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Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane is one of the Manchester United's 'preferred targets' heading into the forthcoming transfer window. However, Spurs will fight to keep him in north London, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

Last month, Sky Sports reported that Kane will need to 'drive' any potential exit from Tottenham Hotspur this summer in light of interest from Manchester United.

The 29-year-old is approaching the final year of his deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and there is said to be 'growing concern' at Spurs that he has not put pen to paper to extend his £200k-a-week contract.

Pundit Stuart Pearce has urged Kane to leave his boyhood club in an appearance on talkSPORT following Tottenham's 3-1 defeat against Brentford last weekend in the Premier League, stating: “If I was advising Harry Kane, I’d tell him to go and have another challenge somewhere else. Should this be his final home appearance here for Spurs? I think so.”

The Evening Standard report that Kane is set to sit down with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to thrash out his future at the club amid uncertainty over his future.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has indicated that Kane is one of Manchester United's priority targets this summer, though thinks Tottenham will prove to be stubborn in negotiations.

Romano said: "For sure, he's one of the preferred targets, but the problem is with Tottenham. Tottenham will fight to keep the player.

"Daniel Levy, personally, wants to fight to keep Harry Kane, to extend the contract of Harry Kane, to change the position and also change the mood around the player."

What are Harry Kane's stats like this season?

Kane is an elite striker and would give Manchester United another dimension in attack if he was to sign on the dotted line at Old Trafford in the summer. Nevertheless, Spurs chiefs will be keen to do everything that they can to make sure that doesn't happen and that he can continue his legacy in N17.

In 2022/23, the England international has been in lethal form for a struggling Tottenham side, registering 30 goals and laying on five assists in 48 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also notes that Kane has maintained an average match rating of 7.45/10 for his exploits on the pitch this term, making him Spurs' second-most consistent performer behind Son Hueng-Min.

FBRef show that Kane has been a force of productivity in attack for Tottenham, successfully carrying out 156 shot-creating actions this campaign.

Looking ahead, Tottenham need to act fast to avoid losing their star man; however, at least it looks as if they are prepared to fight tooth and nail to keep him.

As Zimbabwe seek to level the two-match series, they will have to overcome persistent failings with bat and ball

