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Arsenal have submitted an official offer to Shakhtar Donetsk for Mykhaylo Mudryk.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Mirko Di Natale, with the Radio Bianconera and TuttoJuve journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that Edu has now submitted an official €60m (£52m) bid for the 21-year-old winger ahead of the January transfer window.

In his tweet, the Italian reporter said: “Arsenal are serious for Mudryk: official offer from €60m. Confirmed the indiscretion of a few days ago. Now the ball passes to Shakhtar.”

“Absolutely unreal”

Considering the generational talent that Mudryk very much looks to be, should Edu manage to get a deal over the line for the Shakhtar starlet this winter, it would undoubtedly represent an absolutely unreal signing for the Gunners.

Indeed, over his nine Premier Liga fixtures this season, the £13m-rated sensation has been in breathtaking form in the final third, having already hit the back of the net on five separate occasions, in addition to providing his teammates with a further five assists – averaging a direct goal involvement every 64 minutes of football played.

The 21-year-old was also in astonishing form over his six Champions League appearances this term, scoring three goals, registering two assists and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 1.7 dribbles per game.

Rather understandably, these returns have seen the Ukrainian talent earn a significant amount of praise, none more so than from Jack Collins, who said of the youngster in a post on Twitter after Shakhtar’s 4-1 demolition of RB Leipzig back in September:

“Mykhaylo Mudryk is absolutely unreal. A goal and two assists, sure, but his explosiveness in small bursts is almost undefendable and his ability to keep the ball tethered to his foot, even at full speed, is Bernardo-esque. He’s going to be a star.”

In response to Sam Tighe’s claim that the 21-year-old is more similar to Jack Grealish than Bernardo Silva, Collins added: “His ball retention is better on the run. He’s got that tether thing to a tee – he’s not drawing fouls, he’s skipping past players for fun.”

As such, considering the sheer amount of hype surrounding the future of Mudryk – something that is completely understandable following his remarkable returns this season – it would indeed appear as if Arsenal would be gaining an unreal talent were they to go on and land the youngster this winter – something that will undoubtedly excite all involved with the north London side.

Manchester United saw their nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end on Sunday afternoon, with Erik ten Hag’s side slipping to a dismal 3-1 defeat away to a resurgent Aston Villa, in what was Unai Emery’s first game in charge of the Midlands outfit.

The visitors had endured the worst possible start to proceedings after shipping two goals inside the opening 11 minutes, with former Everton man Lucas Digne notably firing in a stunning free-kick to leave United with a mountain to climb to get back into the game.

That challenge was made somewhat easier as Luke Shaw’s effort deflected in somewhat fortuitously off Jacob Ramsey on the stroke of half-time, only for the latter man to restore his side’s two-goal lead with a thumping finish just minutes after the restart.

There was to be no late fightback as the away side limped to their first defeat at Villa Park since 1995, with the Red Devils likely to be hoping to exact revenge when the two sides meet again in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Thursday evening.

In what was a grim encounter for Ten Hag’s men on the day, one notable passenger was that of struggling asset, Donny van de Beek, with the former Ajax man having failed to warrant the faith of his manager.

The 25-year-old had almost become something of a forgotten figure at the Theatre of Dreams having endured a miserable last two years at the club since his £35m arrival back in the summer of 2020, having made just 21 starts in all competitions since then.

Having only recently returned from injury, the Netherlands international – who spent the second half of last season on loan at Goodison Park – was handed a surprise inclusion in the side for Thursday’s clash with Real Sociedad, although made just 19 touches before being hooked after only 58 minutes.

It was a similar story last time out as the 19-cap dud retained his place in the side as a result of the suspension of Bruno Fernandes, although again failed to make his mark having made just 18 touches in his 66-minute outing, while registering only one key pass in that time.

The £120k-per-week man was also something of a liability defensively having failed to record a single ground duel and won just one of his two aerial duels, while recording just a 6.3 match rating, as per SofaScore, with pundit Clinton Morrison suggesting that the playmaker simply “isn’t up to the pace”.

Journalist Liam Canning was also critical of the £17.4m-rated man’s “invisible” display in the centre of the park, while Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst stated that the midfielder had been simply ‘anonymous’, while awarding him just a 3/10 match rating.

With chances having been few and far between in his United career to date, Van de Beek simply had to make the most of his rare opportunities this week, although has only served to show why he remained on the periphery under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.

If even Ten Hag – whom the 6-foot menace worked under in Amsterdam – can’t get a tune out of the player, then it is hard to see the once-promising Dutchman having any future at Old Trafford moving forward.

West Brom have held at least two interviews with Carlos Corberan, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Manager search accelerating…

The Baggies appear to have picked up the pace when it comes to bringing in Steve Bruce’s successor following Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Bristol City.

