Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing an “outstanding” Premier League defender, and there is now a possibility he could join on a free transfer in 2026, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs eyeing new centre-back

Tottenham have conceded 51 goals in the Premier League this season, and while the poor defensive record can partly be attributed to Ange Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy, the numbers are concerning.

With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero regularly being linked with moves elsewhere, the need to bring in a new centre-back this summer has been exacerbated, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is one of the options, having held talks over a deal for the Spain international earlier this month, while they have also expressed an interest in Barcelona defender Eric Garcia, who could be sold for just £17m this summer.

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Huijsen is not the only Premier League defender Tottenham admire, however, as they are well-known to have made a £70m bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the January transfer window, and there has now been an update on the 24-year-old’s future.

Taking to X, Romano has now stated that Spurs “remain keen” on signing Guehi this summer, having been on their shortlist “for months”, but there could be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Chelsea.

This summer could be Palace’s last chance to cash-in for a sizeable fee, with the defender’s contract set to expire in 2026, but there is also a possibility he could leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer next year, if a suitable offer is not received.

Having knocked back the Lilywhites’ £70m bid in the winter window, it is clear Palace value their captain very highly, although reports from elsewhere have stated his price tag could now stand at between £50m – £60m.

Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Bodo/Glimt (h)

May 1st

West Ham United (a)

May 4th

Bodo/Glimt (a)

May 8th

Crystal Palace (h)

May 11th

Aston Villa (a)

May 18th

"Outstanding" Guehi could be ideal Romero replacement

Romero has been pushing for a summer exit, with Daniel Levy cancelling talks over a new contract, so it is clear a replacement may be required this summer, and the Palace centre-back has proven he could be up to the task.

The England international was particularly impressive en-route to the Euro 2024 final, with his performances being lauded as “outstanding” by members of the media, while he has also caught the eye in a Palace shirt.

The former Chelsea man has averaged a 7.07 SofaScore rating in the Premier League this season, ranking him as the third-most consistent performer in the Palace squad, and he has been a key component of the side, making 32 appearances.

Having also been lauded as a “leader” by members of the media, there are clear signs Guehi could be capable of organising Tottenham’s shaky backline, so it is promising news that the north Londoners remain keen on a deal this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have seemingly been offered the chance to sign a noteworthy Chelsea player this summer, and he could prove a very useful addition for Ange Postecoglou or his potential replacement next season.

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Spurs are on course for their worst ever Premier League season, resulting in uncertainty surrounding Postecoglou’s long-term future, and reports suggest the former Celtic boss could be shown his P45 regardless of their campaign in Europe (The Telegraph).

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A succession of managerial candidates have been tipped to potentially succeed Postecoglou, but as technical director Johan Lange and Daniel Levy assess Spurs’ options in that regard, they must also begin preparations for the summer transfer window.

Tottenham’s final Premier League fixtures

Date

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Tottenham are reportedly in the market for a forward, and have even been linked with a surprise move for West Ham star Jarrod Bowen this week.

Levy is apparently willing to bid around £51 million to sign Bowen for Spurs, even if this may not be anywhere near enough, but the England international isn’t their only rival player to be mentioned as a possible incoming in the last few days.

Christopher Nkunku holds talks to join Tottenham via agents

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to The Boot Room, £195,000-per-week Chelsea winger Christopher Nkunku is actively looking to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

The Frenchman, who’s actually scored 14 goals in all competitions this season, verbally agreed terms over a move to Bayern Munich in January (Florian Plettenberg), and looks set to be one of the many men sold or loaned out by Enzo Maresca’s side when the window reopens.

Bailey writes that, while a move to Europe is more likely, Nkunku’s camp have reached out for talks with Tottenham recently, as the ex-RB Leipzig sensation’s representatives attempt to offer him to a host of clubs.

“I am told that a move to Europe is the most likely option – but his people are touching base with clubs in England,” said Bailey.

“Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham have all been spoken to in the past few months. Chelsea want to recoup as much of their plus £50m outlay, but that looks difficult at this juncture.