The Preview by Firdose Moonda05-Aug-2016Match factsAugust 6-11, Bulawayo
Start time 0930 local (0730 GMT)Big PictureA week ago, Zimbabwe were wondering how to stay alive in the first Test against New Zealand. Now, they will be thinking about saving the two-match series and denying New Zealand a chance to claim a cup from the first leg of their self-termed African safari.Victory for Zimbabwe and a share of the spoils seems improbable unless they are able to correct perennial problems that creep into their approach, almost all of which stem from a lack of game time. Their struggle to build partnerships and bat for long periods of time will be crippled further by the absence of Hamilton Masakadza, who will miss the Test with a back injury. Their attack’s battle to sustain pressure over extended periods also result in them falling behind early on. They have showed the ability to fight back, but that will probably not be enough against a more complete New Zealand unit.For New Zealand, a second victory and a clean sweep would be the perfect start in their search for more consistency after they lost ground to Australia. It will also give Kane Williamson a solid foundation on which to build his captaincy and sound a warning to South Africa that they could prove a challenge. Coach Mike Hesson could not find too many “work-ons” after the first Test but Trent Boult’s pace – which averaged in the late 120s – and the spinners’ returns will be areas to zone in on.The other area of interest will be the venue itself. Queens Sports Club will host back-to-back fixtures in a test of the ground staff’s ability to turn around quickly. The outfield, which was sluggish for the first Test, would have been trimmed and may be a little quicker while the pitch itself is expected to be slow, low and flat. With school holidays and a long weekend, crowd numbers could be higher, especially as Bulawayo does not know when it will see Test cricket again.Form guideZimbabwe LLLLL (last five matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WLLWWIn the spotlightAfter crashing to 36 for 4 and 17 for 4 in the first Test Zimbabwe’s top order will want to give their team a better start. Their ability to cope with a swinging new ball and a hostile short ball will be under particular scrutiny after Tim Southee and Neil Wagner used those tactics to run through them. In the absence of Masakadza, the responsibility will fall on Tino Mawoyo and Chamu Chibhabha.Apart from Trent Boult bowling below pace, the only aspect of New Zealand’s game that they may want to work on from the first Test is their spinners. While Mitchell Santner was economical, Ish Sodhi was expensive and with long spells likely to be needed on a flat track, he will need to tighten up and try to stifle Zimbabwe’s batsmen a little more.Team newsThe biggest blow to Zimbabwe is Hamilton Masakadza’s injury. Opener Tino Mawoyo has recovered from a hand injury to take his place at the top of the order alongside Chamu Chibhabha. Peter Moor is in line for a Test debut in place of Regis Chakabva who battled tonsillitis during the first Test. Although Chris Mpofu looks fit and firing, Donald Tiripano and Mike Chinouya are likely to keep their places with John Nyumbu coming in as a second specialist spinner.Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Tino Mawoyo, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Sikandar Raza, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Prince Masvaure, 6 Sean Williams, 7 Peter Moore (wk), 8 Graeme Cremer, (capt) 9 Donald Tiripano, 10 John Nyumbu, 11 Mike ChinouyaNew Zealand confirmed the same XI for the second Test which means no experiments to play Jeet Raval, Doug Bracewell or Matt Henry before they head to South Africa.New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Neil WagnerPitch and conditionsWhile Neil Wagner extracted a surprising amount of bounce from the surface for the first match, this one is expected to offer nothing of the sort. The teams are likely to face a hard, flat strip, which will keep run-scoring slow and make wicket-taking difficult. The fielders will not be able to enjoy any respite from the weather either. Temperatures will remain in the mid-to-high 20s and the skies will be cloudless.Stats and trivia Kane Williamson and Tim Southee will be playing their 50th Tests individually Five years ago this week, Zimbabwe returned to Test cricket after a six-year self-imposed exile and won their comeback Test against Bangladesh. Craig Ervine and Tino Mawoyo are the only players who took part in that match who may be involved in this oneQuotes”We spent a day at Heath Steak’s farm. We managed to get out of the hotel which is good. It was awesome to get out and see a bit of Zimbabwe. We saw a pretty cool sunset and got some relaxing time before a pretty big five days ahead.”
.”The good thing is that we have had one game already. The guys have had a good look at how they got out. The guys have done some work. There’s a little bit more grit needed, a little bit more application and time to suss out conditions.”
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Chelsea were an extremely busy force in the transfer market last summer, bringing in multiple new additions in what seemed to be a new dawn for everyone involved at Stamford Bridge under new ownership.

One of their most high-profile signings was Marc Cucurella, who arrived to much excitement from Blues' supporters for a fee in excess of £60 million, as per Sky Sports.

Nevertheless, he, like many of Chelsea's players have flattered to deceive this campaign, leaving the west London-based outfit sitting 11th in the Premier League table with just three fixtures left to play alongside being dumped out of all cup competitions.

Undoubtedly, Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has a lot to answer for this season and the American businessman may live to regret making such an expensive signing with little to show for it in return.

What's the latest news involving Marc Cucurella?

Cucurella has come under fire for his performances at Chelsea this season and was criticised by talkSPORT pundit Jamie O'Hara after the Blues' Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie against Real Madrid, as the pundit said: “Cucurella is a disgrace, absolutely killed Chelsea.”

Daily Mail journalist Kieran Gill also delivered a crushing verdict of the Spaniard in early February and questioned his willingness to try and be progressive on the ball, writing: "Cucurella looks like a footballer devoid of confidence, as if he’s too scared to take the risky option.

One compilation of his ‘highlights’ against West Ham showed a series of moments when, instead of passing to Mykhailo Mudryk on the left wing, he chose safety."

In his time at Stamford Bridge, Cucurella has been an underwhelming presence on the left-hand side of defence, making 33 appearances in all competitions and registering two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored notes that Cucurella has earned an average match rating of 6.55/10 for his exploits on the pitch this term, ranking him 13th out of Chelsea's 32-man squad in terms of the consistency of his displays, demonstrating room for improvement.

