10.15am Arsenal transfer news LIVE: Ceballos and Luiz ‘training fight’, Isco update, Eriksen for Xhaka swap LATEST – The Sun
ARSENAL resume their Premier League campaign with a clash on Sunday against Leeds.
Off the field, the Gunners are reportedly in talks with Isco while there are shock reports that David Luiz and Dani Ceballos were in a 'training ground fight'.
Follow all the latest Arsenal transfer gossip below…
- William Pugh
CED HOT FORM
Mikel Arteta heaped praise on right-back Cedric after his impressive recovery from a knee injury early in his Arsenal career.
The Spanish boss said: “I've seen a big change in Cedric in the last month or so. I think his performances in the Europa League have been much better.
“He needed some time to adapt to our way of playing and most importantly, he needed his fitness levels to be at the standard we need.
“That was impossible because he had some injuries when he came here.
“He had a really bad injury in his knee, after that he broke his nose and he had some difficulties but again he's a lad who's trying really hard every day in training.
“He's accepting the situation and he's fighting against it to prove us wrong and we'll try to provide him more opportunities.”
- William Pugh
MANY ALLY RETURNS
Arsenal have wished former striker and Sky commentator Alan Smith a happy birthday on Twitter.
The 6ft 3in man turns 58 today.
- William Pugh
…
Speaking about his talismanic attacking midfielder, RB Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch told Futbol with Grant Wahl podcast: “He’s an incredible talent, and I say this…
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“When you coach young players, you have to love them and love the fact that they’re going to move on and love that they’re going to have big opportunities to prove themselves and show how good they are.
“If you’re only worried about how it affects your success, then you’re not really going to ever be effective at coaching and leading young people.
“So with a guy like Dominik, I mean, I want him to show everyone in the world how good he is.
“So let’s see what happens, but I would be surprised if he winds up staying past winter. We play with teenagers, and of course when they do well a lot of clubs get really excited.”
- William Pugh
SZOB STORY
Arsenal are hoping to sign Dominik Szoboszlai by paying his £22.5million release clause in three instalments, reports claim.
The Gunners are still hoping to bolster their options in midfield, having missed out on Houssem Aouar in the summer.
Boss Mikel Arteta likes Szoboszlai, 20, and would be interested in capturing the Hungarian’s signature in January.
But according to the Mirror, the Gunners will have to pay his £22.5m release clause in three separate payments, in order to afford the deal.
Chiefs believe that this way, they can beat off competition from the likes of RB Leipzig, Real Madrid and AC Milan for the RB Salzburg ace…
- William Pugh
STARK WARN-ING
Neil Warnock has revealed he nearly appeared on 'I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!'.
The veteran gaffer guided Middlesbrough to safety last season. But he may not have taken up his 17th job in management, had he made a different decision a few years ago.
Warnock, 71, revealed: “I was nearly in it! It might have been two or three years ago – but I was approached.
“Imagine if I’d said yes – everybody would have been voting for me wouldn’t they, to do every bloody thing?
“I know my kids would have been. My kids – Amy and William – were straight on to me saying they would be phoning every night.
“They were saying, 'We’ll make sure you get those maggots, Dad'. Will it happen in the future? Let’s play it by ear.”
- Etienne Fermie
GOOD MORNING GUNNERS FANS!
Arsenal will definitely be without Thomas Partey for the trip to Leeds on Sunday after he failed to shake off a thigh problem.
The Gunners will also have to do without his central midfield partner Mohamed Elneny who tested positive for coronavirus while away with Egypt and will fly home with Liverpool’s Mo Salah.
The pair will be tested again upon their return to the UK and be subject to a ten-day quarantine.
Young gun Joe Willock could feature after boss Mikel Arteta revealed he was ‘impressed with him’ in training despite limited Premier League game time.
Arteta said Willian’s controversial Dubai trip has been ‘dealt with internally’ and the issue is ‘resolved’.
