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Arsenal are set to join the race for Lens striker Lois Openda, alongside a number of other Premier League clubs, according to recent reports from Spain.

Will Arsenal sign a striker this summer?

Mikel Arteta is keen on bringing in a new striker this summer, with the manager looking to sign someone to provide competition for Gabriel Jesus, and Arsenal have now set their sights on signing Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, after his impressive recent form.

Watkins is not the only Premier League striker being eyed by the Gunners, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also on the club's radar, with journalist Pete O'Rourke explaining they may want to bring in a more physical centre-forward.

In terms of options from abroad, Lille's Jonathan David has been touted for a move to the Emirates Stadium, while Arsenal also remain among the main contenders to sign Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, who could be on the move this summer.

According to reports from Spain (via The Sun), the Gunners have now joined the race for Openda, with Arteta keen on signing a back-up option for Jesus, although they are not the only Premier League club interested.

Aston Villa and Leicester City are also named as potential suitors for the forward, with his stock rising after a fantastic season with Lens, so there is likely to be stiff competition for his signature.

The initial report claimed that Arsenal will have enough money to prise the 23-year-old away from Lens, but it is not detailed how much the French club are likely to demand.

Should Arsenal sign Lois Openda?

The Belgian is not as well known as the likes of Calvert-Lewin and Vlahovic, but there are indications he may be a better signing than the latter player, given that he is having a much better season than the Juventus striker.

Hailed as "sensational" by sports writer Robin Bairner, the £13k-per-week marksman has scored a remarkable 17 league goals this season, also registering three assists, while Vlahovic has been out-of-sorts, now without a goal in his last ten Serie A games.

That said, if Arteta is looking for a physical striker, then Openda is not the best option, given that he is 5 foot 8 and has averaged just 0.53 aerials won per 90 in the past year, which ranks him in the ninth percentile compared to his positional peers.

If Arsenal are going to bring in a new forward, then they should bring in someone with a different skill-set to Jesus, so Calvert-Lewin could be an intriguing option, if he is able to put his recent injury problems behind him.

Chelsea have held "positive" contact with manager Julian Nagelsmann regarding a potential move to Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

What's the latest on Nagelsmann to Chelsea?

Graham Potter has been under huge amounts of pressure to deliver in recent months following a poor run of form this season and during this large period of uncertainty, Todd Boehly reportedly approached Mauricio Pochettino and was a known admirer of Zinedine Zidane and Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi, but in the end, the owner decided to put his faith in the 47-year-old.

The German was recently relieved of his duties at Bayern Munich and replaced by the former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel which came as a huge surprise considering his side were only one point off the top of the table in the Bundesliga but the SW6 outfit won't mind as they have now identified him as a possible candidate for over the summer.

Football Insider reported last week that the Stamford Bridge side were monitoring the availability of the 35-year-old should they decide to have a change of heart over the future of Potter with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur also having him on their radar after the sacking of Antonio Conte, though it's the former who are first to make their official move.

Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Chelsea have spoken to Nagelsmann about taking over should Potter be given his marching orders at the end of the season. He wrote:

"First positive contacts between #Nagelsmann and some #Chelsea representatives. To date, the former #BayernMunich coach is one of the #CFC's main options for the next season – together with Luis Enrique – in the event of Graham #Potter being sacked."

Would Nagelsmann be a good appointment for Chelsea?

Nagelsmann has been dubbed a "tactical brainbox" by journalist Josh Bunting and if Chelsea are to dismiss Potter ahead of the 2023/24 term, he would be the perfect candidate to take over the reins at Stamford Bridge.

The Bavaria-born coach had a remarkable record during his time at the Allianz Arena where he won 60, drew 14 and lost just ten of his 84 games, averaging 2.31 points per match, via Transfermarkt, form that would get a squad of talented individuals like the Blues competing at the top end of the table and for silverware. Boehly's target also led his side to three trophies, twice winning the German Super Cup and once the Bundesliga so knows what it takes to be successful at the highest level, making this a match made in heaven.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has provided an update on Manchester United transfer target Victor Osimhen.