Gill's assessment of Cucurella not being brave enough on the ball also stands up to scrutiny, as FBRef details that the 24-year-old ranks in the bottom 10% of full-backs across Europe's top five divisions for successful take-ons completed over the last 365 days, as he has managed just 0.29 per 90 minutes.

Former Chelsea ace Frank Leboeuf even slammed the transfer as he called it a "crazy" decision.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Paul Brown thinks that Boehly and company may have paid over the odds to sign Cucurella.

Brown told FFC: "I think the only regret that Chelsea should have over Cucurella is the price they paid. I think there's clearly a good player there who still has time to make an impact for the club, but it's clear they just paid a figure that was way above his market value to get him. I mean, I think everyone went a bit wide-eyed at the time when those figures came out."

Of course, Cucurella still has time to turn things round at the Blues and can be an exceptionally effective player when on form. As per The Evening Standard, UEFA’s Technical Observer Panel praised him in the aftermath of Chelsea's 2-0 triumph in the Champions League last-16, stating: “Cucurella was fantastic, claiming numerous turnovers in the first half and reading the game intelligently as well as showing aerial strength and an accuracy of distribution which underpinned the victory for Chelsea.”

Nevertheless, a return to consistency needs to be a priority for the former Seagulls ace heading into next campaign as Chelsea look to wash away their memory of a dismal 2022/23.

First met second in this top of the South Group clash in the Natwest T20 Blast in Cardiff, and it was Gloucestershire who secured victory against Glamorgan to become leaders

ECB Reporters Network10-Jul-2016
ScorecardMichael Klinger helped ensure a comfortable chase•Getty ImagesFirst met second in this top of the South Group clash in the Natwest T20 Blast in Cardiff, and it was Gloucestershire who secured victory against Glamorgan to become leaders. Going into this game the teams were level on points with only net run-rate separating them.Wickets for Graeme van Buuren and tight bowling from Benny Howell and Tom Smith restricted Glamorgan to 119 for 6. It was never enough runs to defend and an unbeaten stand of 97 between Michael Klinger and Ian Cockbain took Gloucestershire home. Both men reached fifty as they secured victory with 23 balls to spare.A slow pitch with low bounce confronted the teams at Cardiff and it was surprising that Glamorgan chose to bat first on a pitch that was used for the match against Sussex on Thursday night. Right from the start of the home side’s innings the Gloucestershire bowlers were on top. A steady batting Powerplay took Glamorgan to 40 without loss but the introduction of spin bowling helped the visitors take control.Van Buuren took two wickets with his slow left-arm bowling in this first over, and they were the scalps of Glamorgan’s two in-form T20 batsmen. First David Lloyd looped the ball off a leading edge to Michael Klinger at mid-off and two balls later Colin Ingram was pinned lbw by a quicker delivery.From there the Glamorgan batsmen struggled to find any timing against some canny Gloucestershire bowling. It became clear very early on that pace off the ball was the way to go, and the Gloucestershire attack was perfectly suited to doing just that. Howell conceded just 13 runs from his four overs of medium pace and van Buuren finished with 3 for 19.It looked as if Glamorgan would fail to reach 100, but 32 from Graham Wagg, which included the only two sixes of the innings, helped them set a target of 120. Wagg scored 18 runs off the 20th over, bowled by Andrew Tye, to give his team a chance, albeit a slim one.A Glamorgan attack that featured the pace of Shaun Tait and Timm van der Gugten was far less equipped to cause real issues on this tired Cardiff pitch, and the extra pace allowed the Gloucestershire batsmen to time the ball with much greater ease than the opposition.The early wicket of Hamish Marshall, well caught down the leg side by Mark Wallace off van der Gugten, gave Glamorgan some hope but from there Gloucestershire cruised to victory. With a lack of slower bowling options available to him Rudolph brought himself on to bowl his part-time legspin for the first time in the T20 Blast this season in attempt to try something different. By then the run rate was down to four an over and there was no need for Gloucestershire to take any risks.This defeat is a setback for Glamorgan but they still have four matches left in this competition and are well placed to secure a quarter-final spot. For Gloucestershire one more win from their remaining two matches and they are mathematically certain of qualification for the knockout stages.