Former Gunners striker Paul Merson believes the 32-year-old Brazilian ‘looks lost’ at the Emirates after moving from Chelsea on a three-year deal and urged the club to ‘get him performing’.
Sky Sports pundit Merse also believes skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should be played centrally to help the Gabon star notch some more goals.
The Athletic reports RB Salzburg playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai is a key target for Arsenal as owners Kroenke Sports & Entertainment prepare to make more investments.
They also report the club tried to use instalment-based payment structures to land two out of three summer targets that included Partey, Chelsea’s Jorginho and Lyon’s Houssem Aouar.
- Josh Graham
FIX THE LEAK
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said he wants to find out who leaked details of the training ground scrap between David Luiz and Dani Ceballos.
He said: “I don't like the fact that that incident comes out at all.
“And I will find out where it is coming from and if that is the case, that goes completely against what I expect from each other, the privacy and the confidentiality that we need, and there will be consequences.”
When asked if he will address his staff regarding the matter, the Spaniard replied: “Yes.”
- Josh Graham
PUT A SOK IN IT
Arsenal defender Sokratis made his first appearance since the FA Cup final.
But it was only for the Under-23s against Everton.
His contract expires in the summer and he is believed to be looking at his options in January.
- Josh Graham
BUK THE TREND
Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka is not worried about burning out despite racking up the minutes for the Gunners and England.
The versatile 19-year-old played in all three Three Lions games during the international break, playing 232 minutes and he has started all but one of Arsenal's eight Premier League games.
He said: “It's a lot of minutes but as a kid this is what you dream of. So I can't now turn around and say I don't want to play it because I am living my dream, playing for England.
“I played all three games – who'd have thought I would do that? So I'm not going to complain.
“I just have to trust the people in charge will manage me in the correct way and continue to help me thrive and progress as a player.”
- Josh Graham
BELE RUMBLES
Arsenal are reportedly on red alert with Barcelona worried Ousmane Dembele will run down his contract.
The Frenchman has struggled of late and turned down a deadline day move to Manchester United.
The Express reports the Gunners are interested with Mikel Arteta looking to improve his attack.
Dembele's deal expires in 2022 but cash-strapped Barca are keen to cash in this January.
- Josh Graham
JOR DROPPING
Arsenal tried to sign Chelsea midfielder Jorginho in the summer, it has been revealed.
The Athletic reports the Gunners attempted to use instalment-based payment structures to land two of their top three targets.
The Italy international was on the shortlist along with Lyon's Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey.
Partey was the only star to arrive at the Emirates after Arsenal activated his £45million Atletico Madrid release clause on deadline day.
- Josh Graham
AUBA THE MIDDLE
Arsenal captain Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang should play as an out-and-out striker, according to former Gunners forward Paul Merson.
Aubameyang has bagged just two goals in the league this term, featuring mainly out on the left for Mikel Arteta's side.
Merse told Sky Sports: “When Aubameyang is out on the wing, he can go 15 minutes without touching the ball. You can't have your star player going that long without touching the ball.
“How many goals would Jamie Vardy get for Leicester if you played him out on the left wing? Not as many as he gets now, that's for sure.
“Defences are starting to work him out. They are starting to nullify the threat from him from out wide and making life hard for him.
“They are stopping the cut-inside and shot into the far corner. Something has got to change. At the moment, he's not seeing enough of the ball where it matters.”
- Josh Graham
GET WILL SOON
Willian 'looks lost' at Arsenal and nowhere near his Chelsea form, according to Paul Merson.
The Brazilian winger, 32, arrived at the Emirates ahead of this season on a three-year deal that Blues brass refused to offer him.
Merse told Sky Sports: “Willian was unbelievable at Chelsea last year.
“For me, he was probably one of the best players. He was phenomenal – an outstanding talent.
'He has gone to Arsenal and he looks lost. They have got to get him performing.”
- Josh Graham
AUBA AND OUT
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith reckons skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still hungry for goals but there needs to be a tactical change to spark him into life.
