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West Ham United aren’t close to signing Patson Daka despite recent reports…

What’s the word?

That’s according to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, who delivered a fresh update on the situation on his Patreon site ‘The West Ham Way’.

He wrote: “Whilst there has always been an interest in Patson Daka and he was someone that we have scouted and enquired about in the past, I believe talk of him joining the club is premature.

“One good thing that we have in our favour is that his agent is former Hammer Freddie Kanoute who loved his time at the club and would encourage a move.

“Whilst we are meant to be keen on the player I believe there are other clubs, including Liverpool who are much further down the line with this potential signing.”

Frustrating update

This will come as a blow to many at the London Stadium as plenty of excitement had started to ramp up amid speculation that the Irons were close to sealing his signature.

Zambian news outlet ZamFoot claimed last week that David Moyes’ side were the ‘favourites’ to land the prolific 22-year-old forward. He is expected to cost around £25m and has been excused from international duties in order to resolve his immediate future, which appears to lie away from RB Salzburg.

Ex is as trustworthy as they come, and his claim that top-flight rivals Liverpool are further ahead with their pursuit is frustrating given the Irons’ desperate need for frontline additions this summer.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-latest-west-ham-news-irons-transfer-gossip-rumours-more-moyes-striker-gsb” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and more!”]

Plenty of the Hammers faithful will be far from pleased with this update, too, as he’s a player who many appear to want in east London. As relayed by Football Transfer Tavern, some fans were begging to sign him in response to ZamFoot’s report.

After the departure of Sebastian Haller in January, Moyes was left with one senior option up top, an injury-prone Michail Antonio, who has been converted into a striker in recent seasons.

It’s no wonder fans and the manager alike are desperate for a new signing in the role, and that’s where Daka poses an intriguing prospect. Having drawn comparisons to greats like Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto’o, the young talisman would surely have no problem adapting to the English top flight.

As per Transfermarkt, Daka has scored a whopping 34 goals in the 2020/21 season, whilst also providing 14 assists, and that has led to plenty of glowing endorsements.

Twenty3Sport journalist Sam McGuire dubbed him a “goal machine” whilst Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch believes he has “a lot of potential” and is a “fantastic player.”

He would certainly seem an excellent option under Moyes, yet Ex’s update suggests that this may not happen. That won’t please many around the London Stadium, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Moyes could find West Ham’s next Defoe in “special talent” with “undoubted potential”…

Lionel Messi has donated his eighth Ballon d’Or to the Barcelona museum, despite collecting that award during his first season at Inter Miami.

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• Argentine icon most-decorated player in history
• Now has eight Golden Balls to his name
• Those trophies are housed in Catalan museum

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentine icon severed ties with La Liga giants back in 2021, with a move to Paris Saint-Germain being made as a free agent. After two seasons in France, Messi decided to go chasing an American dream in MLS last summer.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Having inspired Argentina to World Cup glory at Qatar 2022, an eighth Golden Ball was passed his way in 2023. Messi also helped Inter Miami to Leagues Cup glory – making him the most-decorated player of all-time with 44 major honours to his name.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi does not have enough space at home to display all of his record-setting collection of trophies, with Barcelona on hand to help him out in that department. Seven of his Ballons d’Or are currently housed in the Catalan club’s official museum, and has revealed that number eight is on the way.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Messi has previously said: “Everything I own is in Barcelona, there at the museum. Ballons d'Or, Golden Boots, everything.” That will remain the case despite now plying his trade in the United States, with it impossible for emotional and professional ties with the Blaugrana to be severed.

Andre Onana has returned to Manchester United after picking up an injury while playing for Cameroon.

