Arsenal one step away from unlocking Martin Odegaard with dream transfer as £47m blueprint clear

Mikel Arteta could, potentially, reignite Arsenal’s Premier League title push with the statement January signing of Marcus Rashford. The Manchester United star has been at the centre of some surprising transfer rumours over the last few months after revealing he was ready for a new challenge.

Arsenal are among the plethora of clubs to be linked, with Napoli, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham also mooted as options. A switch to Italy perhaps appears the most likely outcome given the talks his camp held with Milan alongside the expected exit of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Naples.

Given his huge wages, a loan deal is seemingly the only solution that can be obtained in January with United still covering a portion of the financial intake. Remaining in the Premier League may be Rashford’s preferred outcome, and Arsenal could absolutely be where his career is rejuvenated.

For him to arrive on a short-term loan spell, however, it would require one of Raheem Sterling or Neto to depart early owing to the Premier League’s loan rules and, while brutal, it could be a decision that pays off. Arsenal are in desperate need of adding a dynamic element to their attack and Rashford could be exactly that.

The absence of Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri has seen Gabriel Martinelli switch to their right flank with Leandro Trossard in on the left. The Belgium international has struggled to make an impact this season, but key stars missing has seen him required to continue playing.

Martin Odegaard has also hit a challenging run of form recently, but the arrival of Rashford could certainly change that. The Gunners skipper is quite clearly missing the presence of Saka and, thus, his creative impact on games has dwindled.

Arsenal ace Raheem Sterling confirms unexpected decision amid Chelsea transfer uncertainty

Arsenal attacker Raheem Sterling has joined a fresh agency group. It has been confirmed by 16NinetyTwo that the on-loan Chelsea forward is now part of the group.

He is by far the biggest name so far associated with them and it comes at a time whereby both his short and long-term future are in doubt. Since moving to Arsenal in a surprise summer deadline day exit, he has struggled for game time.

Just over four months in, Sterling has only scored one goal, with that coming in the Carabao Cup against League One side Bolton Wanderers. He has also found himself down the pecking order on either wing with appearances restricted to only six in the Premier League.

In total, Sterling has started just five games under Mikel Arteta in all competitions. He has recently been dealing with a knee injury, meaning that his last outing was over six weeks ago, as a substitute away at West Ham.

With Arsenal dealing with injury issues across the squad, Sterling’s standing has been questioned whilst potential loan replacements are touted. However, Arteta has remained behind his player.

“There’s been moments,” he said last month. “It’s been tough and very difficult for me as well to accept that I haven’t given him more. When he hasn’t started the games, 90 per cent of the subs that I make is related to saving minutes or because of injuries or avoiding injuries. It’s not tactical reasons.

Three talking points for Barcelona ahead of Real Madrid clash in the Super Cup final

FC Barcelona are set to take on Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final in what will be a game that gives both sides a shot at silverware. More than the trophy in itself, it is important for the Catalan club to get one over their arch-rivals.

Tomorrow’s game is not just important in the context of the Super Cup but also gives one team a psychological advantage over the other in the league title race which looks set to go down to the wire this season.

Real Madrid have already secured silverware this season, beating Atalanta to the UEFA Super Cup title meanwhile Hansi Flick will get his first chance to win a trophy as the coach of Barcelona which he will be dying to take.

With all this in mind, here is what we at Barca News Network think are the three talking points for Barcelona ahead of their Spanish Super Cup final clash against Real Madrid.

1. Trophy (and pride) at stake:

Normally, one would not take the Spanish Super Cup that seriously but for a club like Barcelona who have not been among the trophies as much as they would have liked in previous seasons, a victory here would be a shot in the arm.

The stakes are even higher when you realize that Barcelona will be facing Real Madrid in the finals. Beating Los Blancos, irrespective of the competition, even if it was a pre-season game would give the Catalan club bragging rights.

Apart from all this, many players in the current squad are yet to win silverware at club level. It would give these players excellent exposure to feature in a knockout tie under immense pressure and hold them in good stead in other competitions.

Thus, tomorrow’s game is not important for Barcelona just from a trophy perspective but it is also a matter of pride. Let’s wait and see if Hansi Flick can outwit Carlo Ancelotti again and help his team secure an important win.

2. Szczesny or Pena?

The million-dollar question. It must be mentioned here that Inaki Pena was expected to start the semi-final game against Athletic Club in the Super Cup but Hansi Flick dropped him for being late to an activation session in the morning of the game.

