ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the club will open transfer talks with Real Madrid over a deal for Martin Odegaard ‘in the next few weeks’.
Elsewhere, Wilfried Zaha has insisted again he would leave Crystal Palace for a ‘top’ club with reports of Arsenal and Tottenhm interest.
And, there’s been a big change in the backroom with club legend and Under-23s coach Steve Bould dismissed.
Dennis Bergkamp has told Arsenal fans that Daniel Ek is STILL interested in buying the club off Stan Kroenke.
WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game
Get all the latest Arsenal news, transfer gossip and updates with our live blog…
CALLING A CEB
Outgoing loanee Dani Ceballos has wished Arsenal a hearty thanks on social media this afternoon.
The Spaniard, 24, wrote: “Thanks @Arsenal and thanks to all Gunners.
“I wish you all the best and the success that I’m sure will come.
“Let’s go Gunners!
“Goodbye
“THANKS FOR ALL!”
WILF HUNTER
Tottenham and Everton have reportedly joined the race for long-term Arsenal target Wilfried Zaha this summer.
The 28-year-old winger is once again facing an uncertain future as he looks to depart Selhurst Park in his quest to win silverware.
And with just two years left to run on his contract in South London, the Ivory Coast international is unlikely to pen a new deal.
According to Goal, both Spurs and the Toffees are chasing Zaha, while long-term admirers Arsenal are now claimed to be eyeing up Norwich’s Emiliano Buendia instead.
NINTCHDBPICT000655113129-1Credit: Alamy CIAO JOE
Joe Montemurro is rumoured to be close to becoming Juventus Women’s head coach following his Arsenal departure, according to reports.
The 51-year-old is top of the Serie A Women’s side’s shortlist for the role according to the Italian newspaper Affari Italiani.
Speculation has grown following the news of Rita Guarino’s decision to leave the Italian champions after four years at the helm.
Guarino, 50, had been in charge since the Old Lady’s women’s team was established in 2017.
Juve, who crushed Inter Milan in their final Serie A game of the 2020-21 season, won their fourth top-flight title this year.
And the Turin juggernauts have dominated the Italian women’s game since their creation winning one Cup and two Super Cups.
Australian Montemurro has Italian parents and spent five years as a player in the country.
ARSENAL BACK SAKA AFTER ENGLAND CALL-UP
ARSEN-ALL OVER
Willian is keen to quit Arsenal and re-join Chelsea just 12 months after leaving on a free, according to reports.
The Brazilian forward, 32, walked away from Stamford Bridge last year after the Blues refused to offer him a three-year contract extension.
Chelsea famously refuse to offer more than one-year extensions to players over the age of 30, but were willing to compromise and hand Willian a two-year deal.
But Willian instead opted to sign a three-year deal at Arsenal.
Things haven’t gone smoothly for the winger though, after a tricky debut season in North London.
It’s now believed Willian and is keen to quit the Emirates – with a number of clubs monitoring his situation.
Willian believed to have offers from across Europe, with David Beckham’s Inter Miami also keen.
But Sky Sports now say the forward is keen to head back to Chelsea, where he played over 300 times in seven years – helping the club win two Premier League crowns.
ENGLAND’S EUROS SQUAD BY CLUB
‘BACKED OFF’
Jamie Vardy “backed off” from a move to Arsenal from Leicester after a meeting with Arsene Wenger in 2016.
The Gunners matched the £20million release fee clause inserted in the striker’s contract at the time and soon opened talks with the hotshot.
Vardy, who had just returned from Euro 2016 with England, scored 24 goals to fire Leicester to their magical Premier League title win the season previous.
The ex-Fleetwood marksman looked set to leave the King Power to join Arsenal only to change his mind late on, and he still remains at the Foxes.
He previously told Sun Sport: “I’ve always said the brotherhood at Leicester is unbelievable.
“It wasn’t that big a decision, it was quite easy, this is where I wanted to be.”
Now Dick Law, who was Arsenal’s transfer negotiator at the time, has now revealed how the deal broke down.
He told The Athletic: “The deal with Leicester was done, the deal with the player was done.
“He came down to visit with his wife Rebekah, he sat on the couch in front of Arsene…and then he backed off.
“On his way back to Leicester I get a call from the player saying he wants to think about it overnight. At that point, you know it’s bad news.”
HEROES & VILLAINS
Arsenal finished two places below where they were expected to in the Premier League this season, according to a Premier League supercomputer
But Wolves and relegated Sheffield United were the biggest disappointments of the campaign.
Dean Smith’s side avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth on the final day of last season but have transformed themselves this campaign.
But the Blades were a revelation in 2019-20 before capitulating this season and dropping into the Championship.
After Villa, West Ham and Newcastle were the next biggest over-achievers.
