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      Arsenal tipped to replace ‘bizarre’ Kai Havertz with transfer for £74m star whose ‘footballing IQ is off the charts’

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      ARSENAL have been urged to ditch Kai Havertz just months after his £65million move from Chelsea.And they should instead upgrade to fellow German Florian Wirtz, whose “footballing IQ is off the charts.”
      Arsenal have been urged to ditch Kai Havertz months after his £65m move from ChelseaCredit: Reuters
      The Gunners have been told to move for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian WirtzCredit: AP
      Havertz, 24, was snapped up by Mikel Arteta over the summer after netting just 19 league goals in three seasons at Chelsea.
      Arsenal were convinced the forward would thrive in a new midfield position instead of up top.
      But after playing 19 times in all competitions for the Gunners, Havertz has just one goal and one assist at the Emirates.
      And former Arsenal youngster Jermaine Pennant reckons Arteta has messed up big time in the transfer market.
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      He does not understand what attracted Arsenal to Havertz after the player’s dismal form at Chelsea.
      And Pennant has urged the Gunners to move for an immediate replacement in Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Wirtz, who has been linked with Liverpool and Man City.
      The 20-year-old has six goals and 10 assists in 17 outings this term, helping his side to the top of the Bundesliga table.
      But Arsenal will have to dig deep once again, with Wirtz valued at £74million by Leverkusen.
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      Jermaine Pennant does not understand why Arsenal signed HavertzCredit: Getty
      Pennant told King Casino Bonus: “I need to talk about Kai Havertz. That signing hasn’t worked.
      “I thought I’d give him some time to settle in but that period is now over. I think he’s been a poor signing.
      “I don’t understand what he brings to the team as he’s not scoring or assisting. It’s bizarre as Arteta seems to believe in him.”
      On Wirtz, Pennant added: “I think Arsenal should have gone for Wirtz, his footballing IQ is off the charts.
      “He’s not a speed merchant but he’s clever on the ball and he seems to always pick the right pass.
      “His assists are great, he has an eye for goal and I think he’d be a fantastic addition to Arsenal, he’d fit in perfectly there.” More

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      Arsenal set to move for Valencia’s wonderkid centre-back who scored HAT-TRICK for Spain U19s

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      ARSENAL are reportedly planning a transfer swoop for a defender that scored a HAT-TRICK for Spain’s Under-19 side.Mikel Arteta’s team are hoping to once again battle for the Premier League title this term as well as continue their progression in the Champions League.
      Yarek Gasiorowski scored a hat-trick from centre-half for Spain’s U19s this weekCredit: Getty
      Arsenal have been linked with a January move for the Valencia youngsterCredit: Getty
      He has been linked with a number of potential targets so far ahead of the January window opening.
      And a striker, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney believed to be top, is among his priorities.
      However, now a fresh report from Diario AS has claimed Valencia’s teen starlet Yarek Gasiorowski is wanted as well.
      Arsenal have tried and failed to land the 18-year-old centre-back in the past due to Brexit regulations regarding foreigners.
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      Premier League clubs are unable to sign players under 18 but they are said to have remained in contact with the Spaniard.
      And this update claims that they are preparing to try again as Arteta continues to try to secure reinforcements.
      Gasiorowski emerged through the youth ranks with Valencia and is now considered to be one of the best young centre-backs in Europe.
      He moved up into their first-team squad last summer and he has made a number of substitute appearances for the LaLiga side over recent weeks.
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      But he hit the headlines this week while on international duty for his country’s U19 team.
      He scored a hat-trick in Spain’s opening Euro qualification clash as they trounced Moldova 5-0.
      Gasiorowski is under contract at Valencia until 2025 and that package also has the option to be extended until 2027.
      It also contains a release of £17.5m, which will rise once he hits certain appearance milestones. More

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      How Kroenke family may have SAVED Arsenal from Everton-style fate with huge decision five years ago

