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Kieran Tierney's exit from Arsenal this summer 'could be getting done' despite his quality, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

Who could leave Arsenal this summer?

Members of Mikel Arteta's squad have been tipped to leave this summer given their status as fringe players, with Emile Smith Rowe and Tierney among them. The latter man stood out as a fairly key player during Arsenal's fight for the top four last season – having even been among their top ten most regularly-picked assets in the Premier League.

Tierney even chipped in with a goal and three assists over his 22 league starts that year, but this campaign, minutes have been much harder to come by. The signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko has impacted his playing time however, with Tierney starting just five games over 2022/2023 whilst making the vast majority of his appearances off the bench.

As such, the Scotland international leaving north London is a very realistic possibility this summer, with pundit and former West Ham striker McAvennie saying Newcastle United are in the hunt.

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, the 63-year-old claimed Tierney's departure 'could be getting done' based off what he's 'heard'.

McAvennie explained:

“I have heard that they [Newcastle] are in for Tierney and that could be getting done.

“I could understand that. It would be an ideal situation for Tierney, it is only a few hours away from Glasgow and it would be great for him.

“How he can’t get a game in the Arsenal team is incredible but it is the way they want to play. I just think it is crazy.”

Should Arsenal let Tierney go?

We believe letting the 25-year-old go to Newcastle would be a mistake when you consider the best teams in Europe all have one thing in common – strength in depth. Tierney is a more-than capable option to slot in when required, as perhaps best summed up by William Gallas, who said this on the left-back in March:

"You always need two quality players in every position if you want to be successful in the Premier League. If Tierney goes to Newcastle, then they won’t have that competition.

"You have to find the best solution for all of the parties because I’m sure Tierney wants to play more regularly. Arsenal need to have good, young players who are waiting to come through and prove their quality."

Indeed, the defender could still have a key role to play, both for the remainder of this season and in years to come.

West Ham United take on Southampton this afternoon in a game which could define the Hammers' season, as defeat would remarkably send David Moyes' side bottom of the Premier League table.

The east London outfit have been far too inconsistent in the top flight so far this campaign and it is something of a surprise that Moyes remains in the job, so he should reinstate some of the players he trusts to deliver on Sunday, with many of the summer signings flattering to deceive since making the move to the London Stadium.

Therefore, the Scottish manager should unleash Vladimir Coufal from the start against Ruben Selles' side today after he made his return from injury during the international break.

Should West Ham start Coufal against Southampton?

Coufal had picked up a heel injury in the Hammers' 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest in February and was ruled out for the entirety of March, which was a big loss for Moyes as his side failed to win any of their three domestic games against Aston Villa, Brighton and Manchester United.

However, he was fit enough to join Jaroslav Silhavy's side for the recent international break and impressed in their games against Poland and Moldova, earning 7.22 and 7.03 ratings from WhoScored, with an assist to his name in the 3-1 win over Poland.

There is no doubt that the right-back has regressed in recent seasons, failing to live up to the performances which saw him notch seven assists in his first campaign at the club, but the 30-year-old can always be relied upon to give his all, with the defender declaring himself a "psycho" after a win against Villa in 2021.

Mark Noble also sang his praises when appearing on the Peter Crouch podcast in 2021, labelling his former teammate a "machine" and it is these characteristics which could be vital for the Hammers' hopes of claiming victory in today's relegation six-pointer.

The alternatives for Moyes at right-back are Ben Johnson and Thilo Kehrer, neither of whom have impressed in a West Ham shirt so far this season, earning 6.47 and 6.40 average ratings from WhoScored for their performances, which sees them ranked as the 12th and 16th-best players in Moyes' squad.

Coufal may have struggled this season, but he still ranks third for tackles, third for interceptions and sixth for key passes per game in West Ham's squad this term, all of which are higher than Johnson and Kehrer.

Therefore, Moyes must start the former Slavia Prague man against Southampton as he could inspire the Hammers to a much-needed win.

Leeds United forward Rodrigo may have suffered an ankle injury against Wolves and was ‘limping heavily’ late in the game on Saturday, Phil Hay reports.

The Lowdown: Big win

The Whites were once again involved in a thriller at Molineux exactly a year on from their dramatic 3-2 comeback win last season. Javi Gracia’s side came away with a much-needed 4-2 victory this time to take them from 19th to 14th in the Premier League table.

Goals from Jack Harrison, Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen gave the visitors a three-goal advantage before Jonny and Matheus Cunha pulled two goals back for the hosts to set up a nervy finish.

