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Since making the move from Sevilla to Aston Villa last summer, Diego Carlos hasn't exactly had the best of luck, with his long-term injury at the start of last season against Everton summing things up.

Back from injury with a new season underway, and Unai Emery in the technical area, Carlos has finally been ready to take his chance at Villa Park as of late, however, featuring in all four Premier League games.

The last thing the defender will want now is another spell on the sidelines, but he may be in for exactly that after he was forced off against Liverpool.

The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell spotted a worrying sign that the defender may have suffered another injury blow.

What did Carlos do after his injury?

After Carlos was forced off in Aston Villa's frustrating 3-0 defeat at Anfield against Liverpool, Tanswell took to Twitter to reveal what he spotted on the visiting bench, saying: "Diego Carlos has just taken a seat on the bench. Still in his full kit and limping."

Of course, another injury to a defender is the last thing that Emery needs, too, given that Tyrone Mings is already set for an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a significant knee injury. The fact the Brazilian returned to the bench rather than staying in the dressing room for treatment could be a good sign, but his obvious limp certainly isn't.

Solving that problem, the Midlands club signed Clement Lenglet on loan late in the summer transfer window, but the Barcelona man cannot cover for two absences.

It does seem as though Villa fans can hope for the best, with Emery commenting on Carlos' injury after the game, saying, via Tanswell: "The injury of Diego Carlos (frustrated him most) It's not a big injury but it changed our gameplan."

The hope will be that the forthcoming international break gives the former Sevilla centre-back the chance to recover in time for Villa's next Premier League clash, which sees them square off against Crystal Palace.

How has Diego Carlos performed this season?

Returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Carlos has slotted in next to the likes of Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa in a mixed start to the season for those at Aston Villa.

The Villans got off to a nightmare start, suffering a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle United on an opening day to forget, before they bounced back in style, smashing Everton 4-0.

A 3-1 win over Burnley, followed by a 3-0 loss against Liverpool since those first two games represents an inconsistent start for Emery's side, who are still adapting to the former Arsenal manager's set-up, in an attempt to cause plenty of shocks in the Premier League this season.

The international break should hand Emery and co the crucial opportunity to solve any glaring problems with their system at Villa Park, in an attempt to stop the leak of goals against the best sides in England's top flight.

Whether Carlos will be fit enough to play a part in that tactical adjustment when domestic action returns remains to be seen, but Emery's verdict certainly seemed a positive one, given that there was plenty of cause for concern after the defender limped off.

West Ham United face a transfer worry as European champions Man City could now plot to steal away a "superstar" player.

Who has left West Ham?

The east Londoners sold former Declan Rice to Arsenal for around £105 million in the summer transfer window, and he was joined by Gianluca Scamacca, Nikola Vlasic and Arthur Masuaku.

West Ham's former quartet left to the tune of £134 million in total, and they were subsequently replaced by Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus.

Two of the former, Alvarez and Ward-Prowse, have taken to life excellently at the London Stadium while Mavropanos could in fact make his Claret and Blue debut this weekend after recovering from a back problem.

David Moyes has lead his Hammers side through an absolutely brilliant start to the 2023/2024 Premier League campaign.

West Ham have tasted victory in three of their opening four league matches prior to the international break; sealing wins against high-flying Brighton, big-spending Chelsea and newcomers Luton Town.

The Irons remain unbeaten but now face a crunch clash against City on Saturday; a match which will prove their toughest test yet given just how finely Pep Guardiola's side have started.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

Indeed, the Blues pose a serious threat to West Ham on the field this weekend and could well end their unbeaten streak.

However, City are now also threatening off the pitch as well, with some news emerging on a West Ham star they're apparently very keen on.

Morocco international defender Nayef Aguerd, who has starred for Moyes in recent months, is apparently turning a few heads at the Etihad Stadium.

Aguerd had attracted late Saudi window interest from Nuno Espirito Santo's Al-Ittihad, according to reports last week, but a move failed to materialise.

