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Chelsea are reportedly eyeing £35m-rated Santiago Gimenez as an alternative to Victor Osimhen, in case the Napoli striker proves too expensive.

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Osimhen is Chelsea's top target.Gimenez considered if Osimhen's pursuit stallsChelsea also evaluate winger Assane DiaoWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the Blues remain firm in their pursuit of the Napoli hitman, with the Nigerian also hinting that he remains open to exploring other options. However, they are well aware that Napoli views him as strictly indispensable and will not sell him cheaply as he is contractually bound to the reigning Serie A champions until 2025. This has forced them to look for other alternatives with Gimenez topping their wishlist.

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The Feyenoord striker has been in incredible form and has scored 15 goals in an equal number of matches across all competitions. Chelsea's recruitment staff admires his potential contribution but he also has a contract with the Dutch outfit until 2027 which means that the Blues might need to cough up over £35m plus add-ons for the goalscorer. There is strong interest from other European elites which include bothReal Madrid and Barcelona along with a host of Serie A clubs including Juventus, AC Milan and Inter.

DID YOU KNOW?

Chelsea are also keeping an eye on Assane Diao, a versatile winger from Real Betis, who has been a revelation under Manuel Pellegrini. The Blues view him as someone who could add depth to their right wing which is currently occupied by Noni Madueke. However, Betis, who are currently placed in the seventh spot, are not keen to let him leave in January as they are fighting for a European berth for the 2024-25 campaign.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Chelsea are navigating the transfer market with a laser-sharp focus on their pursuit of promising talents, which aligns with the club's new-found philosophy under the ownership of Todd Boehly. The interest in Gimenez and Diao is another step in that direction.

The U.S. fell at the quarterfinal round once again, with the latest loss coming as a result of some disastrous defending

This run promised to be different for the U.S. under-20 men's national team. After storming through the group stage without giving up a goal, the U.S. battered New Zealand, 4-0, to book their spot in the quarterfinals. Waiting them was Uruguay, a team that had been pushed to the limit by Gambia and would enter the quarterfinal on short rest and shorthanded.

But this run, as it turns out, wasn't different. In fact, it ended the exact same way the three previous tournaments did: with quarterfinal heartbreak and a team left wondering what could have been.

The U.S. defense, perfect through the first four games, imploded in the 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, handing the winners two tournament-ending goals. The first came on a mistake from Justin Che, whose sliding effort left the backline completely exposed for an Anderson Duarte finish in the 21st minute.

The second, though, was even worse, as Josh Wynder deflected home a relatively harmless cross, and it was the youngster's own goal that effectively ended the team's tournament run.

They'll feel that run ended prematurely and, in some ways, they'll be right. While Uruguay were the better team, they were never truly in control, but they sure did take advantage of the U.S. group's catastrophic mistakes.

It's because of those mistakes that another group of American players have failed to advance past this round of the tournament and, with Israel waiting in the semifinals, the U.S. would have had hopes of winning it all. Instead, they'll head home knowing that they proved to be their own undoing.

GOAL rates the U.S. players from Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades

GettyGoalkeeper & Defense

Gabriel Slonina (6/10):

Nothing he could have done on either goal, which were the only two goals he conceded this tournament. A cruel exit for a player that showed well in Argentina.

Caleb Wiley (4/10):

Gave the ball away way too often. Was nowhere near his best as he never quite made Uruguay uncomfortable down that left-hand side.

Josh Wynder (3/10):

A horrible, horrible moment for the youngest defender in the squad. Got his sliding clearance all wrong, putting it into the back of the net to effectively end the tournament run.

Brandan Craig (6/10):

Never really saw the best of him, especially in the first half as he was relatively uninvolved in the buildup. Craig's passing was key to the first few wins, but we didn't see much of it here.

Justin Che (3/10):

Totally at fault for the opening goal as his slide tackle attempt was totally unnecessary. His poor decision took him completely out of the play, leaving his team exposed for that game-winning goal.

Michael Halliday (4/10):

A rough first half for the right wingback before being replaced early in the second after the goal came down his side. Came into the XI ahead of Jonathan Gomez, but hindsight probably says the Real Sociedad man should have started.

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Jack McGlynn (5/10):

Even McGlynn wasn't immune from a bad performance, as his decision-making was totally off. One sequence saw him take a wild shot rather than advancing the ball out wide, symbolizing the U.S. panic that loomed large throughout.

