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    Arsenal ‘trigger clause in Bukayo Saka’s contract to keep him at club for another year’ amid Man City transfer interest

    ARSENAL have reportedly triggered a clause in Bukayo Saka’s contract to keep him at the club until at least 2024.The England international, 21, has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.
    Bukayo Saka is one of the most important players in the Arsenal squadCredit: Getty
    It comes at a time when his existing deal is due to expire in the summer.
    However, according to The Mail, Arsenal have now taken the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months, doing so before the clause expired at the end of December.
    And a new long-term contract could be secured sooner rather than later following reports last month that Saka is set to renew talks with Arsenal.
    Since breaking through into the first team in 2018, Saka has established himself as a regular in the Gunners’ forward line.
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    He has contributed 30 goals and 35 assists in 153 appearances for the club.
    And his sublime displays have seen him become a trusted lieutenant for England manager Gareth Southgate – already racking up 24 caps.
    He netted three times at the Qatar World Cup and was one of the Three Lions’ standout performers.
    Upon returning to Arsenal, he has scored in both of their games since the domestic season resumed – with Mikel Arteta’s men beating West Ham and Brighton.
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    Man City’s draw with Everton gave the North London outfit the opportunity to open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.
    And they dually obliged with a convincing 4-2 victory over Roberto De Zerbi’s Seagulls on Saturday evening.
    Next up for Saka and Co is a clash with top four-chasing Newcastle on Tuesday.
    They then take on Oxford United in the third round of the FA Cup, before the North London Derby against Tottenham on January 15. More

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    Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal transfer target Joao Felix shocks fans after revealing Premier League club he supports

    ATLETICO MADRID star Joao Felix revealed his favourite Premier League club and it is NOT Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United.Felix has been linked with a sensational switch ahead of the upcoming January transfer window following some impressive displays in the 2022 World Cup.
    Joao Felix has been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea and ArsenalCredit: Rex
    Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix named Leeds as his favourite Premier League clubCredit: Rex
    The forward has admitted he is a fan of the English top flight but he apparently never rooted for the usual title contenders like the Gunners, the Blues or United.
    According to Mundo Deportivo, the Portugal international admitted he supports Leeds.
    However, the 23-year-old’s soft spot for the Yorkshire giants is highly unlikely to take him to Elland Road in the near future.
    But Felix is still likely to leave Atletico after a reported fallout with manager Diego Simeone.
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    Atleti chief executive Gil Marin also conceded that the Portuguese ace wants to leave.
    Marin told TVE: “[Felix] is the biggest bet this club has taken in its history. I personally think he’s a top talent, a world-class player.
    “For reasons it isn’t worth getting into – the relationship between him and the boss [Simeone], the minutes played, his motivation right now – it makes you think that the reasonable thing is that if there’s an option that’s good for the player, good for the club, we can look at it.
    “I’d love him to stay personally, but I don’t think that’s the player’s idea.”
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    Arsenal, United and Chelsea are looking to take advantage of that opportunity that could see Felix moving on loan due to his hefty asking price.
    The North Londoners are looking for a striker to replace star man Gabriel Jesus, who suffered a knee injury during the World Cup and will be out for three months.
    The West Londoners need someone to spearhead their attack after Romelu Lukaku returned to Inter Milan on loan last summer.
    And the Red Devils are still searching for someone to fill in for Cristiano Ronaldo after missing out on Cody Gakpo. More

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    AC Milan keeping tabs on Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun during Reims loan and are lining up summer transfer swoop

    SERIE A giants AC Milan are monitoring the progress of Arsenal man Folarin Balogun and are plotting a summer move, according to reports.Balogun is currently on loan at Reims following a lack of chances in North London.
    Folarin Balogun is enjoying an exceptional loan spell in FranceCredit: Getty
    He does have to two goals for the Gunners to his name but made just four first-team appearances last season.
    As a result, he was loaned out to Middlesbrough in January.
    And the arrival of Gabriel Jesus and new contract for Eddie Nkeitah forced him to leave on a temporary basis once again.
    But while his chances of making the grade at the Emirates might look slim, his form in France has caught Milan’s attention.
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    Balogun has scored 10 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games, including a brace in his first game after the World Cup against Rennes.
    According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Rossoneri are in desperate need of a striker and are keen on the 21-year-old’s profile.
    Milan sit second in Serie A and are in the knockout stages of the Champions League but they have concerns over each of their senior strikers.
    That’s because Olivier Giroud is out of contract at the end of the season.
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    Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic hasn’t played a minute since signing a new one-year deal in July and Divock Origi has scored once following his move from Liverpool.
    Stefano Pioli’s side are back in action when they travel to Salernitana on Wednesday.
    And the San Siro giants can’t afford to lose more ground on leaders Napoli with the gap at the top already eight points. More

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    Mykhaylo Mudryk drops TWO huge Arsenal transfer hints as £85m Shakhtar star shares red-hot 2022 highlights reel on Insta

    ARSENAL target Mykhailo Mudryk has dropped a big hint he could join the Gunners in January.The winger is one of Arsenal’s main transfer targets but they are yet to agree a fee with Shaktar Donetsk.
    Mykhailo Mudryk has dropped another hint he wants to join ArsenalCredit: Getty
    Mykhailo Mudryk described Mikel Arteta and Roberto De Zerbi as two top coaches
    The Ukrainian outfit are demanding around £85million for Mudryk and rejected a £55m bid from Arsenal.
    But the 21-year-old remains keen on the move and watched Arsenal’s Boxing Day win over West Ham this week.
    He also watched the win over Brighton and described both Mikel Arteta and Roberto De Zerbi, his former manager at Shakhtar, as “two top coaches”.
    And now he has dropped another hint he wants to move to North London by sharing a compilation video showing his best goals and skills of 2022 on Instagram.
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    And he used the song Circo Loco by 21 Savage and Drake over the highlight footage.
    The song includes the lyrics: “Still gotta see the Gunners win Premier League.”
    Arsenal and Shakhtar remain in talks over Mudryk but the Ukrainians have shown little sign of budging from their asking price.
    Despite that, the Premier League leaders are hopeful of securing a deal and have pointed out the fact Liverpool landed Cody Gakpo from PSV for just £45m.
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    Chelsea are also interested in Mudryk and are believed to be considering a January bid.
    Graham Potter has reportedly added the winger to his transfer list and is “interested” in bringing him to Stamford Bridge. More

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    Arsenal ready to lock horns with Chelsea in transfer battle for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic

    ARSENAL are ready to battle Chelsea to sign striker Dusan Vlahovic next month.The 22-year-old forward only joined Juventus from Fiorentina back in January after snubbing the chance to move to the Premier League.
    Arsenal have entered the chase to sign Dusan Vlahovic from JuventusCredit: Getty
    The Serbian is also wanted by Chelsea and Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty
    Mikel Arteta’s side were desperate to bring the Serbian international to the Emirates – but he rejected them in favour of Turin.
    Vlahovic has scored a respectable 13 goals in 25 appearances for Juventus in Serie A since his arrival but their early Champions League exit has left them needing to raise funds.
    And the 6ft 3in powerhouse is also frustrated with boss Massimiliano Allegri’s tactics.
    That has led Italian publication Corriere dello Sport claiming that the star’s agent Darko Ristic is searching to secure his client a move away.
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    Vlahovic is said to have “discontented” from Juventus and already has “strong interest” from a host of top teams.
    Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are both allegedly keen on the striker.
    And we reported earlier this week how Manchester United were plotting a swoop to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, which is backed up by this report.
    However, it also adds that Arsenal and Chelsea are ready to make a move “immediately” to try and sign him once the transfer window opens tomorrow.
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    Both teams are looking for attacking reinforcements but this fresh update does state that Juventus want to keep hold of Vlahovic until the summer.
    But, if an offer “exceeding £80m” does arrive over the coming month then it will be “listened to carefully” by the Bianconeri.
    Premier League leaders Arsenal want to bring in a new forward after Gabriel Jesus was sidelined for around three months after suffering injury with Brazil at the World Cup.
    Meanwhile, Chelsea’s attackers are struggling for goals with Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz their current joint-top scorers with five apiece. More

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    Chelsea ‘could hijack Arsenal’s transfer move for Mykhailo Mudryk’ with Shakhtar holding out for £85m for attacker

    CHELSEA are reportedly contemplating hijacking Arsenal’s move for Mykhailo Mudryk.The Gunners tabled a £55million bid for the Ukrainian winger earlier this week but saw their opening offer rejected by Shakhtar Donetsk.
    Arsenal had a £55million bid for Mykhailo Mudryk rejected but are still pursuing the Shakhtar aceCredit: REUTERS
    But Chelsea are also interested in signing the Ukrainian wingerCredit: GETTY

    A second bid is being mulled over by the north Londoners, who could face competition for his services from the Blues.
    That’s according to The Guardian, who claim Graham Potter has added the 21-year-old to his transfer list and is “interested” in bringing him to Stamford Bridge in January.
    They will, however, have to stump up a whopping £85million to prise him from Shakhtar’s clutches.
    Arsenal are still ahead of their London rivals in the pursuit of Mudryk as talks are still ongoing.
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    Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin said: “Negotiations are continuing.
    “We receive offers, but they are not the ones we would like to see on our table.
    “Now, literally in 5 minutes, I will have a phone conversation with Arsenal.
    “We are open to negotiations, ready to exchange ideas and figures.
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    “If we will agree, then let it be so. If we will not, then let it be another time.”
    Potter was appointed as Thomas Tuchel’s successor in September and has yet to have a transfer window to make his impact at the club.
    The former Brighton chief is keen to bring in reinforcements next month but admits it’ll be difficult to do so.
    He said: “I would say the January window isn’t so straightforward to find solutions.
    “From my perspective, the autumn fixture list was an extreme period.
    Chelsea boss Graham Potter is eager to bring in reinforcements in JanuaryCredit: GETTY
    “And I would not want to make too many drastic assessments [on players] based on that extreme period.
    “The team, as I see it, hasn’t functioned as maximally as I would have liked – and I think that it can do.
    “I would say the job of the head coach is to focus on the players that are here and make them better.
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    “There’s room for improvement there for sure.”
    Chelsea will be back in action on New Year’s Day, travelling to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest. More

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    Arsenal trigger William Saliba’s contract extension with star to stay in North London until at least 2024

    ARSENAL have triggered William Saliba’s contract extension until June 2024.The centre-back has been a revelation since linking up with Mikel Arteta’s squad ahead of this season.
    Arsenal have triggered William Saliba’s contract extensionCredit: Getty
    Despite signing in the summer of 2019, the 21-year-old only made his Gunners debut at Crystal Palace on the opening day.
    He’s started every Prem game since, missing just 14 minutes.
    But Saliba’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign.
    However, according to David Ornstein, Arsenal have taken up the option to extend his deal by an extra 12 months.
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    And The Athletic journalist has also claimed that Arsenal and Saliba remain locked in talks over a fresh long-term contract.
    Arteta said: “New deal close? I hope so. That’s more for Edu and the board to discuss with William.
    “But what I know is the player is really happy, the player wants to be here – and that’s the main thing.”
    Saliba’s form for Arsenal – who face Brighton this weekend – has led to success on the international stage with the defender winning eight caps for France since his debut in March.
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    He was named in their World Cup squad but made just one appearance off the bench against Tunisia.
    And his return to Prem action didn’t come without its troubles as he conceded a penalty against West Ham on Boxing Day.
    Fortunately for Saliba, he was bailed out by Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah who maintained Arsenal’s lead at the top. More

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    Freak Haaland nailed on to get 40 goals… but what can we expect from Arsenal, Newcastle and Gakpo in 2023?

    HERE’S what SunSport columnist Troy Deeney is looking forward to casting his eye over in the Premier League and beyond as we hit 2023…HOW MANY RECORDS WILL ERLING HAALAND BREAK?
    Troy Deeney reckons Erling Haaland will score 40 Prem goalsCredit: Getty
    First and foremost, Haaland will be tasked with helping Manchester City chase down Arsenal at the top of the table – but he is a pure goal scorer, and will be wanting those records too.
    When I look at him and what City are doing, it is impossible to see how he doesn’t score 40 goals and that is mental to say.
    He only needs 12 more goals in 23 games to reach Mohamed Salah’s tally from last season. It isn’t even out of the blue for him to score six goals in two games.
    If he is on 35 goals heading into the last few matches of the season, I feel sorry for anyone who has to stop him. He is a freak, a lovely freak to watch.
    WILL A JANUARY SPLURGE HELP ARSENAL’S TITLE BID?
    Buying new players to bolster their squad is all well and good, but it is about bringing in new players and maintaining the consistency they have had so far this season.
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    They don’t need too many additions, but if they do sign someone else, how does that dynamic change things? They have a happy squad, and you need to keep it that way.
    There is a growing expectation that Arsenal really can do it the longer they are top, and if they come out of the next month unscathed, I will start believing.
    But I just wonder that if City catch them, and I believe they can, will Arsenal recover from it? I actually feel they will finish as low as third come the end of the season.
    Deeney thinks Arsenal could finish third this season despite their flying startCredit: Getty
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    WILL SOUTHAMPTON, WOLVES AND EVERTON STEER CLEAR OF TROUBLE?
    These are the three teams that I worry about the most when I think of relegation and survival in the Prem this season.
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    They are three teams who we thought could break into the top 10 for the past few years, but have they now missed that window? The bottom is now looks like where they belong.
    Two of those three have changed managers – I am really interested to see how they get on, especially Nathan Jones at Southampton and will he be given enough time to turn that club around even if they go down?
    HOW WILL CODY GAKPO SETTLE IN?
    It will be interesting to see how this signing influences Jurgen Klopp’s rotation policy with his attacking players at Liverpool, especially someone like Darwin Nunez who is going through a tough patch right now.
    Gakpo needs time to develop and grow into the striker that we all know he can become, so who will drop out every now and again from the likes of Nunez, Mo Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino in order to give him that?
    I don’t think the kid is a No.9, but someone who could drift across all three positions up top.
    Cody Gakpo watched his new Liverpool team-mates face Leicester on Friday at AnfieldCredit: Sky Sports
    ARE LEICESTER NOW A NOTHING-TEAM?
    By their own lofty standards in recent years, they have had a poor, poor season, and it is turning into a real nothing season for them. It is just about staying up.
    But with their money issues and needing to still sell to buy, are they now just back to what they have been before the title win and FA Cup glory – a middle-of-the-road team?
    They still haven’t replaced Kasper Schmeichel, they still haven’t found a replacement for Jamie Vardy.
    The whole squad is a bit iffy at the moment, they have stagnated in the transfer window and they are where they are as a result.
    CAN NEWCASTLE CONTINUE TO SOAR?
    They have lost one game all season. To me, that’s frightening. Should they go and finish in the top three or even top two, it will be an incredible story.
    Leicester’s Prem win in 2016 still stands above everything else. No one saw that coming.
    But Newcastle would come close if they can finish the job and keep competing with the very best from where they were last year.
    Eddie Howe has built a really balanced team.
    FA CUP REPLAYS RETURNING
    Not just from a club’s perspective, but from a fan’s perspective, it brings a lot of excitement — and they are vital for teams who don’t have massive budgets.
    Portsmouth have Tottenham away. If they manage to earn a draw, then they get a big night at Fratton Park.
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    That would probably keep them alive for another year.
    Gillingham have Leicester. Chesterfield have West Brom. Oxford have Arsenal at home. I was brought up on the FA Cup and chances like this, one replay can change their entire financial year. It can change a player’s career. It’s magic. More