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Arsenal are "following" Valencia's Yunus Musah, with the midfielder now expected to leave the La Liga side in the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Will Arsenal sign a central midfielder this summer?

With it recently being reported the Gunners are willing to listen to offers for Granit Xhaka in the upcoming window, there are indications Mikel Arteta is planning to revamp his midfield this summer.

Of course, West Ham United captain Declan Rice remains a major target, and Arteta is now becoming increasingly confident he can convince the England international to move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, despite their faltering title bid.

Other options in midfield include Lovro Majer, with the Daily Mail reporting Arsenal have taken a strong interest in the Rennes maestro, while journalist Ben Jacobs believes Moises Caicedo "could still end up" making the switch to north London.

The Gunners have reportedly had a bid turned down for Musah in the past, as detailed by FC Inter News back in December, but they are still considering a move for the midfielder this summer, as per a new update from Romano.

Speaking to CaughtOffside, the transfer guru said: “I’ve mentioned Arsenal and Chelsea’s interest in Yunus Musah and it is the case that they are following Musah since January; Inter as well,”

“At the moment it’s just scouting and not advanced yet, but Musah has good chances to move this summer.”

Should Arsenal sign Yunus Musah?

Football scout Jacek Kulig praised the American for his "excellent" performance with his national side against England at the World Cup, which indicates he would be mature enough to immediately challenge for a place in the starting XI, despite his age.

Kulig also claims the youngster has a "huge future ahead", and he is already making a name for himself at Valencia, having made 32 appearances in all competitions this season, during which time he has picked up two assists.

The 20-year-old's attacking output has not been overly impressive, but he is a threat going forward, ranking in the 90th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 in the past year, and in the 97th for progressive carries, indicating he is capable of working the ball into more promising areas of the pitch.

The £8.3k-per-week starlet would be a fantastic addition for Arsenal, considering the vast potential he possesses, however they still need to make sure they bring in a more proven option in midfield ahead of the Champions League next season, and Rice should be the priority target.

Fulham defender Layvin Kurzawa, currently on loan from Paris-Saint Germain, is expected to leave and return to his parent club this summer.

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

It could be a crucial summer for both Marco Silva and the Whites board as they look to build upon their solid debut season back in the Premier League.

The Craven Cottage side started off brightly and have done enough to earn a second successive campaign back in the top flight, though recent results have exposed some glaring weaknesses to be fixed.

Indeed, Fulham supporters have not seen their side win a single league game since they beat Brighton back in mid-Febuary, with the west Londoners losing their last four matches against Brentford, Arsenal, Bournemouth and West Ham.

In that time, they've conceded nine goals against with only three scored themselves – potentially highlighting the need for a summer shake-up. Of the players linked with a move, FC Porto star Mateus Uribe, Roma's Chris Smalling and Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech are among the names recently mentioned.

In terms of exits, some players will need to make way for new arrivals, with Kurzawa firmly on the chopping block. According to French news outlet Le10sport, it is believed Fulham will not attempt to sign the left-back permanently and he seems set to return to PSG upon the expiry of his loan spell.

Kurzawa has apparently dissatisfied the Cottagers with his season overall, with the outlet explaining:

"Loaned this season to Fulham, the defender has not given satisfaction, and should return to Paris this summer, where his contract runs until June 2024."

How has Kurzawa fared at Fulham?

The 30-year-old has been very unlucky since signing for Silva, spending the majority of his time on the treatment table and missing out on a fair few matchday squads.

Kurzawa is currently out of action with a sideband tear and his numerous weeks spent in rehab have ultimately given the player little chance to prove his worth.

That being said, the defender has dazzled at rare points, perhaps most notably scoring a brace and grabbing an assist during Fulham's FA Cup campaign this year.

Silva certainly rates Kurzawa, having called him a 'top, top player' whilst predicting that he could hand the team a different dimension.