The 27-year-old has formed a formidable partnership with Kurt Zouma at the heart of West Ham's back-line, something which hasn't gone unnoticed at City, who "could join the race" to sign Aguerd in January alongside Liverpool.

That is according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, who writes for Football Insider that Moyes' side will demand a "huge" fee to part company with their star defender in the winter window.

How good is Nayef Aguerd?

The African was also a colossal presence for Morocco on their run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals in Qatar last year.

Called a Moroccan "superstar" by members of the press, Aguerd's former teammate Achraf Sidki has also branded him "one of the best defenders in Europe".

"West Ham have signed one of the best defenders in Europe,” Sidki said to The Athletic.

“I’m so proud that one of my former teammates will be playing in the Premier League.

“I’m surprised he didn’t move to England sooner. When we were younger we both had big dreams of becoming professional footballers. Nayef has done well and I’m confident he will be a great signing for West Ham.

“There were so many times he saved the team when we played together. That’s when I realised he was very good. I remember one occasion we played against a team called Tetouan.

“We needed to win and it was probably Nayef’s best game for the club. He was man of the match and after the game, I told him, ‘One day you will make it to the Premier League. You don’t know how good you are’."

Tottenham Hotspur and new manager Ange Postecoglou have gone into the international break in excellent form, even despite losing talisman Harry Kane, having won three of their first four games in the Premier League.

They currently sit in second place on 10 points.

Their sensational early-season form has been largely thanks to new signing James Maddison, who joined in the summer from Leicester for £40m.

The English international has already scored two goals and provided two assists this season, and has been nominated for Premier League Player of the Month.

In total, Spurs signed seven new players in the transfer window including Brennan Johnson and Micky van de Ven, as well as making Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski’s loan moves permanent, meaning in total the Lilywhites spent £213m.

Although chairman Daniel Levy has spent heavily this summer it may already be difficult to argue that it wasn’t money well invested.

However, the same can’t be said for last summer's window after they signed Brazilian striker Richarlison from Everton on a five-year contract.

How much did Tottenham pay for Richarlison?

After having a reasonably successful 2021/22 campaign that saw Tottenham finish fourth in the league, under then-manager Antonio Conte, it was confirmed that there had been £100m invested into the club to be spent on transfers.

And after young winger Bryan Gil was sent out on loan Conte and Levy needed attacking reinforcements.

This led to the £60m signing of Richarlison from Everton, who had just come off the back of a successful year with Everton where he almost single-handedly kept the Toffees up.

Why was Richarlison worth this much?

Before signing for Spurs in 2022 the 26-year-old had played for two different Premier League clubs, where he enjoyed successful spells for both.

The Brazilian first came to the Premier League in August 2017, when he signed for Watford from Fluminense, at just 20 years old.

During his time with Watford, the striker played 41 times, scoring five goals and providing five assists.

After only one season with the Hornets, Richarlison joined Everton for £40m, where he would spend the next four years, making 152 appearances, scoring 53 goals and recording 14 assists.

Stats via Transfermarkt

In his final season with Everton Richarlison was his side’s highest-ranking player on Sofascore, with an average rating of 7.02.

He also completed 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes the second most in the squad, and he created seven big chances across the season, the highest in the squad, proving how pivotal he was to Everton’s survival, as they only escaped relegation by four points.

What is Richarlison worth now?

Since moving to White Hart Lane, a year ago Richarlison has failed to impress anyone, last season he was only able to muster one Premier League goal and four assists, and in all competitions, he managed three goals. Despite playing 35 times.

His most memorable moment from last season came in his side's 4-3 loss away to Liverpool in April.

Coming into the game Richarlison hadn’t registered a Premier League goal, although he had put the ball in the back of the net three times, taking his shirt off to celebrate each time, only for all of them to be hilariously disallowed.

