Arsenal have been tracking Yeremi Pino ahead of a potential move before the summer transfer deadline…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who revealed the exciting claim to GIVEMESPORT this week.

He said:

“They are one of many clubs that have been following him for a long time. He’s doing great with Villarreal. At the moment, there is still no bid or nothing advanced for Pino.”

GOAL recently claimed that the Gunners were interested in signing the 19-year-old sensation but the Yellow Submarines were holding out for a fee in the region of €45m (£38m), despite having an €80m (£67m) release clause in his current €57.7k-per-week (£48.5k-per-week) contract.

Arteta’s own Jarrod Bowen

The Spanish teenager, who has now been capped four times at senior level for his national side, has been a key player for former Arsenal boss Unai Emery at the Yellow Submarines over the past two years as they clinched the Europa League trophy over Manchester United in 2020.

It was a true breakthrough year for Pino last season, though, as he delivered seven goals and four assists across 40 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

That level of form has certainly attracted the interest of technical director Edu Gaspar as he looks to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad with another winger, having missed out on Raphinha to Villarreal’s LaLiga rivals, FC Barcelona.

The 19-year-old, who Romano even lauded as a “special talent” earlier this year, has an interesting profile for a winger with FBref highlighting some likeness to West Ham United star Jarrod Bowen, who too has been linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium this window.

Not only is he delivering in the final third but Pino also tracks back to help out his side defensively, which is always a bonus – when compared to fellow wingers across Europe over the last year, the youngster ranks inside the top 1% for blocks (2.62 per 90) and the top 24% for tackles (1.79 per 90), also via FBref.

Meanwhile, last season in LaLiga alone, he was within the top 2% for shots on target, the top 5% for goals per shot and the top 10% for non-penalty expected goals and assists, showing a similar sort of pizzaz to the West Ham star in the final third.

Bowen returned a whopping 12 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League for the Hammers last season and seems unlikely to be sold, particularly this late in the window, so in Pino, they could have a really viable alternative.

£38m may be a sizeable investment for a teenager but it’s some way off the premium fee it would take the Irons to sell. He thought to have an eye-watering £75m price tag.

As such, Edu and his recruitment staff should look to sign Pino before September 1st as Arteta could get his very own Bowen, which is a mouthwatering prospect along that right flank.

AND in other news, Arsenal have “genuine interest” in £25m “phenomenon”, could be a dream Arteta signing…

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has been reacting to the transfer speculation surrounding Celtic striker Giorgios Giakoumakis. 

The lowdown: Premier League interest

Earlier this week, reputable transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed that a number of clubs are ‘interested’ in Giakoumakis, including Premier League outfits.

However, the Italian journalist stated that the 27-year-old Greece international is ‘untouchable’ at Celtic Park having joined the Hoops last summer from VVV-Venlo.

Upon hearing about the reported admiration, one onlooker has suggested that the Scottish champions could be willing to sanction a sale should the price be too good to turn down…

The latest: ‘Wait and see’

Speaking to Football Insider, BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Hutton claimed that the Bhoys’ hierarchy would listen to offers for the 11-cap ace.

He said: “Of course (they would sell). Look at the likes of [Odsonne] Edouard, he went for £14million. If we’re talking about a big sum of money of course Rangers or Celtic, doesn’t matter who the player is, will always want to bring in a large fee.

“I think we’ll have to wait and see what kind of money we’re talking about. If it’s a silly bid from a team that’s trying to fight relegation, why would you leave? Celtic, who have got Champions League football who are going for the league, they’re fighting on all fronts.

“Does he start week in week out? No but that’s because they’re so strong at this moment in time. Surely you want to be part of that. I think it all depends on what club and how much we’re talking.”

The verdict: No deal

As Ange Postecoglou prepares his charges to embark on a UEFA Champions League group stage campaign to accompany domestic commitments, keeping players such as Giakoumakis in situ will be imperative.

Albeit the Celtic squad is blessed with attacking options and with the possibility of further reinforcements in the shape of Sead Haksabanovic and Ross Barkley to come, the powerful Greek frontman remains an important part of the plans having featured in all three Scottish Premiership games so far.

