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Arsenal have been linked with a surprise late move for Moises Caicedo this week…

What’s the word?

The Express claim that the Gunners are one of several Premier League teams interested in the Brighton and Hove Albion star after his eye-catching start to life in England.

Manchester United and West Ham United are the other English teams named by the report, though it remains to be seen if the Seagulls would be open to selling him – and for how much – particularly as they have already sold Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella in this current transfer window.

The Ecuador international cost them just £4.5m but is now estimated to be worth around €20m (£17m), as per CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis.

Time to forget Youri Tielemans

This interest could well put pay to the long-standing rumours surrounding Arsenal’s mooted move for Youri Tielemans, who has been linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium from Leicester City for much of the off-season and the summer.

CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs revealed to GIVEMESPORT in July that the Gunners had agreed personal terms with the player, whilst the Telegraph’s reliable Midlands correspondent John Percy claimed back in May that Arteta was urging the club to splash £25m on the Belgian international.

For whatever reason, though, that move is yet to come to fruition and there are doubts over whether it actually will be completed before deadline day on September 1st.

Instead, Caicedo could be exactly what Arteta needs in the engine room.

The 20-year-old is a box-to-box midfielder “who makes football look very easy,” according to South American football expert Tim Vickery, who also claimed he is a more complete version of N’Golo Kante, adding:

“A year ago he was saying that Kante of Chelsea is his role model but he is already more than that. He already offers more in the final third.

“That kind of box-to-box midfielder that’s very much in the tradition of the England game. Strong, quick, intelligent and cool. He really does look like the genuine article.”

From just eight appearances last season, Caicedo ranked as Graham Potter’s best-performing player with an average WhoScored rating of 7.07. He won an average of two tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game and contributed further up the pitch with an average of 0.9 dribbles and 1.3 shots per game.

That form has continued into the new campaign, where he is only behind Danny Welbeck for rating. Across the Seagulls’ opening two games, he has managed a total of eight tackles, five interceptions and four key passes, leading the squad in every metric bar the latter, where he is second by just one attempt, via WhoScored.

Ecuadorian football historian and statistician Enrico Castro-Montes went further on those comparisons to the Chelsea star and claimed to Het Niuewsblad (via Sport Witness) that Caicedo was ” a cross between Kante and Pogba.”

“There will be a lot of pressure on Caicedo’s shoulders. His nickname in Ecuador is ‘La Joya’, the jewel. In his own country, he is really seen as the crown jewel of a new generation,” he added.

“Caicedo really has everything to become the best Ecuadorian footballer of all time. I think that off the ball, he is indeed somewhat reminiscent of Kante, but on the ball, he resembles Paul Pogba with his flair and his technique.”

Also dubbed a “machine man” by scout Jacek Kulig, it’s clear that the 20-year-old Ecuador gem has all the attributes to continue thriving in England and in the Gunners’ hunt for further midfield depth, they could find the answer in Caicedo, who has as many as five years of potential on Tielemans.

The Belgian’s two tackles, zero interceptions and one key pass this season aren’t a match for the Seagulls star, so Edu and co must forget about him and turn their attention to Caicedo at all costs in these final two weeks of the transfer window.

AND in other news, Edu could sign Arsenal’s next Robin van Persie in swoop for “phenomenal” £34m machine…

Beren Cross has dropped an update on reported Leeds United transfer target Raphael Guerreiro.

What’s the latest?

In a recent Q&A on Leeds Live, the journalist suggested that, despite reports linking Victor Orta with a move for the Borussia Dortmund left-back this summer, he has not heard anything about the Whites’ interest in the 28-year-old.

Cross also stated his belief that nothing about the link appears to make sense, as it has been made abundantly clear that Junior Firpo will be Jesse Marsch’s first choice in the position this season, and it seems unlikely that the Portugal international would be willing to move to Elland Road simply to sit on the bench.

In response to a question concerning Leeds’ reported interest in the Dortmund defender, the journalist said: “I’ve not had any information on Guerreiro specifically, but nothing about that link makes sense.

