Arsenal have been informed they must break the British transfer record and pay £130m to sign Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez this summer.
Mikel Arteta is seeking further attacking reinforcements despite his side currently sitting nine points clear at the Premier League summit.
The Gunners recently secured a 2-0 victory over Everton to leave them in a commanding domestic position with just seven games remaining.
However, the Spanish manager has identified the 26-year-old World Cup winner as his primary target for the upcoming season.
Atletico demand premium fee
The Argentine international only moved to the Spanish capital in the summer of 2024.
He has since established himself as a vital component in Diego Simeone’s starting lineup.
The La Liga club are reluctant to sell their prized asset and are reportedly preparing a new contract offer.
They have subsequently placed a €150m (£130m) valuation on the former Manchester City striker to deter potential suitors.
London return appeals to forward
Barcelona have also registered an interest in the prolific attacker, but the Catalan club cannot meet the current asking price.
Recent reports suggest the South American would be highly receptive to a Premier League return if his valuation is met.
It is understood that a move to London is his preferred option, placing the league leaders in a strong position.
Contact has been made to find out if he would be open to joining, and the answer was a firm yes.
Adding pedigree to the attack
Current leading goalscorer Viktor Gyokeres has impressed this season, but doubts remain over his long-term stylistic fit at Emirates Stadium.
Securing a player of such proven pedigree would represent a massive statement of intent from the north London club.
The two-time Premier League champion boasts exceptional technical quality and already possesses crucial experience of English football.
While the required fee is unprecedented, acquiring a player entering his prime years could cement Arsenal’s status among Europe’s elite.
Former winger Peter Taylor has warned Tottenham Hotspur they are at genuine risk of suffering an unexpected Premier League relegation following a disastrous run of form.
The North London club are currently embroiled in a battle for survival at the bottom of the table under manager Igor Tudor.
Spurs recently suffered a damaging domestic defeat against Crystal Palace before being thrashed by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Taylor experienced the pain of dropping out of the top flight with a star-studded Tottenham squad at the end of the 1976-77 campaign.
Avoiding the mistakes of the past
The former England caretaker manager was part of a group featuring club legends such as Glenn Hoddle and Steve Perryman that finished dead last.
He believes the current generation must quickly find consistency to avoid repeating that nearly 50-year-old nightmare.
“The more I think about it, unfortunately we couldn’t have been good enough because we got relegated,” Taylor explained.
“We probably weren’t consistent enough, because we had some very good players but maybe we weren’t consistent as much as we should have been and that’s why we got punished.”
A desperate need for creativity
The modern-day side has been severely hampered by injuries and suspensions throughout the campaign.
Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven is the latest key figure sidelined after picking up a red card in their last league outing.
However, the 72-year-old feels the primary issue lies further up the pitch where the team lacks genuine attacking flair.
“One thing I would say is the difference between when I was there in my first year and now is that we had Glenn Hoddle, we had Alfie Conn. So I think we had more flair players than what they’ve got at the moment,” he added.
“Looking at them the other night, they needed a James Maddison badly. I can imagine a Glenn Hoddle being out there… you know on one of his days or one of his nights he’s going to open somebody up and score.”
Managerial pressure intensifies
Taylor noted that the current squad worked incredibly hard against Palace but failed to show enough of their traditional attacking style.
That domestic setback was immediately compounded by a humiliating five-goal defeat to Atletico Madrid in European competition.
The heavy loss marked a fourth consecutive defeat for the Croatian head coach, raising serious questions about his immediate future.
While Keith Burkinshaw survived relegation in 1977 to eventually lead the club to major silverware, the former Juventus boss may not be afforded the same patience by the current hierarchy.
Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday with crucial Premier League points and potential transfer talks involving Andy Robertson on the agenda.
Manager Arne Slot will be demanding an immediate response from his squad following a narrow Champions League defeat to Galatasaray earlier this week.
The hosts are desperate to solidify their position in the top four, while their struggling opponents arrive on Merseyside fighting for top-flight survival.
Beleaguered visiting boss Igor Tudor is still searching for his first victory since taking charge of the relegation-threatened Londoners.
Robertson’s future remains uncertain
Beyond the pitch, officials from both clubs are expected to use the fixture to discuss the potential movement of a modern Anfield icon.
