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Arsenal have made contact over a potential move for Moussa Diaby, according to Sky Sports…

What’s the word?

On a recent ‘Transfer Talk’ show, presenter Emma Paton provided an update on the Gunners’ pursuit of the Bayer Leverkusen star.

She said:

“Just a quick update to bring you on a player that we were discussing on Transfer Talk a little bit earlier. Arsenal have made initial contact with Bayer Leverkusen over Moussa Diaby.

“Now Leverkusen, we understand, do not want to sell mid-season. You might remember that the club were quoting around €100m (£88m) to interested clubs in the summer.”

Although tat is some way off CIES Football Observatory’s current valuation of €60m (£52m).

Better than Raphinha

It seems as if the Gunners are already moving on to Mykhaylo Mudryk alternatives with Diaby just one of several similar players mooted in recent days. Another emerging name is a familiar one in former Leeds United phenom Raphinha.

But since his move to FC Barcelona in the summer, things haven’t gone to plan, making the French dynamo a much better prospect in making an instant impact to Arsenal’s top-flight title charge.

Whilst the Brazilian is proven in the Premier League, he has found game time hard to come by at the Nou Camp and it’s hard to see him getting up to speed quick enough to compete with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka for a starting spot.

Diaby is outscoring and outperforming Raphinha in many key attacking aspects, ranging from goal contributions (nine vs four) to key passes (28 vs 23), via FBref.

In the Bundesliga this term, the 23-year-old – who European football expert Alex Barker lauded as a “demon” – is Leverkusen’s best performer by quite some margin (7.13 rating), where he has averaged 1.9 key passes, 1,9 shots and 1.3 dribbles per game, via WhoScored, who also list his best attributes as being creativity and finishing.

Such qualities could be of a major boost to Mikel Arteta in the absence of leading frontman Gabriel Jesus, who offers the side both of those things in abundance, having averaged 1.6 key passes and 1.9 shots per league outing.

With Raphinha mustering up only 944 minutes across LaLiga and the Champions League this season after snubbing the Gunners for Barcelona in the summer, sporting director Edu Gaspar should put his full focus onto the 5 foot 7 whiz – who has “electrifying pace” and is “fearless on the ball” according to Chronicle editor Aaron Stokes – instead.

AND in other news, Arteta could land Vieira 2.0 in Arsenal swoop for £80m titan who’s a “force of nature”…

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been dealt a significant injury blow this month, as Boubacar Traore looks set to be sidelined for between one and two months.

What’s the word?

The on-loan Metz midfielder was missing from Wolves’ squads to face Gillingham and Everton when the Premier League resumed but was back on the bench against Manchester United, so it was presumed that he was back fit.

However, he was then missing from the squad when the Old Gold faced Aston Villa earlier this week and Julen Lopetegui would confirm following the game that he would be out for between one and two months.

He said:

“We have an injury with Bouba for, I think, one or two months. It’s very bad news for us. We only have four midfielders now in the squad. We have to have more.”

Lopetegui will be gutted

Since joining from Metz in the summer on a loan-to-buy deal, the young midfielder has gone on to make nine appearances in all competitions for the Old Gold, scoring a “special” goal in the Carabao Cup win over Leeds United.

Despite his lack of appearances in the top flight, Traore ranks in the top 10 for tackles, interceptions and blocks in Wolves’ squad so far this season, which emphasises the impact he has had during his little time on the pitch.

The Mali international’s energy in midfield would have been a useful asset for Lopetegui to have as he looks to pull Wolves away from the relegation places over the next few months and the Spaniard is clearly disappointed that he is going to be unavailable.

Fortunately for the former Sevilla boss, the January transfer window is now open so he could bring in a replacement for Traore this month, as the Old Gold clearly need reinforcements in that area, having also lost defensive-minded midfielder Leander Dendoncker during the summer window.

It is a shame for Traore that he won’t be able to build on a promising start to life at Molineux but the young midfielder will no doubt be working hard to get back to full fitness as soon as possible so he can play his part in dragging Wolves out of trouble this season.

West Bromwich Albion returned to winning ways today, as they battled to earn a hard-fought three points at Bristol City.

It marked their sixth victory in their last seven Championship games, with five of those boasting a clean sheet.

Today saw them earn one yet again, as despite surrendering 51% of the ball were far more clinical and incise in their attacking play as they sealed a 2-0 victory.

This was outlined in their 15 shots, four of which were off-target, compared to the eight total shots managed by the hosts.

One who benefitted from this added proficiency was Matt Phillips, who fired the Baggies in front after just eight minutes. Whilst he may steal the plaudits, as he raced through on goal to sidefoot into the far corner, it was Okay Yokuslu who was actually the true hero for Carlos Corberan.

That was certainly evidenced by Sofascore, who handed the Turkish midfielder the best rating of anyone on the pitch (8.0), even higher than the goalscorer (7.5).

