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Arsenal are reported to have interest in FC Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, however the Gunners could seek safer options in the transfer window than the 30-year-old.

Mikel Arteta and Edu have worked hard so far this summer in order to organise the squad in preparation for Champions League involvement and another title-challenging season, however not all moves are as encouraging as others.

Could Arsenal sign Mehdi Taremi?

As reported by Portuguese outlet O Jogo, relayed by teamTALK, Arsenal are interested in Porto’s marksman Taremi, who is said to be valued by his club at nothing less than €20m (£17m).

Manchester United are also speculated to be interested in the Iranian goal machine, however considering Arsenal’s stance in this window, there could be some doubt over the suitability of the signing.

Would Mehdi Taremi be a good signing for Arsenal?

Having scored 22 goals in Liga Portugal for Porto last term, Taremi would be a valuable addition to any side on paper, however some feats are difficult for players to carry across to the Premier League.

There’s little to deny that the 30-year-old is a seasoned goalscorer, having netted a monstrous 58 league goals for Porto in 99 appearances, seeing him lauded as a “massive threat” by writer Maxi Angelo.

After falling agonisingly short to Manchester City last season, this summer is one to fine-tune the weak spots in order to bridge the gap between the five points that separated the top two of the 2022/23 campaign.

It’s integral that Arsenal recruit smartly this summer, and despite Taremi posing as a serial goal scorer, there’s little to support that the Iranian could repeat the feat outside of Portugal.

The Gunners could avoid a repeat of signing stars from the Primeira Liga with the expectation that they can replicate the form hit there in England, with recent business exchanged with Porto leaving the Londoners feeling short in what they bargained for.

Last summer, Arsenal purchased Fabio Vieira from Porto in a deal worth £34m, signing one of the country's hottest talents on the back of being named the U21 European Championship’s Player of the Tournament.

In the 2021/22 season for Porto, Vieira made 27 appearances and cemented himself as an important player for the Dragons, scoring six goals and registering 14 assists in the league, as well as averaging 1.3 key passes, via Sofascore.

Despite signing a very competent creative talent, the Gunners are yet to see the best of Vieira, who in 22 Premier League appearances registered one goal and just two assists in north London, via Sofascore.

Averaging 0.5 key passes per game, the Portuguese youngster was notably criticised by journalist Charles Watts after having had a "shocker" in the Europa League exit at the hands of Sporting CP, with a distinct "lack of confidence" cited as a possible issue.

The Premier League can be a cruel awakening for some players who arrive from elsewhere in Europe, however the Gunners are at a position in their development under Arteta where the room for trial and error is too minimal.

With reference to Taremi, the Iranian has represented clubs in Iran, Qatar and Portugal during his career, and at the age, it could be pondered as to whether his skills in Portugal are transferable to north London.

Having been stung by the capture of Vieira so far, the Gunners won't want to face a repeat of that transfer howler.

Leeds United have been keeping tabs on AZ Alkmaar defender Milos Kerkez ahead of a potential move to the Championship, according to reports.

Who is Milos Kerkez?

Kerkez is primarily a left-back who currently plies his trade at the AFAS Stadium having moved there from AC Milan’s U19s back in January 2022. He’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team having made 33 starts out of 34 Eredivisie matches last season.

The Hungary international’s contract isn’t set to expire for another three years, but after emerging as Pascal Jansen’s fourth best-performing defensive player during the previous term, he’s caught the eye of the 49ers, and not for the first time.

Back in April, Portuguese outlet Record reported that the Whites were applying pressure to sign the 19-year-old ahead of the ongoing window, and with Daniel Farke now in charge, it seems that they are still continuing to pursue a deal for their target.

In Yorkshire, Pascal Struijk, Junior Firpo and Leo Hjelde are the boss’ current options at left-back but it’s currently unknown as to which players will be departing over the coming weeks following relegation, so reinforcements may well be needed, which is where the teenager comes into play.

Are Leeds signing Kerkez?

According to The Daily Mail, Leeds have “checked on” Kerkez “over the past year” ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Premier League high-flyers Newcastle United, fellow second-tier rivals Leicester City and Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund are also keeping tabs, but it’s Bournemouth who are the first club to have “opened discussions”.

The Cherries are “in talks” regarding a deal for the defender, who is valued at “over” £20m by AZ Alkmaar, so the Whites hierarchy will have to act fast should they want to beat their competitors in the race for his signature.

Could Kerkez be a good addition for Farke?

Leeds will know that Kerkez would be more of a signing for the long-term future of the club being just 19 years of age, but having been hailed a “high-quality” left-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he would be a promising acquisition for Farke to have at his disposal.