However, after coming on in the 84th minute with his side 3-2 down the striker bagged a 93rd-minute equalizer, inevitably he tore his shirt off in celebration thinking he had rescued a point for his side. Only for Lucas Moura to miss place a pass one minute later, playing Diogo Jota through one one-on-one and allowing him to finish calmly into the goal.

Speaking a couple of weeks after the game, talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino highlighted just how disappointed he was with Richarlison since his transfer.

He said:

"If you said to me, the worst player this season, the worst player for what he's got, Richarlison.

“He's been a joke this year. I don't care if he's been injured or gone away to the World Cup, yesterday he hardly tried a leg, he really looked disinterested.

"I know that obviously Antonio Conte pulled him out about his performances or a bit about he's not played well.

"I can't believe… Richarlison was the player last year that I felt was responsible as anybody for keeping Everton up, his performances at the end of last season.

“He hasn't shown any of that at Spurs.

“He's been hugely disappointing Richarlison."

This judgment on Richarlision’s season is backed up by his Sofascore rating, as the Brazilian only managed an average rating of 6.73 – the 16th highest in the squad – and to make things worse, already this season he is Tottenham’s lowest-ranked player, with an average rating of only 6.45.

This has led to his value dropping by a staggering £27m, with him now being valued at just €38.5m (£33m), this means he has had a 45% decrease in his transfer value since his £60m move.

Also speaking on talkSPORT, pundit and Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor labelled him as one of the worst signings of the season.

He said:

"You look at Richarlison, how many chances is he going to have? For me he's the flop of the season.

"He's going to cost Spurs £60million, three goals in 33 games in all competitions. A goal every ten games, one goal in 25 Premier League games, one goal since September.

"Substituted again today 59 minutes, you were a better team when he came off, flop of the season."

He also followed up by mocking his infamous celebration, he said: "No pigeon dancing is there this week? All this nonsense."

How much does Richarlison earn?

When Richarlison first moved to Watford he earned £32k-per-week but after his move to Tottenham, he is no on an astonishing £90k-per-week, meaning that last season for every goal the Brazilian scored he was paid £1.6m.

What is next for Richarlison?

So far this season Richarlison has played in all five of Spurs’ fixtures and started in four of them, he even scored his first goal of the season in his side's League Cup defeat against Fulham. This means he is already off to a better start than last season.

The striker must try and push past his terrible performances last season and hopefully, for him, under a new manager and style of play, he can re-find the form he had at Everton.

But so far, the Conte signing has been nothing short of a shocking signing for the club.

Manchester United are now interested in signing an exciting youngster whose playing style has been compared to Chelsea's Moises Caicedo, according to a report.

Who could Man United sign in January?

Man United used the recent international break to scout defensive prospects, having watched Benfica's Antonio Silva and Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini, amid former captain Harry Maguire's uncertain future at Old Trafford.

In the summer transfer window, the Red Devils managed to strengthen their midfield considerably, bringing in Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat, but Erik ten Hag is seemingly still keen on additional options, with Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren now of interest.

There have now been reports that Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella was strongly considered by United in the summer, but no official offer was submitted, with the financial constraints at Old Trafford hindering their chances of signing the Italian.

As such, Man United may have to turn their attention towards a more unproven option to bolster their midfield, with Tutto Juve reporting they are now seriously interested in signing Oscar Zambrano, who currently plays for Ecuadorian side LDU Quito.

However, United may have to fight it out with some of Europe's top clubs, as the Italian outlet reports that Barcelona and Juventus are also interested in the "great prospect for the future" ahead of the January transfer window.

Tutto Juve state that Juventus would initially give the 19-year-old experience in the U23 team, should they win the race for his signature, indicating he would not be at the level to immediately challenge for a starting place at Old Trafford.

However, the starlet could still be an exciting signing for the future, given that he is clearly thought of in very high regard by a number of sides across Europe, with Ajax and Luton Town making approaches for him back in the summer transfer window.

Who is Oscar Zambrano?

The Santo Domingo-born midfielder made his breakthrough with LDU Quito in 2022, and he has since gone on to establish himself in the first team, making a total of 36 appearances for the Ecuadorian club.

