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      Shirtless ex-Arsenal star looks unrecognisable with long dreadlocks two years after retiring

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      AN ARSENAL academy graduate looks completely different following a drastic new look – including long fluent dreadlocks.The former defender was famous for his lung-busting runs down the wing during his time at the Emirates.
      The ex-defender played 32 times for ArsenalCredit: Instagram @armandtraoreofficial

      He even played alongside the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie in North London.
      And also featured in Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonial in the first ever game at the Emirates Stadium back in 2006.
      The 33-year-old spent the majority of his playing career in English football – racking up a total of 97 Prem appearances.
      He ended his days with Cardiff three years ago despite failing to play a single minute during his second spell with the club.
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      And the speedster would announce his retirement at the age of 31.
      Back when he came through the ranks at Arsenal, he boasted a youthful look with a fresh trim and a clean beard.
      But he’s been rocking a remarkable change of look on Instagram.
      The short back and sides have been swapped for long flowing dreadlocks.
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      He went from the short hair to the longer look in the latter years of his playing days but the dreads only came about once he hung up his boots.
      And the mystery footballer can be revealed as… Armand Traore.

      Traore made 32 appearances for the Gunners, including in the humiliating 8-2 defeat against Manchester United in 2011.
      Only 13 of those came in the league though, with much of his game-time coming in the Carabao Cup.
      He would eventually leave Arsenal permanently in 2011 following loan stints with Portsmouth and Juventus.
      Traore also enjoyed spells with QPR, Nottingham Forest, Cardiff and Caykur Rizespor before returning to South Wales to round off his career.
      On the international stage, he spent his youth days with France, but eventually decided to play for Senegal at senior level, winning five caps.
      Traore spent five years at ArsenalCredit: Getty
      He played alongside the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Thierry HenryCredit: Getty
      Traore played 97 times in the Premier LeagueCredit: Arsenal FC – Getty
      He retired from football in 2020 with Cardiff City his last clubCredit: Jamie McPhilimey – The Sun More

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      Arsenal in running for Weston McKennie transfer with Juventus looking to cash in for £26m-rated midfielder

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      ARSENAL have joined the race to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, according to reports. Recent reports have indicated Leeds had been closing in on a deal to sign the American midfielder.
      Weston Mckennie’s transfer to Leeds is set to be hijacked by ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Mikel Arteta has insisted Arsenal need more midfield coverCredit: Getty
      However, following Mikel Arteta’s admittance that Arsenal “need more cover in midfield”, they have now thrown their hat in the ring to hijack the deal.
      According to Corriere dello Sport in Italy, Leeds have made first contact to sign McKennie in a deal worth up to £26million.

      Arsenal coming into the picture has changed the scene however, and McKennie would be far more open to moving to the Emirates than Elland Road.
      The report suggests if the Gunners convert their interest into a “concrete lunge” then a deal will be a formality.
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      A separate report from Calciomercato indicates McKennie’s agent is already in London to hear more about the offer from Leeds.
      Leeds have a strong American contingent at the heart of the club, including midfielder Tyler Adams – who partnered McKennie in midfield at the World Cup – and manager Jesse Marsch.
      But the pull of impending Champions League football which Arsenal seem all but certain to be able to offer next season could be too strong of a pulling factor for him.
      Juventus are happy to let the 24-year-old go despite recently being slapped with a 15-point penalty after they were found to have inflated transfer fees for players as part of a tax scam.
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      The Gunners recently suffered the loss of Mohamed Elneny through injury as midfield cover for the likes of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.
      Declan Rice has been earmarked as the man to join the club in midfield, but a deal for the West Ham skipper will not happen until the summer and could cost £80m.
      Arsenal have already completed deals to sign Leandro Trossard and Jukub Kiwior for a combined £48m from Brighton and Spezia respectively.
      Here’s how McKennie has performed this season based on a few stats More

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      Liverpool join Chelsea and Arsenal in Moises Caicedo transfer race as Brighton star hires new agents

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      LIVERPOOL are reportedly ready to battle Arsenal and Chelsea to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo.The 21-year-old Ecuadorian has taken the Premier League by storm since heading to the Amex initially under now-Chelsea boss Graham Potter.
      Liverpool are battling Arsenal and Chelsea to sign Brighton’s Moises CaicedoCredit: Reuters
      Under current manager Roberto De Zerbi – who is desperate to keep the ace – Caicedo’s development has continued at a rapid pace, with Brighton continuing to march up the table.
      We reported this week how Arsenal, who have already snatched one player from the Seagulls this month, had joined the scramble for his signature.
      Chelsea were reported to have had a £55million offer rejected last week as Brighton hold out for as much at £100m.
      And the midfielder has also hired a new agent as speculation mounts over his future.
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      Now transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has offered a fresh update on the situation. 
      He tweeted: “Three clubs are exploring Caicedo deal after new agents’ statement: Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are informed on the situation, as revealed on Monday.
      “Brighton, not intentioned to sell unless they receive really huge proposal.”
      Winger Leandro Trossard joined Arsenal in a £27million deal from Brighton and made his debut during the 3-2 win over Manchester United on Sunday.
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      The Seagulls have become serial recruiters of top talent which is then flipped for a huge profit margin, as evidenced by sales such as Marc Cucurella, Ben White and most recently Trossard.
      Trossard arrived at the Amex Stadium in 2019 for just £18m, while the respective fees they got for Cucurella and White saw Brighton receive more money than what it cost them to build their stadium.
      Caicedo is set to be the next name on that list of profitable acquisitions by the club after he cost them just £5m Independiente del Valle two years ago.
      And his price tag may swell amid Liverpool’s interest. 
      The Reds have endured a miserable campaign so far and Jurgen Klopp is believed to be looking to bolster his ageing midfield ahead of the next campaign. More