There is a clear reason for this rating, which he more than earned whilst acting as the midfield general that the Baggies needed.

His calming presence on the ball was matched with a tenacity that made him unstoppable today, spurring Elias Burke to praise him on Twitter: “Molumby and Okay outstanding together in midfield, with the latter almost perfect,”

His statistics only serve to support this, as he boasted 70 touches alongside an 85% pass accuracy in his 90 minutes on the pitch. 

As aforementioned, he paired this composure with a mammoth seven tackles, five clearances and four interceptions, and of the 22 duels he competed in he would win a whopping 18 at an 81% success rate.

With this win, Corberan’s men move up to 12th and within three points of promotion-chasers Norwich City. Considering where they were under Steve Bruce, this truly is remarkable.

Should they continue this fine form, they will lean heavily upon the midfield exploits of Yokuslu.

The powerful stalwart boasts experience beyond most at the Hawthorns, and any successes gained this campaign will surely be born from his performances. Especially if they are all like today.

Aston Villa are interested in a deal to bring Nicolas Jackson to Villa Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Express, who claim that Unai Emery is targeting the signing of a new wide forward this winter, with one of the players on the 51-year-old manager’s shortlist believed to be his former Villarreal CF starlet.

However, the report goes on to state that the Spaniard is not alone in his interest in the right-winger, with a number of unnamed Premier League clubs also believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation on the 21-year-old – who is reported to have a release clause worth £27m written into his contract at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

Emery’s own Neymar

While it is true that Jackson does not boast a wealth of experience at senior level, having made a total of 47 appearances in the professional game, considering just how exciting a prospect the youngster very much appears to be, it is not difficult to understand why Emery would be keen on a deal to bring the flanker to Villa Park this winter.

Indeed, despite his tender age, the £13m-rated talent has already established himself as a regular part of the Villarreal starting XI this season, scoring two goals, registering two assists and creating four big chances over his 13 LaLiga outings, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £12k-per-week sensation – who has been dubbed the ‘Senegalese Neymar’ – average a very respectable Sofascore match rating of 6.74, currently ranking him as El Submarino Amarillo’s 14th-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football – a rather remarkable feat for his first full campaign.

A further sign of Jackson’s potential was his inclusion in Aliou Cisse’s 26-man Senegal squad for the Qatar World Cup this winter, with the 21-year-old going on to make one appearance in the tournament – a 17-minute cameo in a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands – which represented the winger’s international debut for the Lions of Teranga.

Emery is also evidently a huge admirer of the youngster, with the 51-year-old stating of Jackson during his time in charge at the Estadio de la Cerámica: “Nicolas Jackson is doing a very good job with the B team. He is a player with an interesting style of play. We will see how we can help him and what he can bring to us. He can play in different attacking positions.”

Furthermore, Senegal U20 coach Youssouph Dabo – the man who first called Jackson up to the international stage – also took the time to praise the winger’s style of play, stating: “He is a good profile with technical qualities who also tends to put on a show.”

As such, should Emery go on to seal a £27m move for the Villarreal wonderkid this winter, not only would the Spaniard look to have landed an extremely exciting prospect for the Premier League side, but he could also have discovered his very own Neymar-esque talent at Villa Park – something that is sure to be an incredibly tantalising prospect for supporters.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping tabs on Atalanta playmaker, Ruslan Malinovskyi, having previously been heavily linked with the Ukrainian gem over the summer.

What’s the word?

According to football.london’s Alasdair Gold, the 29-year-old is a player that the north Londoners have ‘looked at’ amid their search for new attacking additions, with sporting director Fabio Paratici seemingly aiming to bolster the Lilywhites’ forward line.

The report suggests that manager Antonio Conte was left ‘frustrated’ by his lack of options in that department earlier this season due to injury, with the loss of Dejan Kulusevski and summer signing Richarlison having left the forward ranks looking particularly threadbare.

As for Malinovskyi, recent reports in Italy have claimed that Paratici has already made contact to sign the 51-cap gem – who could command a fee of around £26m – with the forward having previously been “wanted” by the Premier League outfit in the summer, as per journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Repeat Kulusevski masterclass

A move for the “decisive” ace – as described by current boss Gian Piero Gasperini – could well prove to be an astute addition as far those in N17 are concerned, with the 5-foot-11 sensation able to offer real quality in the final third.

That is showcased by the fact that the former Genk man – who arrived in Bergamo back in 2019 – has netted 30 goals and provided 28 assists in 142 games for his current side thus far, having previously scored 30 goals and laid on 32 assists during his previous stint in Belgium.

While the experienced asset has only recorded three goal involvements so far this term in Serie A, the £21k-per-week ace still compares favourably to those in his position across Europe, notably illustrating his creative brilliance as he ranks in the top 3% for progressive passes, as well as in the top 7% for shot-creating actions.

