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Arsenal may have found their next Aaron Ramsey in youngster Charlie Patino.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder, who is capable of “mazy” runs with the ball, as per The Athletic writer Art de Roche, has impressed for the Gunners’ academy sides and could be set for a first-team breakthrough under Mikel Arteta.

Comfortable operating anywhere along the spine of the team, the teenager bears similarities to Ramsey, who was eased into the first-team during the 2008/09 season. Arsenal will be hoping that Patino can have a similar impact and go on to become a key player for the club over time.

Arteta has shown a willingness to give youth a chance, as evidenced by the frequent inclusions of Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and more recently Eddie Nketiah in his line-ups.

Also, with the Gunners lacking depth across the engine room, amidst links to Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans, Arteta may have an in-house option in Patino from the Hale End production line.

The 18-year-old is clearly on the cusp of first-team action, having been eased in as early as December against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup. In his ten-minute cameo that night, the England under-19 starlet 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Whilst his integration into the first-team has been gradual, it is surely only a matter of time before we see Patino handed his debut in the Premier League.

In 15 appearances for the under-23s this season, the 18-year-old has demonstrated an ability to score and set up goals, having notched one assist in Premier League 2, although his game seems to be much more well-rounded.

It is worth noting that six of those appearances have been from a central midfield position, while three have been as a defensive midfielder.

At this moment, it is difficult to accurately quantify the 18-year-old’s potential based on the lack of availability regarding in-depth statistics, but having featured twice for the senior team this season and demonstrating versatility within his game, it is surely only a matter of time before we see more of the Arsenal youngster, who could be a new version of Ramsey at the Emirates Stadium.

In other news: “Arsenal are..”: Romano drops exciting transfer claim that’ll leave supporters buzzing 

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has ruled Leeds United captain Liam Cooper out of this weekend’s meeting with Arsenal.

The Lowdown: Cooper’s late withdrawal

Cooper made a long-awaited return to action last month and helped the Whites concede just once in three games, with Jesse Marsch’s side picking up five points against Southampton, Watford and Crystal Palace.

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The 30-year-old was due to start against Manchester City last weekend but pulled out during the warm-up with a knee problem that required a scan.

Midfielder Mateusz Klich replaced Cooper at Elland Road, and it looks as if the centre-back may well miss the trip to the Emirates on Sunday too.

The Latest: Dinnery’s claim

Dinnery, a sports injuries expert and analyst who contributes for Sky Sports, has six injury concerns for Leeds on his Premier Injuries website.

One of those is Cooper, whose current status is listed ‘ruled out’ with a knee problem – the site doesn’t even name a hopeful return date.

Meanwhile, according to Dinnery, striker Patrick Bamford has a May 15 return date following his foot problem.

The Verdict: Wait and see…

Marsch will more than likely provide an injury update to start his pre-match press conference at Thorp Arch later today, with Cooper’s condition obviously a concern.

He helped the Whites stop the rot at the back following his return from a hamstring injury and has been the club’s best-rated defender this season, as per WhoScored.

Therefore, it would be a boost for Marsch and Leeds if Cooper were able to travel to London, so fingers crossed Marsch shares different news to Dinnery.

In other news: Leeds officials sent abroad as Radz plots move for 56-goal attacker. 

Jamie Carragher criticised a struggling Liverpool star as the Reds were dealt another humiliating defeat at Anfield, this time at the hands of PSV Eindhoven.

Curtis Jones admits he's out of "answers" after Liverpool defeat

Where do Liverpool go from here? This is no longer a blip. The Premier League champions are in a full-blown crisis that not even Anfield could protect them from against Nottingham Forest and PSV. Their crown has been ripped from their head in ruthless fashion and serious questions are being asked of manager Arne Slot.

Curtis Jones looked a man defeated at full-time, as he admitted that he doesn’t have the “answers” to Liverpool’s current form, which has seen them lose nine of their last 12 games in all competitions.

The academy graduate told reporters: “I don’t have the answers. Honestly, I don’t. I’m saying that to everybody. It’s just unacceptable. I don’t even have to wait to think about it. I’m past being angry inside.

“I’m at the point now where I just don’t have the words. It’s hard because I’m playing for the team I support. I’m a fan, and I’ve seen this club all my life. In a long, long time, I haven’t experienced a Liverpool team going through a period like this with results like these.

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“But at the end of the day, we still have that badge on our chest. And until that badge is gone, we’re always going to fight. We’re going to try and get this team back to where it needs to be, show everyone again what this club is about and why people call it the best team in the world. But right now, we’re in the s***, and it needs to change.”