In his absence, backup shot-stopper Wojciech Szczesny was given the chance to start just his second game as a Barcelona player, and boy, didn’t the Polish veteran put in a performance for the ages against the Basque side!

Despite being a bit tentative with his sweeping actions, Szczesny was an absolute rock at the back. His shot-stopping was exceptional and he thwarted so many chances on the night which helped Barcelona and himself keep a clean sheet.

It remains to be seen who Hansi Flick goes with for the final. One would have to say that the Pole deserves to continue, at least for the final but Pena has been very good this season too. Let’s wait and see which way Hansi Flick tilts when making the decision.

3. The Dani Olmo conundrum

Dani Olmo did not feature in the game against Athletic Club due to registration issues but it emerged just an hour before that game that the Spaniard has been given temporary permission to feature and can play the Super Cup final against Real Madrid.

It has been a difficult few weeks for Olmo but with an important final on the horizon, he could have an important role to play against Los Blancos. In fact, Hansi Flick could even hand him a start in the game against Real Madrid.

In such big games, the ability of Olmo to pick a pass through a defense is very underrated and he can find a way to change the game on its head. He is also very good with shooting from range but if he has to start, it would have to be at the expense of Gavi.

Barcelona consider out-of-favour Manchester United star as ‘Plan B’ amid loan move talks

On Friday, reports emerged claiming that FC Barcelona had identified Marcus Rashford of Manchester United as their priority target for the ongoing transfer window.

Indeed, it was claimed that the Blaugrana are ready to go all out to sign the 27-year-old Englishman, who has fallen out of favour with his current manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

There was even talk about Deco having met with the attacker’s representatives to assess the possibility of a loan switch this month.

The England forward has been offered to Barcelona by his agents, as he is being shopped around to various clubs following his falling out with Amorim.

However, Rashford is at best seen as an alternative with the Blaugrana having other forwards whom they like more such as Alexander Isak – the most preferred option, Rafael Leao, and Luis Diaz, among others.

Barça do acknowledge the quality that Rashford would bring even though his recent form has been forgettable at best. The Manchester United forward’s proven track record in the past remains a point of interest.

The fact that he would be readily available to sign this month also adds up as an advantage, considering that the other targets Barcelona have will be difficult to sign in January.

Barcelona view 15-goal Premier League striker as the top target to reinforce attacking unit

FC Barcelona are waiting to find out the fair play margin they will have in the ongoing winter transfer window.

The Catalan club’s primary objective is to secure a top-tier forward to address deficiencies in the attacking line, a need identified since last summer.

Barcelona’s focus appears to be on finding a forward who can operate on the left flank and through the middle, contribute goals, and provide versatility.

Alexander Isak the preferred option

Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, among the options that Barcelona are considering, they admire the profile of Newcastle United and Sweden striker Alexander Isak the most and see him as their preferred target.

The former Real Sociedad player, who cost Newcastle €70 million in 2022, has been in excellent form this season, already plundering 15 goals in 22 matches while registering four assists as well.

But, as per the report, he is keen on consistent Champions League football – something Newcastle may not secure this season.

Ruben Amorim says Arsenal are a ‘different team’ when Martin Odegaard plays

Arsenal signed Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid on a permanent deal for £30 million.

The Norway international has been one of Arteta’s best players for years now. He is the captain of the club and is their biggest creative threat.

Arsenal badly missed Odegaard when he was out of action for two months due to an ankle injury. He returned and hit the ground running, helping Arsenal go 13 games unbeaten.

Odegaard’s form has dropped a bit in recent weeks and that has led to some criticism. However, Amorim is still very aware of how good a player he is and has heaped praise on him.

Neto debut decision, Saka cover experiment and Rice role – Dream Arsenal XI vs Man Utd

Arsenal take on Manchester United in the FA Cup hoping to recover their form from the defeat to Newcastle in midweek. Mikel Arteta will watch his team play in the ‘No More Red’ white kit that supports the campaign in tackling knife crime.

Arsenal’s record in the competition’s early rounds has not been particularly great, and they will be hoping to turn things into a positive trend after defeats against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool while wearing the strip. There remain some squad concerns to overcome and the illness remains a factor in the background to the tie.

In a dream scenario, however, these would not be in Arteta’s mind and he could focus on picking the best team for the job.

Although the romantic in me wants to choose Neto as it means he makes his debut, with the importance on this game, I cannot shake David Raya coming in. Mikel Arteta spoke of how the cups have changed regarding selection – a clear hint of the situation with Raya and starting.