Jonny was then set off for a challenge on Ayling, with Leeds managing to hold on before Rodrigo secured the three points. However, it may not be all good news, with Hay sharing what he spotted in the closing stages at Molineux regarding the forward.

The Latest: Hay’s post

Hay, Leeds’ correspondent for The Athletic, was providing live updates on Twitter throughout the match and said that ‘Rodrigo looks like he’s done something to his left ankle’.

The reliable reporter added that the forward was ‘limping heavily’ and ‘seemed to go down as a high ball came to him’ shortly after the board went up for seven added minutes.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Three minutes after Hay’s post, Rodrigo raced through to score Leeds’ fourth in injury time, so hopefully, the striker hasn’t done anything too serious. He has only recently returned after suffering bone and ligament damage in his ankle earlier in the year against Accrington Stanley. The 31-year-old underwent minor surgery on the issue, missing six Premier League fixtures.

He netted his 11th top-flight goal of the campaign on Saturday and was Leeds’ second-best performer of the afternoon, as per SofaScore. Rodrigo recorded a match rating of 7.3/10 after replacing Patrick Bamford on 67 minutes, with another substitute in Crysencio Summerville the only player to receive a higher score for his cameo display after providing the assist for Rodrigo’s effort.

The striker won three duels and made two tackles to go alongside his late strike, so Leeds will be hoping he hasn’t damaged his ankle once again. He’ll have some time to recover from a potential issue during the international break, though, and hopefully, the top scorer will be fully fit for some crucial home games in April against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace as the club look to retain their top-flight status.

What a day, what a result, what a team. Liverpool are well and truly back.A 7-0 drubbing of their fierce rivals was a result surely beyond anyone’s wildest dreams or expectations, but it was one that condemned Manchester United to their worst defeat since 1931 and to the biggest loss in the fixture’s history.United came into this as favourites but courtesy of Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, the Reds marched off into the night sky with all three points.The former finally looked at home in a Liverpool shirt, cutting inside to devastating effect for the opening goal of the game but it was undoubtedly the latter who deserves the brunt of the praise.

Who was Liverpool’s best player vs Man United?

Even if Gakpo did find the net twice, as did Salah, who ended up making the day about him with his second strike of the affair.

That goal ensured he became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 129 strikes, overtaking a certain Robbie Fowler to get there.

It was an offensive clinic from the great Egyptian who put on a show, arguably reserving his finest performance of the campaign for now.

He struck home his first goal with great aplomb and with his weaker right foot. It didn’t look weak, however, as the forward pounced on a deflection from Scott McTominay before slamming the ball past a helpless David De Gea with a “devastating” finish in the words of Jamie Carragher on commentary.

Salah’s second was a little more straightforward, stabbing the ball home from close range to spark wild celebrations.

That said, in making three key passes with his 57 touches of the football, he was as creative as he was ruthless in front of goal.

He supplied Gakpo’s second of the encounter on 50 minutes after leaving a certain Lisandro “for dead” – in the words of Neville – as the Egypt international beat the World Cup winner all ends up down the right-hand side.

That moment of magic led to a host of comedic posts on Twitter with ESPN suggesting the Argentine had been sent to “another dimension” and one Liverpool writer stating that he’d been “flipped like an omelette.”

All banter aside, this was a mesmerising display from the 30-year-old who would later go on to add another assist for the final goal of the clash, Roberto Firmino’s late seventh.

This felt like Liverpool at their rampant and incredible best again and it was no surprise that Salah was right at the heart of it.

Neville suggested on commentary that he was simply on a “different level” to anyone else on the pitch today. Indeed that is the story of his Premier League career to date. He is a master and despite Liverpool’s difficulties this term, we have to remember that.

Aston Villa have taken Dundee teenager Alastair Graham on trial after an approach was accepted, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Academy additions from Scotland

Villa have recent history when it comes to bringing in some exciting youngsters from Scotland. Defender Kerr Smith made the move to the Midlands from Dundee United in January 2022, while young striker Rory Wilson followed suit from Rangers last summer.

The latter appears to have made a quick impact at Villa and has already signed a professional deal, and goalkeeper Graham could be the next Scottish gem to move south.

The Latest: Villa to take Graham on trial

Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke shared a story on Tuesday regarding Villa and Graham.

He claimed that Dundee’s technical director Gordon Strachan has agreed for the young ‘keeper to spend some time training with Villa as they weigh up a move for him.