Both sides finished five positions higher than Bettingexperts’ supercomputer predicted they would at the start of the campaign.
SAKA THE ONLY ARSENAL PLAYER IN ENGLAND SQUAD
Bukayo Saka is the only Arsenal player to be named in England manager Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man Euro 2020 squad.
Credit: Getty
ENGLAND’S PROVISIONAL 33-MAN SQUAD FOR EURO 2020 (ARSENAL PLAYERS IN BOLD)
GOALKEEPERS: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield Utd).
DEFENDERS: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), John Stones (Man City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Man City), Ben White (Brighton).
MIDFIELDERS: Jude Bellingham (Dortmund), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (West Ham/Man Utd), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
FORWARDS: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Mason Greenwood (Man Utd), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Dortmund), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
CONTROVERSY
CIES Football Observatory have named their Premier League Team of the Year leaving fans utterly furious.
Another top-flight season is in the books with Manchester City reclaiming their title from Liverpool.
In an exciting season, the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Mohamed Salah, Luke Shaw, Ilkay Gundogan and N’Golo Kante set the league alight with their incredible play.
Yet bizarrely, NONE of those star names made CIES Football Observatory’s best XI for 2020-21.
Even more astonishingly the team did include the likes of Granit Xhaka and Victor Lindelof.
ARTETA NAMED FOR PL MANAGER OF THE MONTH
MAT FINISH
Mat Ryan has hinted he could prolong his stay at Arsenal following his loan spell from Brighton.
The boyhood Arsenal took to social media where he uploaded a number of pictures from his time at the club.
Captioning the Instagram post, he said: “Have had a blast with this last chapter experiencing all that’s been involved in representing Arsenal.
“Have learnt so much and enjoyed every minute of it.
“To the many great people around the club whom I’ve had the pleasure of associating with, thank you for making me feel welcome and making the transition into the family a very easy one.
“I look forward to continuing the relationships well into the future. Excited for what the future will bring.”
SO NEAR YET SO VARSENAL
Arsenal would have finished FOURTH without VAR this season.
A SunSport study of all the decisions overturned by Stockley Park shows the Gunners were the biggest “sufferers” from the system.
If all on-field original decisions had stuck, Mikel Arteta’s men would have earned four more points.
That would have been enough to take them above Tottenham, West Ham AND Chelsea and steal the final Champions League spot.
Instead, Arsenal finished eighth and OUT of Europe for the first time since 1995-96.
SAND STORM
Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge has dropped a hint regarding his future amid interest from Arsenal.
Berge has fuelled speculation that he could link up with Mikel Arteta’s side after posting a picture of him with Odegaard on his Instagram story on Monday night.
Berge shared a photo of the two enjoying a meal out, with Arsenal fans left convinced they was discussing potential moves to the club.
PERFECT PEPE
Who loved this strike on the final day to give Arsenal a comfortable victory over Brighton?
CIAO JOE
Joe Montemurro is rumoured to be close to becoming Juventus Women’s head coach following his Arsenal departure, according to reports.
The 51-year-old is top of the Serie A Women’s side’s shortlist for the role according to the Italian newspaper Affari Italiani.
Speculation has grown following the news of Rita Guarino’s decision to leave the Italian champions after four years at the helm.
Guarino, 50, had been in charge since the Old Lady’s women’s team was established in 2017.
Juve, who crushed Inter Milan in their final Serie A game of the 2020-21 season, won their fourth top-flight title this year.
And the Turin juggernauts have dominated the Italian women’s game since their creation winning one Cup and two Super Cups.
Australian Montemurro has Italian parents and spent five years as a player in the country.
GOING FLOUT OUT
Arsenal ace Thomas Partey is facing the music after footage emerged of him allegedly flouting Covid rules at a private bash.
A video featuring the £45million star was shared on Instagram by a stunning model just before 3am on Sunday.
It appeared to show the Ghanaian, 27, dancing with pals at a heaving nightclub only hours after the Gunners had slumped to their worst end to a season in 25 years.
Arsenal confirmed it was taking the matter “seriously”.
Partey, wearing a white t-shirt and heavy gold chain, was seen alongside dozens of maskless revellers at the unidentified venue, thought to be in London.
Bow-tied waiters later brought out Dom Pérignon champagne topped with sparklers in a lavish celebration for the group.
There is no suggestion Partey was drinking at the bash.
£45m Arsenal star Thomas Partey celebrates club’s worst season for 25 years by living it up at a private nightclub bash surrounded by girls and champagneAUBA AND UNDER
Arsenal are interested in a shock move for Leicester flop Cengiz Under, according to reports.
Under joined the Foxes on loan from Roma last summer, to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ forward line.
