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Manchester United midfielder Fred has admitted that he would rather Leeds United be without Raphinha for this weekend’s Premier League clash.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side host the Red Devils on Sunday afternoon as the latest chapter in the clubs’ long rivalry is written. Leeds are full of confidence after beating Manchester City and drawing with Liverpool, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s second-placed team now in their sights.

Raphinha is out of the game, however, having failed to recover from an injury picked in the victory away to Pep Guardiola’s Man City earlier in the month.

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Fred doesn’t want to face Raphinha

Speaking to Manchester United’s official website, Fred admitted that he would rather not face his fellow Brazilian at Elland Road, simply because of the talent the 24-year-old possesses. The midfielder said:

“Bruno’s been talking about Raphinha ever since he arrived. They played together at Sporting.
“He’s a great player having an amazing season and a lot of clubs have their eye on him. I met him recently, great guy, excellent player but…I hope he won’t be lining up against us!
“I wish him a quick recovery and a lot of success in his career. He’s a stand-out star player for Leeds so, of course, it’s better for us if he’s not on the pitch.
“If he does play, we’ll look to mark him carefully and work on our game-plan as best as possible. We’ll try to nullify his threat to come out on top in this game.”

Transfer Tavern take

There is no denying that Raphinha’s absence comes as a huge blow for Leeds, considering that the Brazilian has been one of their standout players this season. Not only has he delivered end product, chipping in with six goals and six assists in the league, but he creates space for teammates, due to the opposition focusing so much on stopping him.

Leeds still earned a draw against Liverpool without Raphinha, however, showing that they can get by without him, with Helder Costa potentially keeping his place for the visit of the Red Devils on Sunday.

In other news, one pundit has been talking up Leeds’ potential move for an established international player. Read more here.

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan believes Raphinha will be fit to face Liverpool on Monday night, as the midfielder has had plenty of time to train at Thorp Arch this week.

The Whites face one of their most intriguing games of the season on Monday night, as the Premier League champions head to Elland Road.

The 2020/21 campaign hasn’t panned out the way many expected for the Reds, but they remain a top class side who have won their last three league matches.

Leeds will need to be somewhere close to their best in order to pick up a positive result, meaning key players being available is vital.

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Raphinha tipped to start against Liverpool

Raphinha left the pitch injured in stoppage time in the stunning 2-1 win away to Manchester City, making him a doubt for the game, but Whelan told Football Insider that he believes the Brazilian will start, claiming that he will have been light training all week at Thorp Arch:

“I am expecting him to shake it off. I mean, these are the games that big players love to play in. He has had a good week of recovery time and treatment. He has probably done light training, I would imagine, as well.

“I cannot, for the life of me, think of a game that he would rather play in. A Monday night game against Liverpool, the champions of the Premier League.

“It’s a game where he wants to go out there and prove himself again.”

Transfer Tavern take

Raphinha has arguably been Leeds’ Player of the Year, scoring six goals and registering the same number of assists in the league, as well as catching the eye with his dribbling skills and unpredictable nature.

The 24-year-old being passed fit would be a major positive for Bielsa, allowing him to cause Andy Robertson problems, with the Scot not at his best this season.

The threat that Raphinha poses could also make the left-back hesitant to go forward, especially with no Virgil van Dijk around to cover him, therefore costing Liverpool an attacking threat as well.

In other news, a former Premier League defender has explained why he thinks one Leeds player is ‘lucky’. Read more here.

Chelsea's new era begins in earnest as their pre-season tour gets underway, but who are the players who need to make a big impression in the USA?

Chelsea have begun their preparations for the new season by heading on tour to the USA with a squad that is almost unrecognisable to the group that finished the last one. Plenty of new faces have arrived – including a new head coach – and even more have been shown the door.

Everyone associated with the club will be hoping for a much more enjoyable trip than their visit to the States a year ago, where their dreadful performances foreshadowed the nightmarish season they would endure on and off the pitch in 2022-23.

