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Just when you thought Arsenal were getting their act straight after a slow start to the transfer window, Unai Emery’s side get brought back down to reality.

The Gunners set off on their pre-season tour of the USA following news earlier this week that they had confirmed Edu as the club’s first ever technical director.

But now, it appears the north London side will have to deal with something completely out of the blue as they admitted that club captain Laurent Koscielny has refused to travel with the rest of the squad.

Reports in recent weeks had claimed that the veteran centre-back wanted to head back to his native France but that his request was refused.

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After hearing Koscielny had essentially gone on strike in an apparent attempt to force a move away from the Emirates, Gunners fans took to Twitter to voice their opinions on the matter.

Despite the 33-year-old’s dramatic efforts to leave the club, many were seemingly sympathetic with the Frenchman’s plight and felt he “deserved” the opportunity to leave when he wanted.

Indeed, some even questioned where the club’s “class” was and urged them to allow Koscielny to go home.

Check out some of the sympathetic reaction of Arsenal fans below:

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Hapoel Be’er Sheva defender Hatem Abd Elhamed is on the verge of signing for Neil Lennon’s Celtic, according to The Scottish Sun.

What’s the story?

Celtic are reportedly close to bringing a third defender to the club this summer in the shape of Abd Elhamed. Lennon has already signed Christopher Jullien and Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo.

And the boss has spoken about his desire to bring more signings to Parkhead: “Right-back is a priority, but we have a number of positions I’d like to strengthen like midfield and one or two attacking areas.

“You don’t want to overcook it either, but we want to add to the quality in the squad that we already have.”

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Balance is needed

Bolingoli-Mbombo is an attack-minded left-back, a trait Lennon likes but wants to alter slightly, stating this week: “That’s something we’ll have to temper a little bit but you can see he can play left-back and left-wing.”

With the former Rapid Vienna man’s attacking tendencies, Lennon has opted for Kristoffer Ajer, a central defender, on the other side so far this term. Ajer’s defensive capabilities mean that he regularly tucks in, forming a back three as Bolingoli-Mbombo bombs forward.

Abd Elhamed played the majority of his 26 games at centre-back last season but is equally capable on the right-side of defence. Given his versatility (Transfermarkt say he has played seven different positions in his career), the 28 year-old could replace Ajer on the right, which would be doing a big favour for the Norwegian.

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This would allow Ajer, who was fantastic in a central role last season, to revert back to his more natural position without losing the balance he provided.

With Bolingoli-Mbombo racing forward on the left and the attacking force that is James Forrest playing in front of whoever gets the nod on the right, it makes sense for Lennon to opt for a defender suited to covering inside. Abd Elhamed could do just that as well as providing cover for Lennon’s current crop of centre-backs too. A very sensible signing indeed.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

18-year-old Strahinja Pavlovic has admitted that he’s “flattered” by Celtic’s interest, after Neil Lennon personally scouted him.

What’s the story?

Lennon watched the Serbian during his Partizan Belgrade side’s 1-0 win against Connah’s Quay Nomads last week in Europa Leauge qualifying. The Celts boss would’ve been impressed with what he saw as the central defender strolled to a clean sheet.

The scouting trip was far from a secret and now the 18-year-old has had his say on the interest from the Premiership champions, saying: “I was flattered when I heard about Celtic watching me in Wales. But for me, I have to only concentrate on my immediate future and that’s at Partizan.”

A £4.5m figure is being touted by The Daily Record for the 6 foot 4 centre-back, so if the Bhoys were to bring him to Parkhead it wouldn’t be cheap. This figure came amid links to Juventus earlier in the window, although those rumours have since cooled.

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Encouraging signs

Despite previously admitting Juventus would be a “dream” move, along with Real Madrid and Manchester United, Celtic should be encouraged by the teenager’s comments.

Even though he’d love to play for the Old Lady, he did concede that it wouldn’t be easy to get a game there, as a potential move would seem him tasked with competing with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci at the Serie A champions for game time.

It’s not particularly common for a player to entertain the mention of another side’s interest, yet to name the Bhoys specifically, and not rule them out, is definitely a sign that he could be persuaded to play his football in the green and white hoops.

With Kristoffer Ajer and, more obviously, Virgil van Dijk showing the way for developing centre-backs at Parkhead, the club can point to those two to show potential new arrivals that there is room to grow at Celtic.

With the youngster’s comments and the recent successes of European defenders thriving at the club, Lennon will be hopeful he can convince Pavlovic to move to Parkhead over some of Europe’s elite sides.

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Arsenal youngster Xavier Amaechi has reportedly sealed a move to second-tier German side Hamburg, according to a report in Bild.

