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When Arsenal sold Konstantinos Mavropanos to German Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart last summer, following a sequence of loan spells, the endearing Gunners support barely batted an eyelid, but given his recent exploits following his failed stint in north London, there must be a few rueful gazes cast towards the failure to unlock the potential of the dynamic defender.

Having signed Mavropanos for just £2m from Greek outfit PAS Giannina in 2018, the centre-back only went on to make eight appearances for his former side before being shipped out on loan to FC Nurnberg and Stuttgart, with the latter tying down a permanent deal for the ace last summer, worth about £3.5m.

How is Konstantinos Mavropanos getting on now?

According to CIES Football Observatory, the 6 foot 4 colossus is valued at about £18m right now, and given the likes of West Ham United were interested in pursuing a deal for the player at roughly this fee last year, it is clear that he is blossoming into one of the shrewder options on the market.

Arsenal are currently the Premier League’s table-toppers, and the established central defensive pairing of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba would take some usurping, but Mavropanos possesses all the acumen to forge a way into manager Mikel Arteta’s plans, and his sale can only be deemed premature.

While hindsight is a wonderful thing, the Gunners board must be kicking themselves for not offering the stage to Mavropanos for a second shot at the Emirates, given his steady ascension towards prominence over the three years spent out on loan in Germany.

As per FBref, the Greek giant ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs for total shots, 6% for shot-creating actions, 1% for successful take-ons and 2% for interceptions per 90, and this remarkable, spherical scope of his skill set proves that he exemplifies the traits desired for the perfect modern-day defender.

Once praised for his “exuberance” and hailed as “fearless” by Gunners legend Ian Wright, the 25-year-old titan has recorded an exemplary average league rating this term of 7.39, as per Sofascore, and given Stuttgart teeter just two points away from the bottom two of the division, it is an ominous thought to consider where they might be situated had Mavropanos’ loan deal not been made permanent last year.

Having scored two goals and one assist, completing 82% of his passes and averaging 0.5 key passes per match, also demonstrating his defensive aptitude with 3.4 clearances and 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game, the £22k-per-week gem embodies the ball-playing and all-encompassing nature that Arteta demands.

While Arsenal are firing at full-throttle right now, chasing Premier League glory and in the last-16 of the Europa League, the addition of a dynamic centre-back such as Mavropanos could be the perfect solution to battling across multiple fronts, and given his current transfer value – which will ostensibly continue to rise as he forges further laudable displays – Edu made a big blunder on this particular ace.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has slammed Manchester United loan striker Wout Weghorst for not being good enough following the club’s 7-0 defeat.

What’s the latest on Wout Weghorst and the Man United defeat?

Erik ten Hag and co were made to pay in the most severe manner on the weekend as they were humbled in the Premier League against old foes Liverpool.

That defeat at Anfield will no doubt have the club’s manager, players, staff and fans alike all trying to work out just how things ended up so catastrophically bad.

While speaking about the game on The United Stand, Goldbridge seemed to come to the conclusion that Weghorst just simply isn’t good enough for the club at that level.

He explained (11:30): “We all know about Weghorst. We all like Weghorst and he really does try his best but he ain’t very good, is he?

“Let’s be honest, at that level in a game like that when it’s that intense, he isn’t good enough and you’re almost down to ten men.”

How badly did Weghorst play for MUFC?

Since arriving on loan at Man Utd this winter, Weghorst has managed to become a regular part of Ten Hag’s starting XI and has earned praise for his work rate and attitude, even if the goals haven’t come.

Even so, he has failed to score a single Premier League goal despite starting the club’s last seven games in that competition – while he has just one strike to his name in 14 games across all competitions.

With 6.3 SofaScore rating, Weghorst wasn’t the worst player on the pitch for the Red Devils but he didn’t exactly have a good game either.

Indeed, in his 58-minute spell, he completed just 64 per cent of his attempted passes, lost the ball seven times, made one foul, attempted zero shots and won two out of four attempted ground duels.

Taking everything into account, it’s not hard to see why Goldbridge believes the club could be better off with someone else leading the line in the long term. It’ll certainly be interesting to see who United target this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur’s academy production is revered across the country, having most recently earned particular praise as Harry Kane continues to smash records. The English marksman is now the club’s all-time leading scorer, having started from within the youth setup with the Lilywhites.

Whilst other products such as Oliver Skipp, Japhet Tanganga and even Harry Winks might go under the radar, they all represent capable assets who could do a job for the club or fetch them a decent sum at the very least.