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      THE Kroenke family may have inadvertently saved Arsenal from suffering an Everton-style penalty. Everton were handed a ten-point deduction that has seen them plummet into the relegation zone after being found guilty of breaching Premier League Financial Fair Play rules.
      David Ornstein explained how a decision from Stan Kroenke five years ago may have saved Arsenal from an Everton-style fateCredit: PA
      Everton-linked Alisher Usmanov was brought out of Arsenal five years agoCredit: EPA
      Josh Kroenke has been heavily involved in the running of the club during their rise up back up the tableCredit: Getty
      The Toffees recorded heavy financial losses of £124.5million over the past three years. This is £19.5m over the Prem’s budget of £105m.
      Part of these losses came as a result of Alisher Usmanov, a former shareholder in Arsenal, seeing his assets frozen in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
      Everton suspended its partnership with Usmanov’s holding company USM which had a five-year deal worth more than £12m.
      Usmanov held over 30 per cent of shares in the Gunners as of October 2013, before accepting a £550m bid for his shares in Arsenal from Stan Kroenke in 2018.
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      And it has been suggested by David Ornstein that the North London club could have suffered a similar fate to Everton had things worked out differently.
      Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, he said: “You’ll look at clubs like Arsenal for example who had, as a large minority shareholder, Alisher Usmanov at some point.
      “Who with Farhad Moshiri moved over to Everton and a lot of the problems Everton are facing are due to the loss of money that was on behalf of Usmanov.
      “You could say that might have been Arsenal had things worked out differently and KSE, the Kroenke family hadn’t taken full control.”
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      Amid Ornstein’s hypothetical argument, there has never a suggestion that Arsenal have broken FFP rules.
      Ornstein continued: “There were so many questions about why aren’t you spending more money for so many years.
      “And clubs like Arsenal, now Manchester United and even Newcastle under their Saudi ownership are saying ‘we can’t because of financial fair play rules and profit and sustainability.’
      “‘We don’t want to break them because of the potential consequences’, and perhaps now we are seeing why they were so firm on that.
      “And maybe their supporters will give back a little bit of credit or reduce their frustration that they expressed at lack of spending because if you’re not careful it could be you in this position.
      “Ultimately, whatever the politics or agenda around this – and there will be so much conversation and conspiracy theory – the Premier League are clearly trying to get tough and show they can govern properly and create a league that has the trust of the people.” More

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      Juventus ‘meet Thomas Partey agents as they look to push through huge triple transfer’ amid Jadon Sancho speculation

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      JUVENTUS have met with Arsenal ace Thomas Partey and his representatives ahead of the January transfer window.Juve have identified Partey as the perfect replacement to fill in for the suspended Paul Pogba, who tested positive for banned substance DHEA which naturally boosts testosterone production.
      Juventus have held a meeting with Arsenal ace Thomas ParteyCredit: Alamy
      Juventus have also been linked with Manchester United outcast Jadon SanchoCredit: Getty
      Pogba also returned a second positive sample and now faces a lengthy ban which could see the end of his career at top level.
      The star midfielder will face an anti-doping tribunal, and if found guilty, the 30-year-old could be banned for up to four years.
      According to Foot Mercato, Juventus are thinking ahead and that is why they held a meeting with Partey as well as his agents to discuss a potential move in the winter market.
      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been deprived of the midfielder throughout the season following another string of injuries that have limited him to a mere five appearances across all competitions.
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      The Ghana international played a big part in the Gunners’ push for the Premier League title last term but it seems like Arteta is planning for life without him after the arrival of Declan Rice last summer.
      However, Partey is not the only player Juventus are looking to sign in the New Year.
      The Bianconeri are also looking to complete a deal for Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi and Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski.
      And Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri wants club chiefs to move quickly.
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      The Serie A giants have also been linked with a shock swoop for Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho.
      United appear open to letting Sancho go after his public spat with manager Erik ten Hag in September saw him being axed from the first team.
      However, the Red Devils have refused to talk with the Italians about a possible loan deal as Ten Hag’s side prefers to sell the winger outright. More