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While the transfer is yet to be confirmed, the German outlet claims that Hamburg are paying €2.5m (£2.2m) to bring Amaechi’s Arsenal career to an end, with the teenager failing to make a competitive appearance for the senior side having worked his way through the Gunners’ youth ranks.

Amaechi made his debut first-team appearance in a mid-season friendly in Dubai last March as the team saw off Al Nasr with a 3-2 victory, but has yet to make a significant breakthrough, plying his trade for the club’s Under-23 side throughout last year, scoring four goals and assisting five times last season in the Premier League 2 division.

According to Bild, Amaechi is contracted with the Gunners until the end of next season, although the winger’s future was plunged into some doubt when he was omitted from the squad ahead of Arsenal’s Europa League final defeat to Chelsea, with third-choice goalkeeper Dejan Iliev taking his place on the bench.

The 18-year-old has reportedly attracted the interests of clubs in Germany and Spain in recent months and these latest developments suggest the teenager could be heading out the exit door at the Emirates Stadium.

With Amaechi not being part of a youthful squad including junior teammate Tyreece John-Jules to take part in Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the United States, it may not be a total surprise if the youngster was seeking pastures new this summer.

Unai Emery has previously stated his desire to work with “players that want to be here”, and without wanting to jump to conclusions, having selected a youthful policy so far in pre-season, for a hotly pursued talent as Amaechi to miss out suggests his days at Arsenal may be numbered.

Arsenal fans, is that it then for Amaechi? Tell us what you think below!

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The new Premier League season is just a week away, which has seen fans of Aston Villa wondering who they will see line up for them on the opening day. Their supporters, in particular, have been discussing the midfield.

New arrival Douglas Luiz, who joined the club in a £15m deal from Manchester City, is yet to even link up with the squad and it appears he is still in Brazil, something one fan spotted on Instagram, whilst he waits for a work permit.

The club have also had a bid for Baptiste Santamaria knocked back by Angers whilst Marvelous Nakamba has only just been announced so next week may come too soon for the Zimbabwean midfielder.

A number of fans have been discussing whether Conor Hourihane continues his role as a defensive midfielder going into the new Premier League campaign after featuring there last season.

A couple are against the idea claiming that the 28-year-old wouldn’t cut it against a team like Spurs, insisting that it needs to be Luiz.

One fan said he loves Hourihane but not as a holding player, suggesting that Henri Lansbury or Birkir Bjarnason would do a job there instead.

Others were behind the Republic of Ireland international with one supporter questioning why the midfielder gets any hate at all. Another member of the Villa Park fanbase said there is no reason to suggest why he should be dropped.

You can read the best of the reaction below:

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Leicester City central midfielder Andy King has joined Rangers on a season-long loan, and it could be a deal that makes sense on so many levels.

What’s the story?

The 30-year-old has become Steven Gerrard’s tenth signing of the summer window, as the gaffer looks to add to his midfield options. King’s Rangers move was confirmed after Foxes’ boss Brendan Rodgers sanctioned the switch.

Having made the temporary switch to Ibrox, the Welshman adds even more quality to a strong crop of central midfielders already at the club. With Joe Aribo, Steve Davis, Ryan Jack, Greg Docherty and Glen Kamara all being tried in the middle of the park this season, Gerrard already has a strong bunch to call upon.

The greatest player ever to grace the Scottish Premiership is revealed in the video below…

With King out of contract at the end of the season, it could be a ‘try before you buy’ style deal for the Gers, just as they did with Davis.

A good bit of business

While some fans weren’t too pleased with the 30-year-old being linked to the club, it’s actually a very smart deal on several levels.

The Gers will be hoping to play Europa League football until at least Christmas time again this campaign, so will need plenty of bodies. Having six first-team central midfielders, not including the versatile Scott Arfield and Andy Halliday, means Gerrard has plenty of good options to rotate.

This will be absolutely crucial if important league fixtures come just a few days after trips across Europe.

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As well as adding depth to the squad, King’s experience of winning a league title could prove invaluable. Of Gerrard’s squad, only Alfredo Morelos, Davis, Filip Helander and Allan McGregor know what it takes to win the top league in a country.

King could impart his knowledge of being an underdog at Leicester as the Gers do battle with the more-fancied Celtic for the Premiership title this season.

The move also has a similar feel to it as Jermain Defoe’s switch. Both have enjoyed good Premier League careers but struggled to find consistent playing time as they aged, and Defoe has proven he still has plenty to offer since moving north of the border. King could be the next.

A low-risk loan move for a Premier League winner is the ideal signing for Gerrard, adding depth, quality and experience all without spending a penny, just like he did with the swoop for Defoe.

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West Ham United fans have hailed defender James Collins on his birthday.

The Hammers’ official Twitter account wished the defender many happy returns on Friday as he turned 36.

