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The post-Invincibles era under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal has become synonymous with transfer failures and near-misses, with the Frenchman having a hefty back catalogue of names that he claims to have come close to bringing to north London.

From Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic – to name just a few – a whole host of high profile figures are believed to have been tantalisingly close to making the switch under Wenger’s watch, only for the club to narrowly miss out to other suitors.

Throughout his tenure, and since, Gunners supporters have had to listen to the veteran coach – who left his post in 2018 – frequently recount tales of these missed opportunities, with it somewhat unclear as to what the benefits are of dredging up old wounds.

One of those among the long list of names that slipped through his grasp was current Manchester United man Paul Pogba, the polarising midfielder having been the subject of interest from the Emirates outfit back in 2012.

At the time, the youngster was coming towards the end of his first spell at Old Trafford having refused to agree a new deal with the club, following his lack of first-team opportunities under Sir Alex Ferguson.

As his contract ran down, clubs began circling to try and snap him up on a free transfer, with the player eventually opting to move to Serie A giants Juventus.

Wenger subsequently revealed two years later that he had attempted to recruit the 6 foot 3 playmaker himself, although fell short in his pursuit.

As reported by the Telegraph, the serial-winning coach said of Pogba that: “As a footballer, he has everything. It is difficult to figure out what he doesn’t have. Things happened very quickly. We were interested in him. We tried to get him to come here. But he very quickly signed for Juventus”

It was not the first time they had missed out on his services, however, with reports suggesting that they had been monitoring his situation as a teenager at Le Havre back in 2009, before he eventually linked up with the Red Devils.

Having had such a rich history of bringing in French talent, it would no doubt have been an almighty snub to miss out on the young “maverick” – as he has been described by pundit Gary Neville.

As it proved, the player arrived back at the Theatre of Dreams in 2016 for a club-record fee of £89m, with that bid leaving a potentially frustrated Wenger to dub the size of the price tag as “complete madness.”

Since then, the 29-year-old has largely infuriated for the Red Devils, although he has still chipped in with 90 goal contributions 233 appearances for the club to date, while on the international stage he has claimed the World Cup and the Nations League under Didier Deschamps.

As he nears another free transfer exit from United after a difficult and at times toxic stint, it could be seen that Arsenal dodged a bullet by missing out on his signature. That being said, having been a keen admirer of his talent, Wenger would likely have been able to mould him into a star for the Gunners, as he had done previously with the likes of Patrick Vieira. With that in mind, this failed pursuit has to be seen as somewhat of a howler from the French tactician.

As it is, the £49.5m-rated man never ended up in London, with his time in English football looking likely to come and end in the coming months, with it simply a case of what might have been had Wenger got his way all those years ago.

IN other news, Vieira 2.0: Arsenal gifted chance to sign “top-class” £25m ace, he could guarantee UCL…

Sunderland have the chance to secure their place in the Championship next season as they face Wycombe in the play-off final on Saturday at Wembley.

The Black Cats ended the regular campaign fifth in the League One table as they finished six points off the automatic promotion places.

Kristjaan Speakman worked hard last summer in an attempt to build a side capable of competing for the top two positions in the league. He brought in the likes of Alex Pritchard, Corry Evans, Callum Doyle and Dennis Cirkin, among others, but his work did not provide Lee Johnson, and subsequently Alex Neil, with enough quality to go up that way.

What could they have done in the window that may have pushed them further up the table? Well, one player who they missed out on a deal for was English left-back Scott Tanser as they attempted to snap him up before he signed for St Mirren.

The manager of the Premiership side, Jim Goodwin, previously dubbed him “instrumental” and “outstanding” and that is exactly what he has been this season.

In the Scottish top-flight, Tanser played 31 times and averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.09 as he made 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game. He performed to a high standard on a consistent basis as he has shown that he can be a reliable option at left-back.

