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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is already looking ahead to the summer transfer window with a view to improving his first-team squad.

Marco Asensio has already been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, and now the Gunners boss is eyeing up a potential swoop for Manuel Locatelli, with the Italian midfielder currently playing at Juventus this term after joining on loan from fellow Serie A club Sassuolo.

That’s according to Calciomercato (via Caught Offside), who claim that both Arsenal and Newcastle United are keen on signing him during the summer transfer window, with Arteta still clearly coveting a midfielder who could become a long-term option at the club as 31-year-old January signing Jorginho is evidently a stop-gap.

Edu Gaspar’s priority last month was to secure a deal for Moises Caicedo, with the young Ecuadorian a main target for Arsenal and a player who could feature in the first-team over the next few years, but the Gunners had a £70m bid for the Brighton star rejected on deadline day.

Locatelli could not only be a dream alternative to Caicedo, but he may also cost a significant amount less than the 21-year-old, with the CIES Football Observatory valuing him at €40m (£36m).

Indeed, the two midfielders are very similar statistically. FBref ranks Caicedo as the third-most comparable player to Locatelli, and with the youngster embarking on a meteoric rise as of late while catching the eye of some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, it certainly isn’t a bad comparison to have.

This season, the two players have registered similar returns across a range of performance metrics, including total shots (14 each), goal-creating actions (five to three, Locatelli first), tackles won (19 to 26), tackle success rate (76.2% to 74.2%) and pass success rate (81.5% to 87.8%), proving that they can both excel across numerous areas of the pitch.

Neither Locatelli nor Caicedo have any significant weakness according to WhoScored, while they can both claim aerial duels as one of their key strengths.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once described the Italian as a “real dominator in midfield”, and the 25-year-old could be another excellent option for Arteta to call upon while being just as proficient as Caicedo in the middle of the park.

If the 40-year-old can lead the Gunners to Premier League glory this season, it may well be easier to lure such talents from the continent to the club. In Locatelli, Arsenal could land a more viable alternative to the in-demand Brighton midfielder, while saving a good chunk of their transfer budget in the process.

Chelsea are interested in a deal to sign AC Milan’s Rafael Leao in the summer, and the prolific winger could emulate the success of the Blues’ London rivals Tottenham Hotspur Heung-min Son with a move…

That’s according to La Stampa (via TMW), who claimed over the weekend that the Blues are now the most interested party in the player ahead of the summer transfer window, with Todd Boehly keeping one eye on the 23-year-old’s negotiations with Milan over a new deal, which have still not seen a breakthrough.

Chelsea have spent over £550m on new signings since last summer, Boehly’s first window as the owner of the west London outfit, and could look to continue the spree with the gem, who has a release clause of €150m (£134m).

Son 2.0

Scoring nine goals and providing nine assists from 28 appearances this season – including eight goals and six assists from just 16 starts in the Serie A – Leao is indeed emerging as one of the game’s finest and most thrilling young flankers, with Chelsea’s now prolonged interest in the player meaning that should contractual talks irrevocably fall apart, Stamford Bridge will be the likely location.

As per FBref, Leao ranks among the top 17% of positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for rate of goals and the top 10% for rate of assists, also in the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons.

Effectively, this illustrates his direct approach and dynamism as an offensive outlet that sets him a step ahead of the abundance of wingers plying their trade across Europe, with his innate footballing ability certainly complemented by his prolific output.

Indeed, based on those numbers and ability, the budding “superstar” – as heralded by sport writer Theo Mwangi – could replicate the devastating South Korean that is Son, just at Spurs’ fierce city rivals instead.

Son has made 353 appearances for the Lilywhites since his £22m move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, scoring 139 goals and registering 77 assists while also sharing the Premier League golden boot with Mo Salah last term.

And with Antonio Conte’s wing wizard boasting a dynamic skill set composed of ambidexterity and a unique advantage in maintaining speed with the ball at his feet, Leao could certainly take a leaf from the 30-year-old’s book if he does indeed clinch a move to the Premier League.

Indeed, compared to Leao, the Spurs ace sits in the top 7% of wingers in Europe for goals per 90 as a marker of their similarly clinical abilities.

Son is similarly creative, having registered an eye-catching ten assists last term while his direct speedy nature is highlighted by his career average of 1.4 dribbles a match.

Chelsea may well have spent large amounts of money on new signings, and while the wide areas appear to be nicely taking shape, the acquisition of Leao could be that ‘superstar’ signing to truly ensure the club soar to the very top of the European scene for years to come.

