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Arsenal continued their fine start to the new Premier League season with victory over Brentford on Sunday afternoon, with the Gunners’ display having been a far cry from their limp showing away against the Bees just over a year ago.

A side looking full of confidence, the table-topping outfit produced a ruthless first-half performance to ease past Thomas Frank’s side, ensuring a sixth victory from their opening seven top-flight games of the season.

While that triumph notably saw summer signing Fabio Vieira fire in a 30-yard stunner for his first goal for the club, the game’s headline moment came in the form of a substitution, with Mikel Arteta handing academy starlet Ethan Nwaneri his senior debut from the bench.

That first team bow for the versatile midfielder notably caught the attention due to the youngster’s age, with the 15-year-old becoming the youngest player ever to feature in the Premier League in the competition’s history.

The 2007-born gem not only served to leave a host of fans and pundits alike feeling rather old, but also laid down a marker of just how highly thought of he is by the north Londoners, with it a testament to his quality that he has already been handed the trust of his manager.

Although it was a mere late cameo, the suggestion is that the England U17 international will go on to assume a more prominent role in the years to come, having been tipped for a “big, big future” by teammate Granit Xhaka.

Also lauded as a “special” talent by the Switzerland international – who has even coached the youngster at youth level as part of his coaching badges – Nwaneri has likely set tongues wagging among the club’s supporters, with the Gunners fanbase no doubt intrigued as to just how high this emerging prospect can go in the years to come.

The club have of course seen the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe emerge from the academy in recent times, albeit with arguably one of the biggest talents to have been produced that of a certain, Jack Wilshere.

Although the hope will be that Nwaneri can avoid the injury woes that plagued the now retired gem’s later career, Wilshere is still a notable example of the type of impact that a young player can make if thrust into the first team.

Also a playmaking midfielder – like his compatriot – the former England international was handed his debut by Arsene Wenger in a league meeting with Blackburn Rovers back in 2008 at the age of just 16, before going on to a permanent fixture under the iconic Frenchman after a brief stint on loan at Bolton Wanderers.

Arguably the 5 foot 8 gem’s most memorable outing in the red jersey came against Barcelona in the Champions League in 2011, as he simply ran the show at the tender age of just 19 against Pep Guardiola’s imperious outfit.

While unable to truly build on that sparkling start to life at senior level – largely due to injury – the midfield magician still produced notable moments of quality in his 198 games for the club in all competitions,  including netting a sensational team goal against Norwich City in 2013.

A true natural talent, Wilshere showcased that age truly is just a number if the player is good enough, with Nwaneri potentially able to have a similar impact if his recent outing leads to a more regular role.

The Daily Mail journalist Mike Keegan has revealed that Glasgow Rangers will ‘defy’ the UEFA ban and sing the National Anthem at Ibrox this evening.

The Lowdown: UEFA ban

As per Keegan, UEFA have turned down requests from British clubs to play the National Anthem ahead of games in European competition this week, to pay their respects following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team were among those who asked for the Anthem to be played, as they prepare to face Napoli in Glasgow.

The Latest: Rangers will ‘defy’ ban

Taking to Twitter in an update after the original news, Keegan has now revealed that the Gers will ‘defy’ the ban set by UEFA, and sing the National Anthem after a period of silence in memory of the Queen:

“It’s my understanding that Rangers will defy the UEFA ban and sing the National Anthem after the period of silence tomorrow night in memory of the Queen ahead of their match with Napoli at Ibrox.”

The Verdict: Right call

It is the right call for the Light Blues to sing the National Anthem in order to pay their respects to the Queen properly, in the first game that they will play after her passing, after all professional football matches in Great Britain were postponed over the weekend.

Singing the Anthem should give the players and supporters a huge uplift, not only offering a once in a lifetime moment of poignancy for all in attendance but also lifting the atmosphere on a special night for their home opener.

Nonetheless, Van Bronckhorst will be looking for a reaction after they were thrashed 4-0 by Ajax on match-day one, and singing the National Anthem should only bring positivity in and around Ibrox.

West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has expressed his surprise after Craig Dawson’s proposed exit was blocked. 

The lowdown

Dharmesh Sheth of Sky Sports reported earlier on Deadline Day that Wolves were in advanced talks with the Hammers over a deal for the 32-year-old.

However, it seems that the transfer may have been contingent on the Irons’ concurrent move for Southampton’s Jan Bednarek.

