Nottingham Forest Leading Race To Sign £15m "Machine"

Nottingham Forest are in pole position to sign Botafogo forward Matheus Nascimento this summer, but a new report has revealed that they aren’t the only club hoping to bring him to the Premier League.

Who is Matheus Nascimento?

Nascimento is naturally a striker who has plied his trade at the Estadio Nilton Santos ever since his childhood days having graduated from the club’s academy to get promoted to the first team back in 2020, and across all age levels, he’s so far clocked up a total of 80 appearances to date.

Despite still having another two years remaining on his contract with Bruno Lage’s side, the 19-year-old’s impressive performances at senior level have grabbed the attention of Steve Cooper in the Midlands, but it’s not the first time the boss has been credited with an interest.

Back in July, Globo Esporte reported that the Reds saw an opening €9m (£7m) offer for the Brazil youth international rejected, and it was claimed that Botafogo’s owner was set to sit down with the player’s camp to hold talks given the uncertainty surrounding his future.

However, Sky Sports just days later claimed that the City Ground outfit were back in talks to sign the talented prospect, and whilst a deal is yet to come to fruition, Evangelos Marinakis is still very much in the running to secure the services of his target.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Matheus Nascimento?

According to The Sun, Nottingham Forest "lead the race" for Nascimento, despite him having previously met with officials from Crystal Palace.

The Reds are "eyeing" a swoop for Botafogo's centre-forward in a deal worth £15m, and the owner is planning to send him straight out on loan to Greek side Olympiacos who he is also in charge of.

Despite this, "that may change" if the attacker wants to throw himself straight in at the deep end and be part of the first team set-up, so this will be one to keep a close eye on in the coming weeks.

Brazil youth striker Matheus Nascimento.

How many goals has Matheus Nascimento scored?

Since the start of his career, Nascimento has posted 14 goal contributions (11 goals and three assists) in 80 appearances, so whilst he has shown bags of potential, immediately sending the striker out on a development loan to gain more experience would be the right decision to make for Nottingham Forest.

The Niteroi native, who’s sponsored by Nike, is also making a real name for himself on the international stage having represented Brazil at the U20s World Cup where he managed to get on the scoresheet, as per Transfermarkt, so he is certainly a star in the making who has a bright future ahead of him should he receive the right guidance.

Botafogo’s “machine”, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is predominantly a centre-forward but has previously operated on the right side of the midfield so he would additionally provide Cooper with some versatility, making him an exciting prospect to have in the building for the long-term future of the club.

Journalist Drops Major Update on Celtic Deal for Luis Palma

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has received a major update in his pursuit of Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma as speculation continues to rumble over his future, according to reports.

Is Luis Palma joining Celtic?

Greek journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has issued a major update on the future of Palma amid reports linking the 23-year-old with a move to Celtic, as he stated on X: "Not confirmed 100% yet, but seems Luis Palma will be out of Aris Thessaloniki squad for the match v Lamia on Sunday. Celtic and two non European clubs offers are on the table. Palma wants Celtic."

The journalist, who works for Greece-based outlet Sportime, has since dropped further insight on Palma's potential next career steps and has indicated that the Honduras international is now closing in on a switch to Parkhead, stating: "Celtic are really close to sign Luis Palma from Aris Thessaloniki. Agreement in principle between the clubs, €4,1m. plus some bonuses. Palma 's contract €650.000 per season, probably for a 4 years contract."

Palma has been a coveted presence this summer, attracting interest from the Hoops' city rivals Rangers, Anderlecht and Watford among others; however, he now looks set to link up with former Liverpool boss Rodgers in Glasgow following a whirlwind couple of days where swift negotiations between both parties now look to be veering toward their conclusion.

Of course, Celtic have been in the hunt this window to find a replacement for Portuguese winger Jota, who was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £25 million earlier in the summer, as per Sky Sports.

Rodgers has already signed off on six signings since returning to Parkhead in the form of Gustaf Lagerbielke, Maik Nawrocki, Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Yang Hyun-jun, as per Transfermarkt.

In light of Palma's seemingly impending arrival, Celtic fringe man Sead Haksabanovic could find himself further down the pecking order at Parkhead and Football Insider claim that the Montenegro international is looking for an exit before the transfer deadline.

Is Luis Palma a good fit for Celtic?