“Firpo is their number one left-back, that’s been made abundantly clear to us, so a 28-year-old from Dortmund is not going to come in and sit on the bench or ask for backup wages. It just doesn’t tally with any of the business they’ve done this summer.”

“Amazing” prospective signing

Considering just how short Marsch currently is at left-back, in addition to Firpo having struggled with injuries and the pace of the Premier League in his debut campaign with the Whites last time out, the argument that Orta should make a move for Guerreiro in the coming weeks is an easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 24 league outings – only 19 of which came as starts – last season, the £10.8m-rated Firpo struggled to make any real impression on the left of Leeds’ backline. He averaged a disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.60, ranking him as the club’s seventh-worst performer in the top flight in 2021/22.

Furthermore, with the £42k-per-week defender missing a number of games last term due to injury, and having already been sidelined for the first two fixtures of the Whites’ 2022/23 campaign with a knock to his knee, it is clear to see that the former Barcelona player is not the most dependable option for Marsch to call upon.

As such, it would indeed appear a wise move for Orta to bring in backup at left-back prior to September’s transfer deadline, with Guerreiro very much looking to be something of a dream addition to Marsch’s squad.

Indeed, over his 23 Bundesliga appearances last season, the £22.5m-rated talent was in remarkable attacking form, scoring four goals, registering two assists and creating one big chance for his team-mates. He also made 1.2 key passes, took 1.4 shots and completed 1.1 dribbles per game.

The £57k-per-week defender also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making 1.5 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 0.6 clearances and 49.8 passes and winning 3.2 duels (at a success rate of 52%) per game.

These returns saw the player who Edin Terzic dubbed “amazing” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.91. If he had achieved that at Leeds last season, it would have ranked him as the club’s fourth-best performer in the Premier League.

As such, it is clear to see that the €25m-valued (£21m) left-back would very much be an amazing signing for Orta to get over the line this summer. Guerreiro would not only provide Marsch with much-needed depth, he would also appear a serious contender to become the Whites’ first choice on the left-hand side of their defence this season.

Southampton mainstay Jan Bednarek is ‘ready to change club’ with an ‘unexpected’ and ‘surprising’ transfer to Aston Villa now on the cards.

The Lowdown: Southampton busy…

The Saints have been very active this transfer window having sealed six major signings in Gavin Bazanu, Romeo Lavia, Joe Aribo, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Mateusz Lis and Sekou Mara.

In terms of departures, there have been a few big names leaving St. Mary’s Stadium, with former goalkeeper Fraser Forster sealing a move to Tottenham and ex-striker Shane Long putting pen to paper at Reading (Transfermarkt).

September 1 lingers with just under a fortnight of the summer window remaining, but according to reports out of Poland, defender Bednarek could be on the move before then.

The Latest: Bednarek eyes move away…

According to news outlet Meczyki, the 26-year-old is ‘ready to change club’ this summer.

As well as this, Bednarek ‘may become the hero of a surprising transfer’, as it is claimed that Aston Villa are eyeing an ‘unexpected move’ which ‘may occur’ in the final days of this window.

The Verdict: Fight to keep him?

As per WhoScored, the Poland international finished 2021/22 as one of Southampton’s top five best-performing players by average match rating – all while playing the fourth-highest amount of league minutes.

Defensively, he was arguably manager Ralph Hasenhuttl’s star asset – averaging more interceptions, clearances and blocks made per 90 than any other player in the Saints squad.

Still yet to reach his prime, letting Bednarek go would be a regrettable end to the window and Southampton would arguably need to sign a replacement.

Indeed, this could be one to avoid for the club.

Reliable journalist David Lynch has shared an injury update on Liverpool starlet Harvey Elliott after he was withdrawn early against Bournemouth due to a minor concern.

The Lowdown: Liverpool back to winning ways

After getting off to their worst start in the Premier League in ten years, Jurgen Klopp’s men bounced back to winning ways with an emphatic 9-0 victory over Scott Parker’s Bournemouth side at Anfield on Saturday.

Scoring five goals in the first half of an English top-flight game for the first time since 1958, the Reds secured their biggest-ever Premier League win with goals from Elliott, Luis Diaz (two), Alexander-Arnold, Roberto Firmino (two), Virgil van Dijk and Fabio Carvalho.

