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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

There are many young players who come into the first-team and provide some exciting early signs, but it’s staying in the manager’s plans that can be the difficult part.

The early signs suggest that 18-year-old Arsenal academy product Bukayo Saka is managing to do just that with Unai Emery.

His big performance this season came in the Europa League, when his goal from a brilliant strike taken outside the box was sandwiched between assists, ensuring that Arsenal left Germany with three points.

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While it would have been easy for the teenager to fade into the background after this, he went on to play a half against Aston Villa just three days later.

That was then followed up by 80 minutes against Manchester United, in which he assisted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as the Gunners went on their way to a 1-1 draw.

He has been helped by injuries at times, but the teenager has so far defied any suggestion that he could be phased out and placed back in the shadows, even with £72m summer signing Nicolas Pepe playing in the same position as him.

This attitude is displayed by his comments, quoted by football.london, when Alexandre Lacazette returned from injury: “The boss knows what I can do, what the other players can do. Different games require different players but I feel like I’ve shown the boss he can trust me. Whatever game he puts me in I’ll always give it my all.

“The boss has really trusted me and put a lot of faith in me. I just try to work hard in training every day, he has given me the opportunity to work in this team. I’ve learned so much from the other players and it’s showing on the pitch.”

This is the type of attitude that his peers from the academy must adopt if they are to take their place in the first-team on a long-term basis.

Saka plays in a position where competition is intense due to the collection of exciting talent who play in  a similar role, yet he is making sure that Emery continues to take notice of him.

He is not a regular yet, but at 18-years-old, Saka is getting plenty of involvement and Arsenal’s youngsters should look at his achievements and aim to emulate them.

It's funny how quickly the mood changes in football, isn't it? Heading into Arsenal's lunchtime kick-off with Brighton on Saturday, home fans at the Emirates Stadium were buoyed by a perfect start to the season and the new signing of Raheem Sterling.

The Gunners know they have tough fixtures coming up but they can take on anyone with their strong crop of players. Ah, now there's always a catch, isn't there?

Declan Rice's peculiar sending-off turned the tide of the game as the Seagulls valiantly fought to earn a 1-1 draw on the road. His red card means he'll miss one of the most important matches of the season away at Spurs after the international break.

What makes this matter worse is the lack of replacements. Mikel Arteta will have to lean on Jorginho with Mikel Merino cruelly picking up a shoulder injury in his very first training session with the club. It's safe to say that Arsenal haven't had the best of luck over the last 72 hours or so.

All that being said, it wasn't just Rice and the officials they had to curse after dropping points to Brighton. They also have Joao Pedro to blame.

Joao Pedro's performance in numbers vs Arsenal

A matter of weeks ago reports emerged that suggested Edu and Arteta had been in discussions over a move for Pedro before Friday night's 11pm deadline. Well, they may well be cursing their luck that they didn't pursue a move.

The Brazilian continued his bright start to the season in north London on Saturday, putting in a particularly energetic performance against the Gunners.

Pedro was crowned the game's player of the match, an award he largely won thanks to his well-taken goal in the second half.

However, he wasn't just vibrant in the penalty box as he danced and jinked his way past a plethora of Arsenal players during his 90 minutes on the field.

It was a moment in the first half that will stick out for Fabian Hurzeler, as the 22-year-old body-feinted his way past Bukayo Saka, leaving him to huff and sigh in his wake.

Minutes played

90

Touches

70

Accurate passes

35/42 (83%)

Goals

1

Expected goals (xG)

0.32

Key passes

1

Crosses

1/3

Long balls

2/2

Successful dribbles

4

Ground duels won

8/14

Fouled

3x

Then, there was that controversial moment. We have to talk about it. While Rice was sent off for allegedly delaying the restart and kicking the ball away, no punishment followed for an incident where Pedro did the same, perhaps in a worse fashion. As the aforementioned Saka said post-game, some consistency would be nice.

That decision is unlikely to blow over anytime soon but Arsenal must lick their wounds and come back firing after the break for international fixtures. They will hope to do so with Gabriel Jesus back at their disposal.

Arsenal's answer to Joao Pedro

During pre-season, there was a spring in the step of Jesus again. Last season was a difficult one for the Brazilian who scored just four Premier League goals and spent 85 days on the treatment table.

Even when fit, the £45m signing rarely started with Kai Havertz's mesmerising form as a central striker pushing him to the top of the pecking order.

