As the January transfer window heads into its final week, clarity should be established on various uncertain situations and high among them is the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Arsenal.
With Aubameyang losing the captaincy and not playing since December 6 for what the club called “his latest disciplinary breach”, it is plausible that a solution will be found before the market shuts.
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Arsenal are understood to have received an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal to take the striker on loan with an option to buy and cover his full salary. There is interest from sides in Europe, including Paris Saint-Germain, but Aubameyang’s wages are likely to be a problem for all of them.
Irrespective of Arsenal’s response to the Al Hilal bid, which is not yet known, The Athletic understands that Aubameyang is inclined not to accept a transfer to the Middle East at this stage of his career.
If the 32-year-old is to leave Arsenal, with whom he is under contract until the summer of 2023, it is believed that he would want to stay in a top league and continue to operate at the highest level.
Aubameyang has scored seven goals in 15 games across all competitions this season and 92 in 163 appearances since moving to the Emirates Stadium from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.
The Gabon captain is said to remain extremely ambitious and determined to prove his quality after a public fall from grace at Arsenal. Since returning early from the Africa Cup of Nations he is thought to have resumed training but separately, and at different times, from the senior squad.
It is unclear if he will be in the party that travels to Dubai for a warm weather camp — the official flight departs on Thursday and some intend to go out in advance — but that must be regarded as improbable given his current status and the possibility of a switch ahead of next Monday’s deadline.
The numbers available to manager Mikel Arteta will be influenced by factors such as injuries, the Africa Cup of Nations and COVID-19 vaccination status. Former England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who is training with Arteta’s men while considering his next step, is expected to be named in the group but there are no plans to recruit him for a second spell in Arsenal colours.
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What happens on Aubameyang is sure to intertwine with Arsenal’s hopes of signing a new striker.
There are doubts about whether the pursuit of Dusan Vlahovic will succeed — not in relation to an agreement with Fiorentina, rather with the forward and his representatives — but the North London team are actively exploring alternative options such as Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak.
The Sweden international’s contract is reported to have a release clause — a mechanism Arsenal utilised to bring in Thomas Partey and are keen to take advantage of elsewhere when viable — but sources indicate that, in the case of Isak, Arsenal would attempt to negotiate a lower price.
Manchester United step up search for new manager — Pochettino, Ten Hag, Luis Enrique and Julen Lopetegui
It was a good weekend for Manchester United as their last-gasp victory over top-four rivals West Ham United was followed by fellow contenders Arsenal drawing and Tottenham Hotspur losing.
That means they go to the winter break positioned fourth in the Premier League, with back-to-back wins and fresh hope of a strong finish to the season under interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
Once the campaign concludes, the plan is for Rangnick to leave his post and move into a two-year consultancy role, clearing the path for a new permanent boss to be installed at Old Trafford.
Despite the German initially saying — in what was a tongue-in-cheek suggestion — that he might recommend himself for the role, the club fully intend to have someone else in charge for 2022-23.
The Athletic has learnt that the process for the appointment will start in the coming weeks and the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Erik ten Hag, Luis Enrique and Julen Lopetegui will all be considered.
Among many factors that will enter the equation, United are thought to be focusing on candidates who have experience of working at major European teams and all of the above satisfy that criteria.
Pochettino is leading Paris Saint-Germain after an impressive spell with Tottenham, Ten Hag is enjoying success with Ajax, Luis Enrique shone at Barcelona before stepping up to the Spain job, and Lopetegui is excelling at Sevilla having previously spent time with Real Madrid, Spain and Porto.
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A more immediate concern for United is the final week of the January transfer window and while there is little anticipation of incoming business, departures are certainly possible.
Anthony Martial could be granted his wish to leave if a suitable proposal lands and among the sides expected to make contact with the 20-time English champions in the coming days are Italian giants Juventus. My colleague Dermot Corrigan reports that Sevilla are also continuing their pursuit of the France forward, for whom United are believed to be seeking a loan fee in the region of €5 million.
Newcastle’s training match in Saudi Arabia will help unvaccinated personnel avoid quarantine issues on return
Newcastle United arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday buoyed by their victory over Leeds United and will next take to the field on Friday in a training match against Pro League leaders Al-Ittihad.
While the run-out should help head coach Eddie Howe’s squad maintain their sharpness during the Premier League’s two-week break, that is not the only reason why it is being staged.
The Athletic understands the training game has in part been arranged to avoid any quarantine issues for unvaccinated personnel on their return next week.
If the match was not organised, there were concerns that members of the travelling party who have not been vaccinated would have needed to isolate, complicating preparations for Everton’s visit on February 8 in their next competitive fixture.
Newcastle will hope to have more new faces for that crucial encounter and while the team have headed for their warm weather camp, The Athletic understands that co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi is staying in the UK to assist on the club’s transfer activity as the winter market draws to a close.
A new centre-back is among the top priorities and Ghodoussi, who has the management contract to run Newcastle alongside wife Amanda Staveley, will continue working in conjunction with head of recruitment Steve Nickson and Howe before next Monday’s deadline.
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The behind-closed-doors meeting with Al-Ittihad will not be broadcast live or have highlights shown, in accordance with FA and Premier League regulations.
Newcastle return from Saudi Arabia on Saturday, January 29.
Arnold building bridges with critical former players as he prepares to replace Woodward
As Richard Arnold prepares for his new role as Manchester United chief executive, he will clearly be hoping for an easier ride than his predecessor Ed Woodward got from Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and some of the club’s other former players, writes Daniel Taylor.
