All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United reportedly ‘remain keen’ on signing Sven Botman in the summer, despite a ‘sensational twist’ that has now emerged.

The Lowdown: Milan bound?

It has been reported that the St. James’ Park faithful have ‘not given up hope’ of signing Botman in the summer, despite AC Milan already verbally agreeing personal terms with the Lille central defender.

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After failing to sign him in the January transfer window, the North East club have continually held ‘extensive negotiations’ over the potential signing, but it looks like Milan could be the favourites for his signature.

The Latest: Remain keen

As per Football Insider, the Tyneside outfit ‘remain keen’ on signing Botman, even though a ‘sensational twist’ has now emerged in the form of a new suitor.

According to a source from Manchester United, the Red Devils are now ‘exploring a move’ for the Dutchman, with ‘preliminary talks’ set to take place after a board meeting involving new manager Erik ten Hag.

The Verdict: Get it done

With Manchester United, who can offer Botman European football just like Milan, now entering the frame, the Magpies need to act fast to get this deal done.

Described as a ‘golden boy‘ by his agent Francesco Miniero, he is one of the most promising up-and-coming players in the game at just 22 years of age, having already played regularly at the highest level.

Nonetheless, at six-foot-five, he is an imposing centre-back, and could form a truly scary partnership with the six-foot-seven Dan Burn.

In other news, find out which ‘terrifying’ star NUFC are now eyeing here!

There is ‘lots of interest’ in Newcastle United youngster Elliot Anderson, according to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder.

The lowdown

Anderson sealed a loan move from Newcastle to Bristol Rovers in the January transfer window.

He went on to play 21 League Two matches, scoring eight goals and providing five assists.

And the 19-year-old played a vital role as they dramatically secured promotion on the final day of the season by putting seven past Scunthorpe United.

Andersen scored one and set up two more to help Joey Barton’s side pip Northampton to third on goals scored.

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The latest

Ryder tweeted on Monday afternoon that Rovers are ‘eager to re-sign’ Anderson on a further loan.

He’s highly coveted with ‘lots of interest’ from elsewhere, but Barton has been ‘brilliant’ for his development so far, and that could be key.

In the attached story, he explains that Barton and Anderson have a great ‘rapport’ and that the player would be ‘assured’ of game time at Rovers.

They’re hoping that will be enough to see off competition from the Championship, but there’s also a chance that Eddie Howe will consider integrating him on Tyneside.

The verdict

Anderson’s loan move has been a resounding success, and Newcastle’s academy boss Steve Harper should be very satisfied.

The teenager has scored or assisted every 135 minutes from a midfield berth and been labelled the ‘stand-out player on the pitch’ by Barton, who regards him as a ‘huge talent’, while Gary Lineker was even stunned by his ‘amazing’ goal at the weekend.

But his strong performances do present the club with a dilemma.

Do they favour enquiries from the Championship in the belief that playing at a higher level will better prepare Anderson for the first team? Or do they keep him a lower-level environment where he’s already comfortable, and may be better-placed to thrive?

Howe may even decide that he’s most valuable as a squad player, though he might still be a year or two away from that kind of status.

In other news, read this insider’s key Jamaal Lascelles claim.  

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United transfer target Alex Lowry and Rangers’ plans for him…

What’s the talk?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Gers are trying to ward off interest from Premier League duo Manchester City and the Magpies as they look to retain their academy prospect.

The report claims that they are set to offer him a ‘bumper’ new contract to try and tempt him to commit his future to Ibrox, with his current deal due to expire next summer.

However, Lowry is not going to make a decision on his future until the end of the season later this month as he mulls over the next step in his career.

PIF must get it done

PIF must pounce on the Rangers gem to make him their first signing of the summer for Newcastle. They must attempt to convince him this month that a move to St James’ Park is the best call he can make out of the options that he has on the table.

Whilst supporters may be excited by the prospect of big-name signings, with the likes of Darwin Nunez and Kalvin Phillips touted with the Magpies, it is also important to focus on the future. Lowry is 18 and a player who would not make an immediate impact on the first-team squad but has the potential to do just that in the future.

He has made four senior appearances for Rangers this season, scoring once and setting up another goal in that time, which shows that Gio van Bronckhorst has put trust in him at such a young age.

