Arsenal fans will be extremely excited about the future of Folarin Balogun given his superb performances in Ligue 1 with Stade de Reims so far this season but Mikel Arteta could have another superstar waiting in the wings at London Colney.

Nikolaj Moller arrived at the Premier League leaders with a big reputation and will be hoping to make an impression in the first team in the coming years, having spent time away from the Gunners on loan in recent seasons.

Who is Nikolaj Moller?

The 20-year-old joined Arsenal from Malmo in October 2020 and was an instant hit with the U23s side, hitting seven goals and three assists in 18 appearances in the Premier League 2 in the 2020/21 campaign.

He was sent out on loan to FC Victoria Koln the following season, and while he failed to find the back of the net in ten appearances in Germany's third tier, he did score three times and assist once in just two appearances in the DFB Pokal.

The Sweden U20 international has spent time with FC Den Bosch in the Netherlands in each of the last two campaigns, notching a combined five goals and two assists in just 27 appearances, which suggests that he is not struggling to adapt to senior football.

Moller, who is described on Arsenal's website as "a towering striker with devastating finishing ability and strong link-up play", will draw natural comparisons with legendary Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, because of his style of play and 6 foot 4 stature.

Indeed, he has already been compared to the great Swede, with one of Moller's former youth coaches, Robin Asterhed, not only labelling him a "super talent" but suggesting "there are some similarities with a young Ibra."

The former Barcelona and Inter forward is still going strong at the age of 41 with AC Milan and boasts an incredible record of 493 goals and 202 assists in 819 club appearances across his career thus far.

He has also scored a phenomenal 62 goals in 121 appearances for his country and has won a plethora of awards across a glittering career that has spanned across Europe and America, with 32 club trophies under his belt.

Naturally, if Moller was able to reach anywhere near that level in his time with Arsenal, then he could prove to be a huge success at the Emirates, and fans will be hoping that they can finally possess their own Ibrahimovic, having famously failed to sign the striker when he was just 19.

With Balogun attracting interest from across Europe after hitting 17 goals in 25 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season, Arsenal may have to look towards Moller as their next young striker to take up the wonderkid mantle.

Greg O’Keeffe has hinted at Abdoulaye Doucoure’s uptick in form may force Everton into handing him a new contract.

The Lowdown: Dyche getting a tune out of Doucoure

Sean Dyche has come into Everton and been able to get more out of certain players than Frank Lampard could, including the likes of Doucoure and Michael Keane in particular with the former turning into a goal-scoring machine lately.

Having netted just once all season, Doucoure now has two in his last three games for Everton and both of them have come away from home, although the Toffees are set to lose the Frenchman for free when his contract expires this summer.

Doucoure was not someone who was a regular under the former manager starting just one league game before Dyche arrived, but he’s seemingly been given a new lease of life under the former Burnley coach.

The Latest: Doucoure fighting for his Everton future

O’Keeffe has claimed on the All Together Now podcast that Doucoure’s recent purple patch of form, could see Everton be forced into handing him a new contract if he continues to net at an impressive rate.

He said: (6:20) “Doucoure, in particular, scoring a goal and creating a goal, he is just such a changed man it’s unbelievable.

“We would’ve happily been talking about his contract not getting an extension in the summer, fascinating to see what Sean Dyche will be thinking, a penny for his thoughts now.”

The Verdict: Everton have a tough decision to make

Given that Doucoure is now on the wrong side of 30, it will be difficult for Everton to justify handing him a new long-term deal, which the midfielder is likely to crave so he can have some security over his future.

Therefore, even if Doucoure keeps performing at this level, it could be best for Everton to let him walk away for free in the summer, see if he can keep up this purple patch of form for any other side and wipe his £120,000 per week wages off their books.

However, if Dyche is able to keep Everton in the Premier League, then Farhad Moshiri and the rest of the board must listen to what he wants in the summer, and if that means handing Doucoure a new deal, then that’s what should happen.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has shared a positive update regarding Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara.  

