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      Controversial Crystal Palace shareholder John Textor wants to SELL top-scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta to his other team

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      CRYSTAL PALACE hitman Jean-Philippe Mateta is an ambitious target for Lyon — in a controversial move planned by John Textor.Textor, the French club’s American owner, wants them to bid for the in-form star this summer.Jean-Philippe Mateta could leave Crystal Palace this summerCredit: ReutersJohn Textor has a share of both Palace and LyonCredit: GettyBut that will not go down well at Palace, where Textor is also a major shareholder — even if he is planning to sell his stake.Frenchman Mateta will be in demand in the next window and the Eagles will have a fight on their hands to keep him.Yet Lyon may have to reach the Champions League to have a real chance of tempting Mateta, who has scored ten league goals so far this season.The powerful striker, 27, will seek to join an elite club.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLPalace would look for at least £50million for Mateta and if he continues his form, there could be big Premier League interest.Meanwhile, the Eagles have earmarked two rising centre-halves to replace Marc Guehi — Burnley’s Maxime Esteve and Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg.They realise England defender Guehi will have to be sold in the summer amid interest from Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea.Palace were priced out of their first choice, Strahinja Pavlovic, with AC Milan asking for £35m.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSFrenchman Esteve, 22, has been impressive for Burnley in a defence that has conceded just nine goals in 31 Championship games.Dutch star Van den Berg, 20, has caught the eye at Boro and Palace will be watching him closely in the run-in this season.His older brother Sepp, 23, plays for Brentford.Fans joke Ian Wright’s coat ‘reminded them to take the bins out’ as Arsenal legend hosts FA Cup clash More

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      Meet ‘magic’ Monchi, the man behind Aston Villa’s stunning transfers for Rashford and Asensio… who Man Utd let slip away