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      Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda misses training with Real Valladolid as he’s set to make decision on future TODAY

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      REAL VALLADOLID wonderkid Ivan Fresneda reportedly missed training today as he decides whether to sign for Arsenal or Borussia Dortmund.We reported earlier how the Gunners and Dortmund had agreed a £13.1million deal for the right-back.
      Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda missed training with Real Valladolid todayCredit: Getty
      The Spaniard, 18, has shone at Real Valladolid in LaLiga this season and has attracted interest from a number of clubs including Newcastle.
      But now the star appears to have a straight choice between joining Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders or the Bundesliga giants.
      Spanish outlet Marca claims that Fresneda was “absent with discomfort” from the club’s training session earlier.
      Arsenal have allowed full-back Cedric Soares, 31, to depart the Emirates and join Fulham on loan for the rest of the season.
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      That has freed up space in the squad for the potential arrival of the Spanish U19 international.
      It has been widely-reported that Dortmund believe they are ahead of the Gunners in the chase for the teen’s signature.
      They are currently in a battle for a top four spot in the Bundesliga, sitting sixth but just seven points off leaders Bayern Munich.
      Meanwhile, Arsenal are top of the Premier League, five points ahead of defending champions Man City.
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      But whichever outfit he eventually opts for, it is also expected that Fresneda will spend the remainder of the campaign with Valladolid on loan.
      He has already made 12 appearances this term, but he has been unable to stop Valladolid’s shocking recent form.
      The club have lost five games in a row in LaLiga and are without a win since the beginning of November.
      As a result of their poor run, they have slipped into the relegation zone. More

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      Arsenal eyeing Everton midfielder Onana and Sociedad’s Zubimendi in £100m transfer raid after ‘concerning’ Elneny injury

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      MIKEL ARTETA has confirmed that Arsenal are still in the market for another midfielder before the transfer window closes.The Premier League leaders have already spent £48million this month on Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior.
      Mohamed Elneny has picked up a knee injuryCredit: Getty
      Manager Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to sign more cover in the midfieldCredit: AFP
      Everton star Amadou Onana is one potential option for the GunnersCredit: Getty
      But now Arteta wants to add another holding midfield player before Tuesday’s deadline amid concerns that Mohamed Elneny could have played his last game for the club.
      With just five days left to complete any further business, Everton’s Amadou Onana and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi are on Arsenal’s radar.
      And the need for reinforcements has been intensified by Elneny’s knee injury, which is feared to be far worse than initially suspected.
      The 30-year-old Egypt international is in the last year of his Emirates contract, although the club has the option of extending it by further 12 months.
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      And there are concerns Elneny could be sidelined for the rest of the season by the injury which he suffered in training two weeks ago.
      Arteta admitted: “Mo has had some issues with his knee that we are assessing and we will have to see how he evolves in the next couple of days.
      “There are concerns about the injury because he’s a player who never complains about anything.
      “We need more cover in midfield but it’s pretty complicated to do that in this market.
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      “But if there’s anyone available who can make us better we will look at it.”
      Arsenal have already rejected Monaco’s request to take Albert Sambi Lokonga on loan for the rest of the season as he is currently their only available midfield cover for Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey.
      But neither Onana nor Zubimendi will come cheaply, with both players currently valued at around £50million by their clubs.
      Matin Zubimendi is valued at £50million by Real SociedadCredit: Getty More

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      Brighton bid for Man Utd target Haidara opening the door for Chelsea and Arsenal to battle it out for Caicedo