Smith told the Evening Standard: “The fact that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hasn’t scored from open play in the league since the opening day does tend to point in a worrying direction.
“If one of the world’s best finishers can’t find the net in seven games, what does that say about the team as a whole? Well, it says for a start that the number of chances created has dropped. The Gunners don’t carve out the opportunities of old.
“In fairness, that’s bound to happen when a coach is concentrating on organisation and solidity, when he’s determined to eradicate flimsy defending in favour of a disciplined approach that gives little away.
“Some say he is wasted on the left, but I can’t agree with that when he has shone so brightly from that position in the past. Mind you, his success from that flank partly depends on the centre-forward’s input and Alexandre Lacazette has fallen into a slump that’s not helping. It might be time to move the captain inside.
“As for the accusation Aubameyang has lost his hunger after signing that humongous contract, I’m not having that. The 31-year-old doesn’t seem the type to coast along. He likes scoring too much to be going through the motions.
“A lack of creativity doesn’t help his cause, a shortfall that leads to Arsenal struggling against sides adopting a low block. Leeds, however, don’t go near that tactic, with Bielsa insisting on attacking verve. As a result, this might be a day for Auba’s huge grin.”
- Josh Graham
MARC MY WORDS
Arsenal are one of the 'best teams' in the Premier League according to Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa.
The Gunners travel to Elland Road on Sunday and Leeds' Argentine coach praised their opponents – who are just four places and two points ahead of them.
He said: “Arsenal is one of the best teams in the league. They have players of hierarchy in all of their lines.
“They have a manager who proposes a style which distinguishes the team.
“He’s a coach who, once he has his team playing how he projects. Tactically, if you watch Arsenal closely they show things which I haven’t seen in any other team.”
- Josh Graham
DIOU BELIEVE?
Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has revealed his unlikely childhood hero.
The Gabon striker revealed it was fellow African forward and ex-Liverpool and Bolton ace El Hadji Diouf.
He told Senegalese paper Stades: “I got to know the Senegalese national team thanks to El Hadji Diouf, who was playing in Lens at the time and who made us dream.
“I loved El Hadji Diouf so much, that in 2002, I coloured my hair with white powder, my friends did the same.
“After each Lions match at the 2002 World Cup, we danced, sang my friends and I.”
- Josh Graham
CED & DONE
Mikel Arteta revealed January signing Cedric Soares has continued to fight despite his injury struggles at Arsenal.
The Gunners boss said: “I've seen a big change in Cedric in the last month or so. I think his performances in the Europa League have been much better.
“He needed some time to adapt to our way of playing and most importantly, he needed his fitness levels to be at the standard we need. That was impossible because he had some injuries when he came here.
“He had a really bad injury in his knee, after that he broke his nose and he had some difficulties but again he's a lad who's trying really hard every day in training.
“He's accepting the situation and he's fighting against it to prove us wrong and we'll try to provide him more opportunities.”
- Josh Graham
SZOB STORY
Dominik Szoboszlai is reportedly a key target for Arsenal as owners Kroenke Sports & Entertainment prepare to make further investments.
The Gunners are known to be interested in the Red Bull Salzburg playmaker, who could be brought in to the Emirates in January.
It has even been claimed that the North London outfit have already held talks with the player's agent Matyas Esterhazy.
And now The Athletic have stated that the 20-year-old could be the latest addition to the squad following a summer that saw a number of arrivals to the club.
As well as extending Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's contract, Arsenal signed the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, Willian and Thomas Partey.
Despite a positive start to the season, Arsenal languish in 11th spot in the Premier League after losing three out of their last four games.
- William Pugh
WEMBLEY WAY TO GO
It was part of the fabric of Wembley.
Before the Arch, everybody knew the Twin Towers.
But just as much a part of the experience was the walk along Wembley Way from the Tube station, surrounded by fans and colours.