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The Verdict: Future star?

Graham is highly rated at Dundee and is reportedly viewed as a shot-stopper with ‘immense potential’. A number of Premier League clubs have been alerted to the 15-year-old, so it is good to see that Villa have acted fast to potentially beat plenty of competition to the punch by approaching the Scottish club.

The Scotland under-15 international could well be a future star, so it’ll be interesting to see how this trial goes, and you’d expect that we could hear more about a potential permanent transfer in the coming weeks whereby Graham could be the latest academy addition at Bodymoor Heath.

Southampton have reportedly had a £3m bid accepted for Lyon striker Moussa Dembele as Nathan Jones edges closer to bolstering his attacking options.

What’s the news?

French News outlet Foot Mercato reported on Monday afternoon that Southampton submitted a late bid for the striker and, according to Football Scotland, the Saints have had their bid of £3m accepted with just under 24 hours left of the transfer window to thrash out personal terms.

The former Celtic frontman is out of contract at the Ligue 1 club at the end of the season, and it is clear that they are looking at cashing in on the player as they undergo an attacking revamp.

“Powerful” prospective addition

Southampton are in urgent need of someone who can pose a significant goal threat, with Jones’ side proving to be quite goal-shy during the Premier League campaign.

In 20 top-flight matches so far, they have netted just 17 goals, the joint-fourth worst record in the division. If they are to maximise their chances of retaining their Premier League status for next season, they need to work on this major issue.

Dembele has had a campaign to forget for Lyon, featuring 16 times but scoring only twice, and it’s evident that he needs a fresh start in order to get back to his goalscoring best. His decline from an impressive 2021/22 season will be something that Jones will hope is merely temporary.

Last term, the 26-year-old netted 21 goals in 30 appearances while achieving an excellent Sofascore rating of 7.11/10. The Frenchman was a constant goal threat, taking 2.9 shots and playing 0.9 key passes per match while also creating six big chances, proving how effective he was in leading the line for Lyon.

Overall, his record for Lyon has included 69 goals across nearly five years, and if Jones could get the Frenchman firing like he did last season, it could be a wonderful bargain which may just save Southampton from relegation.

Dembele’s former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers previously dubbed him “powerful”, and the 26-year-old appears to have all the tools required to succeed in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace have submitted an offer to sign Fenerbahce star Bright Osayi-Samuel, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Osayi-Samuel profiled

The Nigerian international has previously played in England having spent three-and-a-half years with Queens Park Rangers, before moving to the Turkish Super Lig in January 2021.

Despite his contract with Jorge Jesus’ side not expiring until 2025, the 25-year-old appears to have caught the eye of the Eagles, who are claimed to have made an approach to try and bring him to the Premier League.

The Latest: Crystal Palace table bid

According to Turkish outlet Feneralayi, Palace have made a £10m offer for Osayi-Samuel in the hope of completing a deal before the end of the winter window.

Fenerbahce haven’t responded yet, but having paid just £450k to sign him two years ago, would be set to make a hefty profit should they accept the proposal from Selhurst Park.

The Verdict: Potential advantage?

Osayi-Samuel is already friends with Eberechi Eze from their time together at QPR, as per reports, so this existing connection could give Palace a potential advantage in their pursuit of his signature.

The England-born talent has made nine goal contributions since arriving at Fenerbahce and is a versatile individual having spent this season equally playing at both right-back and in midfield (Transfermarkt).

Osayi-Samuel’s former manager Mark Warburton dubbed him a player who ‘terrifies defenders’ which is exactly the kind of attacking threat that the Eagles have been missing down the right flank.

Mikel Arteta has led Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table after a series of scintillating displays this season, and this form could benefit them in more ways than one, especially when it comes to dealings in the transfer market.

The North London side’s current stature has seen them linked with a move for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, who has counted Liverpool and Chelsea as recent admirers.

Any potential move for the 23-year-old will likely cost Arsenal £70m, with West Ham looking to cash in on Rice for a bumper fee.

Arteta would give the club a major boost if they were to pip the likes of Chelsea to his signing as he could add that extra bite to the Gunners’ engine room and improve their midfield options.

Rice’s performances over the last couple of seasons have led Gary Lineker to dub him as “magnificent” while he is also statistically similar to Real Madrid sensation Aurelien Tchouameni, therefore he could be an excellent addition at the Emirates.