Sponsored by Adidas, the left-footed gem won 32 out of his 54 tackles made last season which was the second-highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, as per FBRef, whilst also averaging 1.5 clearances each outing, so he’s obviously strong in the natural aspect of his game.

The youngster however equally contributed to efforts in the final third having ranked in the 92nd percentile for attacking touches in the opposition’s area by players in his position, which resulted in him clocking up 12 goal contributions (seven assists and five goals) across all competitions, showing his desire to burst down the flank.

Finally, Kerkez would provide the manager with some great versatility with his ability to operate slightly higher up on the left side of the midfield and even on the opposite wing at right-back alongside his usual role in the defensive backline which is yet another attribute that the hierarchy will be attracted to.

Arsenal are now closing in on their second signing of the summer…

What's the latest on Jurrien Timber to Arsenal?

That's according to Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg, who took to Twitter to issue an important update on Mikel Arteta's pursuit of Jurrien Timber.

The Ajax man has been a target of the Gunners for some time now, having been embroiled in a transfer saga for the bulk of this summer window. Now, it seems that a breakthrough has been made and the deal is set to come to a conclusion.

The journalist took to Twitter to note: "BREAKING News Timber & Arsenal : Understand it’s almost a DONE DEAL! Last details between the clubs on verge to be clarified now. New details: Total agreement expected in the next 48 hours. Total package: €41m transfer fee And €5m possible bonus payments. Big deal for all parties."

Would Jurrien Timber improve Gabriel Jesus?

Whilst it may seem questionable to suggest that the addition of a centre-back will help improve their striker, Gabriel Jesus is almost certain to receive an influx of additional chances as a result of the integration of the Dutchman.

The Brazilian was famously profligate last campaign, having only notched 11 league goals from an expected goals tally of 14.16.

Whilst one solution might be to work on his finishing in training, simply creating easier chances would be another option that could be instigated as a result of Timber's arrival.

After all, he is far from solely a defensive stalwart who will bolster Arteta's back line. When it comes to progressing play out from the back, there are arguably few in world football as impressive as the 22-year-old.

When compared to other centre-backs across Europe, he ranks in the top 1% for passes attempted, pass completion, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, via FBref. He truly has grown into the "special, special talent" that scout Antonio Mango once branded him.

These figures give credence to the suggestion he will likely operate as an inverted full-back, creeping into the engine room to truly exert his will on the game.

Moving into a position of greater influence will likely only boost Arsenal's domination of the ball, and in turn their chance creation.

Should the Dutchman find space in the midfield, his statistics dictate he is more than capable of driving forward and finding an open teammate.

This would likely forge additional gaps for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to attack, to provide a higher quality of goal-scoring opportunities for Jesus.

The former Manchester City star has already proven his ability to be a solid goalscorer, but with Timber's introduction and the domino effect it could cause throughout the starting XI, it might just make their Brazilian marksman unplayable.

Arsenal just fell short in the hunt for the Premier League title last term, finishing five points behind Manchester City after a poor final few fixtures.

There was nothing wrong with their attacking qualities, as they managed to score 88 league goals, and they even had the joint second best defensive record in the division, however, the Gunners conspired to concede 18 goals during the final 11 fixtures, which saw the momentum shift in favour of City.

It was no coincidence that William Saliba was missing for these games having suffered an injury against Sporting CP in the Europa League and Mikel Arteta had to utilise Rob Holding at centre-back.

The defender must surely be ditched this summer as he ranked in a lowly 17th position in the squad for average rating via Sofascore while also ranking 16th for tackles per game and 15th for interceptions per game, clearly suggesting he isn’t of the required standard if the club want to win the title next term.

With this in mind, the Gunners have been linked with a move for Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio according to Spanish news outlet AS (via Football 365) and Arteta may just be able to secure a bargain, with the centre-back available for a fee of around €45m (£39m) as per the report.

Could Arsenal sign Goncalo Inacio this summer?

A move is within the realms of possibilities, however the North Londoners face competition for the 21-year-old alongside Newcastle United and Liverpool.

Making him the focus of their attention could be a shrewd move by Arsenal, especially judging by his statistics over the previous year, with his passing ability and forward-thinking mentality having the potential to suit Arteta.

Across the next eight competitions on the continent, Inacio ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes per 90 (9.04), progressive carries per 90 (1.9), passes attempted per 90 (88.63) and successful take-ons per 90 (0.65), demonstrating that he can bring the ball out from the back with ease and is always keen on starting attacks from his own half, something which Arteta looks for in his defenders.