Indeed, talkSPORT’s Alex Crook says that David Moyes’ side have now ‘pulled the plug’ on Dawson’s mooted departure after they failed to land the Poland international from St Mary’s.

The latest

Ex corroborated the report that Dawson’s move is off and says that it’s only the latest shocking development in a ‘crazy’ end to the transfer window for West Ham.

Responding to the twist in the 32-year-old defender’s future, the Irons insider wrote on Twitter: “Wow this deadline day has been crazy! And to think people don’t realise still how quickly things can change.”

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The verdict

Jason Burt of The Telegraph reported earlier in the day that Dawson was hoping to be ‘granted his wish to leave West Ham’. The player himself may duly be disappointed with this development, but you can certainly understand the Hammers’ decision.

With the hours winding down in the transfer window and a move for Bednarek off the table, they’ll be justifiably concerned that they wouldn’t be able to land a replacement in time.

Dawson hasn’t featured for West Ham so far this season, but opportunities should open up for players who are currently a bit down the pecking order at the London Stadium.

That’s because they’re due to compete in the Europa Conference League, which will likely necessitate plenty of squad rotation.

Director of Football Kevin Thelwell is reportedly still keen on signing Watford striker Joao Pedro for Everton.

The Lowdown: Everton interest

It was reported a couple of weeks ago that the Goodison Park outfit were preparing to match Newcastle United’s offer for Pedro.

However, the Magpies have since gone on to sign striker Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad, and so this has potentially left the door open for the Merseysiders to swoop in for a late move before the deadline.

The Latest: Double deal?

As per The Daily Mail, sharing news of an approach to sign Villarreal attacker Samuel Chukwueze, Thelwell and co. also ‘remain keen’ on signing Pedro in this transfer window.

They are ‘in talks’ to sign Chukwueze but a double swoop for the pair has not been ruled out.

The Verdict: Exciting

It is certainly exciting for the Toffees supporters to be strongly linked with moves for both Chukwueze and Pedro before the window shuts.

The latter especially is a striker that they so desperately need, following the injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

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Hailed as a ‘sensational‘ player by journalist Josh Bunting after scoring a stunning counter-attack goal in Watford’s opening Championship match at home to Sheffield United, the Brazilian has scored 15 goals for the Hornets at the tender age of 20, and he already has two goals and two assists in total in the Championship this season (Transfermarkt).

Pedro is an exciting talent, and this is a deal that the Blues should be looking to get done today.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Mohammed Kudus in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

GhanaSoccer have claimed that the Magpies are one of a number of Premier League clubs eyeing up the Ajax midfielder.

They tweeted:

“Everton, Tottenham, Leeds and Newcastle are the FOUR English clubs interested in Mohammed Kudus. These are interests with no official offers on the table from the English clubs. One of the 4 clubs have asked for a character reference from his former club @FCNordsjaelland.”

The Toffees were reportedly set to sign him on loan with an option to buy him permanently next summer, before Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder played the speculation down, saying:

“I haven’t heard anything. I think he should not leave. You can see that he is important. We need a lot of good players.”

Dan Ashworth magic

The Magpies chief must now work his magic in the market by usurping Everton to complete a deal to sign Kudus before next week’s deadline.

Bringing the 22-year-old in on loan with an option to buy him next year could be a dream deal for Newcastle as it would free up funds to spend in other areas of the squad.

The Toon have been navigating FFP this summer and the structure of a swoop to Kudus could be perfect for them if it allows the club to offset paying any significant money until 2023.

Along with it potentially being a shrewd move from a financial point of view, signing the youngster could be an excellent addition on the pitch.

He has only started 12 Eredivisie matches in the last two seasons but he would arrive at St. James’ Park as a player with vast potential.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once claimed that Kudus, who joined Ajax for €9m (£7.5m) in 2020, is “destined for great things” and is also an “amazing engine”, having previously hailed him as “tenacious” and “complete”.

He earned plaudits after a breakthrough 2019/20 campaign in Denmark. The midfield machine scored 11 goals and made 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game in 25 outings in the Superliga, which suggests that he has the potential to be a player who can make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

Kulig believes that he is destined for greatness and if he can replicate his form in Denmark in the Premier League then that is exactly what he will achieve, given that Bruno Guimaraes – who scored five goals – was the only Magpies player with five or more goals and at least two tackles and interceptions per match last term.