The Scottish full-back rejected the opportunity to swap the North West for the capital during the January transfer window.
However, the 31-year-old is entering the final three months of his current contract and could seek guaranteed playing time elsewhere next season.
“There was obviously interest there – there were discussions had with both sets of clubs,” Robertson recently admitted following an FA Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“But the decision was that I wanted to stay. We stayed at Liverpool and that was the decision made.”
“When a decision is made, and we’re getting to the point where I only have three months left on my contract, it will be announced to you guys.”
Real Madrid midfielder on the radar
While navigating outgoing negotiations, the Merseyside outfit are reportedly eyeing a summer move for French international Eduardo Camavinga.
Spanish reports suggest Real Madrid may be willing to offload the 23-year-old for a fee in the region of £43m as part of an impending squad overhaul.
The former Rennes prodigy remains contracted at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2029, meaning any successful approach would require a significant financial commitment from the English side.
Arda Guler scored a spectacular lob from inside his own half as Real Madrid thrashed Elche 4-1 at the Bernabeu on Saturday to move within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona.
The Turkey international caught goalkeeper Matias Dituro off his line in the 89th minute to cap off a dominant performance.
Goals from Antonio Rudiger, Federico Valverde and Dean Huijsen had already secured the three points for the hosts.
Record-breaking strike
The 19-year-old playmaker’s outrageous 68.6-metre strike etched itself into the history books as the longest goal in Spain’s top flight over the past 15 seasons.
Stand-in manager Alvaro Arbeloa was left in awe of the audacious long-distance effort.
“We should frame it, and hang it on a wall,” Arbeloa told Real Madrid TV.
“It’s amazing, wonderful. I saw everyone throw their hands up in amazement, and I did too.”
‘One of the best in the world’
Elche head coach Eder Sarabia echoed those sentiments, acknowledging the sheer brilliance of the strike despite his understandable frustration.
“We lost the ball unnecessarily, and then one of the best players in the world appears,” Sarabia noted.
“Alongside that anger and sadness, as a football fan, it’s an incredible goal.”
Youth shines on historic night
The comfortable domestic victory allowed the Spanish giants to rest crucial senior figures ahead of Tuesday’s pivotal Champions League last-16 second leg against Manchester City.
Arbeloa utilised the opportunity to introduce five substitutes aged 21 or under, drawing comparisons to the club’s legendary ‘Quinta del Buitre’ era of the 1980s.
“For someone who came up through the youth ranks myself and made it to the first team, this is a day of immense happiness and pride,” the former full-back added.
Mbappe injury concern
Attention now turns entirely to European action, with major concerns lingering over the fitness of star forward Kylian Mbappe.
The French World Cup winner is currently recovering from a knee sprain and faces a crucial medical assessment on Sunday.
“I hope he’ll be available,” Arbeloa stated. “If he can be in Manchester, that will be great news.”
The Iraq national football team will travel to Mexico via a private plane for their crucial World Cup play-off on 31 March, despite the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran causing major airspace closures.
Airspace across the Middle East has been severely restricted since 28 February following escalating military strikes in the region.
The Lions of Mesopotamia are scheduled to face either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey for a highly coveted spot at the 2026 tournament.
Australian head coach Graham Arnold had previously urged authorities to postpone the vital fixture due to the deteriorating security situation.
Fifa intervention secures safe passage
In a video statement released by the Iraqi News Agency, FA president Adnan Dirjal confirmed that world football’s governing body had stepped in to assist the squad’s complex travel arrangements.
“[Fifa president Gianni] Infantino directed [Fifa secretary general] Mattias Grafstrom to follow up and help overcome all difficulties to facilitate the departure of our national team to Mexico.”
“The national team will depart at the end of the week to Mexico via a private plane.”
The FA chief also noted that appropriate entry visas have already been secured for the travelling party, with European-based squad members flying out separately to join the camp.
Chasing a historic tournament return
The West Asian nation secured their place in the inter-continental play-off after narrowly defeating the United Arab Emirates 3-2 on aggregate last November.
Victory in North America would end a four-decade absence from the global stage, with their last appearance coming at the 1986 edition.
“My message to everyone: only 17 days remain, and we must focus and prepare for the match.”
“Therefore, our focus in the Iraqi Football Association and the coaching staff is on providing all the appropriate conditions for the players to focus on this match and achieve the dream of the Iraqi fans.”