In contrast, Holding doesn’t even rank in the top 10% across Europe’s big five leagues for any of these metrics, suggesting that Inacio would be a major upgrade on the Englishman and improve their strength in depth.

The 6 foot 1 starlet was even described as being “underrated” by journalist Zach Lowy a couple of years ago, but with his numbers over the previous year ranking him highly across a range of metrics, Arteta would certainly render this praise obsolete.

Living legend Lionel Messi has opened up on the "break" in his relationship with the Paris Saint-Germain fanbase during his two-year spell with the club.

Why was Messi's relationship with PSG fans bad?

Earlier this summer, it was revealed that the Argentinian would be leaving Europe and heading to MLS to play for David Beckham's Inter Miami franchise.

And so, Messi left Paris having just helped his side win Ligue 1 for the second time since his arrival. He also scored 32 goals and provided 35 assists in 75 games during his time with PSG.

Despite this success, it appeared that he didn't always have the best relationship with the club's supporters, who had hoped he would deliver a first Champions League title to the club.

Shortly before he left, he was also criticised for going on an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia. All this meant he was booed during his final appearance for the club.

And speaking in an interview with Bein Sports, he accepted that he initially struggled to adapt to life in a new environment, and eventually, his relationship with the fans broke down.

He said (via Marca): "The truth is that it was a very difficult adaptation, much more than I expected. Beyond the fact that [I] had known people in the dressing room and had a relationship with them, adapting to a new change. I arrived late, I didn't have pre-season. I had to adapt to a difficult new city for my family and for me… It was complicated."

He added: "Afterwards, people began to treat me differently. A part of the PSG public, the rest and the majority continued to treat me as at the beginning, but there was a break with the PSG fans.

"It was not my… I don't intend to generate that break. It also happened with Neymar or Mbappe previously. I'll stay with all the people who did respect me as I always respected everyone since I arrived and it was an anecdote."

Why did Messi join PSG?

Messi left Barcelona in 2021 due to "financial and structural obstacles", ending a 21-year association with the Spanish club.

He departed a legend, having made 778 appearances for Barca, scoring 672 goals, including 120 Champions League goals, and a record 474 La Liga goals.

At the time, PSG were one of the few clubs who could afford his wages and in this same recent interview, Messi explained why he opted for Paris.

He said: "I came to Paris because I liked the club, because I had friends and a lot of people I knew in the dressing room, teammates or some I had already had [met]…

"It's a much easier adaptation than in other teams that I could have gone to, so that's why I decided to go to the club."

Despite his domestic success, you could say the move didn't really work out, and he will no doubt hope to have a better relationship with his new Inter Miami supporters.

Jonathan Lewis could be a bargain signing for Leicester City as they look to find a replacement for Harvey Barnes.

What's the latest Leicester City transfer news?

Following their relegation from the Premier League, the Foxes face a wild summer as the club looks to revamp their side ahead of their first Championship campaign in almost a decade.

With figures such as James Maddison likely headed for the door, and Youri Tielemans already having departed for Aston Villa, the Midlands club has a lot of work to do as they build a squad ready to pursue promotion at the first time of asking.

Barnes is another name who is reportedly on his way out of Leicester, but it seems they've already found a replacement for the Englishman and one that looks like a bargain at that.

Playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) for Colorado Rapids, Lewis has caught the attention of a number of clubs this season, including newly-promoted Burnley, and with reports suggesting he'd cost just £500k, a move for the 26-year-old would be quite the bargain Barnes replacement for Leicester.

Would Jonathan Lewis be a good Harvey Barnes replacement for Leicester?

Symbolically playing for the Rapids, Lewis is regarded as one of the fastest players in the MLS and suits the bill of a like-for-like Barnes replacement nicely.

Predominantly playing on the left, similarly to the England winger, the 26-year-old dynamo also has the ability to feature on the right or in a central forward position, offering flexibility that Leicester would benefit from in a long Championship season.

With four goals and an assist in 19 appearances this season, Lewis hasn't been firing on all cylinders, but if last year's 10 goal contributions are anything to go by, the winger is capable of contributing significantly to the team's offensive output.

His goal contributions might not reach the heights of Barnes', but Lewis successfully completed 1.1 dribbles a game, while the Leicester man completed 0.8, so Lewis is actually outperforming the Leicester man in terms of their ball-carrying skills and the Englishman was actually dispossessed significantly more often a game (2.2) than the MLS star (0.6) too.

Sure, the American isn't as prolific as Barnes, but with the Englishman set to leave Leicester for what's reportedly going to be around £30m, and the Lewis set to be available for just £500k due to his contract expiring next summer, bringing him in to replace the departing star can only be considered a great bit of business for the Foxes as they operate under a tighter budget than years past.