It is what he offers on the ball that really catches the eye. He ended the campaign with two goals and four assists from left-back, creating eight ‘big chances’ in total and completing an impressive 1.7 key passes per game.

This is something that Cirkin, who joined from Tottenham last summer, has been unable to provide throughout the season. The 20-year-old finished the regular season with zero goals and two assists in 36 games, creating two ‘big chances’ and making 0.7 key passes per game.

Cirkin averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.76 in League One and these statistics suggest that Tanser would have had a bigger impact on the side, both in terms of the level of performances he can put in on a consistent basis and the quality he is able to deliver in the final third.

Therefore, Speakman endured a nightmare as he fumbled a deal for the 27-year-old last summer. He would have been a fantastic addition to the squad and the Black Cats chief has now had to watch on from afar as he enjoyed an impressive season with St Mirren.

AND in other news, Neil can land SAFC’s new McGeady in deal for “absolutely outstanding” £4.5m-rated gem…

Manchester United are looking to strike a deal for Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt.

What’s the word?

That is according to journalist Oriol Domenech, who was speaking on Gerard Romero’s Twitch stream, [via The Express]. He claimed that incoming United manager Erik ten Hag is keen to add the 22-year-old to his ranks after the allegedly bullet-proof signing of Frenkie de Jong has all but been confirmed.

Domenech said that the 52-year-old wants both former Ajax players at Old Trafford to ignite his era in charge of the Red Devils. Both De Ligt and De Jong were part of Ten Hag’s Ajax squad which reached the semi-finals of the Champions League three years ago.

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Imagine De Ligt and Ten Hag together again

Having managed the 22-year-old at Ajax, Ten Hag knows exactly what De Ligt’s game is all about. The Juventus star, who is rated at around £63m by Transfermarkt, braved the move to Turin back in 2019. He hasn’t looked back since, making 27 or more Serie A appearances in each of his three seasons with the Bianconeri.

The young Netherlands international has also managed to transition his goalscoring touch from Ajax, having scored in each of his seasons at youth and senior level in Amsterdam and managing to keep this consistent across his three years at Juve.

With a passing completing rate of 89% in the current Serie A campaign, De Ligt is sound in possession, and that figure suggests that he nicely suits Ten Hag’s philosophy of playing progressively from the back.

However, his arrival would pose an issue for either Raphael Varane or Harry Maguire, both of whom are right-footed. De Ligt is also a natural right-footed centre-back; and judging by the way he sets up his Ajax side, Ten Hag likes to have one left-footed and one right footed centre-back within his four-man defence.

With Varane listed on FBRef as 59% right footed, Ten Hag could utilise the Frenchman’s left-footed ability and could deploy him as a left-sided central defender. In that case, Maguire – who currently occupies the role of left-sided centre-back despite his right-footedness – could well wave goodbye to his starting berth.

De Ligt, who has been dubbed “an absolute monster”, will turn 23 in August – the same age that Ruben Dias was when he made his move to Manchester City – so it could be the perfect time in his career for him to make an impact in the Premier League.

In other news – “100% sure..”: Man Utd can sign “underrated” £38m-rated gem who’s “better than Dias”

Rangers will be ‘fearful’ behind the scenes about outgoings in the summer transfer window, according to former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny. 

The lowdown: Important times ahead

Following the cruel loss on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final, the Light Blues missed out on a guaranteed place in the UEFA Champions League group stage next season.

That honour goes to Old Firm rivals Celtic after the cross-city club won the Scottish Premiership title and with it will profit from the financial benefits of a place amongst Europe’s elite competition.

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Despite still having the chance to finish the campaign on a high and lift the Scottish Cup, one pundit has already predicted that there could be concern behind the scenes at Ibrox.

The latest: Gers ‘fearful’

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Leeds United stopper suggested that it could be difficult for the club to retain its prized assets.

The 44-year-old said: “Without Champions League football, that is something they will have to be fearful of (losing key players).