In-form Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson could leave the club this summer, according to a fresh update from transfer expert Dean Jones.

Is Wilson firing for Newcastle this season?

The Magpies are enjoying a memorable season in the Premier League, still looking likely to finish in the top four and secure a return to the Champions League. That's despite Saturday's 2-2 draw away to Leeds United, as they conceded late on and blew the chance to earn a priceless three points.

It was Wilson who scored both of Newcastle's goals at Elland Road, with the 31-year-old twice firing home from the penalty spot, and he is enjoying a good campaign overall. He has now netted 17 times in just 19 league starts – 28 appearances in total – as well as chipping in with four assists.

The £46,000-a-week attacker is out of contract at St James' Park next summer, however, and given his age, the Magpies could see the upcoming transfer window as the last chance to earn good money for him.

Could Wilson leave Magpies in the summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones admitted that there is a chance that Wilson could move on once the current campaign reaches its conclusion:

"There have been a few whispers about Callum Wilson potentially being available this summer, and it is interesting to think about whether they would genuinely consider it.

"For Wilson as a player, I don’t think it would be a great decision to move on from him just yet. He has great self-belief. He has a good goalscoring record in this division, and I get the feeling he is very determined not to be one of the players discarded as this project ramps up at Newcastle.

"But we should also consider it from a business point of view because that’s when I can understand why it might happen. He’s got another year on his deal. He’s 31 and up there with the highest earners at the club. If they were to extend his stay, they would have to continue to pay him very well, and maybe that’s what makes them consider what to do here."

This is definitely a surprise update, even if the idea of selling Wilson this summer does make sense in some ways, given his contract situation.

It is a tricky situation for the club, with the six-cap England international still playing at an extra level – Eddie Howe has called him "hugely important" – and likely to be a key player next season, too. That being said, losing him for free next year, when Newcastle could have cashed in and signed a younger alternative this time around, could be a bad business decision.

The best possible outcome could be offering Wilson a new short-term deal – one that keeps him at St James' for another couple of years – rather than a long-term extension.

Tottenham Hotspur appointing Johannes Spors as sporting director as part of a package to bring Julian Nagelsmann in as manager of the club would 'make sense', according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Johannes Spors and Julian Nagelsmann?

Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has recently given an update on the possibility of Spors joining Tottenham as sporting director, stating: "We‘ve been told that he is one of a number of Sporting Directors Tottenham are looking at. Spors is a Global sporting director for a number of clubs including Hertha BSC, Genoa, Standard Liege & Melbourne Victory. There was contact in the last weeks. But no concrete negotiations yet."

The Daily Mail have also claimed that Spors is a target to fill the vacancy left by Fabio Paratici, revealing that the 40-year-old is a candidate alongside Brentford technical director Lee Dykes.

The report states that Nagelsmann wants a new director in place before choosing whether to take over at the club or not while clarity surrounding the future of Harry Kane is also of paramount importance to the German.

Spors has enjoyed an interesting career, working in a global sporting director role at the likes of Hertha BSC, Melbourne Victory, Standard Liege and Genoa.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones has suggested that he wouldn't be surprised if the rumours surrounding both Spors and Nagelsmann being appointed were linked in some way.

Jones told FFC: "I don't know too much about this guy, but on the Nagelsmann end, this could make sense. He wants to know who he's going to be working with, that's part of the holdup in this whole process, maybe the two are linked. Equally, I've seen Spurs change manager enough times in the past to know that a plan that they've got in place can quickly spiral and head in a totally different direction that nobody was expecting, sometimes even them, I think. At the moment, we know Nagelsmann is in talks and is highly thought of, but both sides need to be sure that this is going to suit them and the sporting director role is going to be important as part of that."

What now for Tottenham Hotspur?

Off the field, it looks like Spurs fans are going to need to wait a little longer to find out for definite whether Nagelsmann will take over in north London.

In the meantime, Tottenham still have three Premier League fixtures left to complete before the close of play against Aston Villa, Brentford and Leeds United, which will go a long way to determining the state that their new prospective manager will find them in.

At present, Tottenham sit sixth in the top-flight standings on 57 points, five behind top-four contenders Liverpool and trailing Manchester United by six, having played a game more than the latter.