Having once been labelled "very competitive" by his former New York City FC manager Patrick Viera, it's clear that the winger would always give 100%, something the Foxes' squad has been accused of lacking as they were relegated from the Premier League.

Given the low price tag and evidence above, new Foxes boss Enzo Maresca would be well worth a punt this summer transfer window.

Manchester United's potential new Qatari owners could join the race for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Frenchman could possibly leave PSG, who would reportedly rather cash in this summer, rather than lose Mbappe on a free next year.

How much is Mbappe worth?

The Mbappe transfer saga is likely to steal the headlines this summer, given his position as one of the best players in the world.

According to ESPN, PSG will demand €150m (£128m) for the forward this summer, with Real Madrid once again leading the race for his signature.

Potential new owners at Manchester United would mean likely new investment, meaning the Red Devils could not be ruled out of making what would be a sensational summer move.

As of right now, with the takeover yet to reach completion, United are not among the frontrunners, though.

What did Fabrizio Romano say about Manchester United and Kylian Mbappe?

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: “Guys, with the Glazers this is not a topic because Man United are not working on this deal with the current ownership. Let's see what will happen in case they have new owners because we know that the club is for sale, there is this takeover story still on. So let’s follow the story and let’s see what will happen, we can’t predict the future, so we have to wait and see on Manchester United.

"But, the reality is that, of course, Real Madrid have been working on this deal for a long time. We know the childhood dream of Kylian Mbappe is Real Madrid and this has never changed, so let’s follow this story.”

How much does Kylian Mbappe earn?

It's not just the fee that United, and others, would have to contend with if they want to land Mbappe this summer.

The World Cup winner earns a staggering £893,000 per week, according to SalarySport, which would instantly make him United's biggest earner, making more than double the Red Devils' current top earner, David de Gea.

It has to be said, however, that making Mbappe the highest earner at the club would be more than justifiable.

Off the pitch, shirt sales could see a similar spike as they did when Cristiano Ronaldo joined. Meanwhile, on the pitch, he could take Erik ten Hag's side back to the top having shown his ability for both PSG and his national side.

Having seen Erling Haaland join Manchester City last summer, before taking them to the treble, too, those at Old Trafford may be desperate to welcome a star of a similar calibre.

With a lot of the summer transfer window remaining, it will be intriguing to see how this saga unfolds.

Manchester United are believed to be in the race for Fiorentina sensation, Sofyan Amrabat, as manager Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his midfield ranks this summer.

What's the latest on Amrabat to Man United?

According to Spanish outlet, Sport, the Red Devils are seemingly ready to rival La Liga giants Barcelona for the signing of the Moroccan international, with the two clubs said to be among 'several' suitors who are interested in the 26-year-old.

The report suggests that United are showing 'serious' interest in the 6 foot 1 gem ahead of next season and have already made 'contact' regarding a potential summer swoop, with the Netherlands-born maestro seemingly up for grabs with just a year left to run on his existing deal.

Amid that expiring contract, recent reports have claimed that the 48-cap warrior – who joined his current side from Club Brugge back in 2020 – could be available for as little as €25m (£22m).

Should Man United sign Amrabat?

The one-time Utrecht and Feyenoord ace has certainly warranted that hefty interest from the Old Trafford hierarchy amid his standout form for both club and country of late, having notably impressed during Morocco's surge to the World Cup semi-final during the winter.

Hailed as a "monster" and the "best centre midfielder in the tournament" by journalist Carlo Garganese, Amrabat was an immense presence for the Atlas Lions amid that remarkable run to the last four, having notably racked up 2.3 tackles per game from his seven outings in Qatar as a marker of his ball-winning prowess.

Also described as "extraordinary" by ex-Spain boss, Luis Enrique, the £32k-per-week asset has also enjoyed a strong campaign in Florence to date, having helped the Italian side to the Europa Conference League final after averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game from his 12 outings in the competition.

Not just a ball-winning machine in front of the back four, Amrabat also offers real quality in possession as he ranks in the top 8% among his European peers for progressive passes, as well as in the top 5% for pass completion.

That all-round quality is seemingly shared by another of Ten Hag's reported targets in the form of Mason Mount, with the Chelsea playmaker – who could well be on his way to Manchester this summer – also able to make an impact both in and out of possession.

While typically operating in a more advanced role than the Serie A star, Mount also offers a real creative threat on the ball as he ranks in the top 7% among those in his position for progressive passes.

Equally, like Amrabat, the Englishman is also effective at breaking up play as he ranks in the top 12% for tackles made, with the 24-year-old previously described by former Blues teammate Antonio Rudiger as a "master" at putting in the hard yards defensively.

