Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has slammed Arsenal for showing what he felt was a lack of respect ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final this week.
Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium to complete a 4-2 aggregate victory over Rosenior’s side and book their place in the Carabao Cup final.
Still, as well as the action on the pitch, there was an intriguing moment before the game when Rosenior could be seen shouting at someone off-screen about moving into their own half.
It has now emerged that Rosenior was not happy with Arsenal’s pre-match preparations as he felt they encroached onto Chelsea’s side of the pitch and didn’t show respect.
Liam Rosenior hits out at disrespectful Arsenal antics
Arsenal and Chelsea in action in the Carabao Cup semi-final (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
When asked about the incident at his press conference today, as quoted by BBC Sport, Rosenior explained why he was unhappy with the Gunners.
“It wasn’t the players. When you warm up, we have our half and the other team have their half. I’ve never asked my team or coaches to encroach on the other team’s territory. I thought they were affecting our warm up,” Rosenior said.
“I asked them, maybe not politely, to move away. I’m not here to have mind games. There are certain etiquettes in football. I don’t have an issue with anyone at Arsenal Football Club. It was just in that moment, I don’t think that respect was shown to my team.”
Arsenal dent strong Liam Rosenior start at Chelsea
It perhaps makes sense that the 41-year-old was frustrated by Arsenal, but it also sounds slightly like he’s making something out of nothing here.
Only time will tell if this proves to be Rosenior playing the media game cleverly, or if it’s an unforced error that comes across as a bit of a tantrum.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has revealed that Blues winger Jamie Gittens is out for the long term with a torn hamstring.
Speaking at his press conference today, Rosenior admitted it’s a “real shame” to lose Gittens, as he feels he is an “outstanding player”, even though he hasn’t worked with him for long.
Watch below as Rosenior is asked about injuries, and Gittens in particular, explaining that the 21-year-old will be out for the long term, though he could not specify for now how long that would be…
"Jamie [Gittens] is looking a little bit more long term"
“Jamie is looking a little bit more long term,” Rosenior said when asked about Gittens.
“It’s a real shame for him, he’s got a tear in his hamstring.
“Obviously I’ve not worked with him for too long, obviously I’ve known about his career and what an outstanding player he is, so that’s going to be a big miss for us.”
Jamie Gittens dealt another blow after slow start at Chelsea
Gittens finished last season with a total of 12 goals in all competitions, and looked like one of Dortmund’s best players in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
It will be interesting to see if Gittens can recover from this injury blow to work his way back into contention in Rosenior’s side, but it won’t be easy due to the huge amount of competition in this squad.
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino may be a doubt for the rest of the club season and perhaps even the 2026 World Cup in the summer due to a mysterious injury.
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta explained that Merino’s injury is a rare one, so there’s not a clear idea of when the Spain international will be back to fitness, though for the time being it is being treated as pretty serious.
Numerous outlets have reported that Merino is almost certainly out for the rest of the season, meaning he’ll miss the title run-in with Arsenal, while his participation at the World Cup could also be in doubt.
This will be a blow for fans of the Spanish national team as they start making their own preparations for the tournament and looking into how to buy Spain World Cup tickets as their country aims to lift the trophy this summer.
What Mikel Arteta has said about Mikel Merino’s injury
Describing it as a “big blow”, Arteta said: “He (Merino) needs to go through a procedure, which is not always positive. He’s a big player for us, a player that has such versatility and capacity to compete in various positions, and that’s a big blow.
Mikel Merino applauds the Arsenal fans (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
“It’s a very rare injury so we have to wait and see once we have the surgery, how that reacts daily, obviously monitor it throughout the week for the surgery and see.
“I know Mikel is going to do absolutely everything that he possibly can to come back as quick as possible. But as well you have to respect the healing process and the fact that obviously it’s an injury that is quite rare.”
Mikel Merino will be missed by Arsenal and Spain
Anyone who’s watched him closely will surely agree that Merino is one of the most underrated footballers in today’s game.
The 29-year-old has put in a series of superb displays whether playing in midfield or as a makeshift striker for Arsenal, and he has a surprisingly good scoring record.
