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Arsenal are set to join the race for Lens striker Lois Openda, alongside a number of other Premier League clubs, according to recent reports from Spain.

Will Arsenal sign a striker this summer?

Mikel Arteta is keen on bringing in a new striker this summer, with the manager looking to sign someone to provide competition for Gabriel Jesus, and Arsenal have now set their sights on signing Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, after his impressive recent form.

Watkins is not the only Premier League striker being eyed by the Gunners, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also on the club's radar, with journalist Pete O'Rourke explaining they may want to bring in a more physical centre-forward.

In terms of options from abroad, Lille's Jonathan David has been touted for a move to the Emirates Stadium, while Arsenal also remain among the main contenders to sign Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, who could be on the move this summer.

According to reports from Spain (via The Sun), the Gunners have now joined the race for Openda, with Arteta keen on signing a back-up option for Jesus, although they are not the only Premier League club interested.

Aston Villa and Leicester City are also named as potential suitors for the forward, with his stock rising after a fantastic season with Lens, so there is likely to be stiff competition for his signature.

The initial report claimed that Arsenal will have enough money to prise the 23-year-old away from Lens, but it is not detailed how much the French club are likely to demand.

Should Arsenal sign Lois Openda?

The Belgian is not as well known as the likes of Calvert-Lewin and Vlahovic, but there are indications he may be a better signing than the latter player, given that he is having a much better season than the Juventus striker.

Hailed as "sensational" by sports writer Robin Bairner, the £13k-per-week marksman has scored a remarkable 17 league goals this season, also registering three assists, while Vlahovic has been out-of-sorts, now without a goal in his last ten Serie A games.

That said, if Arteta is looking for a physical striker, then Openda is not the best option, given that he is 5 foot 8 and has averaged just 0.53 aerials won per 90 in the past year, which ranks him in the ninth percentile compared to his positional peers.

If Arsenal are going to bring in a new forward, then they should bring in someone with a different skill-set to Jesus, so Calvert-Lewin could be an intriguing option, if he is able to put his recent injury problems behind him.

Tottenham Hotspur's chairman Daniel Levy is not believed to be in any rush to come to a conclusion on the club's managerial search.

Who are Spurs looking at to become their next manager?

Spurs have now been without a permanent manager since the sacking of Antonio Conte at the beginning of the month following their draw against Southampton.

However, since his departure, things have not got better for the Lilywhites with the north London side winning just once in controversial fashion against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The humiliating defeat on the weekend to Newcastle United saw Cristian Stellini's time at the helm come to an early end with Ryan Mason now the third manager of the campaign.

But there is a believed list of potential managerial candidates in north London with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Vincent Kompany thought to be near the top.

This comes amid the expected appointment of Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea despite the clamour from Spurs fans for their former manager.

Although it is apparent the Spurs fans are hoping to hear of an appointment soon, it seems the same cannot be said for the Spurs chairman.

Indeed, speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the 61-year-old is not in a rush to make his decision:

(4:30) "I think, from what I understand, there are five/six candidates to the job. Daniel Levy wants to take some time before he makes the decision."

Who should Spurs appoint?

It was apparent a lot of Spurs fans were keen to see a reunion with Pochettino but that looks likely to be off the cards with his expected appointment at Stamford Bridge.

However, if Chelsea do announce the Argentine as their next boss, it will relieve some of the pressure off Spurs in their own managerial search.

It is believed a lot of the managers on Tottenham's shortlist were also on Todd Boehly's at Chelsea.

Now the Blues are seemingly set to end their manager search, it could provide Spurs with more freedom to operate and discuss with their targets.

However, the fans will not want to see a repeat of 2021 where the search went on for months and ended up settling for Nuno Espirito Santo.

The likes of Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique are there for Spurs, but fans will want to see an appointment made ahead of the summer so the potential new boss will have time to make plans for the transfer window.

Frustration among the fans towards Levy is clear to see and this is an opportunity for him not to pile any more pressure on his shoulders over the coming weeks.

West Ham United managed to put their Premier League woes on the back burner, for the time being anyway, to secure a European semi-final berth for the second year in a row with a 4-1 victory over Gent last night.