The Lowdown: United interest

The Red Devils have made a new striker and midfielder their transfer priority this summer, with Osimhen thought to be a player of interest.

The Napoli striker is reportedly at the top of United’s striker shortlist, ahead of Tottenham’s Harry Kane, AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham and soon-to-be RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

The Nigerian international has scored 21 goals and provided five assists in 27 appearances this season and is under contract with the Serie A side until 2025.

The Latest: Transfer news

Plettenberg took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share an update he’s ‘been told’ about Osimhen’s future. The Sky Sports reporter said that United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are ‘all in’, with ‘different talks’ taking place.

He added that Bayern Munich aren’t in the race for the forward, with his €100m (£88m) valuation ‘not feasible’ for them.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Osimhen has been 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.”

Therefore, a big-money move to Old Trafford could be a brilliant piece of business from Red Devils chiefs, where Osimhen could become one of the club’s most expensive signings of all time with Napoli seemingly wanting €100m (£88m) to part ways with the player.

The 24-year-old appears to be entering the prime years of his career with a career-high €70m Transfermarkt valuation, so may continue his free-scoring form at his next club. United will be hoping that is with them, however, they look set to face plenty of competition for his services, including from Premier League rivals, so negotiations could prove tricky over the coming months.

Erik ten Hag’s need for a marquee striker could be something that appeals to Osimhen, though, knowing he would be the main centre-forward at the club with Anthony Martial’s future in doubt and Wout Weghorst’s stay only temporary until the end of the season.

As a result, he could form a formidable front four alongside left-winger Marcus Rashford, attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes and one of Jadon Sancho, Antony or Alejandro Garncaho on the right-hand side.

Journalist Jordan Cronin believes it would be harsh for Eddie Howe to drop Allan Saint-Maximin for Newcastle United’s cup final bout.

The Lowdown: Saint-Maximin has given Howe a selection headache

Prior to their defeat the weekend, not many people would have been too surprised to see Saint-Maximin demoted to the bench for the Carabao Cup final if everyone else was fit, but his display last Saturday was too good to be ignored.

The winger was handed the Player of the Match award after starring against Liverpool, and that may have placed some doubt into the mind of Howe ahead of what is probably the biggest game of his managerial career.

Newcastle have not won a piece of silverware since 1969 and have never played at the redeveloped Wembley in a cup final, so whatever players are handed the opportunity to start, they will understand the magnitude of the task.

The Latest: Howe must be ruthless

There is no room for sentiment come Sunday afternoon, and if Joe Willock is back fit, immediately reinstating him into the starting lineup alongside Bruno Guimaraes would hardly be a surprise. However, that would somewhat harshly relegate Saint-Maximin to the bench in the eyes of Cronin.

Speaking on the Loaded Mag YouTube channel, he said: “It would be harsh on Saint-Maximin, but you look at the team that Newcastle have played this season, and it’s been a regular starting XI with Joelinton on the left, and they’ve been defensively solid.

“I think in a game against Manchester United where Manchester United are probably going to be the dominant force in that game – probably harsh to say that of Newcastle because look, there’s not much between the teams in the league, but I think over the last couple of weeks, you’ve seen Manchester United really excel and Newcastle have hit a bit of a lull, so I think we’ve got to be really wary of that.

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“I think we’ve got to go back to that defensive solidity that has served the team so well and got them to this stage – and that includes Joelinton on the left and Joe Willock in the middle.”

The Verdict: Joelinton will be better suited for Sunday

Some fans may well be clamouring for Saint-Maximin to start on Sunday given the excitement he can cause – which he showed on Saturday – but we think the most practical and sensible move would be to start Joelinton out wide.

When Saint-Maximin was struggling to get into the starting lineup, Newcastle were firing on all cylinders, so that would suggest reverting back to basics is what Howe must do.