The gem has also been lauded for his performances in the youth team. Graeme Murty, his former coach at Ibrox, previously showered the midfielder with praise, saying: “Alex is unlike anyone else at Rangers I would suggest in terms of his technical ability, the range of passing that he sees and executes, his individual ability to go past people and he has a remarkable degree of self-confidence.”

These comments, and Lowry’s involvement in the first-team, suggest that he boasts the potential to make it at the top, as he has the attributes required to break through at senior level. The apparent interest of Manchester City and Newcastle in him suggests that they believe as such, which is why the Toon must now bring him in to bolster their academy with a view to him improving Howe’s first team in the future.

AND in other news, Imagine him & ASM: Howe can leave supporters buzzing if NUFC sign “rapid” £40m “freak”…

Southampton are reportedly among several Premier League clubs who are interested in signing Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer, according to journalist Matt O’Connor-Simpson.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers profiled

The 24-year-old Tottenham defender has spent the 2021/22 season on loan in the Scottish Premiership with Celtic, where he has made 41 appearances in all competitions, registering four goals and one assist during that time, via Transfermarkt.

The centre-back is set to return to north London at the end of the campaign, where he has just one year remaining on his current contract, but following a fresh update, it would seem that his parent club would be happy to let him leave for good in the upcoming transfer window.

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The Latest: Southampton join Carter-Vickers transfer race

The reporter took to Twitter to confirm that Carter-Vickers is attracting ‘plenty of interest’, with the Saints being the latest club to ‘join the race’ for his signature alongside newly-promoted Fulham, but the likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham, and Wolves are also thought to be keeping tabs on the situation.

Expanding in his 90min article, O’Connor-Simpson claimed that Spurs ‘do not have plans’ to involve the £2.7m-rated colossus in their first-team squad and are ‘open’ to selling him in the months ahead.

The source also claimed that the Hoops are keen to turn his loan move into a permanent one, but they understand that the opportunity of playing Premier League football might be too much for the player to turn down.

The Verdict: He could be tempted

The American is no doubt enjoying his time under Ange Postecoglou, where he is earning plenty of game-time and still very much on track to secure a Premiership and Scottish League Cup double.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor has dubbed his fellow team-mate a “big player”, with such effusive praise highlighting how Carter-Vickers has come to the fore for the Glasgow giants throughout the season.

However, if the Spurs academy graduate wants to achieve his long-term ambitions of playing at the highest level, then having the chance to make the move back to the English top flight would surely be a temptation that he couldn’t resist.

That is something Southampton must try and utilise to their advantage in their attempts to lure the 24-year-old to St Mary’s.

In other news… Southampton are believed to be eyeing a move for this England international in the summer

Chelsea are suffering their typical wintry blues at the moment, having gone four games without a win since thrashing Barcelona in the Champions League.

There’s no question that Enzo Maresca has stabilised and advanced the BlueCo project at Stamford Bridge, but, with words from the horse’s mouth, “there are many, many things that I need to learn.”

A key theme this season has been the injury suffering of Cole Palmer, who has not scored in the Premier League since September.

Chelsea need a foil, and they are lining up the perfect up-and-coming talent to contest with the Three Lions star for a starting berth.

Chelsea lining up Palmer replacement

After Chelsea let Kevin De Bruyne go way back, the Belgian became one of the greatest players of his generation. In Palmer, they have landed a playmaker who could replace the former Manchester City man as the division’s staple.

However, the 23-year-old’s absence this term has been keenly felt, and Maresca and the Blues’ sporting directors recognise the need for an alternative option.

They have earmarked such a profile in AZ Alkmaar’s fast-rising star Kees Smit, with inews’ Mark Douglas suggesting that Chelsea are leading the race for the 19-year-old.

Liverpool and Newcastle have also been named as suitors, with the latter considering a January bid, but Chelsea are considered the favourites to land his signature, with a figure of £25m mooted.

Why Chelsea want Kees Smit

Smit may be at the start of his career, but already he has established himself as a talent with the capacity to thrive at one of Europe’s most prestigious outfits.

And given Chelsea’s talent ID when it comes to plucking out elite-level prospects, it could be a match made in heaven, also serving symbolically as rectification after that fumbled De Bruyne chapter.