“Any club who is guaranteed to be in the Champions League has that advantage when it comes to signing players. It would also help if the club are wanting to keep their top players. It’s harder to turn down that move to maybe a better league if you are going to be playing in the Champions League. You wonder how many could go now.

“Of course, they could still get there but there is no guarantee. I’m gutted for Rangers, it would have been great for them to win it. I just wonder about how it will affect their summer.”

The verdict: Time to stick together

Despite the European heartbreak in Seville, in a season whereby the Teddy Bears have seen a managerial change after Steven Gerrard left the club for Aston Villa, cup success against Hearts this weekend would represent a memorable campaign.

Whilst reports of interest in the likes of Ryan Kent have already begun to surface, Giovanni van Bronkhorst has already shown enough in his short spell at the helm to suggest that the hierarchy should give their full backing to the manager regardless of outgoings and allow the Dutchman to spend all incoming funds.

Having already obtained £16million from the sale of Nathan Patterson to Everton in January (Sky Sports), Rangers should be in a healthy position to hold out for maximum value should there be interest forthcoming as expected.

Furthermore, the Gers could still reach the Champions League group stages via the qualification rounds and strengthen the squad tenfold this summer as a result.

In other news, find out whose performance this RFC journalist slammed here!

Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle it out with Arsenal to secure the signing of Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, reports The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Jesus’ talks with Arsenal

As per Fabrizio Romano, it is clear that the 25-year-old has asked to leave the Sky Blues this summer.

As a result, the Brazilian’s agent, Marcelo Pettinati, has confirmed that talks have already been held with Arsenal, and it is said that they are interested in the ‘project’ under Mikel Arteta.

However, Pettinati has also revealed that six more clubs are interested in securing his client’s signature.

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The Latest: Spurs keen to sign Jesus

According to a fresh report by The Telegraph’s reliable Mike McGrath, Tottenham are set to join Arsenal in the race to sign Man City striker Jesus.

Having pipped their north London rivals to a top four finish and a spot in the Champions League, Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte will be looking to strengthen his squad as they prepare to compete with Europe’s elite.

It is understood that Jesus’ agent is aware of Spurs’ interest in a deal.

The Verdict: Brilliant signing

Described as “a natural finisher” by former Tottenham forward Garth Crooks on BBC Sport, the 25-year-old’s underlying stats clearly justify this praise.

According to FB Ref, the Brazil international ranks in the 91st percentile for non-penalty goals and in the 95th percentile for non-penalty expected goals across positional peers in Europe.

With 58 goals under his belt in the Premier League and 134 in total for club and country,  Conte would be getting an experienced striker with many years left for him to perform at the top level.

Therefore, this would be a brilliant signing for Tottenham.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Paratici set to back Conte with major signings

Everton are desperately in need of changes after a disappointing season at Goodison Park, and now a new transfer target has been identified that could make a big impact on the team.

What’s the latest?

According to a report for The Athletic written by two of Everton’s most reliable journalists Patrick Boyland and Greg O’Keeffe, the club could make a move for Kristoffer Ajer this summer.

As per the report, it is believed that the Toffees are huge admirers of the Brentford defender as they attempt to identify players to bolster and improve their defence in the transfer window.

Lampard will love him

Everton have had a real struggle in the Premier League this season with a tight relegation fight that they narrowly managed to climb out of in the penultimate game of the season, and now Frank Lampard must make sure the club doesn’t find themselves in a similar situation again.

The defenders in the Toffees squad have come under harsh scrutiny for poor performances this season, with Jamie Carragher branding the defence a “Championship back four” following the 5-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur this season.

When you consider the number of goals that Everton have conceded this season there is definitely room for improvement with the side conceding the fifth-highest goals in the Premier League, so should the potential opportunity arise to sign players to strengthen the back-line it should be taken by the club this summer.

In terms of Ajer, the £13.5m giant who was hailed “outstanding” by Neil Lennon, has been solid and dominant in his position for Brentford this season and would be a big coup for the Toffees if they could secure his signature.