Obed Vargas (5/10):

Feels like another mistake from Varas, who went with the youngster Vargas over the captain in Daniel Edelman. Didn't take long to rectify his mistake, though, as Edelman came in early in the second half to replace the Sounders star, who simply wasn't impacting the game enough.

Owen Wolff (5/10):

Played in that right wing/midfield hybrid role, but it never really worked. Rightfully taken off at halftime to get Kevin Paredes on.

GettyAttack

Diego Luna (6/10):

Started at striker, but played better once moved out of that No. 9 role. Was a target for Uruguay all game as he was repeatedly hacked and fouled by the opposition. Never really lost his cool, but you could tell that physicality took a toll.

Cade Cowell (5/10):

The knock on Cowell has been his inability to really combine in the final third, and we saw plenty of it in this one. Good on the dribble, but just couldn't do anything to break Uruguay down as he struggled when he got close to the box.

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GettySubs & Manager

Kevin Paredes (5/10):

Came on as the U.S. changed systems, but never really looked his best. His late arrival at the tournament will leave many wondering what could have been had he been here the whole time.

Rokas Pukstas (4/10):

Most notable contribution was actually blocking a goal-bound shot from Cowell.

Daniel Edelman (5/10):

Came on to help control the midfield, and Uruguay were more than content to let the U.S. do so after going up 2-0. Because of that, he didn't feel very helpful.

Jonathan Gomez (N/A):

Came on for Wynder as the U.S. pushed for a goal, but never really did much.

Quinn Sullivan (5/10):

Had gotten everything right in the first four games, but there were plenty of decisions worth questioning in this one. Starting XI never clicked and never turned to a true striker in Yapi as the U.S. chased. Overall, not a good game from the U.S. – nor their coach.

The Lionesses were far from their best in Brisbane against Haiti, so what can Sarina Wiegman alter before a tough test against Denmark?

When England opened their Women's World Cup campaign against Haiti on Saturday, many expected the European champions to have too much for the debutantes to handle. Forty-nine places separate the pair in the FIFA world rankings, after all. However, it certainly didn't look like that on the night, with the Lionesses needing a big save from Mary Earps late on to secure a 1-0 win.

It was a sloppy opening performance from the Lionesses, there's no doubt about that. Several players were far from their best as a Georgia Stanway penalty proved to be the difference in Brisbane. That said, the likes of Australia and the United States women's national team are other contenders for the title that haven't come out in top form from the off.

It's not a huge concern for head coach Sarina Wiegman, but she will certainly want to see improvements, especially with Denmark up next, the Euro 2017 finalists expected to be the Lionesses' biggest challengers for top spot in Group D.

So, what could the coach change for that second match? And what can the players improve on themselves? GOAL takes a look…

GettyIncrease Greenwood's influence

Ever since Leah Williamson's ACL injury in April, it has been anticipated that Alex Greenwood would partner Millie Bright in the heart of England's defence. However, after playing at left-back in the send-off friendly against Portugal, the Manchester City star was there again on Saturday as Jess Carter lined up alongside Bright instead.

Carter was one of the Lionesses' best performers on Saturday, with her proving to be a reliable presence while Bright shook off some serious rust. Greenwood, meanwhile, had more touches of the ball than any other player on the pitch, but her influence in possession was limited by the fact she was playing on the left.

For her club, Manchester City, she is almost like a conductor with the ball at centre-back, spraying passes out wide with that wand of a left foot while also playing a key role in the short-passing game and occasionally driving into midfield, all to help start attacks.

Greenwood put in a few decent crosses from the left against Haiti, but one can't help feel that her influence on the game is limited in the role she's currently playing. It's unlikely that she'll swap with Carter at this point, but England would certainly be better off if Wiegman could make some tweaks that increase her impact.

AdvertisementGettyFree up Walsh

Also unable to have a greater influence on England's play on Saturday was Keira Walsh, the Barcelona star completely marked out of the encounter by Haiti's smart game plan. She got into things a little bit more in the second half as the opponents tired, but still only had the sixth-most touches of any player, which is quite low for the Lionesses' holding midfielder.

It's nothing particularly new to team or player, though. Wiegman even noted after the match: "We’ve seen it all the time, they try to take her out. We couldn’t find her all the time."

So, what could be done to address this? The coach talked about how the team could've been "quicker" in exploiting "opportunities on the side" while Walsh was swarmed by Haiti shirts, for one, but whether someone from central defence can step into midfield or the trio in the middle can rotate more to get Walsh free, Wiegman and co. will need to figure out some way to counter this plan because more and more opponents are going to do it.

