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Chelsea have been hunting for a striker for what feels like years at this point, with Enzo Maresca yet to land a player who can lead the side forward at the top end of the pitch.

Various names were linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer, but no deals were completed, leaving the Italian to operate with the options already at his disposal after arriving.

However, the January window has presented another opportunity for the 44-year-old to strengthen his attack, looking to build on their start to the Premier League campaign which sees them sit in the top four.

With 16 games to go, added attacking reinforcements will undoubtedly be welcomed for the Blues, offering that added firepower which could prove vital in those close affairs.

As a result, numerous names have been mentioned, including one who’s also on the radar of another English side ahead of the deadline in just over ten days time.

Chelsea eye move for £65m talisman this month

According to journalist Matt Law, Chelsea are monitoring the progress of Benjamin Sesko this month ahead of a potential deal for the Slovenian.

However, the Blues aren’t the only side in the hunt, with Arsenal seemingly ahead in the race after holding talks with his representatives over a move to the Emirates.

Their interest in the 21-year-old RB Leipzig striker is understandable given his form in 2024/25, scoring 14 times in 26 appearances, including four in just seven Champions League appearances.

It’s also been touted that a deal for Sesko would set the club back £67m, which could prove to be an important investment in a player who will provide an immediate impact along with the potential to improve down the line.

He would also provide an excellent alternative to another target, whilst also being an upgrade on a player who currently plies his trade under Maresca at the Bridge.

Why Sesko would be an upgrade on Jackson for Chelsea

Liam Delap has also previously been touted as a potential signing for Chelsea in recent months after his breakthrough season with newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

The 21-year-old has scored eight times in the Premier League, impressing with increased game time, but it’s unclear if he will be able to sustain his form or whether it’s just a purple patch in front of goal.

As for current talisman Nicolas Jackson, he’s rarely been challenged for the starting position as of late, with Christopher Nkunku recently linked with his own move away from West London in the coming weeks.

The Senegalese joined the club in the summer of 2023 and has since scored 26 times in 66 appearances, including nine in the Premier League throughout 2024/25 – offering a fairly consistent source of goals.

However, he’s often been guilty of squandering numerous clear-cut opportunities within the final third, with the hierarchy needing to invest in a new striker if they are to reach the next level under Maresca.

So, while Sesko, who’s previously been dubbed a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, he has managed to achieve a higher goal per 90 rate in 2024/25 and his conversion rate and shot accuracy are considerably higher.

Furthermore, he’s also managed to win more aerials per 90, achieving a higher success rate in the air, a real key asset that the Blues have desperately been craving at the top end of the pitch.

His 6 foot 5 frame could make him the perfect option for Maresca’s system, handing the Italian an alternative who’s able to win aerial battles and bring others into play should they ever need to go direct.

The £67m fee may seem pricey, but given his current talent and experience and potential to improve further, it’s a risk worth taking, finally ending their pursuit of a new number nine.

Sesko is undoubtedly a better talent than Jackson, as seen by the stats produced to date, but also a more high-profile option than Delap, allowing him to play a huge role in leading the Blues back to the top of the Premier League.

Better than Mainoo: Chelsea make enquiry for "one of the best in the world"

Enzo Maresca appears to be wanting reinforcements all over the pitch this month.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jan 23, 2025

Manchester United want to take advantage of the uncertainty surrounding Jonathan Tah's agreement with Barcelona.

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• Manchester United want Tah
• German had agreed deal with Barcelona
• Move may be in doubt

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The German had agreed to join Hansi Flick's side on a free transfer when his Bayer Leverkusen deal expires, report Sky Sports Germany, but that move is being held up because the club cannot currently register new players.

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  WHAT THE REPORT SAYS

  A story by Florian Plettenberg says: "All doors are open! The 29-year-old, whose contract with Leverkusen expires at the end of the season, had already agreed to a deal with FC Barcelona. However, the Catalans are still having problems registering the player for the coming season. Now, Manchester United are reaching out to Tah."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tah has been a major part of Bayer Leverkusen's success over the last couple of years and has won 35 caps for the German national team. The report also states that Bayern Munich are interested in signing him.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TAH?

  Tah still has a few games left in a Leverkusen shirt, and is set to feature as they take on Freiburg on Sunday. Xabi Alonso's side will also face Borussia Dortmund and Mainz before the end of the campaign, but they are set to lose their title to Bayern.

Championship leaders Leeds United are pushing hard to sign a player before the transfer window closes, according to a journalist.