However, given the precariousness of their current top-four hopes as a resurgent Liverpool are breathing down their neck, it now leaves them perhaps needing to rely on an injection of power, dynamism and hunger to come from the youth setup given this lull Antonio Conte finds himself in.

The Italian’s future has been thrown into doubt of late and his commitment to the cause questioned, so as they enter the run-in there is cause to believe that he could start making some rogue decisions to take fans by surprise.

Given the midfield vacancy left by the injured Rodrigo Bentancur, that is one such spot where the 53-year-old could spring a surprise and unleash a more unknown commodity like Nile John.

Who is Nile John?

The 20-year-old central midfielder has spent time at the north London outfit since he was seven and is billed as a skilful two-footed maestro who has impressed at every level he has featured at.

With a touch of class and plenty of attacking impetus, perhaps the youngster could prove to be the perfect partner to sit beside the ever-present metronomic general Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The 27-year-old enjoys dropping deep to dictate the play and does so with incredible proficiency. He currently boasts a 7.19 average rating in the league, underpinned by his 1.5 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 89% pass accuracy per 90, via Sofascore.

To place beside this a trickster who has featured on both wings this season could offer the perfect formula to unlocking the attacking potential of this side, which has garnered criticism for its lack of firepower despite the talent on show.

This season John boasts two goals in the Premier League 2 as he looks to build on his impressive seven-goal and three-assist campaign from the year earlier.

Clearly boasting an eye for goal too, his touch of “real quality” that football.london journalist Alasdair Gold once saw in him further sets him apart from other academy hopefuls as truly ready for the next step.

With two senior appearances under his belt already, the absence of Bentancur should see the young dynamo push to earn even more as this season reaches its climax.

Manchester United are thought to be preparing a double swoop on Napoli this summer with moves for Victor Osimhen and defender Kim Min-Jae, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Business under Ten Hag

Erik ten Hag has been backed in the transfer window by club officials since arriving at the club last summer, with big-money moves for Casemiro and former Ajax stars Antony and Lisandro Martinez standing out.

In total, United have spent €243m (£213m) under Ten Hag, and it looks as if this summer could be just as expensive ahead of his second season in charge.

The Latest: Transfer update

FI reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a transfer update from Old Trafford in the last 48 hours, making claims on Osimhen and Kim.

He said that the Red Devils are preparing to swoop for both players, with Osimhen set to cost in excess of £100m which would smash the current club transfer record. Kim will also reportedly have a release clause worth £43m in his contract that will run for two weeks in July.

The Verdict: Exciting

It looks as if it could be a busy and expensive summer at Old Trafford once again this summer, potentially under new ownership, so moves for Osimhen and Kim would be exciting.

A new forward is a priority for the club, and Osimhen has been in fine form this season, scoring 23 times in 28 games this season. Called a ‘monster’ by members of the press and has also come in for praise from legendary striker David Trezeguet, who described the forward as ‘unique’:

“He’s a unique player, a prototype of the new player, fast, and he moves a lot. I think he has become a striker with an important profile. He knows how to move and manage himself in the match.”

Meanwhile, Kim has also been making an impact with Napoli, with Corriele dello Sport  editor Ivan Zacharoni even saying that the Serie A side should be focusing on keeping the defender over Osimhen.

“Napoli should focus more on protecting Kim Min-jae than Victor Osimen. He is the best defender in the world. There is no player to compare with in terms of skill and consistency. Except for going to the bathroom, Kim Min-jae is a perfect defender with no flaws.”

His arrival could be needed as well, especially with Harry Maguire linked with a summer exit and Victor Lindelof potentially being offered to Inter Milan in a swap move for Denzel Dumfries. That would result in Kim potentially arriving to challenge Martinez and Raphael Varane, so it could be one to watch over the coming months.

Manchester United have held a meeting with the representatives of AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi, according to journalist Santi Aouna.

The Lowdown: Disasi profiled

Disasi is 25 years of age who is primarily a centre-back but can also turn out as a right-back if required.

The Frenchman joined Monaco from Stade Reims back in 2020 and has gone on to make 119 appearances for his current employers – 39 of which have come during the current campaign.

As per WhoScored, Disasi has averaged a Ligue 1 match rating of 6.90/10 this season, making more interceptions and clearances than any of his current teammates, with his average score above Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.

He has also made three senior appearances for France, one of which came as a substitute in the World Cup final, and is valued at a career-high €25m by Transfermarkt.

The Latest: Talks held

Aouna took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share what he’s heard on Disasi and a possible move to Old Trafford. The journalist said that ‘an appointment took place about two weeks ago between the player’s entourage and Manchester United’.

