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Arsenal are reportedly in the running to sign Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio, with the player facing an uncertain future in the Spanish capital.

What’s the word?

As per the Mirror, the Gunners have emerged as one of the clubs who are ‘monitoring’ developments regarding the 26-year-old, with the player currently having just a year remaining on his existing deal.

The report suggests that Madrid are set to demand an answer regarding the Spaniard’s future by June 20, having offered the player a contract extension, although there is a ‘belief’ that the former Mallorca man is keen to leave on a free next summer.

As for the north Londoners, they have contracted the player’s representatives to ascertain what his demands are, with the report suggesting that the £36m-rated gem’s primary concern is game time, with the lack of Champions League football ‘not a deal breaker’.

Cazorla 2.0

While the Emirates outfit are likely to face intense competition in their bid to pluck the 26-cap international from the European champions, news of their interest will no doubt generate huge excitement among the club’s support.

The “special” talent – as he has been dubbed by Joey Barton – has played a prominent role for Los Blancos since joining the club in 2016, going on to net 49 goals and register 24 assists in 235 games in all competitions since then, winning a host of major honours in that time.

Although the £117k-per-week ace has struggled to truly establish himself as a regular starter of late – hence his potential desire to depart – he still managed to score an impressive ten La Liga goals last term for the eventual title winners in just 19 starts.

A skilful, fleet-footed talent who has the ability to feature all across the front three and in an attacking midfield role, Asensio has the versatility and quality needed to be a success in Mikel Arteta’s side, having also been previously dubbed a “genius” by one journalist.

That word was so often attributed to another Spaniard to have adorned the red jersey, with the Madrid man potentially set to follow in the footsteps of a real club icon in Santi Cazorla.

Like Asensio, the diminutive playmaker was comfortable in a variety of attacking positions, dazzling the home support with his creative nous and seemingly unique ability to deliver wicked set-piece deliveries with both feet.

Signed from Malaga in 2012 for what proved to be a bargain fee of just £15m, the midfield maestro went on to spend six years with the Gunners, chipping in with 29 goals and 44 assists in 179 games in all competitions.

Beyond the statistics, however, the now 37-year-old was – and still is – a simply joyful player to watch with the ball at his feet, combining delicate artistry with a lethal finishing technique, epitomised by that stunning free-kick against Hull City in the FA Cup final in 2014.

Although possessing a somewhat different physique, Asensio has a similarly agile and instinctive way of playing, with a move to England likely set to allow him to truly showcase just how much of a talent he is.

Arteta knows first-hand how good his former teammate – Cazorla – was, he can’t pass up the chance to sign his heir apparent.

In other news, Arsenal eye bid for £76.5m-rated “fighter” who “always creates”, he’s better than Saka

Transfer insider Alex Crook has revealed some exciting news that he has now ‘heard’ from Everton on Christian Eriksen.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

Eriksen only signed a short-term contract at Brentford in the January transfer window over fears of his heart problems, leaving it to expire at the end of the month.

However, he has shown that he can still play consistently at the top level, scoring one goal and making a further four assists in 11 games in total in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

Thus, a number of clubs in the top flight are expected to swarm for his signature this summer, once he becomes a free agent again.

The Latest: Everton move?

Writing in talkSPORT’s latest transfer notebook, Crook has revealed that while Brentford have now ‘offered’ a deal to Eriksen to become their highest-paid player, Goodison Park is another ‘potential destination’ for the Denmark international, as well as his former club Tottenham Hotspur:

“Brentford have offered him a deal to become their highest paid player. 

“I know there’s interest from at least two Premier League clubs, we believe he wants to play in the Champions League.

“I was told that his family are quite settled in London, that would obviously link him to Tottenham, we’ve heard Everton as a potential destination.

“My hunch is that he will leave Brentford, although I know some journalists in Denmark have said that he will stay because he owe them a debt of gratitude.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

If Eriksen can carry on playing at a consistent level as he has shown, it is a no-brainer for the Merseyside club to sign him up on a free.

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The 30-year-old averaged more key passes, crosses and long balls per game in the top flight than any outfield Toffees player, highlighting how much of a creative influence he has on the team.

Nonetheless, his Premier League experience means that it should take little time for Eriksen to settle in, should he make the move to the Blues.

In other news, find out who EFC are now fighting Leeds United to sign here!

The summer transfer window officially opens on Friday and Ross Wilson will be hard at work to bring new players in at Rangers to improve Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad at Ibrox.

The manager will be looking to stamp his own mark on the squad in his second window in charge of the Ibrox giants and has already sanctioned one change to his roster.

The club recently confirmed the sale of Cedric Itten to Young Boys on a permanent deal – reported to be worth £1.5m – and his exit has left a hole for the Gers to fill in the coming months.

Itten was a liability for the Light Blues as he struggled badly for the majority of his time throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

He scored one goal in six Premiership outings for Rangers and failed to deal with the physicality of the league as he lost a whopping 74% of his individual duels. This shows that the striker was bullied by defenders he was unable to hold his own at the top end of the pitch and that is why van Bronckhorst was right to sanction his exit.