However, as Arsenal geared up for the new campaign, Jesus was fit. At long last. Arteta praised his striker, "you can see in his eyes that there’s a spark there," he said, hailing the attacker for returning back in "top condition."

Sadly, it didn't take long for the former Manchester City man to get injured again. Jesus had played just five minutes of their opening match of the season before he was subsequently ruled out of the encounter with Aston Villa. The manager cited that "he felt something in his groin."

Once up to speed again, the boss will have an opportunity to unleash his very own version of Pedro, the player who terrorised Arsenal this weekend.

Indeed, according to FBRef's catalogue of data, the Brighton sensation is the third-most similar striker in Europe's top five leagues to Jesus over the last year of action. The aforementioned piece of skill to advance beyond Saka shows the similarities in a nutshell. The way they move, the way they manipulate the ball are very alike. There is a reason analyst Ben Mattinson once hailed him as the "heir to Gabriel Jesus".

A threat on either foot, Pedro is a captivating talent and is sure to get the better of many a Premier League defence throughout the rest of the campaign.

Arsenal are one of the first teams to feel his powers this season and a look at the numbers demonstrates why he's being talked about so much right now.

Non-penalty xG

0.35

0.38

Progressive carries

3.66

2.32

Progressive passes

4.05

2.56

Shot on target %

28.6%

34.5%

Pass success %

81%

79%

Key passes

1.63

1.77

Expected assists (xA)

0.17

0.23

Shot-creating actions

4.01

3.60

Tackles attempted

1.37

1.46

Take-ons attempted

4.71

4.57

So, while Pedro would appear to be the more progressive of the two, driving from deep, it doesn't mean that Jesus doesn't thrive in those areas either.

The two Brazilians attempt a similar number of take-ons and boast similar numbers for expected assists and key passes per 90, illuminating their skillset as not just goalscorers but providers of opportunities too. It's that attribute which made Jesus such a "monster" – as he was described by journalist Mark Douglas – throughout his first campaign in north London.

Since then, it's been a tale of woe for Arsenal's number 9, but there's still time to bounce back.

Less touches than Raya: Arsenal must look to bench 5/10 star after Brighton

Arsenal dropped their first points of the season on Saturday lunchtime.

ByMatt Dawson Aug 31, 2024

João Félix appears to be edging ever closer to a return to Chelsea, after journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed a deal had been agreed, with the player already in the UK for a medical.

The Portuguese forward spent the second half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Stamford Bridge, scoring four goals in his 20 appearances before returning to parent club Atlético Madrid.

However, a year on from his temporary stint in West London, a deal is in place for the 24-year-old to return to the club on a deal until the summer of 2030, with an option for a further year.

The deal will also see midfielder Conor Gallagher finally complete his long-awaited move to the LaLiga side, ending his 16-year affiliation with the Blues.

After the deal for Felix, the club could move to sign one player who could finally end the club’s hunt for a new centre-forward following their hunt all summer long.

Latest on Chelsea's search for a striker

According to SunSport, Chelsea could be tempted into a move to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney before the closure of the transfer window on August 30th.

The 28-year-old is set to leave Thomas Frank’s side this summer after being left out of the opening-day squad to face Crystal Palace after significant interest in his services over the last few days.

He’s been the subject of interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, but the Bees are demanding a fee in the region of £45m to part ways with the Englishman, as per the report.

However, SunSport’s report claims that the Blues could yet move for the striker in the closing stages of the window, with Enzo Maresca’s side the only English club still in the race for his signature.

Despite the speculation around his future, he would be an excellent pickup for the club, proving to be an upgrade on one current option plying his trade at Stamford Bridge.

Why Toney would be an upgrade on Jackson for Chelsea

Striker Nicolas Jackson had a fairly impressive first campaign in English football last time around, scoring 14 goals, but it’s safe to say he’s endured a tricky start to the new campaign under new boss Maresca.

He started the first game of the season against Manchester City at the weekend, producing a disappointing display – missing one big chance, whilst straying offside and having a goal chalked off before being replaced in the 67th minute.

As a result, the Blues are still eyeing a move for a new centre-forward this summer, with Toney the latest player on the club’s radar.

He’s endured a tricky few months after his gambling ban, but despite his troubles, he would be an upgrade on the Senegalese forward, potentially allowing the club to push forward in their attempts to secure a top-four finish.