He added that Monaco would be ‘ready to sell’ in the region of €50m (£43.8m), however, ‘other’ Premier League clubs also appear to be keen.

The Verdict: Needed?

Disasi appears to be at the peak of his powers, so a move to Old Trafford could be a shrewd one for all involved. It looks as if Maguire and Lindelof could both end up leaving the club this summer, with Erik ten Hag reportedly giving the green light to exits for the defenders to make space in his squad, while also freeing up funds.

Therefore, should the pair depart over the coming months, bringing in someone like Disasi could be needed to rival Varane and Martinez in Ten Hag’s second season in charge.

The Monaco man has been praised for his ‘insane strength and power’ by journalist Eduardo Hagn, while talent scout Jacek Kulig has also previously lauded him as being ‘dominant’, attributes that could help him adjust to life in the Premier League. He would also possess a goalscoring threat after scoring 11 times for Monaco, two of which have come in the Europa League this season.

A transfer could well be one to keep an eye on heading into the summer, and with United also prioritising a new forward and midfielder, it could be another extremely busy transfer window, potentially under new owners.

Newcastle United are riding high under Eddie Howe at present, with the Englishman having steered the club into the mix for Champions League qualification following what has been a truly remarkable campaign thus far for the Magpies.

After years of fearing for their safety at the foot of the table, the Tynesiders are now beginning to enjoy what looks set to be a brighter future under the PIF regime, with the ambitious ownership no doubt harbouring hopes of turning the club into title contenders in the years to come.

For all the positivity surrounding St James' Park, Howe and co will no doubt be aware that further quality will be needed if the club are to kick on moving forward, with the midfield ranks seemingly one area in which the club do look rather light.

The upcoming summer window should seemingly see the northeast side address that issue, although the top-four hopefuls no doubt wish they had a figure of the past to call upon to bolster their ranks, with it a mouthwatering prospect to imagine the impact that Gini Wijnaldum could have made in this current Newcastle side, having been a shining light during a rather drab time at the club back in the 2015/16 season.

How good was Wijnaldum at Newcastle?

Not to suggest that sporting director Dan Ashworth should necessarily go out and buy the present-day version of the dynamic Dutchman, yet one can only imagine just how crucial the former PSV Eindhoven star could have been had he been able to complement the current crop of players under Howe's watch.

Now 32, the experienced ace was originally brought to England by Steve McClaren back in 2015, with the one-time FC Twente boss utilising his Eredivisie connections to bring Wijnaldum to the club on a £14.5m deal.

Hailed by McClaren as a real "leader" and a "statement" signing for the Magpies upon his capture, the Rotterdam native would instantly mark himself as something of a cult figure in his new home, having been the real star attraction in an otherwise forgettable season at St James' Park.

Despite the historic club ultimately suffering relegation at the end of that 2015/16 campaign – the playmaker's solitary season in the black and white jersey – Wijnaldum made a truly strong impression, contributing a stunning haul of 11 goals and five assists in 38 Premier League appearances.

That eye-catching tally is far superior to what the current midfield group have been able to manage, with Bruno Guimaraes leading the way with just three goals and three assists in the league, while Joelinton has just two goals and only two assists.

The latter man currently operates in a more advanced midfield berth – as Wijnaldum did during his time at the club – although is far from a truly creative presence, as he has averaged just 0.9 key passes per game this season, while the Netherlands international averaged 1.3 for that same metric in 2015/16.

Equally, while Joelinton has won just 46% of his ground duels this season despite his physical stature, Wijnaldum won 51% of his ground duels during his solitary season at the club, proving himself an effective, ball-playing winning asset, as well as delivering the goods in the final third.

That all-round quality would surely have made the former Feyenoord ace a shoo-in to be a central part of Howe's side in the present day, with the Magpies likely ruing that their time with the 5 foot 9 menace was so brief, as he went on to enjoy a glittering, trophy-laden spell at Liverpool.

Sheikh Jassim has made a second offer to take control at Manchester United, Sky Sports report.

The Lowdown: Slight delay

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have been the front runners when it comes to a complete takeover from the Glazers, with both holding Old Trafford talks earlier this month.

However, both missed the deadline to make a second offer for the club on Wednesday in an incredible development, asking for an extension from the Raine Group in New York. That was granted, with Ratcliffe needing less than 24 hours to place his revised bid for United. It went relatively quiet when it came to Jassim’s second bid, but there has now been a development.

The Latest: Second offer

Sky Sports provided an update regarding Jassim and United in the last 24 hours. They said that a new offer has now been submitted, describing it as ‘news that Manchester United fans have been waiting for’.