However, his latest injury setback appears to have been the final straw for Fulham chiefs, who now seem set to let him return to the French capital.

Tottenham Hotspur coach Ryan Mason is highly rated by those within the club and could be the man who takes over if Antonio Conte is sacked.

Could Ryan Mason be the next Spurs boss?

According to reports, the Lilywhites are looking into the possibility of sacking Conte during the international break ahead of his contract expiring in the summer.

And it is believed one of the options which Spurs would then have is to promote Mason as the caretaker manager as he did back in 2021.

There are 10 games remaining for the north London side in the Premier League and there is a lot lying on their run-in with Champions League football still to play for.

Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, reliable journalist David Ornstein has claimed the noises coming out of Hotspur Way surrounding Mason are incredibly positive:

"Does his potential translate into being able to manage Tottenham at this level on a permanent basis? Does he have the staff around him? Can you build a sufficient staff to manage a club at this level and the egos of the dressing room?

"I'm really liking what I've seen of Ryan Mason and what I've heard, but that will be a big decision for them to make."

Can Mason be trusted as the caretaker manager?

As aforementioned, there are 10 important games for Spurs in their quest to land a spot in next season's Champions League and they will likely have to turn their form around given the competition they face.

Newcastle United only sit two points off Spurs now but Eddie Howe's men have two games in hand on Spurs which could, therefore, open up a four-point gap in fourth spot.

Mason has previously stepped up and took charge of the first team when Jose Mourinho was sacked and he was able to provide a satisfactory return in the Premier League.

Under the 31-year-old, Spurs were able to return four victories from their six league games as they finished in seventh spot in the table.

However, it has to be noted Mason's spell of games back in 2021 looked a lot more favourable than the run of games which are ahead of Spurs in the coming months.

Champions League football is still very much to play for in the remaining games of the season but they will face the teams around them in the process.

Visits to Anfield and St James' Park are on the list as well as hosting Brighton & Hove Albion as well as Manchester United.

Mason does now have a lot more experience of coaching under his belt having worked under Conte since the Italian's appointment back in 2021.

However, there is no denying there is a massive challenge ahead of Spurs if they are to land themselves a spot inside the top four.

A number of Leeds United supporters have been reacting to an update regarding coach Chris Armas.

The Lowdown: Armas in and out?

Armas arrived at Elland Road towards the end of January as an assistant to Jesse Marsch. As we know, the Whites parted ways with Marsch last month, with Armas forming part of a three-man caretaker team alongside Michael Skubala and Paco Gallardo.

He remained at the club following Javi Gracia’s arrival, however, the Spaniard confirmed on Thursday that Armas is not part of his staff.

The Latest: Fans react

Phil Hay shared Gracia’s comments regarding Armas, which led to a number of supporters responding, one of which labelled the situation as ‘shambolic’.

“Why is Gracia forced to field these questions when the DoF who sanctioned the contract gets to hide in the shadows? JKA part 2.” – @DarraghC81

“What a mess” – @mjosephabie

“Board pathetic” – @cal_sez

“We’re an absolute circus, it’s embarrassing” – @DannyMiddleton_

“Shambolic and embarrassing. Armas should never have been employed but seen as he was the club should at least settle with him and let him on his way” – @_sean_duffy

“Bizarre.” – @JosesBusDrivers

The Verdict: Bizarre indeed

It does seem strange how Armas remained at the club after the likes of Rene Maric, Cameron Toshack and Pierre Barrieu departed alongside Marsch.

It may have been a case of keeping the new man to help Skubala and Gallardo, however, it does look rather silly that he now appears to have left after less than two months in Yorkshire.

You could argue that the club should have provided the update on Armas instead of leaving it down to Gracia, but at least the new head coach has provided some clarity.

Newcastle United’s Matt Ritchie is fully expected to leave Tyneside in the summer despite some reports suggesting he could take working towards a coaching role.

How long does Matt Ritchie have left on his contract?