Should offers be forthcoming, the Glasgow giants would be expecting to field bids well in excess of his £3.6million market value, particularly given the four remaining years left on a contract at Parkhead.

Christian Benteke left Crystal Palace earlier this week but Patrick Vieira may already have a natural replacement for the Belgian in Luke Plange.

After six years at Selhurst Park, the former Liverpool man departed for D.C United, leaving Vieira with Odsonne Edouard, Jordan Ayew and Jean-Philippe Mateta as his main striking options at Selhurst Park.

However, the Frenchman could call upon 19-year-old Plange, who featured in pre-season and remains in the squad, taking his place on the bench for the opening day defeat against Arsenal.

The youngster is yet to make his first team debut for the Eagles, and only has one appearance for the academy side thus far, so it is no surprise that Vieira gave him a chance in pre-season to get a proper look at him, and he certainly impressed, scoring a hattrick in a 4-2 win against Ipswich Town

Last season saw the teenage forward join Derby County on loan, where he made 26 appearances in the Championship, contributing four goals and two assists.

Wayne Rooney was a big fan of the former Arsenal forward and sang his praises after he scored on his full debut against Blackpool.

He said:

“Luke Plange has a bit of everything in his game.

“He can run in behind teams, he’s quick and he is also strong enough to hold the ball up. As well as that, he’s a clever player and also a finisher.

“With players like that, you know that if they get a chance that they are more than likely going to score.”

Rooney certainly knows what he is talking about when it comes to strikers, considering he was one of the best of his generation in the Premier League, so to hear him talking so highly about Plange will no doubt delight Palace fans.

Rather than Vieira spending millions on a new striker to replace Vieira, the French manager might consider promoting Plange to his first team and giving him some chances this season.

Arsenal’s hunt for a new winger could soon take them to Holland and it wouldn’t be for the first time.

The Gunners have been linked to several names in recent weeks, having missed out on Raphinha after technical director Edu Gaspar admitted that he had an interest in the former Leeds United star but he had his sights set on FC Barcelona instead.

Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven is one player to have been mooted with a switch to the Emirates Stadium and it’s thought that the north Londoners are leading the race for his signature.

“Arsenal are favourites to sign Gakpo for sure,” revealed transfer insider Dean Jones less than two weeks ago.

It’s thought that the Eredivisie outfit could cost in the region of €40m, which would set the Gunners back around £34m, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The last time Arsenal went shopping in the Netherlands, it paid serious dividends as ex-Feyenoord striker Robin van Persie was not only a prolific goalscorer but he also took the captain’s armband, too.

Gakpo has been compared glowingly to the Dutch sensation.

“I always refer to Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie – he’s not at that level yet. But they came into the Premier League as left wingers and were turned into strikers under Arsene Wenger and did very well,” claimed Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan to Sky Sports News. “He is slowly being transitioned into a striker because he has had some good coaching from [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy.”

Last season, the 23-year-old put up some remarkable numbers in what was his best season in a PSV shirt. He found the net 21 times and also put up 15 assists – such form being comparable to the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in terms of young talent in Europe.

Whether manager Mikel Arteta wants Gakpo to play on the wing or up top remains to be seen but this versatility is a key attribute of his and only adds to the attraction of signing him before the transfer deadline on September 1st.

Once lauded as “phenomenal” and “special” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Netherlands international could well become the ‘next Robin van Persie’ at the Emirates Stadium.

Only Ajax’s Dusan Tadic registered more big chances created than the 6 foot 2 machine, whilst his expected goals and assists saw him rank fifth overall in the Eredivisie, as per Fotmob.

Edu must now look to close a deal for the Dutch sensation in the coming weeks as he looks to hand his manager a new threat in attack.

AND in other news, Arsenal could secure £34m “enormous talent”, may be bye-bye to Emery’s “utter disaster”…

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Stade Rennais right-back Hamari Traore this summer, and Patrick Vieira would be better signing the 30-year-old than re-signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

French news outlet Foot Mercato suggested earlier this month that the Eagles were keen to sign the Ligue 1 star after his superb performances in the French top-flight last season.