Newcastle United have sent scouts to watch Lorient striker Terem Moffi in action ahead of a potential move for him, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Moffi shining for Lorient

The Nigerian is enjoying an excellent season for his current club, standing out as arguably one of the most prolific attacking players in Ligue 1.

Moffi has scored 11 goals in just 17 league appearances this season and he also found the net twice for Nigeria during last year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

A new report has now emerged that suggests the 23-year-old could be heading to the Premier League.

The Latest: Newcastle scouting attacker

According to Football Insider, Newcastle sent scouts to watch Moffi in action for Lorient against Monaco on Wednesday evening – a game in which he found the net.

They are ‘assessing’ forward targets for the January and summer transfer windows and consider him an option to come in.

The Magpies ‘face stiff competition’ for the attacker, however, with Southampton, Everton, Aston Villa, West Ham, Leicester City and Bournemouth all mention in the report, too.

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The Verdict: Snap him up?

Moffi could be a superb signing by Newcastle, providing Eddie Howe with a long-term option who could battle with Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, eventually usurping the 30-year-old, injury-prone latter.

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His goalscoring record this season speaks for itself – only Kylian Mbappe has scored more times in Ligue 1 this season – and he has been hailed as a ‘man of gold’ by Lorient manager Christophe Pelissier.

Newcastle need to reach a point where they have two genuinely top-class option in every position and Moffi would make the squad significantly stronger, with 34 goals in 89 appearances for Lorient a highly impressive record for a young player.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing a new striker during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies sent scouts to watch Lorient centre-forward Terem Moffi in action earlier this week.

The report claims that the club are eyeing up number nine options to snap up either this month or in the summer window.

It is also stated that fellow Premier League side Southampton have had an offer of £20m rejected for the attacker.

Alex Crook, of talkSPORT, recently revealed that the Ligue 1 outfit are demanding a fee of at least £25m for the attacker, who is also attracting interest from West Ham United, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Magpies are willing to meet their demands.

Huge upgrade

Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth could now land a huge upgrade on Chris Wood, who joined the club from Burnley last January, by signing Moffi this month.

Since arriving at St. James’ Park at the start of 2022, the New Zealand international has scored three goals in 34 Premier League appearances for the Magpies.

Whilst he is currently behind Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak in the pecking order, Wood proved that he is a liability to the team by missing a ‘big chance’ in the 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup third round.

Joelinton put the ball on a plate for the striker to fire past the goalkeeper unchallenged in the box only for the ex-Clarets man to smash it high and wide of the posts, ultimately costing Newcastle their place in the competition.

Moffi, on the other hand, has been in fine form in Ligue 1 this season. Talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as “prolific” and the gem’s statistics back that up as he has plundered 11 goals in 16 starts for Lorient in the French top-flight.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05, after scoring eight goals in 34 starts last term, and that is far more impressive than Wood’s 6.64.

Moffi, who was once hailed as a “man of gold” by his former manager Christophe Pelissier, is also eight years younger than the current Newcastle forward and this means that he would have more long-term value and development potential than the 31-year-old.

Therefore, the Nigerian international would be a huge upgrade on Wood for a number of reasons as he could offer more in terms of his end product, his average performance level, and years that he could help the team for.

Tottenham appear to have made an offer of around €15m (£13.2m) for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie.

The Lowdown: Long-term interest

Spurs have been admirers of Kessie for a number of years now, with the club first making an approach way back in 2019 when he was with AC Milan.

The 26-year-old left the San Siro for Barcelona over the summer and has gone on to make just seven La Liga appearances during the current campaign.

Spurs have continued to be linked with the central midfielder, with recent reports suggesting they are in pole position, and it seems as if a bid has been made by Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici.

The Latest: Offer tabled

Sports Witness relayed an update from Sport reporter Alfredo Martinez regarding Tottenham and Kessie.

He claimed that the Catalan side are handling an offer of just over €15m from Spurs for the Ivorian but didn’t mention whether it was likely to be accepted or rejected.

The Verdict: Tricky…

Kessie, labelled a ‘complete player’ by his former AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli, can play in a variety of central midfield roles so would bring plenty of versatility to Antonio Conte’s side.

However, Barca boss Xavi Hernandez is thought to be a fan of the player, so a transfer could prove tricky.

It wouldn’t come as a shock if the club’s opening offer was initially turned down, especially as he currently holds a €35m Transfermarkt valuation and has only just made the move to Spain, so it would be interesting to see if the north London side would be open to increasing their offer.

The popularity of world cup betting has grown exponentially in recent years. With the advent of online betting, more and more people can place bets on their favourite teams from the comfort of their own homes. This convenience has made world cup betting one of the most popular forms of gambling worldwide.