The Lowdown: Injury ‘blow’

Kamara has made a positive impression during his first season at Villa Park after arriving on a free transfer last summer, with Gregg Evans recently describing him as almost irreplaceable.

The 23-year-old has made 21 appearances in all competitions but suffered an ankle injury against Crystal Palace earlier this month after being out with a knee problem back in October.

Initial reports suggested he was expected to miss at least five Premier League games, with Evans labelling it as a ‘blow’, however, it looks as if he is already making good progress at Bodymoor Heath.

The Latest: Dinnery’s comments

Dinnery, who contributes for The Athletic and Sky Sports, was talking to GiveMeSport regarding Kamara in a story shared on Monday evening. The expert shared some positive news he’s heard, saying that the player has ‘responded really well to treatment’ and there was an ‘outside suggestion’ he could be back involved soon.

“I think initial prognosis was that it didn’t look great and there were fears that maybe it could be a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

“But he responded really well to treatment, and there was even maybe an outside suggestion that he could have been involved this weekend, although, realistically, that was never likely.”

The Verdict: Good news

Kamara has been Villa’s fifth-best performer in the top flight, as per WhoScored, making more tackles per 90 than any of his teammates, while also ranking highly for passes and interceptions made each game, so his long-term absence would leave a big void in Unai Emery’s side.

However, it looks as if he could be back sooner rather than later, something that will be welcomed by all associated with the club. The club won’t want to rush a potential return, but if he is fully fit, Emery could look to bring Kamara back into his starting XI at the earliest opportunity, especially as Villa are still in the mix for a top-half finish.

Another player who could be in line for game time before the end of the season is defender Diego Carlos, who returned to the matchday squad on the weekend for the first time since August.

Carlos and Kamara were two key signings under former manager Steven Gerrard last summer, so hopefully, they can feature in the run-in and go on to star in Emery’s first full season in charge.

Mikel Arteta has finally brought the feel-good factor back to the Emirates this season, with Arsenal sitting five points clear at the top of the table.

There is a genuine belief around the club that they could end their 19-year title drought this term and the recent success must go down to several of the Gunners’ young starlets, especially Bukayo Saka.

The 21-year-old has emerged from the Hale End academy in recent seasons to become not just one of the shining lights in Arteta’s side, but also one of the continent’s brightest talents.

He has already scored 27 Premier League goals for the club in just over 100 appearances and he has played a key role for the North London side this term. The question now is, can Arteta unearth another talent similar to Saka?

Seb Ferdinand may just be the answer.

Who is Seb Ferdinand?

The 17-year-old signed a scholarship last summer having impressed with the U16 side and has made the leap to the U18s this season.

The jump certainly hasn’t fazed the winger – who is capable of operating on either wing – as he has netted five goals in just 19 appearances across the U18 Premier League and the FA Youth Cup this season.

Add in a further three assists and it’s evident he possesses the same attacking qualities that Saka does from the right flank, a keen eye for goal and the ability to create plenty of chances for his teammates.

His coach at U18 level is former Arsenal starlet Jack Wilshere, who knows exactly what it takes to impress and break into the first team and the 31-year-old has been delighted with the progress of his young prodigy, saying: “Seb is just getting better and better.

“He works hard in training, he’s always out there, he’s always willing to learn and when you have a player like that with that hunger and desire to get better, he’s a joy to work with.”

It looks as though Saka 2.0 is already thriving in the academy and there is no better place to learn, especially with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, and Saka himself kicking on to new levels since making their senior bow.

The future looks bright for Ferdinand, he just needs to continue scoring and playing well and the next 12 months could see him make his Arsenal debut.

A report has claimed that Barcelona veteran Jordi Alba has been issued with an ultimatum of needing to accept a reduction to his salary or leave the club this summer.

What's going on with Barcelona and Alba?

The veteran left-back has lost his place in the starting XI this term following the emergence of young sensation Alejandro Balde, but has still made 22 appearances in all competitions, with Xavi describing him as "key" earlier in the season.