Smit’s creativity and ability to play in deep-lying and advanced midfield berths have actually seen him likened to the 34-year-old, who left Man City and joined Napoli last summer.

Looking at the AZ starlet’s dynamism and high baseline when it comes to his playmaking, it’s not hard to see why that is.

Matches (starts)

14 (14)

4 (3)

Goals

2

0

Assists

2

2

Shots (on target)*

1.4 (0.2)

2.0 (0.8)

Touches*

62.6

73.0

Accurate passes*

42.7 (89%)

50.8 (87%)

Chances created*

1.8

1.8

Succ. dribbles*

0.9

2.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

2.8

Duels won*

3.5

5.5

Already, he is establishing himself against his peers, outstripping them. FBref data shows that the Dutchman ranks among the top 9% of Eredivisie midfielders this season for pass completion, the top 13% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90.

Smit will only get better. Analyst Ben Mattinson has already scouted out his “world-class potential”, and his growth over the past two years in his homeland has done little – if anything – to suggest the contrary.

The teenager’s strength and intelligence and technical skill all work in alliance, and he has already shown he has what it takes to stand out against Premier League opposition, shining against Crystal Palace in the Conference League this year.

Would Chelsea be wise to wait and see how this up-and-comer continues to develop? Perhaps, but with a host of suitors lining up, time is not on the west Londoners’ side; if they want to snap him up, they must do so in January, beating off the likes of Newcastle and landing a player who could become a leading member of Maresca’s project down the line.

Maresca was quizzed on Chelsea’s reliance on Palmer’s output last season, when the England superstar was going through fitness problems.

He relayed to reporters that the Stamford Bridge side needed to break away from that one-man team identity. They are doing so, and with Smit, that would only develop further.

Delap upgrade: Chelsea already have one of the "best strikers in Europe"

Chelsea have yet another exciting forward set to join their ranks in the coming months.

ByEthan Lamb 2 days ago

Marc Guehi had looked set to be the final jewel in the crown of Liverpool’s big summer, but the deal fell through in the final hours of the window.

The Reds submitted a bid to Crystal Palace worth £35 million for their skipper, but the Eagles decided not to go ahead with the deal when they couldn’t secure a replacement centre-back in time.

Arne Slot spoke earlier in the week about the failed transfer, saying: “For us it was of course a disappointment, for the player I assume, as well, because he was expecting to come to us.”

While Liverpool have an unblemished record this season, having won every game thus far, they have shown some defensive frailties. Slot’s side have conceded in four out of six games, and their Premier League opening day clash with Bournemouth is the only game they won by more than one goal.

Liverpool’s inability to bring in another centre-back currently looks like the only chink in their armour, and if they had managed to get Guehi across the line, then they would be looking completely unstoppable right now.

However, their centre-back hunt may be going from bad to worse as Guehi appears to have changed his mind as to which club he would like to join next.

Real Madrid to rival Liverpool for Guehi

Guehi only has one year left on his Crystal Palace contract, meaning that after January, any club can enter pre-contract negotiations with the England centre-back.

Many clubs would find the idea of signing Guehi on a free a tempting prospect, but Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid are one of the only teams, alongside Liverpool, who are showing concrete interest. Guehi’s party have been informed that the Spanish giants plan to enter negotiations with him when possible.

The Mirror have now indicated that Guehi is more than tempted by this prospect and that his “number one choice is to move to the Bernabeu and snub Liverpool”. The report went on to say that the 25-year-old is “excited” by the idea of playing in Spain for a club like Real Madrid.

Liverpool already need to bring in another centre-back, but by next summer, they may need to bring in two, as Ibrahim Konate is at the same stage of his contract as Guehi, and Madrid are circling him as well, meaning the star could join Guehi in 2026.

Real Madrid also planning Trent Alexander-Arnold repeat

Despite bringing in Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen in the summer for £50 million, Real Madrid seem to be looking at major upgrades to their back-line with Konate and Guehi. Liverpool have been in contract negotiations with Konate, but have yet to come to any agreement, leaving the door open for Real Madrid to recruit him.