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      HE is the King Midas of the market whose golden touch has stacked up the silverware.The footballing master fixer who sealed two of the most eye-catching transfers in the window… neither of which came with a fee.Transfer king Monchi has worked his magic once again at Aston VillaCredit: PAThe former Sevilla king helped land Marcus Rashford from Man UtdCredit: GettyThe capture of Marco Asensio from PSG is a real coup for VillaCredit: GettyMonchi and Unai Emery have transformed Villa into Champions League hopefulsCredit: GettyIf Marcus Rashford’s loan move to Aston Villa was top of the bill, tempting three-time Champions League winner Marco Asensio from PSG came a close second.Yet for Villa’s under-stated president of football operations Monchi, just the latest two additions in over 20 years of sparkling signings.And after Rashford’s arrival from Manchester United, you could not escape the irony of his key role in the deal.The Spaniard’s partnership with sporting director Damian Vidagany and boss Unai Emery gives Villa a transfer committee to rival any in the Premier League.But in the eyes of Monchi’s one-time wingman, United missed a trick 18 months ago when they were hunting a front man to get their recruitment back on track.Highly-respected Spanish coach Antonio Fernandez spent six years alongside Monchi at Sevilla, as they went from the second tier to La Liga regulars and Europa League kings.It was a trophy they won SEVEN times in his days at the club – three with Emery in charge – plus another couple of Copa del Rey triumphs.There was also a near £200million transfer profit after Monchi unearthed the likes of Dani Alves and Ivan Rakitic among a host of uncut diamonds that made Sevilla a fortune.JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSFernandez insisted: “People outside Spain didn’t really notice Sevilla until Diego Maradona went there in 1992.“But it was Monchi who was responsible for keeping them at the top and making sure they regularly rubbed shoulders with the powerhouses.Why Marcus Rashford could be perfect fit for Aston Villa after Man Utd transferMorgan Rogers has been sensational since joining from MiddlesbroughCredit: GettyDonyell Malen is hoping to be another Monchi hitCredit: Getty“He waved his magic wand every year and made incredible signings which generated huge money. Men like Alves for 800,000 Euros, who was sold for £24milllion.“The thing is, he looks in places where not many do and once he identifies his target, he studies the player in an obsessive way.“He has a clinical eye and that is why he hardly makes a mistake with his signings. I always knew he would be a huge success in England. He could fit in any club in the world.“Monchi was anything but a superstar in nine years as Sevilla keeper, with the bulk of them spent as back-up to Juan Carlos Unzue.Yet a playing career in the shadows became a management one in the brightest of spotlights as scout, spotter and sealer of deals.Emery tempted Monchi to rejoin him in June 2023, and he has been a key figure in the signing of, among others, Pau Torres, Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen.Fernandez added: “Over the years Monchi has been a player, a scout, a technical director and a director, so he sees it from every angle.“He is a specialist in recruitment because he has filled so many positions…that’s what has helped make him the best operator in the business.”Monchi’s career in footballMONCHI enjoyed a nine-year top-level playing career as a goalkeeper for Sevilla.He featured 85 times as the club’s No2 before retiring in 1999.Monchi then became Sevilla’s Sporting Director a year later and transformed the club’s fortunes in LaLiga.The Spaniard eventually left for Roma in 2017.But his time in Italy was not a success and Monchi returned to Sevilla two years later.His second spell there as Sporting Director was not as successful.And Monchi decided to link up with Unai Emery once again when Aston Villa came calling in 2023.Playing careerPosition: GoalkeeperSevilla B, 1988-1990: 41 games, 0 goalsSevilla, 1990-1999: 85 games, 0 goalsPost-playing careerSporting Director, Sevilla: 2000-2017Sporting Director, Roma: 2017-2019Sporting Director, Sevilla: 2019-2023President of Football Operations, Aston Villa: 2023-PresentToday Villa face Tottenham, where former Villa sporting director Johan Lange is now technical director, after leaving the Midlands club in 2023.And the two clubs are also rivals in an off-pitch power struggle.When Lange was appointed at Villa in 2020, shortly after Dean Smith’s side had narrowly escaped immediate relegation from the Premier League, the club said: “We will not be satisfied until we achieve our goal of bringing sustainable success to Aston Villa at the top tier of European football.”The fact that Villa are currently closer to achieving that goal than Spurs owes quite a bit to Lange.The Dane oversaw the signing of players like Ollie Watkins, Emi Martinez, Matty Cash and Jhon Duran.The January sale of Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr for £70m is a big reason why Monchi had room for manoeuvre in the winter window.But it was also a consequence of the Premier League’s financial regulations as Villa strive to find ways to avoid breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules.Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris slammed PSR last summer, saying: “Some of the rules have actually resulted in cementing the status quo more than creating upward mobility and fluidity.Monchi’s best signingsSevillaSergio RamosJesus NavasJose Antonio ReyesDani AlvesJulio BaptistaIvan RakiticRomaLorenzo PellegriniBryan CristanteJustin KluivertNicolo ZanioloPatrik SchickCengiz UnderAston VillaMorgan RogersPau TorresYouri TielemansAmadou OnanaMarcus RashfordMarco Asensio“The rules do not make sense and are not good for football.”Like the billionaire owners of Manchester City, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Egyptian magnate Sawiris resents not having the same freedom to invest in Villa as he has in his other businesses.Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool form another PL power bloc which is just as motivated by self-interest.They want rules that will not only stop state-owned City and Newcastle from spending so much that they disappear into the sunset, but also prevent the likes of Villa from permanently ejecting them from the Champions League places.Manchester United and Chelsea are not fully committed to either side and their owners’ attitude will be key as the PL tries to agree new financial regulations, based on squad cost rules (SCR) rather than PSR’s maximum losses, in time for next season.Critics reckon the SCR regime – which is going through a dummy run this season – will make life even harder for upwardly-mobile clubs like Villa than PSR.Tottenham’s 2023/4 income of £520m was double Villa’s and the Spurs wage bill was 42 per cent of turnover, compared to 96 per cent at Villa.Which is why it is easy to believe rumours that Villa will take a strong position when the 20 clubs discuss SCR at next week’s meeting.This afternoon’s FA Cup clash is a battle in a much bigger war.While executives square up off the field, Monchi’s job is to find the best possible players to play on it – and to generate the transfer profits that will plug the financial gap between Villa and the Establishment. 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      ‘We don’t miss him’ – Chelsea boss Maresca fires brutal parting shot at Joao Felix after sending £46m flop out on loan