With his contract running until 2024, it seemed that the Spaniard would stay until his deal expired, but these plans may have been scuppered as Barcelona's financial troubles continue to haunt them.

Alba had already taken a pay cut in 2021, reducing his salary by 25% and deferring a large part of his wages, but it now seems he will have to further lower his income if he wishes to stay at the club.

A report in SPORT confirmed this, claiming that Barcelona expect Alba to be understanding about the situation, which requires the club to significantly lower their wage bill, while other high earners such as Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Frenkie de Jong could be asked to follow suit.

If he does not agree to a reduction, he could be sold or even have his contract terminated in order to reduce the wage bill. With Balde a current starter and Marcos Alonso able to provide cover, it seems that Alba's standing within the squad has diminished despite being one of their longest-serving players.

Is it time for Alba to leave Barcelona?

The £355k-per-week star has made over 450 appearances for the club since arriving over ten years ago, and the former Valencia defender is arguably one of the finest full-backs in the history of the club.

Alba was part of the treble-winning side of 2014/15, and has won five La Liga titles during his time at Camp Nou.

The ultimatum issued to him may call an ugly end to what has been an incredibly successful period at Barcelona, but the problems with Financial Fair Play mean that sacrifices have to be made, and Alba is an unfortunate victim of previous mistakes at boardroom level.

He would follow the likes of Gerard Pique in departing the club, and if Sergio Busquets also leaves at the end of the season, it would mark the end of an era for the Blaugrana as three long-serving superstars would have all left in the space of two years following the departure of Lionel Messi.

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League in a brutal manner, losing at home to Sporting CP on penalties after a 1-1 draw at home, but despite putting in a sub-par performance overall, there was one moment of outstanding quality which left fans in awe.

What happened to Arsenal against Sporting?

Mikel Arteta was dealt a number of blows as despite starting with a strong lineup, he was forced into making two changes inside 20 minutes, as Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba were withdrawn with injuries.

Despite not being at their best, Arsenal looked set for the quarter-finals after Granit Xhaka opened the scoring with a powerful strike, but the true credit for that goal should arguably go elsewhere.

January signing Jorginho, who replaced Thomas Partey in the starting XI, kicked off the move leading to Xhaka’s goal with a pass that Sporting simply had no answer for. Picking up possession in midfield, he threaded an inch-perfect through ball to Gabriel Martinelli, whose shot fell to Xhaka, who powered home.

Jorginho was replaced in the second half, and a wonder-strike from Pedro Goncalves levelled the tie before a heartbreaking penalty shootout sealed Arsenal’s exit from the competition.

Whilst this may come as a disappointment, Arsenal are currently five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and having fewer fixtures could arguably benefit their title charge.

There wasn’t much to shout about on a rainy night at the Emirates before or after Xhaka’s goal, but this one extraordinary ball from Jorginho had everyone off their feet, and the winter arrival from Chelsea has clearly settled quickly.

Jorginho made himself an instant hero in Arsenal’s comeback victory at Aston Villa, playing a huge part in the winning goal, and showed his incredible quality on the ball yet again as he had the vision to find Martinelli.

Fans were quick to praise his eye for a pass following the goal, but this turned out to be the highlight of the night. Some of the best reaction can be found below:

Newcastle United have emphatically stormed into European contention this season, and with just two points separating the Magpies from fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur, who have played two games extra, Champions League football gracing St. James's Park next term is a very real possibility.

The defence is oiled and imperious, the midfield cohesive and robust, up top, £63m summer signing Alexander Isak is offering glimpses of world-class dominance despite his season being heavily hampered by injury.

Isak has scored six goals from just seven starts in the Premier League, including three strikes from his past two matches, and the Swede looks to be a real force at the tip of manager Eddie Howe's system, prolific and hailed as "a unicorn for his mixture of size & technical ability" by radio presenter Kev Lawson.