And, in the distance, rising up, the walkway, officially ‘the Olympic Steps’. Built in 1974, to avoid fans having to plot their way through a long-disused coach park.
Now, just like those towers, the walkway is part of history too, being demolished to create a new approach to the new home of the English game.
But if concrete could talk, what tales it would tell.
- William Pugh
MILD MANNERED MIK
Mikel Arteta says coping with the stresses of 'all-consuming' Premier League management is easier because he loves what he does.
He said: “At the moment in the actual context [of Covid-19] it makes it that way.
“I feel so privileged to be where I am because I love so much what I do, I love to be sitting representing this football club and having the opportunity to spend time with these players and staff.
“But I think it becomes a job every time you are resolving issues and resolving problems. If you get shocked by that every day, then energy-wise it is very consuming.
“I come in now and I am expecting something to come in through the door and give me bad news and having to react quickly because I know it is coming right now.
“I try to prepare myself and my mood in the morning to say, ‘Okay, let’s see what we face today and let’s go for it.”
- William Pugh
INJUR-MIE
Arsenal Women could be hit with a further injury crisis after Vivianne Miedema was forced to pull out of international duty with a hip complaint.
The Gunners currently have FIVE first-team players on the treatment table.
The Dutch national team confirmed the news on Friday that the striker would miss the upcoming fixtures with the USA and Kosovo.
They said: “Vivianne Miedema has to miss the upcoming international match due to a hip injury. Victoria Pelova has been called up as her replacement. Get well soon Vivianne Miedema.”
Jordan Nobbs, Steph Catley, Lisa Evans, Jen Beattie and Noelle Maritz all missed the Gunners’ dramatic 1-1 draw with Chelsea last time out.
And losing Miedema, 24, would be a major blow to Joe Montemurro’s side.
- William Pugh
…
“And I would like him to say which are the coaches that he calls and speaks on the phone with them. He has the right, the power to call the players he wants.
“He wants to win matches, especially after a defeat the next match, even being a dead rubber, is an important match. I sympathise totally with that.
“But of course we all know that Sterling is going to play for City against us. When Eric Dier left the national team injured in the past month, he didn’t play two matches for Tottenham.
“He didn’t play the Premier League match and the Europa League match. He needed a couple of weeks to recover. And Raheem is going to play.
“These are the little details that I think Gareth should explain to us all.”
- William Pugh
MOAN-RINHO
Jose Mourinho has called on Gareth Southgate to name and shame the Prem managers who try to stop their stars from playing for England.
The Spurs boss is unhappy Manchester City striker Raheem Sterling will face the North Londoners tonight after withdrawing from Southgate’s Three Lions squad through 'injury'.
Mourinho said: “Gareth Southgate, I read, supposedly told that some club managers put pressure on the players not to play for the national team.
“And because of that he feels sometimes the need to call club managers to cool down the emotions and control a difficult situation for him.
“I would like him to say who. I would like him to say which are the coaches who put pressure on the players not to play…
- William Pugh
'MOVE ON'
Willian has been ‘dealt with internally’ by Arsenal after his break in Dubai during the international fortnight – with Mikel Arteta insisting the issue is ‘resolved’.
The Brazilian forward, 32, was spotted in Dubai after posing for a photo with Salt Bae despite coronavirus guidelines banning all but essential travel.
Willian had not been called up for Brazil’s matches with Venezuela and Uruguay – with rules suggesting he should have stayed in London.
But Arsenal boss Arteta has revealed the issue with Willian has been ‘resolved’ and he now just wants to move on ahead of this weekend’s trip to Newcastle.
Asked if Willian would play this weekend, Arteta briskly replied: “You keep asking me for more and more issues.
“Whatever happens with any issues or things that we don’t expect, as always we will try to resolve them internally. That’s been dealt with and explained, and we move on.”
- William Pugh
RASH DECISION
Mesut Ozil did not name a single Arsenal player in his dream five-a-side team.
But the Gunners outcast did include THREE players from former club Real Madrid.
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