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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is "pushing as he never did before" to sign Declan Rice and a deal is "close now".

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

Late last night, Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to claim that Edu and Arteta are doing an "incredible job" in the battle for Rice, with the manager making a "huge effort" to sign the West Ham midfielder, who he envisages as being one of the faces of the club's long-term project.

Now, it appears as though the Spaniard's persistence has finally paid off, with Man City dropping out of the race for the England international, as they are unwilling to match the new offer that has been made by the Gunners.

Edu returned to the negotiating table last night with a bid of £100m, plus £5m in add-ons, and work has now commenced on agreeing the structure of the deal. Rice's camp reportedly believe the most recent offer is fair for all parties, having now asked West Ham to accept the proposal, paving the way for a move to the Emirates Stadium in the near future, with personal terms already being agreed for quite some time.

Is Rice joining Arsenal or Manchester City?

After a nervy few days, with Man City making their interest in the central midfielder well-known, Arsenal now appear to have won the race for his signature, news that is sure to be very exciting for the fans.

According to Jacob Steinberg, a deal is "close now", as he took to Twitter this afternoon: "Agreement between West Ham and Arsenal close now and could be done today. Rice has wanted Arsenal all along and is going to get his move."

Arteta will be relieved the transfer saga is finally approaching its conclusion, and he is set to bolster his midfield with a top-quality player, who has a range of different qualities.

The West Ham captain averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League last season, the highest number of any player in the squad, and he has also started to impress on the front foot.

Hailed as a "very good finisher" by teammate Tomas Soucek, Rice registered five goals and four assists for West Ham last season, and Arteta will now be hoping he can continue his development in an Arsenal shirt.

Arsenal are in "positive" talks to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and he "wants to make that move", according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners currently have many plates spinning behind-the-scenes as sporting director Edu looks to reinforce their midfield, sign a versatile attacker and bring in more defensive options.

Having missed out on their first league title in nearly 20 years to treble-winners Man City, Arsenal now find themselves in a fierce transfer battle with the blues to sign top target Declan Rice from West Ham.

Both sides have had bids rejected for the England international recently and it will be very interesting to see where he ends up – in Manchester or across London.

Meanwhile, in some better news, Arsenal have sealed the signing of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz in a £65 million deal, with Southampton's Romeo Lavia and Timber from Ajax at the centre of negotiations too.

The latter player has been described as a versatile, inverted full-back option, similar to Oleksandr Zinchenko, and is currently renowed for his composure/passing range (The Telegraph).

Mikel Arteta's side have been attempting to sign Timber over the last fortnight, again seeing bids rejected for the defender in a similar vain to Rice.

However, speaking on Sky Sports, reliable journalist Sheth has dropped a positive update on their pursuit of the 22-year-old.

Sheth believes talks are "positive" between Ajax and Arsenal with Timber firmly setting his sights on a move to the Emirates.

"There is another player that they're interested in as well, and that is the Ajax defender Jurrien Timber," said the Sky reporter during broadcast.

"We are told that talks are ongoing between both clubs, we're told talks are positive as well, personal terms not expected to be a problem.

"And in this case, rather like Declan Rice as well, the understanding is that Timber wants to make that move to Arsenal.

"He's got two years left on his contract, I think, so it's the optimum time for Ajax to maximise that transfer fee."

What's been said about Jurrien Timber?

The Netherlands international was an undroppable for Ajax last season, featuring over more Eredivisie minutes than any other player in their squad over 2022/2023 (WhoScored).

Former Spurs star Rafael van der Vaart has also heaped praise on Timber's athleticism, explaining how he is "so quick" and "sharp" when called upon.

"Timber is so quick, light feet, always sharp, never panicking on the ball. Almost like a great midfielder in defence,” Van der Vaart said (via the MEN).

All the indications are that he could be an exceptional signing for Arteta.

An overwhelming plethora of tasks remains at hand for the incoming Mauricio Pochettino as he begins his Chelsea rebuild.

However, one of the biggest issues that the Argentine must immediately address is to find a new goalkeeper.

Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel, and Graham Potter have all dealt with a recurring issue between the sticks, as neither Edouard Mendy nor Kepa Arrizabalaga evolved into a long-term, reliable first choice.

