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Since Arsenal lost William Saliba to injury, they have exited the Europa League and seen their title hopes dashed.The Gunners had come a long way this season but much of that was owed to perhaps their strongest central defensive partnership since the Invincibles.Partnered by Gabriel, the duo have similar machine-like qualities, offering a remarkable layer of composure which is entwined with unique physicality.Saliba is like a Springbok at the back, darting back to make recovery runs and evading the press as though he’s not even being hounded by the opposition.Gabriel is the lion, a physical monster who also offers poise at the back. Like Saliba, he will relish that physical battle but ensures radiant composure.However, with Rob Holding in the team, even Gabriel looks worse; Mikel Arteta’s men have conceded 11 goals in their last four matches.There have been cries for a certain Reuell Walters to be given a go, with reports a few weeks ago suggesting Arsenal were ready to abandon their pursuit of a right-back and put their faith in the 18-year-old.

Who is Reuell Walters?

Lauded as an “outstanding prospect” by Arsenal journalist Layth Yousif, the teenager is one of the most gifted to come through Hale End.

Walters featured during Arsenal’s pre-season tour having been handed his first pro deal all in the same year.

It was a ringing endorsement of a player who Arteta and co have high hopes for.

Since Saliba’s injury, the youngster has been on the bench in five successive Premier League games from mid-March to Mid-April, sadly without ever getting on the field.

Walters’ time will no doubt come, however, and it could be as soon as next term.

He deserves his chance, particularly when you consider the skill set the defender can offer the first team.

Although there may well be shades of Sol Campbell in his early career, having swapped Tottenham for the Gunners, it is the crop’s contemporary backline that he evokes memories of the most.

Like Ben White, Walters can feature at right-back or as a centre-back. Like Takehiro Tomiyasu, he can also feature at left-back, an area he played in during Arsenal’s pre-season.

Though, it’s arguably Saliba and Gabriel to who the budding prodigy is most comparable.

Indeed, the Arsenal academy gem’s attributes are remarkably similar, with this a player who can bring down the ball with ease, evade the press and maraud into opposition territory.

That was seen first-hand during the FA Youth Cup final last week. Although Jack Wilshere’s men were defeated 5-1, Walters “showed why he’s on the edge of the first team” in the words of Football.London’s Kaya Kaynak.

That was mostly owed to his work in possession where he looked “impressive on the ball” – as per Sam Dean – with the teen notably having strode forward, weaving his way past West Ham players aplenty in the build-up to Omari Benjamin’s opener.

It was a remarkable piece of play, one that had all the hallmarks of Saliba.

The Frenchman is notably difficult for opposing forwards to beat, having been dribbled past just 0.1 times per game, with that the joint-best tally of any central defender in the Premier League this season.

Comparatively, Walters wasn’t dribbled past at all during his three outings in the EFL Trophy this term, an indication that he can hold his own against senior professionals.

Possessing physical tools rarely seen at such a young age, and supreme composure, it’s easy to see why there are such high hopes for the former Spurs academy man. Indeed, he could just be Saliba 2.0, isn’t that an exciting thought?

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the Premier League sides who could potentially look at James Ward-Prowse as a midfield option in the summer.

How much would Ward-Prowse cost?

The north London side's midfield has been decimated by injuries this season which has seen both Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma miss a lengthy period of time.

In their absence, Spurs have had to heavily rely on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr also playing a role in the middle.

However, the Danish midfielder has come under fire in recent weeks over his performances as the results leave Spurs adrift in the race for the top four.

Ahead of the summer window, Spurs have been linked with a potential attacking midfield option in Leicester City's James Maddison.

And another midfielder who they could potentially compete for over the coming months is Southampton's main man, Ward-Prowse.

The Saints are in serious danger of relegation with just several games remaining in the season and it is believed he would be a certainty to leave if they do go down.

This is all according to journalist Toby Cudworth who has been speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast where he noted the interested clubs in the £100k-per-week midfielder:

(34:55) "If [they] go down he's almost certain to leave the club now. Southampton probably could still command a very hefty fee for him. We talk about prices, Southampton probably seeking still around £50m we'd have thought because he's that valuable to them.

"And he has clubs who like him. Newcastle we've mentioned they're looking to strengthen their midfield looking to strengthen in a number of positions; left-wing/forwards, potentially another defender as well. James Ward-Prowse is a player who we think is capable of playing European-level football.

"So Newcastle like him, Tottenham also admire him, Aston Villa, who are now creeping up on Unai Emery. They like James will perhaps as well. So it could be a bit of a Premier League battle for him."

Would Spurs be a good move for Ward-Prowse?