“I am told the player is very happy in London, and so would a move to a Arsenal or Tottenham appeal? I believe it would but as it stands those options are not advanced – but Arsenal and Spurs both have an historic interest in the player. Both want a wide forward, so you could see the fit.

“There is interest back in Germany – Bayern Munich like him, a new deal for Leroy Sane doesn’t rule out them making a move but it is not pressing. Former club RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen also admire him.”

The versatile 27-year-old has displayed real quality on occasion since his switch to London, and was a revelation in the Bundesliga. However, this could prove to be a costly operation, especially for a price around £50 million, not to mention his lofty salary.

With Spurs in for a ‘sell to buy’ summer, as per The Telegraph, these factors may well deter Levy.

Well, that is about as deflating a night as Arsenal fans are going to experience this year.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last night, and instead of repeating the heroics of their game against Real Madrid, they seemed to just shrink.

It took all of three minutes for the visitors to take the lead through Ousmane Dembélé, and while the Gunners had a few chances of their own, the French side was undoubtedly the better team overall, taking a 1-0 lead back to Paris next week.

Arsenal's biggest underperformers against PSG

It would be fair to say that, apart from David Raya, none of the starters really stood out for the right reasons, but there were undoubtedly a few who stood out for all the wrong ones.

Indeed, with Thomas Partey forced to sit out through suspension after his daft yellow card in Madrid, Arteta’s side were forced to make some changes.

The most notable of which saw Mikel Merino play in midfield with Leandro Trossard playing as the centre-forward.

While it was Merino who saw a second-half goal ruled out for offside, Trossard had a poor night at the office and didn’t give Arsenal the out-ball his Spanish colleague has provided so well since becoming a makeshift striker.

Not only did the Belgian struggle to hold up the play but he was also missed a gilt-edged chance in the second half. Sent through on goal, the winger came close to equalising from close range but was denied fabulously by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the PSG net.

Gabriel Martinelli was another who missed a fine opportunity to score on what was a frustrating night for the Brazilian.

Following on from his winning goal at the Bernabeu earlier this month, there was hope, if not an expectation, that Martinelli would once again rewind the clock to his 22/23 form against PSG last night, but that just didn’t happen.

While he still fulfilled his defensive duties, the Brazilian wideman was a frustrating watch in attack, failing to make the most of the few chances created for him.

Moreover, with how often Hakimi got forward, there was certainly space for him to exploit, but he just couldn’t, and then, with almost the final kick of the game, he blazed the ball into row Z.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by the Independent’s Jamie Braidwood, who awarded the winger a 5/10 at full-time, and one backed up by his statistics.

For example, in his 95 minutes of action, the 23-year-old failed to find the back of the net with an expected goals figure of 1.08, took two shots off target, failed in 100% of his dribbles, missed two big chances, made just six passes, misplaced two of three crosses and was offside once.

Minutes

95′

Expected Goals

1.08

Expected Assists

0.03

Passing Accuracy

6/10 (60%)

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Shots On Target

1

Shots off Target

2

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (0)

Duels (Won)

5 (2)

Lost Possession

8

Big Chances Missed

2

Offside

1

However, as bad as Martinelli was, one of his teammates was even worse.

Arsenal's worst performer vs PSG

So, while a few other starters let themselves down somewhat last night, one quick glance at social media will reveal to you just who the worst offender was: Martin Odegaard.

It was a night that demanded a captain’s display, but instead of that, the Norwegian international put in what content creator Connor Humm described as a “hall of shame” performance.

The man who should be unlocking defences for the Gunners was instead completely ineffective for the vast majority of the game, and even when he did do something right on occasion, he’d only go and lose the ball or make the wrong pass right after.

It was possibly his most disappointing showing of the campaign yet, which is odd for someone who has undoubtedly been one of Arsenal’s best players of the Arteta era. However, since his ankle injury earlier in the campaign, he’s been way off it, scoring just five times in 2024/25.

