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Arsenal have turned their attentions to Ruben Neves, according to reports…

What’s the word?

The Times claim that the Gunners have begun work on a deal to sign the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder as he is one of three high-profile names being made available for transfer this summer.

This has since been confirmed by The Athletic’s Tim Spiers, who suggests that contact has been made between the two clubs. It’s thought that the Midlands outfit will have to sell a big player if they are to bolster their playing squad in the upcoming transfer window.

£35m is the expected asking price for the Portuguese international.

Bye-bye Xhaka

Arsenal are in a similar boat to Wolves in the fact that they will have to offload several names to improve Mikel Arteta’s playing squad after a dismal season that saw them miss out on European qualification.

One name that has been linked with an exit in recent weeks is Granit Xhaka, and given Neves plays a similar role, this interest could certainly spell the end for the former skipper at the Emirates Stadium.

According to Sky in Italy, AS Roma are in talks to sign the Switzerland international after he was requested by their newly-appointed manager Jose Mourinho.

The Gunners’ former nemesis is said to be a huge admirer of Xhaka, whilst the North Londoners want around €25m (£22.5m) to let him go. That could certainly boost the coffers ahead of any Neves swoop.

Still only aged 24, Neves could be the perfect and most like-for-like replacement and his experience in English football surely only bolsters his claims further.

The 6-foot beast is effectively the orchestrator in midfield and has a knack for finding the net from range. Across 176 appearances, he has directly contributed towards 30 goals and as of August 2019, only two players had scored more from outside the box than Neves (ten).

Whilst since promotion to the Premier League, the industrious box-to-box enforcer has missed just five league games across three campaigns, where he has not dropped below 1.6 shots, 1.6 tackles or 1.5 interceptions per outing, via WhoScored.

It’s no wonder many around football have lauded his ability.

Express & Star correspondent Joe Edwards described him as a “pure talent” and “phenomenal” during Wolves’ Europa League run last year, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola lauding him an “excellent player” too.

Valued at £36m by CIES Football Observatory, the “unbelievable” Neves could well be the ideal target to fill the void left behind by Xhaka, should he depart.

Gunners chief Edu Gaspar must look to seal Arteta the Portuguese midfielder to get the North London giants back on track.

AND in other news, Premier League rival eyeing Arsenal’s £26m-rated “revelation”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Tottenham Hotspur legend, Graham Roberts, has revealed that he doesn’t want to see Graham Potter appointed as the club’s next manager.

Potter has been linked with the job at Spurs after impressing since being appointed as Brighton’s manager in 2019, having turned them into one of the most attacking and enjoyable sides to watch in the Premier League.

Steve Hitchen, Spurs’s chief scout, is reportedly set to recommend Potter as a good candidate for Daniel Levy to consider appointing as Jose Mourinho’s replacement at the end of the season.

Speaking on if he would like to see Potter as Spurs’ next manager and what his time at Brighton has proved, Roberts exclusively told FFC:

“No, not for me. I think he’s done okay at Brighton, they beat Liverpool, but then lost to West Brom and Sheffield United, so to me that shows there’s something not right there.”

Levy has put Ryan Mason in temporary charge until the end of the season, as they look to take their time in appointing Mourinho’s successor.

Spurs will now be onto their third manager since November 2019, which was when Mauricio Pochettino was sacked, leading the way for Mourinho to be appointed.

PSV Eindhoven have asked Aston Villa for information on striker Wesley Moraes ahead of a possible swoop.

The Lowdown: Wesley’s Villa Park struggles

It’s safe to say Wesley hasn’t exactly made the impact he would’ve hoped after joining from Club Brugge in 2019 for £22.5m.

He scored just six goals in 22 appearances before suffering a serious injury against Burnley on New Year’s Day 2020.

The Brazilian missed the rest of the 2020/21 season and the majority of the current campaign, making three brief substitute appearances in recent weeks.

Villa are looking to loan out the 24-year-old in the summer, and it seems as if they have a potential suitor for the £35,000-a-week man.

The Latest: Source shares update

According to Football Insider, who have been informed by a Dutch source, PSV have made an enquiry and are looking at a year-long loan.

The Dutch heavyweights, who have two European Cup triumphs in their history, want to be sure Wesley is over his injury issues before committing to a possible deal.

The Verdict: A good move for all involved?

Should guaranteed game time be offered by PSV, we feel as if a temporary move to the Netherlands would be good for Wesley.

It would give him the chance to get back to his best in a competitive league, while also possibly playing Champions League football.

PSV will be getting a forward capable of scoring plenty of goals, with Wesley netting 17 times in Belgium in the 2018/19 campaign prior to his move to the Midlands.