In reality, securing one of the coveted Champions League slots looks to be unlikely at this point; nevertheless, managing to achieve continental qualification in the form of the Europa League or Europa Conference League is well within their reach.

England’s fixtures for the 2017 home season have today been confirmed, with South Africa and West Indies lined up for full tours in a busy summer that will also feature the ECB’s hosting of the Champions Trophy in early to mid-June

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-2016England’s home season in 2017 has been confirmed as the longest in their international history, after the ECB announced a glut of fixtures spanning 148 days and featuring both the earliest start date, May 5, and the latest finish, September 29.South Africa and West Indies are lined up for full tours in an unprecedented summer that will also feature the ECB’s hosting of the Champions Trophy in early to mid-June, and the women’s World Cup between June 26 and July 23..The previous earliest start to an English summer was May 6, when England and West Indies embarked on that summer’s first Test at Lord’s. The latest finish also involved West Indies, when they beat England in the final of the Champions Trophy on September 25, 2004.England men’s summer will be launched by a two-match ODI series against Ireland, at Bristol and Lord’s on May 5 and 7, before the arrival of South Africa’s ODI squad for three matches – at Headingley, Ageas Bowl and Lord’s – on May 24, 27 and 29, which will serve as warm-up fixtures for the Champions Trophy, which opens with England’s match against Bangladesh at the Kia Oval on June 1.England’s 2017 schedule

May 5, 1st ODI v Ireland, Bristol
May 7, 2nd ODI v Ireland, Lord’s
May 24, 1st ODI v SA, Headingley
May 27, 2nd ODI v SA, Ageas Bowl
May 29, 3rd ODI v SA, Lord’s
Jun 1-18, Champions Trophy
Jun 21 v SA, 1st T20, Ageas Bowl
Jun 23 v SA, 2nd T20, Taunton
Jun 25, 3rd T20 v SA, Cardiff
Jul 6-10, 1st Test v SA, Lord’s
Jul 14-18, 2nd Test v SA, Trent Bridge
Jul 27-31, 3rd Test v SA, The Oval
Aug 4-8, 4th Test v SA, Old Trafford
Aug 17-21, 1st Test v WI, Edgbaston
Aug 25-29, 2nd Test v WI, Headingley
Sep 7-11, 3rd Test v WI, Lord’s
Sep 16, Only T20 v WI, Durham
Sep 19, 1st ODI v WI, Old Trafford
Sep 21, 2nd ODI v WI, Trent Bridge
Sep 24, 3rd ODI v WI, Bristol
Sep 27, 4th ODI v WI, The Oval
Sep 29, 5th ODI v WI, Ageas Bowl

After the tournament, which concludes with a final at The Oval on June 18, England and South Africa play three T20Is – including their first international fixture at Taunton since 1983 – before attention switches to seven Test matches in the space of 67 days.South Africa are lined up for four matches, starting at Lord’s on July 6 then proceeding to Trent Bridge, The Oval and Old Trafford, before West Indies commence a three-Test series on August 17.That opening fixture, at Edgbaston, has been mooted as England’s first home day/night fixture, although the ECB as yet has not clarified its status. Further matches are scheduled for Headingley and Lord’s, before a one-off T20I followed by five ODIs, with the home summer set to finish at the Ageas Bowl on September 29.”With three different international teams coming here next summer and this country playing host to two major ICC global events – the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup – there will be a feast of international cricket to excite us in England and Wales,” said Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive.”Both the international and the domestic schedule will have a different shape to previous years. And the early season block for the Royal London One-Day Cup – with a new mid-season date for its Lord’s final – will support both England’s ICC Champions Trophy preparations and our longer term planning for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019. It will also allow players to focus skills on the white ball game and help more people to understand the structure of the season.”It promises to be a memorable summer of cricket for all our international grounds and a particularly special one for Somerset CCC which will host its first England men’s fixture for more than thirty years; a great opportunity for the county to further capitalise on its strong support for England women’s cricket in recent years.”Edgbaston will once again host NatWest T20 Blast Finals day while the Royal London One-Day Cup Final has been brought forward from its traditional mid-September date to a new mid-summer slot in early July.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore provided an explosive start to the NatWest T20 Blast, hours after learning that his Worcestershire team-mate Tom Fell had been given the all-clear to resume his career after chemotherapy