The scale of the task facing Mauricio Pochettino is significant, but there are plenty of individual players who will be feeling even more pressure to make an impact in the US. GOAL runs through those who will be out to prove a point…

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  Mykhailo Mudryk

  Mykhailo Mudryk has taken plenty of flak having failed to live up to expectations in the aftermath of his big-money January move to Stamford Bridge, but he was always likely to require a significant period of adaptation.

  The 22-year-old hadn't played a competitive game since November when he joined from Shakhtar, and the step up to the Premier League was inevitably a steep one from Ukraine's top flight. Throwing him into the melting pot of Chelsea's disastrous season was never going to result in immediate success.

  A pre-season of pressure-free friendlies and ample time to get into the physical shape required for the rigours of the Premier League is exactly what Mudryk needs at this juncture, and both he and his club will hope he will be ready to begin the new season all guns blazing come August.

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  Levi Colwill

  Chelsea may well be fighting to keep Levi Colwill as he battles to make a first-team breakthrough. The classy centre-back is returning to the club off the back of a mightily impressive loan at Brighton, followed by a triumphant European Championship campaign with England's Under-21s.

  His stock has never been higher, and despite his career being in its infancy he finds himself at a crossroads; stay and fight for his place at Stamford Bridge, or leave to join one of many suitors including Brighton and Liverpool. Chelsea will hope his intention is to remain with them, and pre-season will give him a platform to prove his worth.

  He will be vying to claim the left centre-back spot, either in a back four or back three, and Benoit Badiashile's serious injury will aid his cause. If he gets his head down, there is no reason why he shouldn't be starting alongside Thiago Silva on the opening day of the season.

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  Conor Gallagher

  This feels like a make or break summer for Conor Gallagher. Though he still hasn't fully nailed down a starting place in the Blues' line-up, the England international has no shortage of Premier League suitors. If certain reports to be believed, there is some willingness to do business on Chelsea's part as the prospect of Moises Caicedo's potential arrival looms.

  As an academy graduate who seems to have tenacity in his blood, Gallagher will surely want to stay and fight for his place, and his boundless energy will almost certainly be to the liking of his new manager – but will there be room for him in Pochettino's preferred 4-2-3-1 shape?

  A strong end to 2022-23 where he became a key player under Frank Lampard stands him in good stead, but Gallagher will know he faces a battle if he wants to keep his place as Chelsea continue their midfield revamp.

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  Marc Cucurella

  Chelsea believed they were signing a top-tier rotation option for Ben Chilwell when Marc Cucurella arrived for a cool £63 million ($83m) last summer, but he has – perhaps unsurprisingly – spectacularly failed to live up to that inflated price-tag.

  It seems the defender's future is up in the air, amid recent suggestions that he could be another player whom the Blues will look to cut loose this summer in their ruthless clear-out. It has been reported that returning loanee Ian Maatsen will be given the opportunity to impress on the left flank, which piles the pressure onto Cucurella.

  Whether he even wants to stay at Chelsea is unclear having failed to endear himself to the fans in 2022-23. But whatever his feelings at this stage, the Spaniard can use this time to either play himself into Pochettino's plans or put himself in the shop window.

The Belgian scored twice in a dominant performance as John Stones and Erling Haaland also got on the scoresheet in a superb showing from the champions

Kevin De Bruyne tore Arsenal apart in Wednesday's top-of-the-table showdown, paving the way for a likely third successive Premier League title for Manchester City.

After all the excitement about a potential title decider, De Bruyne raced through Arsenal's midfield and fired City into the lead after only seven minutes.

Arsenal rarely looked like finding a way back, and John Stones' header before half-time, initially ruled out for offside, tightened City's grip on the game.

De Bruyne struck again early in the second half before Erling Haaland completed the rout after Rob Holding's consolation goal down the other end.

🏆 TOP STORY: Haaland breaks Salah's goal record

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Is Lukaku the answer to Chelsea's scoring woes?

🚨 MUST READ: Arsenal couldn't, so can anyone stop Man City?

GOAL rates Man City's players from a euphoric Etihad Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (6/10):

  Dealt well with crosses that Arsenal pumped into his box. That was all he really had to worry about until Holding's late goal, which he could do little about.

  Kyle Walker (7/10):

  Nathan Ake's injury handed him a ticket back into the starting line up. Was rarely tested and always looked comfortable.

