Arsenal reportedly look to have been handed a transfer boost as Ajax striker Brian Brobbey could be on the move this summer and would be keen to play in the Premier League.

Brobbey is one name on Arsenal’s list as Eddie Nketiah could be on his way out of the Emirates Stadium, CaughtOffside understands, and it now seems like the Netherlands international is keen to play in England next despite having interest from Roma as well.

That’s according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg in the post below on his official account on X, formerly Twitter, though he doesn’t specifically mention Arsenal…

?? Brian #Brobbey could leave @AFCAjax already this summer!

22 y/o striker has received many inquiries. AS Roma are monitoring his situation.

… but Brobbey is also keen to play Premier League next season. Contract valid until 2027.

Price valuation: €25-30m.… pic.twitter.com/6RsactZGfP

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) July 23, 2024

Brobbey looks a fine young talent who could be a good fit for Arsenal and indeed numerous other top clubs, with the 22-year-old 36 goals in all competitions over the last two seasons for Ajax.

One imagines Brobbey will only continue to improve as he gets older and gains experience, while he’d also surely benefit from the superior teammates he’d have around him if he were to link up with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka in Mikel Arteta’s side.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

Brobbey transfer: Is he the striker Arsenal need?

Arsenal surely need a new striker next season as Gabriel Jesus doesn’t look the most reliable option in that department due to an underwhelming scoring record in his time at the Emirates Stadium, as well as numerous issues staying fit over a whole campaign.

Kai Havertz showed some promise up front towards the end of last season, but it’s not clear if that’s really his best position for the long term, so someone like Brobbey could be an ideal upgrade.

The talented young Dutchman might not be as big a name as some of the others we’ve seen talked about over the last few months, like Victor Osimhen, Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, but one can easily imagine him doing an important job for this Arsenal side.

The post Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal FC expert Charles Watts has heaped praise onto the Gunners for their patient approach over the incoming signing of Riccardo Calafiori, with the journalist also stating that he expects the Italy international’s presence in Mikel Arteta’s squad to prove a pretty frightening prospect for the rest of the Premier League.

Calafiori looked superb for Bologna last season and also impressed for Italy at Euro 2024, and now it looks to have earned him a big move to the Emirates Stadium, which Watts feels was never really in doubt despite the saga dragging on for a while.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for the latest edition of his weekly column for the Daily Briefing, Watts gave us his insight into what he’s expecting from Calafiori as his move to Arsenal edges closer to completion.

Arsenal fans will certainly be excited by this arrival, which looks like just what Mikel Arteta needs as an upgrade on unconvincing duo Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior on the left-hand side of his defence.

Calafiori transfer: Arsenal expert on this exciting deal

“Arsenal have had to stay patient when it comes to their move for Riccardo Calafiori. But that is something they have shown they are willing to be when it comes to landing players they really want,” Watts said.

“You just have to look at when they signed Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis from Real Madrid in 2021 as a prime example of that.

“They were made to wait all summer by Madrid and could easily have grown frustrated and moved on to other targets. But they were happy to play the waiting game because Mikel Arteta and Edu were convinced Odegaard was a player who could take the team to the next level and they have been rewarded for that patience.

“They have not had to wait as long for Calafiori as they did for Odegaard and I don’t think they were ever worried that the deal would not get done. It feels like talks with Bologna have gone relatively well. It’s the massive sell-on fee that Basel will be due for the deal that has made things a bit tricky.”

He added: “I think it’s a really exciting signing for Arsenal. Left-back was one of two positions in the team last season where there was no real consistency. Arteta was having to mix and match throughout the season, with the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakob Kiwior all filling in there.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

“When you look at Calafiori and where his strengths are, he looks like a really smart signing. He has the qualities to invert into midfield from left-back thanks to how comfortable he is with the ball when he drives forward. But if Arteta wants to use Ben White as his inverted full-back on the right, then Calafiori can just move more centrally and make up a three with Gabriel and William Saliba.

“Arsenal were so strong defensively last season and you have to think the addition of the 22-year-old is only going to make them even better at the back. That’s a pretty scary scenario for the rest of the Premier League.”

The post Exclusive: Arsenal’s imminent signing will be scary for the rest of the Premier League – expert appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The imminent signing of Riccardo Calafiori for Arsenal is reportedly likely to mean defenders could be sold by the Gunners.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Kieran Tierney would likely come to mind as three probable casualties of the Calafiori deal, and they are indeed the three mentioned in the latest report from The Athletic.