If the game is tight or the Magpies are chasing a goal, knowing that someone of Saint-Maximin’s ability can come off the bench will be reassuring for Howe as he is a potential impact option, although it’s unlikely the Frenchman will be content with just getting a cameo role.

Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi could miss the League Cup final, but pundit Frank McAvennie is not worried, as Rangers ‘don’t know how to handle’ Oh Hyeon-gyu, who could start instead.

The Lowdown: Furuhashi injury concern

As reported by the Sun, Furuhashi has missed training due to a shoulder injury and is set to undergo further tests, with the striker hoping to return for the League Cup final against Rangers at the end of the month.

The Japan international is feeling positive about a swift return, but he is set to miss the game at Celtic Park against Aberdeen this weekend, which could give £2.5m January signing Oh the chance to impress if a full recovery does not come in time.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

McAvennie does not have any major concerns about Furuhashi’s absence, telling Football Insider that the unknown quantity of Oh may actually be an advantage for Celtic.

The pundit said: “I won’t be too disappointed because I think he (Oh) would give [Ben] Davies and [Connor] Goldson a bit of a game. But I hope that Kyogo is fit.

“If he does not play for the next two weeks or so he might be ok and we could get a half out of him.

“Rangers do not know much about Oh so they do not know how to handle him. They know how to handle Kyogo so that could go in our favour.“

The Verdict: Showing good signs

The South Korean has already opened his account for the Hoops, scoring after appearing as a substitute in the 5-1 victory against St Mirren last time out, and he has now been given the perfect opportunity to show what he can do as a starter this weekend.

That said, it will still be very disappointing for Celtic if Kyogo is unable to return for such an important game, as despite Rangers being more aware of his qualities, they’ve been unable to stop him previously, as he netted a late equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Ibrox last month.

If Oh does get the nod on February 26th, he will have the opportunity to become an instant cult-hero, and his previous goal record indicates he could be up to the task, scoring an impressive 14 goals for Suwon Samsung Bluewings last term.

Arsenal could return for Moises Caicedo in the summer, after failing to sign him in the January transfer window, Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

What’s the word?

The Gunners had a number of large bids rejected for the Brighton midfielder late in the window, and the Ecuador international expressed his desire to join the league leaders.

However, Brighton remained firm in their stance that he was not for sale, and Mikel Arteta ultimately signed Jorginho from Chelsea instead.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Arsenal could return for Caicedo in the summer, as their interest will likely still be alive as they search for a long-term solution in midfield.

“Moises Caicedo, obviously, admitted in a social media post that he would be keen to move on from Brighton and he wanted the opportunity to join a top club like Arsenal or Chelsea,”

“I’m sure Arsenal’s interest will remain and it’s a deal that they will try to rekindle in the summer.”

Caicedo or Rice?

Now that Jorginho has joined, it may be the case that Arsenal only pursues one of Caicedo and Declan Rice, whom they have reportedly made their top target.

Rice is older, and more experienced in the Premier League as well as being a full England international.

Caicedo, whose potential move deal with Arsenal was described as “outrageous” by Lee Hendrie, ranks more favourably for tackling as per FBref, indicating that he may be stronger at pure defending, but Rice ranks higher for passing and clearances, and may also bring a better sense of leadership to the club.

Arteta has brought in some strong personalities with the likes of Oleksander Zinchenko and Martin Odegaard, both of whom captain their national sides, and Rice’s experience as West ham captain may swing Arsenal’s preference towards him.

A claim has emerged on Aston Villa and the possibility of them bringing Mohamed Elneny to the club during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that the Arsenal central midfielder could be tempted with a transfer to Villa Park due to his lack of minutes with Mikel Arteta’s men this season.

When asked if the club could pursue a deal for the Egypt international, the reporter told Football FanCast: “Yeah, it would be an interesting one, this one.

“Obviously, Unai Emery is trying to reshape things at Villa Park, with this being his first transfer window at the club, and, like most managers, you try to turn to players you know you can trust.

