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Arsenal's starting XI has proven its ability to battle with anyone this season, and had they have all remained fit there was reason to believe that Mikel Arteta would have led them to the Premier League title.

However, as is always the way with these arduous campaigns, things did not go to plan.

Losing one or two key men makes it somewhat possible to account for, however, when the alternatives are so poor, it makes for a frustrating viewing. For example, given William Saliba's absence, the next-best alternative then became Rob Holding, who has never really been at the required level to play regularly for the Gunners.

Some roles are more bolstered than others, but with reports linking Kieran Tierney with an exit from the Emirates, perhaps the Spanish boss and Edu will seek to offer Oleksandr Zinchenko some ample competition in the form of Ferland Mendy, whom they are set to be offered the chance to sign according to reports.

Given their unbridled success in prying Martin Odegaard from Madrid's grasp, with the Norwegian having been dubbed surplus to requirements in Spain, perhaps they could gladly welcome another Real Madrid outcast who can blossom into a similarly important player as their current captain for just a £17.5m fee.

How has Ferland Mendy played at Real Madrid?

To emphasise his importance to this current side, the creative 24-year-old boasts 15 goals and eight assists in a league campaign in which they are set to just fall short of Manchester City.

Everything good offensively within this team often comes through their midfield magician in Odegaard, and in Mendy, they could find a defensive alternative.

Having enjoyed a tumultuous time in Madrid since moving from Lyon, the 27-year-old is now a well-established star who would upgrade most teams. Although this season has not been his best, just last year he proved imperative for Carlo Ancelotti's Champions League and La Liga-winning side.

Starring in the latter, the left-back retained a 7.00 average rating in which he scored twice and maintained a 92% pass accuracy, 0.9 key passes and 1.1 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

It seems that even strong showings of this ilk do not make you immune from the chopping block at a club the size of Real Madrid, as even Odegaard maintained a 7.23 average rating in his final full season before moving to north London on an initial loan. Despite this, their loss would definitely be Arsenal's gain.

Given the remarkable care he takes of the ball, whilst also being branded a "1v1 beast" by writer Raj Chohan, it seems Edu is set to once again prey on the Spanish giants' reject pool, which has already proved profitable once before.

Leeds United are submitting a bid to bring Hamilton Academical teenager Josh McDonald to Yorkshire, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?

The Whites currently find themselves in a battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League, with Javi Gracia’s side just one point above the drop zone.

However, Leeds are still looking to add to their Thorp Arch pool talent and are set to sign teenage winger Ilias Akhomach from Barcelona this summer.

Another youngster in McDonald, dubbed an “exceptional talent” by coaches, also seems to be on the Elland Road radar, regardless of what division Leeds are in next season.

Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey shared an update from Leeds in the last 48 hours, revealing that the Whites are submitting an offer for McDonald.

He adds that the club have been in contact with the player and his family and are looking to pip Rangers to the midfielder’s signature.

Bigger problems for Orta and Leeds…

Things haven’t been going to plan for Orta and Leeds ever since they parted ways with Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentine’s successor, Jesse Marsch, was sacked back in February and Gracia is looking to pick up the pieces of a squad that was largely assembled by Orta and Marsch.

Leeds supporters turned on the sporting director and the board during the 2-1 defeat to Fulham on Saturday, as reported by Phil Hay. Therefore, you could argue that the Whites have bigger problems to deal with instead of looking to sign a teenager in McDonald.

The Scotland U18 international could well turn out to be a future star, however, Leeds could find themselves back in the Championship if things don’t go to plan in the next six games, which would undo all of the hard work put in by Andrea Radrizzani, Orta and Bielsa to get the Whites back in the Premier League.

It seems as if a move for McDonald will be one to keep an eye on, though, and who knows, the midfielder may well be the next promising gem to come through the Thorp Arch ranks and into the first team over time.

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko should be fit to play amid his recent injury concerns.

What's the latest injury news for Arsenal and Oleksandr Zinchenko?