Leeds United transfer news

Leeds are yet to bring in any new player during this winter transfer window, but before their 7-0 win against Cardiff City, Daniel Farke admitted they are “staying awake in the striker position” as well as for a number 10 and a centre-back. Farke said: “Checked my phone, but in six hours, nothing happened. Jokes aside, I am honest. I am not a big friend of this window – options are limited or overpriced. It can be risky to add someone to a team playing this well.

“The scouting and recruitment departments bring the available options, then it’s up to me to see who fits. If I like his character or his quality, then our key people decide if we can afford them. Everyone chips in with their individual network too.”

He'd be unplayable with James: Leeds in pole position for "clinical" star

Leeds are in pole position for this deal

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By
Joe Nuttall

Feb 3, 2025

Signing a new forward seems to be a top priority for the Yorkshire side if they are to do any business on deadline day, with Chelsea forward Marc Guiu emerging on their radar in recent days.

The forward has failed to make an impression in the Premier League this season despite scoring on a regular basis in the Europa Conference League. Leeds were linked with taking the player on loan for the remainder of the season, but Ben Jacobs has now stated that the Whites are not considering a loan move for Guiu.

Leeds "pushing hard" to sign "fantastic" player for Farke

One forward that Leeds are keen on signing is Cameron Archer, and according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, Leeds are “pushing hard” to sign Archer on deadline day, but at this moment in time it is likely he will remain at Southampton.

Archer, who is represented by Unique Sports Group and has the same agent as Karl Darlow, has emerged on Leeds’ transfer radar in the last couple of days of the transfer window, with the Whites already seeing a loan bid turned down by the Saints.

It has since been reported that Leeds and the 49ers are prepared to make a new bid for the striker, reportedly willing to offer £15 million, which is just over what Southampton paid Aston Villa to sign Archer in the summer.

It has been claimed that Archer, who has been described as a “fantastic finisher” in the past, is keen to join Leeds and the Championship club are now seemingly working hard to get a transfer over the line. The 23-year-old has played 21 times for Saints in the Premier League this season, scoring two goals in the process. However, he has been in and out of the side, starting just 10 of those 21 games.

Archer’s potential arrival at Elland Road would see him go up against the likes of Joel Piroe, Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford. But given Leeds’ lack of options at the top end of the pitch, Archer could be guaranteed more minutes under Farke, especially given his good record in the Championship.

Celtic are well on course for another successful season, but Brendan Rodgers may have food for thought following latest developments on one of his key men.

Celtic move on after mixed January transfer window

During the January transfer window, Celtic managed to bring in club hero Jota alongside Jeffrey Schlupp to bolster their left-hand side heading into the second half of the campaign.

However, the main frustration for the Bhoys in the mid-season window became their inability to replace Kyogo Furuhashi following an extensive search for a new striker. Notably, fans have been left feeling ire at the board for failing to replace an iconic club figure, even if the review process led to faith in the talent from within as opposed to panicking in the final hours of market activity.

Adam Idah and Johnny Kenny remain in attack for the Hoops, while Daizen Maeda is more than capable of plugging the gaps centrally when needed at Parkhead. Nevertheless, the position appears light on first glance after failed Celtic attempts to land Kelechi Iheanacho and Mathias Kvistgaarden.

Despite their failure to boost options across the final third, the reigning champions turned in a convincing 6-0 victory over Dundee in midweek and appear odds-on to record a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title. The lure of Champions League football is also on the table, with a mouthwatering two-legged playoff tie against Bayern Munich to come on Europe’s biggest stage.

Sold by Ange: Celtic must rue selling "brilliant" ace who's outscoring Idah

Following Kyōgo Furuhashi’s sale, Adam Idah is the only senior striker in the Celtic squad, so they must rue selling a “brilliant’ centre-forward.

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By
Ben Gray

Feb 6, 2025

Nevertheless, Rodgers may have a problem on his hands long-term in another area of the field following recent reports that have put the future of one star in jeapordy.

Greg Taylor reportedly agrees Celtic exit

According to Sportnet, Greg Taylor has agreed terms to leave Celtic for Dinamo Zagreb on a pre-contract that will kick in this summer after his contract at Parkhead expires.

Creating intrigue, the Croatian champions did have the option to trigger a release clause to make his move happen now, but have opted not to and his exit after six years at the club is now scheduled to take place later on this year.

The £15k p/w ace has long been a talking point among supporters amid uncertainty over his future that has kicked up a notch since the beginning of the season. Alex Valle came in during that period and made a notable impression before departing for Como, but there has been little clarity surrounding Celtic’s left-back situation other than the impending arrival of Kieran Tierney.