While that sounds unfair, it is once again an opinion shared by the aforementioned Braidwood, who gave the 26-year-old a 4/10 match rating, while Humm further laid into him, saying that he was so anonymous at times that he may as well have just “sat in the stands.”

Unsurprisingly, such damning indictments of the captain are more than justified by his statistics, as in 89 uninspiring minutes, he amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.08 and no expected goals figure, he misplaced 100% of his crosses, didn’t take a single shot, failed in five of six dribbles and only won 25% of his duels.

Minutes

89′

Touches

42

Expected Goals

0.00

Expected Assists

0.08

Assists

0

Passing Accuracy

24/27 (89%)

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (0)

Shots

0

Dribbles (Successful)

6 (1)

Duels (Won)

8 (2)

Lost Possession

14

Ultimately, last night was a massive disappointment for Arsenal, and if they are to overturn PSG’s one-goal advantage next week, then Odegaard is going to have to either put in a substantially improved display or be dropped entirely.

Indeed, his performance meant the team were practically playing with ten men at the Emirates and in truth, he may not be good enough to be a regular starter anymore.

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Manchester City certainly don’t do things the easy way. After just 21 minutes of their Premier League clash against Crystal Palace on Saturday, they trailed 2-0.

In the 33rd minute, Kevin De Bruyne grabbed the bull by the horns and curled home City’s first goal of the afternoon. An hour later, they had five and had secured all three points to remain firmly in the mix for Champions League football.

The performance showed Pep Guardiola’s men at their scintillating best, especially throughout the second half, netting three unanswered goals.

While De Bruyne ran the show, January signing Omar Marmoush was also excellent, scoring their equaliser before the interval.

Omar Marmoush’s game in numbers vs Crystal Palace

Since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt, Marmoush has settled into the City side with ease. Across 12 games for the club, he has already racked up seven goals, including a stunning treble against Newcastle United.

With De Bruyne operating in an advanced role through the middle, the 26-year-old offered plenty from the left wing. Indeed, he created a big chance, made two key passes and attempted four dribbles (succeeding with two) against the Eagles.

He may have lost possession 14 times and won only three of his seven total contested duels, but Marmoush looks the real deal at City.

There is no doubt he will have a big part to play next season and bringing him in during the winter window was perhaps Guardiola’s finest decision this season.

Manchester City vs Crystal Palace – Key Statistics
Metric	Highest-ranked
Accurate passes	Rúben Dias (105)
Key passes	Kevin De Bruyne (4)
Tackles	Chris Richards and Nico Gonzalez (4)
Ground duels won	Daniel Munoz and Nico Gonzalez (5)
Shots on target	Omar Marmoush (3)
Via Sofascore

It was the performance of another winter arrival yesterday, however, that proves he is now as undroppable as the Egyptian talent – Nico Gonzalez.

Why Nico Gonzalez is now undroppable for Man City

The Spaniard has started seven of City’s eight league games since he made the move from Porto to Manchester, impressing at the heart of the midfield.

Against Palace, not only did the midfielder take 100 touches, controlling the play, but he also succeeded with 95% of his passes – 83 out of 87 – and won seven of his 11 total contested duels throughout the game.

Add in the fact that he made four tackles and lost possession only six times for City. Gonzalez is certainly proving to be an excellent signing, no doubt about that.

Like the Marmoush deal, bringing in the 23-year-old midway through the season will allow him to almost acclimatise to the demands of the Premier League – that might just be a strategy which pays off next season.

Simon Bajkowski, Manchester Evening News journalist, gave the youngster a match rating of 6/10 for his performance, stating that he ‘made some important interceptions’ throughout the game, although he could have avoided his yellow card in the first half.

January was spent bringing in five new faces to the club. On the basis of the performances by Marmoush and Gonzalez, Guardiola’s side will be hoping to end the season on a high note, thus heightening their ambitions that they can reclaim the title next term.

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Newcastle United are now racing to sign a “splendid” goalscoring midfielder, who could be available for a fee of just £17m this summer, according to a report.