The temporary deal included a £20million option to buy.
But with the Turkish international having failed to make an impact in the East Midlands, he is set to be back on the market this summer.
His contract in the Italian capital still has another two years left to run.
But he is expected to be sold in the coming months.
According to Tutto Mercato, the Gunners are one of a number of teams interested in signing the winger, to potentially link up with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
CE-BYE-LLOS
Dani Ceballos has taken to Instagram to thank Arsenal fans as he departs the club for a second time.
The Spaniard has spent the last two seasons on loan in North London.
And while things largely haven’t gone well on the pitch in that time, Ceballos, 24, still has plenty of amazing memories to take back to Madrid with him.
None more so than helping the Gunners win the FA Cup last season.
NICE FINISH
William Saliba finished his loan spell at Nice in fairytale fashion by scoring the winner against Lyon.
The centre-back will return to Arsenal this summer but left the Ligue 1 side a wonderful leaving present as he headed home on the hour mark to seal a 3-2 win.
Saliba joined the Gunners in a £27million deal in the summer of 2019 but is yet to make a first team appearance for the club.
The 20-year-old joined Nice on loan in January after Mikel Arteta left him out Arsenal’s Europa League and Premier League squads.
Saliba has played 22 games in all competitions for the French side but Sunday’s goal was his first.
MAT FINISH
Mat Ryan has hinted he could prolong his stay at Arsenal following his loan spell from Brighton.
The boyhood Arsenal took to social media where he uploaded a number of pictures from his time at the club.
Captioning the Instagram post, he said: “Have had a blast with this last chapter experiencing all that’s been involved in representing Arsenal.
“Have learnt so much and enjoyed every minute of it.
“To the many great people around the club whom I’ve had the pleasure of associating with, thank you for making me feel welcome and making the transition into the family a very easy one.
“I look forward to continuing the relationships well into the future. Excited for what the future will bring.”
GOOD MORNING ARSENAL FANS,
Dani Ceballos has taken to Instagram to thank Arsenal fans as he departs the club for a second time.
The Spaniard has spent the last two seasons on loan in North London.
He wrote: “Thanks Arsenal and thanks to all Gunners.
“For welcoming me with so much love from the very first day I wore this jersey. For letting me experience the feeling of being a Gunner and allowing me to be a part of your family all this time.
“A complicated year – for many reasons- has come to its end. Especially for having missed the chance of living home matches in the Emirates with our supporters. Still, I assure you that I will never
forget your warmth and support in every moment.“I am sure that Arsenal, being a historic and great team, will soon be back on top, winning championships and being a reference as it is and always has been. This club, and especially its supporters,
deserve it, and I am confident that they will achieve it.“Thanks to all those people who are part of the team: coaches, kit men, medical staff, communications and marketing team, employees, managers and especially the supporters.
“All those persons who so often work quietly giving all they have for this great club.
“I want you to know that I have always worked very hard and tried my very best for this crest and this jersey.
“I wish you all the best and the success that I’m sure will come.”
Elsewhere, Mikel Arteta feels Arsenal need to strengthen in the summer in order to compete with the rest of the Premier League next season.
The Spaniard said: “They’re going to get better [other PL teams] and they’re going to strengthen, so we need to get better.
“First of all, we have to get our players better, more consistent and help them to improve. All our way of playing, our philosophy, I think is in place.
“They buy into that and now is the moment to take it to the next level, to improve that and improve our consistency because since December to now, we’ve shown that we’re the second or third-best
team in the league.‘It’s not enough. Six months, the level is high, so we need to do that for 10 months.”
And finally, Arsenal legend Sol Campbell is out of the running for the England Under-21 job.
The former defender, who won 73 caps for the Three Lions in his playing career, is understood to have had an interview to succeed Aidy Boothroyd.
But the FA have decided to go in a different direction and ex-Southend and Macclesfield boss Campbell, 46, is no longer under consideration.
England can take their time over the appointment.
The Young Lions do not play a fixture until their Euro qualifier at home to Kosovo in September.
Justin Cochrane, the current head coach of England’s U17s side, remains the favourite for the role.
DAN IN THE DUMPS
Dani Ceballos has confirmed his exit from Arsenal as the midfielder posted an emotional message to Gunners fans ahead of his Real Madrid return.
EYES ON THE PRIZE
Manchester City romped to this season’s Premier League title, clinching glory with weeks to spare.
But while their success on the pitch increased this season, their prize money actually went DOWN.
According to The Times, City netted £163million for their efforts this campaign.
This figure is made up of their £123m ‘equal share’ payment – given to every club in this season’s Premier League – and then a further £40m for winning the title.
Eighth-placed Arsenal pocketed £26m, meaning their overall total was £149m.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
