Mundle possibly out for the season
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Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
Arsenal star Mikel Arteta sold for £21m linked with shock Premier League return
A former Arsenal star whom Mikel Arteta sold for £21million could make a surprise transfer back to the Premier League, according to reports. After a slow start to the summer transfer window, the Gunners have kicked into gear as they look to plug the gaps in Mikel Arteta's squad ahead of the new Premier League season. Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard have all arrived, while deals for Cristhian Mosquera and Noni Madueke are both nearing completion. Another side who have enjoyed a productive start to the window is Sunderland as they prepare for their first season back in the top flight since 2017. The Black Cats have already made six signings this summer, including spending a club-record £30.5m to sign central midfielder Habib Diarra from Strasbourg. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. However, Regis Le Bris' side are still keen to make further signings in the middle of the park to replace Jobe Bellingham who left for Borussia Dortmund this summer. And according to transfer reporter Sacha Tavolieri, the newly-promoted side have now held club-to-club talks to sign Bayer Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka. Xhaka has spent two seasons at the German club and helped them win the Bundesliga under Xabi Alonso, but could be set for a return to England on a three-year deal for a fee of around €10million (£8.7m). Sunderland will face competition for Xhaka's signature, though, with Neom SC also interested in the Swiss international after securing promotion to the Saudi Pro League. Joining Arsenal in 2017, Xhaka racked up 297 appearances in all competitions during his seven seasons in north London. The 32-year-old was made captain by Unai Emery in September 2019, but was stripped of the armband just months later after an angry confrontation with fans. Despite winning back some fans in the following years, Xhaka eventually left the Emirates in 2023 to join Leverkusen, admitting he cried 'tears of joy' when the deal was completed. More Trending 'I'm a very emotional person, I like to cry and I'm not ashamed of it,' he said. 'Of course, I also cried for joy at times. For example, when I made my transfer here to Leverkusen. 'I also cried tears of joy because I really wanted to go back. I think it's also part of it as a person.' Xhaka might not be the only former Arsenal midfielder set for a move to the Stadium of Light, with other reports linking Sunderland with a move for Matteo Guendouzi.. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Man Utd open talks to sign £40m star after Andre Onana injury MORE: Arsenal told they are making big mistake spending £50m on 'back-up player' MORE: Chelsea learn asking price after 'fresh talks' to sign Arsenal and Liverpool transfer target
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Celtic hold talks with another SPFL club over co-operation agreement after issues arise amid plans with Queen's Park
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELTIC are in talks over a co-operation agreement with another SPFL club after discussions with Queen's Park stalled amid their financial issues. The Scottish Championship club have been unable to commit to a long-term partnership with Celtic after Willie Haughey decided to withdraw his financial backing next year. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 1 The decision will allow some of Brendan Rodgers' youth players to get more first team opportunities Credit: Kenny Ramsay Queen's Park previously spent a staggering £5.7million in the second tier but will now need to slash expenditure to around £1m per year without the backing of Haughey and his company City Facilities Management. He will officially walk away from the club in June 2026, when the current five-year deal is due to come to an end. The current situation at Lesser Hampden leaves Celtic in a predicament as they were close to reaching a co-operation agreement with the Spiders. It comes after the SFA gave clubs the green light to form partnerships with the aim of providing more pathways to first team football for young Scottish players between the ages of 16 and 21. Aberdeen have already confirmed agreements with League One side Kelty Hearts and League Two outfit Elgin City. That has allowed defenders Dylan Ross and Jamie Marcy to join City, while Lewis Carrol, Joseph Teasdale and Cooper Mason have headed to Fife. St Mirren have also formed partnerships with League Two side Dumbarton and Lowland League club Clydebank. But as talks between Celtic and Queen's Park ground to a halt, the Hoops have now decided to look elsewhere. SunSport understands Celtic are now in discussions with Ayr United instead. It's believed an agreement between both clubs is set to be reached which will be a major boost for Celtic hero and current Ayr boss Scott Brown. Celtic launch new away kit with trailer featuring Scottish music icon and Hoops legends It's suggested midfielder Jude Bonnar will be the first Hoops youth star to make the move to Somerset Park. Another two-team partnership already in place includes Hibs and newly-promoted League Two side East Kilbride. Goalkeeper Freddie Owens and forward Dean Cleland have already sealed loan moves to K Park. Meanwhile, Rangers are expected to form an agreement with Championship side Raith Rovers too, but no deal has been officially reached as things stand. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Norwich chief admits 'big interest' in Sargent
Sporting director Ben Knapper has assured Norwich City fans that Josh Sargent will be replaced if "big interest" in the striker brings big transfer Canaries are understood to have held talks with Burnley and Wolfsburg about the USA international, who is under contract until spoke to City fans at Carrow Road on Tuesday as part of a special summer episode of BBC Radio Norfolk's Scrimmage show, and was asked if the 25-year-old would be staying."We don't know at this point, there's big interest in the player," Knapper said. "As of now, no, is the answer, but of course there is big interest in the player, I think that is well known."As always with these things it has to work for everyone. Josh is always going to command big interest. There is big clubs in the big five leagues who are expressing a lot of interest in him and he is also ambitious."We're ambitious as a club and we try to attract ambitious players and then it's difficult for us to hold that against them."It has to work for us. At the minute nothing has, he's a Norwich player and I'll just turn my phone off for the next few weeks and [hope] that will remain so."City's football chief was alongside head coach Liam Manning, majority shareholder Mark Attanasio and executive director Zoe Webber for the while Knapper could not provide clarity on Sargent's situation, he did state that the recent £6.9m addition of Denmark forward Mathias Kvistgaarden was not a pre-emptive replacement for the American."There's definitely going to be more activity in the front line, even if Josh doesn't go," Knapper said. "So we're not done in terms of our transfer activity, there's still things that we're working on."There's still going to be movement on the way in, even if there are no other outs because we still feel like we want to add at least another option or two in wide areas to give us flexibility in terms of how we attack."But of course if we were to lose another offensive player then we would add again." Kvistgaarden, 23, has been the eye-catching signing of the summer so far for Norwich. It follows the recruitment of Manning from Bristol City with the hope of bouncing back from a disappointing 13th place in the Championship last Norwich-born head coach said Kvistgaarden coming in showed the ambition of the club."When I first joined, he was one of the first ones that Ben (Knapper) and Lee (Dunn, head of recruitment) put in front of me and I'm super excited by him," Manning said."[He is] a great indicator about the ambition that we are trying to have, that we are able to attract someone of that level, with the level of interest that he had."You'll be surprised when you see him. He's 5ft 9ins but when you see him run, jump, he scores a lot of headers which for someone of his size is quite unusual."But great energy, a big character, part of him coming was the challenge of making him better, so he's really aware of his career and where he's at so super excited by him."He'll obviously have to get used to the Championship, which is a different beast, so our job is to manage him, support him, and give him everything he needs to deliver."Click here to watch the summer Scrimmage special back in full.