With 15 goals in 77 appearances for Arsenal, and eight goals in his last ten games for Spain, Merino has shown how valuable he can be as he really starts to establish himself quite late on in his career.
Spain have fellow Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi as another key part of their midfield, as well as other big names like Manchester City’s Rodri and Barcelona’s Pedri, so they certainly aren’t short of other quality options in that area of the pitch.
At the same time, however, Merino offers some unique qualities that a lot of others can’t, and Arsenal fans will have to hope he can perhaps return earlier than expected, and that his absence doesn’t prove too costly as they compete for the Premier League and Carabao Cup in the months to come.
Manchester United are reportedly alongside other big clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich in eyeing up Barcelona defender Jules Kounde.
The France international has mostly been a key player for Barca down the years, but it seems the club are now less sure about keeping him.
According to Fichajes, Kounde could be available for around €80m this summer, with Premier League clubs on alert due to his versatility as one of his most appealing attributes.
Jules Kounde transfer interest hotting up after change to Barcelona situation
Fichajes claim there is great debate internally at Barcelona about Kounde’s future, with his recent form leaving the club increasingly open to letting him go if the money is right.
Jules Kounde in action for Barcelona (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The former Sevilla player can still be a top performer on his day, but there are perhaps some signs of his decline, and that could mean now is a good time to try cashing in.
Liverpool could do well to pounce on the situation as they’re a bit short in defence right now after injuries to right-backs Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong.
The Reds also need to think about central defence as Ibrahima Konate comes towards the end of his contract, while Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger.
Man United surely need Jules Kounde
Meanwhile, United have long looked in need of an upgrade on Diogo Dalot at right-back, and it’s surprising this hasn’t happened yet.
Still, if Kounde is on the market then perhaps this will be the moment they make a move.
The Red Devils could probably also do with more depth in the centre of their defence as it’s not yet clear what will be happening with Harry Maguire, who is out of contract at the end of this season.
Atletico Madrid are reportedly eyeing up a potential transfer swoop for Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus for the summer.
The Brazil international is being monitored and considered by Atletico, according to a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes, in news that will surely excite a fair few Gunners supporters.
Jesus has performed well for Arsenal since returning from injury, but in general the feeling at the Emirates Stadium is that they surely need a new striker this summer.
Julian Alvarez to Arsenal with Gabriel Jesus moving in the opposite direction?
Gabriel Jesus celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Leeds United (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Swap deals are not that common in football, but if Atletico really are keen on Jesus, then it seems like a no-brainer for Arsenal to try to reach an agreement with them involving Alvarez.
The Argentina international is not in the best form right now, but in general he’s been hugely impressive in recent years, both in Madrid and during his time at Manchester City.
Despite not being a regular starter at Man City, Alvarez scored 36 goals in two seasons at the Etihad Stadium, and has a further 40 goals in 88 games in Spain.
Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring for Atletico Madrid (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
AFC probably can’t rely on Jesus for much longer due to his poor injury record, so if they could use him to tempt Atletico into doing business that could be a big win for them.
Could Arsenal succeed in swap deal with Atletico Madrid?
It remains to be seen how this will all pan out, but if Atletico want a signing up front, then perhaps they could also look at other Arsenal players like Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, and Leandro Trossard.
There are surely a few players there who’d be tempting for Diego Simeone even if Jesus ends up being deemed too risky due to his poor recent fitness record.
Manchester United’s interim manager Michael Carrick will have “very good chances” of landing the job permanently if this strong start continues.
That’s according to Fabrizio Romano on YouTube, with the journalist explaining that there’s no final decision yet on the Man Utd manager position.
Still, Carrick has made a terrific start, winning three out of three since taking over in an interim role until the end of the season.
The 44-year-old former Red Devils midfielder has earned impressive wins over Manchester City and Arsenal in that time, and it seems Romano is not ruling him out getting the job beyond this season.
Fabrizio Romano on Michael Carrick’s chances of being Manchester United manager permanently
“In the summer we will see obviously, if Carrick will continue like this he will have very good chances, but this will be decided by the club later on, not now,” Romano said.