Guehi may be frustrated with Liverpool for leaving the bid for him so late in the window as to not leave Palace time to find a replacement, ultimately causing the transfer to fall through. This may make moving to Real Madrid on a free a more tempting prospect as Liverpool have already let him down.

Approaching players near the end of their contracts is a transfer strategy that Real Madrid have implemented numerous times in recent years. Kylian Mbappe joined on a free last summer from PSG, and Liverpool lost Trent Alexander-Arnold the same way as he joined the Spanish side in the summer.

The good news for Liverpool is that they are finding out that they may not get Guehi and that Konate may leave early. This gives them the rest of the season to scout for defensive alternatives and act quicker in the next summer transfer window, so as not to end up in the same situation that they did on deadline day.

The trophies haven’t necessarily flowed, but Arsenal have made some unreal signings in the 20 or so years since they moved to the Emirates.

Players like Alexis Sanchez, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Santi Cazorla all more than made their mark after joining under the legendary manager Arsène Wenger.

The good signings didn’t stop when the Frenchman left the dugout, though, as Mikel Arteta has made his fair share as well.

Moreover, he looks like he may have done it again, with a certain player looking like he could be the best signing of the Emirates era since Declan Rice.

Best Emirates era signings made under Arteta

So when talking about some of the best signings made under Arteta, it’s hard not to start with Rice.

The Englishman joined Arsenal for a club-record £105m in the summer of 2023, and to say he’s been a success in red and white would be quite the understatement.

So far, the former West Ham United captain has made 108 appearances for the Gunners, seen his position shift from six to eight and racked up a tally of 38 goal involvements while being a lean, mean ball-winning machine in the middle of the park.

Another Arteta signing who has helped to make the team far tougher to play against is Gabriel Magahelese, who joined the team for around £23m in the summer of 2020.

It’s easy to forget that some saw the Brazilian as accident-prone during the first couple of seasons at the club because, over the last three years or so, he has become one of the very best and most dependable centre-backs in world football and has even captained the side on multiple occasions, including last night.

Appearances

215

Starts

206

Minutes

18485′

Goals

20

Assists

5

Points per Game

1.98

Last but not least, David Raya, who joined a loan in the summer of 2023 before joining permanently the year after, has to be considered as another of the manager’s best signings.

The Spanish shot-stopper has now made 101 appearances for the North Londoners, in which he has conceded 82 times and managed to keep a staggering 43 clean sheets, which has seen him win the Premier League Golden Glove award in the last two seasons.

In short, while he has made his fair share of dud signings, Arteta has made plenty of incredible ones, and from what we have seen so far this season, he may have just made his best since Rice.

Arteta's best signing since Rice

When it comes to working things like who might be the best signing since someone like Rice, several factors come into it from the price the club paid, the performances the player has put in and the potential they have.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

When factoring in all three, it’s hard to look past the incredibly gifted Cristhian Mosquera.

The Spanish centre-back joined the club for just £13m in the summer from Valencia, and at the time, most fans and pundits alike saw him as someone who’d get some game time here and there, but generally not feature too much.

Instead, there is now genuine discussion among some sections of the fan base about him potentially retaining his place in the starting lineup for the game against Manchester City on Sunday.

Such talk would have been utterly preposterous only a month or so ago, but since coming into the team in the Frenchman’s absence, the youngster has massively impressed.

For example, he was forced into playing 85 minutes of football away to Liverpool in just his second Premier League appearance, and instead of wilting under the pressure, he looked like a seasoned veteran, making three clearances, blocking two shots, making four tackles and completing 47 of 51 passes.

Then at home to Nottingham Forest, in his first league start, the Alicante-born titan was even better, winning 100% of his ground duels, taking 92 touches, completing 75 passes and helping to keep a clean sheet.

With back-to-back performances like these, it wasn’t even really a surprise when the “insane” talent, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, put in another brilliant showing away to Athletic Bilbao last night.

The 21-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by one analyst, was a rock at the back, making six clearances and one tackle, taking 93 touches, completing a staggering 75 of 79 passes and winning five of eight aerial duels.

It was the display of a seasoned pro and one that makes Mattinson’s claim of him being a “10/10 signing” increasingly hard to dispute.