There are indications the youngster could also be about to announce himself on the international scene with Ecuador, having made 14 appearances for the U20 side since his debut in June 2022.

The Ecuador U21 international has scored just one professional goal, as he has mainly been utilised as a defensive midfielder, making 27 appearances in that area of the pitch, due to his defensive qualities.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has provided an overview of the Quito star's abilities on X, describing him as a "modern holding midfielder", while also praising him for his tackling, pace and passing, among a number of other key strengths.

Perhaps in light of the central midfielder's tackling ability, he has been likened to compatriot Moises Caicedo, who signed for Chelsea for a British record £115m fee in the summer.

It would be very difficult for Zambrano to replicate Caicedo's rise to the top, but he is clearly a very talented youngster, and Man United should continue to monitor him ahead of January.

Former Roma manager Jose Mourinho wants to take up a managerial job soon but will wait for the 'right' opportunity.

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• Mourinho spotted at Saudi Arabia GP
• Wants to take up a managerial role soon
• Linked with a move to Chelsea

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The legendary Portuguese manager has been without a job since AS Roma parted ways with him in January. He was recently spotted in Jeddah at the Saudi Arabiab Grand Prix where he revealed his desire to return to football management as soon as possible.

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• WHAT JOSE MOURINHO SAID

  caught up with Mourinho on the sidelines of the F1 track and asked if he would return to the coach's dugout soon, to which the Portuguese said, "I hope so. I want [to manage]. Roma was great because we did two European finals in two years and that’s hard in a club that never did it. But now I have to wait for the right opportunity. I want to work tomorrow if possible, but I don’t want to make the wrong decision."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Before the Saudi GP live, the 61-year-old was seen in Riyadh at the Kingdom Arena on Friday where he attended the showdown fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou. The veteran coach was greeted by a very loud cheer from the fans when he arrived.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JOSE MOURINHO?

  The veteran coach has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League who reportedly prepared a lucrative offer earlier this season. Chelsea could also consider their former manager's name in case they decide to sack Mauricio Pochettino after yet another disappointing season.

It has been reported that a "phenomenal" Tottenham Hotspur player is now "at odds" with the club, and he is currently working to leave.

What's the latest Spurs transfer news?

Despite the signings of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, assured defender Micky van de Ven, England midfield star James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, exciting striker Alejo Veliz and Wales forward Brennan Johnson over the summer transfer window, Lilywhites bosses apparently have their eyes on January.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has seriously impressed over his first six Premier League matches as manager, with his side currently boasting an early-season unbeaten streak. Indeed, the north Londoners have won four out of their opening six league games and stand out as one of the division's highest-scoring sides. Next up, Tottenham battle fellow high-flyers Liverpool on home turf tomorrow – a match which is shaping up to be a very interesting encounter.

However, their success on the field could well be hampered by potential injuries to star players. A scare surrounding Maddison this week highlights this in particular, and you could argue there are few options behind fellow summer signing van de Ven if the defender were to be sidelined. Potentially as a result, chairman Daniel Levy and new Chief Football Officer Scott Munn are reportedly considering targets for the winter window.

The likes of Gleison Bremer (Juventus) and Lloyd Kelly (Bournemouth) have been mooted as targets by the press, while Spurs could also allegedly move for Brentford star Ivan Toney.

Who could leave Tottenham?

To make room for these potential new additions, it is believed that a fair few fringe squad members may well depart. The likes of Giovani Lo Celso and Ivan Perisic, despite their injury woes, are being tipped to leave when the transfer window reopens for business.

Eric Dier, who is yet to play a single minute for Postecoglou this season, is another who could make way as there have been reports of serious interest from Roma. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, regardless of his status as a real mainstay under Antonio Conte last season, is another apparently eyeing the exit door.

The Dane has struggled for regular starting places under Postecoglou, as he doesn't quite fit in to the Australian's new-look system, with Calciomercato providing an update on his future.