His injury record is concerning, however, with the 23-year-old missing 13 competitive matches for the Toon thus far, and while 31-year-old forward Callum Wilson has been a steady presence up front in his absence, scoring seven goals from 19 league outings this term, Howe will be looking to unearth a strike partner for his record signing to solidify the frontline for years to come.

Newcastle's affluence could prompt technical director Dan Ashworth to delve into the transfer market yet again, but with such a potent forward already adopting the talismanic role, turning to youth prospect Michael Ndiweni could be the route to head down.

Who is Michael Ndiweni?

Ndiweni took U18 football by storm last season, scoring a laudable 13 goals from 17 appearances, including from 13 outings in the U18 Premier League and three from three in the FA Youth Cup.

This season, fortunes have been less fruitful as the 19-year-old has stepped up to U21 level, with just two strikes and one assist from 12 matches in the Premier League 2, though with just five starts to his name he is making steady progress and will hope to harness his "lethal" quality soon – as hailed by Ciaran Kelly.

With his "impressive" start to life with the Magpies, as remarked by journalist Matty Hewitt, only set to expand as he continues to acclimatise to life with the U21s, he will indeed be pushing on Howe's door for a senior debut, having already trained with the first-team on several occasions.

Hailed as a "real threat" by Mark Carruthers, Ndiweni might not find a place in Howe's plans this term but if he is to continue his development and notch up his goal threat with the U21s he could well find a place in the reckoning for contention at one of the Premier League's most exciting forces.

Indeed, with the injury records of both Isak and Wilson, there is every chance his first-team dreams become a reality in short time.

Manchester United's proposed bidders from Qatar are confident the Premier League club will view their bid as the best option for the club.

What's the latest in Man United's potential takeover?

On Thursday, the potential sale of the Red Devils took the next step following the soft deadline which was set last month for bids to arrive.

The Premier League giants welcomed representatives of the Qatar-based party to Manchester and provided them with a tour of Old Trafford along with a visit to Carrington training ground.

Friday saw Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrive for the same treatment as the club seemingly look to whittle down their options with a sale before the summer likely wanted by all parties.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, the reliable Fabrizio Romano has suggested Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is confident in the Qatar bid being best for the club:

"Sheikh Al Thani is still convinced that their proposal is the best one and Qatari delegation is in Manchester today [Thursday]."

"The Qatari group is really insisting, Sheikh Al Thani is convinced that their bid is the best one because they want to invest on the training ground, on the facilities, on the stadium, on new players, of course, and so on improving the team, but also on the academy.

"So they will be 100% interested in Manchester United, and they would buy 100% of the club, also minority shareholders."

Who should the Glazers sell to?

On the back of United welcoming both parties to Manchester this week, it has been reported that both sides are expected to table more detailed offers over the coming week or so.

And what is interesting was Sheikh Jassim was not in attendance on Thursday for the visit around the club's facilities, whereas, Ratcliffe was determined to be there in person.

However, the issue may lie for both parties in the belief that neither of them have been able to match the valuation set by the Glazers, who are said to be looking for at least £5bn.

What will be attractive to some at United will be the huge financial backing behind the Qatar bid which would clear the club's debt left behind by the current owners.

And with this in mind, the club would likely have funds made readily available for not just matters on the pitch.

The club's facilities have been questioned by one previous player, in particular, which could suggest the Qatar bid could be the ideal party to offload the club to.

However, selling to Qatar will raise its own issues which were seen through the sale of Newcastle United to Saudi Arabia and the recent World Cup.

In comparison, Ratcliffe's proposed bid is believed to be for the 69% ownership held by the Glazer family, unlike the Qatar bid which is looking to take on the entire club.

Tottenham Hotspur's reported managerial target, Julian Nagelsmann, is keen to join a club who has a solid project in place and where he can form a good relationship with the board.

Could Nagelsmann replace Conte?

Reports are suggesting the German manager is now a front-runner and target for Daniel Levy after the north London club announced the sacking of Antonio Conte on Sunday night.

The announcement brought an end to the Italian's one-and-a-half-year stint in north London where he leaves behind Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason until the end of the season.