It is now down to Wilson to bring in a replacement for the Switzerland international and he can find one in the form of QPR centre-forward Lyndon Dykes.

The Gers were linked with a swoop for the striker in January and must now reignite their interest this summer for him to take Itten’s place in the squad.

Dykes, who joined QPR for £2m, has impressed for club and country in the last two seasons and can offer van Bronckhorst something different at the top end of the pitch.

Kemar Roofe won 0.5 aerial battles per game in the Premiership and Alfredo Morelos did not fare much better with 1.8 per match. Whereas, the Scotland international won 4.8 per game in his first campaign with the London-based club and 4.0 in the season just gone.

Former Celtic striker Darren Jackson once hailed him as “mobile” and his goalscoring record for QPR and Scotland shows that the bulldozer is about more than just winning headers.

Since the start of the 2020/21 season, he has found the back of the net 20 times in the Championship and scored four goals in seven starts for his country in the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Dykes can, therefore, offer a goalscoring threat as well as being a focal point with his ability to win his duels in the air and can be an excellent replacement for Itten, challenging Morelos and Roofe for a starting spot.

AND in other news, Wilson plotting Rangers swoop for “consistent” £5m enforcer, GVB would love him…

Tottenham Hotspur may have been boosted in their hunt to sign Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni this summer, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move for Bastoni…

After manager Antonio Conte and club chief Fabio Paratici’s crucial transfer summit in Italy last week, it is reliably believed that the exciting international defender is a top target for the north London club (The Telegraph).

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Bastoni, who Conte knows well from his time in charge at the San Siro, could cost Spurs around £50m if they wish to bring him to the Premier League.

As per recent reports, the Lilywhites head coach is making a ‘personal commitment’ to sign the 23-year-old, with Gold now sharing a potentially promising update on their pursuit of the Italy international.

The Latest: Gold makes promising Bastoni claim…

According to the football.london reporter, sharing news on Bastoni’s stance, there are ‘suggestions’ that the 23-year-old is ‘keen on a reunion’ with Conte as he eyes a possible move to Spurs.

Gold also claimed that the north Londoners are ‘set to pursue’ the Italy defender, but the main hurdle will be prising him away from the San Siro, with the Nerazzurri setting a £51m asking price.

The Verdict: Boost for Spurs?

While negotiating with Inter will likely prove a significant obstacle, the news of Bastoni being open to a move will come as a boost for Spurs and Conte.

The ‘defensive genius’, as hailed by Italian football expert Conor Clancy, is one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe, and comparisons have already been made with Azzurri figurehead Giorgio Chiellini.

His salary of around £122,000 per week is also attainable from a financial perspective, so personal terms shouldn’t be an issue. Indeed, it seems the only thing standing in Conte’s way is his old club and their valuation of the player.

In other news: ‘Fully’ – Journalist says Tottenham could sign £100m ‘big name’ for Conte this summer, find out more here

Manchester United have had their hopes of signing Juventus defender Merih Demiral boosted.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta, via Sport Witness, who claim that the Turkish defender could be “sacrificed” from a Juventus perspective in other to bolster their transfer kitty from what would be an immediate sale.

In a report that mentions both Manchester United and Real Madrid among top European destinations, it is said that the Red Devils are “above all” in the list of European outfits who are ready to move for the defender – this despite the fact that Los Blancos “moved first” for the transfer of the 24-year-old.

In the same report, it is stated that two clubs may “already have an agreement in principle”, with United anticipated to be one of those clubs, particularly with the Premier League side now in pole position for the signature.

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In order for the transfer to work, it would copy the model that saw Spurs sign Christian Romero from Atalanta, in which they bought Romero and immediately sold him.

With Atalanta intending to trigger the buy-option to sign the £27m-rated Turkish defender from Juventus, they could immediately sell him to the likes of United in a replica model to that used in the case of Romero.

Better than Varane

In Demiral, we are talking about a player who has been more defensively sound than Raphael Varane across the last 365 days, as per FBref.

After spending this season on loan at Atalanta, Demiral has been able to demonstrate his acumen in six apiece in the Champions League and Europa League, respectively.

His ability to pressure the opposition has been his biggest asset this year, putting up an astonishing average of 14.93 pressures per 90, with 7.35 occurring in the defensive third and 7.03 in the middle third also. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise to see him described as an “absolute beast” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

In comparison, Varane’s numbers falter, with his average of 8.08 pressures almost not worth comparing.

It’s the same for the majority of defensive metrics, with Demiral topping the Frenchman for tackles, interceptions and blocks per 90 minutes. Though it is worth noting that the World Cup winner is more accomplished in possession.

That said, they are two players with different defensive approaches. Demiral can play the Vidic role for Ten Hag in United’s back-line with his ball-winning ability.

In other news: Ten Hag can find his own “Ibrahimovic” for MUFC in deal for “lanky” £21m “machine”