Rivals Ajax have scored 28 more goals than PSV this season, so the acquisition of Wesley could help them table a stronger challenge next season.

As for Villa, should things go well, they would then be getting a forward back full of confidence for the 2022/23 season, which may prove to be a shrewd move by Villa officials.

In other news: Villa linked with move for £5.1m-rated defender, many AVFC fans happy, find out more here. 

Former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that Manchester United simply don’t need Declan Rice.

Following his outstanding form for both the Hammers and England in recent seasons, the midfielder is reportedly attracting interest from both United and Chelsea, with David Moyes claiming he’s worth more than £100m.

Rice has been sitting in a midfield two alongside the impressive Czech Republic international Tomas Soucek, playing a key role in West Ham’s push towards the top four despite missing recent victories over Wolves and Leicester through injury.

Despite West Ham’s bid for Europe this season, Rice has continuously been linked away from the London Stadium, with Manchester United’s keeping tabs on the 22-year-old.

But with Scotsman Scott McTominay, who plays in the same position as the West Ham man, a regular under Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer this term, having made 44 appearances this season, McAvennie doesn’t believe Rice is required at United.

He told Football FanCast:

“I think McTominay has been doing a wonderful job for them, and he would do the exact same job as what Rice what do.

“I’m not saying McTominay is better or vice versa, but they are very similar players and by all accounts they love McTominay up there. He goes about his business and doesn’t make any headlines.

“So unless you want to play the two of them, but they’re too similar. Could he get in the Man United team, course he can.”

With England and Scotland in the same group for the Euro’s this summer, providing Rice shakes off his knee problem, these two will come up against each other at Wembley on 18 June, in what could be an audition to become United’s first-choice defensive-midfielder next season.

Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that he believes Eddie Howe wants to stay in the Premier League.

The former Bournemouth manager has been out of work since taking the Cherries down last season but has been strongly touted as Celtic’s number one target to replace Neil Lennon at Parkhead.

Howe reportedly made a verbal agreement to become the next Hoops manager earlier this month, but talks appear to have stalled, with the 43-year-old yet to decide regarding the job.

But since making that agreement with the Glasgow giants, Howe has been heavily linked with the vacancy at Crystal Palace, with growing uncertainty surrounding the future of Roy Hodgson, whose contract expires in the summer.

Howe has held talks with the Eagles, and Bent thinks that remaining in England would be his preference, especially following his outstanding work in the Premier League with Bournemouth.

Bent told Football FanCast:

“With Celtic you’re moving away from the Premier League, there’s four teams in that league you can compete with. I think he probably wants to stay in the Premier League.

“Palace, the players and the team are doing ok. He could go in there and bring in one or two players and his backroom staff.

“I’m sure that would be a good move for him, still managing in the Premier League, so I think that would be a good move for him rather than Celtic.”

West Brom have had to wait all weekend, but they finally return to Premier League action tonight.

And the Baggies will be going into their encounter with Southampton at the Hawthorns in great confidence after dispatching Europe-chasing Chelsea in a resounding and shock victory last time out.

Sam Allardyce’s men put five past the Blues to bolster their hopes of surviving in the top-flight, though the Midlands outfit still remain some 11 points adrift with only six matches left to play.

A win this evening would certainly be another big boost in the right direction and Big Sam must turn to one man in his hour of need after his impressive exploits at Stamford Bridge.

Enter Callum Robinson…

On the Chalkboard

The 26-year-old has largely been a forgotten man at West Brom this season, starting only 15 times in the Premier League. In fact, his 53 minutes against Chelsea were his first since the start of February, when he struggled to make an impact against his former club, Sheffield United.

All four of his league goals this season may have come against the same side, but he cannot be ignored after tearing Thomas Tuchel’s side apart last weekend.

talkSPORT claimed he haunted the Blues ‘like Sergio Aguero’ whilst ex-England shot-stopper Paul Robinson lauded his performance “amazing” to Football Insider.

Despite coming off the bench for the injured Branislav Ivanovic in the 37th minute, Robinson was indeed the Baggies’ star-performer, scoring both his shots at goal.

The former Blades forward also managed to pull off two successful dribbles, as many as the silky Matheus Pereira – who played the full 90 – and as many as Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic combined.

Whilst only one player on the whole pitch could better his three key passes, an impressive feat considering he was barely on the pitch for an hour.

Evidently, he was a thorn in Chelsea’s side and he could well repeat those exploits against the Saints tonight – if Allardyce finally unshackles him.