  Ruben Dias (7/10):

  As physically dominant as ever and faultless in possession, making more passes in the first half than Arsenal's entire midfield. Booked for scrapping with White by the corner flag.

  John Stones (8/10):

  Back in at centre-back due to the 4-3-3 shape and had slightly less influence on City's overall play as a result. But he was decisive in the area and now has three goal contributions in his last four matches.

  Manuel Akanji (9/10):

  Excelled in the unfamiliar role of left-back and no-one noticed that City were missing Ake.

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  Midfield

  Ilkay Gundogan (6/10):

  Had the better of Ben White for much of the game and created a good chance for Haaland which Ramsdale saved. Didn't threaten much on his own, sending his one shot way off target.

  Rodri (7/10):

  Dominated Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.

  Bernardo Silva (7/10):

  Not as influential as usual and should have put away a clear shooting chance in the first half, scuffing the ball into Ramsdale's hands.

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  Attack

  Kevin De Bruyne (10/10):

  The Belgian owned the pitch and was utterly magnificent, dovetailing exceptionally well with Haaland. On this occasion, he showed the Norwegian how to finish, taking his goals superbly.

  Erling Haaland (8/10):

  Was utterly brilliant even though his finishing was a little suspect until scoring in added time. Set up both of De Bruyne's goals, held the ball up well and bullied Arsenal. His Maradona-esque dribble in the first half deserved to end in a goal but he still made sure he got on the scoresheet in the end.

  Jack Grealish (8/10):

  So strong and so quick, he had Arsenal on the backfoot whenever he got the ball. Very committed in defence.

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  Subs & Manager

  Riyad Mahrez (6/10):

  Struggled to get much space when he came on.

  Julian Alvarez (6/10):

  Only had 10 minutes on the pitch and wasn't involved too much.

  Phil Foden (N/A):

  Introduced for the final three minutes but still managed to get an assist for Haaland.

  Pep Guardiola (9/10):

  Despite missing Ake, he devised the perfect game plan against the league leaders. After overseeing dominant wins over Bayern Munich and the Gunners, Real Madrid must be worried.

Former Everton striker Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that he’s unsure whether the Toffees should offer Josh King a new contract.

The Canadian international made the switch to Merseyside on a short-term deal until the end of the season, but has struggled for the Blues, featuring for just 117 minutes and failing to score in eight Premier League appearances, and is yet to start a single league match.

Coupling in King’s goal-shy spell at Bournemouth earlier this season, the former Manchester United frontman has failed to score in the league, with his only three competitive goals coming in the FA Cup.

King has previously shown his ability to score goals in the topflight, but Bent, who netted seven across two campaigns at Goodison Park, said it’s down to Ancelotti.

He told Football FanCast:

“The team’s not been consistent, so it’s hard for him to be consistent, but when he is shining he’s played really well.

“To give him a new contract on the basis of what he’s been doing this season, the board and Carlo have got to go away and think about who they’re going to bring in, and if they can replace him with someone. That’s a hard one to answer because he’s a big part of the squad.”

King will be hoping to get more minutes when the Toffees face Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday night.

Here's where you can watch Orlando City vs D.C. United in the MLS on TV or live stream.

On Saturday, Orlando City will host DC United in Florida, a matchup between two teams that are separated by three points in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference. 

The home team is seventh in the division with 11 points after seven league games, while the visitors are ranked 11th, having played an extra match.

▶ Watch every MLS match, including the playoffs, here

▶ Buy MLS tickets from Ticketmaster, here

Orlando City has had a rocky start to the new season after making the MLS Cup playoffs and losing in the first round the previous year. They have yet to find any real consistency.

The Lions have 11 points through their first seven league games, having started with victories and draws before losing to Tigres in the CONCACAF Champions League by the thinnest of margins.

Orlando City will be encouraged by the fact that they do currently occupy a playoff spot at this early stage of the season and will now be keen to put a run of results together, starting with a second straight win this weekend.

Despite having a difficult start to their own term, their opponents will head to Orlando seeking to catch up to their hosts in points and possibly move up to the top seven.

