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Tottenham offered Richarlison to Crystal Palace as part of their bid to sign Eberechi Eze ahead of Arsenal, according to reports.

Arsenal have now won the race to sign Eze from Palace after agreeing a deal worth £60 million plus £7.5m in add-ons.

The 27-year-old will now play his final game for Palace in the first leg of their Conference League play-off at home to Norwegian side Fredrikstad on Thursday evening before he undergoes a medical with Mikel Arteta’s side on Friday.

Spurs had also held extensive talks with Palace this summer having missed out on a move to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs had initially attempted to agree a deal worth £55m plus add-ons for Eze before accepting Palace’s demands.

The report claims that Richarlison, a £60m signing from Everton three years ago, was even offered by Spurs in an attempt to help negotiations with Palace.

Spurs are now said to be ‘dismayed’ by how events have unfolded but believe they could not have done any more to sign Eze ahead of Arsenal.

Eze had also agreed terms with Spurs but the England international has been holding out for Arsenal to make their move, which came after Arteta’s side were hit by Kai Havertz’s knee injury.

Speaking on Wednesday, Palace manager Oliver Glasner insisted he had no concerns over selecting Eze and Marc Guehi, who is wanted by Liverpool, for their Conference League play-off.

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‘I think it’s also the right of a club and the duty of a player to give 100 per cent as long as he’s under contract,’ Glasner said.

‘On the other side, I know this is the theory. I think many of you were surprised that Marc and Ebs started and played almost the whole game [against Chelsea]. Most of you will be surprised that they will start again tomorrow because of all the rumours, but again they are committed to the team.

‘They have a contract here. They played a crucial part that we could be so successful and they will play a crucial part as long as they are here. When one of the players will leave, which I don’t know at the moment, they want to leave as the players who always give 100 per cent for Crystal Palace.

‘I think the pair of them are great lads and they’re so committed and so professional. I’m sure they’ll keep staying committed throughout and they’re always here to help the team and they’re part of us at the minute, so we’ll keep enjoying it.’

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Arrow MORE: Chelsea legend hits out at Arsenal over Eberechi Eze transfer hijack

Arrow MORE: Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City? Hasselbaink names his favourite for Premier League title

Eberechi Eze wants to join Arsenal after they launched a stunning 11th-hour bid to sign the Crystal Palace midfielder ahead of rivals Tottenham, according to reports.

Eze has been on Arsenal’s shortlist since the start of the summer, but Mikel Arteta’s side cooled their interest after rewarding youngster Ethan Nwaneri with a new contract.

Tottenham appeared to be closing in on an agreement to sign the England international, with all indications being that a deal would be finalised in the coming days.

However, The Athletic reports that Arsenal have now hijacked Eze’s move to Spurs after an injury to Kai Havertz forced the Gunners to head back into the market.

The pursuit, led by sporting director Andrea Berta, appears to have progressed at a rapid rate, and Arsenal are now said to be close to agreeing on a deal worth over £60m for Eze.

And the midfielder, who grew up an Arsenal fan and played in the club’s academy, is keen to turn his back on Tottenham and, instead, make the move to the Emirates.

Should Eze indeed choose Arsenal, it would represent a hammer blow for Tottenham, who were ready to make the 27-year-old their marquee summer signing for Thomas Frank.

Spurs were already dealt a similar setback earlier in the summer when Morgan Gibbs-White turned his back on a move to north London and instead signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest.

Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel and Kota Takai are Spurs’ only permanent signings so far this summer.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have already made noticeable improvements to their attacking options with the signings of Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke.

Despite speculation over his future, Eze trained with the Palace squad on Wednesday and is still expected to play in their Thursday’s Conference League play-off against Fredrikstad.

Palace captain Marc Guehi, who has also been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park, will also start the game, according to Oliver Glasner.

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‘Many of you were surprised Marc and Ebs started and played almost the whole game [at Chelsea],’ Glasner said in his pre-match press conference. ‘Most of you will be surprised that they will start again [on Thursday] because of all the rumours.

‘But they are committed to the team, they have a contract here. They played a crucial part that we could be successful and they will play a crucial part as long as they are here.

‘They are good, they are committed to the team. When one of the players will leave they want to leave as the guys who always gave 100 per cent for Crystal Palace.

‘This is what they did since they signed many years ago and this is what we expect from them until the end of their contract, whenever this is.’