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• Onana returns to Manchester United
• Picked up injury against Mauritius
• Will miss the Libya clash on Tuesday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Onana had to be replaced with less than 10 minutes to go in Cameroon's 3-0 win over Mauritius on Friday after he felt some discomfort.

  now reports that the custodian has suffered an injury to his pubis, one of the bones that make up the pelvis as per the Cameroonian federation. They also confirmed that the United star will return to his club and is set to miss their next qualifier against Libya on Tuesday.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The injury news of their first-choice goalkeeper comes as a huge blow for the Red Devils and Erik ten Hag as the Dutch manager has a long injury list. Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen both had to withdraw from international duty after sustaining injuries while defenders Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia continue to remain out of action. Casemiro too will not play another game until January.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  On the day Onana picked up his pelvis injury, Marcus Rashford had to be stretchered off during England's Euro 2024 qualifying game against Malta. This further adds to Ten Hag's headache.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ANDRE ONANA?

  It remains to be seen if the former Inter star will get fit ahead of United's Premier League clash against Everton on Sunday. If the 27-year-old fails to regain full fitness, Altay Bayındır could finally make his debut for the club.

Rob McElhenney impressed his fellow Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds with an ingenious way of dealing with the massive demand for club merchandise.

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• Wrexham owners in new Vista Print video
• McElhenney reveals merchandise issue
• His solution impresses co-chairman Reynolds

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Hollywood stars appeared in a hilarious video for club sponsors Vista Print.

  In a video call with his fellow owner, McElhenney reveals that the club have no more merchandise to sell because of the insane demand for shirts and hats.

  To get over the issue, he turned to their sponsors to print more, resulting in a baseball cap with a Wrexham hat printed on it. Then the star unveiled a Wrexham jersey printed on a white t-shirt.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham have enjoyed an unbelievable rise in popularity since the famous actors took ownership of the club.

  Not only have they enjoyed success on the field – winning promotion from the National League to League Two this year – the Welsh team have sponsorship deals with the likes of Vista Print, TikTok and HP. They are also the subject of a documentary series called Welcome to Wrexham.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  "A hat on a hat! Oh my god, yes!" Reynolds says when he sees McElhenney's cap.

  After seeing the t-shirt, Reynolds says: "Listen very carefully Robert, because I'll never say this again. You are a genius."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Wrexham will hope to keep their place in the top three in League Two on Saturday when they come up against Gillingham.

The Belgian winger gets fans off their feet and can tear apart a shaky Manchester United defence at Old Trafford

James Milner didn't know what had hit him. He was up against a man 16 years his junior and, to put it mildly, he got rinsed. Jeremy Doku repeatedly tore his way past the 37-year-old in a torturous first half for Brighton and a wonderful opening 45 minutes for Manchester City.

Doku handed Julian Alvarez the opening goal on a plate and could have found the net once or twice if his shooting had been ever so slightly sharper. Every time he got on the ball, City fans sensed something was about to happen. They were enthralled by his every move.

The Belgian is the type of player fans want to see when they go to matches, the type of player that gets you out of your seat and justifies the ticket price. He is also the type of player who can prise open tight defences and win a match in one flash of brilliance.

In other words, he is exactly the type of player who should be starting Sunday's derby against Manchester United. And if that means a place on the bench for Jack Grealish, then so be it…

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  No adaptation process needed

  Lots of players need a bedding-in period at City before coming good. Grealish had a pretty disappointing first campaign before understanding what Pep Guardiola wanted from him and putting it into action in his second season. Nathan Ake was a bench-warmer for his first two campaigns before turning into a steely defender.

  But Doku has adapted straight away and made an instant impression following his €65 million (£56m/$68m) move from Rennes in August after being signed as a replacement for Saudi Arabia-bound Riyad Mahrez.

  After a quietish debut against Fulham, the Belgian produced a stunning performance at West Ham. He ravaged Vladimir Coufal all game, scoring a wonderful goal to pull City level in an eventual 3-1 win, bursting down the left wing, twisting his way inside and finding the far bottom corner.

  In a lively first-half display he crafted a glorious opportunity for Erling Haaland, which the Norwegian somehow managed to waste.