Simon Stone stated on Wednesday that West Brom are closing in on a new manager, with Corberan the first to be interviewed for the vacancy. An update has now emerged on the attacking 4-3-3 style boss, who is currently out of work.

The Latest: Crook’s update

Crook took to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to share an update from West Brom.

He said that ‘Corberan has had at least two interviews’ and added that Plymouth Argyle’s Steven Schumacher is ‘also admired’.

The Verdict: Corberan the man?

It looks as if Corberan could well be leading the race to take over at The Hawthorns, with club officials speaking with the Spaniard on more than one occasion.

The Baggies won’t have to worry about a compensation fee as the 39-year-old is out of work, so a move could go through relatively quickly.

If he does make a return to England with a move to the Midlands, West Brom will be hoping he can replicate his work at Huddersfield after he took the Terriers to the Championship playoff final last season, and not his time at Olympiacos where he lasted just 11 games in charge.

Celtic have proven themselves astute operators in the transfer market in recent times under current boss Ange Postecoglou, although the Old Firm outfit haven’t always got good value for money over the years, with there having been a number of failed and often costly arrivals at Parkhead.

One such figure who struggled to make an impact in Glasgow was that of former Dundee United striker Nadir Ciftci, with then-Hoops boss Ronny Deila forking out £1.5m to land the polarising marksman from Tannadice in the summer of 2015.

The Turkish marksman had proven himself a reliable goalscorer during his two-year stint with the Tangerines – with 33 goals and 20 assists in 82 games across all fronts – although had also developed a reputation for his on-field antics, earning a ban in 2013 for reportedly grabbing an official by the throat in a Scottish League Cup tie against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The imposing striker – who also reportedly kicked future Bhoys teammate Scott Brown in the head in March 2015 – was also facing another suspension amid his move to Celtic Park, after being accused of biting Dundee’s Jim McAllister at the tail end of the 2014/15 campaign.

Despite that controversy surrounding the one-time Portsmouth man as Deila and co made their move, there were those who still seemingly believed that the centre-forward would be a good fit for the Scottish champions, including pundit John Hartson.

The former Hoops striker had dubbed the incoming addition a “very good player” at the time and suggested that “he could be like Chris Sutton”, as a result of his impressive hold-up play when leading the line, with the Welshman also dismissing concerns about that biting incident.

The comparison to that man Sutton was no doubt high praise indeed, with the one-time Parkhead hero having scored 63 league goals and won three league titles during his time in Scotland, proving a real hit after his £6m arrival from Chelsea in 2000.

The Englishman himself had also seemingly lauded the capture of Ciftci at the time, with the pundit insisting that he thought it was a “really good piece of business” for his former club, while also stating: “I really like him.”

Those two figures would, however, go on to be proved wrong as the promising striker went on to distinctly underwhelm in his new surroundings, after initially seeing his involvement hampered as a result of the seemingly inevitable six-game ban.

The struggling flop would score just four goals in 26 appearances in all competitions for the Old Firm outfit over the next few years, having been shipped out on loan just a matter of months into his time at the club.

The former Turkey U19 international would endure further temporary spells away from his parent club before his eventual exit in the summer of 2018, with Brendan Rodgers and co opting to cut ties with a year still to run on the player’s existing deal.

Now 30, the £248k-rated ace has spent much of the last few seasons back in his homeland since that exit, before making a surprise return to Scottish football in January to join St Johnstone, although failed to score in 12 appearances for Callum Davidson’s side.

The journeyman now plies his trade for Greek second-division side Makedonikos, having failed to ever it the heights that both Hartson – and Sutton – had tipped him to achieve.

Glasgow Rangers are not only one of the biggest clubs in the Premiership but also in Europe, with some of the world’s best-known celebrities supporting the Gers.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is currently in charge at Ibrox, reaching last season’s Europa League final and generally bringing a feel-good factor to the club as they look to wrestle back the league title from their arch-rivals.

Rangers have enjoyed extraordinary success throughout their history, winning a record total of 55 league crowns, among many other trophies along the way.

The size of the Gers as a club means that their appeal is worldwide, with famous personalities from all corners of the globe opting to support them, some of whom are huge fans.

The question is: how much do you know about celebrity Rangers fans? Test your knowledge in our quiz, as we pick out 10 celebs and ask you if they are Light Blues supporters or not.

Best of luck!

Nottingham Forest are ‘interested’ in Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis, Sky Sports reported live on air on Wednesday.

The lowdown: Premier League revelation

Signed from Club Brugge last summer for £3.6million, Dennis was sensational for the Hornets in what was ultimately a disappointing campaign.

