ‘positive feelings’ in talks from Arsenal to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk.

The Lowdown: Second bid

Galetti reported on Tuesday morning that the Gunners had submitted a second bid for Mudryk worth a total of around €70/72m (£61.5/63.3m), which included a €52m fixed fee and €18/€20m in add-ons.

He added that the offer is a ‘bit less’ than what Shakhtar Donetsk would want, but they are ‘evaluating’ whether to accept the bid.

The Latest: ‘Positive feelings’

Taking to Twitter this afternoon, Galetti gave a new update on the situation, now revealing that ‘in the last hours’ there have been ‘positive feelings’ in the talks between the two clubs, adding that they have ‘never been so close’ to reaching an agreement:

“Positive feelings in the last hours on the negotiation between #Arsenal and #Shakhtar for #Mudryk. The 2 clubs have never been so close to reach an agreement for the Ukrainian: the aim is to complete the deal within this week. All is agreed between the winger and #AFC.”

The Verdict: Exciting

The latest update on Mudryk should excite Arsenal supporters, given that a deal now looks like it is close.

Hailed as a player who would be ‘devastating’ in Mikel Arteta’s side by Gunners legend Kevin Campbell, the winger is enjoying an outstanding breakthrough season, scoring ten goals and making a further eight assists in just 18 games in all competitions so far this season, including five goal contributions in the UEFA Champions League (Transfermarkt).

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Given the injuries to Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson, the North London club are in need of more cover in attacking covers, and 21-year-old Mudryk would certainly offer fresh legs from the bench.

If they sign him, he could be the missing piece needed for them to secure their first Premier League title since moving to the Emirates Stadium.

West Ham United’s form in the Premier League has plummeted like a rock down a mountain this season, a stark difference to the excellent form of the past two seasons that clinched European qualification on both occasions. 

What’s the word?

With Irons boss David Moyes looking to rectify the woes that have recently plagued his team, SC Freiburg’s dynamic forward Roland Sallai has been distinguished as an avenue to bolster the efforts over the latter course of the campaign. 

This is according to Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak, who recently took to Twitter to confirm the growing attention on the player, and the prospects of a transfer.

He tweeted:

“Many clubs are interested in Roland Sallai (25) in January. He switched agencies recently and is open to a move.

“Lazio, Wolverhampton, West Ham, Sevilla and Fiorentina are all possible destinations. He has 4 G/As in his last 4 caps. Freiburg want €20m.”

With stiff competition for his services, Moyes would be prudent to act with conviction and swiftly, signing the player for roughly £17.6m after convincing him that his future is best suited with the ambitious east London outfit.

Dybala 2.0

Sallai has scored just one goal this season, although he has only made five starts due to an injury that severely hampered his progress, ruling him out for 13 competitive matches.

His international record, however, is exemplary; scoring nine goals and serving five assists from 38 appearances for Hungary, Sallai has cemented his integral offensive role for his nation, notably starring in the momentous 4-0 demolition of England at Wembley earlier this year.

In that match, as per Sofascore, the 25-year-old played his part to devastating effect, scoring an emphatic brace and proving to be a consistent threat with his 30 touches and 78% pass success rate.

His defensive statistics also caught the eye, with his three tackles, two interceptions and one clearance playing a vital part in rebuffing the advances of England on a chastening night on home soil. 

Such dogged attributes would be a welcome bonus to the Hammers, who could certainly utilise a player boasting offensive and defensive calibre in the fight to return to prominence in the division.

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The Daily Mail once stated that reports had left the Hungarian ace likened to A.S.a Roma’s Paulo Dybala, who has been a perennial star within the Serie A ranks for years, winning a wealth of major honours with Juventus before his summer switch this year, and scoring 103 goals and 53 assists in the league from 280 appearances since his debut with Palermo.

There will undoubtedly be reservations over a player that has yet to open his account in the German Bundesliga this term, but there is a layer of natural talent to Sallai’s game that could prove to be a valuable option at Moyes’ disposal.

A player who has not quite found his feet this term, West Ham must not be deterred, as evidenced by Bocsak’s tweet, there is plenty of intrigue from ambitious outfits for his signature; Sallai would bring a versatile approach and a robust presence to the heart of the team, flourishing across a number of roles and always on the search to instigate forward plays.

Leeds United have been handed a tough test for their return to Premier League action this evening following the recent World Cup break, with the Elland Road outfit set to play host to champions Manchester City.

This fixture did not prove particularly fruitful for the Whites last season as the Yorkshire side shipped 11 goals without reply in those two meetings, with it even more concerning that that miserable record came prior to Erling Haaland’s arrival.

The Norwegian hotshot – who was born in Leeds – will seemingly be hoping to maintain his rampant start to life in English football with another clinical showing later today, with the 22-year-old having already bagged 18 goals in just 13 league games thus far.

Although manager Jesse Marsch will likely be concerned with trying to stop his former Red Bull Salzburg asset from adding to that tally, the American should also be considering how his own attacking unit can hurt the opposition, with the 49-year-old seeking to avoid a third successive league defeat.

The former RB Leipzig man has, however, seen his preparations disrupted amid the injury woes of a number of his key men, with it now an anxious wait to see if the likes of Jack Harrison, Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo – among others – will be fit to feature against Pep Guardiola’s side.

That lengthy list of potential absentees could well provide a chance for summer signing Wilfried Gnonto to prove his worth from the start, however, with the Italy international having been restricted to just three top-flight appearances so far this term.

The 19-year-old’s only start in the league in the current campaign for his new club came in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last time out, with the teenager having been hooked at the break in that 4-3 thriller.

Nevertheless, the former Zurich starlet – who scored 12 goals and recorded ten assists in 74 games during his time in Switzerland – has shown flashes of his quality during his time in England thus far, having particularly impressed during the club’s recent mid-season friendly fixtures.

That impact was lauded by pundit Noel Whelan, who suggested that the youngster could now be deserving of a more prominent role heading into the second half of the campaign:

“I think he’s ready. Everyone has seen that. He’s had time to settle into the football club, into the environment, new teammates – and now he looks ready, and very hungry.

“There have been some real moments of brilliance in these friendlies. He’s like a firework when he gets on the ball because he’s just got so much energy.

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“He is definitely a very exciting player and someone who can make a difference in this second half of the season.”

Having been eased into his new surroundings in recent months, the time has seemingly come for Gnonto to truly show what he can do by being given a consistent run in the side, with the club’s injury woes set to provide him what that platform to impress.

While it may not be ideal circumstances to unleash such a raw talent against the might of City, the 5-foot-7 sensation could well prove the hidden gem who can make the ‘difference’ tonight.

Glasgow Rangers are in the mix to sign Standard Liege sensation Nicolas Raskin, according to reports in Belgium.

The Lowdown: Raskin profiled

The 21 year-old is a versatile midfielder who has enjoyed a rapid breakout into Liege’s first-team over the last couple of seasons, seeing his transfer value skyrocket from €325k to €7m in the space of two years, an increase of over 2,000 per cent.

Capable of playing as a deep-lying number six, a box to box number eight or even in the advanced number ten position, Raskin is now attracting interest from all over Europe due to his tense contract situation.

The youngster’s current deal runs out next summer, and he recently took to social media to make it clear he is not in talks to extend, even calling a journalist a ‘clown’ for reporting otherwise.

The Latest: Rangers join the race

Seemingly not impressed by his very public statement, Liege have now decided to cash in this January, with Voetbal Nieuws (via Sport Witness) revealing Raskin turned down a new contract worth €1.8m per year and has been relegated to the Jupiler Pro League outfit’s B-team.

They are now waiting for ‘any interesting offer’, and Rangers join Club Brugge, Leeds United, SC Braga, Genoa, Fiorentina, Marseille and Lille as ‘potential buyers’.

The verdict: Worth the gamble?

Given the contract standoff seemingly taking place at the Premiership club right now with Alfredo Morelos – the striker has allegedly requested £45k per week to sign a new deal – fans may be cautious about engaging with another maverick.

That said, the Gers haven’t exactly done poorly out of their time with the Colombian, as he’s racked up 116 goals for the club, and if Raskin could even manage half of that impact then he would be a worthwhile gamble.

The versatile midfielder, dubbed ‘brilliant’ in his teens and tipped to part of Belgium’s next golden generation by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has provided four assists in 14 Belgian League starts this season, showing an eye for a pass that has often been lacking in the Ibrox midfield ranks.

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For context, Malik Tillman is the only Rangers midfielder with four Premiership assists this season, and he of course plays in a more advanced role.

With so many sides interested in Raskin and a senior Belgium berth seemingly inevitable for the Under-21 international, Ross Wilson would be a fool not to test the waters with a cut-price January bid.

Newcastle United have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Attacker wanted

Given recent links to the likes of Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Leeds United’s Jack Harrison and PSV’s Cody Gakpo, it is clear that the St. James’ Park outfit would like to bring in another attacker in January, to help them push all the way for a UEFA Champions League place come the end of next season.

Having largely been a missed out on Brazil’s FIFA World Cup squad in Qatar, Cunha is likely to seek a move away this winter, which could give a number of clubs an opportunity to pounce on his signature.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘offered’ Cunha

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Magpies have been ‘offered’ Cunha in January alongside Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, as Atletico are ‘desperate’ to offload his wages, and would be ‘prepared’ to sanction a loan move.

However, Everton, Aston Villa and Leeds United have made contact with Cunha’s representatives over a potential deal, and are ‘actively trying’ to strike one for him, while the player himself is ‘interested’ in working with Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, but ‘sources’ have claimed that he would like to explore all of his options first of all before making a final decision on his future.

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The Verdict: Look elsewhere?

Eddie Howe’s side have had no real problems in the attacking third of the pitch this term, with their 29 goals scored in the Premier League the fourth-highest in the division.

Dubbed ‘something special‘ by former Hertha Berlin head coach Bruno Labbadia, after impressing with the German club, where he managed 23 goal contributions in 40 games (Transfermarkt), in truth Cunha has struggled for form since moving to Atletico,  failing to find the back of the net so far in this campaign.

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Lauded as a player who is ‘very fast’, with ‘great technical skills’, ‘unpredictable gameplay’ and an ‘excellent goal instinct’ by his former manager at Swiss side FC Sion Maurizio Jacobacci, Cunha boasts a similar playing style to Tyneside striker Alexander Isak, but the former would likely have to be pushed out wide in order to accommodate the Sweden international.

Sharing the same agent as Toon central midfielder and fellow Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes, a deal could certainly be pushed through, but the North East club may want to think twice about whether Cunha is the right fit for them.