The Latest: Elliott injury latest

Worryingly for Liverpool fans, Elliott was replaced at half-time by former Fulham team-mate Carvalho. Furthermore, he was spotted limping towards the bench ahead of the second half.

Amid worries of the youngster having sustained another injury following on from his ankle fracture last season, which kept him out for five months, Lynch shared an update on the 19-year-old, confirming Klopp’s relief with the player avoiding a potential scare.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist stated: “Harvey Elliott was withdrawn due to a minor injury concern but Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool showed extra caution because of the scoreline and post-match checks have shown up no issue.”

The Verdict: Good news at last

The news that Elliott will be fine for the Reds’ next game against Newcastle on Wednesday night will come as a huge relief for Klopp, who has already been plagued with injuries in the middle of the park so far this season.

Liverpool are currently without the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, meaning that James Milner has been utilised far more often than he might have expected just a few weeks ago.

Considering how the number of injuries has thrust him into regular first-team action, Elliott has proven to be a fantastic midfielder for Klopp, having averaged an impressive 7.05 SofaScore match rating during the Reds’ first four league games of the campaign and 7.8 in yesterday’s nine-goal romp.

Therefore, his availability for midweek will be music to the ears of Klopp, and indeed Liverpool fans everywhere.

Tottenham Hotspur and transfer chief Fabio Paratici by extension are eyeing a late move for exciting young Manchester City forward Adedire Mebude.

The Lowdown: Spurs keeping busy…

Despite having already completed eight major signings in total, including a deal to make Cristian Romero’s move permanent, Spurs are reportedly keeping busy in this transfer market.

Alongside the Argentine, Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie have all put to pen paper on moves to the Premier League club.

As well as these senior additions for manager Antonio Conte, sporting director Paratici has also been planning ahead for the future with key additions at youth level, most recently completing a £2m deal for promising striker Will Lankshear.

The Latest: Lilywhites eye Mebude move…

According to reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano, it appears that the north Londoners want to poach top Manchester City starlet Mebude.

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He explained that the 18-year-old winger is ‘attracting interest from Tottenham’ and abroad, with the English champions eager to fend off their interest.

Romano stated: “Man City talented winger Adedire Mebude is attracting interest from Tottenham and Club Brugge. City want to keep him but decision will be made soon.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

The Scotland under-19 international is already turning plenty of heads, and we believe that Spurs should definitely attempt to steal City’s gem.

Mebude enjoyed an absolutely stellar Under-18 Premier League campaign in 2021/22 and stood out as a real star player for the Sky Blues’ youngsters.

The teenage talent netted 11 goals and provided a head-turning 18 assists in that division alone, leading to Mebude’s promotion to City’s Elite Development Squad.

He has already made a fine start to life at that level, with EDS head coach Brian Barry-Murphy calling him a ‘very exciting’ player to watch.

Throughout Mauricio Pochettino’s five-year reign as the Tottenham Hotspur manager, the Argentine coach was not overly supported in his bid to turn Spurs into serious title contenders by Daniel Levy’s business in the transfer window.

Indeed, during his spell in north London, the 50-year-old saw the Tottenham chairman add the likes of DeAndre Yedlin, Benjamin Stambouli, Federico Fazio, Kevin Wimmer, Clinton N’Jie, Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, Vincent Janssen, Jack Clarke, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele to his first team squad – none of whom have exactly gone down as legends in north London.

However, it would be unfair to say that Levy’s signings during Pochettino’s tenure always turned out to be flops, as the 60-year-old did manage to land a player who has arguably been one of Spurs’ best signings of the 21st century during the former Paris Saint-Germain manager’s spell at the club – that of the £22m addition of Son Heung-min back in the summer of 2015.

Indeed, the South Korean has been a favourite of every Tottenham manager he has worked under, with Pochettino dubbing the winger “unbelievable” back in 2018, Jose Mourinho revealing he was “in love” with the 30-year-old in 2019, Nuno Espirito Santo labelling the forward a “special player” in 2021 and Antonio Conte stating his belief that “every manager dreams” of working with a player with Son’s ability earlier this year.