The former is on the verge of a move to Saudi Arabia and starting the Spaniard throughout the campaign would be a risky and uncalculated decision.

Therefore, the Blues have been considering making a move for Diogo Costa.

What’s the latest on Diogo Costa to Chelsea?

According to Rudy Galetti, the 2021 Champions League winners, alongside Manchester United and Bayern Munich, are interested in the Porto man, who has a release clause of €75m (£65m).

The West Londoners appear to be at a crossroads in their search for a new shot-stopper as one target in Andre Onana is being tracked by the Red Devils, while Mike Maignan doesn’t want to join Chelsea after the club missed out on Europe and David Raya is seemingly set for a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Therefore, it seems that Costa has emerged as the most attainable option for Pochettino.

Why do Chelsea want Diogo Costa?

The 14-cap international has been at Porto since 2011 and has risen through the youth ranks and made his senior debut for the club in August 2017.

As a child, he idolised Vitor Baia and at the start of the 2020/21 campaign, he inherited the number 99 jersey, made famous by his hero and Porto legend.

But it was the 2021/22 term that the 23-year-old become the club’s first-team goalkeeper, and was part of 16-game unbeaten league run, in which he kept eight clean sheets and was named as the league’s Goalkeeper of the Month for four consecutive months from December to March 2022.

Porto would eventually win the domestic double and the Portuguese was named in the Primera Liga Team of the Year.

More recently, he played every minute of his country’s World Cup campaign in December 2022 and became the youngest Portuguese goalkeeper to play in a major international tournament.

Statistically, the 6 foot 2 titan ranks within the top 5% outside of Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for clean sheet percentage and goals against per 90, as he's proving to be ready for the next step in his career.

Also sitting in the top 25% for crosses stopped, it's clear that Costa's shot-stopping ability and his commanding nature could be game-changing for the Blues as they look to finally put their goalkeeping woes to one side.

Described as “world-class” by compatriot Diogo Dalot, Chelsea should accelerate their attempts to sign the goalkeeper, who could excel even further under Pochettino.

Arsenal seem to be closing in on their top target for the summer, with reports referencing a deal close to completion…

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

That's according to Football Insider, who claims that Edu has agreed terms with West Ham United's captain Declan Rice.

The Gunners are set to make an initial bid of around £92m, with £8m worth of add-ons to take the deal into a nine-figure sum.

The 24-year-old has also agreed personal terms, seemingly rendering this deal all but done. Having won the Europa Conference League with the Hammers, their chairman David Sullivan admitted that his exit was an almost certainty. This latest report seeks to confirm that.

Would Declan Rice improve Gabriel Jesus?

Whilst the acquisition of someone who was originally a defensive midfielder might have little impact on a striker on the surface, what Rice has accomplished this season alongside his growth has made him much more than someone to simply protect the back four.

His 7.19 average Sofascore rating for the term, whilst largely buoyed by defensive figures, is also married to the nine goal contributions he recorded in all competitions. This was partnered with an 88% pass accuracy, one key pass, 2.1 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

What is set to make the England international so important in bolstering Jesus' numbers is a mix of all those statistics just mentioned, as not only will he provide the defensive foundation for the Brazilian to occupy better goalscoring areas, but this added creativity from midfield could prove crucial.

In what has been an injury-hit debut year in north London, the former Manchester City finisher still notched 11 goals with seven assists. However, his main role ended up being the spearhead of Mikel Arteta's pressing system, rather than the goalscoring monster he likely dreams of being.

By signing Rice, who boasts incredible football intelligence as well as technical proficiency, he could perhaps occupy spaces that the ageing Granit Xhaka could not, offering further fluidity and athleticism to allow his would-be 26-year-old teammate to apply more of a focus on finding the back of the net.

After all, he was not lauded as a "world-class" asset by manager Danny Cowley for nothing. His efforts in dictating the play could see the Gunners exert even more control over games than they have done, surely resulting in more chances for the forward.

Rice has starred in a struggling Irons team, and the step-up will likely not phase someone so confident and talented.

Arteta and Edu will hope that he can be the final piece to complete their side, arguably improving everyone around him.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was in agreement with the club not to overpay for Manuel Ugarte amid the competition from Paris Saint-Germain.

How much are PSG paying Ugarte?

The Blues endured a hugely underwhelming 2022/23 campaign which saw them finish in a disappointing 12th spot of the Premier League table.