The “monster” Brentford ace, as described by boss Frank, may have registered fewer goals and assists last season, but managed more shots per 90, whilst also averaging a higher aerial duel success rate – making him the perfect focal point for the Blues.

Games played

17

35

Goals + assists

6

19

Progressive passes per 90

2.5

2.2

Shots taken per 90

3.2

2.6

Shots on target per 90

1.3

1.2

Big chances missed

11

24

Aerials won

47%

36%

He also managed more shots on target per 90 – proving his more accurate with his chances than Jackson, also missing far fewer big chances than the current Chelsea man – reducing the amount of missed opportunities for the club in front of goal.

After another summer of heavy spending for Chelsea, Toney would be the next in a long line of new additions to arrive at Stamford Bridge, with the club’s current recruitment strategy erratic to say the least.

However, he has the attributes to be a hit in West London, giving Maresca’s side that added edge to pick up key points in games that could be balanced on a knife edge.

His desire to leave Brentford is evident, with Chelsea needing to ramp up their efforts over the next week or so to secure a move for the England international, with the aforementioned Felix already set to join the club once again.

Romano: Chelsea ready to land £111m "monster" in dream signing for Felix

Chelsea could complete their spending with a flourish here…

1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 19, 2024

Leeds United supporters must have anticipated that the opening day fixture versus Portsmouth in the Championship was going to be a stroll in the park after Pascal Struijk tucked away an early penalty at Elland Road.

Instead, as is often the case with the Whites, things became suddenly tense and difficult out of nowhere, as Pompey raced into a 2-1 lead before the half-time break, courtesy of a Callum Lang long-range bullet.

In the end, it fell to Brenden Aaronson to be the hero of the day in West Yorkshire to clinch a last-gasp point, so Daniel Farke's men didn't feel humiliated by their newly promoted opponents, with John Mousinho's men somewhat fortunate to collect a share of the points in the barnstorming 3-3 contest.

Aug 2007

3-0 Loss

Dec 2010

3-3 Draw

Jan 2011

2-2 Draw

Oct 2011

1-0 Win

Feb 2012

0-0 Draw

Pompey only had four shots on target all game, compared to Leeds' superior ten, as Whites shot-stopper Ilian Meslier had an afternoon to forget.

Meslier's game vs Portsmouth in numbers

Meslier has long divided opinion amongst the hardened Elland Road masses, and the Frenchman will continue to be a divisive figure if he regularly puts in performances like the one served up against Portsmouth.

The towering 24-year-old only made one save all afternoon, as Pompey grew in confidence that they could catch the former Lorient 'keeper out from wherever they attempted a shot from.

That was seen in Lang's first of the exhilarating 3-3 draw somehow squirming in from distance after Meslier couldn't deal with a straightforward Elias Sørensen opener that was hit straight at him for the South Coast outfit to equalise.

The 6 foot 6 presence also looked uncomfortable at points with his distribution from the back, not helped by Joe Rodon in front of him also having an off-day with some wayward passing, with just two accurate long balls managed all afternoon, as Leeds had to make do with an unsatisfactory share of the points to start the new second tier season.

However, away from Rodon and Meslier not covering themselves in glory defensively, there was an even more underwhelming performer at the back in the form of Jayden Bogle, who struggled back in the thick of it in the Championship, after a promising set of pre-season performances.

Bogle's game vs Portsmouth in numbers

Bogle will just hope he's getting his dodgy displays out of his system early on this campaign, as the former Sheffield United man struggled to competently complete his defensive duties all match.

The brand-new Whites number two did shine going forward in patches, with two big chances created all of his own working, but the ex-Blades right-back gave away the penalty that nearly allowed Portsmouth to win 3-2, before Aaronson's last-gasp heroics.

Minutes played

90

Touches

69

Accurate passes completed

34/43 (79%)

Key passes

2

Big chances created

2

Successful dribbles completed

2/3

Duels won

9/19

Possession lost

15x

Bogle failed to impose himself into the contest as a strong and brave full-back, with only nine duels won from 19 attempted, alongside many lax passes going astray, with possession surrendered 15 times to allow Mousinho's outfit regular ways back into the exciting contest.

Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth dished out a low 4/10 rating to Bogle consequently, stating that he was 'bizarrely' positioned for Portsmouth's first strike amongst other faults in his game.

