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An update has emerged on Arsenal and their interest in a swoop to sign Southampton ace Romeo Lavia ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are progressing in their pursuit of a deal to sign the central midfielder this summer.

The reporter tweeted: "Understand Arsenal are advancing in talks to sign Roméo Lavia. Negotiations ongoing with Southampton and player’s camp, still no official bid. Southampton hope for their record fee for U21 player. Man Utd interested but priority is Mount; Chelsea, keeping close eye."

He then added that Premier League champions Manchester City have a buy-back clause that would enable them to snap the Belgian talent up for £40m before the summer of 2024, although it remains to be seen if they are willing to activate it.

Southampton's current club-record U21 sale came in 2014 when they sold Luke Shaw, who was 18 at the time, to Manchester United for a fee of £27m, that could rise to £31m, which means that £40m would meet their requirements for a deal.

This comes alongside a report from Sky Sports that has claimed the club are set to make a £90m bid to snap up West Ham United captain Declan Rice, with Romano confirming that the club's interest in the pair is not related. Indeed, it seems Mikel Arteta and the club are progressing on more deals in the background of the heavily reported Rice saga.

How did Romeo Lavia perform last season?

Southampton signed Lavia from Manchester City in a £14m package ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and the teenager enjoyed a strong first season in senior football in spite of his team's relegation to the Championship.

The Belgium international, who was hailed as a “monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick, had just two first-team appearances to his name prior to moving to the south coast and still only has 32 total games in senior football after 26 Premier League starts for the Saints.

However, he made 3.6 tackles plus interceptions per game and completed 86% of his attempted passes in the division, and his qualities in and out of possession are what made him so highly rated during his time at The Etihad.

Lavia particularly excelled at putting his body on the line for Southampton last term as the 19-year-old enforcer currently ranks in the top 4% of players in his position in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for blocks made per 90 (1.90).

Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously claimed that the teenage maestro had the ability to break into City's senior squad. He wrote:

"It is very clear why Pep Guardiola wants Romeo Lavia to be part of the Manchester City first team. He is an intelligent and aggressive presser of the ball in defense, a comfortable dribbler, adept passer of the ball, and physically strong. These traits are enormously important in the Pep Guardiola system, and Romeo Lavia possesses all the talent to break into Manchester City’s first team one day."

This suggests that the potential is there for him to make it at the top level and his experience at St. Mary's could be an important step on his way to success as the exciting youngster now has a good amount of Premier League matches under his belt.

It is all systems go at Leeds United as they begin a new chapter under the full ownership of 49ers Enterprise, potentially meaning some exciting new players arriving this summer.

In the days before and since confirmation of that takeover was made public, United have been linked with an array of players – some more attainable than others.

With no sporting director nor manager currently in place, there is still a period of uncertainty ahead at Elland Road. However, if recent reports are anything to go by, plans are already firmly in place to bolster their squad ahead of their first Championship season since 2019-20.

According to a report by SampNews24, 5 foot 10 Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks is among those being targeted by Leeds in what would be an audacious move on the face of it.

Where would Harry Winks fit in at Leeds United?

Winks spent the past campaign on loan with Sampdoria, who have ironically just been purchased by Radrizzani, and made 20 Serie A appearances.

With Sampdoria dropping into the second tier after finishing with just 19 points from their 38 matches, they are not expected to take up the option to sign Winks permanently, meaning he could be up for grabs this summer.

Dropping into the Championship would be considered a fall from grace for a player who seemingly had the world at his feet not so long ago. Indeed, Spurs team-mate Danny Rose described Winks as a "little Iniesta" in 2018 and backed him to become a key midfielder for England.

That has not quite been the case, with the most recent of his caps coming in 2020, but Winks will be eager to get his career back on track – even if that means taking a cut on the reported £20,000 a week he was earning last season.