Previously labelled ‘a joy’ by Rodgers, who has implored the full-back to stay on several occasions, it may now be the case that he brings the curtain down on an illustrious time in Glasgow’s east end that has yielded ten trophies.

Over the next few months, his and Celtic’s mission will be to finish the campaign with a bang as they eye another domestic treble coupled with giving themselves a fighting chance against Bayern Munich over the next couple of weeks.

Roy Keane has fired shots at Eni Aluko with a quick-witted Ian Wright joke after her claims of the Arsenal legend 'blocking' female pundits.

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• Aluko blamed Wright for 'blocking' female pundits
• Keane makes a quick-witted joke about Aluko
• Leaves Scott, Wright, Neville and Scholes in hysterics

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Last month, Aluko claimed that Wright 'blocked' female pundits as she blamed the Arsenal legend of 'dominating' the coverage of women's football. The former Lionesses star later apologised for her comments towards Wright after reports of a potential sack from her punditry role with ITV. However, her claims have continued to irk those in the footballing world.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Keane has now fired shots at Aluko with a quick-witted joke on Sky Sports' Stick to Football podcast as Jill Scott explained why she does not work too much in the women's side of the game. The United legend quipped: "Because of Ian?" The whole cast, including Scott, Wright, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, were left in hysterics while Keane remained straight-faced.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  After the controversy, Aluko resigned from hosting the Women's Football Awards last week. The public has been advised by Wright to "move on" from the incident. ITV has also backed him, issuing a forceful statement in favour of the Arsenal icon.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALUKO?

  The former Lionesses star is set to stay on with ITV for the rest of the season at least, following her apology to Wright. However, her continuation with the broadcaster through the summer remains in doubt.

Everything you need to know about Jonathan David's salary details playing for Lille

Canadian forward Jonathan David joined Ligue 1 side Lille from Gent in the summer of 2020 on a five-year contract. David is considered one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, and given his young age, he has attracted interest from several top clubs across the continent.

Known for his strong physique and clinical finishing, David has set himself apart from other strikers, scoring over 100 goals for Lille in just five seasons.

His contract is set to expire in June 2025, and it will be interesting to see where the next chapter in his career will take him.

Despite his consistent performances, David earns a relatively modest salary under his current deal compared to the top earners in the Lille squad. So, how much does the Canadian striker actually earn?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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• Jonathan David's wages at Lille in numbers

  David's current contract with the French club provides him a weekly salary of £31,888 ($42,754), which is lower compared to the top earners in the team.

  His annual earnings total £1.6 million ($2.2m).

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Jonathan David	Canadian	£31,888	$42,754	£1,658,153	$2,223,221

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  Top earners at Lille

  Andre Gomes, a Portuguese midfielder, is the top earner at Lille. He is followed by Belgian full-back Thomas Meunier.

  Mitchel Bakker ranks third, with French players Samuel Umtiti and Benjamin Andre completing the top five.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Andre Gomes	Portuguese	£89,122	$119,493	£4,634,325	$6,213,616
  Thomas Meunier	Belgian	£74,241	$99,541	£3,860,520	$5,176,113
  Mitchel Bakker	Dutch	£65,410	$87,701	£3,401,340	$4,560,452
  Samuel Umtiti	French	£52,328	$70,161	£2,721,072	$3,648,362
  Benjamin Andre	French	£35,322	$47,359	£1,836,723	$2,462,644

• Top earners in Ligue 1

  Lille players have high earnings, but Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) leads the league's wage structure.

  PSG's dominance in Ligue 1 is evident from the top earners list. PSG players occupy the first thirteen spots, with Adrien Rabiot from Lyon at fourteenth.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Ousmane Dembele	Paris Saint-Germain	£297,548	$393,131	£15,472,512	$20,442,812
  Khvicha Kvaratskhelia	Paris Saint-Germain	£270,438	$357,312	£14,062,794	$18,580,245
  Marquinhos	Paris Saint-Germain	£222,235	$293,756	£11,561,405	$15,275,324
  Lucas Hernandez	Paris Saint-Germain	£218,202	$288,296	£11,346,509	$14,991,396
  Achraf Hakimi	Paris Saint-Germain	£218,202	$288,296	£11,346,509	$14,991,396

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  Highest paid players in the world

  PSG leads Ligue 1, but none of their players are among the top five highest-paid footballers globally.

  The top five are all from the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo has the highest salary at Al Nassr.