Michael Carrick celebrates after Manchester United’s win over Fulham at Old Trafford (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Romano has established himself as one of the most reliable journalists when it comes to transfers and reporting on managerial changes, so fans will undoubtedly be interested to see that he’s not ruling Carrick out of the running for the permanent job.
MUFC probably need to go for someone more proven and experienced, but it’s also looking like being increasingly hard for them to ignore the impact Carrick has had.
Should Michael Carrick be next Manchester United manager?
Carrick did an impressive job during a spell in charge of Championship club Middlesbrough, and one imagines he has it in him to coach in the Premier League.
It’s probably too early to know for sure if he has what it takes to manage a big name like United, but he’s done his chances no harm with a fantastic start.
Many United fans will also surely be rooting for him as he’s one of their best players from the Sir Alex Ferguson era, and someone who understands a lot about what it takes to succeed at this club.
However, the Daily Mirror now report that this request has been rejected by the EFL, leaving City without an important player for the March 22nd clash against the Gunners.
Pep Guardiola on Marc Guehi playing the Carabao Cup final
Speaking after the semi-final victory over Newcastle United last night, Guardiola made it clear he could not understand why Guehi was not allowed to play.
“Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc can play the final. I don’t understand why he cannot play the final.
“You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don’t understand. Hopefully they can change it.”
Marc Guehi in action for Man City vs Tottenham (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
He added: “I said to the club, they have to ask, definitely. I don’t understand the reason why he cannot play in the final in March, when I have been here for a long time.
“The rules to buy a player depends on Fifa, Uefa, the Premier League who say, OK the transfer window is open, when you buy a player you have to play, no? It’s logic. Of course we are going to try to ask [for] him to play. Pure logic.”
Early boost for Arsenal in Carabao Cup final
Even if it was never particularly likely that Guehi would be allowed to play, this is a bit of a boost for Arsenal as they prepare to take on City at Wembley next month.
Mikel Arteta’s side are desperate to end their six-year wait for a trophy, and it won’t be easy defeating this City side, even if they’ve not been at their best this season.
Any boost they can get will be welcome, with City suffering some injuries in defence in recent times that could prove costly in a big game like this.
That’s why Guehi was signed from Crystal Palace this January, and Guardiola will no doubt be furious that he can’t use the England international in what is sure to be one of his team’s most important games all season.
This comes just a few weeks after Liam Rosenior’s appointment to replace Enzo Maresca, though it isn’t entirely clear if Hazard is pushing for this to happen now.
Still, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Belgian made it clear how big a fan he is of Fabregas after seeing his work with Serie A side Como.
The Spaniard, who played alongside Hazard at Chelsea, is becoming widely regarded as one of the most promising young coaches in the game, so it makes sense that a big move could be on the cards sooner or later.
Eden Hazard wants Cesc Fabregas as Chelsea manager
Discussing Fabregas’ work at Como, Hazard says he’s already urged him to come back to Stamford Bridge.
Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos, Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“I’ll be honest, in the summer we talked a bit. I told him he was one of the best midfielders in history and that he’s destined to become one of the best coaches as well,” Hazard said.
“I explained to him that the time has come for him to return to Chelsea, and he joked about it, but I really believe it. He loves football and knows everything about this sport.
“I’m a Chelsea fan, and I want the best for the club. That’s why I dream of seeing Cesc on their bench, while I’ll be staying in the stands behind him, enjoying the show.”
Could Cesc Fabregas replace Liam Rosenior?
Even though Rosenior hasn’t been in the job long, we know that Chelsea change managers pretty quickly.
The west London giants have already been through Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, and Enzo Maresca under these owners, so Rosenior might not get that much time to impress.
It seems Hazard is already making it clear he’d welcome Fabregas back to CFC even if it meant replacing Rosenior, though he didn’t say that explicitly.
Still, Hazard’s comments hint at that, with the pair clearly already discussing this in recent times, and with Hazard stating clearly that he still views the 38-year-old as ideal for the job.
The England international had fallen completely out of favour under Amorim, who was sacked by Man Utd last month after poor results and performances.
However, Mainoo is now back in the starting line up under interim manager Michael Carrick, and performing very well again, showing how important he can be for the Red Devils.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that Mainoo really could have left if Amorim had stayed, but not because he wanted out of United for any reason other than the fact that he wasn’t playing.