“He’s worked with Elneny during his time at Arsenal. Elneny is not getting much game time at The Emirates right now as well so he might be interested in a move away in search of regular first-team football.”

Leander Dendoncker upgrade

Emery could land an upgrade on current Villa central midfielder Leander Dendoncker by swooping to reunite with Arsenal gem Elneny this month.

If the Spaniard can convince the Egyptian to ditch The Emirates for Villa Park then he could be an excellent, experienced, addition to the squad to give the team a boost heading into the second half of the campaign.

Dendoncker arrived from Wolves in the last transfer window but has failed to have much of an impact on the pitch. The Belgian has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 across 14 appearances in the Premier League for the club, which places him 13th in the squad.

He ranks in the worst 1% and the best 85% of midfielders for progressive passes and pass completion percentage in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days amongst his positional peers, which indicates that he plays too many safe passes but is fairly reliable in doing so.

Elneny, meanwhile, ranks in the best 62% and the top 1% in those statistics respectively, numbers that show he is far more progressive than Dendoncker with his passing.

In turn, that could improve Villa’s build-up play in creating chances for their forwards, with the £55k-per-week gem being one of the least error-prone passers of the ball in Europe.

The 30-year-old, who has only started once in the Premier League this season, also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.82 in 14 appearances in the top flight for Arsenal last term.

Therefore, the midfield maestro could be an upgrade on Dendoncker because of the average performance level and quality of passing he could provide on the pitch for the Villans.

Aston Villa striker Danny Ings would be allowed to leave this month with interest believed to be coming from Southampton amid their struggles.

What’s the latest?

According to the TalkSport insider Alex Crook, Unai Emery and Villa would not stand in the way of Ings if the right proposal was to arrive on the table at Villa Park.

He said: “I’m told from reliable sources that Aston Villa wouldn’t stand in his way this month if a club did come calling.

“Maybe a loan move, maybe even a permanent move away from Villa Park because I think they want to provide some funds for Unai Emery to bring in his own players.”

Southampton are believed to be one of the sides showing an interest in the 30-year-old with Bournemouth also mooted as a potential landing spot for the striker.

Under Emery, Villa have made a bright start which included an impressive display away to Tottenham Hotspur which has seen them rise up to 12th in the Premier League table.

Ings to return to Saints?

Although Ings has now made 17 appearances for Villa in the Premier League this season, under half of those have come from the starting XI (via Transfermarkt).

On paper, a return of six goals in the league does not appear too shabby, however, perhaps the issue comes when four of those goals have come across two games meaning he has featured in 13 league games without a goal.

And despite scoring twice in Emery’s second game in charge at Villa Park, it has become apparent Ings may not be in his immediate plans with just 130 minutes of league action to his name under the Spaniard.

Even in the defeat against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup, Emery only kept the striker on the pitch for less than an hour of action at Old Trafford.

It is, therefore, slightly surprising to see Ings sidelined when Ollie Watkins has not exactly provided a breathtaking return in the Premier League with two goals fewer than the 30-year-old in almost 600 more minutes.

Ings has failed to provide the goals which he did during his time at Southampton where the Englishman has scored 46 times across his 100 appearances for the Saints in all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

And given Nathan Jones’ men find themselves struggling at the bottom of the league table, an addition like Ings could provide them with the difference between Premier League and Championship football next season.

But if they are to sign Ings, he will still likely need to improve his output in front of goal but the prospect of more regular football could help him rediscover his best form shown not too long ago on the south coast.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Geoffrey Kondogbia heading into the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to reports in Spain, NSWE are eyeing up the Atletico Madrid central midfielder as a potential signing to bolster Unai Emery’s playing squad ahead of the second half of the season.

The report claims that they could offer the LaLiga side a fee in the region of €25m (£22m) to land his services, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Spanish side would accept such a bid.

It is stated that the Mattress Makers are open to cashing in on the gem and that they view him as a ‘transferable’ player, six months on from Villa’s failed attempt to sign him in the summer.