Ironically, the 28-year-old has been hailed as a "machine" by journalist Alfie House and he has an incredible record against the north London side with three goals and three assists to his name in their last five league meetings (via Transfermarkt).

The midfielder even scored the equalising penalty in their most recent clash on the south coast to complete an impressive comeback for the league's bottom side.

He is a player who is renowned for his stunning free-kick ability but he has also provided an impressive return of 3.48 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this season (via FBref).

However, he has also provided more tackles (1.74) per 90 minutes than Hojbjerg (1.61) has this season as well as more than 14 times as many crosses per game than the Dane (via FBref).

But with a valuation of around £50m, that is a big price to pay for a player who may not necessarily fit into the plans of the new manager.

It is unknown who will become Antonio Conte's successor and, therefore, the formation which Spurs will play next season is yet to be seen.

Potentially, Spurs could play with just two midfielders again and when Rodrigo Bentancur returns it could mean a potential spot in the XI for Ward-Prowse may not be there on a regular basis.

After all, Bissouma arrived in north London with the tag of one of the best midfielders outside the top six and he has failed ot make an impact on the Spurs side.

West Ham summer signing Gianluca Scamacca could still leave the club this summer as reports from Italy share the latest on his future. 

The Lowdown: Irons struggling…

Despite a summer of heavy spending, manager David Moyes has had a Premier League season to forget, with his side currently battling against relegation to The Championship.

The likes of Lucas Paqueta, a club-record acquisition, and Scamacca were brought to east London as promising signings to take West Ham to the next level.

Injuries and a lack of form has dampened the Hammers’ campaign after they were looking to build upon two-consecutive seasons of qualifying for Europe.

West Ham have won just once in their last five and are level on points with 18th-placed Bournemouth in the top flight standings, prompting Moyes and co to look over their shoulders.

As such, star midfielder Declan Rice has been widely tipped to leave this summer, and according to reports, he may not be the only one.

The Latest: Scamacca could leave West Ham…

The Italy international has been linked with a West Ham exit at various points this season with a report by newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) sharing an update.

It is believed Scamacca’s ‘divorce’ from the club is ‘anything but improbable’ as struggling Serie A giants Juventus take a real interest.

La Gazzetta state ‘advantageous solutions could be opened up’ for Juve, ‘even on loan with the right/obligation to buy’.

Scamacca has apparently ‘reappeared on the black and white radar’ and Juve could offer him an escape route back to his homeland.

The Verdict: Let him go?

Moyes actually raved over the 24-year-old in his pre-match press conference ahead of tonight’s Europa Conference League second leg clash with AEK Larnaca.

The under-pressure Scotsman moved to quickly to praise Scamacca and offered an opinion on his recent form, stating:

“We want him back, he’s got something and we like him a lot. He’s a great boy and we really, really like him and we want him to do well.

“We want our Gianluca back to the one we had from August to November. The one we’ve got at the moment looks slightly different and we need him to get back to those levels.”

There is little doubting the forward has what it takes to succeed in England, especially going by his phenomenal goal return last season and imperious physicality.

The 6 foot 5 striker has been called a ‘powerhouse’ and a ‘bully’ by members of the media for his towering presence in the attacking areas, and given time, this could be a huge asset to West Ham.

Indeed, sticking with Scamacca and showing patience is the best thing to do right now.

Southampton welcome Brentford to St. Mary's in the Premier League on Wednesday evening, looking to build upon the point taken from Old Trafford last weekend.

With Casemiro dismissed for a reckless, high-booted challenge in the first half of the league encounter, Saints assumed license to drive forward and seek a monumental upset, having defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge two weeks prior.

The match ended a draw, goalless, but Southampton boss Ruben Selles can take solace in the knowledge that three clean sheets have been kept from his four matches in charge, with the bottom-placed club now just two points from safety, although with a far inferior goal difference to Leeds United, three points would be needed to get heads above water once more.

Which means defeating Brentford, who lost to Saints’ relegation rivals Everton last weekend, is imperative to finally climb out of the bottom three having spent 13 weeks embroiled in their relegation zone quandary.

Should Walcott start vs Brentford?

Against the Red Devils, veteran winger Theo Walcott was among the more robust of the Saints squad, notably forcing a point-blank save from David De Gea, with the Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell labelling it a “glorious chance”.

As per Sofascore, the former Arsenal star hit the target twice and made two key passes, winning four of his seven duels and making two interceptions, illustrating the innate predatory instinct that has not yet left.

With Walcott also winning six of his 11 duels against Leicester City in the preceding fixture, his combative nature could indeed pay dividends, with Thomas Frank’s outfit’s 375 tackles the second-lowest in the division, behind only Manchester City, an area Selles will undoubtedly be seeking to exploit with a gritty approach.