Address the lack of presence in the No.10 role

Another problem in midfield was in the No.10 role. Ella Toone has struggled to really make her presence known in this position since coming into the starting XI and that was the case again on Saturday, with very few of her involvements in the match coming in those spaces on the edge of the box, in front of the Haiti defence.

When Lauren James got ready to come on in the second half, one thought it might have been to replace the Manchester United midfielder given James had performed very well in the attacking midfield position against Portugal earlier this month. However, it was winger Lauren Hemp instead who made way. The only other change made by Wiegman was to swap Alessia Russo for Rachel Daly, with all of the Lionesses' midfield options from the bench staying in the dugout.

Denmark are going to be another tough team to break down on Friday – as are fellow Group D opponents China, judging by the pair's close encounter later on Saturday – so having someone higher up in midfield who can unlock these sides is going to be important, whether that's encouraging Toone to pick up those pockets more or making a change to the line up.

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GettyPut chances away!

It's easier said than done but England simply have to be more clinical. A large number of chances came and went on Saturday, with Russo, Hemp, Daly and Chloe Kelly all guilty of not working the goalkeeper hard enough at times. The Lionesses have only scored once from open play since February.

"We’re missing ruthlessness," Wiegman said. "It’s easy to say, but what does that mean? Sometimes [it's] the connection with the cross, the timing of the cross, where the cross ends in the box and the connection in front of the goal. We were very close a couple of times to scoring. The defence was tough. We’ll keep trying and working on it and start tomorrow again."

Many were calling for Daly to start ahead of Russo for this game, and there's no doubt there will be even more of that noise now – but everyone knows that Wiegman isn't one to ring the changes. Whoever starts against Denmark needs to bring their shooting boots because it seems chances could be at more of a premium in that match.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been hailed for leveraging their Hollywood status to "amazing" effect at Wrexham.

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American duo invested in Wrexham in 2021Overseen the club's return to the Football LeagueFinance guru expects celebrity ownership models to continueWHAT HAPPENED?

The American actors completed a £2 million takeover at Wrexham in February 2021, at which point the club were still competing in the National League. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have taken a hands-on approach at SToK Racecourse, silencing critics that claimed their move into football was merely a gimmick, and it reaped rewards in 2022-23 as Wrexham secured promotion back to the Football League after a 15-year absence.

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Celebrity owners are becoming more and more common as a result of Wrexham's success, with NFL legend Tom Brady the latest man to try his hand in English football as a co-owner at Championship club Birmingham City. Dr Christina Philippou, a Principal Lecturer in accounting, economics and finance at the Faculty of Business and Law, believes the trend will continue because of the huge impact celebrities can have when it comes to the commercial interests of football clubs.

WHAT DR CHRISTINA PHILIPPOU SAID

"It's a matter of a sporting celebrity bringing in money," Dr Philippou told . "Wrexham have a touch of Hollywood glamour, and the owners have been able to do amazing things by selling the story along with their on-pitch and community efforts. Leveraging that status sells and helps the commercial side, which in turn helps the on-pitch fortunes as the owners are able to input some of that money into the club."

She added: "Sports have a global reach now due to the likes of social media. All sorts of things have changed since those days, but being able to leverage celebrities is a big thing in terms of the commercial and broadcasting side of things. The [Lionel] Messi effect at Inter Miami had a massive impact on match-day prospects. There's a reason for celebrities to be there, and I think it will continue. The generations coming through now are even more savvy when it comes to influencers and who the big stars are. That culture is definitely growing, and moving with those would make sense from a commercial side. I don't think it's something we'll stop seeing anytime soon."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Wrexham's growth has also been helped by the success of the Disney Plus docuseries tracking their rise under Reynolds and McElhenney. 'Welcome to Wrexham' was recently renewed for a third season, but Dr Philippou has warned that continued progress on the pitch is the only way to guarantee that interest levels remain high. "There may not be a compelling story to tell if Wrexham had stayed outside the Football League. It would get harder and harder to sell the story," she said. "There is a link between results and general interest. We see that across every level. Match-day interest is never as high after a team gets relegated. Social media content certainly plays its part when it comes to the commercial side, sponsorship deals, and broadcasting. If you can prove online interest in your club and demonstrate true engagement, then sponsors will come calling, and that only helps the club. Sunderland Till I Die sold too, but for different reasons! There have been a couple of documentaries made during great or terrible seasons. The problem is not being able to tell. A few of the NFL All or Nothing documentaries have been made as the chosen club has had an average season, and they never sell particularly well as it makes for less interesting viewing."