Even accounting for his time with a struggling Samp side, Winks still ranks highly for interceptions (1.26 per 90), clearances (1.26) and progressive passes (6.14) over the past year, as per FBref, with that a better record than that of Marc Roca, for instance, who averaged just 0.89, 0.93 and 6.69 for the same two metrics, respectively.

It is fair to say a move to an elite club is unlikely for Winks this summer, assuming new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou does not attempt to retain the midfielder, but their loss could be another team's gain – especially in the case of a Leeds side with ambitions of earning an immediate promotion.

United could do with a ball-playing midfielder, which is an area Winks thrives. The Spurs academy product averaged 45.7 passes per league game last season, as per WhoScored – only Tyler Adams (55.3) and Diego Llorente, who both look set to leave Elland Road, ranked higher among Leeds players.

Roca, the man Winks would likely replace, averaged just 37.8 passes, with the struggling Spaniard – who has been linked with a surprise move to Barcelona of late – having been described as "embarrassing" by content creator Conor McGilligan due to his dismal form.

Winks' ability to keep play ticking over earned him the nickname of "the washing machine" by Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, and it is that calmness on the ball – plus the motivation to prove a point – that could seriously bolster Leeds' promotion hopes if they pull off the coup.

Football FanCast looks at the top ten most forgotten transfers at Newcastle United during the Mike Ashley era. From one-month emergency loans, scooping up ex-Premier League winners to signing players that never made a single domestic appearance for the club – this exploration into the wild transfer scene of the last 15 years unmasks the players who were buried in blurred memories.

10 Islam Slimani

The striker was brought to Newcastle by Rafa Benitez in the 2017/18 season on loan from Leicester to help solve the Magpies' goalscoring problems, with Joselu and Dwight Gale struggling. Yet, the only thing he spent his time doing was trying to solve how he managed to get banned for three games after only 132 minutes of Premier League football.

The Foxes bought the striker for a reported fee of £30m following his prolific time at Sporting CP, where he scored 48 goals in 82 matches, providing eight assists.

Upon his arrival, he stated, “It’s a great thing for me and Newcastle.”

However, the etymology of 'great' has to be explored here, as the now 34-year-old’s time on Tyneside was nothing but a forgotten memory for Newcastle fans. His record in the league of four games without a goal and an assist, alongside his suspension, also makes him one of the most useless NUFC transfers of the last decade.

9 Stephen Ireland

Despite Alan Pardew’s delight, this move was a disaster for the Republic of Ireland international.

At the time, the 24-year-old was praised for his “creativity” and his ability to contribute goals, with former Newcastle boss Pardew even suggesting he could’ve been a “big factor” in the Magpies’ season as he was described as a “real top player”.

Yet very little came of his loan spell back in January 2011, with the midfielder only making two appearances and accumulating just 52 minutes on the field due to a plethora of injuries he suffered during his time in the north-east.

In the 2008/09 season, aged 21, Ireland appeared to be a very talented player who was seemingly poised to make a significant impact in the Premier League. He contributed to 18 goals for Manchester City in 35 games that season. Yet, in his remaining ten years of being a professional player, he only scored a further five goals – ending his career at Stoke City in 2018.

8 Seydou Doumbia

This list wasn’t intended to be the worst Newcastle transfers, however, Doumbia is certainly not helping that cause.

Supposedly landing fit and ready to play from Italy, Steve McClaren signed the striker on a half-season loan from AS Roma on deadline day in January 2016.

However, Doumbia’s impressive record of six goals in his last five games against Premier League clubs in the Champions League was not built upon in the slightest. The only thing that was built upon was the growing confusion among the Newcastle fanbase as to why their club had bought a striker who later revealed that he “was not fit” during his time up north.

The Ivorian made his club debut for the under-21 team in a 2-1 defeat to Stoke City, but the only memorable event about his performance was his diabolical first touch from the kick-off, where the ball seemingly repelled from his foot as he attempted to dribble forward. Doumbia also only managed 45 minutes on the pitch, as he stunned fans with his rustiness.