According to the Italian news outlet, Hojbjerg is "at odds with Tottenham", with both the player and his agents putting feelers out to various clubs across Europe. This would allow the midfielder to "say goodbye" to Tottenham, and Juventus are named as a possible destination for him.

However, due to their financial problems, they cannot afford Spurs' £26 million asking price. They are hopeful that a loan can be negotiated through representatives, as Juve won't be able to afford a permanent deal unless "excellent sales" are made – according to the report.

Hojbjerg stood out as one of Spurs' best-performing players per 90 last season, according to WhoScored. The 28-year-old also bagged four goals and five assists in that time, with Jose Mourinho previously calling him a "phenomenal player".

After seeing their Champions League campaign come to an abrupt end on Tuesday night, will Celtic get back to winning ways on Saturday?

The Hoops, who’ve never won a Champions League knockout phase match before in their entire history, came so close to a famous victory in Bavaria, 1-0 up on the night, pulling it back to 2-2 on aggregate, only to suffer a heartbreaking gut-punch right at the death, ousted 3-2 by Bayern Munich.

So now, attention turns to trying to secure a sixth treble in just nine seasons, facing Hibernian at Easter Road in Saturday’s early kick off, already a humongous 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

So, while Celtic supporters and players are, largely, loving life right now, one former fans’ favourite very much is not south of the border.

Celtic's best strikers of the last decade

Daizen Maeda’s recent form has earned wide-spread rave reviews, with teammate Alistair Johnston describing him as “one of the most in-form players in Europe”.

That’s because the Japanese striker has scored 11 times since Boxing Day, taking his tally to 51 goals in 144 appearances for the club overall, since arriving in January 2022.

Meantime, having netted against Slovan Bratislava, Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge and then Bayern Munich in Europe this season, Maeda became the first Celtic player since Joe Craig 47 years ago to score four or more goals in a single Champions League campaign.

How ever good Maeda may be, he’ll never exceed the legacy left by Henrik Larsson, widely considered Celtic’s best player of the modern era.

Larsson scored 224 goals in 292 games for Celtic between 1997 and 2004, scoring every 113 minutes on average, before departing for Barcelona, helping the Catalan giants win the Champions League in 2006.

Speaking on the Soccer 101 Podcast, Graham Ruthven, believes Larsson to be the best player Scottish football has seen in the post-SPL era (1998 onwards), describing him as “legitimately one of the best strikers in the world”, which, he adds would “never happen now” in the Premiership.

So, let’s compare Larsson to some of the best Celtic centre-forwards of more modern times.

As the table shows, none of the strikers who’ve come since have scored more goals, nor registered a better minutes-per-goal ratio than Larsson.

Fast forward to today, one of the strikers included in the table, currently 27 years old, once labelled the best since Larsson, isn’t enjoyed a season to remember.

Former Celtic striker in Premier League exile

Odsonne Édouard initially arrived at Celtic on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, but impressed to such an extent that the Hoops were convinced to spend a then-record £8m to secure his services permanently.

Martin O’Neill, who was manager during the glory years of the early-2000s, stated that he believed Édouard to be Celtic’s “best striker since Larsson”.

Affectionately known as French Eddy, he scored 87 goals in 179 appearances for the Hoops, before being sold to Crystal Palace for £14m in August 2021.

Well, his career in South London could not have started much better, scoring twice off the bench on his debut as the Eagles beat Tottenham 3-0 at Selhurst.

Édouard scored a steady yet unspectacular six, seven and then eight goals during his three seasons at Palace, but was deemed surplus to requirements by Oliver Glasner last summer, given Jean-Philippe Mateta’s red-hot form and following the arrival of Eddie Nketiah.

The Frenchman was allowed to join Leicester City on loan but this move, that John Percy of the Telegraph describes as a ‘shambles’, certainly has not worked, with Édouard making just six appearances for the Foxes, totalling a mere 113 minutes, not even named on the bench for 13 of their last 14 Premier League fixtures, most-recently appearing on 10 November.