Carragher also didn’t hold back behind the scenes on CBS, ripping into Ibrahima Konate after the Frenchman endured another disastrous outing at Anfield.

Carragher rips into Konate after "sackable" PSV performance

Caught on camera watching the game behind the scenes on punditry duty for CBS, Carragher slammed Konate and claimed that it was a “sackable offence” for Slot to start the struggling defender against PSV.

Konate, who is out of contract in the summer, has been one of the most disappointing players in Liverpool’s recent run and continued his struggles against PSV – missing his interception for their third goal.

Once again, he found himself hooked in the second-half as Slot desperately attempted to turn the game around. By the time that the defender departed the game in the 76th minute, Konate had made just three tackles and won zero aerial duels on another evening to forget.

It’s a timely reminder that, despite breaking their transfer record twice in the summer, Liverpool made a major mistake when they missed out on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

As bad as Konate & Van Dijk: £85m Liverpool duo cannot start together again

After a slow start to his Anfield career, Florian Wirtz has revealed what Liverpool manager Arne Slot has just told him to do if he wants to get back to his best.

Why Wirtz has started slow at Liverpool

Whilst it’s been far from disastrous, Wirtz hasn’t got off to the electric start that many expected from a £116m player. The former Bayer Leverkusen player arrived as a player who has the ability to change games on his own and contribute to goals, but what Liverpool have so far seen is a hard-working midfielder who has struggled to make his mark.

There have been glimpses of his best form. In the September international break, the German scored an excellent free-kick and then returned to Liverpool to enjoy his best display yet against Atletico Madrid. It’s a game that should have ended his wait for a goal or assist since the Community Shield, but there were ultimately plenty of positive signs.

There were also signs of how he can control games in a 1-0 victory against Arsenal, especially when Alexis Mac Allister was replaced and he was no longer sharing the same spaces with such a similar player. Whether those two can thrive together is the big question. Slot did, of course, drop Wirtz for the Argentine in the Merseyside derby instead of starting both.

Unlike others in the Premier League, time is on Wirtz’s side. Liverpool sit top of the Premier League by five points and are the only side with a 100% record. If there’s an environment that allows players to settle in, it is Anfield.

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That said, Slot has still spoken to the big-money star about his form and told him exactly what he must do to get back to his best.

Wirtz reveals Slot conversation about Liverpool form

Speaking to reporters, Wirtz revealed that he has held a conversation with Slot about his slow start to life at Liverpool. The German revealed that Slot suggested that his form could be down to Liverpool’s press and his struggle to adapt to that intensity whilst also playing a part in possession.

It would certainly make sense why Wirtz has struggled to keep pace at times. Alas, if that is the reason behind his underwhelming form, then logic suggests that Liverpool should see the best version of their midfielder as the season goes on and his fitness reaches the level required.

Tottenham Hotspur continued their impressive start to life under Thomas Frank with a 3-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday.

Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergval, and Micky van de Ven scored the goals for the Lilywhites to claim all three points against their London rivals, taking them to three wins from four matches.

One thing Spurs have not had so far this season, though, is an academy graduate playing any minutes in the Premier League, as they are still looking for their next Harry Kane.

Why Spurs need to find their next Harry Kane

Not every supporter will feel this way, or as strongly as others do, but it can be a source of pride to have a player from the team’s academy shining week-in-week-out. One of their own.

Kane was the ultimate version of that. He burst through the academy and loan systems to emerge as an incredible performer, moving on from North London in 2023 with a club-record 280 goals in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

As well as being one of their own, England’s all-time top scorer was also the king of derby day for Tottenham with an impressive goalscoring record against Arsenal.

Kane achieved all of this, though, after he scored two goals for Leicester City, five goals for Leyton Orient, nine goals for Millwall, and no goals for Norwich City on loan before his first-team breakthrough, per Transfermarkt.

With this in mind, Spurs may be brewing their next version of Kane in one of their current young talents who are struggling out on loan at the moment, Mikey Moore.

Why Mikey Moore is the next Harry Kane in the making for Spurs

The 18-year-old winger was sent out on loan to Glasgow Rangers during the summer transfer window, but has not had the best start to life north of the border.

In five appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, Moore has yet to find the back of the net and his only assist came against Alloa Athletic, a lower league outfit in the League Cup, per Transfermarkt.

The England youth international has not hit the ground running for Russell Martin’s team at Ibrox, particularly in the Scottish Premiership, since completing his first loan move away from Spurs.