Arnold, the managing director at Old Trafford, certainly seems aware of the importance of building better relationships with these influential voices ahead of the official handover next week.
The new go-to guy for the Glazer family has already started canvassing opinion from the ex-players who have been the most vocal during the club’s years of drift.
The Athletic’s information is that he has already contacted Neville, probably the fiercest critic of Woodward and the Glazers, and it is understood that Arnold intends to do the same (or already has in some cases) with some of the other ex-United players who are now working as television pundits.
The line of communication will remain open and Arnold will be hoping he can avoid the kind of scrutiny that eventually led to Neville, and others, questioning whether United would be better without Woodward calling the shots.
Tottenham hope to move Lo Celso on in swap deal
Giovani Lo Celso’s absence from the Tottenham Hotspur squad for the defeat to Chelsea yesterday provoked plenty of questions among the fanbase.
The 25-year-old declared on Instagram that he was in “100 per-cent good physical condition” and The Athletic understands the club have been exploring a swap deal for the Argentina midfielder in what looks set to be a busy end to the window for Spurs.
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Lo Celso, who is contracted until June 2025, has made just nine Premier League appearances for Spurs this season and has struggled to make a sustained impact since his move from Real Betis, initially on a temporary basis in 2019 before they paid £27.3 million on top of an initial loan fee of £15 million.
After the 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, manager Antonio Conte was asked about Lo Celso’s future. He said: “I selected the players for this game and this question is one for the club to answer.”
Conte is looking to reshape his midfield, with the futures of Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli also uncertain before the window closes.
West Ham considering move for Caleta-Car
While many West Ham United fans are adamant they need a new striker before January ends, the club are believed to be interested in adding another centre-back to David Moyes’ squad.
Michail Antonio continues to lead the line without serious competition but West Ham are weighing up a move for Marseille and Croatia centre-back Duje Caleta-Car.
The 25-year-old, who has won 20 caps for his country, has been at the Stade Velodrome since 2018. West Ham are more inclined to making a loan signing, with Angelo Ogbonna likely to miss the rest of the season and Issa Diop struggling in recent weeks, while the Ligue 1 club would like a sale.
Caleta-Car, who played in Marseille’s 2-0 win away to Lens on Saturday, has also been linked with Liverpool and Newcastle United, and is under contract in France until the end of next season.
Powell to leave England role after Qatar World Cup
England will lose a popular member of Gareth Southgate’s backroom staff after this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
Chris Powell is contracted for the tournament but it will be his last involvement with the national team.
The 52-year-old joined Southgate’s staff in September 2019 as part of the FA’s BAME programme to tackle under representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic coaches.
Powell’s placement was supposed to end in the summer of 2020 but he was retained as COVID-19 delayed the European Championship for a year.
The former left-back, who won five England caps during his playing career, gained notoriety among members of the squad and across social media platforms for his enthusiastic touchline goal celebrations at Wembley and other venues for Southgate’s side en route to their defeat by Italy in the final of the Euros.
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Captain Harry Maguire said the players “love them” and praised Powell’s “positive vibe and energy” in the camp.
Powell has been head of academy coaching at Tottenham since August 2020, following spells in management and coaching with Leicester, Charlton, Huddersfield, Derby, Southend and Dutch club ADO Den Haag.
PFA launch business school to help ex professionals
A significant fan-led review of football governance by the department for digital, culture, media and sport was released last year, which highlighted the issues players face when transitioning out of the game.
The Professional Footballers’ Association’s CEO Maheta Molango clearly identified this as an issue while speaking to The Athletic’s Business of Sport Podcast in September. He commented that the football industry can sometimes “use” players, especially as most will have to find a new career when they leave the sport.
Molango said: “Ninety-nine per cent of players need to work because of money, and one per cent need to work because of purpose. The fall is more brutal the higher you are. You need to reconstruct a new identity and in football, when you’re 35, you’re old, but in real life, you’re just a kid. It’s not an easy transition.”
The PFA have now moved to launch the first new scheme to tackle that difficult period in a player’s life with a business school. The organisation have education services but the business school will aim to improve members’ future employability and career prospects.
Footballers will be offered courses to re-skill them and improve their employability, helping them be financially secure and providing a purpose after their playing career ends.
In a statement, Molango said: “Over the last six months, the feedback I’ve received from PFA members and our Players’ Board is that education and career transition are top priorities for players at all levels of the game. The PFA Business School will be an extension of the excellent work of our education department and a bold new step that reinforces the key role the PFA plays in helping players transition into a new career.”
Clubs angered by COVID-19 confusion
Premier League sides’ frustration with COVID-19 protocols continues to simmer, with one well-placed source saying clubs are “absolutely exasperated” with the situation.
“Ironically, at a time when Boris (Johnson, the Prime Minister) is saying get back to normal, the Premier League is going the other way,” they added.
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Brighton, for instance, flew north, as normal, for Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Leicester City but had to make the 160-mile trip home on three coaches. Graham Potter’s squad did not have the time to do the required PCR tests and get their results in order to fly home.
Premier League clubs are unlikely to persist with COVID-19 checks for fans attending matches, meanwhile, given Johnson has announced mandatory face coverings in public places and COVID-19 passports will be dropped from Thursday.
The League will continue consultation with clubs regarding match-day protocols for fans.
A meeting with clubs on COVID-related matters will be held before the next Premier League fixture between Burnley and Watford on February 5.
(Main image: Getty Images)