This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide to World Cup betting. We will discuss the different types of bets that can be placed on the world cup, as well as the venues where you can find the best bookies for free bets on the World Cup online.

So, if you are interested in learning more about world cup betting, then read on!

What are the different types of bets that can be placed on the World Cup?

There are a variety of bets that can be placed on the World Cup. Let’s learn the most common ones:

-Picking the winner of the tournament;

-Picking the top scorer;

-Picking the team to make it to the final;

-Picking the team to win each group;

Read below to see how you can read the odds for them!

How to read odds for World Cup betting?

Here, we’ll explore the different ways to read odds for World Cup betting. The most common way is to use the decimal system, which most bookmakers use. In this system, the odds are represented as a decimal number. For example, if the odds are 2.5, this means that for every $1 you bet, you will win $2.50.

The other way to read odds is using the fractional system, which is more commonly used in horse racing. In this system, the odds are represented as a fraction. For example, if the odds are 2/1, this means that for every $1 you bet, you will win $2. If the odds are 1/2, this means that for every $2 you bet, you will win $1. If the odds are 1.5, this means that for every $1 you bet, you will win $0.50.

What are the best venues for World Cup betting and why?

There are a few different ways to approach World Cup betting, and the best venue for you will depend on your personal preferences and goals. If you’re simply looking to place a few bets and have some fun, then online sportsbooks like Bet365 and William Hill are great options. They offer a wide variety of markets for all of the World Cup games and are very user-friendly.

If you want to make some serious money from your World Cup betting, you’ll need to find a more specialized venue. For instance, Pinnacle is an excellent option for those who are willing to put in the time to do their research. They offer very low margins on their markets, which means that there’s more potential profit to be made.

Photo from Pexels

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly not looking to secure a transfer deal for Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. 

The Lowdown: Spurs’ recent links with Szczesny

The 32-year-old is set to represent Poland in the World Cup in Qatar as domestic football takes a break. Earlier this month, it was reported that Spurs were interested in signing the shot-stopper who is currently representing Poland at the World Cup.

However, it appears as though a new report has suggested otherwise, with other goalkeepers in the frame to join Antonio Conte’s side.

The Latest: Spurs snub chance to sign Szczesny

According to a recent report from 90min, despite being offered the chance to sign Szczesny by intermediaries, Tottenham are not actively looking to sign him as a potential replacement for Hugo Lloris.

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The report also added that Juventus aren’t desperate to sell him their shot-stopper but Spurs have not completely shut the door on the idea of signing him.

The Verdict: Look elsewhere?

With 190 appearances for the Italian club under his belt, the £200k-per-week goalkeeper has kept 76 clean sheets in the process.

Across the nine Serie A games he’s played in this season, the Polish international has faced 21 shots on target and saved 18 of them, leaving him with the second-highest save percentage (85.7%) in the league.

Having made a combined total of 209 appearances for Arsenal and Brentford, keeping 82 clean sheets along the way, the goalkeeper has enough experience of English football to be a suitable option for Conte.

Hailed by journalist Carlo Garganese for an “outrageous” penalty save he made for Juventus back in March, Szczesny certainly has the talent to be considered a top goalkeeper at the age of 32.

However, if Spurs are looking to bring in a new goalkeeper to replace Lloris, they may be better off looking to bring in a younger shot-stopper that has more time and space to be a longer-term figure at the club.

Premier League giants Chelsea are interested in signing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves in the January transfer window, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Neves on the move?

The Portuguese talent stayed put at Molineux beyond the summer transfer window, despite looking almost certain to leave at one point.

Neves has been linked with a move to a number of clubs, including Manchester United and Barcelona, and it could be that he moves on next summer.

Another club have now seemingly entered the race to snap up the 25-year-old.

The Latest: Chelsea keen on Neves

Writing in his Substack column, Phillips claimed that Chelsea are eyeing up the signing of Neves in January as Graham Potter looks to improve his squad moving forward.

The journalist stated:

“I’ve been told over the weekend that Ruben Neves is once again coming up in recruitment conversations and is a player being recommended by some at the club as a midfield target we should push for in January.”

The Wolves midfielder’s current deal expires in the summer of 2024, so the Molineux hierarchy may feel that next year is the ideal time to earn a hefty fee from selling him.

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The Verdict: Only a matter of time

While it would be the dream scenario for Neves to see out the rest of his career at Molineux, where he has become a stalwart of 228 appearances, the reality is that he will surely be keen on a greater challenge at some point in the near future.

Dubbed an ‘amazing’ player by club and international colleague Jose Sa, the Portugal midfielder could want to test himself in the Champions League, and he is someone who could add fresh legs and class to a Chelsea midfield with multiple players in their 30s.