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Chelsea failed in an attempt to sign Tottenham’s new £55m ‘top-class’ star Mohammed Kudus earlier this summer, according to reports.

Kudus joined Spurs from West Ham in July and has shined since his switch to north London, conjuring up two assists on his Premier League debut for his new club on Saturday in a 3-0 win over Burnley.

Spurs head coach Thomas Frank has already labelled Kudus’ one-on-one skills and ability to create opportunities as ‘top-class’ following his arrival.

It has now emerged via The Sun that Chelsea saw a player-plus-cash bid for Kudus rejected by West Ham before he moved to Tottenham.

Why did Chelsea miss out on Kudus?

Kudus was said to be ‘high on Chelsea’s list’ and the Ghana international had even agreed personal terms before Spurs hijacked the deal.

Chelsea and West Ham did not strike an agreement with the Blues offering £20m plus Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for Kudus.

The west London club felt Dewsbury-Hall was worth £30m – but West Ham did not agree with their valuation – and only saw him as a £20m player.

Spurs then swooped in with an initial offer of £50m, which eventually went up to £55m after West Ham negotiated a slightly higher price.

Kudus ended up agreeing terms with Spurs and the rest is history as Chelsea eventually sold Dewsbury-Hall to Everton instead for £29m.

Tottenham icon Ledley King says Kudus is a ‘great signing’ for his former club after Chelsea missed out on the player.

‘Mohammed Kudus looks [like] a great signing,’ King told BetMGM. ‘From what I’ve seen, Spurs have signed a very exciting player.

‘I was really impressed with him at West Ham – when Spurs beat them 4-1 at home [last season], he was their best player by quite some margin before he got sent off.

‘He’s one of those players who looks like he can cause problems whenever he gets the ball.

‘Hopefully with a bit of support around him, he can take his game to the next level and help Spurs progress.’

Former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, meanwhile, told football betting site BetVictor: ‘I thought Kudus was very bright [in the Super Cup defeat to PSG].

‘No [James] Maddison for most of the season is a huge blow for the team and for the lad himself, I was gutted for him.

‘Kudus has come in, though, and I think he could be a very, very good addition.’

Arrow MORE: Crystal Palace bid £26m for Premier League flop to replace Eberechi Eze

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Eberechi Eze may be one step closer to joining Tottenham in a £55million transfer as Crystal Palace have reportedly made a bid to sign his replacement.

Having been closely linked with Arsenal all summer, Eze now looks poised to sign for their north London rivals instead, with talks between Spurs and Palace progressing well though a deal is yet to be agreed.

The England international, who scored the winner in last season’s FA Cup final, had a £68m release clause in his contract but it expired last Friday.

The Independent report that Tottenham have offered £55m plus add-ons and the player is keen on the move, but the payment structure of the transfer fee is proving a sticking point.

It is said that the Eagles, who were held to a goalless draw by Chelsea in their Premier League opener on Sunday, want as much money up front as possible and will not sanction Eze’s sale until they have secured his replacement.

Following in Eze’s footsteps will not be easy after the attacking midfielder recorded 14 goals and 11 assists during a historic campaign for Palace last season.

The Eagles have made approaches for two players, namely Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss and Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis, with The Telegraph now reporting that they have made a €30m (£25.8m) bid for the latter.

It remains to be seen whether the offer is accepted as Brugge value Tzolis at around €40m (£34.5m), with the Greek international signing a new four-year contract over the summer.

The 23-year-old’s previous experience of English football was a disastrous 18-month stint at Norwich City, where he was relegated from the top-flight and would manage just one goal and no assists in 27 Premier League and Championship appearances.

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His form has greatly improved since leaving Carrow Road however, recording 34 goal contributions in just 37 games at Fortuna Dusseldorf before joining Brugge last summer for just €6m (£5.6m)

So far, playing primarily as a left-winger, he has 42 goal contributions for the Belgian giants, including three goals and two assists in seven appearances this season.

Eze started the draw at Chelsea and notably had a stunning free-kick goal ruled out by VAR thanks to a little-known rule.

Unless, significant progress is made in this transfer saga over the next couple of days, the 27-year-old is expected to feature in Palace’s Conference League play-off first-leg against Frederikstad on Thursday night.

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Arrow MORE: Man Utd urged to reverse £26m transfer decision after Arsenal defeat

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Joe Hart slammed an ‘indefensible’ error from goalkeeper Altay Bayindir after Manchester United’s opening Premier League defeat to Arsenal.