According to FBref, the French midfielder is the sixth-most similar player to Rice across Europe’s top leagues, and considering just how wonderful a player Tchouameni is turning out to be following his move to La Liga, it isn’t a bad comparison to have.

This season has seen the two midfielders register similar statistics with regard to goal contributions (both two), pass success rate (92.4% to 89.2%), goal-creating actions (six to three), and tackles won (18 to 16).

Both Rice and Tchouameni excel at passing and ball interception according to WhoScored, therefore they are both excellent in the middle of the pitch and are adept at winning the ball back while circulating the ball on a consistent basis.

For a fee of £70m, sporting director Edu Gaspar should seriously consider trying to convince Rice to make the short move across London and join Arsenal.

Arteta is obviously building a side that is capable of dominating for the near future, with Rice only 23, he could be the focal point over the next few seasons, and with the player unlikely to win anything while at West Ham, the lure of glory could be difficult to turn down.

Forget Mykhaylo Mudryk or even Joao Felix, signing Rice could be the most important transfer Arteta will make this year.

Crystal Palace are ‘hopeful’ of beating Wolves to the signing of Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka. 

The Lowdown: Wan-Bissaka interest

So far this season, the right-back has made just two appearances for United across all competitions, the latest of which coming in Wednesday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Burnley, where he managed to grab an assist.

On this performance, the Daily Mail said that the defender was “tested early on in defence but looked good going forward and deserves the enormous credit he got from fans for his assist at full stretch for the opening goal”.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, the £90k-per-week Englishman is a target for Fosun and Julen Lopetegui, with reporter Dean Jones recently telling GiveMeSport to take the links to Wan-Bissaka “seriously”.

The Latest: Palace jump the queue?

According to a recent report from 90 Min, Wolves and West Ham United are indeed keen on Wan-Bissaka, with the Old Gold wanting to “provide competition for Nelson Semedo”, but Palace are now “hopeful” of winning the race.

Manchester United are willing to sanction a deal, but it appears the Eagles could swoop in and prevent Fosun from getting it done.

The Verdict: Blow for Wolves?

With 20 league appearances to his name last season, the 25-year-old managed to show his defensive talent by ending the campaign with more interceptions (34) than any other player at United, as well as the second-highest number of successful tackles (36).

In addition to that, only two players delivered more crosses into the 18-yard box than Wan-Bissaka (8), showing that he has starting to learn that attacking edge to his game.

Praised for his “phenomenal” performances in the past by journalist Dominic Booth, Wan-Bissaka could be an ideal signing for Wolves to add some steel and athleticism down the right flank, and Fosun should act quick to beat Palace to his signature.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Jude Bellingham in 2023 and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Jurgen Klopp is “really keen” to complete a deal to sign the Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder.

Romano claims in a video on his exclusive Sub Stack column for Caught Offside:

“Things are happening behind the scenes – it’s true that Liverpool are pushing for Jude Bellingham. Jurgen Klopp is really keen for this deal after missing out on Aurelien Tchouameni last summer, and now they are working on a deal for Bellingham on the player’s side.”

Imagine him & Enzo

There has been a lot of uncertainty and upheaval at Anfield over the last few months with a poor start in the Premier League that has left Liverpool sixth in the league table, as well as reports surfacing that FSG are now keen to sell the club.

Although there is a lot to be concerned about at the club, there is also a lot to look forward to if the powers at the club remain committed to delivering success and trophies by helping the manager rebuild the team to develop the next generation of talent under Klopp’s reign.

Despite their desire to part ways with the club, FSG could be about to make two monumental midfielder signings that the Anfield faithful have been crying out for over the last 18 months, as Enzo Fernandez could also be joining Bellingham on a move to Merseyside in 2023.

It has been reported that the Argentinian ace and his club Benfica have come to a pre-contract agreement for Fernandez to join Liverpool next summer.

The acquirement of Bellingham and Fernandez would be a major coup for Liverpool – combining their star quality, talent and strengths in the centre of the pitch could be an absolute nightmare for opponents for many years to come.

Both midfielders possess strong central midfield attributes with Fernandez ranking in the top 5% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, proving that he can be a huge attacking threat from his deeper position.

Whilst Bellingham ranks in the top 10% for non-penalty goals, touches, dribbles completed and progressive passes received, further displaying the similarities in strengths the duo could provide Liverpool next season.

With that being said, FSG must sanction the potential £129m move for Bellingham as soon as possible because the player has several elite clubs interested in securing his signature and Liverpool are in no position to lose out on the talented teenager.