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Arsenal should begin a search for a new left-back in the upcoming January transfer window.

The Gunners are short of options on the left side of defence with Nacho Monreal approaching the end of his career and Sead Kolasinac failing to impress Unai Emery on a consistent basis. If Arsenal are serious about challenging for the Premier League title, they simply must improve their defence. Signing a new left-back should be a priority in the upcoming transfer window.

Top quality left-backs are in short supply – Manchester City forked out over £50m to secure the services of Benjamin Mendy from Monaco. Unless you can find a bargain as Liverpool did with Andy Robertson, clubs are expected to pay a premium for a top-class full-back.

One man who fits the bill is Lyon defender – Ferland Mendy. Valued at just £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the Frenchman has developed into a crucial player for his side, making the left-back berth his own at the club. Mendy has been one of the stand out performers in Ligue 1 so far, earning plenty of praise for his performances from fans and pundits.

Similar to his countryman at Manchester City, his next step could be in the Premier League. An offensive-minded fullback, Arsenal fans would quickly fall in love with the 23-year-old. Mendy possesses blistering pace that allows him to keep up with the quickest of forwards and dribbling skill that help transition defence into attack, averaging 1.9 successful dribbles per game. His excellent crossing skills could mean even more goals for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Prising him from Lyon could prove costly, but the price might just be worth it for the Gunners.

Arsenal fans, thoughts?

Aston Villa should be in the mix for Sunderland forward Josh Maja, who is widely expected to leave his League One club during this month’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Maja, 20, will see his current deal with Sunderland expire at the end of this season.

And according to Sky Sports, the forward has told the Black Cats that he will not be signing a new contract, sparking a scramble for his services.

Before the turn of the year, Sunderland boss Jack Ross revealed that Maja had been offered a new deal by the Black Cats.

The youngster has seemingly decided that his future is away from the Stadium of Light, however, and he will not exactly be short of interest.

A whole host of Championship clubs are said to be considering a move for Maja and there is no question that Villa should be in the mix for the youngster.

Maja was named in the Sunderland XI against Charlton Athletic on Saturday afternoon, but was replaced in the latter stages of the 1-1 draw.

Why should Villa make a move?

The Lewisham-born attacker joined Sunderland from Fulham in 2015 and made his professional debut for the club during the 2016-17 season.

Maja played 17 times in the Championship for Sunderland last term, but has enjoyed a very impressive 2018-19 campaign to date, netting 15 times in all competitions.

The 5ft 11in ace still has a lot of work to do if he is to become the player he wants to be.

However, there is absolutely no question that Maja is a talent.

Villa could lose on-loan forward Tammy Abraham this month and Maja is capable of making an impact in the second half of the 2018-19 campaign.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

That said, the striker would be more of an investment for the future.

Villa will not be the only club in the mix for Maja if they do decide to make a move, but they will fancy their chances of beating any of their Championship rivals to his signature.

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Everton have reportedly joined the race for Michy Batshuayi, but the Toffees would be much better served swooping for Eintracht Frankfurt front man Sebastien Haller.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports, Everton have expressed their interest in Batshuayi, who is expected to leave Chelsea this month.

The Belgian international was recalled by the Blues this week, and several clubs are sniffing around after they slapped just a £14m price tag on him.

However, if Marco Silva is hunting an athletic, versatile and clinical number nine, he should look to the Bundesliga, where 6 ft 3 in Haller has racked up 12 goals and 11 assists already this season.

The perfect target man?

It takes an elite player to hit double figures in both goals and assists in a single season, a feat accomplished by the likes of Christian Eriksen, Leroy Sane and Mohamed Salah in the Premier League last year.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Haller has smashed these totals already, and it’s only January. The French target man is a far more well-rounded player than Batshuayi, and bringing him to Goodision would open up more space for the likes of Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson to exploit.

The colossal Frankfurt striker is elite in the air, winning a whopping 6.2 aerial duels per game this season, and he’s also got great technical skill and vision for a striker of his size, averaging 1.2 successful dribbles and 1.4 key passes per game.