Collins spent four years in east London between 2005 and 2009 and returned in 2012, staying at the club until 2018, when he left to join Ipswich Town.

He is currently without a club but, in total, he made 214 appearances for the Irons at centre-back, scoring an impressive nine goals.

And a number of fans have taken to Twitter to hail the Welshman, who also won 50 caps for his country throughout his career.

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Indeed, the Hammers have struggled at the beginning of the season under Manuel Pellegrini, losing 5-0 to Manchester City on the opening weekend and drawing 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.

And some supporters wish that he was still on the books in east London.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on social media below!

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Tottenham Hotspur’s Victor Wanyama has been given an ultimatum by Club Brugge, according to a report by Het Nieuwsblad (via Sport Witness).

It has been claimed the Belgian outfit want to have a deal for the Kenya international completed by Friday as they want a sufficient amount of time to find someone else if the transfer collapses.

It is said that Daniel Levy is working hard to ensure that a deal does go through, although it appears to be entirely dependent on the 28-year-old at this moment in time in regards to financial details, who is thought to want to leave the north London outfit.

Wanyama must, surely, want to see a move to Club Brugge materialise as it could be the perfect opportunity for him to get back to playing regular competitive football.

Over the last two seasons, the 28-year-old has had to tough it on the sidelines as appearances have become hard to come by for him because of injuries and the added competition to the side. The likes of Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks have emerged from the academy ranks and the resurgence of Moussa Sissoko and the additions of Tanguy Ndombele and, perhaps, Giovani Lo Celso will have only pushed him further down Mauricio Pochettino’s pecking order.

In the last 48 months or so, Wanyama has missed 47 matches and has subsequently only been able to make a total of 46 appearances for Spurs in the last two seasons – 24 in 2017/18 and 22 in 2018/19.

Club Brugge could give him the regular football he is looking for, whilst he would also still be in the Champions League as the Belgian outfit defeated LASK Linz 3-1 on aggregate to progress to the Group Stage of the competition.

It might not be a surprise that there are financial details that are holding up the process, as Wanyama is said to be earning around £65,000-a-week (Spotrac), something The London Evening Standard hinted at being a possible problem when news of this particular transfer started to emerge.

With Wanyama’s desperation to seek a new move elsewhere and the potential of still playing Champions League football with Club Brugge this season, it would have to be considered a rather big disaster for the Kenya international if he were to see a deal fall through.

Nobody likes to take a pay-cut when they are on a nice earning salary, but the prospect of playing regular competitive football once again instead of sitting on the bench and waiting for an opportunity appears to be greater in Belgium.

Indeed, for that reason, the 28-year-old must do all he can to ensure he meets the ultimatum put to him and completes a deal.

Tottenham fans, what do you make of the whole thing? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them in the comments section below!

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Steve Bruce has finally done it. After two rather frustrating performances in his opening matches as Newcastle boss, he has now won a game.

It came in rather surprising circumstances too, defeating Champions League finalists Tottenham courtesy of Joelinton.

Providing the assist was Christian Atsu who for the first time since December 2017, created a strike for his teammates.

The performance of the winger didn’t go unnoticed as many supporters took to Twitter to laud his display.

It was hailed as the 27-year-old’s best game for the club by one fan as another said he felt like a new signing this season.

The Ghanaian was called a breath of fresh air whilst a further individual said he produced a magnificent outing.

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Atsu rarely has end product so the way he played was arguably somewhat of a shock. In his Premier League career, he’s only managed three goals and three assists.

Against Spurs, he didn’t even start the game, being introduced as a substitute after just 17 minutes for Allan Saint-Maximin.

Here’s the best of the reaction from his showing on Sunday afternoon.

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Aston Villa may not be enjoying life in the Premier League so far this season after losing three of their opening four matches, but one of their current stars must be having the week of his life.

For the very first time in his career, centre-back Tyrone Mings has been called up to the England squad by Gareth Southgate for their European 2020 Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo.

The 26-year-old has had quite the meteoric rise in 2019 going from a Bournemouth outcast to now potentially being capped by his national side.

Check out the most insane fan meltdowns in the video below…

He originally joined Villa on loan in January, and his arrival coincided with a historic ten-game winning run which catapulted them into playoff contention.

The west Midlands club went on to win promotion with Mings playing a considerable part as he featured in 18 matches.

He was then quickly snapped up permanently in the summer by Dean Smith for £20m and clearly his form in the top-flight has been enough to impress Southgate.

He has spoken to the media in the build-up to what could be his debut for the Three Lions…

Several Villa fans have since thrown praise towards their towering defender with one calling him ‘by far the brightest and most intelligent player in the squad, if not the country.’

Another supporter claimed Mings was a Villa legend in the making whilst a further fan stated that it goes to show that hard work and dedication pays off.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

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