Neither McClaren nor Doumbia made much of an impact on the club after that game, with the latter only making three appearances and accumulating just over 30 minutes of game time – while the Englishman was replaced by Rafael Benitez in March 2016.

7 Romain Amalfitano

French midfielder Amalfitano joined on a free from Reims in July 2012, with the overarching aim to bolster Newcastle’s squad ahead of a potential European campaign.

However, it was joked among fans that scouts landed the wrong brother, with Morgan Amalfitano performing credibly for Marseille at the time. Indeed, Romain was unable to replicate the performances of his sibling and contributed almost nothing to the Magpies.

Now 33, he told the media when he joined Pardew’s men that he was excited to play for such an iconic club and “took the opportunity to play in the Premier League”.

Although, for Amalfitano, that seemingly guaranteed chance of playing in the top flight never happened. The player failed to make a single domestic appearance for the club, only featuring in five Europa League games.

He was renowned for his versatility, though this was only exercised through his ability to sit on different areas of the bench during his time at Newcastle, before he was loaned out to French Ligue 2 side Dijon.

6 Mehdi Abeid

The defensive midfielder joined Newcastle in 2011 from Lens in France at just 18 years old.

Despite only making 21 appearances for the club, the Algerian put in some worthy displays and was unlucky to miss a significant number of games through injury. He later admitted in 2020 that he played through a broken toe with injections in a clash against Burnley and that after the game, “he couldn’t walk”.

One of the reasons his name makes the list is due to the midfield duo of Yohan Cabaye and Cheick Tiote, who, at the time, stole most of the limelight with their solid partnership.

Abeid, now 30 years old, plays for Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates Pro League. Perhaps a reunion between him, Steven Taylor and Mike Ashley awaits as the latter continues to help set up a new club in Dubai.

5 Danny Rose

Anyone else remember this?

The left-back joined on a half-season loan from Tottenham in January 2020. Yet, those who can recall the England international’s time at Newcastle won’t have been shouting from the rooftops about his performances. In fact, Geordies may likely remember the defender primarily for his lacklustre efforts, which coincided with Steve Bruce's tenuous tenure.

Rose told the media he was “over the moon” with his first win in over six months following Newcastle’s 1-0 away victory against Southampton in March 2020.

Yet, this was not echoed among the majority of fans. Many argued he never should have been in the starting XI

The former Sunderland player would only rack up 11 appearances for the Magpies before returning to Spurs and arguably only got his place through the injuries of Jetro Willems and Paul Dummett, who both missed a considerable number of games in the 2020/21 Premier League season.

His career then continued to spiral downhill as Daniel Levy failed to see a future for him in north London, with the player duly being scooped up by Watford on a free.

Then, when you think it couldn’t have got worse for the former Tottenham wonderkid, the Hornets proceeded to terminate his contract last September.

4 Jesus Gamez

The Spaniard became Benitez's inaugural signing after his appointment as manager. Arriving for an undisclosed fee, his primary objective was to aid the Magpies in achieving promotion back to the top division.

Gamez was a highly experienced defender who had played 31 games for Atletico Madrid in the season prior to his departure to the north-east. However, despite this, he only managed to accumulate ten appearances in all competitions over two years for Newcastle and had a minimal effect on United’s promotion campaign.

This was partially due to apparent early fitness issues he suffered, as well as breaking his collarbone in November 2016, which had seen him miss six weeks of football.

Although the player has seemingly not officially retired, he has not been seen playing at a professional level since leaving the club at the end of the 2017/18 season.

3 Sol Campbell

The former Tottenham captain made the move to Newcastle in July 2010 after rejecting a two-year contract offer from Celtic.

Campbell, who was 35 years old when he joined, made his first league appearance for Chris Hughton’s men in the League Cup against Chelsea – a match that turned out to be a 4-3 thriller, with Newcastle walking away victorious.

If the Toon had looked to sign the ex-Premier League winner earlier in his career, it would have undoubtedly been touted as a great signing. However, the defender that arrived at Tyneside looked a rather lethargic, worn-out version of the iconic centre-back fans were used to seeing.

And it wasn’t long after his arrival that Newcastle fans and football fanatics around the world would see the last of his playing days, as the Englishman was released for the very last time.

2 Andros Townsend

The winger’s time at the club seemed to flash by metaphorically and literally – he was incredibly quick.

Townsend joined Newcastle from Tottenham for £12m in January 2016, which was a sizable price tag for a player who had not completed 90 minutes for almost two years.

He contributed to four goals and two assists in 12 appearances for the Magpies under McClaren and Benitez, with his standout moment being a rather impressive free-kick against Crystal Palace – the club he would ironically join following his one-year spell on Tyneside.

1 Patrick van Aanholt

Finally, Football FanCast has decided that the most forgotten Newcastle transfer of the Ashley era goes to Van Aanholt, who joined the club as an 18-year-old on a one-month loan deal from Chelsea in the 2009/10 season.

The transfer was not planned in advance at all. The Dutchman was solely brought in to cover the left-back position while regular starter Jose Enrique recovered from a thigh injury.

During his time up north, the defender was effectively deployed, featuring in every match under Hughton, falling short of completing the full 90 minutes on only one occasion.

Following his impressive displays for Newcastle, the youngster would then depart back to the Blues where he completed the remainder of his season.

The defender now plays for Turkish giants Galatasaray in the Super Lig, where he has made ten appearances this season, contributing two assists.

Arsenal have been "informed" on the conditions of a potential deal to sign Galatasary defender Sacha Boey, namely that he is set to cost around £22 million this summer.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners and manager Mikel Arteta are looking to shore up a number of key areas of the squad, coming after they missed out on their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years.

Arsenal had been in pole position for much of the 2022/2023 campaign but were eventually beaten to the punch by champions Man City, who are also on course to potentially clinch an historic treble.

It's back to the drawing board in north London with Arteta and sporting director already drawing up plans to make major signings this summer.

"Our planning has already been done," said sporting director Edu in April (ESPN via 90min)."It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

In terms of who Arsenal could sign, it is believed that the Gunners are targeting multiple midfield additions, with West Ham's Declan Rice and Brighton star Moises Caicedo attracting serious interest.

Defensive signings are also firmly on the agenda, especially at right-back, with Real Valladolid starlet Ivan Fresneda and Boey being linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Sharing an update on the latter target, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has some news for supporters.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano claims that Arsenal have been "informed" that they can sign Boey for around £22 million, but as of yet, there is yet to be any serious talks or contact with the player's agents.

"For Boey at the moment, I'm just told that they are informed on the conditions of the deal, €25m price tag."I'm not aware of any direct contract between Arsenal and his agent in terms of negotiations, so at the moment it's still a quiet situation."

Who is Sacha Boey?

The 22-year-old has been a key player for Galatasary, especially last season, with only Victor Nelsson and Fernando Muslera playing more league minutes (WhoScored).

Boey also averaged their joint-highest rate of tackles per 90 and second-highest number of interceptions domestically – emphasising his importance to the Turkish Super Lig side (WhoScored).

Former Gunners defender Bacary Sagna, commenting on the links to Boey recently, also believes that he would fit in "perfectly" under Arteta.

Manchester United are 'pushing' ahead in their efforts to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

As per The Guardian, Manchester United have 'reached an agreement' on personal terms with Mount and he is likely to link up with Erik Ten Hag at Old Trafford this summer.

The report states that Chelsea will seek at least £60 million to allow Mount to depart SW6 in the off-season. Arsenal, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also expressed an interest in signing the midfielder.

Contractually, Mount is tied to Chelsea on a contract worth £80,000 per week and his deal in west London is set to run out in June 2024, as per Capology.

