Arsenal are prepared to push for the signing of Fenerbahce defender Ferdi Kadioglu, according to Turkish outlet Star Gazetesi.
The Gunners have been constantly linked with the Turkey international over the past month and a recent report claimed that there is an agreement over personal terms.
Arsenal have reportedly ‘strongly’ emerged as a potential suitor to sign Barcelona star Mikayil Faye this summer, as per the Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
It is an open secret that after failing to win the Premier League title this season, the Gunners are set to remain busy in the upcoming transfer window to reinforce the squad in order to bridge the gap with Manchester City.
Strengthening the number nine position and the engine room is reportedly Mikel Arteta’s priority. But signing a new left-sided defender is seemingly also on his wish-list as Jakub Kiwior has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks. Jorrel Hato and Ferdi Kadioglu have been suggested as potential targets but Faye is now emerging as a new key option.
According to the report by Mundo Deportivo, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich have all expressed their interest in signing him, but Arsenal have ‘strongly’ emerged as a potential suitor ‘in recent hours’.
The report further claims that Faye wants to remain at Barcelona and flourish his career there, but he has now become frustrated as he wasn’t given the opportunity to play first-team football in the recently concluded season.
So, the Spanish outlet states that the Senegal international could be open to leaving Barcelona and if that were to be the case then Arsenal could manage to secure his signature this summer.
Having joined the Catalan giants last summer, Faye still has three years left in his current contract so Barcelona are likely to demand a sizeable amount of money to sell their star asset in the upcoming window.
Faye has burst onto the scene after displaying promising performances for Barcelona Atletic and as a result of that, he has secured his place in the Senegal national team.
The 19-year-old is a left-footed defender and is quick. In addition, he is strong, good in the air, comfortable playing out from the back and efficient in defensive contributions.
So, he possesses the qualities to flourish at the highest level in future. However, he is still very young and needs time to develop his career but considering Arsenal will be hoping to challenge on all fronts next season, they would be better off exploring more established options to reinforce their backline this summer.
Arsenal’s resurgence in European football can be attributed to their successful recruitment efforts, which have transformed the team into potential Premier League champions.
However, their quest for talent does not end there. Recent reports indicate that the Gunners are now setting their sights on a promising Brazilian player.
Arsenal’s latest transfer target has been the subject of much speculation as the summer transfer window approaches. While much of the focus has been on Ivan Toney and the search for a clinical striker like Gabriel Jesus, other options are also being considered by the club. The pursuit of new talent continues at The Emirates.
Recent reports indicate that Arsenal is actively pursuing the signings of Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and Viktor Gyokeres, who has been performing exceptionally well at Sporting CP this season.
Despite the possibility of being crowned Premier League champions before the summer, rumors suggest that the North London giants are determined to further strengthen their squad before the start of the next campaign.
In addition to targeting established European talents, Mikel Arteta and his team have also set their sights on a promising young player. According to Football Transfers, Arsenal is interested in securing the services of Douglas Mendes, who is currently on loan at RB Bragantino from Red Bull Salzburg.
Arsenal’s interest in the teenage centre-back, Mendes, has caught the attention of their sporting director, Edu Gaspar. However, there are potential obstacles in the way of the deal, particularly work permit issues that may prevent Mendes from joining the Arsenal squad immediately.
It is likely that Mendes will need to gain more experience in European football before being eligible for a work permit to play for Arsenal in the Premier League.
Despite these complications, if the deal goes through, it would be a valuable addition to Arsenal’s Brazilian contingent and could potentially bring a future star to the team.
Red Bull Salzburg’s track record in the transfer market, exemplified by the success of Erling Haaland, suggests that Mendes could be another promising signing.
As Mendes prepares to return to the Austrian club from his loan spell in Brazil, it remains to be seen if he has done enough to secure his place in their squad.