FIFA rules stipulate that a player can only play for two clubs in a single season so, given that the striker featured twice for Palace in August before making the move, he’s not able to be registered by a third club.

However, to cut a long story short, because MLS is a summer league, their equivalent of next season starts this weekend, so Atlanta United did reportedly bid £15m for Édouard in January, but this move did not come to pass, and he remains in exile, out of the picture at Leicester and unable to appear for anyone else.

Where Are They Now

Celtic supporters will be sad to see the predicament Édouard has ended up in, but this suggests they were right to cash in at £14m, given that his status has surely plummeted in recent years.

93% passing: Rodgers' "underrated" Celtic star just had his O'Riley moment

One Celtic star has made a mixed start to life in Glasgow, but was certainly impressive against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

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By
Ben Gray

Feb 19, 2025

The Gunners' transfer activity has been questioned this season, but most of their new arrivals have been outstanding in recent weeks

If David Raya hadn't come up with two stunning saves in Arsenal's penalty shootout victory over Porto on Tuesday night, there's a decent chance that the red half of north London would've spontaneously combusted in a fit of frustrated rage.

Across the two legs of this Champions League last-16 tie, the Portuguese side hit the Gunners with every flavour of sh*thousery imaginable, leaving fans, staff and players rattled beyond belief. Ultimately, though, despite their cynical efforts, Arsenal would be the ones who booked their place in the quarter-finals, with Raya having a huge hand – quite literally – in their historic victory.

Speaking after the game, Mikel Arteta was full of praise for his No.1, revealing that he was not surprised that the Spaniard refused to wilt under the pressure: "I was convinced that was going to be the case. You see him those first few days here, what he had to go through and how he did it with that composure. You look at his body language and the decisions that he takes, he doesn’t get very affected. That’s a key quality for that position."

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  Ramsdale snub attracted criticism

  That Raya would turn out to be the match-winner was further vindication of Arteta's brutal and brave decision to move on from Aaron Ramsdale as his first-choice goalkeeper in the summer.

  That move was not widely popular at the time, both within sections of the fanbase and in the media. Raya wasn't immediately inserted into the starting XI, not making his Premier League debut until September, but once he made that maiden bow, it soon became clear that he was now Arteta's go-to option between the sticks, despite the coach outlining a utopian vision where the pair would rotate – perhaps even during a game.

  Arteta was criticised by a host of media figures for his ruthlessness, including David Seaman and Peter Schmeichel, with Ramsdale's father even infamously chipping in with some harsh words.

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  Arteta's ruthlessness rewarded

  However, after some shakiness early on, Raya has more than proved that he is an upgrade on the man he replaced in goal. Most obviously, the Spaniard has facilitated a marked improvement in how Arsenal have dealt with balls into the box this season. No Premier League goalkeeper has claimed a higher percentage of crosses (14.9%) they have faced this term, with Ramsdale racking up a figure of just 5.8% in 2022-23.

  Raya is far more comfortable in the build-up phase too. His pass completion numbers are superior to Ramsdale's last season, while his quick throws and goal-kicks regularly create good opportunities for his team-mates.

  Despite this, if there was any question mark remaining over Raya's superiority over Ramsdale, it would be shot-stopping. Neither goalkeeper is among the absolute best in the world in this area, but on Tuesday, the ex-Brentford man proved he can be relied upon to come up with game-settling stops.

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  Written into Arsenal folklore

  Even before the penalty shootout began, Raya was called into action, saving well from Evanilson in the first half and Francisco Conceicao in the second. When his big moment came, he relished it, diving down to his left to keep out Wendell and Galeno's efforts from 12 yards, while also getting something Marko Grujic's spot-kick.

  Raya was understandably delighted at full-time, saying: "This means everything. You play football for these kind of things and I'm lucky to be playing for Arsenal, to be in the Champions League and to get through to the quarter-finals. We're just going to enjoy the night."