Once hailed as “relentless” by journalist Patrick Boyland, the 33-years-old has led a distinguished Premier League career, scoring 78 goals and supplying 62 assists from 385 appearances.

The 47-cap England international has made eight Premier League appearances all season, but has found a starting berth on the past two occasions, with Southampton winning against the Foxes before the draw at Old Trafford, and given the club look to continue the recent purple patch and complete an emphatic turnaround, Walcott must retain his starting role in a bid to boost their survival hopes.

The £75k-per-week star could indeed make an impact; with the Bees having won just one of the past four fixtures, the winger’s career average 1.8 shots per match and 0.8 key passes could be a definitive factor, as per WhoScored.

With former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger once heralding the “absolutely sensational” phenom, Selles will hope the ace can channel the very best of his ability and secure an imperative victory to finally lift Southampton from the rubble.

Leeds United are still searching for their next manager after sacking Jesse Marsch earlier this month, and an update has emerged on a potential target for the role.

What’s the latest on the Leeds manager search?

According to Portuguese news outlet Zero Zero, the Whites have made an approach for Al-Gharafa SC manager Pedro Martins.

As per the report, talks are set to take place with the manager after the Yorkshire club made an informal approach for the 52-year-old, and negotiations are expected to go through his current employers should Leeds advance in their interest.

Would hiring Martins be a big risk for Radrizzani and Leeds?

The Whites have found themselves in a vulnerable position in the Premier League this season and could be facing a difficult relegation scrap if performances don’t improve quickly.

Leeds are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 17th place, with two crucial bottom-of-the-table clashes ahead of them. First up is a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on Saturday, followed by a visit from Southampton to Elland Road, fixtures which give Leeds two golden opportunities to distance themselves from the bottom three.

It has been confirmed that Michael Skubala will lead the team in their forthcoming fixtures whilst the powers at the club continue their search for a permanent manager, although the interest in Martins could carry a big risk for Andrea Radrizzani.

The 52-year-old – who was hailed as “special” by Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence – is renowned for his time with Olympiacos, where he took charge of 221 games with a points average of 2.13 before he was sacked and replaced with now-West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan last August.

Indeed, there is an element of risk which comes with appointing any manager at this stage of the season, especially considering the unstable situation in which Leeds find themselves. However, the club have been linked with managers who, unlike Martins, already have Premier League experience under their belt.

Both Nuno Espirito Santo and Steven Gerrard have been linked with the vacant role in West Yorkshire, and although the trio may not be long-term solutions when it comes to a top-flight relegation battle, surely hiring a short-term manager with experience in the league would be advantageous.

Notably, it was around this time last year that Marsch – who like Martins had no Premier League experience beforehand – was brought in to replace Marcelo Bielsa. While the American succeeded in staving off relegation in 2022, he failed to win over much of the Elland Road faithful or prevent the Whites from dipping into trouble again this time around.

With that in mind, hiring Martins could indeed carry a risk of a repeat scenario.

It will be interesting to see how Michael Skubala gets on against Everton this weekend, as victory could take the immediate pressure off the Leeds hierarchy to find an instant solution in the managerial market so that they can focus on appointing the right coach at the right time.

Leeds United correspondent Joe Donnohue has labelled an injury to Rodrigo as a ‘big blow for Jesse Marsch’.

The Lowdown: Top scorer

Rodrigo was enjoying his best season in front of goal at Elland Road since arriving back in 2020, scoring 12 goals in 22 games in all competitions.

The 31-year-old has scored eight more goals than any other Whites player but is now set for a two-month spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

Leeds confirmed on Thursday that the forward has undergone surgery on the problem, and Donnohue has given his thoughts on the news.

The Latest: ‘Big blow’

YEP reporter Donnohue took to Twitter to relay the news on Rodrigo, who he described as being in ‘excellent form this season’.

He said that it is a ‘big blow for Jesse Marsch and Leeds to lose their top scorer’, adding that it is time for Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter to step up.

The Verdict: Avoidable?

Marsch actually decided to bring Rodrigo on against Accrington Stanley with Leeds three goals to the good with just over 20 minutes remaining, so you could argue that he wasn’t needed and Marsch could have brought on either Sonny Perkins or Mateo Joseph instead.

However, the Leeds man made his decision and will now have to live with the consequences, but as Donnohue mentions, there are alternative options in attack.

Bamford has built up minutes in recent weeks, whereas Rutter arrived on a club-record fee, so both players may need to contribute over the coming months as the Whites look to avoid relegation once again.

Glasgow Rangers have reportedly ‘agreed personal terms’ for one transfer target, despite having their latest bid rejected for the winger.

The Lowdown: Another bid rejected…

It has recently been reported that the Ibrox giants have had another bid knocked back from Swansea City for Morgan Whittaker, thought to be worth £2m.

The 22-year-old looks to be keen on the move, having asked to be omitted from the Swansea squad which drew 1-1 at QPR in the English Championship last Saturday, after admitting that he was not in the right frame of mind to feature.

The Latest: Personal terms agreed

As per Football Insider, Michael Beale’s side have already ‘agreed personal terms’ with Whittaker, despite their latest bid being knocked back.

He impressed while on loan at Plymouth Argyle in the first half of the campaign, scoring nine goals and supplying a further seven assists in 25 games in League One (Transfermarkt).

The Verdict: Get it done

With Whittaker seemingly keen on a move to Ibrox, and personal terms already being agreed, Rangers simply need to pay the money that Swansea are asking for now in order to get this deal over the line.

With just a few days left until the transfer window closes, they cannot afford to let this one fall through, after now having three bids rejected for the Englishman.

Lauded as a ‘top player‘ by performance manager Justin Walker when he was in the academy at Derby County, Whittaker managed to score a remarkable 43 goals and supply 21 assists at youth level with the Rams, and also went on to play 32 times for the senior side (Transfermarkt).

He continued those impressive numbers while on loan at Plymouth earlier this season, and there is no reason why he cannot replicate that kind of form at the Teddy Bears.

Nonetheless, all that needs to be agreed now is the fee, and Rangers should make sure that they reach the right figure with their next offer.

Greg O’Keeffe has slammed Farhad Moshiri’s managerial choices at Everton after the club were linked to Marcelo Bielsa.

The Lowdown: Bielsa the number-one target

It was reported pretty soon after Frank Lampard was sacked as Everton manager that the club were keen to appoint Bielsa as the Englishman’s successor, although could now be under threat.

Reports started to emerge about Bielsa having concerns over the squad and if they would be good enough and physically up to the standard his tactics required, something O’Keeffe hinted at last night.

Bielsa famously brought about very intense and gruelling training and pre-season sessions during his time at Leeds United when he was very big on ‘murderball’ – something that some Everton players may struggle if the injury records of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina and Seamus Coleman are anything to go by.

The Latest: Another Moshiri mistake waiting to happen

Perhaps in light of this, having also expressed doubts over Bielsa’s character, O’Keeffe stated his belief on the All Together Now podcast that people at Everton and the Argentine may not be able to thrive together, but felt it was exactly the kind of wrong fit Moshiri would bring to the club.

He said: “I have to say I’m not convinced by the idea. I think it sounds like the sort of thing that Farhad Moshiri playing Football Manager would try – who’s available, who’s got a big reputation and is a name – so he might swing his neck towards Bielsa.

“I have got a lot of respect for what Bielsa achieved in getting Leeds out of the Championship and then making them a competitive unit in the season before last. Obviously, a great manager elsewhere, but I just don’t think he’s a fit for Everton – certainly not at the moment.

“If he comes in, the chances of him being able to come in and bring any of his own players in time with the window ticking down – Everton are struggling to do any business in it, anyway – would be slim.

“If you look at the current squad, it’s not a fit for him. How are any of these players going to pick up the sort of intense fitness, the man-marking and the very, very onerously technical side of the way he wants to play football? They struggled to play a 4-3-3 under Lampard and low-block sometimes as well in different ways. I just don’t think it works.”

The Verdict: Moshiri must make a sensible appointment

Given the high turnover of managers at Goodison Park under Moshiri, we can totally understand O’Keeffe’s scepticism ahead of his latest appointment – particularly as Everton’s top-flight status is on the line and looking even more precarious than it did a year ago before Frank Lampard was brought in.

There has rarely been stability in the dugout since Moshiri became majority shareholder at Everton in February 2016. Then-manager Roberto Martinez was sacked just months later, bringing an end to a three-season reign.

However, no one since has lasted as much as half that length of time, with Marco Silva and Carlo Ancelotti each scraping to around 17 months in charge.

And with managers ranging from those with European-winning pedigree in Ancelotti and the relative inexperience of ex-Chelsea and Derby County boss Lampard, there appears to be a lack of identity at the club, leading to a mismatch of players being brought in at the expense of some €700m (£618m) and subsequent Financial Fair Play constraints.

The one constant in that time has been Moshiri, and you can see how replacing Lampard with Bielsa would have those connected to the club, such as O’Keeffe, worried about what the consequences of such a decision could be.

Glasgow Rangers have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Ross Stewart ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Keith Downie, with the Sky Sports reporter revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, despite the fact that the centre-forward is settled and happy to stay at Sunderland, contract talks between the 26-year-old and the club are now believed to have reached an impasse, with the Championship side said to be willing to cash in on the striker this winter.

This is sure to come as a huge boost to Ross Wilson and Michael Beale, with Downie revealing in a further post on Twitter that Rangers, as well as Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Crystal Palace and Brentford, are keeping a close eye on the situation of the £10m valued hitman ahead of launching a potential move in the January market.

In his posts, the Sky Sports reporter said: “Stewart is settled at Sunderland and wants to stay, but talks over a new contract have reached an impasse. Other clubs offering significantly more in wages & SAFC could cash in on him now.

“Middlesbrough are showing the strongest interest from a clutch of clubs wanting to sign Sunderland striker Ross Stewart. Stewart could leave in January with Blackburn & Stoke among a number of Championship clubs – plus Rangers – keen. Premier League duo Crystal Palace & Brentford also monitoring.”

“Exceptional”

Considering just how impressive Stewart has been for Sunderland in recent years, should Wilson be able to fend off a number of Premier League and Championship clubs in the race to sign the 26-year-old in January, it would undoubtedly represent an exceptional coup for the sporting director and Rangers.

Indeed, over his nine Championship appearances in the current campaign, the £3.1m-rated talent has been in devastating attacking form, having already scored seven goals, registered three assists and created one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 3.6 shots – 1.8 of which have hit the target – making 0.8 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the player who journalist and Mackems supporter Josh Bunting dubbed a “key asset” average a breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.57, not only ranking him by far and away as Tony Mowbray’s best performer in the league but also as the second-best player in the English second-tier as a whole.

It was a similar story over Stewart’s 49 League One fixtures in 2021/22, with the £2.3k-per-week hitman bagging a whopping 26 goals, providing three assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots – 1.2 of which hit the target – making 1.3 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per match.

These metrics saw the 26-year-old who former Sunderland goalkeeper David Preece labelled “exceptional” average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 7.25, once again ranking him as the Black Cats’ best performer in the division, as well as the joint 11th-best player in the third tier in its entirety.

As such, it is clear for all to see that the Scotland international would undoubtedly represent a fantastic addition to Beale’s current attacking arsenal at Ibrox, leading us to believe that Wilson must do everything in his power to win the race for the centre-forward’s signature in January.

Liverpool have been spending their World Cup break in Dubai preparing for the return to action later this month, and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that the pause in Premier League football will be a positive for the team, who have endured their worst start to a season in a decade.

Over in Qatar, the quarter-finals kicked off on Friday, and football supporters all over the world would have been locked into the dramatic events which unfolded in both the Croatia v Brazil and Netherlands v Argentina meetings.

Neither match could be settled within 90 minutes and both went down to penalties to decide who would progress to the semi-finals of the tournament; and whilst Brazil were sent home in a shocking climax against Croatia, Argentina eventually prevailed.

It wasn’t easy for Lionel Messi and his team-mates, though, as they weren’t able to secure their ticket to the semi-finals until the fifth penalty was converted by Lautaro Martinez after losing the 2-0 lead they over their opponents in the second half of normal time.

Despite the pressure and drama which ensued, one Argentine player who kept his cool and maintained his huge presence in the centre of the pitch was Enzo Fernandez – a talented young midfielder who has been linked with a move to Liverpool recently.

Over his 120-minute performance, Fernandez – who was described as a “cheat code” by Kwadwo Sheldon – had 84 touches of the ball, delivered 61 accurate passes and completed 100% of his dribble attempts, also making two key passes, winning four duels and recording one clearance and one tackle.

Indeed, while the 21-year-old did miss his penalty in the shoot-out, there is no doubt that he has been one of Argentina’s standout performers over the World Cup and has lit up Qatar with his displays.

Across five appearances in the tournament so far, Fernandez has scored one goal, registered one assist, completed 100% of his dribble attempts and won 66% of his duels, whilst averaging 75.4 touches, 58.2 accurate passes, 1.6 tackles, one shot on goal and five duels won per game, proving that he is a massive threat for opponents.

Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in midfield, with Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all entering the last six months of their contracts. Therefore, adding some youthful prospects who can improve performances on the pitch would surely be warmly welcomed by the manager and the Anfield faithful over the coming months.

With that in mind, signing Fernandez would be a major coup for the Reds; and if he continues to flourish in the World Cup over the rest of the tournament, it will become harder for the powers at Anfield to ignore what the Benfica talent could bring to the next generation of Klopp’s Liverpool.