If that scenario doesn’t materialize, it is logical to assume that Arsenal will have an easier time in negotiations. This move would also benefit Mendes, as he could learn from Gabriel Magalhaes, who is currently one of the best defenders in the world. At the age of 19, there is no better time for Gabriel to mentor the young defender.
Furthermore, given that Arsenal already has Jesus and Gabriel in the dressing room, Mendes could seamlessly fit in. As the summer approaches and the media focuses on players like Toney, it is possible that Mendes could steal the spotlight in Arsenal’s pursuit of a forward, with a long-term perspective in min
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is prepared to make a substantial financial investment .
With Mbappe’s contract set to expire this summer, the renowned French club is already strategizing for a future without him.
While rumors suggested that convincing the French captain to remain at PSG was not a priority, his recent meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron raised eyebrows.
Mbappe’s rumored move to Real Madrid has been widely reported, although there has been no official confirmation from either club regarding the progress of the deal.
Spanish publication Marca has claimed that the 24-year-old has frequently engaged in discussions about his potential life in Madrid with two former Real players, Sergio Ramos and Achraf Hakimi, who are currently his teammates at PSG.
PSG, after signing three French players last summer, namely Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani, and Nordi Mukiele, seems to have shifted their transfer strategy towards acquiring foreign players.
Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola, two other talented players from the region, are making significant contributions to the team as well.
According to Spanish publication Fichajes, Saka, an Arsenal player, is PSG’s top choice to replace Mbappe, and they are actively searching for quality players in Europe.
Saka is said to be at the top of PSG’s summer shortlist, and the club is reportedly willing to offer a minimum of €140 million, setting a new record for the sale of a 22-year-old winger to Arsenal.
If Saka were to leave, it would undoubtedly make Arsenal hesitant, as it would require Mikel Arteta’s team to find a suitable replacement during the summer transfer window.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment has seen a huge surge in the value of the sports teams that it owns
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the parent company that owns Arsenal, has seen a £2.3bn increase in its value compared to the previous year.
Arsenal principal owner Stan Kroenke’s KSE firm has seen significant growth over the past 12 months, with the annual Forbes report into sporting empire values placing KSE second on the list at $15.59bn (£12.3bn), a 22% bump on last year’s figures of $12.75bn (£10bn).
That valuation of the KSE empire puts them ahead of Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, with the John W. Henry-led firm having seen a 25% increase year-on-year to leapfrog Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones into third place. Formula One and Atlanta Braves owners, Liberty Media, occupy the top spot with an $18.2bn (£14.3bn) valuation.
The significant rise for Kroenke’s firm can be attributed to continually increasing valuations of the sports teams and assets that form his KSE investment portfolio.
Alongside Arsenal, KSE holds majority stakes in the Los Angeles Rams NFL team, the Denver Nuggets NBA franchise, the Colorado Avalanche (NHL), the Colorado Rapids (MLS), the Colorado Mammoth lacrosse team, and the Altitude Sports & Entertainment regional sports network that covers Colorado’s major sports teams.
Sports team valuations have enjoyed double-digit compound annual growth rates for some time now, but at present the incline has seen valuations take off, meaning that for those who already held interests in these teams before valuations started to soar, they have paid off handsomely.
In the case of Arsenal, on the 2023 Forbes list of the most valuable Premier League teams, the Gunners held a valuation of $2.26bn (£1.8bn). That figure saw them place 10th on the overall list for global football teams, and while the 2024 Forbes list has not yet been published, it is expected that the valuation will be pushing beyond the £2bn mark, potentially towards the £2.3bn point.
Arsenal’s valuation growth will be attributed to stronger revenue streams thanks to improved sporting performance, with matchday revenue tipped to break the £100m mark when the club accounts are published in the next couple of months.
Then there is revenue, with the recently published Deloitte Money League showing that the Gunners’ revenue has risen 23% from 2022 to 2023, jumping from £367.1m to £463.1m. Commercial revenues are set to jump from £142.3m to £166.2m.