DC United did open their MLS season on a winning note against Toronto in February, but they would then go six matches without recording a victory.

Wayne Rooney's team will be eager to make it two in a row on Saturday and continue their ascent towards the top seven with that victory putting them just outside the playoff spots.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about where to watch the game on TV and stream live online.

• Orlando City vs D.C. United date & kick-off time

  Game:	Orlando City vs D.C. United
  Date:	April 22, 2023
  Kick-off time:	7:30 pm ET
  Venue:	Exploria Stadium

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• Where to watch Orlando City vs D.C. United on TV & live stream online

  Fans in the United States & across the world can watch MLS with Apple TV MLS Season Pass.

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  US	N/A	Apple TV

  • Check out GOAL's soccer on U.S. TV guide

• Team news & squads

  Orlando City team news and squad

  Orlando City have their entire squad available for selection. It is in defence where they have impressed thus far, and Pareja should certainly deploy an unaltered back-four featuring Kyle Smith, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson and Luca Petrasso.

  Orlando City possible XI: Gallese; Smith, Schlegel, Jansson, Petrasso; Martins, Araujo; Ojeda, Pereyra, Angulo; McGuire

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Gallese, Stajduhar, Grinwis.
  Defenders	Salim, Schlegel, Jansson, Williams, Carlos, Petrasso, Santos, Smith,
  Midfielders	Araujo, Cartagena, Martins, Thorhallsson, Rivera, Pereyra, Loyola, Mohammed, McGuire.
  Forwards	Ojeda, Gonzalez, Angulo, Torres, Kara, Enrique, Lynn.

  DC United team news and squad

  DC United will be without Brendan Hines-Ike and Martin Rodriguez this weekend, as the pair have joined Taxiarchis Fountas on the club's injury list.

  DC United possible XI: Miller; Palsson, Pines, Birnbaum, Jeahze; Teixeira, Canouse, O'Brien, Klich; Benteke, Fountas

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Miller, Bono
  Defenders	Jeahze, Ruan, Najar, Santos, Williams, Birnbaum, Pines, Sargis
  Midfielders	Klich, Durkin, Canousse, Asad, Palsson, Rodriguez, Ku-DiPietro
  Forwards	Benteke, Robertha, Hopkins

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• Useful links

  Live soccer on U.S. TV

  Stream MLS matches on Apple TV

  Buy MLS tickets with Ticketmaster

How to watch and stream Arsenal vs Southampton in the Premier League on TV and online in the United States.

Arsenal take on Southampton in a crucial Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.

▶Watch Arsenal vs Southampton live on Sling TV today!

▶Watch Arsenal vs Southampton live on Sky Sports today!

The hosts are unbeaten in their last 23 Premier League home games against Southampton (W16 D7), the most one side has hosted another without ever losing in the competition.

However, Mikel Arteta's side let a two-goal lead slip in each of their last two Premier League games (2-2 draws at both Liverpool and West Ham), which made them just the fifth side in the competition's history to do so.

Indeed, the Gunners have dropped as many points from being ahead in these two games (four) as they had in their previous 47 matches (draws with Southampton and Brentford this season).

Meanwhile, Southampton find themselves at the bottom of the table and are desperate for points. They have won just six times in the league this season out of 31 appearances and taking on Arsenal at the Emirates is a daunting task, to say the least.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the U.S.

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  Kick-off time

  Game:	Arsenal vs Southampton
  Date:	April 21, 2023
  Kick-off:	4:00 pm ET
  Venue:	Emirates Stadium

  The game is scheduled for April 21, at Emirates Stadium. It will kick off at 4 pm ET in the U.S.

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  How to watch Arsenal vs Southampton on TV & live stream online

  In theUnited States (USA), the game will be broadcasted on theUSA NetworkandUNIVERSOand can be live-streamed onSling TVandNBC Sports app/website.

  Country	TV Channel	Live stream
  US	USA Network, UNIVERSO	Sling TV, NBC Sports app/website.

  Check out GOAL's Soccer on US TV guide

• Team news & squads

  Arsenal team news

  Arsenal have a few injury concerns going into this fixture as they are certainly going to miss Mohamed Elneny, William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

  Meanwhile, Oleksandr Zinchenko's return gets delayed and Kieran Tierney will continue to start in the XI.