Another man who has also been linked with Palace is Wan-Bissaka after he was made surplus to requirements at Old Trafford by new manager Erik ten Hag.

The 30-year-old contributed three goals and a whopping ten assists in 33 appearances, averaging a superb 7.00 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

For context, only Conor Gallagher would average a higher rating in Palace’s squad last season, which emphasises the quality that the £13k-per-week Malian would add to Vieira’s side.

It is also better than Wan-Bissaka managed (6.91) in Manchester United’s side last season, as he failed to contribute a single goal or assist in 20 Premier League fixtures for the Red Devils.

If Vieira wants to continue playing free-flowing attacking football at Palace this season, then he would surely be better off with Traore, as he can contribute far more in attack than the former Eagles man.

FB Ref emphasises this further, as Traore scored in the 98th percentile for assists for defenders, as well as the 91st percentile and 90th percentile for progressive passes and passes attempted, which demonstrates his ability on the ball.

Wan-Bissaka meanwhile, would score in the 9th, 70th and 17th percentile for the same metrics, which shows that Traore can offer a lot more going forwards.

The defender has been labelled as “instrumental” for Stade Rennais and considering his contract is set to expire at the end of this season, he could prove to be a bargain addition to Vieira’s side this summer.

He also offers far more experience than the 24-year-old Wan-Bissaka, who will be low on confidence after a disappointing spell at Manchester United, whereas Traore would arrive at Selhurst Park on the back of the best season of his career.

An update has emerged regarding Glasgow Rangers’ plans for the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Gers reporter Derek Clark has revealed that, contrary to reports, the club are not looking to sign Romania international Darius Olaru.

He tweeted: “Reliably informed there is no Rangers interest in Darius Olaru.”

The Light Blues had been linked with a swoop for the attacking midfielder, although FCSB chief Gigi Becali had stated that the gem was not for sale until Friday (today).

Potential blunder

The apparent lack of interest in Olaru could be a big blunder from Ibrox chief Ross Wilson, as the Romanian has the potential to be an excellent signing for Gio van Bronckhorst’s team and a possible replacement for one of their current players.

Earlier this month, Pete O’Rourke suggested that Fashion Sakala could want out of Ibrox amid speculation over his future, saying: “I think it’s probably maybe more Sakala’s looking for an exit.

“He’s maybe seen his path to the first team at Ibrox blocked with the incomings this summer of Colak and the boy from Germany who’s of Bayern Munich, Tillman. So maybe he’s thinking he might not get many first-team opportunities at the club this year.”

It has been reported that Sakala is now set to stay at the club after English Championship side Burnley ended their interest in him, but O’Rourke’s comments suggest that he may not be happy with his current situation.

This leaves the door ajar to the Gers changing their stance on him later in the window if he decides to push for a move because of his lack of game-time, with zero minutes on the pitch this season so far in all competitions.

If the situation does change in the coming weeks and the Zambian ends up leaving the club, then it could be a big blunder from Wilson to not be interested in signing Olaru.

The 24-year-old enjoyed an eye-catching 2021/22 campaign as he scored six goals and set up 12 in 36 outings for FCSB, whilst he still has plenty of time left ahead of him to improve at that age.

Meanwhile, Sakala produced nine goals and six assists in 41 Premiership and Europa League matches combined last term, which suggests that Olaru offers a similar goalscoring threat whilst being far more creative to help his team-mates score.

Both of them can play virtually anywhere across the attack, which means that the FCSB star could be an ideal replacement for the Zambian forward due to his goal contributions and his versatility.

Olaru could also settle in quickly as he has played with Gers ace Ianis Hagi for Romania at under-21 and senior level, which could help to bridge the language gap whilst also settling him down on the pitch as well.

Therefore, not making a move for the gem to potentially replace Sakala could end up being a big blunder from Wilson, as the Romanian appears to be an exciting prospective signing on paper.