And, considering his returns on the pitch over the last seven years, it is not difficult to understand why all four managers were so fond of the £67.5m-rated sensation, as Son has continuously turned in remarkable campaign after remarkable campaign ever since his arrival at Tottenham back in 2015.

Indeed, over his 334 appearances in all competitions for Spurs, the £192k-per-week attacker has scored a simply sensational 134 goals and registered an extraordinary 75 assists – averaging a direct goal involvement every 110 minutes of football played for the Lilywhites.

The 30-year-old was in particularly fine form over his 35 Premier League fixtures last season, scoring 23 goals – seeing him win the Golden Boot alongside Mohamed Salah – providing nine assists and creating ten big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.5 shots – 1.4 of which hit the target – making 2.1 key passes and completing 1.5 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 100-cap international average a breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.50 in 2021/22, not only ranking him as Conte’s best performer in the league but also as the third-best player in the English top flight as a whole – behind only Kevin De Bruyne and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

As such, despite all of his failed transfers between 2015 and 2019, it is clear to see that Levy well and truly hit the jackpot when landing Son, as not only has the winger more than paid Tottenham’s initial £22m outlay back on the pitch, but, with his current market valuation being 207% more than his original cost, he could also earn Spurs a pretty penny in the transfer market.

However, considering just how valuable Son is to Tottenham both on and off the pitch, it would appear extremely unlikely that Conte or Levy would be willing to wave goodbye to the South Korean sensation any time soon.

Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race to sign Jan Oblak…

What’s the word?

That’s according to reports in Spain, which state that Spurs are looking for a new shot-stopper to replace Hugo Lloris in the short-term but they’ll face competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United.

It’s believed that Atletico Madrid are holding out for around €30m (£26.7m) and that they have already lined up a replacement in the form of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Oblak’s contract runs out in the summer, so the LaLiga outfit may be forced into a sale during the January transfer window.

A proven Lloris successor

The Slovakia international is the latest glovesman to be linked with a switch to Hotspur Way in recent weeks, joining Leeds United’s Illan Meslier in the frame to take the reins from the French no.1 in due course.

Oblak has been widely recognised as one of the best goalkeepers in world football in recent years and would represent a more instant option to replace Lloris between the sticks.

There’s no denying that Meslier has been a standout for the Yorkshiremen in recent seasons but the 29-year-old is simply on a different level, having won the Spanish title, a Europa League and finished runner-up in the Champions League.

That sort of experience is invaluable and is exactly what Spurs will need when Lloris does hang up the gloves.

Once described as a “beast” by BT Sport presenter Reshmin Chowdhury and a “titan” by OptaJose, Oblak has proven to be one of Diego Simeone’s most reliable performers over the years, having been entrusted to start every single LaLiga game over the past three seasons.

“For me, Jan Oblak is the best goalkeeper in the world,” claimed teammate Koke only back in March this year and that only further highlights just how respected and important he is to the Colchoneros.

At 35, Lloris isn’t going to be around forever and whilst he’s got a few more years in him, it’s unlikely that current backup Fraser Forster is the man to replace the £100k-per-week stalwart, who is often dubbed a club “legend”.

Therefore, sporting director Fabio Paratici ought to look at Oblak in the upcoming transfer window as his proven ability and vast experience could be exactly what Tottenham need to fill such a great void in the coming years.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte handed boost ahead of Arsenal clash…

Manchester City supporters have been handed a significant update on Phil Foden’s mooted new deal at the Etihad Stadium.

The Lowdown: Foden set for fresh terms?

The 22-year-old has been tipped to sign a new deal for the past year, with reports suggesting that he will put pen to paper on a blockbuster contract.

Since being introduced to the first team on a more regular basis at the back end of 2019/20, Foden has gone on to become a mainstay and a crucial player under Pep Guardiola.

The homegrown ace and boyhood City fan has totalled a fantastic 48 goals and 35 assists across 170 appearances in all competitions whilst also making crucial contributions towards the Sky Blues’ recent success.

As a result, Etihad chiefs are reportedly prepared to offer bumper new terms to convince Foden to remain in Manchester.