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  Blistering pace

  Despite that breakthrough match, Doku was then used sparingly by Guardiola. He started on the bench against Red Star Belgrade but had to come on before half-time due to the injury to Bernardo Silva, while he was sacrificed early in the second half against Nottingham Forest after Rodri was sent off.

  He was a substitute against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup although given Guardiola fielded a second-string team, maybe that was a compliment. He started the next game at Wolves and was one of City's best players in their shock 2-1 defeat.

  He was only given 18 minutes against RB Leipzig but swung the game around in City's favour, coming on when the game was tied at 1-1, setting up Alvarez's goal and then combining with the Argentine to score on the counterattack and seal the 3-1 win, showing his blistering pace and producing a composed finish.

  In 10 appearances and only six starts, Doku has two goals and two assists – a solid return for a young player still feeling his way into the best team in Europe.

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  An antidote to modern footballers

  Part of the reason why Doku has been such a revelation at City is that he offers something completely different to his team-mates. Most City players have been shaped by academies, where youngsters are coached so thoroughly and moulded into identikit players.

  City assistant coach Juanma Lillo, writing in during last year's World Cup, decried the homogenous nature of modern footballers, which he admitted to be partly responsible for. "Everything is globalised now. At club level, if you go to a training session in Norway and one in South Africa, they’ll be the same," he wrote.

  "'Look inside to find spaces outside’, ‘pass here, pass there’. The good dribblers are over, my friend. Where can you find them? I can’t see any. We don’t even realise the mess we’ve made."

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  Honing his skills on the street

  Doku, however, is a breath of fresh air. He is a thrilling dribbler, unpredictable and a nightmare to defend against. While he joined the academy of Anderlecht aged 10, he supplemented his education with plenty of games on the streets, which explains his wild style.

  "I learned to dribble on my own," he told Man City's official magazine. "I was always outside, playing with a football practising but nowadays, you see kids do that less and less and you don’t see as many kids playing on the street with a ball any more.

  "They maybe play, but in their home or garden and I don’t think that’s good because I learned on the street against other kids. Street football was where I honed my skills."

Erik ten Hag challenged his Manchester United players to bounce back from their 4-3 Champions League defeat against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

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• United beaten 4-3 by Bayern
• Onana blunder gave away lead
• Ten Hag expects better from team

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  An Andre Onana blunder against a tame shot from Leroy Sane saw United go behind in the first half before Serge Gnabry made it 2-0 four minutes later. Rasmus Hojlund pulled one back for United, but Harry Kane fired in a penalty and Mathys Tel netted a fourth to make Casemiro's late double an irrelevance.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The defeat is United's third in a row and fourth overall this season and Ten Hag feels his team should have done enough to get at least a point from their trip to Germany.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  "Disappointed because we should stay in the game. If you score three goals at Bayern Munich you have to take a point," he told . "We are in a period, a lot is going against us. We have to make our own luck. We've played great teams in the last three games."

  Goalkeeper Onana accepted blame for his team's defeat, but Ten Hag feels it does not all rest on the Cameroon international's shoulders, adding: "It's good he's doing that but it's about the team. Mistakes are being made but you have to bounce back as a team. If one player makes a mistake, it's done, it's gone. We have to believe as a team that we can always bounce back. Tonight we showed it."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  United will hope to end their losing streak when they come up against Bunrley on Saturday.

Malik Tillman missed out on PSV's routine Eredivisie win over Almere after being punished by head coach Peter Bosz

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• USA international joined PSV from Bayern Munich on loan at the start of the season
• Tillman has struggled somewhat to make an early impact at the Eredivisie giants
• Dropped for latest league game after oversleeping

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  What happened?

  USMNT starlet Malik Tillman missed PSV's 4-0 Eredivisie win over Almere City on Saturday after being dropped by head coach Peter Bosz for failing to show up on time.