Arsenal, who were potent from set-pieces last season, scored from their first corner of the season after Bayindir flapped at an inswinging delivery from Declan Rice.

Riccardo Calafiori was standing in the six-yard box more out of hope than expectation but was able to nod the ball over the line following Bayindir’s mistake, that came following slight pressure from William Saliva.

Reacting to the goal, ex-England goalkeeper Hart said on BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I immediately got ready to defend Altay Bayindir, and then I saw the first replay and thought, “I can’t defend him here”…

‘Personally, I like to have my own defender in front of me so I can use him as a shield against an attacker and that’s not the option they’ve gone for.

‘Saliba has done enough, but not done too much. Ideally, he wants to punch that with his right hand. He has got far too involved and got lost and made a bit of a mess with it.

‘It’s not a foul. Bayindir has got to scrap with his left arm to deal with Saliba and jab the ball away with his right.’

Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison also criticised ‘weak’ Bayindir after Arsenal broke the deadlock inside 15 minutes at Old Trafford.

Morrison also said United should be looking to sign a new goalkeeper before the summer transfer window closes.

The Red Devils were linked with Emiliano Martinez and Gianluigi Donnarumma earlier in the summer.

But Amorim looked set to keep his faith in Andre Onana for this season, although he then dropped him for the opening game against Arsenal.

‘Altay Bayindir – weak! He’s looking at everyone else to blame,’ Morrison said. ‘Man United have a problem with their goalkeeping.

‘You have to be strong. It is weak goalkeeping. Manchester United need to strengthen their goalkeeper.

‘There are top goalkeepers around that are available and you’re only as good as your goalkeeper.’

Old Trafford legend Gary Neville also suggested his former club needed to invest in a new goalkeeper before the transfer deadline.

‘The goalkeeper has got to be stronger,’ he said on Sky Sports. ‘He will complain that he was fouled.

‘He has a player in front of him, there is a lot of pushing and pulling, but he has to be stronger.

‘I don’t think Saliba has done anything wrong and the ball just goes through Bayindir’s hands and Calafiori is there to profit. It’s going to keep hurting United.’

Onana’s absence against Arsenal was initially thought to be fitness-related but Amorim confirmed the Cameroon international was fit.

‘He’s not injured, he’s recovered… but the other players did well during pre-season, so I have to find a balance,’ he said in his pre-match interview.

‘Next week, it will be a different story. This week, we chose these players.’

Manchester United return to action next weekend with a trip to Fulham, while Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal play host to Premier League new-boys Leeds United.

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Eberechi Eze is due to start for Crystal Palace at Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, despite strong links over a move to Tottenham.

The England international was reportedly set to be left out of the squad for the trip to Stamford Bridge, but Eagles boss Oliver Glasner will instead have him in his starting XI, reports the Athletic.

While Eze’s involvement in west London clearly means his career at Crystal Palace is not over yet, Spurs continue to push for a move for the 27-year-old.

Arsenal were linked with a move for Eze this summer but have seemingly pulled out of the race, leaving Spurs as hot favourites to land his signature.

Thomas Frank’s side made an encouraging start to the season on Saturday as they hammered Burnley 3-0 and are confident they can bring in Eze to strengthen their squad in a deal worth over £60m.

Palace continue to prepare for the possible departure of Eze by pursuing other options, including an approach to Club Brugge for Christos Tzolis.

Also being linked with a move away from Selhurst Park this summer is centre-back Marc Guehi, who is a target for Premier League champions Liverpool.

Glasner talked up the professionalism of both England stars in his pre-match press conference and, despite reports suggesting otherwise, said he expected both to start on sunday.

‘Marc trained the entire week with us, every single training session. The same with Ebs,’ said the Palace boss on Friday. ‘They have prepared the best way for the Chelsea game on Sunday.

‘I’ve been in football long enough that I know every day, almost every time of the day, that things can happen. But if you ask me now, yes I expect both starting for us on Sunday.

‘(They have) the right mindset. No-one is forced to sign a contract, as soon as you sign a contract stick to it, because you did it voluntarily.

‘Stick to it because this is what you expect from the other party that they stick to their contract. Everyone would be upset if the club says, “We’re not pleased with your performance, we’ll cut your salary by 50 per cent”. Nobody would say, 2OK, thank you I agree”.

‘It is the opposite (with Guehi and Eze). You have rights and duties in a contract so stick to it. This just shows the character and mindset.’