Howe sets sights on new midfielder

Newcastle are well-stocked in central midfield, with Bruno Guimaraes’ and Sandro Tonali’s impressive performances this season attracting the attention of Manchester City ahead of the summer transfer window.

It is unclear whether the Magpies would be willing to strengthen a direct Premier League rival by selling one of their star midfielders, but if they do decide to cash-in, there are a number of possible replacements on the shortlist.

The PIF are said to have joined a tug-of-war for Man City midfielder James McAtee, while Eddie Howe is particularly fond of Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, with signing a new midfielder deemed to be a priority if Tonali moves on.

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Guendouzi specialises in a defensive role, but there are indications that Howe could also be keen on signing a midfielder capable of making an impact in the attacking third of the pitch.

According to a report from Spain, Newcastle are now racing Atletico Madrid and Nottingham Forest for the signature of Girona maestro Yangel Herrera, with Howe looking to complement his current options in midfield.

Although the rival interest in Herrera may be an issue, there is a sense that a deal could be possible, with the Spanish side willing to sanction his departure for a fee of around €20m (£17m), which would easily be affordable for PIF.

The Venezuelan has been a key player for Girona this season, catching the eye due to his physicality and passing ability, while the central midfielder has also proven himself in front of goal during his time in La Liga…

"Splendid" Herrera impressing on the front foot

The Girona midfielder has been particularly impressive going forward in La Liga this season, picking up four goals and three assists, while ranking in a high percentile across a number of key attacking metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.17 (88th percentile)

Touches (Attacking penalty area)

2.42 (87th percentile)

Shots total

1.84 (92nd percentile)

The Venezuela international is also a dominant force in the air, placing in the 91st percentile for aerials won, and he received high praise from Opta Jose for his attacking output back in March.

Herrera has limited top-level experience, making just five appearances in the Champions League, but Newcastle will need to increase their squad depth to compete on all fronts next season, and the 27-year-old has proven he could be a solid option.

Make no mistake about it, this has been an utterly dreadful campaign for Manchester United.

Whether it was Erik ten Hag in the formative months of the season or Ruben Amorim in the latter stages of the term, no one has been able to get a tune out of this downtrodden Premier League giant.

After suffering a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford on Sunday afternoon, it reduced the Red Devils to their 16th league defeat of 2024/25. That’s the first time that’s happened since 1989/90, before the Premier League even existed.

In truth, United were not expected to win this one. Their focus is well and truly on their Europa League semi-final next Thursday, and as a result, Amorim rang the changes.

There was a first start for 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, while 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson started at centre-back and 18-year-old Harry Amass was given a run out at left-wing back.

On that evidence, the defeat was not a shock. Still, it did little to help an already dispondent fanbase.

Where it went wrong for Man United at Brentford

While teenager Chido Obi struggled in attack, notably having just 18 touches of the ball, it was not an awful day for United in attack.

Mason Mount – who had not found the net in 400 days – opened the scoring, darting into the penalty area and finishing off a close-range opportunity.

Alejandro Garnacho and Amad also scored late on to save United’s blushes somewhat, but those two goals were too little too late. Still, it showed that there is promise for the future at Old Trafford.

It was at the back where United met their downfall. The tone was set when Brentford found their equaliser on 27 minutes. Amass was absolutely bullied by Michael Kayode who beat the youngster to the ball inside the area and then it cannoned off Luke Shaw for an own goal.

The second goal was equally as comical. Matthijs de Ligt went down injured and United switched off, which allowed Mikkel Damsgaard to find Kevin Schade who didn’t have to do much at the back stick.

For Schade’s second and the hosts’ third, there was very little resistance at the back post either where Fredricson left the Bees forward open at the and he was left with a simple finish.

It was then made all the worse when United failed to apply their offside trap correctly. The ball was slid in between the back line on the edge of the box and then Kayode laid it on a plate for Yoanne Wissa to score, completely unmarked again.

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Clearly, very little in the United backline helped but it was Shaw who was notably bad.

Luke Shaw's performance in numbers

At the peak of his game, Shaw proved himself to be one of the best left-backs not just in the Premier League, but also in Europe.