The piece states that Tierney is considered highly likely to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer, while Arsenal could also listen to offers for Zinchenko and Kiwior, so it will be interesting to see if anyone comes in with the kind of money that could convince the Gunners to cash in on them.

Calafiori would be an exciting signing for Arsenal after he showed immense potential in Serie A last season, as well as with Italy at Euro 2024, despite their relatively early exit from the tournament.

Calafiori transfer shows how high standards at Arsenal have got

The signing of Calafiori would truly be a statement by Mikel Arteta, who has done great work to lift the standards at Arsenal since taking over as manager five years ago.

Many top clubs will have been fairly happy with how Zinchenko and Kiwior have played in the last couple of years, but AFC are still keen to get the little details just right as they face such a formidable foe in the form of Manchester City.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

Neither Zinchenko nor Kiwior have done a lot wrong in their Arsenal careers, but Calafiori looks like an upgrade and possibly like a better tactical fit for what Arteta is trying to do, so it probably is for the best that the 22-year-old’s arrival means the others could leave.

Still, many Arsenal fans might also be questioning why this signing is a priority over a new attacking player, with some doubts remaining over the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli after they both suffered dips in form last season.

The post Imminent Arsenal signing likely to mean three defenders could leave appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is reportedly edging closer to a transfer to Napoli this summer, with the player and the club just awaiting a final green light now.

Lukaku has not been part of the first-team picture at Stamford Bridge for the last couple of years now, with the Belgium international spending last season on loan at Roma, and the year before that on loan at Inter Milan.

Now Napoli looks like being his next destination, with CalcioNapoli24 reporting that the Blues misfit is just awaiting the green light to travel for his medical and complete the final details of his move, though it’s not yet clear if this is going to be another loan or a permanent transfer this time.

Lukaku could be a fine signing for Napoli if they manage to get this deal done, with the 31-year-old showing signs of getting back to his best with his spell in Serie A last season, while he also looks like just the right kind of striker to play under the tactical set-up of new manager Antonio Conte.

Lukaku transfer: Chelsea will hope to finally sell expensive flop

Lukaku will have to go down as one of Chelsea’s biggest flops of recent times, with the former Manchester United and Everton man not performing at all despite his big-money move to west London back in the summer of 2021.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

It’s not really clear what went wrong for Lukaku, who had impressed in his first spell at Inter before that, bouncing back well from what was also a disappointing period for him at Man Utd between 2017 and 2019.

On his day, Lukaku can be such a powerhouse in attack, but for some reason it just hasn’t happened for him in his two spells at top Premier League clubs, and that will surely always be a big regret for him when he looks back on what has otherwise been a fine career at the highest level.

The post Chelsea star just awaiting final green light to complete transfer to Euro giants appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea will be determined to hit the ground running this season under Enzo Maresca.

The pressure on the Italians shoulders is likely to be almost intolerable given the evident need for league and cup success for the club’s owners, something that was seemingly beyond Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter, not that either were really given the time to put their methods into practice.

Just when Poch was getting things right, a decision to part by mutual consent was made.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

Thomas Tuchel was also swiftly dismissed by Todd Boehly, who had evidently decided it was time for a change soon after taking over as owner of the club.

From Maresca’s point of view, the strength of the club’s transfer window this summer is likely to have a marked effect on how well Chelsea do in the first half of the campaign, which will also have a direct correlation to the manager’s own position.

One player that the Blues are known to have had in their sights for a while now is Napoli’s brilliant hit-man, Victor Osimhen.

Victor Osimhen deal could be revived by Chelsea

With a reported £113m release clause (The Standard), Osimhen’s hire by Chelsea would’ve seen them almost certainly at the top of the spending charts again, however, more recently the player has edged nearer to a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

It isn’t clear if the structure of the deal is what had seen PSG move ahead of the Blues in the race to bag the 25-year-old, however, there may yet be hope for Boehly and Co.

??? Negotiations between PSG and Napoli for Osimhen, not advancing after recent talks.

PSG rejected to include Kang-in Lee in the deal and will not trigger release clause as Napoli wanted.

Deal NOT happening under these conditions.

PSG also happy with Ramos & Kolo Muani. pic.twitter.com/R46085YcyQ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2024

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) from CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, talks between the French giants and their Italian counterparts have stalled.