Pundit Roy Keane told Sky Sports quoted by The Daily Express that he isn't sure whether Mount would be able to have a major impact at Manchester United, stating: "I wouldn’t be hanging my hat too much on Mason Mount, in terms of improving United and closing the gap. I think he’s a good player but would he improve Manchester United? I’m not so sure. I know Mason Mount can bounce back and he’s got qualities, I was raving about him a few years ago, but he’s just gone missing this last year or two. Again, one or two injuries, the fact he can’t get in a bad Chelsea team.

Mount featured 35 times in all competitions for Chelsea in 2022/23 and registered three goals and six assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has detailed that Manchester United are pressing ahead to try and bring Mount to the North West this summer.

Romano said: "It should be around £50m, and so this is why at the moment it looks difficult. But, for sure, there will be some developments soon because Manchester United are pushing for Mason Mount."

Who else may Manchester United try to sign this summer?

Manchester United have been linked with several targets this summer as Ten Hag looks to bolster his squad ahead of 2023/24, where the Red Devils will compete in the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane has been extensively rumoured with a switch to Manchester United and is reportedly open to moving to Old Trafford, as per The Sun.

L'Equipe claim that Bayern Munich full-back Benjamin Pavard is also of interest to the Premier League giants and could be a high-profile addition to the ranks in the off-season.

As per The Evening Standard, Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa is also in the frame to provide competition for David De Gea between the sticks.

In a time of excitement at Manchester United, plenty of new arrivals could help Ten Hag construct a bid for the Premier League title heading into next term.

Leeds United look set for a return to the Championship this summer following a disastrous 2023 which has seen two manager exits and one director of football parting ways.

Victor Orta was removed from his position on the Leeds board alongside Javi Gracia following the 4-1 defeat against Bournemouth in the Premier League, amid a number of disappointing signings from the Spaniard during his time at Elland Road.

Jean-Kevin Augustin and Georginio Rutter will stand out as the worst for obvious reasons, with Sam Allardyce failing to even recognise the club-record signing as a realistic striking option from the bench in last weekend's 3-1 defeat to West Ham United.

With Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo potentially both sidelined through injury for this weekend's crunch game against Tottenham Hotspur – when their fate will be confirmed – the experienced Englishman will perhaps be wishing that he could have called upon one of Leeds' brightest talents in Joe Gelhardt.

Should Leeds have loaned out Gelhardt?

Following the £35m signing of Rutter in January, it seemed clear that the former Wigan Athletic youngster wouldn't get into the side with three more senior options ahead of him at Elland Road.

However, Rodrigo's injury issues, Bamford's poor form in front of goal and Rutter's lack of minutes suggest that the West Yorkshire outfit may well have been better off keeping him at the club.

Since joining from Wigan in 2020, the young striker has gone on to make 41 appearances for the first team, contributing two goals and seven assists, while he also has 20 goals and six assists in just 31 games for the U21s.

Therefore, he clearly knows where the back of the net is and has already shown that he can have a positive impact in the Premier League, showcasing his impressive talent when winning a penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2021.

Adrian Durham praised Gelhardt on talkSPORT at the time (via MOT Leeds News), saying: "Joe Gelhardt for Leeds, was astonishing at the weekend. What a player this kid is going to be.

"Joe Gelhardt rescued Leeds and Bielsa, he was brilliant. By the way, he should be involved in far more games."

Unfortunately, Durham's thoughts on the 21-year-old wouldn't come to fruition, as he mustered just 201 minutes of Premier League action under Jesse Marsch before being sent on loan to Sunderland in the Championship.

There, he contributed three goals and three assists in 20 appearances, with a solid 6.72 rating from WhoScored – which is better than everyone bar Jack Harrison and Tyler Adams in the current Leeds squad.

Bamford, meanwhile, has managed just four goals in the top flight with a woeful 6.36 average rating, which is perhaps no surprise when you consider his recent misses in big games against Leicester City and Newcastle United.