The versatile ace – who can feature all across the frontline or in a midfield role – also has the dynamism to help drive his side forward from deep, as he ranks in the top 16% for dribbles completed as a marker of his ball-playing brilliance.

A player who Conte would seemingly love due to his ability to feature in “multiple systems” – as described by transfer insider Dean Jones – Malinovskyi could well prove to be another astute capture as far as Paratici is concerned, with the Italian having previously worked his magic in the January window earlier this year.

That winter market saw the former Juventus transfer chief notably secure a loan swoop for Dejan Kulusevski from the Allianz Stadium, with the Sweden international having gone on to thrive in English football since then, providing 19 goal contributions in just 32 games thus far.

The “exemplary” 22-year-old – as described by pundit Paul Robinson – made an instant impact following his move to Tottenham in the second half of last term, helping to steer Conte’s men into the top four after contributing five goals and eight assists in just 18 appearances.

The hope will be that by bringing in the aforementioned Malinovskyi in the New Year the new addition can have a similar impact to that of the current loanee, with the Italian market having already proven fruitful for the club of late.

If Paratici can repeat his Kulusevski masterclass when the window re-opens in just over a month’s time, then Spurs could well be in for a real treat.

Glasgow Rangers winger Ryan Kent is now attracting interest from the Premier League ahead of the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Another one…

The Ibrox outfit sold Joe Aribo to Southampton in the summer and Nathan Patterson to Everton in January.

Aribo played a stunning 57 times for the first team last season, and Patterson 11 times before his move (Transfermarkt), and now another first-teamer could be on his way to the English top flight.

The Latest: Fulham eyeing Kent

As per Football Insider, Fulham are now eyeing a potential move for Kent, who can sign a pre-contract agreement with a non-Scottish club in January.

He is out of contract in the summer, and talks over an extension have failed. Fulham could potentially sign him for a cut-price in January, or agree on a pre-contract to get him for free at the end of the season.

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The Verdict: Sell in January

Unfortunately for the Gers, it does not look like Kent is going to sign a new deal, and should his situation remain the same, they’ll need to sell him in January in order to get a transfer fee for his departure.

Some of his performances have been criticised this campaign, with suggestions that he is already looking elsewhere, and you’d expect that Giovanni van Bronckhorst will not want to keep an unhappy player at the club.

As much of a good servant as Kent has been to the Light Blues, January presents the perfect time to part ways.

Glasgow Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been backed by Ross Wilson in the transfer market since he arrived at Ibrox in 2021.

His first window was in January of this year and the sporting director placed his faith in the head coach by bringing in Amad Diallo, Aaron Ramsey, James Sands, and Mateusz Zukowski, whilst also signing John Souttar on a pre-contract agreement.

The Light Blues chief worked hard throughout the recent summer window to further improve the Dutchman’s squad; bringing in Tom Lawrence, Antonio Colak, Ridvan Yilmaz, Malik Tillman, Rabbi Matondo and Ben Davies.

However, not every transfer has turned out to be a success and one signing Wilson has made a mistake with, as it stands, is right-back Zukowski.

The Polish full-back was brought in after the club sold Nathan Patterson for a then-record fee to Premier League side Everton, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Wilson explained the reasons behind the signing at the time, telling the club’s official website: “As part of our transfer strategy this window we wanted to recruit a young, right full-back who we see high potential in to further develop.

“Mateusz absolutely fits the profile that we were looking for in the market and we are all looking forward to working with him. He is a determined character and I know how excited he is to come here.”

He was framed as competition for James Tavernier at right-back, and was valued at £2.25m by Transfermarkt, but did not make a single appearance in the Premiership in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, playing once in the SFA Cup.

That appearance in the cup remains his only outing for the first team to date and he may leave the club on a permanent basis without playing another match for the Light Blues.

He joined Lech Poznan in his home country on loan in the summer and the Polish side have a ‘guaranteed option’ to sign him permanently at the end of his temporary switch.

At the time of writing (09/10/22), Zukowski is valued at £1.35m by Transfermarkt and this means that his value has plummeted by 40% since joining in January, almost halving in less than a year.

Therefore, it’s perhaps evident that the Pole’s potential isn’t quite as big as Rangers imagined when he first joined the club 10 months ago, meaning Wilson has made a mistake in bringing him to Scotland.

The defender has not produced quality on the pitch for the Light Blues – with one appearance for the team – and he has become a depreciating asset despite only being 20, rather than rising in value as an up-and-coming player.

Regardless of who it was, it was always going to be a tough act to follow Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager, especially with the way he revolutionised the English game and transformed the Gunners from midtable stagnation to arguably one of the finest Premier League teams of all time.