  Securing their passage into the last eight for the first time in 14 years is a massive moment for the club, and finally winning a European knockout game at the Emirates (after five previous, unsuccessful attempts) ensured Arteta got a sizeable monkey off his back. That it was one of his most-maligned signings who got them there will only make the victory sweeter.

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  Jorginho still has that magic

  Raya is not the only of Arteta's recruits who have been proving their doubters wrong recently, too. When Jorginho arrived at the club in January 2023, there were concerns. Arsenal had had their fingers burnt recruiting aging Chelsea players in the past and supporters were frustrated that the Gunners hadn't managed to secure their top midfield target: Moises Caicedo.

  The Italian's slow start to life at the Emirates did little to quell this disappointment, either. He was even linked with Fenerbahce last summer and made a poor error in the Gunners' underwhelming north London derby draw in September.

  After that, Jorginho looked set to be consigned to the status of bit-part player under Arteta. However, more recently, the midfielder has stepped up with a string of player-of-the-match performances. He was vital in unpicking Sevilla's stubborn defence at the Emirates in November, and was absolutely brilliant when the Gunners romped to a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in February.

With Gareth Southgate closing in on naming his 23-man group for the tournament in Germany, GOAL has tried to steer him in the right direction

The road to Euro 2024 is almost over for England. The next time the Three Lions convene, they will do so for two pre-tournament friendlies before heading off to Germany, most likely as tournament favourites. It's been a long time since the pressure was so great.

It's not clear exactly how Gareth Southgate will go about naming his final squad for the Euros, but March's friendlies against Brazil and Belgium were likely the final chance for certain players to impress, at least in an international setting. As such, the England boss surely has an idea of which 23 players he will be selecting this summer.

But what would your England Euro 2024 squad be right now? That's the question nine GOAL writers and editors (Stephen Darwin, Krishan Davis, Mark Doyle, Richard Martin, Tom Maston, Matt O'Connor-Simpson, Amee Ruszkai, Joe Strange and James Westwood) have been grappling with in recent days, with each having individually put together the 23 players they would choose to take to Germany, as well as the line-up they would select for England's opening match against Serbia on June 16 if they were in Southgate's shoes.

We've tallied the results to put together GOAL's ideal England Euro 2024 squad – but have we got it right? Check out the selections below, and let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page…

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  Goalkeepers

  Jordan Pickford may have his doubters, but the Everton man has rarely let England down at big tournaments, and it should come as no surprise that all nine of our voters had him in their squads.

  The battle for the back-up goalkeeper spots was more intense, but in the end it was two men who have barely played for a number of months who got the nod. Aaron Ramsdale's (five votes) demotion by Arsenal certainly doesn't seem to have done his standing any harm among our voters, while Nick Pope (four votes) also gets the nod despite having been out since December with a shoulder injury. The Newcastle man is scheduled to return in April, thus giving him just enough time to prove his fitness to Southgate ahead of the Euros.

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  Full-backs

  Southgate has a wealth of full-back options to choose from this summer, but right now there is no shortage of uncertainty surrounding many of them due to concerns over both fitness and form.

  Right-back has long been a position of enviable depth for England, and three specialists were selected by all nine GOAL voters, as Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold made the cut. All three currently have injury clouds hanging over them, however, and Southgate will hope they all recover in time to be in contention this summer.

  The same can be said of Luke Shaw, who snuck into our squad with five votes, despite there being fears that he might not play again for Manchester United this season. Southgate has voiced his concern over the left-back's injury issues, but enough of our voters are confident Shaw can be involved in Germany.

  Ben Chilwell, meanwhile, garnered six votes despite some indifferent performances for both Chelsea and England in recent months, with Shaw's long-term absence having perhaps played a part in that thinking.

  It should also be remembered that both Trippier and Alexander-Arnold have shown positional versatility in the past, while Walker and Shaw can also play as part of a back-three if required. Certainly, having players who are comfortable in a variety of positions is crucial for any tournament squad.