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      Aaron Ramsdale to return to Arsenal first-team and replace David Raya in club’s first match since keeper’s dad’s rant

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      AARON RAMSDALE is set to return to Arsenal’s Premier League starting XI for the first time since September next weekend.The England man last started a game in the Premier League for the Gunners against Manchester United in Arsenal’s fourth league game of the season.
      Aaron Ramsdale will come back in for David Raya against BrentfordCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      That preceded the season’s first international break and since then Ramsdale has been dropped in favour of Brentford loanee David Raya.
      Ramsdale has instead been limited to Carabao Cup appearances against Brentford and West Ham.
      Arsenal’s no2 will step back into his former first-choice role against Brentford with Raya being ineligible to face his parent club.
      Raya’s agent claimed that Arsenal wanted to sign Raya outright but were prevented in doing so by FFP regulations.
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      So Raya is instead a £3 million Brentford loanee with Arsenal having the option to buy the Spaniard for £27m.
      It is widely expected that Arsenal will activate the buy clause this summer.
      Ramsdale’s chances of making a return as Arsenal’s no1 were harmed by a recent interview with Ian Wright where he said: “If you ask me to concentrate on a game of football for 90 minutes I’m finished. I can’t do it.
      “So that’s why I get involved with the fans and I’ll sing along with the songs.
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      “If someone’s giving me abuse I’ll turn around and I’ll give them a bit back.”
      Ian Wright looked stunned at Ramsdale’s admission before the keeper continued: “I’ve had my two/three minutes of sort of madness in my head, straight back to the football.
      “I’ve got 10/15 minutes of total concentration again – next thing you know half time is around.”
      Meanwhile Ramsdale’s father, Nick, this week hit back at critics of his son last week and labelled them a “disgrace”.
      He said: “It’s the unfounded stuff you find difficult. Football is all about opinion.”
      Ramsdale’s father was particularly angry about Jamie Carragher’s accusation that Ramsdale played up to the cameras when he applauded an excellent Raya save.
      He said: “Sometimes you find it difficult. Mr Carragher was talking like my lad was a phoney but he doesn’t know Aaron, he doesn’t know if he’s a phoney or not.
      “He was on Sky judging my son and he doesn’t even know him.” More

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      I spent seven years at Arsenal then quit for controversial Chelsea transfer – I had to find a new path

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      OMARI HUTCHINSON has insisted that the decision to quit Arsenal and join rivals Chelsea was right – despite making just TWO first-team appearances.The 20-year-old winger generated a lot of buzz and excitement when he joined the Blues from the Gunners in the summer of 2022.
      Omari Hutchinson is hoping to fire Ipswich Town to promotion this termCredit: Getty
      He controversially quit Arsenal to join Chelsea in 2022Credit: Getty
      He appeared to be on the verge of making the breakthrough at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta after his inclusion in a number of matchday squads towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign.
      However, after talks over a new deal broke down, he instead decided to head back across the capital to the club where he was part of their academy until 2012.
      Hutchinson soon hit the headlines when scoring a brilliant solo goal to help the U21s beat Leyton Orient 3-2 and he got two appearances under his belt under Graham Potter.
      However, following his departure from Chelsea and Todd Boehly’s takeover leading to an influx of new signings, he failed to get any more outings last term.
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      Then, this summer, he was sent out on loan to Ipswich Town following their promotion to the Championship from League One.
      The former England youth international, who has since gone on to be capped twice by Jamaica at senior level, has shown glimpses of his potential for Kieran McKenna’s high-flying Tractor Boys.
      And even though he does not appear to be in Mauricio Pochettino’s thoughts at present while at Portman Road, Hutchinson is confident that he can follow in Chelsea captain Reece James’ footsteps, who is now a regular following a previous loan spell at Wigan Athletic.
      The starlet told The Athletic: “I was at Arsenal from 11 to playing for the under-23s.
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      “I have a lot of friends there and obviously the coaching staff, so it was a difficult decision to leave.
      “I always felt loved there. All the fans were waiting for me to push on into the first team. But things didn’t just work out for one reason or another.
      “I just had to get over stuff like that. I spoke to the people at Chelsea, saw the pathway they had for me, knew the staff there and some of the players. I already knew Reece James and he told me to come. Everyone gave Chelsea a positive review. I believe it has worked out so far.”
      He then added: “Reece has been on the journey that I want to go on — from the academy, to a loan in the Championship, to the first team.
      “He told me to go and do my thing at Ipswich, to show what I’m about. Then come back and be ready (for Chelsea).
      “Reece was always on my team whenever I trained with the senior squad last season, so I never got to take him on. I hope to be taking him on soon.”
      Hutchinson only made two first-team appearances for Chelsea last seasonCredit: Getty More