Goal takes a look at 10 Arsenal stars who never hit the same heights after leaving the Gunners.

When Kieran Gibbs left Arsenal for West Brom after spending over 11 seasons at the club, he remarked that he would learn how to improve defensively at his new team. Arsene Wenger was asked about those comments shortly after and made an apt statement which has rung true of several players after they departed north London for pastures new.

“Once someone takes the decision to leave I wish them well and focus on my squad, but just look at the performances of the players who left us and then come back to me about it,” he said in 2017.

Goal takes a look at 10 Arsenal stars who never hit the same heights after leaving the Gunners.

Getty ImagesEmmanuel Petit

Petit joined Arsenal from Monaco in 1997 after working with Wenger when the Frenchman was manager of the Ligue 1 side. The magnificent partnership between Petit and Patrick Vieira saw him make 85 appearances in three years before deciding to join Barcelona in the summer of 2000.

However, an injury-plagued spell coupled with poor performances saw him eventually return to the Premier League with Chelsea. Three seasons later, Petit retired from professional football.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAlex Song

Arsenal's search for a defensive midfielder was eventually narrowed down to Cameroonian star Song. He initially struggled at the heart of the Gunners midfield before being sent on loan to Charlton where he honed his defensive qualities.

In the 2011/12 season he formed an exquisite partnership with Robin van Persie when he recorded 13 assists. 

At the end of the season he joined Barcelona but struggled to get past Sergio Busquets in the team. 

Following two disappointing campaigns with Barcelona he had mixed spells at West Ham and Russian side Rubin Kazan. He now plays for FC Sion in the Swiss Super League.

Getty ImagesPatrick Vieira

Vieira won three Premier League trophies and four FA Cup titles during his nine-year stay at Arsenal, captaining the club through the 49-game unbeaten season and making over 400 appearances for the Gunners.

He left for Juventus in July 2005 after Wenger accepted that he would need to let the Frenchman go in order for Cesc Fabregas to become the new mainstay of Arsenal's midfield.

Interestingly, Vieira returned to Highbury a year later when Juventus faced Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and was culpable for one of Arsenal's goals after Robert Pires tackled him and helped set up Fabregas to score.

Spells at Inter and Manchester City followed but Vieira's quality began to diminish towards the latter stages of his career.

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Getty ImagesAlexander Hleb

An exciting pass master with the ability to create something out of nothing, Hleb was part of an impressive Arsenal team which almost won the Premier League in the 2007/08 season.

When Barcelona came calling the Belarusian couldn't say no – but it was a decision that he came to regret as he failed to impress at Camp Nou.

“At some point, I realised, ‘Oh God! I’m leaving Arsenal!’ When Arsene said that it was a matter of hours, I felt devastated. It was really hard for me to accept. He even texted me as I was fishing. ‘Alex, I won’t let you go, we need you here’. I cried when I read it.”

Hleb has since admitted that he regrets ever leaving Arsenal. Three loan spells with Stuttgart, Birmingham and Wolfsburg later, he is now back in his homeland playing for BATE Borisov.

United States national team boss Gregg Berhlater has provided a bleak update on the fitness of midfielder Tyler Adams ahead of the Copa America.

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Adams suffers injury and undergoes surgeryAbsent for almost a yearBerhalter issues update on his fitnessGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Berhalter, 50, has revealed he is unsure whether or not Adams will be able to take part in this summer's Copa America tournament due to injury. The tournament will be hosted in the United States and is set to start on June 20 and run until July 14.

AdvertisementWHAT BERHALTER SAID

“I don’t know,” Berhalter said on Tuesday. “We’re taking it the same way he’s taking it, and that’s day by day. And as we get information, we’ll be able to make decisions but for us, it’s just supporting him, continuing to communicate with his club, and really not getting ahead of ourselves.”

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Adams suffered an initial hamstring setback in March 2023 while at Leeds United and underwent surgery to solve the issue. Six months later, the USMNT midfielder had moved to Bournemoith but re-aggravated the injury at the Cherries – leading to more surgery in October. Adams has not featured for the national side since captaining them at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ADAMS?

The 24-year-old will continue to watch both Bournemouth and his national team from the sidelines while he continues his lengthy rehabilitation period. The Cherries face Newcastle United in their next game on Saturday, while the USMNT are set to link-up in March for their games against Jamaica.