Kobbie Mainoo update from Fabrizio Romano
Kobbie Mainoo in action for Manchester United against Arsenal (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Although Mainoo was unhappy at falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford, he only wanted to leave on loan to boost his playing time, according to Romano.
“Don’t forget the big change around Kobbie Mainoo in the recent weeks with Ruben Amorim. He was probably going to leave the club,” Romano said.
“And let me mention once again, Kobe Mayo never wanted to leave Man United. Kobbie Mainoo only wanted to play football. So Kobbie was not asking, ‘I don’t like Man United. I don’t love Man United. I want to go. I want another project.’ No, Kobbie only wanted to play football, which is something normal for a football player, especially when you are so young.
So Kobbie was prepared to go on loan, not on a permanent transfer because he loves Man United. He loves the club. He’s a Man United boy. But let me mention to you that Kobbie Mainoo is now a crucial player for Michael Carrick.”
Kobbie Mainoo happy at Manchester United
As we’ve recently reported, Mainoo is happy at United now despite having previously attracted interest from the likes of Napoli and Chelsea.
The 20-year-old now looks like he can become a key player for MUFC after initially making his breakthrough under Erik ten Hag.
Things went downhill for him under Amorim, but Carrick now looks to be reviving his career, which will no doubt go down well with fans who like seeing homegrown talents coming through.
Ronaldo was notably absent from Al Nassr’s last match, in an act of protest against the Public Investment Fund, which directly controls Saudi Arabia’s major clubs.
The striker, who is used to having his own way, feels that PIF’s decision-making is not in his favour, according to ESPN. Now, with the situation at boiling point, it seems unlikely that he’ll complete the remaining 18 months of his £488,000-per-day agreement with the Saudi club.
The final straw for Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Al Nassr (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Ronaldo’s refusal to play in the latest match was triggered by Karim Benzema’s transfer from Al Ittihad and Al Hilal, a shift which greatly strengthens Al Nassr’s biggest rival. According to sources close to the star, Ronaldo feels that his club is taking a backseat in the eyes of the PIF.
In his view, he is being exploited, while other teams receive unfair favouritism. His decision not to play is a dramatic declaration of intent. He is leveraging his huge public persona to force changes in the Saudi league. If he can’t do that, his exit seems inevitable.
Cristiano Ronaldo transfer back to Man United looks unlikely
Following this intense scrutiny, it’s no surprise that fans are wondering whether we’ll see Ronaldo back at the club where he made his name.
But his former colleague, Wes Brown, says no. The ex-Manchester United centre back told BettingLounge: “He’s not happy, but would Cristiano Ronaldo come back to Manchester United for a third go? I would say no. I can’t see how that could happen.”
Arsenal have had some initial talks over signing one of the hottest prospects in Brazil, but Chelsea could also come into the conversation.
As first reported here for the Daily Briefing, sources in the industry believe it could end up being a big summer for Corinthians midfielder Breno Bidon, who already attracted a lot of interest in the January transfer window just gone.
The 20-year-old central midfielder has already played over 100 senior matches for Corinthians, scoring four goals, and it seems clear that he’ll earn himself a big move sooner rather than later.
Breno Bidon on Arsenal’s radar as host of European clubs show interest in star with €100m release clause
For the time being, the feeling among well-connected sources in the industry is that Arsenal have the strongest interest in Bidon, and that they’re also most advanced with that interest as initial talks have already taken place.
The Gunners have reached out over this deal via intermediaries, but other top clubs like Chelsea are also monitoring the Brazilian starlet closely.
Breno Bidon in action for Corinthians (Photo by Pedro H. Tesch/Getty Images)
“Arsenal are firmly in the mix,” one source said. “They have done some early work on this deal, but of course Corinthians aren’t keen to sell. They’re in a strong negotiating position because his release clause is €100m.”
Other sources suggest, however, that Corinthians are realistic about Bidon’s future and might accept something more like €30m for him in the summer.
Chelsea are known for recruiting elite young talents like this and he could view Stamford Bridge as a good move for his development, though Arsenal also look like a tempting destination right now.