  Karim Benzema, his former Real Madrid teammate, is second. Riyad Mahrez, formerly of Manchester City and now with Al-Ahli, is third.

  Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,216,155	$4,210,425	£167,250,468	$218,942,120
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,608,178	$2,105,213	£83,625,234	$109,471,060
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£839,469	$1,098,921	£45,652,372	$57,43,893
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£643,271	$842,085	£33,450,094	$43,788,424
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£558,038	$730,509	£29,017,956	$37,986,458

It would be fair to say that the last few weeks have been rough for Ipswich Town.

Kieran McKenna’s side have played arguably the best football of the three promoted sides in the Premier League this season, but following their 2-1 loss to Southampton last Saturday, their fourth on the bounce, they find themselves down in 19th and three points off safety.

Nevertheless, this afternoon’s FA Cup Fourth Round tie away to Championship side Coventry City offers the Tractor Boys the chance to forget about their lacklustre league form and pick up a much-needed win.

However, McKenna must make one key change to the starting lineup and drop one of the worst performers against the Saints to ensure that happens.

The Ipswich Town star who must be dropped

It will likely come as no surprise to many of you that the player we are talking about is goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, who joined the club from Burnley in the summer for a fee of £10m that could reach £15m.

Unfortunately for all parties, if that higher fee is based on how the 26-year-old performs, it doesn’t look like it’ll be hit, as the Kosovan shot-stopper has been poor for some time now.

That was certainly the case last weekend, as his attempt to stop the Saints’ opener was laughable at best and while the second wasn’t quite as bad, he still should have parried the ball into a safer area.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones, who awarded him just a 4/10 at full-time, and even that rating looks kind when you look at his statistics.

In 98 minutes, he made just two saves, prevented negative 1.55 goals, which means the shots he faced amounted to an expected goals figure of just 0.45, maintained a passing accuracy of just 76% and was accurate in just one of his ten attempted long balls.

In short, it was a shambolic showing from Muric, and while club captain Sam Morsy is probably fair to claim that he’s becoming something of a “scapegoat,” that is in large part down to his dire form, and therefore, he must be dropped.

The Ipswich ace who must replace Muric

The player McKenna should be turning to in place of Muric this afternoon is the club’s latest signing, Alex Palmer.

The 6 foot 3 shot-stopper joined the club on transfer deadline day for around £2m, and while you’d often want to give new arrivals time to settle into the club, he should be more than ready to come right into the starting lineup.

For example, before making the move to Suffolk, the Kidderminster-born keeper had already made 30 appearances for West Bromwich Albion this season, in which he had kept 11 clean sheets.

He was just as impressive last season, keeping 19 clean sheets in 48 games, and there’s no need to worry about his temperament either, as former manager Carlos Corberán described him as someone who plays “with a lot of maturity.”

Moreover, in that same article, The Athletic described him as a ‘calming influence’ on his teammates, which sounds like the sort of number one a team in a relegation scrap needs.

Ultimately, there is always a slight risk in signing a goalkeeper from a lower league, but given how poor Muric has been of late, it’s a risk the club had to take, and in turn, McKenna has to start him this afternoon.

He left in 2015: Ipswich loan flop is now outscoring both Delap & Lath

The incredible goalscorer would be perfect for Ipswich this season.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 5, 2025

As Ruben Amorim attempts to turn a corner at Manchester United once again, he will reportedly have to do so without several of his star players against Tottenham Hotspur.

Man Utd injury news

The bad news just keeps coming for the Red Devils, who recently saw centre-back Lisandro Martinez suffer an ACL injury to end his campaign early. Now, with a trip to fellow strugglers Tottenham awaiting, they’ve suffered further blows on the injury front.

Previewing a game which once took place between two top six sides and now presents a bottom half clash, Amorim praised Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, albeit whilst dismissing any comparisons to his own situation, Amorim told reporters: “I’m a huge fan of his. I’m from a different culture, I’m Portuguese and the Portuguese coaches can adapt.

“I use one system in the moment, because I believe if you work on that system we adapt that at the same time, but we are not winning games. So I can understand the connection between me and Ange.

“We have the same problems but, with all due respect, I’m in a bigger club with bigger pressure, but I think it’s important to follow all of these principles.”

Bayern Munich in talks for "brave" Man Utd ace who cost nearly £7m per goal

The Red Devils could seal a much-needed sale…

By
Tom Cunningham

Feb 15, 2025

Like Postecoglou, however, the injuries keep coming for Amorim. According to Laurie Whitwell, as relayed by Fabrizio Romano, Kobbie Mainoo will now miss the Spurs game and could be sidelined for a long period, whilst Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer are also injury doubts ahead of the trip to North London.