Albion Journalist Adrian Goldberg believes the Baggies boss has “missed a trick” with the £13m-rated dynamo this season, he told ‘The Liquidator’ podcast:

“I just think they’ve missed a trick with Callum Robinson, and I’ve argued this point long and hard that he offers you something that Hal Robson-Kanu doesn’t up front, if only it’s a bustling energy and determination, but also as that goal proved he’s got real quality.”

It’s that sort of presence a desperate team needs, so he must start at the Hawthorns tonight. Robinson can once again be West Brom’s game-changer.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Steve Bull urges Baggies star to stick with West Brom this summer…

Steve Bruce has dropped a big injury blow for Newcastle United going into their away game against Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match against Graham Potter’s men, the former Aston Villa and Sunderland boss has revealed that it is ‘too early’ for Fabian Schar to come back into the team despite commenting on his progression and recovery from his latest injury setback.

Schar blow for Newcastle

It is certainly a huge blow for the St. James’ Park faithful that they will not be able to play Schar in what looks to be a crucial fixture against the Seagulls in the battle to avoid being relegated from the top flight down to the Championship.

The Switzerland international has missed the last five games in the division with a knee injury, and in those matches the Tyneside club have failed to pick up a win, losing two and drawing three, conceding seven goals in the process (Transfermarkt).

Schar has done a decent job for the Magpies whenever he has played in the league so far in the 2020/21 term, winning no fewer than 3.1 of his duels per appearance as well as averaging 3.1 clearances and 1.6 interceptions a game (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, the Toon will have to try and find a way to get the three points without the 29-year-old central defender.

In other news, find out what two managers Lee Ryder has named would listen to an offer from NUFC if Bruce left here!

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer is adamant Carlo Ancelotti has no intention of catering to Alex Iwobi’s desire to play in his preferred position at Everton.

Iwobi recently posted a story on Instagram that was interpreted by some as a dig at his club manager for not always utilising him efficiently. Ancelotti has since responded, stating he is willing to play Iwobi in a position he feels more comfortable in if the player speaks to him about the issue.

Palmer, however, doubts the three-time Champions League winning-manager will go through with his words, especially with Everton doing so well in English football’s top flight this season.

Discussing the matter in an exclusive interview with FFC, Palmer said:

“Maybe he’s just saying that for the public. I don’t believe for one minute Carlo Ancelotti would do that, I don’t believe for one minute. I think he’s just trying to deal with it in the press and in the media, defusing the situation by saying that. He’s never going to change the system to suit one player.”

£50,000-a-week man Iwobi has been used in various positions this term, including at left and right wing-back.

As an attacker, naturally, it can be expected that the Nigeria international wants to play further forward. However, at present, there is a lot of competition in that area of the pitch at Goodison Park.

Richarlison and James Rodriguez are just a couple of players Ancelotti can call upon when fielding his forward line, making things a bit difficult for Iwobi in regards to his desire to play in attack regularly.

In response to a tweet from Liverpool FC fan feed @AnfieldWatch, a number of Reds fans have suggested Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time at the club is up.

Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool for £35 million (BBC) in 2017 but injuries have stalled his Anfield career.

Remarkably, he hasn’t completed 90 Premier League minutes since April 2018, towards the end of that debut season (via @CaoimheSport).

He has started two Premier League games this term – the defeats against Southampton and Burnley in January – but was substituted before the hour mark on both occasions.

In fairness, the Englishman was unavailable until December, but since his return to fitness he has only clocked 221 minutes (via Transfermarkt).

Curtis Jones’ impressive form looks to have nudged Oxlade-Chamberlain further down the pecking order. Liverpool’s depth in midfield is now strong even despite their injury issues, particularly after Naby Keita returned to the fold on Sunday.

Liverpool fans think Oxlade-Chamberlain’s prospects are bleak

“He was running around when he came on last time like a headless chicken. More focus required from him.”

Credit: @huggy1965

“No way, he needs to be sold! He’ll end up at Southampton.”

Credit: @MarkThomas9

“Even when fit he blows hot and cold. Time to cash in whilst there still resale value. We’d be dumb to keep two injury midfielders especially after this season and Keita gets my vote to stay. “

Credit: @robfreelancer

“He’s gone in the summer. Love the lad but his time is up. 20 year old Curtis and 35 year old Milner are ahead of him.”

Credit: @TheeNormalOne

“We can’t keep hold of so many injury-prone players. Some have to go.”

Credit: @RedRivelino

“Arsenal were waiting for the same for years also – I have my doubts somehow”

Credit: @SRobbo7

In other news, Fans slate Ozan Kabak after Liverpool’s win over Sheffield United