That could see Boehly revive Chelsea’s interest in a player who would be the perfect replacement for Romelu Lukaku – the Belgian surely going the other way as part of any deal.

The post Chelsea’s pursuit of Victor Osimhen likely to be revived after latest news appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has responded to a question about the Riccardo Calafiori transfer situation whilst also sending a strong and clear message to the club’s board about what they have to do this summer.

Arsenal are closing in on the Italy international, according to BBC Sport, though they also quote Arteta as saying he has no update on that particular deal, though the Spanish tactician then goes on to say how important it is for the Gunners to achieve a perfect summer transfer window.

Arsenal have come really close to winning the title for two seasons in a row now, but on both occasions narrowly missed out as Manchester City ended up taking the trophy, so Arteta will be understandably desperate to fix some of the finer details of his squad to ensure they can go all the way this time.

Discussing Arsenal transfers this summer, Arteta clearly took the opportunity to send a message to his board about how important it is to get their deals right if they are to go on and enjoy success on the pitch.

Arteta’s Arsenal transfer demand

“We have to,” Arteta said when asked about improving his squad. “When you are so close you want to grab it.

“Perfection in this league requires different standards when you relate that word to winning the Premier League and that is what we have to do.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

“There is still a lot of time left in the window and while that is more a question for the board, obviously we know there are certain positions that we want to improve and give the squad better resources in terms of numbers but the main thing is to focus on falling in love with the players we have.”

AFC supporters will no doubt be excited by the arrival of Calafiori, but it also seems clear that the north London giants could do with further new additions before the start of the campaign after what has been a surprisingly quiet summer at the Emirates Stadium so far.

The post Mikel Arteta responds to Riccardo Calafiori transfer question and sends strong message to Arsenal board appeared first on CaughtOffside.

AS Roma are trying to hijack Leicester City’s move for Juventus star Matias Soule as the Italian giants have submitted a higher offer than the one tabled by the Premier League club.

CaughtOffside previously reported that Leicester have submitted a €24m proposal for the Argentine winger and that Juventus were ready to accept that offer and allow Soule to move to the English top flight.

Personal terms have already been agreed between Leicester and the Juventus player with the 21-year-old set to receive a contract at the King Power Stadium until 2028/29.

However, things have changed, as Roma are now leading the race to sign Soule having made an offer of €29m plus add-ons to Juve for the Argentine talent.

Sources have told CaughtOffside that the Turin club will accept the best offer that arrives for the winger and that Leicester City have already been informed that they will lose the race for Soule following Roma’s latest move.

It remains to be seen if the Foxes will respond with a higher bid and if they do, that could bring the Premier League club back to the front of the race.

Roma plan to talk to the Juventus player’s agents soon as they continue to make moves to get a deal for the winger over the line.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

Leicester City target Matias Soule has attracted a lot of interest this summer

Soule spent last season on loan with Frosinone and impressed with the Italian club across the 39 appearances he made. The Argentine scored 11 goals and assisted a further three, which caught the attention of several clubs ahead of the current transfer window.

Napoli, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Brentford have all been linked with the 21-year-old this summer; however, the race is currently between Roma and Leicester.

It looks like Soule will be playing his football in the Italian capital this season, but it is not over until the Premier League club decide what they want to do in response to the Giallorossi offer.

The post Exclusive: AS Roma looking to hijack Leicester City’s move for 21-year-old Serie A talent appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Riccardo Calafiori has not returned to the Bologna squad for pre-season after coming back from his summer holidays, according to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano, with a move to Arsenal now surely edging closer.

The Italy international has shone during his time in Serie A but it now looks increasingly likely that the Premier League will be his next destination, with Romano providing another update today.

As well as posting a rather teasing hourglass emoji on his official X page, Romano also gave the latest details below as he made it clear Bologna have not called Calafiori up ahead of his expected exit, with a green light perhaps moving a step closer…

???? #AFC https://t.co/rGX17HWS4e

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2024

???? Riccardo Calafiori did not get called up for Bologna duties after returning from holidays.

Arsenal and Bologna agreed on €40m plus €5m deal with sell-on clause also included, Calafiori agreed on five year deal with #AFC.