In defence, the only real change looks to be Riccardo Calafiori who would come in for Myles Lewis-Skelly to help with dealing a blow to Amad Diallo’s hopes of hurting the club. The other four players remain consistent with maybe a fourth-round tie, if they make it, against a smaller club a chance to change them out.

Mikel Merino should come in being fully rested from midweek and behind him Declan Rice. This allows the combination of the main three midfielders including Martin Odegaard who many thought would become the starting trio for the season, but injury changed all that.

Arsenal signing Man Utd star for £21m would be good business

Arsenal have had a quiet start to the winter transfer window, but they could aim to bolster their attack in the coming weeks

The Gunners have been linked with several names, and Italian pundit Massimo Marianella has now provided a surprise transfer update.

Speaking to Sky Italia (via Spazioj), Marianella said that Arsenal have called Manchester United regarding Marcus Rashford.

The Gunners reportedly value him at around €25 million (£21m).

He said: “It seems that Arsenal have made a phone call to Manchester United for Rashford. The club has valued him at €25m (£21m).”

Signing Rashford at £21m would be good business

The England international has had a tough campaign with the Red Devils, and he has fallen out-of-favour over the past month under manager Ruben Amorim.

Despite this, he is attracting a lot of interest from European clubs. Juventus, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona are exploring loan deals for the attacker.

Arsenal, on the other hand, seem prepared to sign him for £21m, as per Marianella.

It would represent shrewd business for the club. With Rashford earning £300,000 weekly at United, Arsenal need to compensate for the same with a reduced fee.

Rashford has been lacking form and confidence in front of goal this campaign, but a change of surroundings could bring the best out of the 27-year-old.

The United graduate will have a point to prove after being sidelined by Amorim. He could also make the ‘impact‘ manager Mikel Arteta wants from a winter signing.

Rashford, described as ‘unstoppable‘ by former United manager Erik ten Hag, is primarily a left winger but has been more successful as a centre-forward in his career.

Gabriel Jesus And Havertz Starts Together | 4-2-3-1 Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Manchester United

After a 1-1 draw against Brighton, Arsenal failed to bounce back as they lost to Newcastle United by 2-0 in the Premier League. Though they are second on the points table, the gap is still large between them and the table-toppers Liverpool.

Anyways, the Gunners are preparing to host Manchester United at home in the FA Cup 3rd round this weekend. It will be a tough fixture for them considering the fact that the Red Devils are heading into the game after drawing against the Reds at Anfield recently.

4-2-3-1 Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Manchester United

Defence

David Raya remains the primary choice for operating between the sticks without any second thoughts. Right-back Jurrien Timber should also be keeping his spot in the lineup.

The centre-back duo of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes remain intact. However, the defenders need to do better to secure the backline. No place for Myles Lewis-Skelly as Riccardo Calafiori is likely to return to the left-back position.

Midfield

Thomas Partey has played a lot recently and could be on the bench this week to keep him fresh. His position should be filled up by Mikel Merino with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice being in the middle of the park obviously.

Attack

Mikel Arteta can trust Kai Havertz to operate as a number nine once again with Gabriel Martinelli being an automatic pick for the left flank role.

However, Leandro Trossard is expected to make way for Gabriel Jesus for the left-wing duties.

Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Ethan Nwaneri (muscle), Ben White (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are sidelined for this fixture. On the other hand, Raheem Sterling has recently recovered from illness and is unlikely to find himself on the initial XI list.

Arsenal receive injury boost as Ethan Nwaneri nears return

Arsenal have received a positive update on Ethan Nwaneri ‘s recovery following a muscular injury, with the 17-year-old expected to return to action by the end of the month.

The academy graduate, who has been one of Arsenal’s standout performers this season, was forced off at halftime during the 1-1 Premier League draw against Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Filling in for the injured Bukayo Saka on the right wing, Nwaneri shone with a brilliant first-half goal before his premature withdrawal, compounding Arsenal’s mounting injury woes.

Manager Mikel Arteta expressed his disappointment over the setback, describing the injury as a blow to the team and the player’s progress.

Arsenal insider Team News and Ticks has reiterated that Nwaneri is on track to return by early February, offering hope for the Gunners ahead of a packed fixture schedule.

The academy graduate has already missed Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to Newcastle earlier this week and is expected to sit out several key matches in January. These include an FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United, a Premier League North London derby against Tottenham, and Champions League group-stage games against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona.