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Arsenal starlet Folarin Balogun will be "keen to leave" this summer if the club don't guarantee him first team opportunities, according to reports.

What's the latest news on Balogun?

The 21-year-old is currently attracting a lot of serious interest from clubs abroad as reliable journalist David Ornstein shared recently. Indeed, the player's future could be a big topic for Arsenal this summer and Ornstein has reported that they face a big decision.

Balogun's contract expires in just over two years, giving Mikel Arteta's side a dilemma over whether to sell this year or implement him into the first team – as it is currently very unlikely he will extend his contract with the club.

Currently on loan at Reims in Ligue 1, the forward has absolutely dazzled under Will Still, prompting some of the continent's best sides to take note of his exploits.

It has been reported that AC Milan, Inter, Marseille, Monaco and RB Leipzig are just some of the elite sides eyeing a move for Balogun.

Now, 90min has weighed in with their own update, as it appears the England Under-21 international is set to give Arsenal an ultimatum upon his return to north London.

Indeed, it is now believed that he will be 'keen to leave' the club permanently if Arsenal don't guarantee him first-team minutes. Balogun is apparently due to hold 'crunch talks' with the club over his future, Another loan move has been ruled out by the striker's entourage, meaning his potential exit will be a permanent one.

90min adds that RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin, Nice, Lyon, Villarreal and Sevilla are all taking an interest in Balogun – and he is just as popular in the Premier League.

Brentford, Leicester City, Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace are all keeping tabs on the exciting youngster, with the Bees particularly seeing him as an alternative to Ivan Toney – who faces a lengthy ban due to the betting charges against him.

What should Arsenal do with Balogun?

We believe the solution is obvious – the Gunners should guarantee Balogun first-team minutes next season.

As we've already seen with defender William Saliba, it is entirely possible for returning loanees from France to make an immediate impact in Arteta's first team.

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Called 'incredible' for his form by Arteta, Balogun has been quite simply scintillating in front of goal – scoring 18 in 26 top-flight starts.

He's also attempted an impressive 3.3 shots at goal per 90, more than any Gunners forward in England – making you wonder what exactly is stopping him from breaking through.

Losing such a highly talented player would be a real shame and we believe his best place next season is at The Emirates.

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing up a potential move for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie – although it may come as a possible summer signing.

The Lowdown: Spurs struggling to recruit

The Lilywhites have only been able to bring in one new face in the January transfer window in the Dutch forward Arnaut Danjuma.

This comes amid the issues the north London side are having in trying to seal the signing of the Sporting CP right wing-back Pedro Porro.

But there is the belief that Fabio Paratici has an eye on potentially adding to his defence over the coming months with one centre-back, in particular, on his radar.

The Latest: Hincapie could be targeted

Speaking on his latest YouTube video, Alasdair Gold has mooted the prospect of Spurs bringing in the Ecuadorian defender.

He said: “Spurs definitely do have an interest in him. He’s slightly on the short side for a centre-back, I think he’s 6 foot – which obviously is not a short person, but for Premier League centre-back, normally they’re a little bit bigger than that.

“What’s happened with him is his value’s absolutely skyrocketed after the World Cup.

“From what it seems to be, I think a summer deal is more likely for anyone, really, trying to get him. I don’t think Leverkusen are keen to sell at all.

“So yeah, maybe one to keep an eye on, but I do wonder what the competition is going to be like for him in the summer. But certainly, a player Spurs really like.”

The Verdict: Spurs can secure Dier upgrade

With Leverkusen seemingly not looking to offload Hincapie this month, it does allow the Lilywhites to assess their options with their defence proving a big issue over recent months.

Despite being one of the sides who are pushing for a spot in the top four of the Premier League table, Antonio Conte’s men do not exactly have the defensive record to match.

The Lilywhites have conceded the sixth-most goals in the top flight this season, with the likes of Newcastle having allowed 20 fewer goals so far.

Eric Dier has been a key figure in the centre of Conte’s defence since the Italian took the reins in north London back in November 2021, with 56 appearances under the 53-year-old.

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And in comparison to the Englishman, Hincapie has provided Leverkusen with more tackles and blocks per 90 minutes this season (via FBref).

However, the 21-year-old is still clearly a raw talent, with his disciplinary record leaving a lot to be desired – he has six yellow cards and two red cards to his name after 21 appearances.

But there will be some concerns following recent reports suggesting the ‘impressive’ centre-back would cost the Lilywhites in the region of £66m.

That said, the same report suggests the 21-year-old would be keen to make the move to north London, so perhaps this is indeed one to keep an eye on as Gold suggests.

Tottenham Hotspur will have a keen eye on the World Cup as domestic action takes a back seat for the next month.

Not only are some of Antonio Conte’s biggest stars competing in the tournament but sporting director Fabio Paratici will be keeping tabs on several potential signings with the January transfer window just around the corner.

Harry Kane will be leading out England on Monday afternoon, whilst the likes of Cristian Romero (Argentina), Heung-min Son (South Korea) and Hugo Lloris (France) are all key cogs for their respective nations.

However, there isn’t much being said about Spain, who are arguably still very much in the ‘rebuild’ phase, having moved on from superstars like Xavi, Andres Iniesta and more recently, Sergio Ramos – three players who lifted the World Cup back in 2010.

The long-term national heir to the former Real Madrid man seems to be Pau Torres, who could emerge as a surprise package this month, and according to 90min, he’s a player that Spurs remain keen on signing heading into 2023.

The Villarreal central defender has regularly been linked with a switch to north London, with reports suggesting that Paratici and co had submitted an enquiry last summer.

La Roja have been handed quite a tricky group, where they will face Germany, Japan and Costa Rica with all three likely to prove tough opposition and under Luis Enrique, that pass-heavy philosophy has remained, meaning players like Torres will see plenty of the ball.

It’s a backline that conceded only five times during qualification and the 25-year-old – who is likely to command £40m, as per the report – is an ideal fit to feature and if he does, and then impresses, he could be one of the surprise sensations of the tournament.

As per FBref, Torres has registered an average of 3.50 progressive passes per 90, which is within the top 13% of all centre-backs across Europe over the last year, whilst he has been rather consistent in LaLiga this term, mustering up an 86.6% passing accuracy.

By no means a guaranteed starter, he has featured far more regularly than Manchester City colossus Aymeric Laporte and plays for a far weaker Spanish side than Barca’s Eric Garcia, so his numbers are a little more impressive.

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If he continues to impress on the world’s biggest stage, then Spurs better act fast as there will be a queue of clubs lining up to sign Torres – who was once dubbed an “exciting talent” by ESPN editor David Cartlidge – in January.

Given his passing and left-footed ability, he could stun many at the World Cup and subsequently make a good signing for Conte’s quest to bring success to the club in 2023.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal dream Conte signing as Spurs eye move for £35m “Italian Beckham”…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United gem Miguel Almiron and his future beyond the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that the Paraguay international may be on his way out of Tyneside before the deadline.

When asked about Everton potentially swooping for the winger, he told GIVEMESPORT: “There is some interest here and Almiron looks certain to be leaving Newcastle.

“Everton need options and he’s one that they’ve got on their radar just in case it can happen.”

A big mistake?

Letting the diminutive playmaker depart this summer could be a mistake by the Toon hierarchy as Almiron has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2022/23 campaign.

He has started all four of the club’s Premier League matches and averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.97 – scoring one goal and creating three chances in that time. The Paraguayan ranks ninth in the squad in terms of average ratings, sitting above the likes of Sven Botman, Calum Wilson, and Joe Willock.

This shows that he is currently an important member of the team as the manager is selecting him week-in-week-out so far this term.

Whilst the attacker still has a long way to go before he can say that he is proven in the final third, with two goals and zero assists since the start of 2021/22, Almiron offers a lot of value to the team in his work off the ball.

Howe wants his team to press high and aggressively and this is where the former MLS man earns his corn. He ranks in the 87th percentile among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for pressures per 90 with 20.92.

The £74k-per-week gem also ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles per 90 with 2.73 and the 83rd percentile for interceptions with 1.36. This shows that his pressing leads to him making defensive actions, which can then either break up opposition attacks or create counter-attacking chances for his own team.

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These statistics illustrate how important he is to the way that Howe wants his Newcastle side to play out of possession, especially when you factor in the current back-up to his position.

Ryan Fraser is the second choice on the right and ranks in the 7th, 12th, and 52nd percentiles for pressures, tackles, and interceptions respectively. The Scotland international has not been able to put in the work that Almiron has off the ball and, therefore, would be a downgrade on the 28-year-old.

Howe should now be frustrated by the prospect of the former Atlanta man moving on in the coming days and will be hoping that he remains on Tyneside. It could well be a late blunder this summer to let him depart.

Leeds United supporters look set to have their worst fears realised, with prized asset Raphinha looking increasingly likely to be moving on this summer.

What’s the word?

As per The Athletic, the Brazilian is the subject of interest from fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, with FA Cup finalists Chelsea also in the running despite their preference to do a deal for Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele.

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The report suggests that the Elland Road are not set to stand in the 25-year-old’s way should he wish to move on in the current window, with the Yorkshire side willing to strike a deal with any interested party if their valuation is met – with that figure believed to be around £45m.

The belief is that Jesse Marsch and co have now accepted that the former Rennes man won’t sign a new deal at the club – albeit despite the player not outright demanding an exit – with the nine-cap international harbouring ambitions of featuring in European competition.

Supporters devastated

That news will come as a crushing blow to those of a Leeds persuasion, with the club seemingly set to lose one of their most important and most loved assets this summer, with it hard to see the Whites managing to fend off interest from some of the division’s biggest and richest sides.

There is the saving grace that they will be able to recoup a fairly sizeable sum with any sale, having run the risk of losing the £63k-per-week gem for just £25m had they suffered relegation last term, due to a reported clause in his contract.

The fact that Marsch’s men were able to stave off the drop was no doubt aided by the impressive form of the £40.5m-rated playmaker, as he netted 11 times in the top-flight during the 2021/22 campaign, including a vital final day spot-kick in the dramatic victory over Brentford.

Since his £17m switch from France two years ago, the 5 foot 9 ace has contributed 17 goals and 12 assists in 65 Premier League appearances, with no Leeds player having recorded more than his 14 goals and assists last season.

That illustrates just how integral Raphinha has been to both his current boss and the American’s predecessor Marcelo Bielsa, with any potential departure set to leave behind a sizeable void in the current squad.

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Not just a creative, goalscoring presence, the one-time Sporting CP man has also emerged as something of a fan’s favourite for his passionate approach, epitomised by his jubilant post-match celebrations with the away support following that win over the Bees.

Also dubbed a “pleasure to watch” by pundit Joe Cole, the gifted wide man is the type of player that brings excitement to any crowd, with supporters set to be devastated if he is to depart before the start of next term.

IN other news: Leeds now plotting swoop for “reliable” £22k-p/w starlet, he’s the new Dani Alves

Alex Neil will be hoping to extend his current unbeaten run in charge of Sunderland to five games as his side host Crewe Alexandra this afternoon.

The Black Cats beat Fleetwood 3-1 in their last outing at the Stadium of Light and can now make it back-to-back wins on their own turf today.

If results go their way, Sunderland can move up to fourth in the table and above Oxford with a win, whilst also potentially moving to within six points off the automatic promotion places.

One change that Neil must make to his starting XI for this match is the removal of Patrick Roberts from the line-up after the 25-year-old’s disappointing performance last time out.

Former Black Cats boss Lee Johnson dubbed the winger an “amazing coup” upon his arrival at the Stadium of Light in January, but he is yet to prove the since-sacked manager right.

Neil offered Roberts a huge opportunity to showcase his quality against Fleetwood and he spurned that chance with a worrying display. He lined up on the right of the front three and failed to show that he deserves to retain his place in the team.