The 33-year-old is now playing into the final months of his deal with the Magpies which does leave his position at the club hanging in the balance.

Ritchie has now been playing his football at St. James’ Park since 2016 having made a £10m move from Bournemouth to the other side of the country.

However, there is a sense the veteran will not be handed a new deal with the Toon looking to take huge strides forward under the ownership of PIF.

And speaking on The Toon Review YouTube channel, Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has suggested there is no chance Ritchie will be staying at Newcastle for next season:

(25:40) “No chance of him staying, no.”

“I would be majorly surprised if he doesn’t move further south to be nearer his family. I think Matt Ritchie and Jamaal Lascelles have been there for a while now. And I think both of them wanted to be around for the likelihood of Newcastle getting into a cup final.”

Could Ritchie go into coaching at Newcastle?

Earlier in the season Ritchie took charge of a number of training sessions for the Toon’s academy with the 33-year-old looking to work towards his coaching badges.

And having spent so long on Tyneside, there has perhaps been a belief that Ritchie could well take up a role within the club’s set-up as a result of his knowledge of the cub.

But this does not seem to be the case with Downie fully expecting to see Ritchie depart Newcastle in the coming months.

The report from The Chronicle which highlighted the player’s involvement in the academy sessions did suggest the Toon would have been open to allowing Ritchie to depart in January had the right offer landed.

Now, Ritchie is set to have his pick of clubs when he becomes a free agent and it is probably the right time for him to move on from the Magpies.

Since Eddie Howe’s arrival on Tyneside in 2021, Ritchie has only featured 12 times for Newcastle across all competitions.

And only five of them have come from the starting XI which is a damning indication that his chances of game time are simply not there at St. James’ Park.

But there is still a lot to play for at Newcastle this season and it would be a stunning way to bow out by lifting the Carabao Cup and potentially even securing Champions League football.

Tottenham Hotspur have held investment ‘discussions’ with interested parties, and a possible windfall ‘could yet happen’ to boost the club.

The Lowdown: Spurs takeover talk…

Last week, news broke of US-Iranian billionaire Jahm Najafi – through MSP Sports Capital – plotting a multi-billion pound bid for Spurs. That offer is expected within the next few weeks, but the magnate may fall short given chairman Daniel Levy and owner Joe Lewis’ valuation of Tottenham.

Reports also suggest that both Levy and Lewis are undecided as to whether they wish to give away a minority stake, sell the club outright or take no action.

The Latest: Gold makes Spurs investment claim…

Writing in a Q&A for football.london, reliable reporter Alasdair Gold has claimed that Spurs have ‘certainly’ held discussions with interested parties over investment in the club.

Making a promising claim, the journalist also suggests ‘that could yet happen’ to boost Antonio Conte’s side financially.

Gold explained: “Spurs have certainly held discussions about potential investment with interested parties so that could yet happen to help them compete.”

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The Verdict: Good news…

The Premier League’s financial powerhouses are beginning to take monopoly of England’s top flight, and there could be a worry from Levy’s perspective that Spurs get left behind.

London rivals Chelsea have spent more than £500m since new owner Todd Boehly took over from Roman Abramovich last year, a sum which Tottenham can’t match in such a short space of time.

News of possible off-field investment comes as positive for the Lilywhites, and if Najafi ultimately fails in his proposed takeover bid, supporters may be hoping that the club can at least secure a windfall through minority investment.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their pursuit of a deal to sign Nicolas Raskin in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Light Blues are preparing to submit another offer to sign the Standard Liege gem, who is out of contract in the summer, on a permanent deal this month, after failing in their last attempt.

The report claims that talks are ‘ongoing’ between the two parties as Ross Wilson attempts to secure Michael Beale’s second signing as Rangers manager, following on from Todd Cantwell’s move to Ibrox from Norwich.

Belgian media, via The Sun, have stated that a four-and-a-half-year contract is in place for the 21-year-old central midfielder, who has already completed a medical with the Gers, but Liege are still holding out for a €2m (£1.8m) to sanction an exit this month.