It will be interesting to see if Farke persists with his new capture here, when the Whites open their EFL Cup campaign versus Middlesbrough this mid-week, or if he chooses to start the likes of Sam Byram or other reserve defenders in his place after the 24-year-old really struggled back in competitive action. Perhaps Byram is the way to go mid-week.

There'll be many twists and turns to come this up-and-down Championship season, but Leeds fans will be worried that a slow start out of the blocks could be costly early on, on the way to promotion attempting to be sealed.

Lost the ball 18x: Farke signing just had one of his worst games for Leeds

Leeds drew 3-3 with Portsmouth on the opening weekend of the new EFL season.

1 ByMatt Dawson Aug 10, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur are confident about signing Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo this summer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has now identified Cameron Carter-Vickers as a potential target at centre-back, with the Australian keen to reunite with his former player, who he signed for Celtic on a permanent deal last summer.

Micky van de Ven is another option for Spurs, with the Wolfsburg defender being placed on the shortlist, following recent talks, however they will have to do battle for his signature with Liverpool, who have now joined the race.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently detailed that Adarabioyo has "decided" to leave Fulham this summer, rather than seeing out the one year remaining on his contract, potentially opening the door for a move to north London.

As a result of the Fulham defender's contract situation, Football Insider report that Tottenham are confident they will be able to lure him to N17 this summer, however he is not near the top of their shortlist, with the transfer window still at an early stage.

The 25-year-old could become a "real option" for Postecoglou later this summer, and Spurs feel he could be available for a cut-price fee, as this window may be Fulham's last chance to cash-in.

It is also detailed that Postecoglou has made bringing in a new centre-back one of Tottenham's main priorities.

Should Tottenham sign Adarabioyo?

The centre-back managed to cement himself as a key player for Fulham in the latter stages of the 2022-23 season, starting the last ten Premier League games, and he put in a string of quality performances.

In the Cottagers' final home game, the £41k-per-week defender recorded a 7.4 Sofascore match rating, winning a whopping ten of the 13 duels he contested, while he also displayed his dominance in the air by winning eight aerial duels in a 3-1 win at Everton.

Hailed as "magnificent" by members of the media, the 6 foot 4 colossus ranks in the 76th percentile for aerials won per 90 in the past year, and in the 98th percentile for clearances, however he does not rank highly for tackles, interceptions or blocks.

That said, Adarabioyo's performances in the second half of last season indicate he could be ready to make the step up to a club the size of Tottenham, at least as a back up option, and it could be a low-risk move, if he is available for a cut-price fee.

Chelsea are interested in signing Real Madrid right-back Alvaro Odriozola during the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

Is Odriozola leaving Real Madrid?

The £106,000-a-week defender joined the La Liga giants from Real Sociedad back in 2018, but he has struggled to ever become a regular there. Instead, he has enjoyed loan spells at Bayern Munich and Fiorentina in recent years, due to Madrid not being able to promise him regular first-team football.

Odriozola has still managed to rack up 49 appearances for his permanent club, however, also chipping in with three goals and ten assists for good measure. With his current deal expiring in 2024, it looks likely that the Spaniard will move elsewhere for good this summer, in order for Madrid to receive a fee for him, rather than lose him for free next year.

With Chelsea looking to bring in a number of new faces in the next couple of the month, a fresh update suggests that they could be in the mix to sign the 27-year-old.

Could Chelsea seal Odriozola signing?

According to Mundo Deportivo [via Sport Witness], the Blues have "taken an interest" in signing Odriozola this summer, with Athletic Bilbao eyeing up a move for him, too. Both clubs "have asked" about his availability, although it isn't stated whether the player himself was contacted, or Madrid.

The four-cap Spain international is believed to want to return to Sociedad, though, throwing a potential spanner in the works for Chelsea, who would have to work hard to persuade him to move to west London instead.

While Odriozola certainly hasn't pulled up any trees at Madrid, playing just 36 minutes of league action at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2022/23 across three cameo appearances, he could be a solid signing for the Blues, coming in as good competition for Reece James and a long-term replacement for Cesar Azpilicueta.

At 27, he is in the sweet spot of his career when he has years of experience at a high level but is also young enough to be a good signing for a lengthy period, and to have featured for a Spain team littered with world-class talent also says a lot about his ability.

He has been hailed as "superb" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, having come through in a talented Sociedad youth academy that has also produced the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Mikel Oyarzabal, Iñigo Martínez, and Igor Zubeldia, and the positives would outweigh the negatives when it comes to Chelsea signing him.