However, Kudus is yet to prove himself over multiple seasons and is currently a player with potential, rather than being the finished article, and that is another reason why signing him on an initial loan would be a fantastic deal.

Ashworth’s magic negotiating could then allow the club to part ways with him next year if he fails to adapt to English football, or snap him up permanently if he is a success and achieves great things.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Scott McTominay to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by talkSPORT, who claim that – following Manchester United’s £70m signing of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro – the quartet of West Ham, Everton, Leicester City and Newcastle United have all registered their interest in the 25-year-old Scotland international, who is expected to lose his place in Erik ten Hag’s starting XI at the expense of the Brazilian.

However, previous reports have suggested that the Dutchman would not be open to parting with the United academy graduate prior to September’s transfer deadline, with the former Ajax head coach said to view the midfielder as a pivotal player in his squad. It is unclear, though, as to whether or not Casemiro’s arrival will have changed the 52-year-old’s stance.

Big mistake

It is undeniable that McTominay would be a solid addition to David Moyes’ current options in the middle of the park. However, considering the 25-year-old’s underwhelming performances so far this season, in addition to the asking price that United would likely demand for a player who has a current market valuation of £59m, a move for the Scot could well prove to be a big mistake.

Indeed, over his two Premier League appearances in 2022/23, the £60k-per-week midfielder has been in particularly poor form. He earned a hugely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.3 for his display in United’s 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion, followed by a 6.8 rating for his efforts in the embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Brentford last weekend.

Following the loss to the Seagulls, legendary Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes singled out the 34-cap international for his performance, stating of the 25-year-old: “Scott McTominay was always trying to run with the ball, ridiculous.

“The quality in the middle of the pitch was really poor. The quality in the middle of the pitch was nowhere near good enough but we’ve seen that for the last few years with these two players. With Fred and McTominay, [Ten Hag] is going to have to go with just one of them but even one of them is probably too many.

“Fred gives the ball away all the time and McTominay is trying to run with the ball constantly and then gives it away. Pass it to your best players! It’s not that difficult. It’s criminal on a day like today.”

As such, with West Ham also having been linked with the likes of Teun Koopmeiners and Hans Vanaken – both of whom would more than likely cost significantly less than McTominay – in recent weeks, it is clear to see that there are much more suitable options for Moyes to pursue this summer.

That leads us to believe that a bid for the Manchester United midfielder would be a big mistake by the east London club.

One of Nottingham Forest’s transfer targets is now in talks with another club, according to Fabrizio Romano…

What’s the word?

The Italian noted on Twitter that Ruslan Malinovskyi had entered into discussions with Marseille over a potential move to the Ligue 1 club.

He tweeted: “Excl: Olympique Marseille are in talks to sign Ruslan Malinovskyi. Ukrainian midfielder wants a new challenge, as OM are negotiating with Atalanta and player side.”

Romano had detailed earlier this month that the Premier League club were interested in the wantaway midfielder, but the 29-year-old now seems poised to move elsewhere.

It’s a huge blow for Cooper

After recently securing the signing of Remo Freuler, Steve Cooper will be disappointed to see the Switzerland international’s Atalanta midfield partner heading elsewhere.

The 30-year-old and Malinovskyi have been regulars for the Nerazzurri in recent years and were mainstays in the side which finished third in the 2020/21 Serie A season. That campaign actually saw the latter rank as “Serie A’s best playmaker” when accounting for assists, big chances created and key passes.

He also impressed last season with his offensive output for his team and even ranked as one of the outstanding attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.

He ranked in the top 3% for shots total and top 7% for shot-creating actions, instantly marking him out as a constant threat to the opposition’s goal. He can create and score, as outlined with six goals and five assists in the league last season. Adding these qualities to a Forest team who scored 73 times in the Championship last season could have been devastating.

His progressive passes were also exceptional, with an average of 5.79 per game ranking him in the top 5% across Europe. Jesse Lingard would have thrived off his service, as Malinovskyi would have the vision and ability to find the Englishman in dangerous pockets of space on the half-turn.

Similarly, the likes of Taiwo Awoniyi would have feasted on his deliveries. With an xG assisted of 0.32 per game, again ranking him in the top 6%, his creativity would likely be rewarded more often with a fine finisher up front like the Nigerian, who netted 17 Bundesliga league goals last term.

Malinovskyi’s figures mark him out as one of Europe’s most creative attacking midfielders, and the links to Forest would have been flattering for both player and club.