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Shipping Neves off next summer makes the most sense instead of in January, unless he decides to sign a new contract out of nowhere, at which point Wolves would then need to spend the money wisely on top-class signings to compensate for parting with their best player this season according to WhoScored metrics.

Leeds United were unlucky to not come away with something after they were beaten by Premier League leaders Arsenal in a dramatic encounter at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

After just 23 seconds, the game was delayed by 38 minutes due to a power outage but not long after the restart, Bukayo Saka fired home the winner by punishing Rodrigo’s audacious and inaccurate cross-pitch pass, exchanging a one-two with Martin Odegaard before smashing it past Illan Meslier.

VAR awarded the home side a penalty on the hour mark when William Saliba was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box but substitute Patrick Bamford dragged his effort well wide. Leeds would pile on more pressure until there was last-minute drama, thanks again to the referee and VAR.

Chris Kavanagh sent off Gabriel for what looked to be a kick at Bamford and handed them a second spot kick but both incidents were overturned after he reviewed them on the pitch side monitor.

Amongst all the mayhem, there was potentially an unsung hero in the form of Pascal Struijk, who gave Saka and Gabriel Jesus nothing all game. Of course, the England superstar did score the all-important goal, cutting in from the Dutchman’s side, but he was hardly at fault for Rodrigo’s moment of pure stupidity.

Aside from that, the 23-year-old pocketed the dynamic winger as seen by his defensive returns – per SofaScore, the makeshift left-back registered four tackles (third-most in the game), as well as two interceptions, whilst he also won seven of his 12 duels (58.3%), both in the air and on the ground.

LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross described it as “an excellent performance” as he “gave one of the league’s best forwards nothing,” and he wasn’t the only one impressed as Yorkshire Evening Post’s chief football writer Graham Smyth dubbed him “tremendous” and “really, really good.”

Indeed, Saka – who is one of the Gunners’ biggest threats, averaging the second-highest WhoScored rating at the Emirates Stadium – had a tough day besides the goal, having lost 60% of his battles, whilst a 58% passing accuracy from 26 passing attempts is nothing to shout home about either.

He also lost possession 15 times from 40 touches, almost once every other touch, which is pretty poor going.

Therefore, the £29k-per-week colossus, who has previously been dubbed a “monster” by journalist Daniel Fraiz-Martinez, was arguably the one big shining light from a frustrating afternoon at Elland Road.

AND in other news, Marsch could unearth Raphinha heir in 19 y/o Leeds gem who’ll “create” & “score goals”…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Mohammed Kudus to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to German publication BILD (via The Express), who claim that Spurs, Everton and Borussia Dortmund are all tracking the development of the Ajax attacking midfielder ahead of launching a potential bid for the 22-year-old this winter – who is said to be valued at what would appear to be an extremely reasonable figure of just €10m (£8.7m).

However, the report goes on to state that it is currently the Bundesliga side who look to be leading the race for the Ghana international, as Dortmund manager Edin Terzic is reported to be more likely to hand the youngster regular first-team minutes than he would receive at either Tottenham or the Toffees.

“Star boy”

Considering just how impressive Kudus has been for Ajax this season, coupled with Tottenham somewhat lacking a creative spark in their midfield so far in 2022/23, it is not difficult to understand why Fabio Paratici would be interested in a deal to bring the 22-year-old to north London in the January transfer window.

Indeed, over his eight Eredivisie appearances – only two of which have come as starts – in the current campaign, the £9m-rated talent has been in excellent form, having already found the back of the net on four separate occasions – an average of one goal every 64 minutes – as well as taking an average of 1.3 shots and completing 1.9 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the 16-cap international average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.16, currently ranking him as Alfred Schreuder’s 10th-best performer in the top flight of Dutch football so far this season.

However, it has undoubtedly been the midfielder’s performances over his three Champions League fixtures that have most caught the eye, with Kudus having scored three goals and registered one assist in games against Rangers, Liverpool and Napoli.

These metrics have seen the 22-year-old “star boy” who “can’t stop scoring” – in the words of Kwame Benaiah – average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.43, ranking him by far and away as Ajax’s best player in the tournament.

As such, when taking into account that the Ghanaian sensation has been directly involved in more goals than Spurs’ current central midfield quartet of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Oliver Skipp combined this season, it is evident that Antonio Conte is very much lacking a midfielder in Kudus’ mould at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And, should the youngster indeed be available for as little as £8.7m this winter, Paratici simply cannot afford not to launch a bid for the 22-year-old, as, going off his performances so far this season, getting a deal over the line for Kudus at this price would undoubtedly represent a complete steal in the transfer market.