Manchester United are one of the clubs keeping tabs on the situation of Dusan Vlahovic, according to a report from Corrierre dello Sport via Man United News.

How many goals has Vlahovic scored?

The forward has managed his best haul in a Juventus shirt so far this season, with ten Serie A goals and two assists in 27 games. Whilst not at the same heights as his best campaign at Fiorentina – he bagged 21 in 37 games back in the 2020/21 season – he has emerged as one of his side's best attacking outlets this campaign.

In addition, the 23-year-old has stood out as one of the best strikers in Europe in general. When compared to other players in his position in the Men's 'Top Five' leagues (Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga and La Liga), his stats place him as one of the outstanding options up front.

His non-penalty xG rate of 0.43 per 90 places him within the top 28% in that stat, showcasing how often he gets himself into scoring positions. His shot rate of 3.06 per 90 also puts him within the 76th percentile – meaning that he is constantly trying to test the opposition goalkeeper.

However, despite these excellent performances in Italy, he could be on the move this summer. A report from Corrierre dello Sport via Man United News states that Vlahovic could be allowed to leave Juventus during the transfer window, with the club well prepared to flog him on because of their shortcomings in Serie A and financial difficulties.

With the player potentially available for sale, it has now alerted several teams across Europe with Man United listed as one of four sides watching his situation. With the Premier League outfit on the hunt for a striker, he would certainly fill a position of need too. In addition, CIES Football Observatory suggest that the striker's value is somewhere around 60 million Euros (or £51m), so a deal potentially might not break the bank. It would still though be a substantial fee for the Juventus forward.

Should Man United sign Vlahovic?

The striker has showcased his knack for scoring goals ever since he broke onto the scene at Fiorentina in 2019/20. That year, he managed six goals at just 19-years-old and has since gone on to bag 62 in total over the course of his career so far.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has called Vlahovic "incredibly prolific" as an attacker and even added that he is a "future legend" for his country, Serbia, because of his goalscoring.

Vlahovic then is not completely the finished article yet but his tendency to get into the right areas and finish off chances is exactly what Man United need – and the fact that he is available for sale is a massive boost for Erik ten Hag in his search for a clinical number nine.

It’s safe to say Anthony Taylor has made a few enemies with his referee performance in last night’s Europa League final.

What’s the latest on Anthony Taylor and Jose Mourinho?

Meeting at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Sevilla played Roma in a scrappy encounter which ended 1-1 after 90 minutes before eventually being settled on penalties after a goalless extra time.

Two fine saves in the shootout from Yassine Bono, allowed Gonzalo Montiel the opportunity to win the tournament for Sevilla.

He actually missed the penalty but referee Taylor was advised by the VAR of an encroachment, and so the Argentine – who also netted the decisive penalty in the World Cup final – scored here at the second attempt to bring the trophy back to Spain yet again.

Throughout the game, however, much of the focus was on the officiating of the Premier League official as he handed out 13 yellow cards – a record for a European final.

Both teams had cause to be upset with the Englishman though. First of all, he failed to spot a possible foul on Ivan Rakitic shortly before Paulo Dybala’s opener.

Fans were furious right after that incident, taking to Twitter to make their feelings known.

Sadly for Taylor, things didn’t get any easier from there as he failed to give some big calls in Roma’s favour either.

Most notably, he failed to award the Serie A side a penalty for this potential handball inside the box.

After the defeat, Jose Mourinho – who had been booked during the game – seemed absolutely enraged with the referee’s display.

Speaking to the press (via Sky Sports), he publically questioned Taylor’s performance saying:

“It was an intense, vibrant game with a referee who seemed Spanish.

“It was yellow, yellow, yellow all the time.”

What’s more, the 60-year-old – who had just lost a European final for the first time in his career – was then spotted in the car park confronting the English official.

It’s certainly a shameful way to take defeat, even if the referee wasn’t at his best on the day. But then again, that’s just classic Mourinho.

Celtic have put Archie Brown on their transfer radar this summer, with a report from The Mail stating that checks have already been made by the club.

Who are Celtic signing this summer?

The 20-year-old has been impressing for Lausanne in Switzerland this season, having now established himself as a first-team regular for the club. He has managed 33 league outings for the side this season and with an added amount of gametime, he has rewarded the side with plenty of goal contributions. He's managed five goals and four assists in the competition this campaign for example, despite playing as a left-back.