Leeds United employee Noel Whelan has been reacting to what he’s heard on Patrick Bamford’s latest injury, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Bamford injured

The England international endured an injury-hit 2021/22 season, with ankle, hamstring and foot issues limiting him to just seven Premier League starts.

The 28-year-old suffered his first injury problem of 2022/23 against Southampton last Saturday when he was forced off with an abductor problem.

Bamford, who has begun the season as captain in Liam Cooper’s absence, was replaced by Dan James at St Mary’s, although Jesse Marsch confirmed after the game that the striker’s injury is “not bad” and claimed that he could be back in training before the match against Chelsea this coming Sunday.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan was reacting to the update on Bamford’s problem not being too serious, describing it as a ‘massive’ boost for Leeds.

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The Elland Road ambassador said:

“We don’t want to be missing Patrick – he’s the captain by rights at the moment.

“He gives us a different dimension when he’s playing. We’ve got that focal point that allows Rodrigo to take up good positions and allows Jack Harrison to push further forward.

“He’s very important to this side, so to hear that he’s back in training soon and it’s not a serious injury – it’s massive.

“This might be a season where he needs time to rest and recover a bit more. He’s just come back from a really horrible season filled with injuries.”

The Verdict: Phew…

Joe Gelhardt didn’t travel to Southampton due to an issue of his own, highlighting Leeds’ lack of depth in attack, so having Bamford out for the foreseeable future would’ve been a major blow, not least because of the 19 Premier League goals that he has scored since the Whites returned to the top flight two years ago.

While it looks as if he could feature on Sunday, it could still be wise for the Leeds hierarchy to explore a new signing in the final third before the September 1 deadline.

Hopefully Bamford will avoid any serious injury issues this term, but as Whelan mentions, the club may need to be especially careful with him as the season goes on given the troubles of 2021/22.

West Ham United took four games of the new Premier League season to score their first goal of the campaign, which came during their recent 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

The player that managed to get the east London club their first goal and opening win was Pablo Fornals.

While the Hammers have already brought in a couple of attacking players during the current summer transfer window in the shape of Gianluca Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet, the remaining days of the window may give them an ideal opportunity to bring in an upgrade on Fornals.

One figure that could be that is West Ham-linked Adnan Januzaj.

The former Manchester United winger is currently a free agent after leaving Real Sociedad at the end of last season.

During his time with the Spanish club, the Belgian scored 23 goals and provided 21 assists in 168 appearances across all competitions.

To compare his previous domestic season with Fornal’s last league campaign with West Ham, Januzaj trumps the Spaniard in a number of metrics. For starters, the Belgian managed a great deal more shots on target per 90 minutes at 0.72 to 0.35.

Meanwhile, the former United man produced more shot-creating actions per 90 with 3.66 to 2.80 and was successful with more dribbles – 2.38 vs 0.80. This statistic is similarly backed up by the number of progressive carries with Januzaj registering 8.12 per 90 to Fornals’ 4.95.

Previously touted to become an “unbelievable” player by David Cotterill, the former United player has certainly shown he has what it takes to be a top player at one of Europe’s big clubs.

Having made 60 appearances under the management of Moyes during the duo’s time at United and Sunderland, this experience would make it easier for the winger to hit the ground running at West Ham and know what the Scotsman expects from his players.

Taking all of this into account, securing a deal for the attacker as a free agent before the summer transfer window shuts should be a no-brainer for the Hammers.

As for the player, a move back to England to play in the Premier League again under a manager he has knowledge of could be a very tempting prospect for him, particularly if there is the potential for him to leapfrog Fornals in the pecking order.

While the end of the transfer window may be on the horizon, one issue which remains at Wolverhampton Wanderers is in their centre-forward ranks, with manager Bruno Lage still seemingly suffering for the lack of a new striking recruit.

Despite only recently completing the signing of Valencia forward Goncalo Guedes – along with the permanent capture of Hwang Hee-chan from earlier in the year – the Molineux club are still in need of a new target man, with neither of those being a true number nine.

With Raul Jimenez currently sidelined with injury – after scoring just six league goals last season – and with goal-shy youngster Fabio Silva having been shipped out on loan to Anderlecht, the need for a new marksman at Wolves has only increased.