Palma certainly fits the profile in terms of the style of recruitment Celtic have adopted this window, which has entailed bringing in young stars with potential with the aim of eventually selling them on in the future for a considerable profit.

His statistics also make for pleasant reading in his time at Aris, where he has notched 17 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances for the Greek outfit encompassing all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Honduras forward Luis Palma.

The Honduran arriving at Celtic would also spell the end to a long, drawn-out search for another wide option at Parkhead. Wolverhampton Wanderers star Daniel Podence was considered according to reports; however, it always seemed unlikely that the Hoops would fork out anywhere near the funds needed to satisfy his mooted £12 million price tag.

Scotland international Ryan Fraser was also courted by Celtic, though he is on the verge of completing a season-long loan move to Sky Bet Championship side Southampton, as per The Daily Echo.

West Ham Could Forget Paqueta By Signing ‘Electric’ £34m Star

West Ham United may have begun the summer transfer window at a pedestrian pace, but they are now speeding through a plethora of different deals.

David Moyes has signed Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, spending the cash raised from the sale of Declan Rice wisely and there are likely to be more arrivals before the window closes in just under three weeks.

With this in mind, the Hammers could now make a move for one of the most highly sought-after talents on the continent; Mohammed Kudus.

Who else could West Ham sign?

Fabrizio Romano dropped an update on West Ham’s interest in the Ajax starlet on Monday.

He took to social media, saying: “West Ham now open initial talks to sign Mohammed Kudus — priority target in case Lucas Paquetá leaves to join Manchester City.

“Positive talks on player side, Kudus open to the move — still waiting to approach Ajax as deal will depend on Paquetá.”

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Brighton & Hove Albion reached an agreement in principle with the Dutch club to sign Kudus for a fee of €40m (£34.5m), yet no move has materialised, and it looks as though West Ham are looking to swoop in and hijack any potential deal.

Is Lucas Paqueta leaving West Ham?

Current West Ham star Lucas Paqueta could soon be on his way out of the club, with Manchester City showing plenty of interest and even having a £70m bid rejected by the club recently.

Pep Guardiola isn’t ready to give in just yet and another bid could soon be made, but Moyes should take the money and invest it in Kudus, forgetting about the Brazilian in the process.

Paqueta did enjoy a solid debut campaign in England, scoring five goals and registering seven assists while ranking fourth for shots on target per game (0.6), creating three big chances and making 1.1 key passes per game, good enough to rank him sixth and fourth across the squad in the Premier League.

What is Mohammed Kudus’ style of play?

That was an encouraging start for Paqueta, yet the 5 foot 9 frame of Kudus was far more impressive for Ajax.

The 23-year-old scored 18 goals and grabbed seven assists across all competitions for the Eredivisie side, clearly posing a much greater danger going forward.

Kudus also ranked fourth for shots on target per game across the Ajax squad domestically last term (0.9) and he also created four big chances and made one key pass per game, similar figures to Paqueta.

mohammed-kudus-transfer-gossip-ajax-arteta-bukayo-saka-arteta-edu

When compared to positional peers, it is clear who has enjoyed the better 12 months. Kudus ranks in the top 2% of positionally similar players in divisions comparable to the Eredivisie for non-penalty goals, pass completion percentage and successful take-ons per 90, while ranking in the top 3% for touches in the opposition box, showcasing his attacking qualities.

In contrast, the Brazilian only ranked in the top 25% for pass completion percentage while ranking outwith the top 60% for both successful take-ons and non-penalty goals per 90 when compared to positional peers in Europe's top five leagues.

The “electric” starlet – as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – could be the perfect fit for Moyes at West Ham, and he should be doing everything he can to secure his signature.

The Scot could forget all about Paqueta in the process.

Aston Villa Linked With Move For 26-Year-Old Midfielder

Aston Villa are in the race to sign Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update regarding his future.

How old is Denis Zakaria?

The Switzerland international, who is currently 26 years of age, has been an impressive defensive midfielder for a number of years now, representing some of Europe's biggest clubs. He is currently at Juve, but he spent last season on loan at Chelsea, although he struggled to make an impact for a team experiencing a terrible campaign.

Zakaria still made seven Premier League appearances, though, completing 88.8% of his passes and averaging 1.3 tackles per game, so his numbers were still relatively impressive. He is now back at Juve after his temporary stint at Stamford Bridge came to an end, but it remains to be seen if his future belongs in Turin or not.