It represents a big blow for Cooper that, for all their signings made over the summer, this is the one they seem set to miss out upon. The Forest manager will surely be left scratching his head after this one, especially given the possible pull of ex-Atalanta team-mate Freuler.

Nottingham Forest have submitted a bid for Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, according to a French outlet.

The Lowdown: Freuler first?

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday that the Reds are set to sign Remo Freuler from Atalanta after a deal was agreed between the two clubs, but it appears that he might not be the only fresh face Steve Cooper wants in the middle of the park.

The 24-year-old Aouar has now entered the final 12 months of his contract at the Groupama Stadium, meaning that an exit is likely if the Ligue 1 side want to cash in, and it sounds like a move to the Premier League could well be on the cards.

The Latest: Forest favourites to sign Aouar

French outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness) claim that Forest have ‘made a first offer’ for Aouar, having ‘raced into the picture’ to secure his signature.

The source states that whilst the Reds aren’t the ‘most expected destination’, they are now the ‘most concrete possibility’.

It’s reported that the Midlands outfit have been ‘in contact with Aouar’s agents for several days’, though the nature of the opening bid is currently ‘too far’ from Lyon’s valuation.

Despite this, the player is ‘not closed’ to the idea of moving to England, with ‘discussions’ with Forest set to continue ‘in the coming days’.

The Verdict: Creative contribution

The fact that Forest aren’t giving up on signing Aouar just shows how serious they are about getting this deal over the line, and rightly so as he would be a brilliant addition to the starting XI looking at his numbers.

The Frenchman, hailed an ‘impeccable’ player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has netted 40 goals and provided 35 assists during his time at Lyon, via Transfermarkt, and has the versatility to play out wide as well as centrally.

This desire to contribute in the attacking areas of the pitch will be like music to the ears for Cooper, and Aouar could create a brilliant new partnership with Freuler if they both get unveiled as Forest players in the weeks ahead.

Manchester United are uncertain about Noussair Mazraoui's fitness for the Ipswich Town clash after he picked up a knock against Everton.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mazraoui picks up knee injury
• Man Utd sweating on his fitness
• Red Devils take on Ipswich on Wednesday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United's injury crisis can see no end at the moment as Ruben Amorim has seen a number of players drop out on fitness due to a number of issues. Mazraoui is the new name to suffer an injury after he had to be subbed off in the 70th minute during the Red Devils' 2-2 draw with Everton after picking up a knock to his right knee.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  ESPN has now reported that United are uncertain about Mazraoui's availability for their upcoming Premier League clash against Ipswich Town on Wednesday. The report has added that the Morocco international is set to undergo tests on Monday as the Red Devils look to figure out the extent of the defender's injury.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In addition to Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Toby Collyer, Altay Bayindir, and Jonny Evans, United lost Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo due to long-term injury issues last week. Amid the Red Devils' injury-ridden season, Mazraoui has accrued the fourth-most minutes for the club this season behind Andre Onana, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAZRAOUI?

  Manchester United are set to take on Ipswich Town on Wednesday, February 26, and Mazraoui's appearance could hinge on the tests and his fitness levels. However, Amorim may choose to rest the defender regardless to avoid any issues.

West Ham United forward Said Benrahma needs to ‘prove’ himself in the Premier League or risk losing out on first-team action, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Falling out of favour

The Algerian made the £30m move to the London Stadium two years ago from Brentford and had an impressive start to life under David Moyes, though this has since taken a turn.

The summer arrivals of Lucas Paqueta and Maxwel Cornet have pushed the 27-year-old down the pecking order and his game time has suffered as a result, having made just three league starts this season.

The Latest: Brown’s verdict

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown insisted that Benrahma must find a solid run of form to force his way back into the starting XI if he wants to be seen as more than a fringe player.

“I think that’s the big thing for him, he’s not really been able to find much consistency at West Ham over long spells.

“So, I think it’s down to him really to prove that he’s first-team regular material, otherwise, he’s going to find himself on the periphery like this a lot more this season.”

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The Verdict: Second chance required

Benrahma has been hailed ‘immense’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, and despite recently dropping off, he more than has the ability to make an impact moving forward.

The winger has made 29 goal contributions in the final third and currently averages 1.6 shots, 1.2 dribbles and 1.2 key passes per league game (WhoScored).

His work rate is sometimes noticeably lower than his teammates, but if he adds this side to his game, he will provide Moyes with an all-round threat up top.