That was certainly the case at Euro 2020 where as you should all remember, he scored in the final against Italy for England.

Well, since then, it’s been a sad and agonising tale of woe for the left-sided defender who has struggled to stay fit, most notably in the last few seasons.

While Shaw managed over 30 league appearances in 2022/23, he was only seen on 12 occasions in the top-flight last season and only five times in 2024/25 to date.

In truth, this should be his last start in United’s famous colours; he was not good enough.

Minutes played

45

Touches

30

Accurate passes

19/24 (79%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Successful dribbles

0

Clearances

2

Tackles

1

Interceptions

0

Duels won

1/3

The own goal was bad enough but he had already nearly turned one into his own net in the first three minutes of the game. In the words of Manchester Evening News reporter, Samuel Luckhurst, he simply “wasn’t at it” having also been given the captain’s armband.

Well, it wasn’t a captain’s performance, let’s put it that way. The left-back was handed a 2/10 match rating by the Express and was consequently was hauled off after just 45 minutes.

One can excuse a lack of match fitness and you may well blame that for Shaw’s display in London this weekend, but he’s really not shown very much in his limited outings this season.

During his 45 minutes on the field, he only completed 79% of his passes and won just one of his three duels. Unsurprisingly, his 30 touches were also fewer than goalkeeper Altay Bayindir’s total of 57 touches.

We are so used to seeing Shaw as a flying wing-back and perhaps he should have started there on this occasion given Amass’ own struggles. Yet, this was evidence that he now completely lacks confidence, perhaps not just in his fitness but in his own abilities.

The 29-year-old left the action having been dominated by the Brentford attack. Their clever play and trickery on the edge of the box were simply too much for him to handle.

Don’t be surprised if this is one of, if not the last time, we see him start a game for the club.

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Manchester City’s Champions League ambitions took a hit as they could only draw 0-0 with relegated Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon.

City now have just two games left in the Premier League and now have 65 points. There are still four teams below them who could beat them to a top-five finish, especially if Pep Guardiola’s men drop more points.

There is everything to play for over the next couple of weeks, that’s for sure. The Spaniard will be looking for a better performance than this, however.

Man City’s best and worst performers against Southampton

Kevin De Bruyne was the standout for the Etihad side. Despite the fact he is leaving in the summer, the Belgian still showed his class, making four key passes, delivering 18 crosses and winning four of his six total duels.

Phil Foden showed signs of life after a torrid time recently, registering two shots while completing 95% of his passes.

Elsewhere, Manuel Akanji won just one of his three ground duels and lost possession eight times, while Erling Haaland failed to even register a single shot on target throughout the game.

Metric

Highest-Ranked

Accurate passes

Rúben Dias (93)

Key passes

Kevin De Bruyne (4)

Shots on target

Ruben Dias (2)

Ground duels won

Josko Gvardiol (5)

Defensive actions

Jan Bednarek (19)

City’s worst performer was arguably James McAtee. Might it be time for Guardiola to act upon his interest in Morgan Gibbs-White?

James McAtee’s game in numbers against Southampton

Playing off the right wing, the Englishman may have completed 100% of his passes, but his overall display was poor enough to be subbed off at halftime.

He delivered just one accurate cross from three attempts, won just a single duel and failed to register a shot – on or off target – during his spell on the pitch for City.

McAtee only took as many touches as Haaland – with both men registering just 17 apiece – and was given a match rating of just 6/10 by the Manchester Evening News.

Is he really the man to take the club to the next level when De Bruyne leaves in a few weeks?

Gibbs-White has been a player of interest for quite some time and perhaps now is the perfect chance to test Nottingham Forest’s resolve.

As per Fabrizio Romano earlier this month, the Forest attacking midfielder remains one of City’s “priority targets” heading into the summer transfer window.

Throughout the current season, he has registered 14 goal contributions – five goals and nine assists – while also creating eight big chances, averaging 1.6 key passes and succeeding with one dribble per game in the top flight.