With the tie poised at 1-1 heading into the match, David Moyes knew a win would secure West Ham a place in the next round, and they duly delivered. Two goals from Michail Antonio along with a Lucas Paqueta penalty and a stunning goal from Declan Rice were more than enough to dominate the Belgian side.

Antonio continued his fine European form this term, scoring his fourth and fifth goals in the competition this season and he was statistically, the second-best player on the pitch with a Sofascore rating of 8.1/10.

Along with his double, the 33-year-old made two key passes, succeeded with two dribble attempts and posed a genuine attacking threat which Moyes has sorely been lacking in the Premier League this season.

The real hero was Lucas Paqueta however, as the Brazilian ran the show from an attacking midfield slot.

How did Lucas Paqueta perform against Gent?

It looked as though West Ham had secured a real coup when they managed to convince Paqueta that West Ham was the best place for him to flourish and with his vast international experience, he was looked upon to take the club to the next level.

It hasn’t exactly worked out that way, with the attacking midfielder struggling at times to find his rhythm in a season of turmoil, scoring just twice until last night, against the Belgian side however, he enjoyed one of his finest performances in a while.

His 8.3/10 Sofascore rating from the match ranked him as the best player out of either side and along with the penalty he netted, the Brazilian even registered two assists.

The “phenomenal” 25-year-old – as previously dubbed by analyst Alex Barker – delivered an attacking display that many of the West Ham supporters will be wondering how it took him so long to finally deliver on the big stage.

Paqueta managed 71 touches all game as he looked to dictate the play and create opportunities while he also made three key passes and was successful with 80% of his attempted passes.

The former Lyon star also won five duels and succeeded with his only dribble attempt during the encounter as he came to life exactly when Moyes needed him most and the Scot will be hoping this wasn’t some sort of false dawn ahead of a crucial few weeks for the Hammers.

If Paqueta can consistently deliver in the remaining league matches this season, there is no doubt West Ham can maintain their top-flight status.

Everton's offensive woes have been there for all to see this season, with Frank Lampard seemingly having passed on his struggles to successor Sean Dyche.

The former Burnley boss enjoyed an initial upturn in form upon joining, claiming some crucial wins against league leaders Arsenal and Brentford, but they have since lost their last two games; the most recent of which drew ugly scenes at Goodison Park, who were not happy with the manner of their defeat to Fulham.

That crushing blow has left them above the relegation zone only on goal difference, and with a tricky run of fixtures remaining, at the mercy of their competitors to secure survival. It almost feels like the Toffees are reliant on other clubs failing to win, rather than being able to pick up vital points of their own accord.

This can be traced back again to a lack of potency in the final third, as Dyche had to watch his side spurn numerous golden chances before falling behind again last time out.

Up front, there is no reliable source of goals, which explains why their top three scorers for the season are all wingers, with one having left in January.

However, with four goals, Demarai Gray and Dwight McNeil are the lowest-scoring top scorer of any Premier League team. Their standing is hardly a badge of honour.

With the latter being the only real source of goals of late, perhaps the other wide spot could have become available for someone with fresh ideas and youthful energy; someone like Stanley Mills.

Who is Stanley Mills?

Having seen his stock rise dramatically in the last year or so, given his steady integration within the first team, the 19-year-old has seemingly been prepping for a consistent senior football birth for some time now that is yet to emerge.

Just two appearances within the first team is admirable, but given the teenager's form in the Premier League 2, there is no reason why he has not been made a permanent member of Dyche's squad.

After all, the speedster boasts eight goals in just 13 league appearances, having scored a further three in just four EFL Trophy starts.

For comparison, Alex Iwobi and Gray, who would be the competitors for that other wide spot, have a combined goal tally of just five.

Not only that, but the last non-penalty goal either of them scored was back in December.

This marks a stark contrast with the young trickster, who has seemingly modelled his whole game around the pursuit of finding the back of the net. His father, former Leeds United defender Danny Mills, outlined this:

"In the modern game, I think he’s a winger or a No 10, as he can create and has an eye for goal."

With little to lose given the lack of output the alternatives bring, Mills boasts a fine wildcard option who could save Everton's season, should he be given the chance.