It's the highest amount of games that Brown has managed so far over the course of his career, with the player having never previously played regularly at the top level. Prior to moving to Switzerland, his game time came with Derby at youth level and having never broken into their senior line-up, he opted to move countries to get regular football. Having found it – and impressed – it appears there is now interest from the Scottish Premiership in his signature.

It does appear as though there could be an Old Firm battle to sign the player this summer. According to a report from The Mail, Celtic and Rangers are both keeping an eye on Brown and could be part of a tug-of-war to land the defender during the transfer window.

A deal would likely be modest but would still cost seven figures for either club if they did want to add him to their ranks. However, they aren't the only sides keen to do business, with a multitude of other sides also believed to be keeping tabs on the situation.

Who is Archie Brown?

The defender would offer Celtic a versatile option for their backline if they did manage to add him to their ranks, with Brown already having played on the left but also centrally too. He is predominantly a left-back but can also play slightly further forward too as more of a left midfielder.

That has often amounted in goals for the player, although those strikes largely came at reserve level. For example, when pushed further forward, he has scored 17 goals with nine assists over the course of his career in that left midfield position. It shows that Brown has plenty of offensive capabilities if you allow him to get the ball forward.

The Scottish side then would be getting a young player, with an attacking mindset that has proven that he can already score goals and set up teammates at a decent level in Switzerland. If he can carry that over to the Scottish Premiership, then he could be a really good pick-up for the side.

Leeds United could be one of a number of clubs keen on Arsenal loaner Folarin Balogun this summer as they have eyed him 'in the past, journalist Ben Jacobs has suggested.

What's the latest news involving Folarin Balogun?

As per Football Insider, multiple Premier League clubs are keen on signing Balogun this summer following a stellar campaign on loan at Reims, including Brentford, Wolves, Crystal Palace and Everton.

His performances have also made admirers from the continent sit up and take notice ahead of the transfer window, such as RB Leipzig, Marseille, Lyon, Villarreal and Sevilla and it is said that £30 million could be enough to tempt Arsenal into selling the forward.

In 2022/23, the 21-year-old has been in brilliant form, netting 20 goals and laying on three assists in 36 matches across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Journalist Jacobs also told GIVEMESPORT earlier this year that Leeds United had weight up a move for Balogun before, writing in his column: "Keep an eye on Leeds, and potentially Leicester, although now Brendan Rodgers has gone we’ll have to wait and see this summer. First, and most importantly, the Foxes must stay up as well. Everton, Brentford, Frankfurt, Villarreal, Milan, Marseille and Borussia Monchengladbach are among a very long list of clubs keeping tabs on Balogun, But nothing will happen until Arsenal have pitched their own plan to the player."

Now speaking to Football FanCast, Jacobs has suggested that Balogun will have plenty of interested suitors this summer due to his consistent displays.

Jacobs told FFC: "There are just too many players there at this point. I think Arsenal and Balogun have to understand each other. Balogun has just committed to the US Men's National Team and even though the World Cup feels a long way away, he'll be thinking about where he's going to get that regular game time between now and 2026 and that World Cup. There's a fair amount of interest, including from the Premier League, Leeds have looked in the past and Leicester have looked, Wolves have looked and that's just from the Premier League. There's obviously top European clubs, keeping an eye on him as well."

Would Folarin Balogun be a good signing for Leeds United?

Balogun made headlines earlier on this year when he broke a 63-year record after becoming the youngest player to reach 16 goals in his debut season in Ligue 1 since 1960/61.

Most certainly, though, any prospective move to sign Balogun, who has been hailed as "incredible", at Elland Road would be largely contingent on Leeds United maintaining their Premier League status, which is a difficult task, as they are currently in the relegation zone.

As per WhoScored, Balogun has been a constant threat to opposition backlines this term, managing to take an average of 3.4 shots per match in Ligue 1.

FBRef also show that he has managed to provide chances for his teammates and been a reliable presence to link play as a striker, generating 73 successful shot-creating actions.

And, with Patrick Bamford coming under an awful lot of criticism after his penalty miss and guilt edge chance he squandered against Leicester, it certainly appears as if a new striker is a necessity.

Balogun is a bright young star with a big future ahead of him and it's no surprise to see that there is plenty of interest in his services as the transfer window nears.