The Latest: Foden agrees new Man City deal…

Writing for the Irish Independent, reporter James Ducker of The Telegraph has shared an exciting update on the saga.

He claims that Foden has ‘agreed a deal’ which will more than double his current City salary to around £250,000 per week.

City are apparently ‘on the verge’ of announcing the midfielder’s fresh deal, which could tie him to the club ‘until 2028’.

Goal Machine! Show your love for Erling Haaland with this awesome t-shirt! Click here to buy… The Verdict: Brilliant news…

Foden allegedly being set to extend his stay comes as a real boost for the Citizens, given his quality and potential to be a one-club man.

At his current trajectory, the England international could go on to become a City legend if he decides to remain at Eastlands for the rest of his promising career.

Foden’s love for the club is well documented, and to us it is no surprise that this brilliant news has emerged.

Wolverhampton Wanderers face West Ham United in the Premier League this evening, with both teams urgently requiring three points.

They are both struggling so far this season, with just two points separating the teams towards the bottom of the league table.

Bruno Lage will have to make some changes to his Wolves side following their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City two weeks ago. Defender Nathan Collins was sent off so is therefore suspended for the trip to London, giving the manager something of a defensive conundrum.

Diego Costa could be in line for his first start for the club since joining last month, however, Lage should be unleashing another recent arrival against West Ham who, if his cameo against Man City is anything to go by, he could certainly be a game-changer.

Game-changer

Boubacar Traore arrived at Molineux on a season-long loan deal which Lage has the option to turn permanent if certain clauses are activated.

The midfielder eventually made his debut against City due to the club awaiting a work permit, but his 20-minute cameo appearance showed Lage that he deserves a place in the Wolves starting XI this evening.

During his brief time on the pitch, Traore received a rating of 7.00 on SofaScore, behind only Ruben Neves on the Wolves’ side (7.2).

The 21-year-old also won both his ground duels, made one interception and two tackles, while also blocked one shot as he settled into his role well alongside Neves and Matheus Nunes in the midfield three.

With Joao Moutinho just turning 36, his time left at the highest level could soon be waning, and Lage should be attempting to blood in Traore sooner rather than later.

The Malian is obviously strong defensively; however, he can offer a lot more. Analyst Liam Henshaw described the player as a “dribbling machine” and Traore ranks in the 89th percentile for dribbles completed (1.30 per match) compared to positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, therefore this high praise is vindicated.

Lage should be aiming to unleash Traore against West Ham from the very start and judge whether he can handle the pressure, but from his brief time on the pitch as a Wolves player so far, he should pass the test with flying colours – and could even prove to be something of a game-changer for the Old Gold going forwards.

Crystal Palace’s winning goal against Leeds United at the weekend was almost a symbolic passing of the torch from Wilfried Zaha to Eberechi Eze.

The Ivory Coast international, who has been tipped to leave Selhurst Park at the end of the season when his contract expires, flicked the ball into the path of Eze, who breezed past a helpless Leeds defender before finding the corner with the confidence and swagger that embodies his game.

Eze has shown with his performances this season, where he has contributed one goal and two assists in the Premier League, that he can be the man to replace Zaha should he depart.

But who will step up as the former QPR man’s replacement if he were to move on to bigger things in the future?

Asher Agbinone, who signed his first professional contract with Crystal Palace earlier this week, will be hoping that it can be him.

The 17-year-old academy star is capable of playing anywhere across the front three and looks to be another exciting product of the Eagles’ blossoming academy.

Upon signing his first deal, U18s manager Rob Quinn was full of praise for the teenage forward and what he can bring.

He said: “Asher is a skilful forward who can cause a lot of problems for defenders on the left, right or through the middle.

“He is a talented player who has been at the club since Under-9s and he has worked tirelessly to secure his first professional contract. Asher will use this as motivation to push on for the rest of the season and beyond.”

While it may be some time until Agbinone is able to make an impact on the first team, Quinn’s comments suggest that he has the ability and the attitude needed to make it at the top.

Eze has shown during his time at Palace that he can cause defenders all sorts of problems with his own “magic” ability on the ball, and Agbinone could easily follow in his footsteps in the future.