I’m told that other clubs to watch could be Barcelona, as well as clubs in Italy and Portugal.
Former Aston Villa star Gabriel Agbonlahor has criticised Liam Delap’s decision to join Chelsea last summer as he seems to be struggling for the Blues.
Delap impressed at Ipswich Town last season, scoring 12 goals in 37 Premier League games for a weak side that ended up getting relegated.
The 22-year-old has just one league goal in 15 appearances for CFC so far this season, and Agbonlahor believes this move came too soon for him.
Chelsea should’ve signed Victor Osimhen, Liam Delap should’ve gone to Everton
Speaking on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor said that although he rates Delap, he felt in the summer like this big move came too soon for him, and that he should have gone to a club like Everton instead.
The pundit also suggested that Chelsea would have been better off signing a proven big name like Victor Osimhen for the striker role instead of Delap.
Liam Delap applauds the Chelsea fans (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
“No, this isn’t working. I said when he joined Chelsea that I thought he should have gone to a team like Everton,” Agbonlahor said.
“Develop there for a couple of years and then make the big move to top-six side. I think the jump from Ipswich to Chelsea was too much.
“When I look at him as a striker, I like him – he can hold up the ball well, he’s a good finisher, but he just doesn’t look sharp enough for the top level of the Premier League.
“Someone like Osimhen was the striker they should have gone out and got.”
Liam Delap the latest striker to struggle for Chelsea
Chelsea have had a lot of problems signing strikers down the years, with so many big names turning out to be flops.
Nicolas Jackson looked promising when he first joined, but failed to develop, and is now out on loan at Bayern Munich, while Delap has not looked like an upgrade at all.
Going further back down the years, others like Timo Werner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Radamel Falcao, and Fernando Torres also struggled to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge.
Delap is still young and could have a big future in the game, but he’ll have to improve quickly or he might not get many more opportunities for Chelsea.
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly ready to boycott another Al Nassr game as he could push for a transfer away from the club in June.
According to ESPN, Ronaldo remains firm in his stance that PFI should change their transfer policy, and he’s willing to continue his strike to push for change.
The report adds that if the situation doesn’t change by the summer, Ronaldo would be prepared to ask to leave Al Nassr.
The Portugal international refused to play in Al Nassr’s last game, with ESPN adding that he tried to block Karim Benzema’s transfer from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal earlier this week.
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo unhappy at Al Nassr?
As the report goes on to explain, there have been some changes at Al Nassr recently that have hindered what the club can do in the transfer market.
Cristiano Ronaldo lining up for Al Nassr (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Club director Simao Coutinho and CEO Jose Semedo were recently suspended by PIF, which angered Ronaldo, while there was also apparently a cut to the team’s expenses.
While all this has been happening, Al Hilal have been given more money to spend on big signings like Benzema, so it’s perhaps not too surprising that Ronaldo has been left frustrated by the whole saga.
The 41-year-old has a contract with Al Nassr until 2027, but it might now be tricky for them to hold on to him.
It would surely be a big blow for Saudi football to lose Ronaldo, but it’s clear they’ll have to make some changes to keep this star name happy.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made it clear that the club will try to ask to get Marc Guehi available for the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.
The England international actually scored against Arsenal in Palace’s quarter-final defeat at the Emirates Stadium in December, and he’ll now be a key player for Guardiola’s side after being brought in to help with the club’s injury crisis.
City recently lost Josko Gvardiol to a long-term injury, while Ruben Dias has also missed a lot of games, so it’s not surprising to see Guardiola now pushing to have Guehi available to him for the Carabao Cup final.
Pep Guardiola on pushing to get Marc Guehi eligible to play vs Arsenal
Speaking after last night’s semi-final second leg victory over Newcastle, Guardiola suggested the club will speak to the relevant authorities about getting them to change the rules.
Marc Guehi in action for Manchester City (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
As quoted by BBC Sport, the Spanish tactician said: “Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc can play the final. I don’t understand why he cannot play the final.
“You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don’t understand. Hopefully they can change it.”
He added: “I said to the club, they have to ask, definitely. I don’t understand the reason why he cannot play in the final in March, when I have been here for a long time.