  "We will see that one as well, not certain. It's a muscle injury, and he needs some time to heal. We're not there yet," Arteta informed.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Ramsdale, Turner.
  Defenders	Gabriel, Kiwior, Holding, White.
  Midfielders	Partey, Jorginho, Xhaka, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Odegaard.
  Forwards	Martinelli, Trossard, Saka, Nelson, Jesus, Nketiah.

  Southampton team news

  Juan Larios, Valentino Livramento, Mislav Orsic and Mohammed Salisu are injured while Ainsley Maitland-Niles is not eligible against his parent club.

  Romain Perraud is likely to replace Maitland-Niles.

  However, Che Adams might return to the squad after overcoming a calf issue.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers:	Bazunu, McCarthy, Cabellero
  Defenders:	Caleta-Car, Lyanco, Perraud, Bree, Bella-Kotchap
  Midfielders:	Lavia, Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Alcaraz, S. Armstrong, Aribo, Sulemana, Elyounoussi, Djenepo, Edozie, Walcott
  Forwards:	A. Armstrong, Onuachu, Mara, Adams

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  23/10/2022	Southampton 1-1 Arsenal	Premier League
  16/04/2022	Southampton 1-0 Arsenal	Premier League
  11/12/2021	Arsenal 3-0 Southampton	Premier League
  27/01/2021	Southampton 1-3 Arsenal	Premier League
  23/01/2021	Southampton 1-0 Arsenal	FA Cup

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  Useful links

  • Arsenal team page
  • Southampton team page
  • Live soccer on U.S. TV

Swansea City were one of several club reportedly interested in signing Exeter City winger Joel Randall earlier this year and Steve Cooper’s side look to have been handed a big boost in their hopes of bringing him to the Liberty Stadium this summer.

The Athletic suggested in January that both Swansea and Celtic were interested in signing the 21-year-old, who has enjoyed a fruitful campaign with the Grecians in League Two this season.

Manager Matt Taylor has recently hinted that the Devon outfit will look to sell some of their brightest prospects – including Randall – this summer as they look to keep the club afloat by cashing in on homegrown talent, as they did with Ollie Watkins, who earned his boyhood club a windfall earlier this week with his debut goal for England against San Marino.

Although Transfermarkt stats that the Exeter winger’s contract expires at the end of this season, the initial report from The Athletic claims that he is contracted until 2022, meaning that Swansea may be forced to stump up a fee if they want to bring him to south Wales this summer.

Randall has been one of Exeter’s standout performers so far this season, having contributed 10 goals and five assists in all competitions, in what has been his breakthrough campaign after a series of loans in non-league.

Taylor was full of praise for him earlier in the season, saying: “He’s exceeded our expectations. He’s had talent and potential in him since a young age. His running stats are phenomenal but he’s added an extra dimension to his game in terms of the end product. He’s been a constant threat down that left side, worked tirelessly for the team and contributed at all times this season. He’s been a standout player.”

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Therefore, it seems clear that Randall’s future lies away from Exeter, so Swansea chairman Julian Winter should steal a march on Celtic and bring him to the Liberty Stadium this summer, as he could be an excellent addition to Cooper’s squad.

Speaking to Football Insider, reacting to reports West Ham have made contact over a potential summer deal for Mislav Orsic, Sky Sports regular Paul Robinson has been left wowed by the 19-goal forward and his impressive show reel.

Orsic, primarily played on the left wing but can drive through the middle, has apparently been at the centre of West Ham interest recently – with GSB even making contact over a possible transfer for the 28-year-old according to another report by Football Insider.

Speaking to the outlet, Robinson has been left baffled by Orsic and his ability – with the pundit certainly rating him judging by what he’s seen.

Robinson stunned by Orsic

The Croatian’s stunning Europa League hat-trick dumped London rivals Tottenham Hotspur out of the Europa League, with Jose Mourinho unable to hold a two-goal first leg lead.

“His shooting ability was there for all to see,” Robinson told Football Insider.