The Gunners had to make do without their Ukrainian left-back last time out in the Premier League but felt his absence as they squandered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 away draw at West Ham United.

As a result, Mikel Arteta and his side have seen their lead at the top of the table drop to just four points, despite having played one more game than Manchester City.

What's more, Arsenal face Pep Guardiola's men next Wednesday. Before that, though, the host Southampton and will need to get back to winning ways at the Emirates.

With that being the case, fans will be delighted to hear some positive injury news about key man Zinchenko from Watts.

While talking on his YouTube channel, the journalist said (10:00): "Zinchenko, definitely more positive [news]. I'm expecting Zinchenko to play against Southampton on Friday night.

"He did travel with the squad to West Ham. He was there. And the expectation is he's going to be alright – we'll wait and see what Mikel Arteta says tomorrow [in his press conference].

"But certainly from what I've been told, they could have patched him up and even played him against West Ham but they chose not to, to err on the side of caution.

"And the expectation is that he will be back to play on Friday night."

Why does Zinchenko play ahead of Tierney?

With a 6.93 average WhoScored rating in the league this term, it's easy to see why Zinchenko has been so consistent for Arsenal.

Replacement left-back Kieran Tierney is down at 6.27 so the drop-off in quality is evident. What's more, the Scotland international has played just 606 minutes compared to Zinchenko's 1839 – so Arteta clearly trusts one player more than the other.

What's more, over the course of the season, Zinchenko has come in for some high praise. Back in January, for instance, journalist Freddie Paxton noted: "Alex Zinchenko. Constantly talking to his teammates. Geeing up the crowd. Never hides, master of keeping the ball. WORLD CLASS."

With all that in mind, the Ukraine international – who earns a reported £150k-p/w – certainly will be a welcome sight back in the starting XI if he can get himself back to full fitness ahead of the Southampton clash.

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could leave the club at the end of the season after a hugely impressive stint in north London, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

Has Lloris done well this season?

The 36-year-old has been arguably Spurs' best keeper of the Premier League era, generally proving to be an influential and consistent figure between the sticks. In total, he has racked up 443 appearances for the north Londoners, helping them reach the 2019 Champions League final.

This season, however, Lloris has suffered possibly his poorest campaign to date for Spurs, with a number of mistakes coming his way that simply didn't happen before. He had made four errors directly leading to a goal by January, summing up his woes, and he simply doesn't look like the player he once was.

It could simply be that age is catching up with him, but with his contract expiring at the end of next season, the club will have a decision to make, in terms of letting him go this summer and receiving a fee, or see him move on for free in 2024.

Is Lloris off in the summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones talked up the idea of Lloris departing Spurs in the summer, joining Antonio Conte out of the exit door in the process:

"It wouldn't surprise me at all if Lloris did end up following Conte out the door. We know that they’re on the lookout for a new goalkeeper at the moment and the final decision on Lloris’ future is not yet made. But I think it almost makes sense that you start to use this situation as a clean slate."

In truth, Lloris something look the force that he used to be in Spurs' goal, even though Harry Kane recently described him as "fantastic". The 145-cap France international and World Cup winner has been a great servant, but he does now look like an accident waiting to happen in too many games, which has cost his side at key moments.

It makes complete sense for Tottenham to move him on at the end of the season, receiving a fee in the process and using the money to help bring in a younger replacement in such a key area of the pitch. Lloris will always be remembered as a great player in north London, but Spurs can do better than the £100,000-per-week star now, and he has arguably become a weak link.

Aston Villa have endured a tumultuous time in the Premier League since returning from their spell in the Championship, from narrowly avoiding another relegation to ensuring mid-table obscurity, and investing heavily to ensure progression from both states.

Whilst this season might have initially threatened to see them once again embroiled in the former, the appointment of Unai Emery quickly ensured that would not be a worry and has guided them with ease towards the latter.

The Spaniard has done so with a pragmatic style that has seen them pick up 1.53 points per game on average, a marked improvement from the 1.18 that Steven Gerrard had posted.