Crystal Palace are keen on a move to bring Steve Biko FC striker Adama Bojang to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Adama Bojang?

The Gambian is an exciting, up-and-coming talent who has worked his way through the ranks to become a regular feature for his current club. The £650k-valued forward has also started making a name for himself on the international stage, having recently represented his country at the AFCON U20s tournament and is expected to feature at the U20 World Cup later this year.

Recent reports have suggested that the 18-year-old is hoping to put himself in the shop window by delivering a consistent run of strong performances for Gambia’s youth side, and it would appear that his hard work has already paid off, having caught the eye of the Eagles.

According to the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace and Chelsea are the latest clubs to “register an interest” in securing the services of Bojang ahead of the 2023/24 term. Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest are also name-checked as teams “monitoring” the teenager’s development. The Premier League sides are all “considering” purchasing the striker and sending him straight back out on loan as a result of potential issues arising when it comes to arranging a work permit. Meanwhile, Marseille, Ajax, Royal Antwerp and Napoli are also “in the mix”.

Would Bojang be a good signing for Palace?

Bojang is still very much in the early stages of his development and career as a whole, and would need to gain more senior experience before being considered a member of the first team, but he would almost certainly be an exciting signing for the long-term future at Palace.

The SPOCS Global Sports client scored four goals and provided one assist in six appearances at the AFCON tournament in Egypt where he significantly contributed to his side making it all the way to the final back in March, as per Transfermarkt. Standing at 6 foot 3, the youngster could also be an ideal target man, with his height making him a useful option and focal point to have in the final third when it comes to getting on the end of long balls and set pieces.

Finally, Bojang has been likened to AS Roma and former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should he possess similar qualities, he could yet be an extremely positive acquisition at Selhurst Park.

The pressure on Chelsea manager Graham Potter increased further on Saturday evening as his side succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.

The lack of a clinical striker once again came back to haunt the Blues as they registered 27 shots compared to Villa's five but were unable to find a way past Emiliano Martinez.

However, the away side could have easily scored more had they capitalised on a number of counter-attacking chances, with the Blues' three-at-the-back formation leaving them far too vulnerable, which is something Potter must look to amend if he is going to enjoy success at Stamford Bridge.

Should Potter change formation at Chelsea?

Ollie Watkins handed Unai Emery's side the lead when a long ball from Douglas Luiz was dealt with terribly by Marc Cucurella, with the makeshift centre-back only helping the ball into the Englishman's path, leaving him with time and space to lift the ball over Kepa Arrizabalaga to open the scoring.

Chelsea regularly found themselves outnumbered at the back, with Kalidou Koulibaly the only natural central defender in the back three, as Reece James continues to bomb forward, which often left gaps for Villa to expose.

While Villa were regularly three-on-two or two-on-one when attacking, they only doubled their lead thanks to a screamer from John McGinn but, in truth, a better side would have finished Chelsea off much sooner with clinical counter-attacks.

On Match of the Day, Potter said: "We have to analyse the performance and look at the things we've done well and what we can do better. Defensively we've left ourselves too open."

During Sky Sports' coverage of the game, co-commentator Andy Hinchcliffe described Potter's decision to play a back three of James, Cucurella and Koulibaly as "questionable", suggesting that it was "too easy" for Villa to create chances.

A more dangerous attacking side, such as Liverpool, Brighton or Real Madrid, who are the next three visitors to Stamford Bridge, could have really put Chelsea's defence to the sword, and it was baffling that Potter opted not to change formation as the visitors continued to create chances at will.

Although the absence of the injured Thiago Silva is clearly being felt, Potter had both Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah available to him on the bench, so if he wanted to stick with the three-at-the-back formation, why not start his natural centre-backs and get the best out of James by playing him in his preferred right wing-back role?

It seems clear that if Chelsea want to recover from this awful season and progress against a scary Real Madrid side in the Champions League, Potter needs to completely abandon this particular tactic and select his best players in their natural positions.

Journalist Wayne Veysey has shared a ‘sensational twist’ in Tottenham’s manager search involving former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann.