Ultimately, it might still be a little early, but Mosquera looks like he’s going to go down as one of the best purchases made by Arteta and is a player who could well become a superstar at Arsenal.

Fewer touches than Raya: Arteta must drop 4/10 Arsenal star after Bilbao

Arsenal came through a tough clash with Athletic Club in the Champions League.

6 ByMatt Dawson Sep 17, 2025

Leeds United have been given a transfer boost as they eye a move for a new Brazilian attacker who has hailed former Whites star Raphinha.

Raphinha starring for Barcelona after leaving Leeds

Following promotion back in 2020, Raphinha was Leeds’ best signing in recent memory, joining from Rennes and starring at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa.

The Brazilian would also almost single-handedly keep Leeds in the top flight in the 2021/22 campaign before sealing a dream £50m transfer to Barcelona.

Since moving to the Nou Camp, the relentless winger has gone from strength to strength and is now a leading contender to win the Ballon d’Or after scoring 34 goals and providing 25 assists in 2024/25.

Leeds: 49ers lead race to sign £20m+ La Liga attacker who Chelsea wanted

He was playing amateur football in 2019.

1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 4, 2025

Raphinha, who won his second La Liga title and first Copa del Rey in 24/25, still keeps an eye out for Leeds and celebrated the Whites’ recent promotion, reacting to the club’s social media post on Instagram.

Leeds will now be looking for a player of the same ilk as Raphinha as they aim to establish themselves in the Premier League once again, and one wide attacker who has been linked with a move to Elland Road is Igor Paixao from Feyenoord.

There were claims Leeds submitted an enquiry to sign the Brazilian, however, the Dutch club would like a fee of €40m (£34m), but there has been a new update on a potential move.

Igor Paixao now open to Leeds transfer

According to Leeds Live, Paixao is open to the idea of joining Leeds this summer, however, despite previous reports, no contact has been made by the Whites at this moment in time.

Paixao would consider a move to Yorkshire, though, under the right personal terms, following an excellent individual campaign in 24/25 where he produced some impressive numbers, scoring 18 goals and registering a further 19 assists.

Talking earlier in the season, the Brazilian addressed his future and left the door open to a possible exit this summer.

The 24-year-old is a right-footed winger who primarily plays on the left-hand side and previously expressed his admiration for Raphinha, saying: “Raphinha is an example for me and all of us Brazilians.”

Dan James

Leeds

Bertrand Traore

Ajax

Estevao Willian

Palmeiras

Wilfried Gnonto

Leeds

Johan Bakayoko

PSV

Now, should Leeds make their move, they could soon have another exciting Brazilian winger on the books, three years after parting ways with Raphinha.

Chelsea are pressing ahead with a move to sign one marquee player after they reached an agreement for the signing of Liam Delap, with Enzo Maresca’s side showing no hesitation in attacking the market after ending 2024/2025 on a major high.

Chelsea begin busy summer window with Liam Delap signing

Cole Palmer’s magical second-half attacking display helped spare Maresca’s blushes in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday evening, with Chelsea coming back from behind to smash Real Betis 4-1 in Poland.

Chelsea submit bid to sign £42m Serie A star who's admitted he could leave

The west Londoners are in good spirits after their Conference League triumph.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 29, 2025

Manuel Pellegrini’s side threatened to end Chelsea’s season on a sour note, but strikes from Enzo Fernández, Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo in the final 25 minutes of the 90 sealed Maresca’s first piece of major silverware since taking over from Mauricio Pochettino last summer.

Chelsea’s top five finish and subsequent qualification for the Champions League, coupled with their win at the Stadion Miejski, means Maresca’s debut season in the dugout can be deemed a real success.

Despite their damp patch midway through 2024/2025, Chelsea roared to the finish line and displayed serious intent during the latter stages of this campaign, winning six of their final nine league games and losing just one as performances took a positive turn.

Now, attention fully turns to the transfer market, with Chelsea expected to be very busy yet again this summer.

They’ll also have a mini-transfer window – open from June 1 to June 10 – to sign new recruits ahead of their Club World Cup campaign. With £97 million worth of prize money on offer if they win the tournament, Chelsea are expected to take it seriously, and it is believed they ideally want two or three of their new signings through the door before the CWC kicks off next month (Simon Phillips).