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney was thrilled to see the club's new Kop stand at the Racecourse after securing a partnership with his whiskey brand.

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Wrexham open new temporary Kop standNamed the 'Fourth Wall' at the RacecourseMcElhenney shows stand with new sponsorGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

After the Always Sunny in Philadelphia star announced the temporary Kop stand at STōK Cae Ras would be named the 'Fourth Wall' this week, McElhenney has posted another update. He showed a fresh image of the stand with the new name and his sponsor emblazoned at the top of it.

AdvertisementWHAT MCELHENNEY POSTED

The Hollywood actor posted a photo of the new-look stand and tweeted: "Looking good, Wrexham," followed by a smiling face with heart eyes emoji.

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The temporary stand opened last December and has allowed the club to rake in the extra revenue an additional 2,289 fans provide. This is another example of how owners McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds havecompletely transformed the Welsh club – taking them out of the National League and into a League One promotion push.

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WHAT NEXT?

The Red Dragons, who sit third in League Two, are working to open a new, fully fledged Kop stand at the start of the 2024/25 season – which will hold approximately 5,500 fans. This will take the Racecourse's capacity to around 16,000.

City had two hat-trick heroes at the Etihad Stadium as they maintained their unbeaten start to the season in thrilling fashion

Manchester City have had some memorable derby victories in their previous 187 meetings with Manchester United, but none were as one-sided as Sunday's crushing 6-3 win at the Etihad Stadium.

Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scored hat-tricks as United were torn apart by an incredible City attacking performance.

Two late United goals took some of the shine off what was otherwise an emphatic display from the champions, who are now the only unbeaten team in the Premier League this season.

But who were the stars, and how did the City stars rate? GOAL breaks it down:

The Winners

Erling Haaland:

He's not done against big-six sides? Well he has now. Haaland is a phenomenon – taking his tally to 17 goals in 12 City matches with a third successive hat-trick at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League. Erik ten Hag said he wouldn't devise a plan to stop Haaland, but it might be a good idea to think about it before the return at Old Trafford next year!

Phil Foden:

With Wythenshawe-born Marcus Rashford starting for United on opposite sides to Stockport-lad Foden, there was a welcome local feel to the derby. Boyhood City fan Foden has enjoyed plenty of games against United both as a fan, ballboy and as a player, but this will be an extra special memory for the 22-year-old as he netted not only his first goal against United, but a hat-trick against City's bitter rivals. Foden was brilliant throughout, but it took just eight minutes to get his first goal in his eighth derby appearance – and there were two more to come on a remarkable day.

City fans:

Foden is the embodiment of the supporters and his joy will be amplified all across the city. There was a lot of talk ahead of the game that Ten Hag's side were closing the gap on the Premier League champions – but the reality is it might be bigger than ever. In 90 minutes, Guardiola's side show how superior they are in every department; from quality to work rate. If fans were worried their rivals were catching up, they were gone by full-time at the Etihad as they enjoyed the humiliation.

Jack Grealish:

This may have been the £100-million man's most impressive performance in a City shirt. Grealish set the tempo from the opening minutes when he quickly ran at Diogo Dalot and tricked him into an early yellow card. It was a non-stop performance, and it was a shame that he didn't get an assist or goal that his performance deserved. Haaland and Foden will take the headlines, but Grealish won't care about that if he keeps playing like this.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Kyle Walker:

You will struggle to find anyone in the blue half of Manchester who feels like a loser after such an incredible victory. But Walker's afternoon didn't end as he would have wanted, when he was substituted just before half-time with a knock. The defender appeared to injure his ankle after an aerial challenge, and after missing three games before the international break, he will be praying the setback is not too serious.

Ruben Dias:

In a five-way fight for two centre-back positions, Dias suddenly looks like the least in favour. It's a strange position to be in for the Portugal international, who made such a significant impact in helping to sort out the backline following his arrival two years ago this week. With John Stones injured and Aymeric Laporte still on the comeback trail, Dias would have been an expected starter for the derby. But Nathan Ake and new signing Manuel Akanji were preferred, and now Dias is facing a battle to become a regular.

Getty ImagesMan City ratings: Defence

Ederson (7/10):

Was quick off his line early on to shut down any hope United might have had of catching the home side out with long balls over the top, but will have been disappointed to concede three times.