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      CHELSEA boss Enzo Maresca fired a brutal parting shot at Joao Felix after his move to AC Milan.Felix, 25, has joined the Serie A side on loan until the end of the season.Joao Felix has signed a loan deal with AC Milan until the end of the seasonCredit: GettyEnzo Maresca insists Chelsea do ‘not miss’ FelixCredit: GettyThe versatile Portuguese attacker’s exit comes just six months into his seven-year contract after the Blues signed him in a £46million deal from Atletico Madrid.With strikers Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu out injured, Chelsea crashed out the FA Cup in a 2-1 loss to Brighton.The club’s decision to allow Felix to leave was questioned, but the manager insisted he does not need him.Maresca said: “I don’t think we miss Joao. Joao is happy there and we are happy Joao is happy there. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”We had two striker injuries on Deadline Day, it is something difficult to think. “Nico can be back very soon. Sometimes I think you need to play some games without players to realise how important they are. “Off the ball, his pressing is always very good and on the ball he is a threat always.”Before the defeat to Brighton, Maresca asked about Felix, saying: “I don’t know about the future. It’s complicated to talk about the future.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”Nothing bad happened. Players train everyday and want to play all the games.”But just 11 are playing. We decided together that it was a good option to leave. He never complained.”Bizarre moment Enzo Fernandez gives fan his shorts after Chelsea clash… but supporter SNIFFS themFelix started just three Premier League games this season, with the majority of his appearances coming in cup competitions.Christopher Nkunku led the line for Chelsea against Brighton but struggled. Maresca previously admitted he was open to playing Cole Palmer up front.Chelsea ratings vs Brighton as pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a shockerBRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.But how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings…Robert Sanchez – 5/10Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed.Nothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for Brighton’s winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly executed chip.Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forwards winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than his Tosin throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his sides efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the Englishman booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted fifteen minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident he had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his fullback. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicholas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with the Frenchman Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system.It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.Tyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact. More

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      Chelsea ratings: Pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a stinker in FA Cup loss to Brighton

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      BRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.A fiery opening to the game saw two goals in the opening 12 minutes. Bart Verbruggen inexplicably misjudged Cole Palmer’s cross and turned the ball into his own net to hand Chelsea a 1-0 lead five minutes in.Chelsea suffered a shock elimination from the FA Cup after losing to BrightonCredit: ReutersChelsea ace Marc Cucurella can hold his head highCredit: ReutersChristopher Nkunku disappointed against BrightonCredit: AlamyBrighton, however, bounced back fast thanks to a perfectly placed Georginio Rutter header.It was a fiery rest of the first half, without either side really creating many chances. Both sides were flying into the challenges however, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Joel Veltman both picking up yellow cards for hefty tackles.It didn’t take long for Brighton to go in front in the second half. The Seagulls escaped a possible handball shout before Kaoru Mitoma chipped ex-Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez to put the home side ahead in the 57th minute.Chelsea never looked like forcing a way back into the game after going behind, with the lack of a goal scoring striker up top really hurting Enzo Maresca’s side.Read More on ChelseaBut how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings below for more:Robert Sanchez – 5Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed. CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSNothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly-placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for the Seaulls’ winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly-executed chip.Most read in FootballCole Palmer shows off his goal scoring skills at Chelsea Training Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Kaoru Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forward’s winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre-back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than Tosin Adarabioyo throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre-back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex Stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex-player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one-man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his side’s efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the midfielder booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted 15 minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident and had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his full-back. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first-time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicolas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman, who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Christopher Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system. It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.READ MORE SUN STORIESTyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact.Noni Madueke (Pedro Neto, 73) – 6Barely saw any of the ball after he was introduced. More

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      Why is Cole Palmer wearing a bandage on his hand while playing?