ECB Reporters Network20-May-2016
ScorecardTom Kohler-Cadmore set a new Worcestershire record•Getty ImagesTom Kohler-Cadmore provided an explosive start to the NatWest T20 Blast, hours after learning that his Worcestershire team-mate Tom Fell had been given the all-clear to resume his career after chemotherapy.Kohler-Cadmore, 21, had his head shaved to raise money for Cancer Research after Fell suffered a second cancer scare before the start of the season. Worcestershire announced before they launched the Blast season with a home game against Durham Jets that Fell had been given the all-clear – and Kohler-Cadmore celebrated by smashing 127 from 54 balls, the highest score for the county in 14 years of T20 cricket.He hit eight sixes, two of them over the stands and into New Road, in beating the unbeaten 116 hit by Worcester legend Graeme Hick against Northants at Luton in 2004.He reached three figures in 43 balls, the sixth fastest in the domestic T20 competition – one ball slower than the Worcestershire record set by Ben Smith in 2005.The Rapids – who have reached the quarter finals in three of the last four seasons but have still to make it to Finals Day – piled up 225 for 6 – enough to set up a 38-run win.Phil Mustard led a brave effort with 64 off 49 balls and they were not out of contention until Joe Leach accounted for Ryan Pringle (21) and Calum MacLeod (0) in four balls in the 15th over.Leach followed that with the dismissal of Mustard, caught at deep mid-wicket after hitting eight fours, but it was Kohler-Cadmore’s night from the start and later to be embellished with three catches, one of these completing Leach’s return of 5 for 33, his best in the completion.New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner also made an important contribution with 2 for 29 on his debut as Durham came up short with 187 for eight after batting for much of the innings in appalling light.Worcestershire are one of only two counties without floodlights – with Somerset progressing with an application which will soon leave them in an embarrassing, not to say vulnerable, situation.Kohler-Cadmore scored three fifties in last season’s group matches, with a top score of 75 against Nottinghamshire, and was pencilled in to open this summer following the departure of Richard Oliver.The move produced spectacular results in a murderous phase in which he took 28 off Barry McCarthy in the fifth over and then blasted fours off the next three balls he faced in the following over by Ryan Pringle.On reaching his half century in 21 balls, he had scored 48 runs in boundaries and when he was caught at deep mid-wicket off Paul Coughlin in the 15th over, his innings included eight sixes and 14 fours from 54 deliveries.In his first senior appearance since a back injury in June last year, Coughlin took two for 43, a respectable return in the circumstances, but for McCarthy it was a match to forget.His figures of one for 63 in four overs are the most expensive by a Durham bowler in the competition – and this in the week when he took a career-best five for 70 in the championship victory over Lancashire.The total is the biggest against Durham in T20 cricket and for Worcestershire it is their highest at New Road but two short of their best against Northamptonshire in 2007 when they were forced to move to Kidderminster following severe flooding at their headquarters.Kohler-Cadmore’s domination of partnerships was such that Joe Clarke made nine out of 73 until he was caught at long-on – the first of two wickets in an over for Scottt Borthwick – and Ross Whiteley contributed 19 out of 74 before he was caught on the straight boundary, a consolation success for McCarthy. Brett D’Oliveira then gave the innings a final surge with an undefeated 39 from 21 balls.

Arsenal's surprise pursuit of the Premier League title this season was coincidentally upheld by their rivals, as it almost seemed like Mikel Arteta finished off his team with two Manchester City players.

Bringing in Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus both finished off his system perfectly and added the goalscorer they craved, yet it seems set to not be enough with just four games left for the Gunners to play.

That could explain why attention has already turned to this summer, as Edu has been tasked with bolstering the squad to a level where it can feasibly compete with Pep Guardiola's side for a full campaign.

The rumour mill has therefore kicked into overdrive, as a switch to the Emirates has fast become one of the most attractive propositions in football. Joining up with a youthful, hungry manager who is overseeing the joint-youngest squad in the division, means success is almost guaranteed in the near future. However, Arteta will crave it immediately.