“The rules to buy a player depends on Fifa, Uefa, the Premier League who say, OK the transfer window is open, when you buy a player you have to play, no? It’s logic. Of course we are going to try to ask [for] him to play. Pure logic.
Asked what answer he expected, Guardiola responded: “No. But we will try.”
When asked about this by talkSPORT, Magpies CEO David Hopkinson didn’t deny the stories, but simply stated he didn’t know.
This follows the Athletic reporting that Tonali’s agent offered the player to the Gunners, and although it was too late for anything to happen in the January transfer window, it perhaps suggests it’s going to be a story to watch out for in the summer.
Hopkinson, however, made it clear that he feels Tonali is very happy at Newcastle and that the Italy international is hugely important to the club.
Newcastle chief speaks out on Sandro Tonali Arsenal transfer story
When asked if the Tonali stories were true, Hopkinson said: “I have no idea. That’s our answer.
“Eddie (Howe) got it right, he doesn’t know, I don’t know. Here’s what I do know, he’s a superstar player, he’s under contract here.
Sandro Tonali warming up for Newcastle United (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
“He’s not the only player we had that other clubs would covet, so I think if we get a situation where people aren’t trying to muck about and sew some chaos into the marketplace in order to dislodge our players then we’ve got a real problem.
“Sandro has been a wonderful player, a smile’s on every day I see him, I believe he’s happy here and we’re certainly happy with him.”
Could Arsenal lure Sandro Tonali away from Newcastle?
Tonali has shone for Newcastle, helping them qualify for the Champions League last season, but he’d surely be tempted by a big name like Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s project really looks like it’s going somewhere now, with the north Londoners topping the Premier League table, Champions League league phase, and making it to the final of the Carabao Cup this season.
Tonali could be a great fit alongside the likes of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi in midfield, but Newcastle will surely do all they can to keep the 25-year-old.
As Hopkinson said, he’s a superstar player for NUFC and they won’t want a repeat of last summer’s saga that saw Alexander Isak leave St James’ Park for a big-money move to Liverpool.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave the perfect response when asked about Manchester United legend Paul Scholes criticising his team’s style.
Speaking at his press conference on Monday, Arteta was asked about concerns over his tactics and how entertaining the style of football has been this season.
Arsenal have had their critics, though Arteta mainly insisted that he only hears good things from people he’s spoken to around Europe.
The Spanish tactician was then also asked about Scholes in particular, as the pundit has been particularly outspoken about finding Arsenal boring to watch.
See below as Arteta shrugged it off in pretty damning style, making it clear how little Scholes’ opinion meant to him!
? Mikel Arteta's brilliant reaction to hearing that Paul Scholes is not a fan of Arsenal's style of play! ? pic.twitter.com/I4shy7WBKM
Arsenal fans won’t care about style as Arteta’s side close in on titles
Arsenal aren’t exactly playing the free-flowing attacking football that became their trademark under Arsene Wenger for so many years, but that approach didn’t exactly bring much success in the second half of the Frenchman’s reign.
Arsenal fans will just want to see their club get over the line as they chase the Premier League title and close in on the final of the Carabao Cup.
Mikel Arteta shouts instructions during Leeds vs Arsenal (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Plenty of teams have enjoyed success with a variety of different approaches down the years, and Arsenal under Wenger were often criticised for not being better at adapting their tactics to grind out results when needed.
Now that AFC are better at that, they seem to be attracting critics too, so Arteta will surely continue to shut out the noise from media figures like Scholes.
See below for details as Dean also revealed the fee for the player, whose arrival still hasn’t been officially confirmed by the clubs…
I'm told Jaden Dixon will be joining Arsenal from Stoke City for a fee of around £500,000. Chelsea were also interested in signing the 18-year-old England youth international.
“I’m told Jaden Dixon will be joining Arsenal from Stoke City for a fee of around £500,000. Chelsea were also interested in signing the 18-year-old England youth international,” Dean posted.
Arsenal get a late deal done as Chelsea miss out on top prospect
Arsenal fans will surely be pleased with this smart bit of business, with Dixon joining for very cheap despite looking like someone whose value will surely increase a lot in the next few years.