But it is apparent Todd Boehly will not allow that to happen again with the American owner already putting plans in place to bring change ahead of next season.

Indeed, Pochettino has already been appointed as the new Chelsea manager and they have been involved in a transfer saga this early in the summer.

However, this was not a transfer saga which ended in Chelsea's favour after they bowed out of the race to sign the Uruguay midfielder, Ugarte, following the competition from the Ligue 1 champions.

Although the west London side had submitted a significant bid for the 22-year-old, they were forced to move away from the negotiations after PSG trumped their financial proposal to the player.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has provided an insight to the discussions behind the scenes at Staford Bridge amid their negotiations with the Sporting CP midfielder.

It is apparent the Blues were keen to strengthen their midfield with the addition of Ugarte, however, Pochettino was not in favour of overpaying for the 22-year-old with PSG offering a reported £2.6m more in annual salary:

"I wanted to tell you something behind the scenes about the situation that Chelsea had regarding Manuel Ugarte."

"I can tell you that Mauricio Pochettino was always involved in the conversation with the Chelsea board. Of course, Pochettino will be into the market this summer together with the board, and also Pochettino when Chelsea told him: 'We are not going to make another bid [for the] player because the idea is not to match Paris Saint-Germain's salary proposal for Ugarte'.

"Also the position of Mauricio Pochettino was like: 'Okay, Ugarte is a great player, but we don't want to enter into any crazy proposal to players, especially'."

Will Chelsea sign Moises Caicedo?

Now the Blues are expected to see N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic depart the club over the coming days, midfield reinforcement will be on the mind for Pochettino.

And with that in mind, it is believed the west London side are eyeing a potential move for the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

However, the Blues are not believed to be the only London side keen to potentially bring Caicedo to the capital with Arsenal all credited with interest.

But this is a deal which will not come on the cheap with the 21-year-old having signed a new deal on the south coast following the January transfer window.

As a result, it is suggested the Seagulls will be looking for a fee in the region of £80m – all in – for their midfielder.

The Ecuadorian is believed to be earning in the region of £60k-per-week at Brighton, so if he is to make a big-money move to Stamford Bridge it would be expected his wages will increase significantly like his former teammate, Alexis Mac Allister.

Manchester United are now "monitoring" Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka for a potential summer transfer swoop, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Who are Man United signing?

Bringing in a new central midfielder appears to be one of Erik ten Hag's main priorities in the upcoming window, with Mason Mount emerging as a key target, and it has now been reported an offer of around £50m is in the works.

Not only are Man United interested in Mount, but they could target the 24-year-old's Chelsea teammate, Mateo Kovacic, with it being reported they have made a move to try and beat Manchester City to the Croatian's signature this summer.

The Red Devils have also registered their interest in signing West Ham United captain Declan Rice, however Arsenal remain in pole position for the 24-year-old, meaning they may have to turn their attentions towards other targets.

One such player is Goretzka, with Plettenberg recently taking to Twitter to claim that United are "monitoring" the Bayern midfielder, whose future at the Allianz Arena is uncertain, amid the German club's interest in signing Rice.

However, there has not yet been any concrete talks with the German, who "definitely" wants to stay at Bayern this summer, with club executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also keen to keep him.

Will Man United sign Leon Goretzka?

At the moment, it appears unlikely that Man United will be able to sign the 28-year-old, given that he is committed to Bayern Munich, however if his situation changes in the future, then there is evidence he could be a quality addition to the squad.

Former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann has hailed the £300k-per-week maestro, previously stating: "Leon is one of the best box-to-box players in Europe. He has incredible goal threat and knows when to bomb forward."

The Germany international is also capable of playing in a defensive role, as he did on numerous occasions last season, and he ranks highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, including blocks per 90, averaging 2.04 per game.

That figure places the central midfielder in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he is also in the 95th percentile for assists, highlighting his ability on the front foot, so it is clear that he is a very well-rounded player.

As such, if Goretzka's situation changes at some point this summer, then Man United should definitely pursue a move.

An update has emerged on Burnley and their plans to improve their attacking options following their promotion to the Premier League…

What's the latest on Jack Clarke to Burnley?