  The attacking midfielder was hopeful Bosz would forgive him for the incident, but the PSV boss was having none of it.

  "Tillman overslept, so I decided to leave him at home," Bosz told reporters.

  "I think there's not a single coach out there where you get away with that.

  "He was keen to join the team regardless, but I told him there was no need for it. He will be back in training on Sunday."

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• The bigger picture

  Tillman joined PSV from Bayern Munich on a one-year loan deal at the start of the season, but he has found it hard to make an impact so far due to the stiff competition for places.

  He scored on his Eredivisie debut on September 2, finding the net in a 4-0 win over RKC, but has featured for just 18 minutes in the Dutch top flight so far.

  Bosz has so far preferred the likes of Ismael Saibari and Guus Til over the 21-year-old in the No.10 role.

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  And what's more

  Fellow USMNT star Ricardo Pepi enjoyed a far more successful evening as he netted his second Eredivisie goal of the 2023-24 campaign, firing home his side's fourth late on.

  Pepi has now scored three times in eight appearances in all competitions for PSV after joining them from Augsburg in July.

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• Did you know?

  PSV have three USMNT internationals on their books this season.

  Pepi and Tillman are being accompanied by Barcelona loanee Sergino Dest, with the full-back returning to the Eredivisie after coming through the ranks at Ajax.

Brazil's No.9 has the quality and heart to make Harry Kane's position his own – but he can't fire Spurs back into the top four on his own

The 2022-23 campaign was nothing short of a disaster for Tottenham. They made their best start to a top-flight season in 59 years under Antonio Conte, picking up 23 point from their first 10 games, but spectacularly imploded thereafter.

By March, Spurs were out of the race for Champions League qualification and destined to extend their trophy drought to 15 years, and Conte was sacked after publicly questioning the commitment of his players. The Italian's assistant, Cristian Stellini, took charge on an interim basis, only to also face the axe after an embarrassing 6-1 defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park.

It was pure chaos. Spurs have been in decline since Mauricio Pochettino's exit in 2019, but the collective standards slipped to unacceptable levels as they plummeted to eighth in the Premier League. The only man that could hold his head up high by the end of the season was Harry Kane.

The England striker somehow managed to score 30 goals, despite the lack of quality around him, moving to within just 47 of Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League record. Kane deserves better, and he'll certainly be getting that after completing his big-money move to Bayern Munich. Spurs, meanwhile, face the almost impossible task of replacing his goals, leadership and all-round quality.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. Former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is now at the helm, and he's made an excellent first impression with his no nonsense approach. He's also added a number of new players to his squad this summer, most noticeably England midfielder James Maddison.

The Australian is optimistic that he can end the club's long wait for silverware and get them competing for a place in the top-four again, and after a productive pre-season and some smart business, Spurs might just be on the brink of a resurgence even without Kane. But what does their strongest line-up look like now?

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  GK: Guglielmo Vicario

  Hugo Lloris has been Tottenham's No.1 for the best part of the last decade, but he was one of the worst goalkeepers in the Premier League last term. The Frenchman, who is still officially the club captain, has been given permission to push through a transfer, and Spurs have already signed his replacement.

  Vicario joined from Empoli in a £17 million ($22m) deal at the end of June, and has been a regular between the sticks for Postecoglou's side in pre-season. The Italy international is an excellent shot-stopper who kicks off attacks with his progressive passing – and at just 26 he still has plenty of room for improvement.

  Lloris is already a relic of the past in the eyes of Spurs supporters, but Vicario is very much the future.

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  RB: Emerson Royal

  Its no secret that Emerson has struggled to live up to expectations since his £26m ($33m) move to Spurs from Barcelona in September 2021. However, the Brazilian has been given a clean slate after Postecoglou's appointment, and has impressed throughout pre-season as an inverted full-back.

  January signing Pedro Porro is also vying for the right-back spot in the team, and offers more of an attacking threat than Emerson. But the former Barca man is far stronger defensively, which is why he should get the nod at the start of the season.