One man who could be the answer to Lage’s prayers is Southampton striker Che Adams, with the Old Gold among a handful of Premier League clubs who have been linked with the Scotland international of late.

The 26-year-old – who could reportedly be available for a fee of at least £15m – has been a steady performer for the Saints since his arrival from Birmingham City three years ago, having scored 20 goals and provided ten assists in his top-flight career thus far.

The £30k-per-week menace had previously been a prolific presence during his time at St Andrew’s, notably netting 22 goals in 46 Championship games in 2018/19 to alert the attention of his current club.

The 19-cap hotshot – who has netted six goals for his country so far – would no doubt add increased firepower to a team which scored just 38 goals in as many league games last term, with only the three relegated teams having netted fewer.

While it may not appear the most exciting addition for Wolves supporters, it is worth noting that the Leicester-born gem has previously earned comparisons to Brazilian icon Ronaldo.

His former Ilkeston teammate Matt Baker said of Adams: “He reminds me a little bit of the old Ronaldo. He had that raw ability. I wouldn’t say he was electric quick but he was powerful and strong. He would brush people off and he could go through people. And he always had a finish at the end of it.”

That claim – which likely stems from the similar physique and size of the two strikers – will no doubt have caught the attention of Lage and co, with it undoubtedly lofty praise to be considered to such a great of the game.

The now-retired genius was a truly devastating forward in his pomp, winning a plethora of major honours at domestic, European and international level, while also scoring goals galore in a glittering career which saw ‘Il Fenomeno’ enjoy stints at some of Europe’s elite clubs.

In total, the World Cup winner plundered 295 goals in 450 club career appearances, while also adding a further 62 goals in 98 games at international level, with such a record seeing him revered as arguably one of the finest strikers of the modern era.

Of course, while Adams is a long way from replicating such feats, it is a marker of his natural raw talent that he can be compared to such a legendary figure, with those at Wolves surely eager to see the dynamic forward unleashed under Lage this season, if a deal can be struck.

The former Benfica boss would no doubt love to have a Ronaldo-esque presence like Adams in his forward line, especially given his team’s goalscoring woes.

Celtic have had another busy summer transfer window in terms of the number of players who have come to and left Parkhead.

The Premiership champions’ latest incoming transfer saw the Hoops bring in Sead Haksabanovic from Rubin Kazan on a five-year deal.

With only a few days left before the transfer window closes, this could give the Bhoys the opportunity to not only bring in another player who would strengthen their squad even further, but also act as new version of an important figure who left the club in 2021.

The player in question is Hajduk Split midfielder and reported transfer target Jani Atanasov, who could be seen as Celtic’s next version of Scott Brown after the veteran brought an end to his 14 years at Parkhead at the end of the 2020/21 season.

At the age of 22, the North Macedonian has made 60 appearances for his current club, scoring five goals and providing two assists in the process.

Last season saw the midfielder end his domestic campaign with an average of 1.6 tackles per game, which isn’t too far away from the 1.3 per match that Brown managed to end his final Premiership campaign at Parkhead.

This shows just how industrious the young midfielder is and why he’d be a valuable asset for Ange Postecoglou’s side, not just because of his tackles in midfield but also because of his occasional usefulness in front of goal. That also mirrors Brown, who scored 46 goals and supplied 63 assists in his 611 appearances for the Glasgow club.

Bearing in mind how the Hoops have seen the likes of Nir Bitton, Tom Rogic and Ismaila Soro exit the club since the end of last season, in addition to missing out on signing reported targets such as Fausto Vera and Vinicius Souza, securing a new defensive midfielder before the transfer window closes should be the top priority for the Scottish champions.

Furthermore, with the Premiership title to retain and other domestic trophies to contest, Celtic also have a Champions League campaign with Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg and Shakhtar Donetsk waiting for them in the group stage, so having optimum strength and depth in their squad will be crucial for the Bhoys.

With that in mind, securing a late swoop for Atanasov should definitely be something that Celtic look to complete before the transfer window closes.