According to Football League World, Sunderland are expected to cash in on Clarets target Jack Clarke ahead of next season amid growing competition for his signature.

The report claims that Vincent Kompany is eyeing a swoop for the attacker alongside Rangers, Crystal Palace, and Everton, among others.

It is stated that Burnley hold the strongest interest in the former Leeds United academy graduate, who joined the Black Cats from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal that could rise to £10m last summer.

How did Jack Clarke perform this season?

The English forward caught the eye with his performances in the Championship for Tony Mowbray's side and could form an exciting partnership with current Clarets star Josh Brownhill.

Clarke averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across 45 matches in the second tier and chipped in with nine goals from out wide and only missed five 'big chances'. He plundered those strikes from 6.92 xG and proved himself to be a reliable finisher in front of goal.

Brownhill, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.27 across 41 league games and scored seven times. The former Preston North End ace outscored his xG by 0.85 and this suggests that, like his compatriot, the maestro is not wasteful with his shooting.

These statistics show that both players are effective at the top end of the pitch and could both carry a significant goal threat in the Premier League next season if they are provided with enough chances.

The Sunderland magician, whose dribbling ability was hailed as "effortless" by ex-Leeds ace Noel Whelan, also showcased his wizardry by racking up 12 assists from 11.10 xA in the division – four more assists than any Burnley player managed.

Brownhill was also a source of creativity for his side as the Englishman assisted eight goals and created 10.94 xA for his teammates, which suggests that the ace was let down by his fellow attackers as they did not make the most of the chances he was providing them with.

Kompany could now add another forward who is capable of finishing and creating opportunities in the final third by securing a swoop for Clarke.

The Black Cats whiz could form a dream partnership with Brownhill as they have both proven themselves capable of outperforming their xG and being able to consistently create openings for others from midfield and wide positions, which makes them huge threats for the opposition to deal with.

Should the San Francisco 49ers complete their takeover of Leeds United from Andrea Radrizzani this summer, their first task will be finding a manager who can help the Yorkshire outfit seal a swift return to the Premier League.

Radrizzani has now completed his takeover at Sampdoria which should hopefully hasten his sale of Leeds, even if relegation has significantly lowered his valuation of the club.

Sam Allardyce took over as interim manager at Elland Road until the end of the season, but he could still be in the running to take over permanently, despite taking just one point from the final four games as Leeds dropped down into the second tier.

A plethora of names will be linked with the club throughout the summer but a swift appointment should be made to give the new manager the best possible chance of building a squad capable of challenging at the top of the table.

Who could replace Sam Allardyce at Leeds?

One man the 49ers are also said to be targeting is former Rangers and Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard, in an appointment which could be disastrous for their hopes of a positive Championship campaign.

According to The Sun, the Liverpool legend is a possibility for Leeds's potential new American owners as the Yorkshire side target their fourth manager of 2023, with Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia's spells at the club both ending prematurely due to poor results on the pitch.

The 43-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Villa in October 2022 after a terrible start to the season, with the Villans' qualification for the Europa Conference League testament to both the impressive impact of Unai Emery and the struggles that Gerrard had in getting the best out of a clearly talented squad.

If Leeds were to only consider Gerrard's spell at Rangers, where he delivered a Premiership title and averaged a strong 2.15 points per game, then it would perhaps not be seen as a dreadful appointment.

However, his former assistant Michael Beale was described as "the brains behind it all" there and after he left Villa to join QPR last summer, it was perhaps no surprise that Gerrard quickly struggled.

The former England midfielder, who typically employs a 4-3-3 formation, mustered just nine points in 11 Premier League matches this term, which is fewer than even Jesse Marsch managed at Leeds (18), with a much better squad at his disposal.

So good was that squad at Villa Park that Unai Emery would later go on to finish in a European spot, only highlighting the poor job Gerrard had done in the Midlands.

With Leeds nearly opting for "disaster" when Gerrard was touted as a potential replacement for Marsch in February – in the words of journalist Hunter Walker – the new prospective owners must avoid repeating Villa's mistake and steer clear of the Liverpudlian this summer.

With just two games left in the current campaign – and with Premier League safety long since assured – Newcastle United are likely beginning to turn their attention towards the upcoming transfer window as they look to build upon the positive early strides made in the January market under the new owners.