Of course, the most important trait for any striker is sticking the ball in the back of the net. Haller, who is averaging 2.2 shots per game this season, has formed a devastating partnership with Luka Jovic, and would gobble up the chances created by players like Sigurdsson.

So, Everton fans, would you back a move for the 12-goal Frenchman? Let us know by voting in the poll below…

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Newcastle should launch a loan move for Manchester United misfit Marouane Fellaini this January, as Rafael Benitez looks to keep the club in the Premier League.

Newcastle have seen a move for Miguel Almiron drag on, and Fellaini offers a perfect alternative in attacking midfield.

What’s the word?

United have enjoyed a brilliant start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, winning their first six games in all competitions under the management of the Norwegian.

Fellaini, though, has played just three Premier League minutes since the sacking of Jose Mourinho, and was not even handed a start in the FA Cup victory over Reading, instead playing 28 minutes as a substitute.

Fellaini was a key lieutenant of the Portuguese during his spell at the club, but Solskjaer has surely earned the right to have some say in how United operate in the January transfer window – and talkSPORT’s Jim White claims he wants rid of the towering midfielder.

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The Belgium international was not even included in the squad for the wins over the Magpies and Tottenham, and the former club offers an intriguing option for the attacking midfielder.

Fellaini has played over 170 times for United in total, scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists, but he is not in Solskjaer’s plans.

Mike Ashley, while stingy in the transfer market, should see this as the perfect opportunity to placate the club’s fans and manager alike with a surprise loan bid.

A bulldozer of a signing

Benitez certainly needs bodies in this transfer window.

The Spaniard has reportedly been pushing Ashley to sign Almiron from Atlanta United, but the two clubs have seemingly reached an impasse over his asking price of £25million.

Fellaini, of course, is a markedly different player to the MLS sensation, but he potentially offers more as an immediate signing given his Premier League experience.

Almiron is slight of build and a tricky playmaker, while Fellaini is something of a brute, at his best when bulldozing his way through opposition defences.

Newcastle do not need subtlety at this stage of the season – they need proven Premier League talents like Fellaini, who can help them over the finish line in the race for survival.

They are languishing in the relegation zone, and the addition of the Belgian would add an extra dimension to the club’s attack.

Plus, it would surely appeal to Ashley, given the lack of transfer fee involved in the deal.

Fellaini earns a hefty pay packet at Old Trafford, but United may be willing to subsidise his weekly wage in order to shift him from their books.

If the deal is concluded, it could end up saving Newcastle’s season, and would do little damage to Solskjaer’s United squad.

[ad_pod ]Tottenham Hotspur have been rocked by news of yet another injury blow.Ben Davies limped out of the club’s Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea on Thursday, and the club have confirmed that he will now miss this weekend’s FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace.Moussa Sissoko, who made his comeback from a groin injury against the Blues, sustained a knee injury in that game, and may also be unavailable, with further assessments to take place this weekend.Spurs are already without striker Harry Kane and midfielder Dele Alli, while Son Heung-Min is still with South Korea on international duty. However, his side lost to Qatar on Friday and have been eliminated from the Asian Cup, meaning he will soon be available for selection.CheekySport’s Joel claims Spurs badly need to invest in January after not having “the balls” to beat Arsenal. Check out his uncensored opinion in the video below…The news of Davies and Sissoko’s injuries will come as a major disappointment to manager Mauricio Pochettino, who is already working with the bare bones of a thin squad.He may well be able to deploy Victor Wanyama against the Eagles after his return to fitness, but that may prove scant consolation, particularly given Sissoko’s excellent displays thus far this season.And Spurs fans have called on the club to finally dip into the transfer market to reinforce the squad, having seen the side fail to add a new player for the last two windows.

Celtic have been the standout performers in the Scottish Premiership in recent times as they continue to march towards the Scottish Premiership title. 