The 24-year-old Nigeria international scored ten times and provided six assists for the Hertfordshire outfit in the Premier League, even dubbed ‘one of the signings of the season’ by journalist Josh Bunting, but was unable to stave off the threat of relegation.

Now, it appears as though the Reds could be attempting to offer Dennis an immediate return back to the top-flight…

The latest: ‘We understand…’

Speaking live on Sky Sports News (via Sky Sports Premier League on Twitter), journalist Emma Paton shared the information obtained by the outlet regarding the seven-cap star.

She said: “Nottingham Forest are interested in the Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis. Watford value Dennis at around £20million but we understand that Forest would prefer a loan with an option to buy and are deciding whether to formalise their interest.”

The verdict: Make it happen

Holding an estimated market value of £16.3million and under contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt), paying the mooted fee for the Nigerian would represent smart business from the City Ground hierarchy, particularly when taking into account what was a sensational first season in England.

Dennis, called a ‘stunning player’ by Bunting, showcased his prowess by ending the 2021/22 campaign as the top flight’s leader when it comes to completed nutmegs, pipping now Barcelona star Raphinha with 14 and earning the tag of the ‘Nutmeg King’ from reputable statistics source StatsBomb.

Moreover, the 16 direct goal contributions for a struggling side and an impressive 6.80 Sofascore rating comprising of 6.2 successful duels, 2.1 completed dribbles and 1.8 shots on average per game, make Dennis a worthwhile target and one Dane Murphy should be pushing to add to Steve Cooper’s attacking options.

Tottenham Hotspur have a talented group of attackers currently at their disposal for Antonio Conte to play with next season in the Premier League.

The likes of Harry Kane, Richarlison, Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura and Dejan Kulusevski make up the senior section of the team’s forward line, whilst youngster Dane Scarlett has also been exposed to first-team football.

Journalist Ryan Taylor recently confirmed that the club are now eyeing up a swoop to sign another striker ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

In a video on his YouTube channel, he said: “But I wrote in this morning’s [Tuesday] column that Tottenham are one of several clubs monitoring Red Bull Salzburg forward, Benjamin Sesko.”

“Now as I touched upon Tottenham, as I understand it, are one of several clubs that are continuing to monitor his progress. It’s not something that’s imminent at the moment. So I don’t expect Tottenham to make a move as such.

“He’s just one of the young strikers that they’re watching. And Fabio Paratici is understood to be a big fan of him. And Tottenham scouts are going to continue to assess him in the upcoming season.”

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It has been reported that Spurs could make a €20m (£17m) offer to tempt the Austrian outfit into parting ways with him this summer.

Big Scarlett upgrade

By snapping up the Slovenian, Fabio Paratici can land Conte a big upgrade on their current young number nine – Scarlett.

In 10 first-team appearances, the Englishman is yet to score for Tottenham and has registered one assist. After scoring a sensational 23 goals in 23 under-18 matches, he scored four goals in 14 under-21 outings and then struggled to make much of an impact in the senior squad.

These statistics suggest that the teenager has not been able to develop as quickly as he has moved up the ranks, struggling more and more to reach the high levels he set earlier in his career.

Of course, he still has plenty of time to put that right – at the age of 18 – and may find his feet with more game time, but Sesko’s record at senior level indicates that he is a step ahead.

GOAL editor Tom Maston previously dubbed him a “mini Haaland” and claimed that there is excitement about his potential in the game.

He has scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in 36 games for Salzburg, despite only recently turning 19, and scored 22 goals in 46 outings on loan at FC Liefering. The gem has also scored twice in 13 caps for his country, showing that he can perform domestically and internationally.

These statistics show that he has been able to handle the step up to senior level, unlike Scarlett so far, and that is why Spurs must sign him to improve their depth behind Kane.

AND in other news, Spurs could find Vertonghen 2.0 as Conte eyes deal for £50.5m “extraordinary talent”…

Newcastle United have made an offer for Juventus centre-back Merih Demiral, according to journalist Osman Cengiz.

The lowdown

The 24-year-old spent the 2021/22 season on loan with Atalanta, who negotiated a purchase option as part of the agreement. According to Fabrizio Romano, they can sign him outright for €28m (just under £24m), but this report suggests that they aren’t entirely convinced that he’s worth the fee.

Newcastle have separately agreed a £30m deal for Lille’s Sven Botman, so they may be looking at Demiral as a potential partner for the Dutchman.

The latest

Cengiz shared the news about Demiral via Twitter late on Sunday night.

He wrote that ‘Newcastle United have applied’ for the signing of the Turkey international, with an offer of €25m (£21.4m) believed to have been submitted.