Although the short Emery reign has been successful thus far, one of the outstanding stories has been the reported feud between him and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Having 'fallen out' whilst at Arsenal together, this ongoing argument could come to blows again at Villa Park, driving a wedge between two integral figures at the club.

Even if the Argentine is forced to depart in the summer, his sensational increase in stock since joining will at least leave the club in a far greater financial position.

How much is Emiliano Martinez worth?

Having joined for an initial £17m, the 30-year-old had enjoyed a fine campaign with the Gunners having deputised for the injured Bernd Leno. He captured the imagination of the Premier League audience, and this was seen as a remarkable coup by the Midlands outfit, who were one of many teams seeking a new number one.

Having since gone on to feature 100 times for the club, whilst also starring in Argentina's recent World Cup win, the hype around this nomadic shot-stopper refuses to die down.

He was even branded "the best penalty-kick keeper in the world" by teammate John McGinn, who went on to call him a "unique character" when speaking on Sky Sports Premier League (7:25 pm, January 13, 2023).

It is this hype that could see the Villans gain huge profits, should the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United make their interest more concrete.

Football Transfers actually set the apex of his expected Transfer Value at a whopping €49.9m (£43.9m), marking a 158% increase across just three years.

The 6 foot 5 titan's performances this season in a struggling side have been commendable too, likely fueling this upshot in value, as he averages 2.7 saves per match, making 65 in total across just 24 appearances, via Sofascore.

Perhaps he might stay and become a cult hero at Villa Park, but should he leave he will likely be remembered as a humorous figure whose sensational goalkeeping bailed out Villa on more than one occasion, likely earning the club a hefty sum too. This would certainly mean the jackpot has been hit for the Midlands outfit.

Chelsea could allow five first-team players to leave the club during the summer transfer window, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to a new update.

The Lowdown: Another bad day for Blues

The Blues suffered another dreadful day at the office on Saturday afternoon, losing 1-0 at home to relegated-threatened Southampton in the Premier League.

The pressure is now really mounting on manager Graham Potter, who is struggling to turn things around, with a top-four finish almost looking impossible at this point.

While Chelsea have spent big recently, signing the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez, there is also plenty of deadwood to dispatch of.

The Latest: Five players set to leave

According to Football Insider, the quintet of Mason Mount, Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher could all move on this summer.

All five of them are either surplus to requirements or have ongoing contract issues and the club will listen to offers for them.

The Verdict: Makes complete sense

With the exception of Mount, it makes perfect sense for these individuals to be sold by Chelsea this summer, having become dispensable members of Potter’s squad.

Aubameyang has been a disastrous signing, coming in on £160,000 a week but only scoring three goals in 17 appearances, while Ziyech very nearly joined Paris Saint-Germain in January.

Loftus-Cheek and Gallagher are two talented players but they are not good enough to be starting games regularly for a club like Chelsea, scoring only one league goal between them this season.

Mount is the one who it would be preferable to keep hold of, given his importance in recent years – he has 33 goals and 37 assists in total – but if he won’t accept the Blues’ contract offer, there is no other option than to move on.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed a rather fruitful start to life under Julen Lopetegui, racing away from the Premier League relegation zone having suffered just two league defeats since Christmas.

Several players have improved their performances under the Spaniard, which has led to the recent resurgence at Molineux. However, with the summer approaching, there could be widespread change across the first-team squad.

Nelson Semedo is a player who has been underwhelming this term. Across 20 league matches in the current campaign, his Sofascore average of 6.67/10 ranks him a lowly 19th out of the entire Wolves squad.

Defensively, he has managed to keep just two clean sheets, losing possession 9.1 times per match and committing 1.1 fouls per game; while his disciplinary record is the second-worst in the squad as he has accumulated five yellow cards, just behind the seven of Ruben Neves.

Lopetegui has already splashed the cash on a few new signings in January, and with Benfica showing interest in signing the Portuguese right-back, the summer could be time for a change.