Just waiting for Bologna and Basel green light. pic.twitter.com/aqgLrf6uXY

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2024

Calafiori looks an exciting signing for Arsenal, so fans of the Gunners will no doubt be desperate for this to go through soon, with the 22-year-old then available to join in pre-season with Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal already have a strong squad, but adding a superb young and versatile talent like this should only further boost their chances of winning the title next season after coming so close back in May.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

Calafiori should prove to be an upgrade on unconvincing performers like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, while he’ll also give AFC an alternative at centre-back if William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes end up missing games through injury or suspension.

A lack of depth in defence has been an issue for Arsenal in the past, but Calafiori joining and Jurrien Timber returning from injury should make a big difference for the north London giants next season.

Romano also spoke exclusively to CaughtOffside yesterday to provide us with some insight into how Arsenal persisted in their efforts to sign Calafiori even when it was not an easy deal and there were even some rumours at points that the move looked to have stalled.

The post Arsenal transfer target not called up to current club’s squad as “green light” close appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea are reportedly showing a strong interest in the potential transfer of highly-rated Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu, with the Serie A club said to be anticipating an official offer from the Blues.

This comes as Arsenal and Tottenham have apparently also both made approaches over the talented 19-year-old, who is valued at around €30million, according to a report from Italian outlet Calcio Lecce.

Dorgu has shone in Serie A and it makes sense that these three major London clubs are now keen on him, though it’s not necessarily obvious where he’d fit in at Arsenal.

The Gunners already have Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakub Kiwior as options at left-back, while Riccardo Calafiori is close to joining from Bologna, according to Fabrizio Romano via his Daily Briefing column yesterday.

Dorgu transfer: Chelsea or Tottenham more likely than Arsenal?

Unless Mikel Arteta is keen on a major shake-up in that position at Arsenal, it perhaps seems more likely that Chelsea or Spurs will be the ones in the strongest position to snap up Dorgu, who will surely only want to move somewhere he’s going to get the chance to play regularly.

The Denmark Under-21 international may feel confident he’d be an upgrade on the likes of Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie at Tottenham, while he might also get a chance at Chelsea after so many injury problems suffered by Ben Chilwell in recent times.

Then again, Marc Cucurella’s recent improved form might make things difficult for Dorgu, so it will be interesting to see how this saga develops.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

Dorgu is a top talent, so it would be a shame if he rushed into the wrong move now and ended up seeing his progress stall over the next year or two.

Playing regularly is crucial for top talents like this, or else Dorgu would be taking a big risk with what could be a hugely important stage of his career.

The post Club anticipating official Chelsea offer for €30m-rated Arsenal & Tottenham transfer target appeared first on CaughtOffside.

AC Milan are set to re-start transfer talks with Tottenham over Emerson Royal as they’re prepared to walk away from a potential deal to sign Aston Villa full-back Matty Cash.

Sources with a close understanding of the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Cash has been a target for Milan this summer, though Villa’s asking price of €35-40m for the Poland international is deemed too high for the Serie A giants.

Royal was also looked at by Milan earlier in the summer and he remains an option on their radar, with the Brazilian also keen to leave Spurs for a move to the San Siro, CaughtOffside understands.

It is now anticipated that Milan will end their efforts to sign Cash as they’re not optimistic about being able to strike a deal on favourable terms, meaning they will look at Royal and other alternatives.

More Stories / Latest News

Returning Arsenal star praises key figure who was “very supportive” during lengthy injury

Jul 23 2024, 14:00

Arsenal transfer boost as striker target prefers Premier League over another interested club

Jul 23 2024, 13:59

22-year-old Leicester City winger in talks to leave the club

Jul 23 2024, 13:50

CaughtOffside understands that Milan will try to get talks with Tottenham back on again after some initial efforts earlier this summer, while personal terms with the player are not expected to be an issue.

Cash transfer: Villa will want to avoid further big-name sales

Keeping hold of Cash looks like a boost for Villa as they will no doubt have been keen to avoid losing more big names after the departure of Douglas Luiz earlier this summer.

The Brazilian midfielder was a star player for Unai Emery’s side last season but has left to join Juventus, while it also looks like Moussa Diaby is closing in on leaving Villa Park for Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad.

Losing Cash would have been another big blow for AVFC, but Royal is not as important a player for Tottenham, so this certainly looks like a more realistic target for Milan as they look to strengthen on that right-hand side of their defence.

The post Exclusive: AC Milan to re-start transfer talks with Tottenham as they’re set to walk away from another deal appeared first on CaughtOffside.