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      COLE PALMER brought his stunning Premier League form into the FA Cup.The England ace’s low cross was parried in by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen just five minutes into the fourth round clash – but you may have noticed Palmer was wearing a bandage on his hand in the game.Cole Palmer wearing a bandage on his right hand against BrightonCredit: GettyPalmer was not wearing the bandage as he arrived at the AMEXCredit: AlamyThe bandage was visible during the celebration for the goal, with Palmer making a heart sign to the camera.The 22-year-old has been in phenomenal form for the Blues this season, with 14 goals and six assists in 24 matches.And boss Enzo Maresca has hinted he might start Palmer as the central striker if Chelsea’s injury crisis deepens.Maresca said: “Cole playing as a No9 in the past. We can find some different solutions. “At the moment, we have not decided anything because we are still waiting for Nico [Jackson] and from there, we will see different options.”Palmer with the bandage on his right handCredit: GettyWhy is Cole Palmer wearing a bandage?Cole Palmer was seen wearing a white taped bandage on his right wrist during the FA Cup clash at Brighton on February 8, 2025.However, Palmer did not have the bandage on as he arrived at the AMEX Stadium when he took to the pitch before his warm up.And Palmer did not wear a bandage on his hand in the Blues’ last match against West Ham five days prior.Most read in FootballPalmer’s England teammate Phil Foden has been wearing a bandage on his hand for the past year, after suffering a fracture in February 2024. More

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      Ange Postecoglou will AVOID sack even if Spurs are dumped out of FA Cup but admits he has TWO WEEKS to save job

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      ANGE POSTECOGLOU looks set to avoid the sack even if Tottenham crash out of the FA Cup on Sunday.Only a crushing defeat at Aston Villa would put pressure on chairman Daniel Levy to wield the axe.Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou will avoid the sack even if he suffers FA Cup eliminationCredit: ReutersPostecoglou admits Tottenham’s next two games against Manchester United and Ipswich could cost himCredit: GettyBut Spurs’ beleaguered boss admits that their next two Premier League games — against Manchester United and Ipswich — could decide his fate.Postecoglou called the United game in seven days a chance “to relaunch our campaign”.And he will also have two rare weeks with no midweek matches to work with the squad and ease injured players back to fitness.The calf problem that led to Richarlison going off at Liverpool in midweek is yet another setback following Radu Dragusin’s season-ending ACL injury.Read More on FootballAnd Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven is also rumoured to have suffered a setback in his return from a hamstring problem.But Postecoglou said: “There’s a number of our players scheduled to come back during that time, so we’ll use it wisely to rest the guys who need rest.“Certainly, there’s a fair few that need some rest and also hopefully get some work into the guys who have been out for quite a while to be ready for the challenge ahead.“Because I think these two weeks we’ve got now will be really valuable for the finish of our season.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSDefeat at Villa would eliminate another opportunity for Spurs to finally end their 17-year trophy drought.Yet next Sunday’s home game against United and a trip to Ipswich the following Saturday may prove crucial in deciding if the Aussie gets the chance to chase glory in the Europa League.Inside Tottenham’s horror performance as season worst stats expose disasterclass from Ange Postecoglou’s flopsFormer Tottenham stars Jamie Redknapp and Michael Dawson were among the pundits who laid into Postecoglou’s flops following Thursday night’s 4-0 Carabao Cup semi-final thrashing by Liverpool.But Postecoglou hit back:  “I don’t have any obligation to listen to any of it. It’s irrelevant what people’s opinions are.“I don’t even know them. Why would I care where they think we’re at? They are a million miles away from us.” More

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      Chelsea closing in on transfer for Sporting wonderkid Dario Essugo despite young stars’ concerns about joining Blues