Instead of scouring the transfer market for a successor, though, the Wolves manager could unearth his ideal replacement in a 20-year-old academy talent.

Can Luke Matheson replace Semedo at Wolves?

When Wolves signed a talented 17-year-old named Luke Matheson from Rochdale in January 2020 for £1m, there was clear excitement amongst the Old Gold faithful. This was a player who had made his first-team debut at the tender age of 15 and clearly was someone who had the potential to enjoy an extremely bright future in the game.

Four months before Wolves signed him, he scored against Manchester United in Rochdale’s Carabao Cup defeat at Old Trafford aged just 16. That sparked further intrigue around the youngster, although he remained down to earth following the occasion, having to sit a psychology exam the next morning.

Another wonderful display against Newcastle United in the FA Cup just before he signed for Wolves -setting up the equaliser which secured Rochdale a lucrative replay – was perhaps the catalyst for the Molineux club to sign him.

He hasn’t made his first-team debut in Old Gold as of yet, spending time out on loan at Ipswich, Hamilton and Scunthorpe United, and although these spells weren’t as productive as the player and club may have liked, he could have a new lease of life under Lopetegui.

The youngster earned plenty of praise during his spell at Rochdale, especially from his former manager Brian Barry-Murphy, who said: “Luke is an exceptional guy. He is one player you would have no problems staying grounded and true to his family.”

After signing for Wolves, scouting writer David Alexander Hughes discussed Matheson’s traits, saying: “In terms of his defensive work, the defender is exhibiting a strong tactical understanding of the game, reading opposition attacks well and making a decent amount of interceptions and possession recoveries per game.”

The next few months could be a crucial time in his career, and if the 20-year-old manages to impress Lopetegui, there may well be a lifeline for him at Molineux, and scope for him to replace the potentially exit-bound Semedo.

Liverpool have found themselves unable to retain their domestic dominance over the Premier League season so far and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that a much-needed refresh in the summer will get the club back where they belong and competing at the highest level.

The Reds are currently ninth in the top-flight table due to a disappointing run of poor performances that have led to the side falling 10 points behind in the race to secure a Champions League qualifying spot inside the top four after 19 outings.

Indeed, the powerbrokers at Anfield have rebuilt the attacking threat with the acquirement of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo over the last 12 months, however, the increasingly dire situation in midfield remains to be solved.

James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all set to leave the club at the end of the season when their contracts expire whilst remaining midfielders Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are both well into their 30s at this point, leaving just Fabinho as the most experienced player that will likely be part of the future in the centre of the pitch.

As a result, the signing of more than one high-quality midfielder will be imperative in their pursuit to improve and compete with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City domestically going forward.

One player who has been linked with a move to Merseyside this month is Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and after it was reported that Liverpool have cooled their interest in Moises Caicedo, he could be the dream alternative.

Over 16 Serie A appearances, the 26-year-old talent – hailed as “outstanding” by Joe Cole – has tallied up an impressive 90% pass completion rate and successfully completed 58% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 40.7 accurate passes, 1.1 tackles, 53.8 touches and 2.8 duels per game.

Not only that, the Moroccan international ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for passes attempted, pass completion and progressive passes, whilst ranking in the top 17% for blocks.

Amrabat’s ability to read games, offer good defensive traits and make incisive passes in the centre of the pitch made him one of the stand-out performers at the FIFA World Cup 2022 and clearly what helped him catch the eye of the recruitment and scouting team at Anfield.

With that being said, if Liverpool could acquire the services of Amrabat in their midfield recruitment drive it would be a major coup as he could be a valuable asset to Klopp in his pursuit to build the next generation of success.

Tottenham Hotspur are keeping a close eye on Piero Hincapie ahead of a potential swoop this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sport BILD’s head of football, Christian Falk, who recently provided an update on Spurs’ interest in the Bayer Leverkusen central defender to GIVEMESPORT.