Mainoo will, of course, be more frustrated than anyone else having struggled to get back to full fitness throughout the majority of the current campaign, and that news was followed by an even worse update with Amad Diallo now facing the full season out with an ankle injury, as also confirmed by Romano.

Mainoo's frustrating campaign continues

When he first broke through at Old Trafford last season, Mainoo looked destined to play a pivotal part at Manchester United for years to come. Since the arrival of Amorim, however, doubts have emerged over that verdict.

Alongside Alejandro Garnacho, the midfielder’s name has been mentioned in a list of players Manchester United could sell for profit – creating understandable doubts over his future. But the Red Devils would be making an undeniable mistake by showing their academy product the door.

Whilst his frustrations have continued on the injury front, no rise is linear and United should have expected his exceptional run to dip at some stage. Now, just as they celebrated Mainoo last season, they must keep faith in the 19-year-old in the coming months.

It’s not often that a teenager emerges who already has an FA Cup final goal to his name and Manchester United would be wise to realise that before it’s too late. Once Mainoo is finally back to full fitness, he should once again play an important role.

Unai Emery said there is "no way" Emiliano Martinez has played his last Aston Villa game despite the goalkeeper being linked with a summer exit.

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• Martinez linked with Villa departure
• Emery dismisses keeper exit talk
• Involved in awkward live interview

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentine appeared to suggest he is set to leave Villa at the end of the season after seemingly bidding a teary farewell at Villa Park last weekend. However, ahead of their final game of the campaign, a trip to Manchester United on Sunday, manager Emery gave a terse answer over Martinez's Villa future in an awkward and brief live TV interview.

  Asked whether the United game will be Martinez's last for the Lions, Emery replied sharply: "No way!"

  The reporter followed up by saying: "Definitely not, he's staying at the club?" Emery then added bluntly: "See you later."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Martinez has been linked with Barcelona, United, and the Saudi Pro League as the Villans reportedly need to make a big sale before June 30 to stay in line with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules. But it seems Emery does not want to lose the 32-year-old, so perhaps a team-mate of Martinez's will be sold instead.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After Villa's clash at United, the players will head off on their summer breaks. But the transfer window opens next month, so it may not be long before we find out what happens with Martinez's future.

Arsenal are now preparing an £83m offer for a midfielder, who has been identified as a potential alternative to Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, according to reports from Spain.

Gunners linked with Zubimendi move

Zubimendi has been a well-known target for the Gunners for quite some time now, with journalist Steve Kay at one stage suggesting a summer deal is almost inevitable, given that personal terms were agreed a long time ago.

“It’s very close, Arsenal will sign him, they will trigger his release clause in the summer of €60m. Personal terms were agreed in March, but that is a normal thing with the player, that’s the first thing you do. That was done long ago.

Club chiefs are hoping to have the move fully wrapped up prior to the summer transfer window, but it is still yet to be made official, and there are now indications the north Londoners could move on to alternative targets.

Arsenal now scouting former Real Madrid prospect who Cesc Fabregas loves

Fabregas has called him “special” and now the Gunners are keeping an eye…

By
Barney Lane

Mar 3, 2025

Last week, it was revealed Arsenal are looking at Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios, who may be brought in instead of Zubimendi, and there has now been a major update on their pursuit of the midfielder.

According to a report from Spain, the Gunners are now preparing a €100m (£83m) offer for Barrios, having identified him as their main target if a move for Zubimendi alludes them.

The Sociedad midfielder is still attracting attention from Real Madrid and other European clubs, so it is by no means a certainty the Spaniard moves to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

There is a belief Barrios could fit perfectly into Mikel Arteta’s team, indicating he is an ideal alternative target, but there may be competition from a number of other Premier League clubs, with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool expressing interest.

Barrios could be a suitable Zubimendi alternative

Zubimendi seemingly remains Arsenal’s top target in midfield, but there are signs the 21-year-old Atletico man could also be a solid signing, having established himself as a key player for the Spanish side at a young age.

The Madrid-born midfielder has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season, providing two assists, and he has received high praise for his dribbling ability by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also dubbed him a “future legend”.

The Spaniard is also extremely adept defensively, ranking in the 90th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Barrios is a well-rounded midfielder, who would be useful for Arteta at both ends of the pitch, but he is not yet showing “world-class” signs, unlike Zubimendi, who should remain the top target.