However, it seems as if Spurs could be looking to act quickly and move for the 35-year-old coach who has also recently been relieved of his duties by Bayern Munich.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has provided an insight as to what Spurs will need to demonstrate if they are to persuade Nagelsmann to join:

(4:10) "For him, it's crucial to have a project. It's not just about the money, the contract, he wants to see a project, a vision. He wants to have an influence and also a good relationship with the board. This is really crucial for Julian Nagelsmann after what happened at Bayern.

"And so this is why at the moment we have lots of stories, but from my understanding, Nagelsmann will take some time and then will make a decision on when he will be ready to return to coaching."

Would Spurs be right for Nagelsmann?

There could well be some concern from Nagelsmann's side in terms of what the future now looks like for Spurs after two of the game's biggest managers (Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte) have left prematurely.

And this will be a concern which is also shared by a lot of Spurs fans who may feel they are not in a better position than they were just over three years ago when Mauricio Pochettino was sacked.

There are 10 games remaining in the 2022/23 campaign and Spurs are now up against it if they are to secure a spot inside the top four with some huge games ahead next month.

Whether Spurs land a spot in the Champions League could well be a deciding factor for Nagelsmann who may see Europa League football – or worse – too big of a step-down having managed Bayern.

And the future of Harry Kane will undoubtedly be a question mark which Nagelsmann may have given he has just left a club who are reportedly interested in him ahead of the summer.

But perhaps the biggest concern may be the potential relationship he could have with Levy who Conte did not hold back in calling out recently in a post-match press conference.

However, on the back of their shortfallings under Mourinho and Conte, it may be seen as the only way to move on is to invest in a long-term manager.

And Nagelsmann could certainly offer that at the age of just 35, but it will remain to be seen whether he is convinced of what he could inherit in the north London side.

Lionel Messi's "priority" this summer is to return to Barcelona rather than prolong his stay in France, according to a report.

What's going on with Messi at PSG?

The Argentina superstar's contract at Paris Saint-Germain runs out this summer, and it previously appeared as though he was going to extend his stay in the French capital.

However, following PSG's disappointing Champions League exit in the round of 16, there have been reports that Messi is unhappy with manager Christophe Galtier, and it has now been claimed that his priority in the summer is to return to Barcelona.

The World Cup winner originally departed Camp Nou when it was no longer possible to keep him at the club due to Barcelona's financial position, and while this would remain an issue, discussions have been ongoing between President Joan Laporta and Messi's representatives over the last few weeks.

The report in FootMercato from Santi Aouna, claims that Messi sees a return to Barcelona as a "golden opportunity", and also detailed that whilst Xavi regularly speaks with the attacker, the finances at Barcelona would need some significant adjustment in order to facilitate the deal. However, it is thought the La Liga giants will "find solutions" to secure a sensational return.

Meanwhile, there are thought to be "ongoing discussions" for PSG to hold onto the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Would Messi returning to Barcelona be a good move?

Although he has been in good form for most of this season with 18 goals and 17 assists in 31 games, the 35-year-old has come under scrutiny at PSG, with it being suggested that Messi was to blame for their disappointing campaign in Europe.

Messi is still performing at a high level, but given Barcelona's finances, it is likely that some major sales would be needed to make room for him.

Xavi has a lot of attacking talent at his disposal, and one or more of Raphinha, Ferran Torres or even Ansu Fati may have to be sacrificed in order to make space. Whilst none of the three have managed to come even close to matching the Argentinian's output this season, all are much younger assets who could prove to be capable long-term options for the club.

Whilst Messi returning to Catalonia, where he scored 672 times, would delight Blaugrana fans, it may disrupt any long-term strategic squad planning Xavi may have had in mind. Messi would be teaming up with 34-year-old Robert Lewandowski, and both would need replacing within a few years.

We feel it seems likely that given the opportunity, the Spaniard would jump at the chance to work with his former teammate again. If the finances can be balanced, Messi's desire to return to the club could yet help push a deal forward.