Bye-bye Scott Arfield

The signing of Raskin, alongside Cantwell, and the contract situation of a number of Michael Beale’s current midfield options could represent a changing of the guard at Ibrox this year.

Ryan Jack, Steven Davis, and Scott Arfield are all out of contract at the end of the campaign and the arrival of a new player in that position could allow the club to part ways with at least one, if not all, of the experienced trio.

Therefore, bringing the Liege maestro to Glasgow this month could signal the end of Arfield’s playing career at Rangers as it would allow Wilson and Beale to part ways with the Canadian international in the summer.

The former Burnley man has been a fine servant to the Gers over the years, and could still be a useful option between now and the end of the season, but his form in the Premiership this season has been concerning at times.

In the Scottish top-flight, the 34-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.78 across 20 appearances – completing 79% of his attempted passes and losing 67% of his individual duels.

He has created 0.7 chances and made 0.9 tackles and interceptions per match for the Light Blues and Raskin could offer more at both ends of the pitch, if the maestro can adapt to Scottish football.

The 21-year-old Belgian talent, who was once hailed as a “pitbull” by journalist Bob Faesen, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 across 16 Pro League appearances this season – completing 84% of his passes and winning 58% of his battles.

Raskin has created 1.1 chances and completed 3.7 tackles and interceptions per outing and his statistics in Belgium indicate that the gem has the potential to take over from the experienced Arfield as a regular member in the squad – allowing the 34-year-old to move on upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.

Presenter ExWHUemployee has claimed that Rafa Benitez is his personal favourite to become West Ham United manager if David Moyes is sacked.

What’s the word?

Seeing as the Hammers currently sit just two places and one spot above the bottom three having managed just five wins from 20 Premier League games so far, the current boss could be on his way out of the club soon.

And while a win over Everton on the weekend may have eased some of the pressure – the same couldn’t be said about his opposition number Frank Lampard – Moyes isn’t quite out of the woods just yet.

Indeed, if form remains inconsistent it’s hard to imagine he will remain in the job for much longer, although the board will supposedly back him for the time being.

That is according to Ex who has revealed that Moyes almost certainly be in charge for the club’s next game against Derby County in the FA Cup.

However, the insider did also tip Benitez as his favourite to potentially come in, explaining on Monday’s edition of The West Ham Way podcast: “I think there’s nothing, no manager you could say is definitely the one for West Ham.

“But Rafa Benitez, if I was to put money on it being one of them, it would be him at the moment with Sean Dyche maybe an outside one at the moment.

“But they’ve [the board] already stated they want to stick with Moyes. I’d be hugely surprised if David Moyes is not the manager for Derby.”

Time for a change?

Beyond this personal call by Ex, Benitez has actually been linked with the job in a recent report by The Telegraph which also named Nuno Espirito Santo as an option to come in and help steady the ship until the end of the season.

Of course, with Lampard being sacked this week, Everton are in the market for a new manager which could take some options away from West Ham.

For instance, Dyche seems to be in the running for that job with the Toffees. If he was to end up in Merseyside, it would surely only enhance Benitez’s chances of joining the Hammers.

Having spent time at Everton, Newcastle United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the past, the Spaniard certainly could be expected to come in and make an immediate impact if the Irons need.

For now, though, it seems as though Moyes will be given every chance to turn things around himself.

Liverpool have had a terrible start to their Premier League season by their standards, and Jurgen Klopp will be desperate for ways to improve the current form at Anfield which is hindering his team’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

The Reds are sixth in the Premier League after a string of inconsistent performances and are now 16 points adrift of leaders Arsenal and seven points shy of the top four following their first 17 games. That must drastically improve if they are to have any hope of climbing back up and claiming a top four position at the end of the season.