The Lowdown: Nagelsmann sacked…

The 35-year-old, in perhaps one of the biggest developments in world football this week, was officially fired by Bayern despite their solid season on paper so far.

Nagelsmann had guided the Bundesliga giants to a Champions League quarter-final tie, where they’ll now face off against Premier League champions Man City without the German.

Bayern are also still well in contention to retain their domestic crown and could also win the DFB-Pokal with a quarter-final looming against Freiburg on April 4.

However, as explained in a statement from Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn, the European heavyweights took the decision to hand their ex-boss his P45 due to an apparent decline in performance.

“When we signed Julian Nagelsmann in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis – and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end,” explained Kahn.

“But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad – despite the Bundesliga title last year – has come to the fore less and less often.

“After the World Cup, we have played less successfully and less attractively. The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future.”

The Latest: ‘Sensational twist’ at Spurs on Nagelsmann…

The Lilywhites, amid their search for an Antonio Conte replacement, have been linked with a move for Nagelsmann with reporter Veysey sharing what he knows.

Writing for Football Insider, the journalist claims there’s been a ‘sensational twist’ in Tottenham’s manager hunt and the north London club now ‘will make contact’ with Nagelsmann.

News of the ex-RB Leipzig boss’ sacking is apparently viewed as a ‘game-changer’ by Daniel Levy and co as Spurs sense an opportunity to hire one of world football’s most exciting young coaches.

The Verdict: Swoop in…

We had been seriously in favour of moving for ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who is also available as a free agent, but Nagelsmann’s status without a job really gives them something to think about.

Called a ‘sensational manager’ by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, the 4-2-3-1 boss encourages an intense, high-pressing brand of attacking football which is different to Conte’s more pragmatic approach.

Some Spurs supporters have been calling for their side to adopt a more attack-minded football philosophy which hasn’t really been seen since Pochettino’s tenure.

Nagelsmann could be the man to re-instil an exciting brand of play, and now that he’s a free agent, there appears to be little obstacle in Levy making a move.

Liverpool are well placed to bring RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.

Who's going to sign Gvardiol?

The Croatian's contract at the Red Bull Arena isn't set to expire until 2027, but following his impressive performances for his nation at the World Cup last year, alongside his displays in the Bundesliga, he has caught the eyes of more than just Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, who has made it public knowledge to his admirers that it's his dream to one day complete a move to a club in the English top-flight. According to 90min, the Merseyside outfit have already sent scouts to watch the centre-back in action so that they can regularly monitor his situation ahead of the upcoming window.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg earlier this month claimed that despite there being a genuine admiration, the two clubs haven't yet held any kind of negotations regarding a potential deal, and whilst that may be the case, it sounds like they are confident that an agreement can be reached ahead of their fellow competitors.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are "well placed" and are "in the running" to sign Gvardiol this summer, who has become one of the most "sought-after" defenders on the market right now. The Anfield-based side hold a "concrete interest" in their target but are fully aware of the "strong competition" they face with Manchester United and Real Madrid also in the race for his signature, alongside the two other earlier named potential suitors.

Klopp is believed to view his target as an "ideal partner" for Virgil Van Dijk and is therfore "pushing" the hierarchy to heavily invest in the months ahead, with a £97m release clause set to become active in his contract from 2024.

Is Gvardiol a suitable fit for Liverpool?

Gvardiol has been dubbed "sublime" and a "gladiator" by journalist Ryan Taylor and he would most certainly be the perfect profile of centre-back to put pen to paper at Liverpool in the summer window later in the year.

The left-footed ace is currently averaging 2.4 clearances per league game, showing the rock he can be at the heart of the backline, but he also ranks in the 98th percentile for most successful take-ons, highlighting his desire to drive forward when playing out from the back to push his team as high up the pitch as possible – he also has eight goal contributions during his time at Leipzig.

The Zagreb native also has the versatility to operate at left-back alongside his natural centre-back position, which is a great quality for the boss to have at his disposal given the number of defensive injuries that have occured this season.

Manchester City supporters have been handed an update on the injury of star striker Erling Haaland ahead of their crunch April 1 clash with Liverpool.

The Lowdown: City stopped…

The Premier League champions had been gaining serious momentum before being stopped by a poorly-timed international break.