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      BRIGHTON are reportedly trying to sign RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara.And the Mali international’s possible arrival at the Amex Stadium could allow Moises Caicedo to join Arsenal or Chelsea.
      Amadou Haidara has attracted interest from Man Utd and LiverpoolCredit: Rex
      Moises Caicedo has been sensational for Brighton so far this seasonCredit: Reuters
      Haidara, 24, who signed for Leipzig from RB Salzburg in 2019, has contributed 12 goals and eight assists in 133 appearances for the German side.
      According to The Independent, Brighton have seen an offer for the midfielder rejected by the Bundesliga outfit.
      It is understood that Leipzig do not want to sell in January as they believe it would be a struggle to find a replacement.
      Leipzig are currently just four points off Bayern Munich at the top of the table.
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      But Haidara’s failure to secure a move in January may only postpone his exit as he has a clause in his contract which will allow him to leave in the summer.
      Man Utd and Newcastle have previously been interested in him.
      But if Brighton can secure his services, that may free up Seagulls man Caicedo to depart the club.
      The Ecuadorian, 21, has been linked with a move to both Arsenal and Chelsea.
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      He could yet join former team-mate Leandro Trossard at the Emirates, or Marc Cucurella at Stamford Bridge.
      But Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is determined to keep his midfield maestro.
      Speaking earlier this month, he said: “He is very important for us, it would be difficult to change with another player now.
      “I hope he finishes the season with us, but you know in the transfer market it is always difficult to give you one answer.
      “When there are some bigger teams and they want one of our players, it is good news for us.
      “The best solution for us is he can finish the season with us. Next summer, for him, is better to change team.” More

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      Arsenal’s forgotten star Cedric Soares on brink of joining Fulham on loan until end of season

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      ARSENAL star Cedric Soares is on the verge of joining Fulham on loan, according to reports.The defender has been a bit part player this season with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu above him in the pecking order.
      Cedric Soares looks set to join Fulham on loanCredit: Getty
      Fulham opened talks with the Gunners earlier this month with Marco Silva making Soares his top priority.
      The pair worked with each other at Sporting Lisbon and Fulham are close to securing a six-month loan deal for the right-back, report ESPN.
      Fulham will cover the entirety of Soares’ wages with the Portuguese reportedly earning close to £100,000-a-week.
      Arsenal were said to be desperate to get the defender off the wage bill and will reassess his future in the summer.

      Soares, 31, has a contract at Arsenal until 2024 and has made 59 appearances for the Gunners.
      He has acted as back-up since arriving at the Emirates but could play an important role at Fulham.
      That’s because Kevin Mbabu hasn’t fallen out of favour under Silva and has made just one Premier League start since his arrival from Wolfsburg.
      And current first-choice Kenny Tete has struggled with injuries during his spell at Craven Cottage.
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      Arsenal have wasted no time in identifying a new right-back and have reportedly agreed a £13.1million fee with Real Valladolid for Ivan Fresneda.
      Borussia Dortmund are also in the race to sign the defender, who will be loaned back to Valladolid regardless of which club he signs for. More

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      Mikel Arteta’s genius tactics video from three years ago resurfaces – and shows difference between Arsenal and Man Utd

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      MIKEL ARTETA’s genius tactics video from three years ago has resurfaced after his instructions paid off in Arsenal’s dramatic 3-2 win over Manchester United.The Spaniard’s men are top of the Premier League, holding a five-point advantage over defending champions Manchester City.
      A three-year-old video shows Arteta instructing his players on how to defend and attackCredit: EPA
      His instructions could be seen paying off in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Man UtdCredit: Rex
      Zinchenko took Arteta’s defending tactics on boardCredit: TikTok
      Saka received the ball how Arteta has instructed him to
      Arsenal also have a game in hand over City, which could see the Gunners extend the gap to eight points.
      The North London club’s last win may prove to be one of their most important this season.
      A win for United would’ve seen Erik ten Hag’s side close the gap on Arsenal, announcing the Old Trafford club in the title race.
      However, Arsenal held their nerve with Eddie Nketiah scoring a last-minute winner.
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      And throughout moments of the game, Arteta’s tactical instructions were at work.
      In a three-year-old video, Arteta talked on how he wanted to bring the opposition’s wing-play to a grinding halt.
      He said: “Because I don’t like creating lines between the wide players.
      “Why? Because the full back passes to the wide player like this. His back’s to goal. He can’t progress the play.
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      “There’s always someone at his bum. He cannot play forward.”
      In the win over United, Oleksandr Zinchenko can be seen playing out this scenario.
      Gabriel Martinelli tracked the runner in Aaron Wan-Bissaka, while Zinchenko was hot on Antony’s heels, preventing progression down the line.
      Antony was then forced to play the ball backwards.
      In the old video, Arteta also stressed how important a player’s angles are when receiving the ball.
      The Gunners play with inverted wingers; a left-footed Bukayo Saka playing off the right and a right-footed Martinelli off the left.
      Arteta said: “When you do it like this, the angles you create, you’re always receiving the ball like this.”
      Against United, as well as Tottenham, Saka could be seen receiving the ball at angles that opened up spaces on the pitch to exploit.
      It worked a treat against United as he ended up getting a goal, firing in from range.
      Arteta is highly thought of in the Arsenal dressing room, and some of his stars have insisted they’ve never had a coach like the former Gunners midfielder.
      Granit Xhaka, who has gone from zero to hero at the Emirates, said: “I’ve had many coaches in my career, but never one like Arteta.
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      “e seems like he is focused only on football 24 hours a day. He always has a plan A, B – and maybe even a plan Z.
      “But he’s not only top tactically, but he’s also top as a person.” More