According to SofaScore, the 6 foot 6 centre-back has scored one goal, contributed three assists and created four big chances, making 1.1 interceptions, 1.2 tackles and 3 clearances on average per game. He’s also won the majority of his duels combined (63%) and been successful in the majority of his dribbles (72%).

That proves that he’s just as efficient in the defensive facets of the game as he is in the offensive parts.

With that being said, Frank Lampard and Farhad Moshiri could really improve some of the defensive issues in the team by identifying players that can offer a fresh perspective in the team’s set up and Ajer would clearly be a great addition to the team next season.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Big Everton transfer twist emerges that’ll leave supporters delighted

There has been mounting speculation about Wolverhampton Wanderers player Adama Traore’s future this summer, and now a new update has emerged that could see him leave the club this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, Everton have registered their interest in signing Adama Traore ahead of the transfer window.

As per the report, a recruitment source has told the publication that the Merseyside club are keeping tabs on the winger’s situation and remain interested.

Traore’s time is up

After a disappointing first half of the season, Traore was shipped off to La Liga via Barcelona in a six-month loan deal and now it is reported that the Spanish club does not want to trigger the clause to make his move permanent, so Bruno Lage needs to find other options as Traore’s time is up at Wolves.

The Portuguese manager has already confirmed that the squad needs to be strengthened and changes need to be made to compete again next season for a chance at European football, something they narrowly missed by just five points in the previous Premier League campaign, finishing tenth.

Lage admitted (via Birmingham Live): “Some players will go for sure. We will replace them and in my opinion we have some gaps to fill.”

The £20m flop who was branded “poor” by Tim Spiers had little to no impact in the first half of the season, scoring one goal and contributing no assists, whilst losing the ball every 3.1 of his 30.5 touches on average per game over 20 league appearances.

Tony Cascarino claimed on talkSPORT the player has deteriorated over the last few seasons, saying:

“His numbers are terrible, which is always concerning.

“He got three the season before that in all competitions and six the season before that. So he’s actually gone backwards in the last few years.”

Traore was quickly pushed out of the starting line-up after Hwang Hee-Chan blossomed on the left wing and was given a permanent deal in January following his impressive performances, scoring four goals within six league games, so there seems to be no way back for the outcasted winger.

With that being said, it is likely to be in the best interests of both the club and Traore to part ways this summer and they should accept any offer made for the player to put towards new signings that can come in and make a big impact on Wolves next season.

AND in other news: Imagine him & Kilman: Lage can form scary Wolves duo by signing “astonishing” £25m ace

Rangers may receive an offer from Crystal Palace for midfielder Joe Aribo this summer, The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell writes.

The lowdown

Aribo played 57 matches for Rangers over the course of the 2021/22 season, a tally bettered only by Connor Goldson (61) and James Tavernier (58).

Valued at £9million by Transfermarkt, the Nigerian midfielder crucially has just one year remaining on his contract.

And if Giovanni van Bronckhorst wants to sign more than one first-XI player this summer, he may have to sanction the sale of a prize asset.

The latest

Campbell tweeted on Friday morning that Palace are ‘seriously interested’ in signing Aribo during the transfer window.

In the attached article, he explains that the midfielder’s future is ‘especially delicate’ because this summer represents Rangers’ last chance to cash in ahead of the expiry of his contract in June 2023.

Palace believe that Aribo suits ‘what they are building’ at Selhurst Park, and so Rangers may be bracing themselves for a formal approach.

The verdict

Losing Aribo would surely hurt.

He bagged nine goals and provided ten assists last season, including a ‘mighty’ opener (to quote journalist Rahman Osman) in the Europa League final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 25-year-old is an especially important asset for Van Bronckhorst because of his capacity to play in multiple positions, featuring as a right winger and a makeshift striker last season, as well as a conventional midfielder.