The January transfer window could present itself with a golden opportunity to resolve some of the issues for the Merseyside giants, as numerous injuries to key players have certainly contributed to the poor season Liverpool have endured so far.

Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Virgil van Dijk are three long-term absentees set to miss out on at least the next month of action for the Reds, although the signing of Cody Gakpo this month will certainly bolster the attacking threat going into the business end of the campaign.

Although Gakpo has been a major coup for Klopp, adding some quality in the middle of the park is becoming an increasingly pressing issue for Liverpool, with a number of the Reds’ midfielders either coming to the end of their contracts in 2023 or reaching the latter stages of their career.

One player who has recently been linked with a move to Merseyside is Teun Koopmeiners, a gifted midfielder who is currently playing in Serie A for Atalanta, thriving both at club level and on the international stage for his native Netherlands.

The 24-year-old – who was dubbed a “top talent” by Sam Tabuteau – ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, touches and progressive passes received.

Furthermore, Koopmeiners played a vital part in the Dutch team at the World Cup – registering one assist, completing 100% of his dribbles and winning 50% of his duels across five appearances for his national team during the tournament in Qatar.

Klopp could even land his very own Nicolo Barella, as the Liverpool-linked Inter Milan midfielder is the most comparable player to Koopmeiners over the last 12 months according to FBref.

The midfield pair have shared a number of similar attributes in their output this season so far including goals scored (4 v 5), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.70 v 3.60), tackles won (13 v 12), dribblers tackled percentage (60% v 55%) and dribbles completed (46.% v 45.2%).

With that in mind, signing Koopmeiners would be a great piece of business if Liverpool could secure his signature for his reported transfer valuation of €40m (£35m) this month, and it would certainly give Klopp more depth and quality in his squad in order to improve performances at Anfield.

Leeds United now face a battle to secure the signature of mooted January transfer target Mason Holgate.

According to The Sun last month, the Yorkshire outfit enquired about a move for the Everton centre-back and is thought to be available for transfer due to the Toffees’ financial strains and the fact that Frank Lampard has an array of options in the role.

Since injury, he has struggled to break back into the starting lineup but now the Whites face competition from Premier League rivals Southampton, as per The Sunday People [page 50, 1st January 2023].

On Tuesday, the Whites announced the arrival of Max Wober from RB Salzburg but he’s more likely to fill the void at left-back, whereas Holgate is a hugely versatile player that could bolster the middle and provide cover out on the right, as well as in defensive midfield.

Leeds have had plenty of utility players over the years, namely Stuart Dallas, who remains out with a long-term injury. But also James Milner, who came through the academy system at Thorp Arch.

Perhaps in Holgate, current first-team manager Jesse Marsch could find the club’s next Milner.

The 26-year-old, who earns around £72k-per-week at Goodison Park, played an integral role in Everton avoiding relegation last season, having started all of their final seven matches at centre-back. And that run included a clean sheet and a win against Chelsea.

Meanwhile, from his four Premier League appearances this term, Holgate is rated as Lampard’s best-performing centre-back after averaging two tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, via WhoScored.

Such form then and in the past has seen plenty wax lyrical about the Englishman’s credentials, including a particularly glowing endorsement from The Liverpool ECHO reporter Sam Carroll, which will only bolster any comparisons to a player like Milner.

“Mason Holgate is just Mr Dependable now and I think Mason, probably out of [Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey and himself], has gone under the radar the most,” he said. “He’s a leader in this team. How old is he? 23/24, absolutely superb.”

That ‘Mr Dependable’ nickname is exactly what the Liverpool veteran has been described as on numerous occasions in the past, so when you tie that in with his versatility, it’s easy to see why Holgate could be a massive asset to Marsch and co.

As such, director of football Victor Orta must now look to win the race to sign the Toffees outcast – who they once reportedly valued at a whopping £40m – before the transfer deadline at the end of the month.

AND in other news, Orta could seal a crucial signing in “clever” £15m machine who is open to Leeds move…