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      Ivan Toney torn over January transfer despite Arsenal and Chelsea interest as he vows to repay Brentford debt

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      ENGLAND hitman Ivan Toney is torn over a January move, SunSport can reveal.The Brentford ace will return to action after Christmas and is widely tipped to leave the West London club.
      Ivan Toney is weighing up his options ahead of the January transfer windowCredit: PA
      Arsenal are thought to be at the front of the queue for his services.
      But a source close to the player said Toney – banned for gambling offences – feels he has a “debt to repay” to Brenford and to the club’s manager Thomas Frank which means any move could be held off until the summer.
      The source said: “A lot of people assume Ivan will be on his way after Christmas, but no deal has been done – and nothing has been decided.
      “Ivan is torn over his future. Brentford have stood by him and the club have been brilliant. Part of him wants to help them by hitting the ground running straight away in January and scoring the goals which will ensure they stay in the Premier League.
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      “There are a lot of clubs interested in Ivan but his focus, for now, is getting back on the pitch at Brentford and doing the business for his manager Thomas Frank, to whom he feels he has a big debt to repay. The same goes for the fans.
      “He’s determined to get back in the England squad and Ivan fully believes in himself to make the first squad once he’s back playing football.”
      The source also said Brentford are under no pressure to sell their ace striker.
      “They don’t need the money,” the source said. “Toney is their player and they will only consider selling him if the offer is right for the club.
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      “As far as the manager is concerned he is planning for his return in January. Ivan will come back in and be a key member of the team.
      “Thomas Frank realises nothing lasts forever and that his star man will probably move on one day.
      “But he hopes to have Ivan until the end of the season at least – then they will reassess.” More

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      Where Alex Song’s team-mates from final Arsenal game are now including club legend and flop-turned-failed-restaurateur