The Englishman has proven himself to be extremely unreliable in front of goal, and had Orta kept Gelhardt at the club, it could have been him on the end of those chances instead of Bamford.

Given the attacking woes that Allardyce will have to deal with on the final day, he will surely be wishing that Gelhardt was still available for selection at Elland Road.

Julen Lopetegui will have a busy summer at Wolverhampton Wanderers as he attempts to strengthen his squad as his first Premier League season comes to a close.

The expected focus point ahead of the transfer window is for the Midlands side to acquire a seasoned goalscorer, as Lopetegui aims to turn his side’s fate in front of goal around.

Wolves are the league’s joint-lowest scorers this campaign, level with Championship-bound Southampton on just 31 goals in 37 games so far.

With the potential departures of both Raul Jimenez and Ruben Neves this summer, Molineux will see change next season, with players both arriving and departing.

Despite the transfer window boasting a host of attractive options for clubs to recruit, Wolves could save themselves millions just by looking at their academy, with Leon Chiwome tipped to have a promising future.

Who is Leon Chiwome?

17-year-old Leon Chiwome signed for Wolves’ academy last summer from Wimbledon Youth.

The Brighton-born forward has enjoyed an impressive first season in the Midlands, registering five goals in ten appearances in the U18 Premier League.

His rise to form has prompted a heap of praise from those at the club, as well as earning his first national team call-up for England’s U17s for this month’s European Championships.

The youngster has turned things around for himself in his budding career, after being released on trial by Brighton just two years ago, to playing for his country and catching the eye of many at Wolves.

After his first seven months at the club, he was rewarded with his first professional contract, with academy manager for football Jon Hunter-Barrett lauding the youngster for his ability.

Hailed as having “all the attributes” of a number nine and the ability to do “everything”, Hunter-Barrett admitted the forward has progressed quickly to the delight of figures “internally and externally” at the club – as per Wolves' official site.

At just 17-years-old, the forward is a raw talent, however after seeing the progression of other youngsters in the Premier League could have a point to prove to Lopetegui, particularly with the Euros coming up.

The forward made a statement at the end of last month, scoring his first U18 Premier League hat-trick against Leeds, showcasing his ability ahead of a decisive summer for Wolves.

With Jimenez almost certainly departing this summer, the Spaniard will have a vacancy in attack to fill, something that young players at the club should aspire to fill, including Chiwome who has gained attention at a perfect time.

Manchester United are eyeing up a swoop for goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen ahead of the summer transfer window as Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his side.

What’s the latest on Bart Verbruggen to Manchester United?

According to the Manchester Evening News, United are keen on signing Anderlecht ‘keeper Verbruggen during the summer transfer window.

The Red Devils have two goalkeepers out of contract this summer in the form of David De Gea and Tom Heaton, while Jack Butland will return to Crystal Palace once his loan spell is finished, meaning Ten Hag will be in the market for a new shot-stopper.

Verbruggen has two years left on his contract and despite being valued at only €3.4m (£3m) by Football Transfers, the Belgian side will be demanding more than that.

Does David De Gea have a future at Manchester United?

The Spaniard is expected to sign a new contract, though some figures at the club want to move on from him and sign a new ‘keeper as a replacement.

His latest error against West Ham United, letting a weak shot by Said Benrahma escape his grasp, was the fourth time he made an error this term which directly resulted in an opposition goal, and if he does stay, his contributions could be minimal.

The £375k-per-week “colossal liability” – as dubbed by writer Muhammad Butt – has conceded 53 goals in 46 appearances this season and a change may be on the horizon for the club.

Verbruggen may only be 20 years old, but he has already played 31 matches for Anderlecht, keeping 11 clean sheets, and he could have the potential to be a long-term No 1 for Ten Hag.

He has been impressive across 17 league matches this season, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.24/10 while making 3.8 saves per game, keeping eight clean sheets and also committing zero errors which led to goals, suggesting he has a bright future ahead of him.