The ex-Manchester City winger struggled on and off the ball before being substituted in the 71st minute. As per SofaScore, he lost five of his eight individual duels and failed to make a single clearance, block, interception or tackle. This suggests that he was lacking on the defensive side of the game, as he was too weak in his battles and did not do enough to win back the ball for his team.

The 25-year-old also offered very little in possession. As per SofaScore, he completed 16 passes and failed to create a single chance, whilst also failing with three of his six attempted dribbles. He lost the ball 16 times from 38 touches, a recurring theme for him since joining the club.

In six League One appearances for Sunderland, Roberts has lost possession 48 times from 98 touches, which effectively equates to losing the ball every two touches on average. This is a shocking statistic and shows that he has been far too wasteful on the ball for the club in his short time on Wearside so far.

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Therefore, Neil must brutally axe him from the starting XI, as the winger’s abysmal form does not suggest that he will have a positive impact on the team against Crewe Alexandra. Hopefully he will be able to rediscover his best form soon, but he may have to do that whilst coming off the bench to prove that he deserves the time to get back to his best.

AND in other news, Neil must now unleash 21 y/o Sunderland gem with “persistence” and “effortless” natural ability…

Sunderland’s previous League One outing saw them comfortably beat Morecambe 5-0 thanks to goals from Ross Stewart, Nathan Broadhead, Alex Pritchard and Leon Dajaku, making it the second league game of the season where they’ve managed to put five goals past their opponents with the first being their 5-0 victory over Cheltenham Town back in September.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, Sunderland have the opportunity to add even more firepower to their squad after a recent report from The Northern Echo claimed that Lee Johnson is “considering recalling Jack Diamond and Josh Hawkes from their respective loan spells in order to increase his options in the second half of the season.”

Taking into account how many injuries Sunderland have at the moment, particularly in the defensive areas, Johnson could have the mindset of overpowering their opponents in an attacking sense, in the same way they did with Morecambe, to make up for their defensive weaknesses, which could make it a smart move to have the likes of Diamond and Hawkes at his disposal again.

In 12 League Two appearances for Tranmere Rovers, Hawkes has managed to score one goal and provide two assists whilst playing in a number of different midfield and attacking positions.

For Diamond, he has racked up five goals and four assists in 17 appearances for Harrogate Town across League Two and the FA Cup.

This shows why Johnson reportedly wants the duo back at the Wearside club in January to see if they can continue their good starts to the season back at Sunderland and help the Black Cats win promotion back to the Championship.

If Johnson can guarantee Diamond and Hawkes regular playing time back at Sunderland for the remainder of the season, then Kyril Louis-Dreyfus should definitely bring them back in case his squad are struck down with any more injuries that could be a setback for their promotion hopes.

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Providing the duo do return in the winter and are able to have a positive impact on the team and their results moving forward, this would be a massive boost for the fans who would undoubtedly be thrilled, especially if the team manages to secure promotion.

In other news: Johnson could solve major SAFC predicament by unleashing “terrific” 21 y/o sensation – opinion

Sheffield United are closing in on a deal to bring Robin Olsen to Bramall Lane.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist revealing on Twitter that Slavisa Jokanovic’s side are nearing a deal for the AS Roma goalkeeper, who is expected to join the Championship side on a season-long loan as Aaron Ramsdale’s replacement.

In his tweet, Romano said: “Robin Olsen is close to [joining] Sheffield United from AS Roma, here-we-go soon. He’s expected to be Ramsdale’s replacement, deal agreed on [a] one-season loan.”

Fans will be buzzing

While the loss of Ramsdale will have come as a major blow to everyone involved with Sheffield United, if Jokanovic manages to secure the signing of Olsen prior to Tuesday evening’s transfer deadline, it would undoubtedly soften the hit of losing the English stopper.

Indeed, the 31-year-old Swede impressed over his seven Premier League appearances while on loan at Everton last season, with the £2.7m-rated ‘keeper keeping two clean sheets, conceding an average of just 1.3 goals and making three saves per game.

These metrics saw the man who Alexander Isak dubbed an “incredible” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as the Toffees’ 12th-best player in the top flight of English football.