One target they’ve been seriously pursuing in the last fortnight, Ipswich Town star Delap, also had a host of other offers on the table from Man United, Newcastle and Everton – so competition was rife for his signature.

However, reports this week began emerging that Chelsea’s Champions League status put them in pole position for the Englishman, who bagged 12 league goals for Ipswich last season (talkSPORT).

Now, Chelsea are expected to seal an imminent deal for Delap, as confirmed by trusted transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

However, Delap’s arrival at Stamford Bridge may not be the end of their striker search. Chelsea could in fact sign two centre-forwards this summer, according to journalist Simon Phillips, and this is now being echoed by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.

Chelsea "pushing" to sign Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike

According to Plettenberg, “underrated” Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike remains a top target for BlueCo, regardless of their agreement with Delap.

The 22-year-old is fresh off the back of an incredible full debut season at Eintracht, having signed permanently from PSG last summer. Ekitike scored 22 goals and racked up 12 assists in 48 appearances across 24/25, leaving little wonder the Bundesliga side will demand a high asking price.

Eintracht want as much as £84 million to sell Ekitike this summer, and if Chelsea are serious about him, they’ll need to splash the cash.

A “superstar” striker, who’s reportedly held talks with Arsenal, has now announced that he’s set to leave his club this summer in an emotional statement.

Andrea Berta set for competitive Arsenal summer transfer window

While the Gunners’ move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi appears done and dusted, with the Spain international looking set to become Andrea Berta’s first major signing as sporting director (Fabrizio Romano), Arsenal face stiff competition to sign other players at the top of their transfer wishlist.

Arsenal hold initial talks over signing £202k-a-week Real Madrid star

The Gunners have reached out and made contact.

ByEmilio Galantini May 14, 2025

Arsenal were believed to be lead contenders to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, but a plethora of Wednesday evening reports from credible media sources now indicate that Real Madrid are set to pip all Premier League clubs to his signature.

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

The 20-year-old decided to give priority to Bernabeu switch, with Real moving in and agreeing a deal with Bournemouth to pay his £50 million release clause. Huijsen’s representatives are now in the Spanish capital negotiating with Los Blancos over the defender’s contract, and Xabi Alonso’s side are thought to be on the verge of sealing a full agreement.

This dramatic late swoop from Real, which eventually doomed Arsenal’s chances of signing Huijsen, emphasises why there is a need for Arsenal to show no hesitation in the market and, ideally, strike deals for their most desired targets as soon as possible.

Arsenal are prioritising the signing of a striker, and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres appears to be a serious target for Berta. However, with Enzo Maresca also on the hunt for a prolific marksman, there are reported fears within Arsenal that Chelsea could hijack their deal for Gyokeres.

Jonathan David announces Lille exit after rumoured Arsenal talks

Another centre-forward who is likely to be courted by a host of top sides, and one who will definitely leave his club, is Lille star Jonathan David.

The “superstar” Canada international has been free-scoring in Ligue 1 since joining them from Gent in a £23 million deal five years ago, bagging 25 strikes in 48 appearances this season, adding to his all-time Lille total of 109.

However, his contract is set to expire this summer, and David’s representatives have reportedly held talks with Arsenal, among other clubs.

The 25-year-old is set to be one of the most coveted free agents of 2025, with David now confirming that he’s set to leave Lille in a statement this week.

“I wanted to tell you myself that after so many years at the club, it’s time to say goodbye,” said the striker on social media, as translated by LW.

“I’ve had five wonderful seasons here. I know that it hasn’t always been easy but I hope that with my goals and celebrations, that I’ve managed to bring you some joy. Notably the Ligue 1 title and the Trophee des Champions and I think that with these two trophies together, we have brought a lot of pleasure and joy.

“I would like to thank all of my teammates, all the coaches, staff, technical and medical teams, the managers and everyone that I have met over the months at the club. Thank you very much for everything you have brought me over these years, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

With David readily available, this could be a very intriguing opportunity for Arsenal, but they’ll have to move in quickly. Even though he can join on a Bosman, journalist Sacha Tavolieri recently claimed the overall cost of a deal could still reach £28 million due to his yearly salary, additional commission fees and signing bonus.