In comparison, McAtee has notched up just seven goal contributions this term for City. Furthermore, the 22-year-old has created only two big chances, averageing 0.2 key passes and succeeding with just 0.1 dribbles in the Premier League.

Judging by these statistics across several attacking metrics, there is one clear winner. Gibbs-White might cost the club a significant outlay, but he looks to be a player who can potentially take City back to winning the Premier League or Champions League.

McAtee, on the other hand, might find himself out of the door by the time next season comes around.

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Regardless of whether Chelsea qualify for the Champions League next season, this summer is huge for Enzo Maresca if he is to continue his progression in the role.

The Italian joined from Leicester City back in June 2024, but has still had his doubters despite the possibility of a top five finish in the Premier League in the next few weeks.

The hierarchy may once again need to get the chequebook out during the off-season, with it being reported that a striker is top of their shopping list.

Such a decision is no surprise given their hunt for a new talisman over the previous couple of windows since the 45-year-old’s appointment nearly 12 months ago.

However, another position has emerged as an area for improvement during the upcoming window, with one player already appearing on their radar once again.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt for a new centre-back

Over the last couple of days, it emerged that Chelsea were back in the race for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi after previously wanting to sign him in January.

The 24-year-old was once on the books of the Blues, but sold him to the Eagles for £18m in 2021 – a decision that looks to be a huge mistake given their interest in his signature.

It was also reported that the club are willing to part ways with either Trevoh Chalobah or Tosin Adarabioyo to raise funds to secure a return for the England international.

However, he’s not the only centre-back to emerge on their radar, with Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen the latest star touted with a switch to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues aren’t alone in their hunt for his signature, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid also in the race to land the Spanish international during the off-season.

According to Simon Phillips, the Blues have held another round of positive talks with his representatives, advancing a deal that could see them trigger his £50m release clause in the summer.

Why the £50m star would be a better signing than Guehi

Guehi’s rise away from his boyhood club has been nothing short of sensational, exceeding beyond all imagination during his near four-year spell at Selhurst Park.

The 24-year-old has taken the responsibility of taking the captain’s armband under Oliver Glasner’s guidance, with his subsequent showings cementing his place in the England national team setup.

He was a key member of Gareth Southgate’s side at Euro 2024, missing just one game and starting in the 2-1 final defeat against Spain back in July of last year.

However, despite his glittering rise to stardom, fellow transfer target Huijsen would undoubtedly be a better signing given the fact he’s five years younger, whilst also producing numerous better stats in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

The Spaniard, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has registered more progressive carries and completed more of his passes – highlighting his excellent ability with the ball at his feet.

How Huijsen compares to Guehi in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Huijsen	Guehi
Games played	26	30
Goals & assists	3	5
Progressive carries	1.4	0.7
Progressive passes	4.3	4.1
Pass accuracy	84%	83%
Tackles won	1.1	0.9
Interceptions made	2.1	0.7
Aerials won	60%	58%
Stats via FBref

He’s also dominated defensively, winning more tackles per 90 and making more interceptions per game – offering Maresca that added defensive quality he’s desperately desired.

Huijsen has managed to thrive in the air too, winning more of his aerial battles to date, having the potential to improve further given his tender age.

Whilst £50m may appear to be a huge fee for a 19-year-old, it’s evident from the stats he’s produced this campaign that he possesses serious quality, such that it is way beyond his teenage years.

Elite-level defenders are extremely hard to come by in the modern game, with Huijsen the perfect player to solve their issues at the back, ending a chance of a fairytale reunion with Guehi in the process.

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According to broadcast giant ESPN, Arsenal are demanding a major concession from Thomas Partey as talks continue over a new contract for the midfielder.

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The £200,000-per-week star has stayed relatively injury-free throughout an impressive 2024/2025 campaign which has seen him dazzle in multiple roles under Mikel Arteta.

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Utilised at right-back during the absences of key players, as well as partnering the likes of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield to great effect, Partey’s been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers throughout the season.

Last term, the Ghana international could barely get a look-in due to fitness issues and falling down Arteta’s pecking order, and was widely tipped to leave the club four years after his £45 million transfer from Atlético Madrid.

However, this campaign, Partey has made more appearances than in any of his previous seasons at the Emirates Stadium, now proving indispensable to Arteta.

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

Partey’s resurgence has now sparked the club into action, with Arsenal opening talks to extend the 31-year-old’s contract as his current terms are due to expire this summer.

Arteta has confirmed to the press that he wants to keep Partey at the club for next season, with sporting director Andrea Berta now handed the task of agreeing an extension.

“Yes, there is progress with all the players. I’ll leave that to Andrea and the club to decide and to talk about,” said Arteta when asked if there has been progress over a new deal for Partey.

“The intention is very clear. I’ll leave that to Andrea and the club to take a step forward.”

If contract talks go south, Barcelona are among the clubs eyeing a Bosman deal for Partey, so the African won’t be short of prestigious options.

Arsenal demand major concession from Thomas Partey in contract talks

As per ESPN, it is now believed that Arsenal will demand one major concession from Partey in “any” deal for a new contract, despite his exceptional form.

The suggestion is its pretty non-negotiable, with the concession being that the midfielder will need to take a pay cut to remain in north London.

This comes as Arsenal attempt to finalise a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, and Berta is widely rumoured to also be negotiating fresh terms with the likes of Bukayo Saka, so it appears the club wish to trim their wage bill where possible.

Partey is keen to remain at Arsenal, according to credible news outlets like The Telegraph, but it remains to be seen whether he’s willing to be paid less than his illustrious teammates – especially considering he’s put in consistently outstanding performances throughout 2024/2025.

Chelsea are now determined to win the race for a “decisive creator”, and they are readying a €30m (£26m) offer for his services, according to a report.

Blues pursuing new attacking midfielder

Throughout the campaign, Enzo Maresca’s side have largely done a good job crafting opportunities for Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku in attack, having created 83 big chances in the Premier League, the joint-second highest total in the division.

Those figures suggest a lack of cutting edge from the strikers may be a problem for the Blues, so it is little wonder they are set to pursue a new striker in the summer transfer window, and they are now leading the race for Borussia Dortmund star Serhou Guirassy.

However, Maresca is also clearly keen to bring in a new playmaker this summer, with Lyon assist king Rayan Cherki among the potential targets, alongside Como’s Nico Paz, who has impressed manager Cesc Fàbregas with his performances in Italy this season.

He's like Lampard: Chelsea want to sign one of 'Europe's best young stars'

Chelsea could be about to sign an attacking midfield star who plays like former Blues icon Frank Lampard.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 21, 2025

There has now been a new update on Chelsea’s pursuit of Paz, with a report from Spain revealing the west Londoners are now readying a €30m (£26m) offer for the 20-year-old, as they are determined to win the race for his signature.

Doing so could be a tall order, however, with the Argentine attracting attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, including Real Madrid, who retain the option to re-sign their former player for the bargain fee of less than €10m (£8.6m), which could be appealing.

The report states the youngster has been one of the Serie A’s stars this season, so it is little wonder he has garnered interest from some European giants, and he is said to be a prime target for the Blues, whose model is built around signing young players.

"Decisive creator" Paz impressing in Italy

Although Real Madrid have a buy-back clause, they may be ruing the decision to let the Como star leave in the first place, given the level of his performances in the Serie A this season.

The Spain-born maestro has six goals and seven assists to his name in 30 appearances, and his displays have earned him a call-up to national side Argentina, setting up a goal on his debut against Bolivia back in October.

The starlet has developed a strong relationship with Como forward Assane Diao, and Ben Mattinson lauded him as a “decisive creator” after setting up the Senegal international’s goal in the 3-0 victory against Lecce last time out.

Paz’s performances for Como suggest he is now ready for a move to a top club, so it is exciting news that Chelsea are stepping up their transfer pursuit, but Real Madrid’s cheap buy-back clause could pose a major problem.