The Hoops currently find themselves six points ahead of bitter rivals Rangers in the race for the title, so it’s very much in their hands at this moment in time, with a perfect month pushing them even closer.

But, things haven’t always been perfect as a number of players have failed to impress this season, with the club’s January additions making it even harder for the underperforming first-team members to secure minutes.

Cristian Gamboa has managed to make seven appearances in all competitions this season, which can be put down to his lack of quality on the field. Indeed, fans have been quick to criticise Mikael Lustig in the current campaign, but even he’s offered more on the field than Gamboa has. The South American looks past his best and has done more harm than good this season, so it comes as some surprise that Rodgers didn’t manage to offload him last month.

But, he isn’t the only player letting Rodgers down, as Jonny Hayes has been just as disappointing.

The Irishman has been one of the worst signings that the Glasgow club have made in recent years, having offered very little in the final third ever since he joined the club. It comes as no surprise that Rodgers drafted in attacking reinforcements last month as Hayes has featured in eight games in all competitions this season, with just one assist to his name. And, with Oliver Burke already thriving in Glasgow, it looks as if Hayes’ Celtic career may be over.

Celtic fans – thoughts on the two players involved? 

Well, it would be fair to say that the Southampton fans were not best pleased with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s use of Moussa Djenepo against Everton.

The 21-year-old, who joined the Saints from Standard Liege over the summer, featured at left wing-back against the Toffees on Saturday afternoon.

And a number of the club’s supporters have taken to social media to blast Hasenhuttl’s decision to select the attacker in that area of the field in the second half of the contest.

Watch Southampton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Danny Ings cancelled out an early strike from Tom Davies to leave the two teams on terms heading into the latter stages of the match.

However, Richarlison’s strike decided the game, with the Brazil international netting in the 75th minute to secure a 2-1 win for Everton.

According to WhoScored, Djenepo – moved to wing-back after Cedric Soares was substituted – did not actually make a single tackle during his 90 minutes on the field, although he did complete two successful dribbles.

It proved to be another disappointing afternoon for the club, however, and the Southampton fans were furious with where Djenepo was selected, as shown by the tweets below:

Leeds aren’t promoted to the Premier League just yet, but with ten points separating themselves and Preston there is a good chance their dream could soon become a reality.

If that goal is realised, there is a possibility that they could sign one of the most in-demand players in the world – Erling Haaland.

Bleacher Report claimed last week that if he moves to England, Leeds is the likely landing spot for the striker. That, however, depends on whether the Whites go up.

Haaland is Leeds-born. He knows the club well and his father, Alf-Inge, played for the Elland Road outfit. The Norwegian has even previously iterated his desires to win the English top-flight with Leeds.

It would be a colossal deal if it was to happen. After all, this is a player being chased by Manchester United and Juventus.

That being said, if Leeds is his most likely destination for an English club, it would surely make them Premier League-ready.

At just 19 years of age, Haaland has quickly become one of the most deadly in Europe. In 22 outings this season, he’s scored 28 times. Eight of those strikes have come in the Champions League, a run where he scored against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

That gives an indication that he has what it takes to produce on the greatest stage and against one of the best teams in the world.

But that doesn’t tell the full story of the man linked with Leeds. Jurgen Klopp has described him as “exceptional” in recent months, claiming he is a “big talent with a wonderful future.”

Meanwhile, the player himself has claimed he’s the next Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with newspaper’s previously comparing the duo’s frame and stature, as well as their ability to score goals.

A true test for any Leeds fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

Haaland isn’t your modern-day striker. Instead, he has the look of a classic old-school centre forward. The teenager is a natural poacher and based on the reviews and goals he’s clocked this season, any team would be lucky to have him.

If Leeds achieve promotion and manage to land the forward, it would be a mighty sign of intent.

In other Leeds news, one player is outshining Alfie McCalmont at youth level…

So after weeks of deliberating and interviewing, Arsenal have finally settled on Mikel Arteta as the man to lead them through into this new era. The Spaniard was confirmed as the permanent successor to Unai Emery on Friday afternoon, and it brings to an end intense speculation regarding the former Manchester City assistant’s future.