“I mean wow, he scored some fantastic goals.

“He is not a player we know a lot about in England given that he’s playing for Dinamo Zagreb but those goals showed you a lot. I watched his showreel after that and I was impressed.

“He is clearly a player with an abundance of talent and with an eye for goal.

“He used that stage to put himself in the thoughts of Premier League teams.”

Transfer Tavern take

Whether or not West Ham end up doing a deal for Orsic this summer remains to be seen, but it seems Robinson would certainly approve of the switch.

Valued at just £6.75 million by Transfermarkt, it’s clear Zagreb may want much more for their star striker.

In other news: West Ham fans flocked to this transfer report, find out more here.

Though they are set to be busy bringing in new faces, the Gunners might also be open to letting some players move on in the next few weeks

The January transfer window is upon us, and Arsenal are expected to be active as Mikel Arteta once again looks to freshen up his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

There is already lots of talk about potential new arrivals who could come in and give the Gunners the boost they need to maintain their challenge for the Premier League title.

But what about outgoings? Who could move away from north London over the next few weeks?

GOAL takes a look at six potential candidates who could be heading for the Emirates Stadium exits…

• Cedric Soares

  It’s been a very difficult season for Cedric Soares so far. The experienced Portugal defender has barely been given a sniff of action by Arteta, making just four appearances in all competitions.

  His only start came in the Carabao Cup defeat by Brighton and he has only been used twice off the bench in the Premier League.

  Even in the Europa League, where he would have expected to get some minutes this season, he has featured just once –  coming on for the final two minutes during the home win against FC Zurich.

  There is no doubt that Soares would have been expecting to get more game time this season. He did have opportunities to move on last summer, but opted to stay to try and fight for his place in the team. 

  But with Ben White now having established himself as first choice right-back and Takehiro Tomiyasu also in front of him in the pecking order, Soares’ chances of getting minutes now seem slimmer than ever.

  So should an opportunity to move on in January arise, it could be an appealing option to the former Southampton man, who still has 18 months left on his contract in north London.

  And Arsenal might not stand in his way, given the options they have in the squad at his position.

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• Marquinhos

  There was a good chance that Marquinhos was going to be sent out on loan last summer following his arrival from Sao Paulo.

  But the winger's performances in pre-season and the way he handled himself around the training ground convinced Arsenal that it would be a better idea to keep him around the club for at least another six months.

  It was decided that having him train with the first team would be beneficial, not just because he could be used in cup competitions, but because it would also give him the opportunity to acclimatise to his new surroundings and settle into London.

  Marquinhos has gone on to feature five times in all competitions this season, and scored his first goal in the Europa League win at Zurich.

  The winger has made himself a popular member of the squad, but the club are now considering whether a loan move in January would be best for the 19-year-old’s continued development.

  Game time over the second half of the season would be extremely limited at Arsenal, so a move away to a club where he could play on a regular basis could be viewed as an appealing option to all parties.

• Reiss Nelson

  This one does feel unlikely, given Nelson has featured far more than many expected this season, while the injury he picked up in mid-December makes him far less appealing to teams who would want him to make an instant impact.

  But he is out of contract at the end of the season, so a tempting offer in January could see Arsenal at least consider cashing in on the 22-year-old.

  It’s difficult to imagine Nelson being allowed to leave unless Arsenal brought in another winger, but that is an area where the Gunners are potentially looking to strengthen in January.

  For now, it feels unlikely. But Nelson’s contract situation means a move away can’t be completely ruled out, although he has spoken several times in recent months about is desire to earn himself a new deal at Arsenal.

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  Catalin Cirjan

  The young Romanian has been one of the stars of Arsenal's Under-21s this season.

  Cirjan wasn’t fully fit in the summer, when the vast majority of the club’s top young talents were sent on loan to continue their development.

  But now he has completely recovered from the knee injury that saw him sidelined for more than a year, Cirjan has been showing why he is so highly-rated at Arsenal, producing several eye-catching displays with the U21s.

  Given the way Arsenal now look to utilise the loan market when it comes to their best young players, it would be no surprise should they decide to send the playmaker out to give him a taste of senior football over the second half of the season.