Rangers refused to sell Connor Goldson in the final year of his deal because they believed his contributions were so valuable. Will they look at Aribo’s situation the same way, or can they not afford to keep passing up good selling opportunities?

In other news, this man apparently wants to join Rangers.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst faces an interesting first summer transfer window ahead as manager of Rangers. Of course, he has already been through the January equivalent, which consisted entirely of loan arrivals and youth signings, but there are high hopes of a busy summer full of transfer activity at Ibrox.

Van Bronckhorst has already signed defender John Souttar on a free transfer and there are several other areas which need to be strengthened.

With the current contract scenario surrounding Ibrox goalkeeper Allan McGregor – with reports claiming that he is staying at the club, albeit in more of an off-field role – the Dutchman could well be looking at bringing in a new shot-stopper.

Many stoppers have been linked with Rangers, such as Benjamin Siegrist and Bosnian Vladan Kovacevic, but Turkish ‘keeper Berke Ozer – who has reportedly been linked too – may be the most attractive option.

The 22-year-old has been dubbed a “sensation” in the past, and with youth on his side, he has plenty of time to grow into the Ibrox number 1 shirt.

Ozer is set to leave Fenerbahce when his current contract expires at the end of the month, so the Gers would land him on a free transfer if they decide to make him an offer.

He made 14 appearances in the league for his club as they finished second behind Trabzonspor in a trophyless season for the Istanbul outfit.

Although a rating of 6.76 on SofaScore ranks him near the bottom of the Fenerbahce squad on SofaScore, he wasn’t a regular starter and conceded a respectable 1.2 goals per game (17 overall).

Van Bronckhorst already has Jon McLaughlin ready to take McGregor’s spot, and he has impressed thus far during his spell at Ibrox. However, a move for 22-year-old Ozer, especially on a free transfer, would give the Scot the kind of strong competition that the Rangers boss will want – and perhaps need.

AND in other news, “Was told…”: Journalist makes big Rangers transfer claim that’ll leave supporters excited…

A huge update has emerged regarding Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor and his future in Glasgow beyond the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Gers journalist Joshua Barrie has confirmed that the 40-year-old is not set to move to the Middle East to continue his career away from Ibrox, whilst also revealing discussions over a contract extension with the Light Blues.

He tweeted: “I’m told that Allan McGregor is not considering a move to the Middle East. It’s suggested that he’s held talks with Rangers this week regarding his future, after returning from holiday.”

This comes after The Scottish Sun claimed that the veteran stopper has been offered a two-year deal by a club from the UAE which would see him earn ‘big money’.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be delighted

The Ibrox head coach will be delighted by this claim, as it increases the chances that McGregor will be putting pen to paper on a new deal with Rangers.

Van Bronckhorst may have been worried that the 40-year-old would be tempted by one last payday but this update will allay those fears and give him fresh hope that the veteran will be a member of his squad next season.

The Dutchman will want him to be in the group, as he is a vastly-experienced player who will be useful to his manager on and off the pitch.

In terms of what he offers as a player, McGregor has proven that he still has something left to give. He played 29 times in the Premiership last season and 14 games in the Europa League, averaging an impressive Sofascore rating of 6.99 in the latter.

Although his four errors directly leading to shots or goals in the Scottish top-flight might deter Van Bronckhorst from making him his number one again, the veteran has shown that he would be fine as a backup option to call upon when needed.

Off the pitch, his experience as a Rangers player makes him a vital member of the dressing room. He has played an astounding 445 games for the Scottish giants throughout his career, winning four league titles and nine domestic cups along the way.

McGregor knows exactly what it takes to perform for the Gers and can impart his wisdom to the next generation of players. He can be a strong voice behind the scenes and potentially, if both parties are keen, ease into a coaching role after he hangs up the gloves.

AND in other news, Rangers now given green light to seal £1m deal for “phenomenal” gem, he’s Goldson 2.0…