  Spurs will need a solid foundation at the back in order for their more adventurous attacking set-up to work, and Emerson has proven that he deserves a second chance.

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  CB: Cristian Romero

  Spurs players have often been accused of lacking fight and passion over the years, but no one could aim that criticism at Romero, who has added much-needed grit to the squad since his move from Atalanta two years ago.

  The Argentine World Cup winner is a proactive, front-footed defender with a ferocious competitive streak that makes him a constant nuisance for opposition attackers. He's also one of the few natural leaders in the Tottenham dressing room and his continued presence will be vital to their chances of enjoying a strong campaign.

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  CB: Micky van de Ven

  Tottenham signed Wolfsburg centre-back Mickey van de Ven in a £43m ($55m) deal, having reportedly seen off competition from Liverpool – and the Netherlands U21 international could prove to be one of the signings of the summer.

  The 22-year-old is surprisingly nimble and quick with the ball at his feet for a big man, and excels when driving out of defence, which has seen him compared to fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk.

  Van de Ven looks ideally suited to the Premier League and will compliment Romero perfectly in the heart of the Spurs defence if he can replicate the form he showed on a consistent basis in Germany.

As Manchester City made history on Tuesday night, reaching their first ever Champions League final and overcoming Ligue 1 giants Paris-Saint Germain 4-1 on aggregate, many Sky Blues supporters took to social media and slammed Ander Herrera for his post-match comments.

Pep Guardiola’s men clinched a memorable 2-0 second leg victory at the Etihad Stadium thanks to a brace from star winger Riyad Mahrez and some heroic defending from the likes of Ruben Dias and John Stones.

The Algerian star was first there to pounce on a ricocheted Kevin De Bruyne effort to fire a neat finish through Keylor Navas’ legs.

As City sat back and waited for their next opportunity, the Sky Blues eventually found one in the form of a second half counter attack – with Phil Foden’s low cross then providing a tap-in for Mahrez to double their lead.

On an historic night for the club, however, many supporters took some anger out on Herrera following his post match message.

Despite the home side having more shots on target, efforts inside the box and big chances (SofaScore), the opposing midfielder and former Man United ace believes PSG were the ‘better side’ for a majority of the game (The Sun).

Flocking to his comments, many City supporters had their say – find a flavour of their comments from social media down below.

Man City fans destroy Herrera

“No way”

Credit: @MarshallMCFC

“Biggest clown I’ve heard”

Credit: @Lanuito7

“This is laughable”

Credit: @sam_bling

“Nah he’s got to be joking”

Credit: @ItsinSaneLeroy

“Thinks he’s Fergie”

Credit: @petermcr

“Herrera delusional.”

Credit: @MCFCVillain

“What game was he watching”

Credit: @bald_21lva

“No way 

They just can’t take it. Need to learn to lose respectfully.”

Credit: @notamendy

In other news: Man City fans also flocked to these quotes from an agent, find out more here.

The Gunners have been interested in the England striker for some time, and submitted a world-record bid in January that Manchester United rejected

One of women's football's biggest summer transfer sagas has finally come to an end. England star Alessia Russo left Manchester United in mid-June, having failed to agree a new deal with the club. Enter Arsenal, one of the Red Devils' biggest rivals for trophies in England, who snapped up a forward they have admired for many, many years now.

Her destination almost always appeared to be north London, but when reports emerged that she could yet return to the United States, where she excelled in college, that added a little doubt. Lyon, the eight-time European champions, were also linked with Russo, as well as there being rumblings of interest from elsewhere on the continent.

The number of suitors underlined just how highly-rated the 24-year-old is, even if she only hit double figures in a league season for the first time in 2022-23. So, what will Russo bring to Arsenal? How does she fit in? GOAL takes a look at what the move means…

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  Arsenal finally get their target

  Arsenal’s interest in Russo goes back some years. The club actually looked at her at the start of 2020, and conversations were had with then manager Joe Montemurro, who described the player as being "very interested".