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  Centre-backs

  Harry Maguire's place in the England hierarchy continues to be a topic for debate, and there were three of our voters who decided against selecting the Manchester United centre-back in their final squad. That wasn't enough, however, to keep him off our overall roster.

  He is joined on there by John Stones, who received the maximum nine votes, as well as uncapped Everton youngster Jarrad Branthwaite, who has clearly done enough in the eyes of the five voters who picked him to leapfrog some of the more experienced options despite him having never played for his country.

  That aforementioned versatility surely came into play, meanwhile, with the selection of Joe Gomez, who had been in the international wilderness for four years before being recalled by Southgate for the recent round of friendlies. Though nominally a centre-back, the Liverpool defender has excelled at both right and left-back this season, and thus could be a valuable asset this summer.

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  Midfielders

  It should come as no surprise that both Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice both received the maximum nine votes from our team, with the midfield duo having developed into two of the best players in their respective roles in world football.

  Slightly more surprising is that James Maddison was also named on every single one of our voters' squads, though the Tottenham man has been a regular around the squad since the 2022 World Cup and has been enjoying a fine debut campaign in north London.

  Perhaps the most eye-catching selection of our whole squad, however, came in the shape of Kobbie Mainoo, who also received votes from all nine of our team. The Manchester United teenager only earned his first senior call-up just over a week ago, but his performances against Brazil and Belgium, coupled with his displays for Erik ten Hag's side since breaking into the United first team in November, were enough to convince all involved that he needs to be on the plane.

  Chelsea's Conor Gallagher rounds out our midfield group, as he earned six votes having been one of the Blues' more consistent performers over the course of the campaign.

Chelsea went through quite the overhaul in the summer, with an incredible number of departures to make room for a similar number of reinforcements to build Mauricio Pochettino a squad capable of making a return to the Premier League's top four. And, after a rocky start, back-to-back victories show that the Argentine is starting to guide the Blues back into top form in England's top flight.

When the January transfer window swings open, the London giants will undoubtedly be front and centre once again when it comes to the biggest deals. But they may also have to keep an eye on outgoings, having been left fuming by an approach for one of Pochettino's players.

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

The Blues were ruthless in the summer, bidding farewell to the likes of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, and Mateo Kovacic all to rival clubs in the Premier League top six, to make room for Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer and others. With their squad now assembled, they would have hoped to have little need for reinforcements in January, but three wins in their first eight games proved that Chelsea are far from the finished article.

It must be said, however, that keeping hold of important players could be the key. The latest Conor Gallagher transfer news revealed that the midfielder has already been approached over a January move, reportedly leaving Pochettino and Chelsea fuming.

According to Football Transfers, Steven Gerrard, the manager of Saudi Pro League's Al-Ettifaq, recently contacted Gallagher about a January move, which the midfielder turned down. Pochettino has reportedly been left angered by Gerrard's attempts to turn the heads of his players.

Having seemingly rejected the move, Gallagher looks set to stay put at Stamford Bridge, where he'll hope to help his side turn a poor start into a resurgent run of form in the race for a Champions League place.

How has Conor Gallagher performed this season?

Gallagher has been a surprisingly important part of Pochettino's side this season, starting in all eight Premier League games, including in recent back-to-back victories over Fulham and Burnley. His performances have resulted in some deserved praise, including from Pochettino, himself, who said, via The Mirror:

"Conor is a player who can run a lot and this is massive. He is a great professional and he can play in different positions as a No8, No10 or a No6. He is box-to-box, he can run and can finish and assist, like he did for Raheem Sterling [against Burnley]. We are so happy with him."

Meanwhile, Gallagher's stats have even been better than his fellow Chelsea midfielders in some key areas, as per FBref.

The former Crystal Palace loanee will only hope to get better under Pochettino, too, having reportedly turned down the chance to join up with Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq. Proving his commitment to the Blues, Gallagher now has the chance to become a vital player at Stamford Bridge this season, and for many more.