The verdict

What attributes could Demiral offer Newcastle?

According to WhoScored, he excels in aerial duels (winning three per match in Serie A last season) and at ball interception (2.1 per league game), pointing to an ability to read the game effectively. Sports journalist Josh Bunting has waxed lyrical about him, dubbing the 24-year-old ‘superb’ earlier this year.

He is also a player who chases lost causes, based on one moment from Turkey’s match against Luxembourg at the weekend. Demiral raced to retrieve the ball and wound up effectively slide-tackling the corner flag with two feet, which Serie A journalist Conor Clancy called ‘very on brand’.

Could he be a future cult hero at St James’ Park? Don’t rule it out.

In other news, this man is on the verge of leaving St James’ Park

Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch is heading into his first summer transfer window in charge of the Premier League club.

The American manager kept the Whites in the top-flight and will now be working with Victor Orta to improve the team with a view to progressing further up the table next term.

One player who has been linked with a switch to Elland Road is RB Salzburg right-back Rasmus Kristensen, with a £10m deal being touted.

When asked about the need to Google Leeds in a recent interview, the Denmark international said: 

“No, not the last few days, but I do not need to google Leeds United to know about that club.

“There is both a former teammate and my former coach who has switched to them. It is a huge club, a traditional club. It is the world’s best league, and it will be huge to get a foot in there.”

New fan favourite

Journalist James Marshment reacted to these comments by claiming that he can be a “terrace hero” for the Premier League side if he is able to match his personality with quality on the pitch.

He will surely have endeared himself to the Leeds fanbase instantly with those remarks as they illustrate how highly he respects the club and how much he would love to play in the famous white shirt.

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His manager, Matthias Jaissle, dubbed him an “absolute leader” and this suggests that he would also be a fan favourite with his ability to lead his teammates on the pitch. It shows that he has the mentality required to lift the team on and off the pitch and fans would enjoy seeing his passion in Premier League matches.

Kristensen’s statistics in the 2021/22 campaign also suggest that he has the footballing quality to go along with his terrace hero potential.

In the Austrian Bundesliga, he averaged a sensational SofaScore rating of 7.31 as he chipped in with seven goals and three assists from right-back. Whilst making key contributions in the final third, he was also solid in his defending as he won 60% of his duels and made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

The 24-year-old caught the eye with his displays in the Champions League as he made an incredible 5.9 tackles and interceptions per game across eight appearances – winning 58% of his duels.

These statistics suggest that he will become a fan favourite at Leeds because he is a strong defender who has proven himself domestically and at the top level in European competition, whilst also having the personality to get the supporters enjoying his presence in the team.

Therefore, Marsch must work hard to ensure that he is able to get a deal over the line for the full-back in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, “No chance..”: Journo reveals crushing Leeds transfer claim, supporters will be gutted…

Liverpool kept their Premier League title dreams alive against Aston Villa last night, however, the victory was bittersweet after an in-game injury worry occurred in the first half of the clash.

What’s the latest?

Fabinho hobbled off the pitch in the first half an hour of the game at Villa Park on Tuesday night and now Jurgen Klopp has given an update on the midfielder’s condition following the full-time whistle.

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Jurgen Klopp updated in his post-match interview on Sky Sports casting doubt on his player’s condition (via Metro):

‘That’s a massive problem. That’s a big blow for us. I don’t know (how bad), hopefully not that bad, but I don’t know.’

Klopp will be frustrated

There is no doubt that the Liverpool manager will be massively frustrated to potentially lose such a key player in his team ahead of the FA Cup final and Champions League final coming up over the next few weeks.

The Brazilian midfielder has been one of the most influential players in the centre of the pitch and has been integral in Liverpool’s chase for multiple trophies this season so to lose him when the side has one hand on two huge trophies is a massive blow.

Fabinho has been involved in Liverpool’s incredible 17-game unbeaten run, scoring four goals during this time as well as providing consistent solid defensive performances in his role in the centre of the pitch.

According to SofaScore, the Liverpool star has been successful in an impressive 73% of his dribbles, wins 63% of his aerial duels and makes 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions on average per game in the Premier League this season.

Anfield and Brazil teammate Alisson Becker even called Fabinho “the most important” player for Liverpool and his national team in an interview:

“I believe that Fabinho is the most important player for both the club and the national team, this is my opinion about that, he’s a very important player wherever he is, he always proves his worth on the pitch.”

With that being said, there will surely be a further update on the star player’s condition ahead of the Chelsea clash on Saturday afternoon at Wembley and supporters will be anxiously hoping for positive news on Fabinho’s availability.

AND in other news: Klopp must now finally axe Liverpool gem who lost the ball every 3 touches yesterday