Palace chairman Steve Parish gave a clear hint that club captain Guehi is likely to leave the club this summer as he heads into the final year of his contract.

Speaking after the Eagles beat Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield, Parish said: ‘For players of that calibre to leave on a free, it’s a problem for us unfortunately.

‘Joachim [Andersen] went [to Fulham last summer] and we couldn’t afford to lose both. We then had another bid [for Guehi] in January but that was a different situation.

‘We’ll just have to see what happens. But, you know, it needs a new contract or a conclusion of some kind.’

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Tottenham will get a free run at signing Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace after Arsenal dropped their interest.

Spurs are now increasingly confident of securing the signing of the England international for a fee in excess of £60 million.

Personal terms are already said to have been agreed and the player himself is keen on a move to last season’s Europa League winners.

Palace, for their part, begin their season against Chelsea on Sunday but are expected to omit Eze from their squad.

Indeed, the Eagles are already making plans to replace the 27-year-old and have made contact with Leicester to register their interest in ilal El Khannouss.

Earlier this summer it appeared that Arsenal represented Eze’s No.1 choice and, according to Fabrizio Romano, the attacking midfielder was open to the idea of rejoining the club that discarded him as a teenager.

Arsenal are, however, said to be content with their attacking options as things stand, particularly given Ethan Nwaneri’s decision to sign a new contract.

The teenager enjoyed a stellar breakthrough campaign last season and has now committed his future to his boyhood club amid speculation he was considering a move to Chelsea.

With the equally exciting Max Dowman also waiting in the wings, Arsenal do not want to block the progress of two of the most exciting talents to emerge from the Hale End Academy.

A sensational scissor kick by Richarlison, meanwhile, ensured Thomas Frank enjoyed a dream start to life with Tottenham in the Premier League as they recorded a 3-0 victory over Burnley.

Frank’s managerial debut for Spurs on Wednesday almost ended with silverware, but Paris St Germain fought back from two down late on to clinch Super Cup success on penalties.

With a lack of creative options due to injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, former Brentford head coach Frank had warned newly-promoted Burnley would pose a stern test and yet a double by Richarlison secured a first league win since April 6.

Richarlison’s second goal in the 60th minute was a superb volley from a Mohammed Kudus cross and Brennan Johnson added another six minutes later on a tough top-flight return for Burnley boss Scott Parker at his old club.

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Eberechi Eze is expecting to be left out of Crystal Palace’s squad for Sunday’s Premier League match against Chelsea.

The England international has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham who are desperate for attacking reinforcements.

After the collapse of Morgan Gibbs-White’s proposed move from Nottingham Forest, Thomas Frank’s desire to add to his squad was exacerbated by the season ending injury sustained by James Maddison.

Arsenal have also shown significant interest in Eze but they are likely to need to sell before they can buy again, while Ethan Nwaneri’s decision to extend his contract has lessened the need to sign another central attacker.

Spurs are yet to strike an agreement with Palace but are understood to be increasingly confident of landing a player who is valued at around £68m.

Palace begin their Premier League campaign at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, but are likely to do so without their talisman, according to The Sun.

The FA Cup and Community Shield holders are, however, already making contingency plans and have, as per The Athletic, approached Leicester City to explore a potential move for Bilal El Khannouss.

Morocco international, El Khannouss, ehnanced his burgeoning reputation with a superb individual display in last weekend’s win over Sheffield Wednesday, registering two assists.

The 21-year-old is understood to be keen on a move to Selhurst Park but Leicester are reluctant to let their prize asset depart just 12 months on from his £19m arrival from Genk.

Spurs, meanwhile, are also showing interest in Manchester City’s out of favour winger Savinho, but Frank refused to be drawn on the subject speaking ahead of Saturday’s game against Burnley.

He said: ‘First and foremost, in many ways, I’m very happy with the squad. I think there’s a lot of good players.

#I think we saw a team that was very, very, very competitive (against PSG) and on any other day we would have beaten the best team in Europe.

‘Of course, we want as strong and competitive a squad as possible. I know that Daniel (Levy), Johan (Lange) and Vinai (Venkatesham) are working night and day, and they have, by the way, been working night and day the last, whatever, six, seven, eight weeks.

‘They definitely would like to do deals early. Sometimes, I think we need to understand it’s not that easy, but they’re working.’