Tottenham manager Igor Tudor has rejected demands to refund travelling supporters following their 5-2 Champions League thrashing by Atletico Madrid.
The north London side found themselves 4-0 down within the opening 22 minutes of their last-16 tie in the Spanish capital.
This catastrophic start prompted the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) to release a scathing statement demanding emergency action and financial reimbursement.
Tudor questions refund culture
The newly appointed head coach, who is the first boss in Spurs history to lose his opening four fixtures, firmly pushed back against the financial request.
“Manchester City lose 3-0, Chelsea lose 5-2, every Sunday there are big defeats and every time you need to refund the money so where will football be going?”
The Croatian tactician insisted the ticketing issue ultimately lies with the club hierarchy but urged for good sense to prevail regarding compensation.
While the manager dismissed the gesture, there is recent precedent for reimbursing disappointed English fans.
Manchester City’s squad refunded their travelling contingent following a shock defeat to Bodo Glimt earlier in the year.
‘Nothing to apologise for’ after opening collapse
Despite the heavy European defeat, the former Juventus defender claimed he only felt compelled to say sorry for the disastrous opening quarter of the match.
“I like usually to apologise but I did this time because of these 15 minutes, but all the rest I’ve got nothing to apologise for.”
He commended his squad’s second-half application, suggesting the players ran hard and tried to salvage pride from an impossible situation.
The embattled boss urged his squad to stay focused and keep working to navigate through their current severe run of poor form.
Supporters warn of steep decline
The official supporters’ group painted a bleak picture of the current regime, criticising everything from January transfer activity to a perceived lack of leadership.
“Emergency action is needed as right now we are sleepwalking off the edge of a cliff. Being a Spurs fan has never been so difficult.”
THST highlighted a total absence of club pedigree informing recent decisions, questioning where the traditional echoes of glory have gone.
Fans concluded their statement by insisting that while refunded tickets are the bare minimum expected, their primary desire is simply a team that makes them proud.
David Moyes has described Everton’s 2-0 Premier League defeat by Arsenal as “absolutely cruel” after his much-improved side conceded late goals at the Emirates Stadium.
The Toffees boss believes the performance highlighted the significant progress his squad has made during the current campaign.
Despite frustrating their hosts for the majority of the contest, the visitors were ultimately undone in the closing stages in north London.
“It was absolutely cruel on the players.”
The Scottish tactician stated while addressing the media following the final whistle.
Late heartbreak in the capital
The resilient away side had looked poised to secure a hard-fought point against a technically gifted opposition.
However, the late double from the Gunners ensured the three points remained firmly in the capital.
The frustrating result leaves the Merseyside outfit reflecting on what might have been after matching their high-flying opponents.
Progress despite the disappointment
Moyes was eager to focus on the overall display rather than dwelling entirely on the dramatic conclusion.
The experienced manager emphasised that the disciplined performance is clear proof of his team’s upward trajectory this season.
Everton must now regroup and channel this promising defensive organisation into their upcoming domestic fixtures.
Lecce forward Lameck Banda has been taken to hospital after collapsing on the pitch during the closing stages of a 2-1 Serie A defeat by Napoli.
The 25-year-old fell to the turf late in the second half at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, prompting an immediate halt to play.
Medics rushed onto the field to attend to the Zambia international in distressing scenes for players and supporters alike.
Banda was eventually carried off on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance while receiving supportive applause from the home crowd.
Reports from Sky Sports Italy indicate the winger remained conscious throughout the ordeal and will undergo precautionary tests.
Conte alerts medical staff
The incident occurred as the visiting side prepared to take a free-kick in a dangerous area while searching for a late equaliser.
Napoli manager Antonio Conte was among the first to notice the player struggling to breathe and frantically alerted the Lecce medical team.
Italian broadcaster DAZN reported that Banda had sustained a blow to the chest approximately 40 seconds before he collapsed.
Despite the terrifying nature of the incident, it is understood the attacker never lost consciousness.
Napoli complete comeback victory
Prior to the medical emergency, the hosts had fought back from an early deficit to secure all three points.
Jamil Siebert had given the away side a shock lead in the third minute of the contest.
However, second-half strikes from Rasmus Hojlund and Matteo Politano turned the game around for the Neapolitans.