Pep Guardiola’s side were on a real rampage both domestically and in Europe, winning eight games out of a possible 10 in all competitions and scoring an incredible 16 goals in their last four games.

City demolished both RB Leipzig 7-0 in the Champions League and Burnley 6-0 in the FA Cup just before the internationals, and Haaland was a major, major part of it.

To make this international break worse, the superstar sparked City fear earlier this week when Norway announced he has withdrawn from their squad with a groin problem.

Their medical chief, Dr. Ola Sand, said this in a statement:

“After doing tests and examinations yesterday it became clear that he will not make it for the games against Spain and Georgia. It is better that he receives medical follow-up at his club.”

The Latest: Journalist shares Haaland update ahead of Liverpool…

Writing on social media, chief Man City writer Simon Bajkowski of the MEN has shared an important update on Haaland ahead of Liverpool – the first match of City’s return from the international break.

He explains that further examinations are needed to see if he can feature against Liverpool, but the 22-year-old is certainly not ruled out and early signs are ‘encouraging’.

Bajkowski said:

“Erling Haaland will need further tests to determine whether he will be fit to face Liverpool in 12 days, but the initial verdicts on the injury are encouraging for #mcfc.”

The Verdict: Good news…

This update certainly comes as a promising one despite the lack of tests and City supporters will be hoping the early encouragement is a sign Haaland could be available.

The former Borussia Dortmund star has been absolutely pivotal to Guardiola in recent weeks, breaking record after record and scoring goals galore.

By far the signing of the season, if he stays at City for years to come, there is no reason to deny the forward could even break Sergio Aguero’s all-time goalscoring club record.

Again, depending on longevity, Spurs striker Harry Kane may also be looking over his shoulder at Haaland who has bagged a ridiculous amount this season.

Approaching the end of March, City’s new prodigal son has registered a quite astonishing 42 goals in all competitions, including 10 Champions League goals in in just six games (WhoScored).

Everton are a club shrouded in sentimentality, and whilst that may be appealing for many fans who might view the Toffees as their 'second team', for Evertonians it marks mediocrity that has spread into their 27-year (and counting) stint without a trophy.

So often the desire to keep dead wood around due to things they have done in the past has made the playing squad weaker, whilst a reluctance to act with a ruthless and decisive touch again leaves them behind the trend.

Even as recently as with Frank Lampard, who was clearly struggling, the 44-year-old was only dismissed as the January window neared its conclusion. This left his replacement Sean Dyche no time to bolster a threadbare squad, thus making them the only Premier League club not to make a signing.

To truly progress as a club the hierarchy must become more cut-throat, abandoning this happy-go-lucky attitude that allows them to be bullied by bigger clubs.

The first steps must come this summer, should they retain their status in the division, by culling a playing squad that have let down numerous managers. One such name that springs to mind when referencing both mediocrity and sentimentality is Tom Davies, who must be the first to go.

What is Tom Davies' record at Everton?

Having broken into the first team as an 18-year-old, his performances in that debut campaign led fans to believe that he could hold down their midfield for many years to come. He was all-action with an eye for a pass, yet had that youthful exuberance that saw him try the extraordinary, whether it be a skill or a shot.

His infamous goal against Manchester City epitomised that, as he burst down the right flank only to chop inside, dumbfounding Yaya Toure and another defender before chipping over Claudio Bravo later in the move to score.

However, having since played 176 games for the senior side, the 24-year-old has struggled to push on from the immense platform he gave himself.

His recent cameos from the bench this season serve to exacerbate this, as he looks erratic and uncomfortable, doing little to calm the nerves of fans.

Even back in 2021, podcaster Lee McLean called for his exit, as he rather harshly branded him an "extremely poor footballer" on the Bullens View podcast.

However true that may be, the £25k-per-week disappointment is set to see his contract expire this summer, and Dyche would surely have seen enough to know he does not merit an extension to his 14-year stay.

The former Burnley boss must let him go, which would finally mark an exit from the club's usual desperation to hang onto the past. If they are to finally earn success once again, they must instead look forward and move past the dead wood that has haunted them of late.