“Tottenham still has it’s eye on him, already in the summer, but also Arsenal again and Chelsea are visiting what is happening with him,” he said.

With a left-sided defender seemingly high on the priorities list for the Lilywhites at the end of the season, as per Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, it seems that the Ecuador international would cost in excess of €40m (£35m), via transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Conte’s next Bastoni?

Spurs could definitely do with some defensive reinforcements in 2023, with inconsistencies and poor performances creeping back in under manager Antonio Conte, having suffered clear-cut defeats to arch-rivals Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa since the turn of the year.

Hincapie would be a long-term project for the Italian – or whoever is in the dugout come next season – as he’s still very raw at just 21 years of age.

The modern-day centre-back is a ball-playing option but despite being a “tremendous young player,” he does “make mistakes” in the form of rash decision-making and the odd wayward pass – in the words of German football commentator Kevin Hatchard on Sky Sports.

That said, Conte has had some pretty good success with developing inexperienced defenders, such is the case at his former club Inter Milan, where he relied upon Alessandro Bastoni.

The Italian colossus came close to joining his former manager in north London in the past, so perhaps he could unearth his next top defensive prospect in Hincapie, given the two are comparable players, per FBref’s statistical profile model.

Just like Bastoni, the Educadorian excels with the ball at his feet – ranking inside the top 4% of his positional peers across the top-five European leagues for successful dribbles (0.59), as well as the top 12% for tackles (2.20) per 90, too.

WhoScored also list passing as a strong attribute for both Hincapie and Bastoni.

It’s why he has been dubbed as a “prodigy” in the past by Jose de Jesus Ortiz, whilst talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded him as a “complete and dominant” centre-back, one who is also capable of playing at left-back.

Under Conte, the 21-year-old gem could hone in on his obvious potential and blossom from an inconsistent, error-prone youngster into an absolute monster at the back.

The Spurs boss won the Serie A title with the youth of Bastoni regularly featuring in his backline, so if sporting director Fabio Paratici can lure Hincapie to N17, then this masterclass could well be repeated.

AND in other news, Forget Perisic: Spurs’ 13-pass passenger was “toothless” once again vs Fulham…

Carlos Corberan has transformed West Brom from relegation candidates to promotion hopefuls in just a couple of months at the Hawthorns and the Spanish manager must consider who from his squad is good enough to play a part in any potential push for Premier League football.

One man who unfortunately falls into the category of no longer good enough is 29-year-old winger, Adam Reach.

Since Corberan’s appointment, the former Sheffield Wednesday man has been limited to just three cameo appearances from the bench in wins against QPR, Sunderland and Preston.

Reach has managed just one start in the second tier so far this campaign and sits behind the likes of Grady Diangana, Matt Phillips and Jed Wallace as wide options in the Baggies’ squad, so it seems unlikely that he will become a regular starter anytime soon.

In his 10 appearances in the Championship, the Englishman has failed to contribute a single goal or assist and has earned a less-than-impressive 6.13 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This ranks him as the worst-performing outfield player at West Brom so far this campaign, of those to start at least once in the Championship, which emphasises that he is no longer good enough to play a part at the Hawthorns.

His two starts in the League Cup this season also returned disappointing displays, with WhoScored awarding him a 6.42 average rating for his performances in that competition.

Reach was once a regular under Steve Bruce and was praised by the 61-year-old for his versatility and ability during the summer, but he has failed to live up to his previous manager’s expectations of him so far this term.

Bruce said: “Adam Reach is a really, really top-class pro. He’s a really good lad to have in your dressing room, he can play a few positions.

“You never have a problem with someone like Adam Reach. And on top of that he’s got good ability.”
While there is no doubting Reach’s attitude and application, it seems clear that he is no longer good enough to be playing regularly for a West Brom side that have a real chance of going up if they can maintain their recent strong form.
Reach’s contract is set to expire in 2024 and Corberan cannot afford to have him sitting on the bench for the next one-and-a-half years, so he must look to get rid of the wide man in next month’s transfer window.