His current contract doesn't expire until the summer of 2026, so the Serie A giants are in no rush to sell him on the cheap, instead finding themselves in a relatively strong bargaining position, but they have endured financial difficulties in recent months.

It could be that a move to the Premier League is on the cards for Zakaria this summer then, this time permanently, with Villa seemingly one of the clubs battling to acquire his signature.

Soccer Football – UEFA Nations League Semi Final – Portugal v Switzerland – Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal – June 5, 2019 Switzerland’s Denis Zakaria reacts REUTERS/Susana Vera

Are Aston Villa signing Denis Zakaria?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], the Villans have "taken information" regarding the Switzerland international, as they eye up a summer move for him. It is stated that multiple Bundesliga clubs in the same position, while West Ham are also pushing to get a deal over the line.

Talks between Juve and the Hammers have "been going on for weeks", so Villa certainly aren't going to have it all their own way if they want to sign Zakaria in the coming weeks.

It has already been such a productive summer transfer window at Villa Park, with the likes of Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres representing excellent signings, and Zakaria is another who could be a shrewd addition, albeit not quite as much of a marquee arrival.

He has some Premier League experience, which could stand him in good stead when it comes to adjusting to the pace of the division, and he is now a 49-time capped Switzerland international, having made two appearances for his country at the 2022 World Cup.

At 26, Zakaria is at a great age to come in and make an immediate impact, with his best years still possibly to come and lots of experience already picked up at big clubs. Former Chelsea and England man Joe Cole described him as "excellent' at one point last season during his spell with the Blues, and he could be a good squad option as Villa prepare battle across four different competitions in 2023/24, including the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Juve could well be happy to move him on and receive a decent fee for his services, considering they have already been willing to loan him out in the recent past, so it is a move that could ultimately suit all parties before the new campaign gets underway next month.

De Grandhomme lives up to big-hitting reputation

Colin de Grandhomme was in destructive mood [file picture]•BCCI

Birmingham Bears stars Colin de Grandhomme and Grant Elliott produced fine displays to beat the Derbyshire Falcons by 20 runs in an entertaining NatWest Blast match at Edgbaston.De Grandhomme went into the tournament with the reputation as holder of the fastest scoring rate in Twenty20 and finally he made someone suffer.Having been invited to bat, Birmingham got off to an excellent start in the Powerplay overs at 49 for 0, with Ed Pollack hitting two huge sixes off Hardus Viljoen and Derbyshire’s overseas player Imran Tahir.Debutant Pollack brought up his 50 off just 31 balls as the Bears threatened to cut loose, and he made it a century partnership with fellow opener Sam Hain in the 12th over of the match.The partnership was broken just two balls later as Wayne Madsen continued to take wickets in the competition, having Hain caught by Tahir at short third-man for 34. The wicket saw New Zealand international De Grandhomme promoted to No 3 in the order.Pollack eventually fell to a smart catch by Matt Henry off Viljoen for an explosive 66 off 40 balls as the Falcons hoped to get a grip on the game and drag back the run-rate.De Grandhomme took on the role of enforcer while new man at the crease Ian Bell anchored proceedings before losing his wicket thanks to a stunning one-handed catch from Henry at deep long-on.That failed to slow down De Grandhomme, however, as he raced to his half-century off just 22 balls, finishing the innings in style along with Ireland captain William Porterfield, who was run out off the last ball for 20.De Grandhomme finished unbeaten on 65, with the Bears reaching 197 for 4 in their 20 overs.The Falcons’ reply began with the early loss of skipper Billy Godleman caught behind by Alex Mellor off Keith Barker, but Matt Critchley and Luis Reece launched a brief counter-attack for the Falcons.Critchley’s bright innings was brought to an end on 17 when Barker’s low full toss was miscued to De Grandhomme at cover, to earn the left-arm seamer his second wicket of the afternoon. At the end of the Powerplay, Derbyshire were ahead of the Bears on 59 for two.Madsen – the leading run-scorer in the T20 Blast this season – soon entered the fray and began to build with Reese, as the Falcons floated around the required run-rate.Wickets were the key component for both sides, and it was the Bears that continued to chip away as Patel bowled Reece, before Falcons captain Gary Wilson was tamely caught at short third-man off Elliott as Birminghamturned the screw.The loss of Madsen for 16, caught by Hain running in from deep cover off Elliott, dealt a huge blow to the Falcons, and it looked desperate once Alex Hughes went for 25, caught behind off the glove.With the run-rate increasing, the comical run-out of Calum Brodrick by Hain effectively ended the Falcons’ chase and there was a fourth wicket for former New Zealand international Elliott as his fellow countryman Henry holed out at deep midwicket.Barker got his third wicket of the game, bowling Viljoen around his legs as the Falcons finished on 177 for 9 to lose by 20 runs.

توتنهام يستغل تعثر أستون فيلا بثلاثية أمام نوتينجهام فورست في الدوري الإنجليزي

حقق توتنهام فوزًا هامًا على نظيره نوتينجهام فورست بثلاثية مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن الجولة 32 من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

المباراة جمعت بين الفريقين على ملعب توتنهام الجديد في لندن، وتقدم أصحاب الأرض عن طريق مدافع نوتينجهام فورست مبكرًا في الدقيقة 15 بهدف ذاتي في مرماه.

طالع أيضًا.. شيفيلد يفرض تعادلًا قاتلًا على تشيلسي في الدوري الإنجليزي

وتمكن النيوزيلندي كريس وود من تسجيل هدف التعادل لـ نوتينجهام فورست في الدقيقة 27، لينتهي الشوط الأول بالتعادل الإيجابي 1-1.

في الشوط الثاني، تمكن ميكي فان دي فين من تسجيل الهدف الثاني لـ توتنهام عند الدقيقة 53، قبل أن يسجل بيدرو بورو الثالث بعد 5 دقائق.

حافظ توتنهام على تقدمه حتى نهاية اللقاء، ليرفع رصيده إلى النقطة 60، في المركز الرابع مستغلًا تعثر أستون فيلا أمام برينتفورد أمس، بينما نوتينجهام فورست في المركز السابع عشر برصيد 25 نقطة.

Tottenham: Postecoglou Identifies "Monster" £60m Maddison Partner As Transfer Priority

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to make one of the most stunning moves of this summer window, with a new target identified…

How much would Dusan Vlahovic cost?

The latest comes from journalist Valentin Feuillette, writing for French publication Foot Mercato, who took to Twitter to detail the Lilywhites' surprising pursuit of Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic.

Although the Serbia international only moved to Turin in January 2022, the struggles felt at the Allianz Stadium have led someone of his quality to be touted around Europe.

The writer would succinctly detail just how much they will demand, and the key factors that could lead to a deal being struck.

He noted:

"Dušan Vlahović in the sights of Tottenham! Spurs priority if Harry Kane leaves, Contact between Juventus and Tottenham, Good relations between managements, PSG in battle, Requested price 70 million (£60m)".

Given how new manager Ange Postecoglou has already started his spending this window, this latest addition could provide the perfect replacement should their main marksman depart, and hand new signing James Maddison an ideal partner with which to play from.

How many goals does Dusan Vlahovic have?

Standing at 6 foot 3, the mere presence of this powerful, yet speedy, striker would immediately bolster Spurs' front line in terms of physicality.

For all the qualities Kane possesses, he is without this explosive power and, crucially, six years his senior.

Not to mention that Bayern Munich continue to test their resolve with continued interest in the man who fired in 30 Premier League goals last term despite the miserable year felt in this part of north London.

However, Vlahovic too has remained prolific since bursting onto the scene for Fiorentina.

Such consistency in front of goal would likely leave fans feeling more optimistic should the England captain depart, that they would simply be swapping one lethal finisher out for another.

His true breakout campaign came during the 2020/21 year, as he would notch 21 Serie A goals for the Viola to earn the attention of Europe's elite.

Following that up with 29 goals across all competitions had led Juventus to pounce, and given that these figures were shared across two clubs outlines his ability to acclimatise well.

james-maddison-tottenham-hotspur

This form even led journalist Carlo Garganese to dub him a "monster", writing:

"He is 22 and he fights three defenders at a time. Scary how strong he is. Imagine him in a few years when he’s a man."

Considering he is just 23 years old, a tally of 95 goals in just 220 games suggests a sparkling future for this young front-man with all the attributes to dominate at the top level.

Pairing this kind of physicality and lethal finishing with the creative exploits of Maddison could pose a frightening partnership set to be struck next season, as this tricky English maestro would surely thrive off having someone so potent beside him.

Not only would his powerful play style forge more pockets of space for him to operate in, as Garganese suggested, but that lightning-quick turn of pace would then allow the former Leicester City man to also supply him from deep should defences push up.

When compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe, his ranking within the top 15% for progressive passes per 90 should help supplement this suggestion.

With ten goals and nine assists for a Foxes team that fell to the drop, the 26-year-old playmaker now seems ready to step up to the demands of a club of this size, one expected to try and get back into Europe's top competition – the Champions League.

Pairing his creativity and added attacking threat with the daunting prospect of Vlahovic could see Postecoglou strike up an immediately elite front line, ready to realise his long-term ambitions with ease.

'It felt like playing in St Lucia' – Sammy

Darren Sammy was one of nine overseas players to travel to Lahore despite the security threat to play the PSL final. He lead his team Peshawar Zalmi to the title against Quetta Gladiators

Umar Farooq in Lahore06-Mar-2017Darren Sammy, the Peshawar Zalmi captain, was one of nine overseas players who travelled to Lahore for the PSL final despite the security threat and his reason for doing so was to “bring back the smiles” on the faces of the fans.Pakistan has hosted only one series of international cricket since the 2009 attacks on the Sri Lanka team and even then there had been the issue of a bombing on the edge of the security perimeter. Moreover, leading up to Sunday’s match, there had been worrisome incidents across the country, including one in Lahore’s own Defence Housing Authority. A blast had killed at least 10 people and left a dozen injured.Pakistan did their best to mitigate the situation. The government’s paramilitary force was deployed at Gaddafi stadium and the Rangers only made up one part of at least 10,000 security personal, which also included the Punjab police.Sammy was one of four first-choice overseas players for Peshawar to still make the trip, along with West Indies team-mate Marlon Samuels and England’s Chris Jordan and Dawid Malan.Quetta, however, lost a major part of the reason they made the final in the first place, when Kevin Pietersen, Tymal Mills, Rilee Rossouw, Luke Wright and Nathan McCullum had pulled out of the match. They had to make do with last-minute changes, bringing in Bangladesh’s Anamul Haque, South Africa’s Morne van Wyk, Zimbabwe’s Sean Ervine and West Indies’ Rayad Emrit.The final was played with more than 22,000 people in attendance, who had assembled outside the ground in the afternoon in order to get through three layers of security before reaching their seats. And with Shahid Afridi out injured, Sammy was the one they cheered for the most.”To me it was more than just a game,” he said after Peshawar won the second edition of the PSL. “It started with the draft. Lala [Afridi] made the big announcement that I would be the captain and one of our mottos was to bring back the smiles so I felt tonight I brought a lot of smiles in Lahore and Peshawar. It is an amazing day and this trophy means a lot.”The Federation of International Cricketers’ Association, in January, had warned that safety for the PSL final in Lahore could not be guaranteed and it wasn’t until 24 hours before the match that the foreign players taking part in it were confirmed.”When you have not been in a place you always have your doubts,” Sammy said. “You get different views, different opinions. But I spoke to Javed [Afridi, the Peshawar team owner] and Shahid Afridi and they influenced my decision to come here. All the boys just made the decision that we are part of something that we are coming down here for a good cause. The fans here deserve to see their players playing as they haven’t seen it for quite a while. I am glad I came here.”I have enjoyed playing a cricket match [in Lahore] and I have even enjoyed being with the security guys as I have never seen something like this before so it was a good experience. It is hopefully a step in the right direction, where things could happen. What I can say is that being here felt like playing in St Lucia, playing in India or anywhere else in the world. And like I said at the toss, today I felt cricket was the winner.”The PCB had invited security advisors from the ICC and its member countries to watch the PSL final. Reports suggest they are keen to invite Bangladesh to tour Pakistan sometime in the future.

Liverpool Interested In "Horrific" £15m Championship Dud

Liverpool are looking to the summer transfer window to improve their squad after a disappointing campaign last season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Robin Koch?

According to 90min, Liverpool are one of many Premier League clubs interested in signing Leeds United centre-back Robin Koch this summer.

As per the report, both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have already held talks with the recently relegated player's representatives, whilst Brentford, Newcastle United and Liverpool are also named as interested parties.

It was claimed by BILD that Koch has a relegation clause in his contract that means he could be available on a free transfer, however, 90min reports that sources have denied that this is the case – with Football Insider previously revealing a potential asking price of around £15m.

Would Robin Koch be a good fit for Liverpool?

Whilst Jurgen Klopp has made no secret of his desire to drastically improve the Liverpool squad this summer following a failure to maintain their high standards both domestically and in Europe last season, the top priority has been to bolster the midfield depth.

The Reds have already signed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and Hove Albion, whilst they are also reportedly prioritising a deal for OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, but there is also definitely room for improvement in the defensive set-up.

Joel Matip is entering the last year of his contract at the club, whilst Virgil van Dijk will be turning 32 years old before Premier League football returns in August, which has prompted links to talented defenders Joska Gvardiol and Micky van de Ven.

Having said that, a move for Koch would be unlikely to improve upon the defensive options already at Klopp's disposal next season with the Leeds United dud playing a part in Leeds' troubling decline which ultimately resulted in relegation for the West Yorkshire club.

robin-koch-leeds-premier-league-liverpool-transfers

No other team in the Premier League conceded more goals (78) than Leeds over the 38-game campaign, which doesn't exactly inspire confidence in their defenders to step up in a highly competitive team in the top flight.

When comparing Koch's output with Van Dijk, Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez last season, the German defender failed to outperform any of the Liverpool first-teamers in a number of attributes including pass completion (77.1%), take-on success (33.3%) and shot-creating actions (0.43), as per FBref.

He did, however, outperform them in tackles won (30), blocks (44), interceptions (43) and clearances (152), but this only further demonstrates that Leeds defenders were more under pressure from opponents and exposed to much more of the ball than Liverpool's back-line.

The 26-year-old liability has been the recipient of criticism for his performances in the business end of last season, with YouTuber Conor McGilligan slamming Koch for a poor performance against Fulham:

"[Max] Wober came in and did okay, was probably you know, head and shoulders above Koch who was horrific."

"Can't pass the ball at the minute. Was struggling with defensive headers, even when he's towering over the tallest Fulham attacker – which even in the first half was probably Harry Wilson at about five foot nine."

"Robin Koch is having an absolute shocker now and when I'm looking at men to step up right now, I'm looking at someone like him, he doesn't look bothered."

With that being said, it won't be a major priority for new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke to strengthen their defensive options this summer unless there was a massive opportunity to improve upon the current options in the squad, so it seems unlikely that Koch will make a move to Merseyside.

Arsenal In "Advanced Stages" To Sign Second Player With Rice

Arsenal are “very confident” of signing Kai Havertz alongside a move for Declan Rice and personal terms are "advanced" for both players, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

How many goals has Kai Havertz scored?

Havertz joined Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2020 with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and it’s fair to say he hasn’t lived up to expectations in the Premier League.

The 24 year-old has scored just 19 top flight goals in 91 showings, also providing ten assists, though he has continued to thrive for Germany during that time, finding the back of the net 13 times for his national side in 35 games.

His underlying numbers suggest he is a still a player with bags of potential though, as he ranks highly for a number of metrics amongst other forwards in the big five leagues, namely passing, dribbling and tackling, so one has to think if he can find some end product as he matures there is still a top player in there.

And Mikel Arteta clearly thinks so, as reports now suggest the Gunners are “in advanced stages” with the manager personally stepping in to "push" the move.

That’s according to Sky Germany’s Plettenberg, who says: "News Havertz: Been told Arsenal is very confident to sign both Rice & Havertz! Despite of the fact that Chelsea has rejected the first offer. Arteta is pushing for Havertz!

“Arsenal are in advanced stages with both players. No Bayern offer for Havertz yet. Arsenal is planning the next steps. Bayern‘s next transfer meeting scheduled next week.”

Would Havertz be a good signing?

Havertz certainly has his admirers, with Thomas Tuchel’s interest at Bayern no surprise given what the former Blues boss had to say back in March of last year: “What he gives us is huge volume. He covers a lot of metres, he covers a lot of metres in high intensity, so he finds the intensity no matter what the system the opponent defends against us, he finds intensive runs, he finds distances.”

BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves believes Havertz is a “brilliant” player with elite “courage and composure”, while Graham Potter has hailed his “fantastic” talent.

Clearly then, Arsenal would be getting a player who is extremely highly thought of in the game, and his ability to operate in six different positions across midfield and attack means his arrival would add depth in a multitude of areas for the Gunners.

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