Kyle Walker (6/10):

Suffered an injury setback and had a couple of dodgy moments before City killed off the visitors.

Manuel Akanji (9/10):

Brought back memories of Vincent Kompany in the way he elegantly controlled the defence and bullied Rashford.

Nathan Ake (8/10):

Has perhaps been City's standout centre-back this season and again gave a faultless performance to justify his inclusion.

Joao Cancelo (8/10):

Terrorised United going forward down the left-hand side but his influence was less when he switched to the right, and gave away a late penalty.

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Getty ImagesMidfield

Ilkay Gundogan (8/10):

Injuries to Rodri and Kalvin Phillips forced Gundogan back into the holding midfield role, and he made the most of the extra space to dictate the game.

Bernardo Silva (8/10):

Linked the defence and attack brilliantly as United had no answer in how to deal with his clever movement.

Kevin De Bruyne (8/10):

His link-up with Haaland is starting to get very scary for rivals with his pinpoint pass perfectly setting up another goal for the Norwegian.

Mohamed Salah reacted in “the best way possible” to seeing Liverpool turn down a £150 million ($189m) bid for him, says Andy Robertson.

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Egyptian star subject of big-money bidReds reluctant to sellPrized asset remains at Anfield for nowWHAT HAPPENED?

The Egyptian superstar was the subject of a big-money approach from Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad prior to the window in England slamming shut. Teams in the Middle East are still in a position to bolster their respective ranks, meaning that an improved offer may yet arrive at Anfield. Liverpool consider the matter to be over, though, with Jurgen Klopp never paying too much attention to the “fuss” that Salah’s future was causing. The Reds have their talismanic forward tied to a contract through to 2025 and have been given no indication by the 31-year-old forward that he is looking to move on.

AdvertisementGettyImageWHAT THEY SAID

Robertson has said when asked about the potentially distracting Salah saga: “For us we block that out, Mo blocks it out. We let other people talk about that. For us there is no concern. For us Mohamed Salah is a Liverpool player and we believe that is what is going to be the case for the foreseeable future. He’s the ultimate professional. He does what it does, he is one of the best players in the world and he is professional. He lets other people do the talking, let’s other people say what they have to say, but he’s always been committed to Liverpool and you saw that with the performance he put in.

“The club’s position was that it knocked it back, it rejected the bid and that is what the stance was. For me Mo has been Mo all week. He’s not been affected; I’ve been around him a lot and he’s not been affected by anything. Mo has reacted in the best way possible.”

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Salah was among the goals for Liverpool in their 3-0 victory over Aston Villa – taking him to 188 in total for the club – and Robertson added on noise that nobody on Merseyside can control: “Look, there is speculation around a lot of players and it is how we deal with it and he (Salah) has obviously done well. Our squad is what it is and that’s the squad that is going to go forward now with the window shut. It is about getting the most out of the squad, it is about looking forward to the season ahead and trying to do better than what we did last season.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Liverpool missed out on Champions League qualification in 2022-23, forcing them into the Europa League, but they have made a positive start to the current campaign and sit third in the Premier League table at the first international break after picking up 10 points from a possible 12.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has reacted to the speculation suggesting that Gabriel Magalhaes is interesting Real Madrid and clubs in Saudi Arabia.

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South American started season on the benchLinked with teams in Spain & Middle EastBoss insists he still has a role to playWHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil international defender is generating exit talk at Emirates Stadium after surprisingly dropping out of the Gunners’ starting XI in the early weeks of the 2023-24 campaign. Having been a regular since his arrival from Lille in 2020, the 25-year-old has become the unfortunate victim of a tactical tweak from Arteta.

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Gabriel has, however, figured off the bench for Arsenal in their opening wins over Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace – suggesting that he does still have an important role to play. That has done little to quash the rumours linking him with a move to Spain or the Middle East, but his manager is reluctant to be dragged into that debate.

WHAT THEY SAID

Quizzed on Gabriel’s future following a hard-fought 1-0 win away at London rivals Palace, Arteta told reporters: “It’s about the games that we were expecting, what I was expecting, how we wanted to defend and attack and our belief it was the best thing. He’s played in both games, he’s helped us to win both games for different reasons. He was really good, he absolutely dominated the box. He’s going to play a lot of games. That’s the decision sometimes.” When pressured further on whether Arsenal would look to sell the defender before the summer window closes, Arteta merely shook his head.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Gabriel signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal less than a year ago, with those terms due to keep the South American centre-half in north London through to 2027.