Jaden Dixon in action for Stoke City
The teenager has shown huge potential at Stoke, and it makes sense that this was a deal Chelsea were also really keen on.
The Blues have a policy of recruiting the best young players from English football and elsewhere in the world, and it looks like Dixon could have been a good fit.
Arsenal fans will now hope the Dixon deal can be officially announced soon and that he can go on to make an impact on their first-team before too long.
Even if he most likely won’t be a regular straight away, we have seen Mikel Arteta giving plenty of opportunities to top young players in recent times.
The transfer window is now closed, so we’ve rounded up every single done deal by all 20 Premier League clubs over the last month.
It wasn’t the most memorable January transfer window, but read on for every done deal as there were some major deals done by the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.
For City, it was a pretty exciting window as Pep Guardiola moved to bring in Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth after his terrific form there in the last year and a half or so.
Meanwhile, Marc Guehi also made the move to the Etihad Stadium to fill the void left by the injured Josko Gvardiol, meaning that long-running saga came to an end a little earlier than expected, with his Crystal Palace contract only a few months away from expiring anyway.
For Arsenal, it was mostly a window of exits, as Ethan Nwaneri joined Marseille on loan, while Oleksandr Zinchenko left for a permanent move to Ajax.
Elsewhere, Conor Gallagher was a big name arrival back to the Premier League, with the former Chelsea midfielder leaving Atletico Madrid after a year and a half to join Tottenham.
Read on for our full list of done deals from this transfer window…
Arsenal
IN
None
OUT
Osman Kamara – Blackburn, undisclosed
Oleksandr Zinchenko – Ajax, undisclosed
Louie Copley – Crawley, loan
Ethan Nwaneri – Marseille, loan
Maldini Kacurri – Grimsby, loan
Aston Villa
Tammy Abraham in action for Aston Villa (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
IN
Tammy Abraham – Besiktas, £18.2m
Alysson – Gremio, £10m
Brian Madjo – Metz, undisclosed
Leon Bailey – Roma, loan recall
Douglas Luiz – Juventus, loan
OUT
Louie Barry – Stockport, loan
Samuel Iling-Junior, Pisa, loan
Ben Broggio – Falkirk, loan
Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba – West Brom, loan
Evann Guessand – Crystal Palace, loan
Aidan Borland – Swindon, loan
Sil Swinkels – Chesterfield, loan
Donyell Malen – Roma, loan with £21.6m obligation to buy
Liverpool have reportedly taken another step closer to signing Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who has now had his medical with the Reds.
The talented 20-year-old has been the subject of a lot of interest this winter, with the Athletic reporting on his medical with Liverpool being scheduled.
And now Mike McGrath of the Telegraph has posted on X that that medical has now been done, with Jacquet all set to join Liverpool for a potential £60m package in the summer.
Jérémy Jacquet has completed his medical at Liverpool. The 20yr centre-back will join #LFC in £60m deal, with £55m up front and join in the summer after completing the season with Rennes
McGrath posted: “Jérémy Jacquet has completed his medical at Liverpool. The 20yr centre-back will join #LFC in £60m deal, with £55m up front and join in the summer after completing the season with Rennes.”
Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol had posted about the Blues pursuing the young defender, with Rennes’ preference always being to keep him until the summer.
Perhaps this ended up being the key detail, as LFC have clearly allowed Jacquet to remain with the Ligue 1 club for a few more months.
Jeremy Jacquet in action for Rennes
Chelsea, by contrast, looked like they really needed a new defender now, and this led to them recalling Mamadou Sarr from his loan spell at Strasbourg.
Liverpool fans will be delighted to see their club move quickly to hijack the deal and secure the services of one of the most highly regarded young defenders in Europe.
Arne Slot looks like he could do with a signing like this for the near future, with Virgil van Dijk not getting any younger, while Ibrahima Konate is coming towards the end of his contract this summer.
Chelsea have officially announced that Mamadou Sarr has been recalled to the club from his loan at Strasbourg, while Aaron Anselmino has joined the Ligue 1 side.