But whilst Arteta will no doubt be keen to stuck in, it was revealed he will be officially starting his duties on Sunday, meaning Freddie Ljungberg will have one last chance to lead the side from the touch-line. And with the players well aware of who their new manager is, there will no doubt be a sense of expectation and pressure on their shoulders in wanting to impress the new man.

And with that in mind, below is a look at how Arsenal might line up against Everton.

Amidst a season of struggles for the Gunners, Bernd Leno has been one of the rare players in the squad who comes out of it with a sense of credit. The Germany international has produced heroics countless times for the north Londoners, making finger tips saves and reflex stops virtually every game – it’s therefore little surprise to see that he has made the most amount of saves of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this campaign with 73.

Watch Arsenal Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Whilst Chambers was slammed by Arsenal fans for his performance against Manchester City last time out, he has been one of the Gunners’ more reliable and more consistent players this season overall. If he continues at centre-back – potentially alongside David Luiz this time around – the Gunners could be looking at some really tough decisions in the full-back areas.

The likes of Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac have all been ruled out through injury, so that should mean Ainsley Maitland-Niles continues at right-back. On the opposite flank however, Bukayo Saka could come in – a position he has played before in his time with the academy.

Watch Bournemouth vs Arsenal Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

In midfield, the Gunners could turn back to Granit Xhaka after he was ruled out of the City clash thanks to a concussion he picked up in the victory against West Ham. Alongside him, Lucas Torreira showed his fighting spirit and battling qualities with a tigerish display against the Premier League champions, and Arsenal will be keen to have those two midfielders re-forming their partnership.

And in attack, the north London side may well choose to ring the changes. Away at Goodison Park – particularly with Duncan Ferguson’s time as interim manager seeing a win and draw against Chelsea and Manchester United respectively – it is likely to be a very tricky contest. The Gunners will have to match the home side physically, and that could see Mesut Ozil dropped to the bench.

Can you name all of these obscure Arsenal signings? Give it a go now!

If that is the case, the Gunners could bring in Emile Smith Rowe after his impressive cameo in that advanced role against Manchester City, where he helped with his work off-the-ball too. Around the academy product, the trio of Nicolas Pepe, Gabriel Martinelli and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be tasked with firing in the goals.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have lauded this starlet after his goal-scoring display for the U23s.

Raul Jimenez struggled for Wolves as they lost 2-1 to Watford on New Year’s Day.

On the chalkboard

Nigel Pearson’s resurgent Hornets secured an impressive win at Vicarage Road thanks to goals from Gerard Deulofeu and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Pedro Neto scored a second-half goal to give Nuno Espirito Santo’s side hope of a comeback but none was forthcoming.

Jimenez, up front, struggled throughout the encounter and one has to wonder if that played a key role in the defeat.

Calling all Premier League experts: Who do these unique statistics belong to? Find out below….

Per WhoScored, he had just 28 touches of the ball throughout the game, fewer than any other outfield player on his side.

He did have four shots on goal but none were on target, while he completed just one dribble.

Jimenez also failed to win an aerial duel and was dispossessed once.

To look at the stats is to see that Jimenez had two efforts from range, while one, from inside the box, was blocked and another saw him pull it wide.

Too dependent

Wolves really need Jimenez to be on form.

He is their out-and-out striker and is clearly an exceptional talent, given that he has scored eight goals and provided six assists in all competitions this season.

However, they have won just three times when he has not been on the scoresheet and one of those victories, against Manchester City, saw him provide two assists in a 2-0 win.

He is vital to the way Wolves play and to the way they attack – he can ill-afford to keep being as passive as he was on Wednesday.

It was ultimately a poor result and a poor performance from the Mexico international; the two things, though, tend to go hand in hand.

Meanwhile, Wolves fans have reacted to a major transfer update.