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Arsenal legend Lee Dixon fears Tottenham have won major advantage in the race to sign Eberechi Eze.

The England international is wanted by both north London rivals who are looking to add to their squads on the eve of the new Premier League season.

Thomas Frank’s need for reinforcements has been exacerbated by the serious injury sustained by James Maddison in pre-season.

The former Leicester City star will miss the majority of the campaign having undergone knee surgery earlier this week.

Eze is seen as a natural replacement and with Arsenal needing to sell before they can buy again, Spurs have seen a market opportunity and are prepared to pounce.

Although Dixon would love to see the midfield playmaker return to the club that discarded him as a teenager, he believes a move to Spurs would represent a more logical decision for Eze.

‘There’s obviously only one choice!’ Dixon joked, when asked by 10bet which team Eze should sign for.

‘But, from his point of view, he probably knows that he’ll have a better chance of playing every week at Tottenham than he would at Arsenal simply because Arsenal’s squad is better.

‘At Arsenal, he may have to accept more of a squad role. He’s another one that has the ability to play in multiple areas, and that is what he would have to do at Arsenal.

‘I could see him operating off the left, off the right and centrally, but Arsenal have quality players that can play in those areas and he’d be competing with them to get in the team.

‘He’d back himself to get in the team. With the amount of games Arsenal will play, he’d play a lot of football, but he wouldn’t start every week. There’s definitely a place for him at Arsenal, that’s for sure.’

Arsenal were forced to lick their wounds again last season following a third consecutive second place finish.

Asked if Eze could make the difference between another near miss and finally ending the wait for a major trophy, Dixon added: ‘It’s always better to have too many top players than not enough, it’s a nice problem for any manager to have.

‘We’ve seen over the last few years that we’ve just fallen short a little bit in the important parts of the season. Having a player like Eze in your squad might be able to change that a little bit, having someone who is a bit unpredictable and can produce moments of inspiration.

‘It only takes a couple of flashes of genius, and that turns games that Arsenal drew last season into wins. He’s definitely a player that gives you something different to what you have.

‘For Arsenal, it’s about how you improve because finishing second three years on the trot has people questioning your quality.

‘We’re very, very close to being able to win the Premier League title, and maybe Eze could offer that little bit extra that pushes you over the line or gives you an extra five or six points come the end of the season.’

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After a long summer (it’s been a whole 33 days since Chelsea’s Club World Cup victory), football – and more importantly – the Premier League is back and raring to go.

Liverpool surprised many by storming to the title last year under new manager Arne Slot, but how will the Reds cope with being the hunted this time around?

Can Manchester City bounce back after a disappointing campaign? Will Arsenal finally shake their bridesmaid tag after their third successive runners-up finish? And what about Thomas Frank, the new man in the dugout at Tottenham?

After a one-sided title race and an abject attempt at survival from the three promoted teams, fans will be hopeful for a more dramatic season at both ends of the table.

And to mark the return of the action, Metro Sport’s writers have dished out their boldest (and perhaps daft) predictions for what to expect over the course of the season.

Manchester United to bounce back and finish in the top four

There’s absolutely no reason why Manchester United cannot finish in the Premier League top four this season.

Having missed out on any form of European football for the first time in a decade, the Red Devils can fully focus on the domestic campaign while their rivals will be forced to deal with extra fixtures.

United will surely have some fire in their belly after a disastrous 2024-25 campaign saw them finish 15th and head coach Ruben Amorim is more settled in as head coach after replacing Erik ten Hag mid-season last term.

Amorim has made some really smart signings this summer – bringing in two players with bags of Premier League experience – Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Mbeumo registered 28 goal involvements in 38 top-flight games last season, while Cunha produced 21 goal involvements across 33 Premier League matches.

While there are question marks over how well Benjamin Sesko will settle in English football, he’ll surely be an upgrade on flop striker Rasmus Hojlund.

With Mikel Arteta under pressure at Arsenal, and Newcastle’s nightmare of a summer transfer window, United have a huge chance to join the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in the top four.

Liam Grace, Sports Reporter

Arsenal to spearhead return of ‘Big Six’ dominance

This may not seem like a hot take, but the Premier League’s ‘big-six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – haven’t lived up to their name of late.

Only once in the last six years have all the big six actually finished in the top six, with the likes of Newcastle and Aston Villa disrupting the establishment. But normal order will resume this season.