‘Now the news that Manchester United fans we know have been waiting for and that is that Sheikh Jassim, the Qatari bid, a new bid has now been submitted to buy Manchester United.

‘It went in overnight, the deadline for the second bid was 9pm on Wednesday, an extension was granted. We knew that Sir Jim Ratcliffe had submitted a second bid on Thursday – now we know that Jassim has followed suit.’

The Verdict: Now we wait

It looks as if it is now down to the Glazers to provide feedback to Jassim, Ratcliffe and other parties who have made Old Trafford bids, so it could be an interesting few months.

Fabrizio Romano has stated that Jassim and his group remain confident as they believe their bid is the best one for the club, fans and local community. He also seemingly has a marquee transfer on his radar, should he take over, with Jassim thought to be a huge fan of Jude Bellingham.

That might come as music to Erik ten Hag’s ears, with the manager after a midfielder and a forward this summer, but in regards to a takeover, Jassim may have to remain patient for now.

Newcastle United are considering a move to bring Taylor Harwood-Bellis back to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Harwood-Bellis' future?

Eddie Howe currently has Sven Botman, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Dan Burn as his options at centre-back, but with the possibility of the latter departures in the backline – particularly with Lascelles currently out of favour – a reinforcement could be needed.

Sky Blues starlet Harwood-Bellis is an academy graduate from Manchester City having worked his way up through the youth ranks, but having made just eight senior appearances, not to mention that he’ll be out of contract next summer, his future beyond the upcoming window is looking uncertain.

The England U21s international has spent the majority of his professional career out on loan, carrying out spells with the likes of Anderlecht, Stoke City and Burnley, where he’s excelling under the guidance of Vincent Kompany, and this high standard of performance has caught the eye of the hierarchy at St James’ Park.

According to 90min, Newcastle are showing a “strong interest” in Harwood-Bellis and are “considering” making an approach at the end of the season. The 6 foot 2 colossus would “like to make the grade” at his parent club, but understands that he is very far down the pecking order, therefore potentially making him consider a permanent switch elsewhere.

The report also claims that the Clarets are looking to bring him back to Turf Moor next season whether it be on loan or for good, but could be dealt a roadblock by the interest from the north-east outfit. The Magpies have the 21-year-old on their radar, but are set to face plenty of competition from several of their top-flight rivals, including West Ham, Fulham and Brentford.

Would Harwood-Bellis be a good signing for Newcastle?

Harwood-Bellis might only be in the early stages of his career where he's developing and discovering the extent of his own potential, but with the attitude of a "warrior", as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, he could be a fantastic addition for the long-term at Newcastle.

Burnley's centre-back has been an absolute rock at the heart of their backline this season and is strong on and off the ground, where he's currently averaging 3.3 clearances and 3.1 aerial duel successes per league game, via WhoScored. The £7k-p/w talent is also a threat at the opposite end of the pitch, having scored ten goals and provided five assists since the start of his career displaying a decent record for a defender (Transfermarkt).

Finally, compared to his defensive peers playing at a similar level of competition over the past year, Harwood-Bellis ranks in the 99th percentile for the number of passes attempted and the 95th for progressive passes, as per FBref, so he's more than comfortable playing out from the back and pushing his team up the pitch, which will be yet another extremely attractive attribute to Howe if he can make the step up to the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur's managerial search is expected to extend into the summer but one name appeals more than most…

Latest Tottenham manager news – Who is in the frame?

After the departure of Antonio Conte from Hotspur Way, his assistant Cristian Stellini, alongside former midfielder Ryan Mason, were appointed as the two to see Spurs out until the end of the season.

Off the pitch, the north London outfit continues to be linked to a whole host of names, ranging from Julian Nagelsmann, who was surprisingly sacked from Bayern Munich in favour of Thomas Tuchel, to Burnley's up-and-coming head coach – Vincent Kompany, who is taking the Championship by storm.

Others such as Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner and Napoli's Luciano Spalletti have gained traction in recent days yet none seem better than the potential of having Feyenoord's Arne Slot in charge, given he's on the verge of clinching a historic Eredivisie title ahead of Dutch heavyweights Ajax.

According to newspaper De Telegraaf, the 44-year-old remains a candidate to take over from the departed Italian but it'll take a record-breaking amount to De Stadionclub, which is thought to be in excess of €5m (£4.4m) – a similar amount to what FC Barcelona paid the Oranje for Ronald Koeman in 2020.

Who is Arne Slot?

Amid his links with the vacant managerial role at Spurs, Slot has received high praise from those in and around the game, leaning towards him being quite an exciting appointment and perhaps one more attainable than someone like Nagelsmann.

Reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold recently made some pretty encouraging comparisons to one of Spurs' more successful appointments over the last decade or so, as he told his podcast:

"The more I read about him I do quite like the idea of Arne Slot. He sounds like Pochettino, he sounds like a Pochettino in the making."

Since Mauricio Pochettino left north London in November 2019, the Lilywhites faithful have been bestowed with a negative, and often dull, brand of football, such is the case when you opt for managers like Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Conte.

Of course, two of the three have won gleaming honours elsewhere but have done so the 'old-school' way.

Slot would be a drastic shake-up on what has been served up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent seasons. He's got his Feyenoord side competing with the very best – having reached the Europa Conference League final in its inaugural season, the Dutch outfit are now leading the Eredivisie by eight points.

With an attack-minded 4-3-3 as his favoured system, the Bergentheim-born manager has accrued an impressive 63% win percentage in Rotterdam.

"The best thing about Arne Slot is that he is probably the best attacking coach I have seen in the last 35-40 years at Feyenoord," claimed journalist Marcel van der Kraan to talkSPORT.

"He is very similar to Pep Guardiola, his ideas are very similar, he is a massive fan of Pep and he plays the same time.

"He goes ultra-attacking, he is almost like a maniac. Not on the touchline but it is fantastic to see how he has turned an average side into a wonderful attacking machine."

That sort of review should be music to the ears of many supporters around N17 and only bolsters the suggestion that he could be a Pochettino 2.0. It also means that Levy cannot afford to let him slip through his grasp as sooner or later, a rival team will take a punt on him – after all, he was in contention to replace Jesse Marsch at Leeds United not too long ago, whilst Chelsea have also been mooted since the departure of Graham Potter.

Whilst Slot would certainly be a risky appointment, given the fact he is yet to manage outside of his home country, his philosophy and proven results on the pitch are surely enough to justify such a punt and at the very least, he would bring some happiness back to these parts – just as Pochettino did.

Newcastle United are eyeing up Amadou Haidara as a potential midfield option for the summer transfer window amid links to Declan Rice.

Will Newcastle sign a new midfielder?

Going into the Premier League run-in, Eddie Howe's Magpies have the opportunity to do something they could have only dreamed of back in August in landing a spot in the Champions League spots.

They could move one step closer on Sunday when they face their top-four rivals, Tottenham hotspur, on Tyneside with three points taking them six points clear of the north London side.

And if they are to secure their spot in next season's elite European competition, it will be a major test of the squad currently playing at St. James' Park.

There is a belief that Dan Ashworth and Howe are keen to bolster their options in the midfield with reports claiming they will be looking to make two additions over the coming months.

Recent suggestions claim the Magpies could make an ambitious move to bring in West Ham United's main man, Rice, with his future in London up in the air.

However, journalist Aaron Stokes has suggested RB Leipzig's Haidara is another option that could prove a cheaper alternative, as he spoke on the Everything Is Black & White podcast:

"It's my understanding that they have been very, very keen on a player called Amadou Haidara for pretty much over a year now, they tried to get him last summer from Leipzig.

"25-year-old African midfielder, very, very highly rated, very, very close to joining Brighton in January. And you know, Newcastle certainly think he ticks a lot of boxes.

"Leipzig pretty much resigned to losing him this summer. I think there'll be a very big bidding war for him. But yeah, it's my understanding that Newcastle are still very keen to make him a player this summer."

"I think you'd probably be looking at – for a player of his age and quality – £40m/£50m, which is certainly in their budget. So I don't think it would break the bank."

Would Haidara be a good option for Newcastle?

Given Rice's experience in the Premier League and England squad, the 24-year-old will likely come with a huge price tag if he is to be sold in the summer.

It is believed the England midfielder could cost any side in excess of £80m with West Ham valuing him highly despite his contract winding down to its final year.

However, Stokes has suggested the 25-year-old from Leipzig could cost around half of that with the midfielder expected to be valued in the region of £40m-£50m.

Analyst Statman Dave has hailed the 25-year-old as "excellent" and he ranks inside the upper second percentile for interceptions made across midfielders in the top five leagues (via FBref).

However, in comparison to Rice (2.27), he has made fewer tackles (1.61) and a lower number of shot-creating actions (1.93) than the Englishman (2.80) (via FBref).

But it must be noted that the Mali international has only made 10 starts for Leipzig in the Bundesliga this season with less than half the minutes accumulated by Rice thus far.

Although the £16.5k-per-week midfielder will likely come with a much lower price tag than Rice, it does also seem as if Newcastle could be getting a player who would potentially provide less of an impact.