Having come so close and fought for so long, a few key additions could prove to be the difference in taking that final step. Ironically enough, one proposed signing is that of Barcelona's Ferran Torres, who also spent time in Sky Blue as part of the Cityzens' relentless regime.

Is Ferran Torres better than Gabriel Jesus?

What makes this potential deal all the more tantalising for the Gunners is the reported price tag of just €35m (£30m), as the Catalonian giants desperately scramble for funds to re-sign the wantaway Lionel Messi.

Edu could pounce on this opportunity, seeking to welcome the Spaniard who could actually prove to be a better finisher than Jesus.

The Brazilian has come under fire of late for squandering chances in big matches, with his role in their 3-3 draw with Southampton particularly frustrating. The 26-year-old accumulated an expected goals (xG) of 1.14 yet did not find the net, and vital points were dropped.

Although he might have scored ten goals this year, outperforming Torres' seven in all competitions, the former forward has actually underperformed his expected goals for the whole campaign.

The 23-year-old too has suffered from his own expected goals tally, but only by 0.89 compared to his potential competition's 3.35. This suggests that the £265k-per-week finisher should have scored far more than he actually has.

Not only this, but Guardiola himself even suggested that the current-Barcelona talent was a more natural finisher than Jesus, claiming:

"I spoke with Gabriel and he likes to play sometimes more in wider positions than the central one, and Ferran has a big sense for the goal, I would say a little bit higher than Gabriel when he plays in central positions."

Having been further lauded in the past by the legendary Spanish boss for his "exceptional" numbers during his debut campaign, as he notched 13 times in all competitions, perhaps ample time for further development could see him return and turn into the true monster he was expected to be.

Newcastle United could enter the transfer market for multiple additions this summer in order to juggle both domestic and European football heading into 2023/24, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

What's the latest news involving Newcastle United and Eddie Howe?

Newcastle took a big step forward to securing a top-four finish on Thursday night, with a double from Callum Wilson and strikes from Joelinton and Jacob Murphy giving the Magpies a comfortable 4-1 victory over Everton at Goodison Park.

In terms of the Premier League, Newcastle now sit third place in the table on 62 points, eight clear of Tottenham Hotspur in fifth position having played a game less than their divisional rivals.

Magpies boss Howe is taking nothing for granted in his side's pursuit of Champions League qualification, stating to Sky Sports after the win over Everton:

"We know nothing is taken for granted from our perspective. It puts us in a lot stronger position. To get six points from Tottenham and Everton is a great return."

Of course, the prospect of playing in the Champions League next season has sent the rumour mill spiralling over potential additions at St James' Park in the summer, with the likes of Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney and Barcelona pair Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele among those linked with a move to Newcastle.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Sky Sports reporter Downie has backed Howe to make several signings in the transfer window.

Downie told FFC: "It was interesting at his press conference today [Wednesday], he was actually asked if he's ever been to Champions League match before and he was racking his brains and couldn't even think of one.

"But he's the sort of guy that is so meticulous in everything he does, he works around the clock to ensure that he is the best that he can be. You know that he will do everything in his power to be a success in the Champions League.

"Only time will tell, Newcastle will have to go into that with very little experience in the first team squad and obviously, with the manager, no experience whatsoever and as it stands a very small squad, they're going to have to bring in a raft of players in the summer to, I think, make them competitive on both fronts."

How far can Newcastle United go under Eddie Howe?

Howe isn't someone known for setting defined expectations and will prepare his side game by game rather than looking too far ahead to the future; however, it has to be said, the sky is the limit for Newcastle when you consider their talented squad and financial capability.

Not only have they given themselves an excellent chance of Champions League qualification this term, but they also reached the Carabao Cup final in 2022/23, which was their first cup final in any major competition since 1999.

Looking ahead, expecting Newcastle to be title challengers in the near future may be a stretch, though if they can regularly compete for continental qualification and try and win some silverware then they could really start to establish themselves among the elite of English football.

Either way, it's an exciting time for anyone to be a Toon fan right now and Howe will duly receive plaudits for the magnificent job he's done at St James' Park.