Appearances

3

Starts

2

Shots on target

0

Goals

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Dribble success rate

17%

As you can see in the table above, Moore has struggled in his first three league outings for Rangers, with no shots on target and no ‘big chances’ created for his team.

The 18-year-old talent is still finding his way at first-team level, though, and these are negative experiences that will provide the harsh lessons that he will need to learn from to kick on and progress, as Kane did after struggling in his loan spells away from Tottenham.

Moore, who analyst Ben Mattinson claimed has “superstar potential”, caught the eye at academy level for Spurs with a return of 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches for the U19s, per Transfermarkt.

These statistics show that the English youngster has the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis, but it is down to him to start to show that in the first-team when he returns from Rangers next summer.

Spurs will be hoping that Moore, who has scored one goal for Tottenham’s first-team, uses the 2025/26 campaign as a big learning experience to teach him what to and what not to do at senior level as a regular starter.

Kane used his time at Millwall, Norwich, Leyton Orient, and Leicester to propel him to glory in the first-team, and Moore may well be on his way to following the England captain’s footsteps.

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At the age of 18, the winger has so much time left ahead of him to grow and develop. Hopefully, he will eventually be able to star for Spurs as their first-choice left winger in the future.

Leeds United are going to be playing Premier League football next season and will have to use the summer transfer window to build a squad that can compete at the top level.

Daniel Farke can look at what one of his predecessors, Marcelo Bielsa, did in the 2020/21 campaign, when the Whites stayed up in the top-flight and finished in the top half.

The Argentine head coach helped the club to avoid relegation, and set them on their way to avoiding the drop in the 2021/22 season too, and the players he had at his disposal played a key role in that.

Stars like Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford Rodrigo, and Raphinha may have stolen the headlines, but Mateusz Klich went under the radar with a return of four goals and five assists in the Premier League from a midfield position.

Leeds make first offer for midfield target

Leeds are active in the current summer transfer window to bolster their squad and are reportedly eyeing up a deal for a star who could be Farke’s own version of the Poland international.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to L’Equipe, the Championship champions have submitted their first offer, worth around £22m, to Strasbourg in an attempt to sign central midfielder Habib Diarra.

The report claims that the French side have not yet responded to the bid, but they are waiting to see if any other teams come in with counter-offers, amid interest from clubs in Germany and England.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Evening Post has confirmed that an offer has been made, but adds that other targets in that position are felt to be more likely at this moment in time.

Why Diarra could be Klich 2.0

If Leeds can get a deal over the line for Diarra, then Farke could have his own version of Klich in the Premier League next season, because he is a well-rounded midfield star who can impact games in and out of possession.

The 21-year-old talent, who talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed will have a “huge future” in the game, played regularly in Ligue 1 for Strasbourg in the 2024/25 campaign and caught the eye with his displays in the middle of the park.

Diarra played 29 Ligue 1 games or more in each of the last three seasons, which shows that he has plenty of top-flight experience in a major European league, and this term was his best so far from a performance point of view.

Appearances

30

35

Goals

4

4

Big chances created

9

3

Assists

5

5

Dribbled past per game

0.4x

1.3x

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.1

1.4

Duels won per game

3.3

2.4

As you can see in the table above, his performances in Ligue 1 this season were incredibly similar to Klich’s in the Premier League when Leeds avoided the drop in the 2020/21 campaign.

These statistics show that Diarra could emulate his impact at the top end of the pitch by delivering a respectable number of goals and assists from a box-to-box midfield position, whilst potentially being even more creative when you look at the ‘big chances’ that he created.

The chart above further illustrates the similarities between the two players, particularly when it comes to scoring and creating goals, which suggests that he could be a very similar player to Klich for Farke.

Diarra’s ability to combine defensive work, as he is rarely dribbled past, with his attacking output suggests that he could be a very valuable player for the German boss in the Premier League, as he could impact games at both ends of the pitch.

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However, the Yorkshire Evening Post did report that other midfield targets are more likely, so it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites will be able to get a deal over the line for this star.

Manchester United are now ready to step up their efforts to sign an “insane” £64 million player once they complete the deal for Matheus Cunha, according to a recent report.

Man Utd chasing new striker despite closing in on Cunha deal

The Red Devils still have one final Premier League game to play out, but already club chiefs are getting things underway ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that United are now close to signing Cunha from Wolves. The Brazil forward has accepted the project on offer at Old Trafford and has also agreed personal terms with the Red Devils. Romano claims only the finer details need to be sorted before the deal reaches the “here we go” stage.