For one, it’s hard to see Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City or Chelsea dropping out. United are in the middle of (another) rebuild, but they have assembled a very potent attack and don’t have any European football to distract them.

Spurs are perhaps the biggest question mark. Adjusting to a new manager is always tricky, not least when the outgoing boss was so popular and with two key leaders in the dressing room – Son Heung-min and James Maddison – not there to help. But Thomas Frank worked wonders in his last job and can do so again.

As for those who would challenge the big six, Newcastle’s morale is low following a terrible summer and could yet lose their best player, Alexander Isak. It seems Villa will keep hold of Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez but haven’t added much to their squad.

Perhaps Nottingham Forest, Brighton or even FA Cup and Community Shield winners Crystal Palace could give it a go, but the big six look set to have a big season.

Callum McAvoy, Sports Reporter

Thomas Frank fails to last the season at Tottenham

This is a scorching take and I’m ready to get burned alive, but something about Frank and Tottenham doesn’t sit right as a pairing. Ange maintained the backing of so many supporters throughout the club’s darkest times when striving, often to his detriment, to play the so-called ‘Spurs Way’.

The structure-obsessed Frank plays a far more pragmatic brand of football and patience will wear thin amongst the fanbase should results begin to spiral.

I’ve already got one eye on the club’s fixtures heading into a gruelling winter period when they face Chelsea, United, Arsenal, Fulham, Newcastle, Frank’s former side Brentford, Forest and Liverpool… where they’re placed after this nasty little run will be key.

Frank’s Brentford picked up just three league wins between November and January last term and lost seven from eight during that same period in their previous campaign. Will the Dane still be ‘brave’ should he find himself in a similarly tricky situation with Tottenham at the midway stage?

With Maddison out for months and Son gone, I’m not convinced they’ve made the signings or have the necessary experience and firepower to cope.

Tom Olver, Assistant Sports Editor

All three promoted sides to avoid the drop

We’ve had back-to-back seasons which saw all three promoted teams relegated immediately, so it is time for that to change and in spectacular fashion. The trio of promoted sides will survive this time round!

There are a few candidates for the drop from the established top-flight clubs. Brentford have been ravaged this summer, as have Bournemouth, with both facing a slump as a result.

Wolves have lost key players and Vitor Pereira could struggle when the chips are down, while the unimpressive West Ham don’t look up to much.

Burnley have a mean defence, Sunderland have done some nice transfer business and I haven’t got much good to say about Leeds, but fingers crossed for that lot.

The three promoted teams have all survived four times before; it’s time for it to happen again.

Phil Haigh, Sports Reporter

Liam Delap to take home the Golden Boot

Right, I’ll concede, there’s a more-than likely chance that Liam Delap finds himself on the bench against Crystal Palace on Sunday, but it’s called ‘Hot Takes’ for a reason.

Fellow summer signing Joao Pedro looks likely to get the nod at first, but it won’t be long before Delap is banging down the door to start regularly if he continues to build upon his impressive showings in the off-season.

If Pedro isn’t replaced, the Brazilian could be shifted out to the left to accommodate Delap, who will score bucket loads of goals if Chelsea can continue to demonstrate the same attacking prowess that saw them carve open Paris Saint-Germain at will in the Club World Cup final.

Ben Fleming, Sports Reporter

Viktor Gyokeres won’t be all that

Viktor Gyokeres has widely been described as the final piece of the jigsaw for an Arsenal side that have come agonisingly close to winning the Premier League. But the same was said about Romelu Lukaku upon his return to Chelsea in 2021 and we know how that worked out.

Gyokeres’ stats for Sporting were incredible but Darwin Nunez enjoyed similar success in Portugal before underwhelming in the Premier League. It’s taken a fair while for Gyokeres, 27, to earn a move to one of Europe’s top five leagues.

This time two years ago, in fact, he had just spent his fourth successive season in the Championship, scoring a respectable but far from remarkable 21 goals in 46 games.

He’s an upgrade on Kai Havertz but don’t expect mind-blowing returns from a player who has been branded a ‘gamble’ by the likes of Paul Scholes and Gary Lineker. ‘I don’t think he’s the guy,’ Rio Ferdinand even said shortly after his £64m move to north London was announced. Mikel Arteta doesn’t get too many signings wrong but it was him, remember, who pushed to sign Raheem Sterling last summer.

Arsenal were torn between signing Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko earlier in the summer. Time will tell if they made the right decision.

Louis Sealey, Deputy Sports Editor

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