The Blues recently recalled Anselmino from his loan stint with Borussia Dortmund, and it looked like this could lead to him being involved in their first-team in the second half of the season.
However, Chelsea have now confirmed that the talented young Argentine has instead gone on loan to Strasbourg for the second half of this campaign, replacing Sarr as he’s returned to Stamford Bridge.
See below for the official announcements, which came in quick succession this evening…
Mamadou Sarr has returned to Chelsea from his loan spell at Strasbourg.
Even if some Chelsea fans might be a bit baffled by all this movement, it could end up being smart business by the west London giants to get Sarr playing under Liam Rosenior again.
Rosenior recently replaced Enzo Maresca as CFC manager, having impressed at fellow BlueCo club Strasbourg.
Mamadou Sarr takes a sip of water (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Sarr played under Rosenior and performed well, so that could be a useful option for Chelsea to have in the second half of the season.
It will be interesting to see if the talented 20-year-old goes straight into the Chelsea team, but there’s no doubt Rosenior could do with more options at the back.
There’ll no doubt be fans looking into last minute Arsenal vs Chelsea tickets for tomorrow night’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, but that game is surely going to come too soon for Sarr.
The Senegal international would really be being thrown in at the deep end if he were to be handed his Chelsea debut in such a big game at the Emirates Stadium, but perhaps after that he’ll get a run in the side.
?? EXCLUSIVE: Dayot Upamecano approves new deal at Bayern, clubs interested are informed!
He’s set to sign new contract soon at FC Bayern, happy to stay as huge boost for the club after big efforts from club and player side to make it happen. ??
Romano posted: “Dayot Upamecano approves new deal at Bayern, clubs interested are informed! He’s set to sign new contract soon at FC Bayern, happy to stay as huge boost for the club after big efforts from club and player side to make it happen. It will be valid until 2030.”
Dayot Upamecano decision looks like a blow for Liverpool
We’ve previously reported on Liverpool’s interest in Upamecano, as has Christian Falk in one of his columns here, but the Reds now look set to miss out on the 27-year-old.
Dayot Upamecano in action for Bayern (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
This is hardly ideal for LFC at a time when they look in need of a major shake-up in defence, with Ibrahima Konate coming towards the end of his contract at Anfield.
Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger, so there could soon be the need for a player of Upamecano’s calibre to come in and become a new key player in Arne Slot’s back line.
Bayern fans will be delighted, though, as Upamecano can now put the speculation behind him and focus on getting back to his very best.
Fabrizio Romano has some positive Arsenal transfer news today despite it being a mostly underwhelming Deadline Day for the Gunners and a lot of other clubs.
It seems the Gunners have agreed the signing of Stoke City wonderkid Jaden Dixon, with Romano posting that the deal is done for £3.2m.
See below for details as Romano also claims Arsenal view this as a “massive signing” for a very highly regarded young talent…
???? EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal agree deal to sign England U19 international Jaden Dixon on a four-year deal.
Deal completed for £3.2m plus add-ons. Arsenal view the player as a massive signing beating several clubs to the signings. pic.twitter.com/9z5oX5SEKf
Romano posted: “Arsenal agree deal to sign England U19 international Jaden Dixon on a four-year deal. Deal completed for £3.2m plus add-ons. Arsenal view the player as a massive signing beating several clubs to the signings.”
Arsenal have had long-standing transfer interest in Jaden Dixon
This is not the first time Arsenal have been linked with Dixon, with the Daily Mail first reporting on the north Londoners keeping tabs on him almost a year ago.
Jayden Dixon is set to sign for Arsenal
Still, it now seems a deal is close to going through, so Arsenal can say they’ve got an important bit of business done before this evening’s transfer deadline.
Interestingly, it’s not the first time Arsenal have signed a Dixon from Stoke!
Back in 1988, Lee Dixon made the move from Stoke to Arsenal, and he ended up becoming an all-time great for the Gunners, forming part of that legendary back four along with other top defensive players such as Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Nigel Winterburn.
Dixon stayed at Arsenal until his retirement in 2002, winning a total of four league titles and numerous other major honours.
If this Dixon can go on to enjoy even half the career that his namesake had at Arsenal, then he’ll have done very well indeed!
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