The youngster was even called up to the Netherlands squad for their European Championship qualifier with Gibraltar in March, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him gain his first cap sooner rather than later.

Ten Hag will surely be looking to do business as soon as possible ahead of an important campaign in 2023/24 and signing the young Dutchman, although raw and still learning, could prove to be a stroke of genius over the next few years.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a double boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Arsenal tomorrow evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Ben White and Bukayo Saka are now doubts for Arsenal’s Thursday night trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the fitness of both the centre-back and the forward set to be assessed prior to the fixture.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via football.london), Mikel Arteta said of the current condition of the duo: “Ben is a doubt. We’ll have to assess him – he’s feeling much better – and Bukayo is the same.”

Conte will be buzzing

Considering just how important both White and Saka have been for Arsenal this season, the news that both players could miss out on such a crucial fixture in the top four race is sure to have left Antonio Conte buzzing.

Indeed, over White’s 31 Premier League appearances this term, the £36m-rated defender has been extremely solid in the heart of Arsenal’s backline, helping his side keep 13 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 3.1 clearances and winning 4.4 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per game.

These returns have seen the £120k-per-week England international average a very impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Arteta’s joint tenth-best performer in the English top flight.

Meanwhile, over Saka’s 35 Premier League outings this season, the £58.5m-rated forward has been in breathtaking form for the Gunners, scoring 11 goals, providing six assists and creating eight big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.5 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

These metrics have seen the £30k-per-week England international average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Arsenal’s best player in the league.

As such, should Arsenal indeed be without the stricken duo on Thursday, it is clear for all to see that their absences would come as a huge boost to Tottenham’s chances of taking all three points from the fixture – a result which would see Spurs move to within one point of their north London rivals with just two fixtures of the season left to play.

AND in other news: Journo claims “the door is open” for Spurs to sign £45m star, supporters will love it

It’s fair to say that Everton have had a horrendous season in the Premier League, with genuine fears that the Toffees could be playing in the Championship next term amid their presence in the relegation zone.

A campaign which started off with so much hope has spiralled into chaos, and only performances of the highest order will be enough to save their skin now.

Lampard hasn’t exactly been helped by the performances of some of his players, with a not-so-special mention going to Brazilian midfielder Allan, who has been poor all season.

Time to axe Allan

The 31-year-old has featured in 30 matches for Everton this term, contributing a measly three assists while receiving seven yellow cards. Add into this an average SofaScore rating of 6.64 and only 46% of his total duels won all season, and it’s clear to see Lampard must axe the “clumsy” Brazilian, as Garry Birtles called him.

Looking at SofaScore’s ratings, the midfielder comes in at a lowly 18th in the Toffees’ squad for overall performance, not exactly a glowing endorsement of what he has produced on the pitch over the past nine months.

With Allan’s market value currently sitting at £16.2m, the quicker Everton axe him the better. Lampard might not get that much for the player with his contract expiring at the end of next season, but any fee is better than none.

There are better options in the squad to utilise, such as Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who is out on loan at CSKA Moscow until the end of the season. The 26-year-old has registered one goal and three assists in all competitions this season between his current club and Everton whilst playing 14 fewer games, proving his effectiveness compared to Allan.

Lampard faces a crunch time at the end of the season if he keeps Everton in the top flight and there needs to be a clearout of some deadwood, with the £120k-p/w Brazilian arguably at the top of the list.

The Everton faithful face an anxious final few weeks of the campaign and Lampard needs to play the men that he thinks can bring the necessary fight to avoid relegation. Allan’s performances this term suggest that he isn’t an ideal candidate; frankly, he has bled the club dry having been so ineffective, and it’s time that the manager wields the axe on him, starting from the clash against Leicester on Sunday.

AND in other news, Everton given green light to sign “undefendable” £50m gem, it’s bye-bye Richarlison