While domestic broadcast rights growth may be slowing, showing signs of potential decline, the trajectory of overseas rights for the next few cycles is expected to continue, and that is significantly impactful for Premier League clubs, particularly those who form part of the ‘Big Six’. It is media rights that are a key driver for valuations.
In the US, valuations of teams in the NBA and NFL are expected to get to a peak soon. For KSE and its ownership of the Nuggets, in December, US sports business website Sportico’s analysis saw the team valued at $3.4bn (£2.7bn), a figure 60% higher than what it had been pegged at the end of 2022. That was the highest valuation increase of any of the top 15 most valuable NBA franchises.
In the case of the MLS, while the Rapids are a small market team and one of the smallest in terms of valuations, they, too, have seen a 15% rise year-on-year to achieve a $460m valuation.
KSE is a company that has seen huge growth in the sporting assets that it owns, and that is likely to continue for some time yet, although, for some of the teams, the rate of growth may start to slow down.
The view among many North American ownership groups is that the Premier League remains under-monetised in terms of value creation. Arsenal is seen as having plenty of room for growth, which means that it will be a key part of KSE’s plans moving forward, and points to it being highly unlikely that a Kroenke divestment would occur any time soon.
How that translates into more money being made available to put towards what happens on the pitch will be more closely linked to how the Premier League moves forward concerning changing its current profit and sustainability regulations and moving towards a UEFA squad cost ratio method.
Football clubs aren’t profitable, in the main. As long as the value increases annually, though, they remain a sound investment for those who hold them, and they have tremendous scarcity value.
Newcastle have admitted that they might need to sell one of their best players to comply with Financial Fair Play and the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations.
The club recently recorded losses of £155m over a three-season period, above the permitted maximum of £105m, although it’s understood spending on the academy, women’s team and charity foundation is exempt and leaves the Tyneside outfit on the right side of the rules.
CEO Darren Eales has revealed that Newcastle will only be able to improve their squad if they sell a valuable asset. Prolific striker Isak is one of them, alongside midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and defender Sven Botman.
Newcastle star Alexander Isak would improve Arsenal’s poor scoring record
Arsenal’s desperation for a new centre-forward has become apparent in recent months. Premier League title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool both have several stars capable of scoring enough goals to finish at the summit of the top-flight.
Mikel Arteta lacks that figure in his own squad. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have struggled for consistency, scoring a combined eight Premier League goals this term. City and Liverpool both have three players who have scored more than that tally alone.
Isak would likely change that, having proved his ability as a top Premier League forward. Since his move from Sociedad in the summer of 2022, the Swede has scored almost a goal every other game for Newcastle.
His 24 strikes in 50 appearances include 16 this term. That is despite injuries and competition from Callum Wilson preventing him from being ever-present in Howe’s side. Having played 3,288 minutes in his Newcastle career, Isak has effectively only played the equivalent of 38 full matches
By this time, it has been well-established that Barcelona are in the market for a new winger and have several players on their radars, ranging from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Luis Diaz.
But the name that appears to be at the top of the wishlist is Athletic Club and Spain winger Nico Williams.
Indeed, as per SPORT, Barcelona have already informed Williams’ entourage that he is the ‘chosen one’ as far as the club are concerned heading into the summer.
Indeed, the Spanish international is considered the absolute priority to reinforce the attacking unit before next season.
The report further states that Williams himself already knows this because the Blaugrana sporting management, led by director Deco, has already told him of their intentions.
Williams is the chosen one and the Catalans are going to do everything in their power to bring him to the club.
Williams signed a new contract with Athletic Club last year which came with a release clause worth €60 million, although some other sources suggest that it is €50 million.
In any case, Barcelona’s intention is to offer a higher amount than his exit clause to Athletic Club in exchange for payment in several instalments.
Athletic Club, very little given to negotiating the departure of their players, will have to decide whether to accept this formula in order to bring in more money.