As such, considering that Olsen’s level of performance would more than likely improve upon dropping down a division – on paper, at least – the signing of the Sweden international would be quite a coup for the Blades.

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Furthermore, with Jokanovic desperately requiring a boost to kickstart Sheffield United’s Championship campaign – as the 53-year-old has seen his side pick up just two points over their opening five league fixtures of the season, leaving them languishing in 23rd place in the table – the last-minute signing of a player who boasts the quality and experience of Olsen could well prove to be the spark the Blades manager has been craving.

In other news: Witcoop drops SUFC transfer claim on “exciting” £2.6k-p/w ace, fans will be buzzing

Ange Postecoglou is already eyeing up his former players as Celtic have been linked with a move for Yokohama F. Marinos forward Ado Onaiwu, via Glasgow Live.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou to assess targets in quarantine

Postecoglou was confirmed as Celtic’s new manager on Thursday, 106 days following Neil Lennon’s resignation in February.

The 55-year-old left Yokohama F. Marinos to pen a 12-month rolling contract at Parkhead, and he’ll reportedly assess potential targets during his isolation period in Scotland.

It appears as if he may well already have his eyes on one of his former players if recent reports are to be believed.

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The Latest: Onaiwu links

According to the Daily Record, relayed by Glasgow Live, Postecoglou is ‘on alert’ regarding Onaiwu’s future.

The 25-year-old, who has scored 65 goals in his career to date, is out of contract in January 2022, so now is the time for his club to cash in if he is not going to sign a new deal.

Onaiwu, who is yet to turn out for his country, has impressed at club level and was actually called up to Japan’s senior squad recently.

The Verdict: New manager not wasting time

There’s no denying Postecoglou will need several summer signings, especially in the attacking areas, so a cut-price move for Onaiwu could be a solid starting point.

Odsonne Edouard has told friends he will be quitting Parkhead for Leicester City, Mohamed Elyounoussi has returned to Southampton and Leigh Griffiths’ future is up in the air.

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Should Edouard and Griffiths depart, the Hoops would be left with Albian Ajeti as their only recognised centre-forward.

On that basis, bringing in a player who has scored goals for the new Celtic manager previously could be priceless in his first season in the Hoops hotseat.

In other news: Celtic to miss out on long-term target, find out more here. 

After seeing off relegation-battling Fulham last weekend, Aston Villa return to Premier League action when they take on champions Liverpool at Anfield this afternoon.

Dean Smith’s side had to come from behind to beat the Cottagers at Villa Park, with goals from Trezeguet and Ollie Watkins sparking a second-half comeback.

While a trip to the reigning champions may sound like a daunting prospect, Villa will have fond memories of the last time they played Liverpool in the league, a 7-2 drubbing which saw Ollie Watkins grab a hat-trick.

Aside from Jack Grealish’s continued absence, Smith doesn’t have too many injury concerns with which to contend, but might opt to make a couple of key changes considering how the game against Fulham panned out.

With that in mind, below is a look at how Villa might line up against Liverpool.

In goal, Emiliano Martinez will be looking to keep a clean sheet after going three Premier League games without one, while the back four should also remain unchanged.

The midfield could see January signing Morgan Sanson drop out of the starting line-up, with John McGinn coming back in alongside Douglas Luiz.

After bagging a brace against Scott Parker’s side last week, Trezeguet has surely done enough to warrant a place in the first team, and he could replace Anwar El Ghazi just like he did at Villa Park six days ago.

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The other big change could see the rarely-seen Keinan Davis start up front alongside Ollie Watkins in a slight tweak in formation, with the 23-year-old – who has played just 103 minutes of Premier League football this season – having sent an emphatic message to his manager with a superb cameo against Fulham.

It would certainly be a big call to go with two up top against a team like Liverpool, but it could well be the kind of tactical surprise which catches out Jurgen Klopp’s side.

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Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Traore, Luiz, McGinn, Trezeguet; Watkins, Davis.

Meanwhile, Dean Smith must start this “unbelievable” star vs Liverpool today…