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      ALEX SONG has retired from football and he will now join many of his final Arsenal team-mates in going on to a life outside of the sport.The former Gunner announced his retirement from football with his last club being Djibouti Premier League side Arta Solar 7.
      Alex Song has retired from footballCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Former team-mate Wojciech Szczesny is playing for JuventusCredit: The Mega Agency
      How Arsenal lined-up in his last game for the club
      Song, 36, enjoyed a long career that saw him star for the likes of Arsenal, Barcelona, West Ham and Russian outfit Rubin Kazan.
      His last game for the Gunners came in May 2012, as he helped the club finish third in the Premier League with a 3-2 win over West Brom.
      He was sold to Barcelona that summer. However, he never managed to hit the heights expected of him at the LaLiga outfit.
      Song left behind an Arsenal squad that would all go on to their own things in life.
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      Here, SunSport takes a look at where the rest of the stars who played that day are now.
      Wojciech Szczesny
      The goalkeeper, 33, joined Juventus in 2017 and has since made 227 appearances for the Serie A giants.
      He battled Gianluigi Buffon for the No1 spot when he first arrived but he has made the position his since the Italian legend left in 2021.
      Last season, he suffered a health scare on the pitch as he started to feel chest pains, but has since made a full recovery.
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      Carl Jenkinson
      Carl Jenkinson is playing in AustraliaCredit: Getty
      Jenkinson, 31, is still playing football but down under at Newcastle Jets.
      He had two loan spells away from Arsenal at West Ham and one at Birmingham City.
      He left the club permanently in 2019 and joined Nottingham Forest before moving to Melbourne City on loan in 2022.
      Thomas Vermaelen
      Thomas Vermaelen worked for Belgium’s coaching staffCredit: PA
      Vermaelen left Arsenal in 2014 to join Barcelona, but like Song, he also struggled to star at the club.
      He retired from football in 2021 after spells with Roma and Vissel Kobe.
      He was most recently an assistant coach for the Belgian national side.
      Laurent Koscielny
      Laurent Koscielny left Arsenal in 2019Credit: AFP or licensors
      The Frenchman has returned to Lorient where he is an under-17 coach.
      Arsenal signed the now 38-year-old from the Ligue 1 side in 2010 and he played 353 times for the Gunners, and was appointed captain of the club in 2018.
      He left under a cloud when he signed for Bordeaux after the club failed to convince him to stay.
      Andre Santos
      Andre Santos opened a restaurant in BrazilCredit: Getty
      Santos was very much described as a flop during his time at Arsenal.
      He left the club after two seasons and returned to Brazil to play for clubs such as Gremio, Flamengo and Figueirense.
      He retired from football in 2018 and set up a restaurant called Flavours in Sao Paolo, however, it appears to have since permanently closed.
      Francis Coquelin
      Francis Coquelin is now playing in SpainCredit: AP
      Coquelin, 32, struggled to hold down a starting role at Arsenal throughout his time at the club.
      He had loan spells at Lorient, Frieburg and Charlton before eventually leaving on a permanent deal in 2018 to Valencia.
      He is now starring for Villarreal, having joined the club in 2020, and in his first season won the Europa League.
      Gervinho
      Gervinho most recently played for ArisCredit: Getty
      Gervinho enjoyed a colourful career as he left Arsenal a year after Song.
      He moved to Italy and played for both Roma and Parma either side of a spell in China with Hebei China Fortune.
      The rapid winger then moved to Trabzonspor before his most recent club in Greece, Aris Thessaloniki.
      In the summer, he was linked with a move to Serie D side Trapani.
      Tomáš Rosický
      Tomas Rosicky is working at Sparta PragueCredit: Alamy Live News
      Rosický retired from football in 2017 one season after leaving Arsenal for his boyhood club Sparta Prague.
      He is now working at the club as the sporting director.
      Yossi Benayoun
      Yossi Benayoun is a sporting directorCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Benayoun was only at Arsenal for that season as he was on loan from Chelsea.
      He continued to play until he was 39 at clubs such as West Ham, QPR, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Petah Tikva.
      Like Rosicky, Benayoun is also working as a sporting director, but at his last club Israeli side Beitar Jerusalem.
      Robin Van Persie
      Robin van Persie is coaching at FeyenoordCredit: Getty
      The Dutchman, 40, is now back in his native Netherlands where he is the assistant coach of Feyenoord.
      Erik ten Hag reportedly wanted Van Persie to join him at Manchester United but he was rejected by the former striker, who revealed he wanted “stability”.
      He played for United after leaving Arsenal following a controversial transfer in 2012.
      Substitutes
      There were also some notable names on the subs bench for Song’s last game for Arsenal.
      Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is currently playing at West Ham while Aaron Ramsey is back at his boyhood club Cardiff City.
      Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had a missed spell at Liverpool and is now at Turkish outfit Beşiktaş.
      Striker Marouane Chamakh retired in 2019 and has since earned his coaching badges in Morocco. More