If they do not, Barça are willing to pay the full amount of Nico Williams’ release, which could lead to the deal slowing down owing to the Catalans’ finances.
Barcelona have clear intentions heading into the summer transfer market as they plan to make some crucial changes to their squad in an attempt to compete at the highest level in Europe.
Real Madrid have recently officially completed the signing of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer after his tenure at PSG, and Barcelona will hope to go head-to-head against them while being severely financially handicapped.
One of the things they will be relying on this summer is hoping that there are world-class players who want to play for Barcelona, and prefer the prestige over the money.
As such, they have curated a list of the positions they want to reinforce with a fair few players on their agenda to match it.
One of the areas of concern is, of course, the holding midfield position, and the Catalans’ pick for it is Joshua Kimmich, who will not be easy to sign.
According to a report published by SPORT, Hansi Flick is a huge fan of Kimmich, and has informed the club he wants the club to pursue the German’s signature in the summer.
Barcelona have started negotiations with Bayern for Kimmich – he is their priority target for the position.
They have already presented their initial offer for the player, who is on wages of €19.5 million gross right now. He is not happy with satisfied with Barça’s proposal.
However, this is where Flick can be very important for Barcelona. He coached Kimmich at Bayern and Germany, and has a good relationship with him.
The coach will try to do everything in his power to join Barça’s project. He wants to be directly involved in this transfer pursuit.
Kimmich has only rejected the first offer from Barcelona, but is still open to talking to the club about a summer move, especially since he represents himself in negotiations.
Barcelona are not ready to back down after Kimmich’s initial rejection, and ready to table another offer for his services.
The player will have to do his part and push the transfer, as well, especially since Bayern Munich will likely ask for a fat check in exchange for his services.
Kimmich’s contract ends in the summer of 2025, which means he should be available at a slashed price this off-season. Bayern are infamously tough negotiators, though, which means this saga could last the entire summer, at least.
The top-10 goals of this past season’s edition of the Champions League have on Monday been announced by UEFA.
And Spanish football’s two biggest clubs feature prominently at the very top of the list.
Barcelona are set to embark on a new era after confirming the appointment of ex-Germany manager Hans-Dieter Flick as their new head coach. As he looks to transform them into genuine La Liga title challengers, young winger Ansu Fati has sent a defiant message after returning to the club.
The 21-year-old winger spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion, but couldn’t really break into their first XI. With many fans wondering what lies in the youngster’s future after the disappointing loan spell, he has made his intentions clear on staying with his childhood club and succeeding next term. In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Fati said: “My plan is clear, I want to succeed at Barcelona. I’m 100%, I spend many hours in the gym, there are people who believe that I can only be injured, but it’s not like that.
“I’m 21 years old, but I have experienced a lot. I felt that everything I did was not valued and that’s why I decided to leave on loan, that’s what I had to do. I have been at Barça for many years, I’m an academy player. For me playing for Barça is my greatest enthusiasm. Every time I get the chance, I try to do my best. I met and greeted Flick when he came to visit Brighton, he arrives at the best club in the world and I’m sure he will do very well.”
Fati has produced some fighting words ahead of the start of the 2024/25 campaign, but he faces an uphill task of making himself an undroppable player in Flick’s squad. Firstly, the 21-year-old needs to prove his fitness and avoid injuries after having missed 13 matches for Brighton in his loan spell. He also needs to be much more prolific than he was in the Premier League, having only scored four goals in 30 appearances for the Seagulls.
The 21-year-old winger, who was hailed as “extraordinary” by ex-Barcelona boss Xavi, has shown glimpses of extreme quality during his short career. But Fati needs to be more decisive and ruthless in terms of scoring and assisting goals regularly to survive at the La Liga club.
He’ll also need to outperform players like Raphinha and Ferran Torres, alongside any other signings that Barcelona make in the summer transfer window. The attacker is now moving into the peak years of his career, and will look to start unleashing his ultimate potential by bringing something special to Flick’s squad next season.