Kamara 2.0

NSWE landed a coup in the summer as they brought in Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer from Ligue 1 side Marseille as the midfielder has hit the ground running in England.

The Frenchman has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85 in the Premier League and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per match for the Villans, whilst completing 84% of his attempted passes in the division.

He has been a machine in the middle of the park and caught the eye with his performances as he has consistently won possession back for the side whilst being reliable on the ball.

Villa can now repeat their Kamara masterclass by swooping to sign Kondogbia in the January window as the Atletico man is another midfield powerhouse who could be a fantastic addition to the side.

Journalists Kiyan Sobhani and Jonathan Johnson have described him as a “beast” in midfield in the past and reporters Craig Easton, Andrew McDonnell, and Rick Sharma have all hailed him as “outstanding” at various points in 2022.

The 29-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.95 in 12 LaLiga outings for Atletico this season, making 4.0 tackles and interceptions per match and completing 90% of his attempted passes.

This comes after he averaged a score of 7.00 and completed 4.2 tackles and interceptions per outing in 28 appearances in the Spanish top-flight last term for Diego Simeone’s side.

These statistics show that Kondogbia has proven himself to be an excellent performer in a major European league over the past 18 months and suggest that he could be Kamara 2.0 for Villa by arriving as a midfield machine who can dominate matches in the second half of the season.

Aston Villa have risen from the ashes left scattered in the wake of Steven Gerrard’s tenure at the club, having appointed success-driven manager Unai Emery and steering away from the chasm that is the Premier League relegation zone.  

With Emery now utilising the midseason break, due to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he will be assessing his entire squad with furrowed brows, looking to identify the best path to success for both his team and his individual players.

One such squad member is Cameron Archer, with the 20-year-old striker an attractive talent in Aston, having netted 17 times and providing seven assists in just 36 appearances for the Villa U21s before earning several chances for the seniors. 

And scoring four times in just 13 appearances, he is certainly staking his claim for a shot at a regular place in the coming years.

This includes a memorable hat-trick in last season’s Carabao Cup, which the young ace achieved on his first start for the Claret and Blue during a 6-0 rout over lowly Barrow in the second round before netting in the third round against Chelsea. 

However, at present, progress may be hindered should he remain at Villa Park, with a temporary departure perhaps the best avenue to continue to build his skillset and nurture his ability. 

Indeed, the forward has played just 51 minutes of action across all competitions thus far, and according to Football Insider, there are a host of Championship outfits seeking to clinch the starlet for the remainder of the current term, with Sunderland looking to forge ahead and strike a deal. 

Sunderland, who achieved promotion to the second division earlier this year, are enjoying a steady campaign and look to be a step ahead of the scrambling pack at the bottom of the division.

Slotting Archer into the fray would provide a clinical offensive presence to complement a strike force that relies heavily on the 26-year-old Ross Stewart.

Whilst boasting young stars such as Jewison Bennette and loanee Ellis Simms, The Stadium of Light calls for a player to bring vibrancy and firepower to continue a climb toward the promotion places.

With just 43 Premier League minutes under his belt this year, Archer would do well in following suit of other young forwards, such as former Aston Villa loanee Tammy Abraham, in flourishing in England’s second tier before aiming sights toward the Premier League. 

Archer has been catching the eye for some time now, despite his tender age, netting seven times in just 20 outings while on loan at Preston North End, with boss Ryan Lowe lauding his “abundance of talent”. 

Having signed a new long-term contract with his club earlier this year, it is evident that the Villa hierarchy view his potential as something that can blossom over the coming years.  

However, he cannot continue to keep eating up his time while sitting on the bench. At the moment his potential is being ruined by such a factor but a move to the northeast could just benefit all parties.

With Championship experience already under his belt, Archer might just be prudent to grasp the current opportunity to star for the Black Cats, and return to Villa Park ready to take the Premier League by storm.