While it will be the potential marquee incomings which will grab the headlines in the coming weeks and months, consideration should also be made as to who could be moving on, with there likely to be numerous few casualties among the current squad.

Recent reports have suggested that as many as seven players could be ruthlessly axed by manager Eddie Howe ahead of next season, with one of those set to be Paraguayan playmaker Miguel Almiron.

Despite arriving amid much fanfare following his £21m move from MLS outfit Atlanta United in January 2019 , the 28-year-old has failed to truly ignite in English football, memorably waiting almost a year to net his first goal for the club in all competitions.

Things have not really improved since then for the £74k-per-week dud, who has made just 19 goal contributions in 121 games across all fronts for the St James’ Park club, with his lack of cutting edge proving an issue despite his admirable work ethic.

His stint in the northeast has also not been aided by controversial comments made by the player himself towards the back end of last season, in which he admitted that he wished he played for a team which “fights more”.

Now it would seem it is the £14.4m-rated man who is fighting for his Newcastle future under Howe, with the former Bournemouth boss already having the perfect replacement in the form of academy graduate Elliot Anderson.

The 19-year-old starlet – who has made just two senior appearances for the club – is set to return to Tyneside this summer after a dazzling six-month loan stint with Bristol Rovers in League Two, during which the teenager provided eight goals and five assists in just 21 appearances.

That tally included a goal and two assists in the final day thrashing of Scunthorpe, with the playmaker netting the vital seventh goal in that 7-0 drubbing to clinch automatic promotion for Joey Barton’s side.

Such form has seen him dubbed “unbelievable” by Newcastle striker Callum Wilson, while former club scout Graham Carr insisted that the youngster is “like Peter Beardsley” due to his technical talent, also naming him the “best young player I have seen in a long time”.

Such high praise would indicate that the Magpies starlet is set for a bright future, and it is imperative that he doesn’t get lost amid the likely surge of incomings which seem set to arrive at St James’ Park in the coming months and years.

As for now, Howe and PIF must be ruthless in ensuring that they get the teenager in the first-team squad, with Almiron potentially being axed to free up space if needed.

IN other news, Eddie Howe can now help NUFC sign “spectacular” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Saint-Maximin

Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly loan out centre-back Joe Rodon rather than allowing him to leave the club on a permanent deal during the upcoming transfer window, according to Lilywhite Rose insider John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Rodon given green light to leave

The 24-year-old, whose contract with the north London club isn’t set to expire until 2025, reportedly made up his mind earlier this year that he wanted to quit Spurs, and a source from N17 later told Football Insider that they have given the green light for the Welshman to find a new club this summer.

Rodon was linked with a move away from the capital in the January transfer window amid interest from the likes of Brighton, Newcastle and Leeds, but the Spurs insider now believes that the 24-cap international could be loaned out in a bid to raise his price tag before considering a permanent sale.

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The Latest: Loan move on the horizon?

When speaking to Football Insider about the Tottenham defender’s situation, Wenham said:

“If you look at Cameron Carter-Vickers, he has gone to Celtic and risen his stock. Tottenham are now going to get a bigger fee for him wherever he goes this summer.

“So my position on Joe Rodon has changed slightly. I now think it would be more sensible to loan him to another Premier League club.

“Maybe someone who comes up, Fulham would be a good one. He can then play every game that season and raise his own stock.

“That allows us to sell him at a much greater price. At the moment, he is getting no exposure. The Carter-Vickers deal has shown this is the way to do things.”

The Verdict: Rodon could be looking to move

The £7.2m-rated Welshman has barely been given a chance to prove himself in the first team since the arrival of Antonio Conte, having made just three appearances under the 52-year-old this season, with none of those coming in the top flight despite being a regular feature in the Italian’s matchday squads.

Rodon, who was dubbed an “outstanding” player by Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson, will no doubt be looking for a move elsewhere as a result of this in a bid to find some much-needed game time.

With Conte reported to want six fresh faces ahead of the start of the 2022/23 campaign, including one centre-back, it looks like the writing might be on the wall for the Wales defender in N17, and it seems highly unlikely that we will be seeing him in a Spurs shirt next season.

The question is whether we’ll see him in a Spurs shirt again, or whether he could put a potential loan move to good use.

In other news… a source has revealed that Conte is eyeing an ‘incredible’ new transfer target