Spaniard Unai Emery was given the second hardest job in English football (I mean, nobody will replace Sir Alex Ferguson) and he soon started to put his own stamp on the team.

Emery didn’t exactly set the Premier League on fire, he did however reach the Europa League final in 2019 and made some excellent signings for the club, with Kieran Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli arriving under his tenure.

One of his rare Arsenal masterclasses however was selling an Arsenal academy graduate for a massive profit in 2019.

Emery played a blinder on Alex Iwobi

The Nigerian made his debut for the Gunners in 2015 and went on to play 149 matches in all competitions for the side, scoring just 15 times during that period.

Having come through the academy, he didn’t cost the club anything and with Emery looking to bring in his own players for his style of play, Iwobi was sold to Everton for £34m, and it turned out to be a masterstroke.

The 26-year-old has played 105 times for the Merseyside club, but he has only scored seven times, a terrible return for such a high transfer fee.

Writer Peter Guy dubbed him as “woeful” following a game against West Ham last season and the stats from the entirety of the campaign prove this wasn’t just an isolated incident.

His WhoScored rating of 6.58 ranked him in a lowly 15th spot in the Everton squad for his performances last term. He scored just two Premier League goals and grabbed two assists, ranking him eighth in the squad, even lower than centre-back Michael Keane.

The £34m looks like a terrible investment from Everton, especially when you consider his goal return, which works out at £4.8m per goal.

So far this season, it doesn’t appear that anything has changed in terms of his offensive numbers, although he has matched last season’s assists tally in just seven matches.

It’s a shame he can’t replicate his form for his country, where he has ten goals in 59 appearances, at club level and improvement must be seen fast in terms of his goal contributions.

Meanwhile, the Arsenal board are still counting the millions made from his sale.

Tottenham Hotspur could be able to secure a future deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Adama Traore, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Attracting interest

The Spaniard spent the second half of last season out on loan at Barcelona before making his return to the Molineux this summer, but having entered the final 12 months of his contract, a departure was expected.

A host of Premier League clubs – including Chelsea, West Ham, Newcastle and the Lilywhites – were all credited with an interest in the speedster.

Despite a move not coming to fruition this window, it doesn’t sound as if the 26-year-old has ruled out a future switch…

The Latest: Spurs in the mix

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via Sport Witness), Traore ‘prefers to wait’ to see how Wolves fare this season after living with ‘weeks of uncertainty’ surrounding his future.

It’s stated that Bruno Lage’s side are ‘preparing’ a new contract offer for the player, though it’s believed he’ll ‘think about continuing at the club or go somewhere else’ in the coming months.

The source confirms that he’s ‘not been short of proposals’, and is still ‘in the orbit’ of multiple clubs, with Spurs name-checked as one of those.

Antonio Conte is a known admirer of the player, although it sounds like he’ll face plenty of competition.

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The Verdict: Potential bargain

Tottenham missing out on Traore this window could turn out to be a blessing in disguise – the closer he gets to his contract expiration, Wolves will have no choice but to lower his asking price or even allow him to pen a pre-contract agreement.

The 5 foot 8 ‘beast’, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 29 goals and provided 57 assists throughout his career (Transfermarkt), and proves himself to be a constant threat in the final third even if his end product is sometimes lacking.

Spurs do have plenty of attacking options at their disposal, but if the opportunity to sign Traore for cheap comes up next year, it’s almost a deal that would be too good for Conte to refuse.

Journalist and broadcaster Andy Sixsmith has praised the potential signing of Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: In talks

As per Italian football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the St. James’ Park outfit are preparing an offer for Ramos, and talks are ongoing with him and Benfica over a potential move.

PSG are also thought to be interested in signing him, but the North East club have made him their ‘top target’.

The Latest: Sixsmith reacts

Taking to Twitter, Sixsmith, a broadcaster for BBC Sport and Radio 5 Live, gave his instant reaction to the news, praising Ramos’ qualities and claiming that he would be the ‘perfect fit’ on Tyneside:

“Talk really building on Goncalo Ramos to NUFC – what a smart signing this would be. Brilliant in the air, a real clever finisher & a proper grafter up front – all for a manageable fee. He’d bring goals, quality & competition. Perfect fit.”

The Verdict: No time to waste

With the likes of PSG. who can offer him UEFA Champions League football, interested in Ramos, there is no time to waste for Eddie Howe’s side to get this deal over the line.

He has started the season very well, scoring a hat-trick in Benfica’s 4-1 home win over FC Midtjylland in their Champions League qualifier, while he’s also registered three assists this term already (Transfermarkt).

The 21-year-old had a breakthrough season last campaign, when he managed eight goals and four assists in 46 matches in total across all competitions (Transfermarkt), and is really starting to make a name for himself around Europe.

Nonetheless, Ramos would provide the perfect competition to both Callum Wilson and Chris Wood up top.