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      CHELSEA are closing in on a deal for Sporting Lisbon star Dario Essugo.The Blues want to sort out a fee with the Portuguese side quickly as the 19-year-old midfielder’s reputation grows on loan at Las Palmas.Chelsea are closing in on a deal for Sporting Lisbon star Dario EssugoCredit: GettyEssugo’s reputation grows while on loan at Las PalmasCredit: GettyEssugo will only be keen if he is to be part of the squad — a growing issue with young stars chased by the London club.Striker Eli Junior Kroupi, 18, chose Bournemouth instead of Chelsea last week when he quit French side Lorient.And the Blues’ Argentinian centre-half Aaron Anselmino, 19, refused a loan to Strasbourg because he does not want to be moved around.Essugo joined Sporting in 2014 at the tender age of nine years old.Read More on FootballAfter eight years within the Lisbon giants’ youth ranks, the defensive midfielder earned a senior call-up.The Portugal Under-21 international would then split his time between the first and B team.That led to recent loan stints at Chaves and of course Las Palmas.Essugo has amassed a total of one goal in 14 appearances with the LaLiga outfit this season.Most read in FootballThis comes after a total of 25 appearances with Sporting the last four years.Essugo made history with the Portuguese outfit in 2021 when he became the club’s youngest ever player to wear the jersey at just 16 years and six daysChelsea vs West Ham: Player Ratings BreakdownChelsea didn’t bring any new players during this past January transfer window.The Blues just recalled Gabriel Slonina, Trevoh Chalobah, David Datro Fofana and Anselmino from their loan stints. More

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      Arsenal boost as Mikel Arteta considers putting Ben White straight back in squad just days after returning to training

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      MIKEL ARTETA is considering throwing Ben White straight back into the Arsenal squad – just days after returning to full training following a knee operation.The Gunners have been in Dubai since Thursday morning for a mid-season winter break – flying back to London on Tuesday ahead of their Prem clash at Leicester on Saturday.Arsenal ace Ben White is closing in on a return from knee injuryCredit: GettyArsenal boss Mikel Arteta is considering throwing White straight back into the squadCredit: GettyWhite has followed Arsenal’s squad for the mid-season winter break in DubaiCredit: GettyOne of the standout names in the travelling group out in the Middle East is right-back White, 27 – who has not played since November 10.The versatile defender underwent knee surgery, having played through the pain for weeks, with fears he could be out for five or six months – but is now in contention to feature after three months of rehab.Arsenal’s medics predicted a speedy recovery from White, whose injury record has been exemplary since joining the club from Brighton in the summer of 2021 for £50million.And they have been proven right with White ahead of schedule and back in full training with the first team in a timely boost for the North Londoners.Read More on ArsenalFull-back is a position that Arteta has plenty of options in with the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney to choose from.As a result, the Arsenal boss will not take any unnecessary risks – but is keen to get White back on the bench to face the Foxes at the King Power Stadium.Winger Bukayo Saka is also out in Dubai with the squad, but has not been involved in training, instead continuing his rehab from hamstring surgery underwent just before Christmas.The England star is due back at the start of March, with Arsenal targeting the Champions League Last 16 first leg on either March 4 or 5 – or their trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Prem on March 9.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut the injury issues continue to pile up for Arteta with Gabriel Martinelli potentially out for a month with a hamstring issue.The Brazilian hobbled off in the first half of their 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final second leg defeat away at Newcastle on Wednesday.Ben White ruled out for months in mega blow to Arsenal title hopes, confirms Mikel Arteta There are hopes that Martinelli – who has also flown out to Dubai – can defy that timeline and get back sooner ahead of the final run-in to the end of the season.Martinelli joins Saka and striker Gabriel Jesus in the medical room – the latter out for the rest of 2025 following an operation on an ACL rupture last month.Arteta’s fit attacking options include Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and 17-year-old academy product Ethan Nwaneri. More