As such, for United to potentially have two figures who can both dictate play and win back possession effectively would be a real bonus, hence the potential excitement at seeing Amrabat lining up alongside Mount in the centre of the park next season.

N’Golo Kante’s sudden departure from Stamford Bridge means Chelsea now have to act.

The World Cup winner had been close to an agreement to extend his stay in the English capital, but a €100m (£86m) a season deal with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad suddenly looks set to end his fruitful career in Europe.

His last year at the Blues was ravaged by injury, and he only made nine appearances in all competitions – this prolonged absence was one of the reasons for Chelsea’s spectacular decline into the bottom half of the table.

The 32-year-old must be replaced and Moises Caicedo is a player who can adopt a similar role.

What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea?

Having missed out on the signature of CP Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte, the West Londoners are expected to accelerate their efforts to tempt Caicedo to join.

Whilst it seemed that Chelsea were prioritising a deal for the Uruguayan, it’s been revealed that the 2021 Champions League winners have been equally interested in the Brighton star for around £80m.

This has been reaffirmed by reputable journalist Dean Jones, who told GIVEMESPORT: “I don’t think it’s even a case of getting back of the Caicedo trail, they’ve already been on it. The whole time the Ugarte thing has been going on, Caicedo is still the one I’ve been hearing more about. I’ve always expected that Chelsea would go for Caicedo.”

Can Caicedo replicate Kante’s exploits at Chelsea?

Across seven years at Chelsea, the former Leicester City star notched 269 appearances, 29 goal involvements, and six different trophies, winning everything available aside from the Carabao Cup.

The 53-cap international is renowned for his energetic and insufferable ability to break up opposition attacks and protect his backline.

Due to his unbelievable consistency, Cesc Fabregas has labelled Kante as “world-class”, a sentiment that was echoed by Ally McCoist, who described the player as “absolutely magic.”

The beautiful chapter of Kante’s tremendous story at Chelsea has rightfully ended, forging the pathway for Caicedo to possibly repeat the heroics of his positional peer.

Within his age bracket, the youngster has brilliantly excelled as the £60k-per-week star has won possession in the midfield third the most times (142) of any U21 player this season.

Across the continent, the 30-cap international has also emerged as a formidable asset, ranking within the top 26% in Europe’s top five leagues among other midfielders for progressive passes, as well as the highest 11% for interceptions per 90, according to FBref.

So far in his short, but equally dazzling career, Caicedo has demonstrated himself to be a phenomenal pivot with an uncoachable quality to read the game and sniff out danger.

South American Football expert Tim Vickery has described the Ecuadorian as “terrific” and whilst it would be foolish to suggest he can instantly fill Kante’s void if he continues on his currently frightening trajectory, he could be unstoppable.

Liverpool midfielder Fabio Carvalho has suggested he could leave "soon" in a social media post amid some recent exit rumours.

What did Fabio Carvalho say on Instagram?

It's not been a great season for the Reds with key player Mohamed Salah admitting he was "totally devastated" to not finish inside the top four.

One of the most disappointed players in the squad, however, will likely be Carvalho who has struggled for regular game time in his debut season.

Indeed, after arriving from Fulham, the 20-year-old has seen just 340 minutes of action in the Premier League in total with only a handful of appearances in the cup competitions too.

With that being the case, he has recently been linked with a move away from Anfield with manager Jurgen Klopp even admitting as much.

The German recently told the press: “There’s a possibility that he will go on loan, we’ll see.

“This was not Fabio’s best year in his career but it might have been his most important. No player has impressed me more than Fabio. It is true. This very talented boy came here with big dreams and big expectations. It was okay in the beginning but didn’t work out (later in the season). His work ethic will give him a fantastic career."

Well, it seems Carvalho is set on a move as well as he dropped a big hint in the comments section of his recent Instagram post.

Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga commented: "New home…"

To which, Carvalho simply replied: "Soon."

What's the latest Carvalho transfer news?

According to The Athletic, Liverpool have already fielded an offer from an unnamed club from abroad – though understood not to be his native Portugal – have seen an offer knocked back.

On top of that, there has also been interest from some Premier League clubs in taking him on a temporary basis next term.

Importantly, it seems the club have no interest in selling the £40k-p/w attacking midfielder – which is no great surprise after the praise given by Klopp.

Indeed, as well as though quotes mentioned earlier, the German coach also added: “He trained and got nothing (in terms of team selection). His reactions in a row, I never saw before.”

All in all, though, it looks as though Carvalho will be leaving on loan to a new club very soon where he will no doubt hope to get much more game time next season.