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But Ruben Amorim and United want more than just Cunha to add to their front line – according to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, United have also held face-to-face talks with striker Liam Delap after Ipswich Town granted permission for him to travel to Manchester. The young forward has a £30 million release clause, and he is one of a number of targets the Red Devils are interested in signing to play up front with Cunha.

Man Utd ready to step up efforts to sign Viktor Gyokeres

Along with Delap, Viktor Gyokeres is also another option that is under consideration by the Old Trafford chiefs, and according to L’Equipe, relayed by Get French Football News, Man United are stepping up their efforts to sign Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

The report states that the Sweden international wants to resolve his future as quickly as possible, given he is expected to leave Sporting. However, the lack of concrete moves from PSG has now opened the door to United, who will look to make an approach for Gyokeres in the coming days.

It is claimed that the Red Devils are the only team to make serious efforts to try and sign Gyokeres, despite the fact the forward has also been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal and is said to be on their transfer shortlist. This would be a costly purchase for United, as it’s been widely reported that it could cost any interested team as much as £64 million to sign the prolific number nine.

Apps

101

Goals

96

Assists

28

The 26-year-old, who has been labelled “insane” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been sensational for Sporting CP since moving to Portugal. Gyokeres has netted 39 goals in 33 league games this season, so while he may be an expensive purchase, his goal-scoring record suggests it would be money well spent.

Current number nine Rasmus Hojlund looks set for a move away from United, and if Cunha is being brought in to play just off the striker like he often has done at Molineux then a more clinial finisher will be required up front.

Aston Villa could well be hitting their stride in the Premier League at the best possible time, with both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest showing recent weaknesses in their game.

Unai Emery’s men are now only outside the lucrative five Champions League spots in the division on goal difference as Enzo Maresca’s Blues nervously try to hold onto that final position, with a mightily impressive five wins from Villa’s last six Premier League games keeping their European dreams alive.

The added quality to the squad in the form of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford in January has certainly boosted their chances of clinching Champions League football again.

This summer’s transfer window will further allow the West Midlands giants opportunities to bring in even more depth, with one rumoured face on the Villa Park shopping list perhaps going down as their next Jhon Duran if he joins.

How Jhon Duran is performing in Saudi

The breathless Colombian would only go on to feature for the Villans 78 times, but he is still remembered in a fond light to this day for how impactful he could be off the bench when his team needed a moment of magic.

Indeed, before an insane £71m move to Al Nassr came to be in January, the sensational South American would fire home a sizeable 12 goals during the first part of 2024/25.

On the surface, this is already an imposing goal total worthy of praise, but staggeringly seven of those strikes would come about in Premier League action despite Duran only making four starts overall.

Since heading to the Middle East, the forward has been on fire, scoring 11 goals in 16 games for his new employers who sit third in the Saudi Pro League.

In truth, losing the young forward hasn’t hit Villa that hard, but NSWE definitely wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to win themselves a new version of the relentless 21-year-old this summer.

Aston Villa could sign their new Duran

Emery will likely be keen to utilise all of his talented squad again next campaign, particularly if Champions League football returns to Villa Park and congests the fixture list.

Therefore, adding in a new winger in Malick Fofana as a further option in attack could be an inspired pick-up, with Caught Offside recently revealing that the Premier League titans could sign the promising 20-year-old from Olympique Lyonnais for around the £42m mark.

Just taking in a few clips of Fofana’s excellence for Lyon this season displays how he’s on the same wavelength as the now departed Duran, with both attackers in question boundless in their drive and energy when galloping forward, before being equally unafraid to unleash a vicious shot at an opposition goalkeeper.

It’s resulted in Fofana – who is also on the radar of Liverpool and Arsenal – picking up a substantial 11 goals and five assists from 40 appearances down the Lyon left flank across 2024/25, despite also being resigned to a regular spot on Paulo Fonseca’s bench much like the 22-year-old striker had to put up with under Emery.

Games played

40

29

Games started

22

7

Minutes played

2199

1043

Goals scored

11

12

Assists

5

0

Looking at the numbers, whilst Fofana does have the advantage of starting 15 more games this season than Duran managed at Villa, the former has still been used rather sparingly in the French top division, with the Belgian only averaging 54 minutes of action per Ligue 1 clash.

But, the “magnificent” left-footed menace – as he has been labelled by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has still left his mark on a considerable number of contests all the same, seen in that growing total of 11 goals and five assists across a wide range of contests for Lyon.

With a potential hole in the squad also needing to be filled down the left if Rashford departs, adding in Fofana does feel like a logical signing to soon make on Villa’s end, with the one-time senior Belgium international also capable of being the club’s next super sub.

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