  However, the Covid-19 pandemic caused chaos. Russo was in the U.S. at the time, representing the North Carolina Tar Heels, and there was a lot of confusion around the college season.

  “It was bound to start, then it stopped. Then they started it again, and then they canned it. Then, all of a sudden, there was a big rush to get players signed and players sorted,” Montemurro explained in late 2020. “Unfortunately, with Alessia, we just weren't in a position at the time to bring her in and she obviously found a solution at United. All credit to her, she's doing very well.”

  That interest was revived in January, when Arsenal submitted a world-record bid for Russo in a desperate attempt to sign a forward before the end of the winter window, having lost both Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema to ACL injuries in the first half of the season.

  Understandably, United were never going to let their starting striker join a team they were rivalling for the Women’s Super League title and Women’s Champions League places. It was the right decision, even if she left for free.

  Three-and-a-half years on from their initial interest, Arsenal have finally got their target, beating both United and NWSL side Washington Spirit to her signature.

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  What will Russo bring?

  Having watched her score a late, late winner at the Emirates last season in what was a thrilling 3-2 win for Manchester United, Arsenal know all about Russo’s qualities. The England star is a top finisher, she can hold the ball up well and she’s good in the air, too, all traits that make her a brilliant back-to-goal centre-forward.

  Russo's movement is also excellent and helped her form a great relationship with Ella Toone, United's playmaking midfielder. It will be interesting to see how those partnerships develop between her and her new team-mates at Arsenal, because the London club have a lot of players able to thread those eye-of-the-needle passes.

  Throw in Russo's quality in possession and skillfulness, and she will suit the Gunners' easy-on-the-eye style of play, while she also brings big experience despite only being 24. After all, the forward was a stand-out performer in England’s Euro 2022 triumph, scoring four goals in six games despite coming off the bench in all of them.

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  How will Russo fit?

  This is the biggest question around Russo’s move to Arsenal. The forward will compete with Stina Blackstenius for that starting striker role, but will bring something very different to the table in comparison to the Swede.

  While Blackstenius presses hard and makes great runs off the shoulder, Russo – who can still make runs in behind – plays more with her back to goal and can drop deeper at times to get involved.

  Will that see her get in the way of players like Miedema, who upon her return from an ACL will likely play as a No.10 again? Or will it open up space for her, Frida Maanum and others to run in behind? Will Russo have to adapt to Arsenal’s style, or will the Gunners adapt to suit their new signing?

  It’s certainly going to be interesting to watch her time with the club unfold because of these questions. Arsenal have a lot of very different attacking options they can deploy now, and those different combinations in the front three, and in midfield, could also change how things look as Russo prepares to pull on the club’s colours for the first time.

  It could well add another dynamic to Jonas Eidevall's team and make them more adaptable.

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  Important depth for Arsenal

  Another significant thing to note about Russo’s arrival at the Emirates is that it improves Arsenal’s depth up top. The Gunners were hit so hard by injuries last year and, as a result, the goal-scoring burden fell heavily on the shoulders of Blackstenius. To have two centre forwards who can now absorb that responsibility will not only help the Swede, but also Mead and Miedema.

  The injured pair should start to come back into the fold as the 2023-24 season begins, and Russo’s addition means even less pressure should be on them as they start to return from long lay-offs.

  It’s also a good signing for Gio, the young Brazilian that was on loan at Everton for the first half of the 2022-23 season after joining from Barcelona last summer. She was doing well with the Toffees, finding her feet in English football without too much pressure on her, until Eidevall had to recall the 20-year-old in January due to those injuries.

  Gio had her part to play when she came back to north London, but it was always going to be difficult for her to make a huge mark under the circumstances. Russo’s arrival likely opens the door for her to get another productive loan spell in England under her belt instead.