Arsenal could be forced into the transfer market for a new attacker in the January window.

Manager Unai Emery was rocked with the news that Danny Welbeck will miss the foreseeable future after suffering a badly broken ankle. The English forward had started to hit a rich vein of form under the Spaniard, netting five goals in all competitions. He faces a long spell on the sidelines, with his contract expiring in the summer, he could have played his final game for the club.

Arsenal’s head of football Raul Sanllehi hinted the club could be forced to target a replacement when the window reopens in less than two months. Youngster Eddie Nketiah remains untested at the highest level, and an injury to one of Arsenal’s key forwards could prove costly.

Therefore, the Gunners should make Lille hotshot Jonathan Bamba their number one target in the New Year.

Valued at just £13.5 million by Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old went under the radar in the summer, with Lille picking him up on a free transfer after a respectable season with Angers. Bamba ended the campaign with seven goals and eight assists, and has already hit the ground running with his new employers in netting seven goals and laying on one assist so far this term, which should make Arsenal scouts sit up and take notice.

Primarily a left winger, the youngster is also comfortable through the middle, making him the perfect replacement for Welbeck. Bamba possesses electrifying pace and would be a frightening prospect alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Gunners attack. Learning from the Gabon international would also do wonders for his development, and help take his game to the next level.

Should his impressive showings continue, it won’t be long before a top European side come calling – Arsenal must ensure they are first in line for his signature when the New Year comes around.

Arsenal fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Liverpool left themselves needing a win at home to Napoli in order to qualify from their Champions League group as they lost 2-1 away at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening, and many fans blamed the result on Jurgen Klopp’s team selection.

The main gripe among fans on Twitter was the midfield three of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Gini Wijnaldum, who all struggled to both create anything for the front-three and provide adequate protection for the back four.

The Reds were behind after just 13 minutes as Spanish full-back Juan Bernat beat Alisson with a low finish after Virgil van Dijk’s poor clearance.

Haven’t seen Paul Pogba’s latest strange photoshoot? You need to check out the video below…

PSG then doubled their lead around 25 minutes later as Brazilian star Neymar was allowed to run straight through the centre of the park and eventually finish a rebound from just outside the six-yard box.

Milner did pull one back for Klopp’s side from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time, but other than this the Liverpool midfield were outclassed by Marco Verratti.

We’ll never know if things could have been different had Klopp started any of the summer signings, Fabinho, Naby Keita or Xherdan Shaqiri, who were all sat on the bench but many Liverpool fans were not happy with the German’s call.

Check out some of the reaction below.

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A report in The Daily Express on Tuesday said that new Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is lining up what would be an ambitious January move for £30m-rated RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano, and his arrival at St Mary’s would likely have big implications for the club and some of its current players.

On the chalkboard

Well, one of the reasons Saints find themselves in trouble is because they can’t keep it tight at the back and are prone to defensive errors, and with 30 goals conceded in 16 Premier League matches so far this term they sit 19th in the standings.

Former boss Mark Hughes dabbled formations that incorporated two and three centre-backs, but whoever has appeared in the starting XI has largely looked uncomfortable or likely to make a mistake, with Maya Yoshida, Wesley Hoedt and Jannik Vestergaard just a few of the culprits at the heart of the south coast outfit’s defence.

The latter produced a dreadful back-pass which led to the Cardiff City goal in his side’s 1-0 defeat against their fellow top flight strugglers last weekend, and despite being highly-rated on his arrival from the Bundesliga in the summer he has visibly found it difficult to make the transition.

What would Upamecano’s arrival mean?

Hasenhuttl would have been less than impressed with Vestergaard’s mistake that cost his new team a point on Saturday, and the addition of the highly-rated Upamecano would surely push the Dane further down the pecking order.

Bringing the 20-year-old to St Mary’s will be a tough task, but seeing as the Austrian manager has worked with him before it perhaps shouldn’t be ruled out, even if he would cost an astronomical fee that would break their transfer record.

With the likes of Yoshida, Hoedt, Vestergaard, Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek – who outshone his centre-back partner in south Wales – already competing for two spots, signing Upamecano would surely push the 26-year-old Denmark international towards a swift Southampton exit.

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Had Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho known that he would fail to bring a new centre-back to Old Trafford in the summer, there is every chance that Axel Tuanzebe would not have been allowed to move on loan at Aston Villa.

Indeed, defence has been a real issue for United this season, and whilst the likes of Phil Jones and Eric Bailly are struggling, Tuanzebe is starring at Villa Park.

The Chalkboard

Now, it almost goes without saying that the Premier League is an entirely different kettle of fish to the Championship. Jones would probably be the standout defender in the second tier of English football, but the Englishman’s form in recent games has been disappointing.

Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof have both been okay defensively, but Marcos Rojo is not the class of player that United need, and it is not a surprise that Mourinho is so desperate to bring a new centre-back to Old Trafford.

The 20-time English champions do need to sign a top-drawer central defender either in January or at the end of the season, but Tuanzebe should certainly be given the chance to secure a first-team spot during the 2019-2020 campaign.

Indeed, a whole season of uninterrupted Championship football would do Tuanzebe the world of good, and he should return to Old Trafford as a 21-year-old looking to nail-down a first-team position.

Tuanzebe’s United career thus far…

Eight first-team appearances. Five of those came in the Premier League, including four during the 2016-17 season.

Tuanzebe has actually been with United since the age of eight, and was a member of their Milk Cup winning youth teams in both 2013 and 2014, before landing the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2015.

The 6ft 1in defender’s first-team debut came in January 2017 when he appeared as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup.

An ankle injury meant that Tuanzebe’s long spell at Villa last season was cut short, but he returned for the 2018-19 campaign and has been in very impressive form this term.

If things continue as they are then there is no reason why the Englishman cannot form part of Mourinho’s first-team plans for the 2018-19 season.

Replacing Roy Hodgson in charge of Crystal Palace would be a challenge for any manager, so expect the board to demand success if you choose to take up the task on Football Manager 2019.

The Selhurst Park natives have a squad on the cusp of breaking without the right reinforcements, or risk losing their key stars to bigger sides.

Prepare yourself for a challenge with Football FanCast’s in-depth team guide…

The board’s expectations

Concerning the Premier League, the Eagles executives request a mid-table finish, but want you to match it with a fifth Round appearance in the FA Cup and progressing to at least the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

The transfer war chest

Despite demanding relative success in each competition, Steve Parish, David Blitzer and Joshua Harris are not keen on parting with their cash.

As such, there is just £8.5million put on the table for any signings you wish to make, and a wage allocation of £30,000 – barely enough for a marquee addition before players are sold.

The lack of funds raises the question Palace fear: do you keep or sell Wilfried Zaha?

Watch the video below to check out the hilarious things footballers get up to at Christmas…

Three players to buy

Pepe

Former Real Madrid regular Pepe is one of the bargain buys on Football Manager 2019.

Admittedly, it would be a short-term purchase as the Portuguese ace is now 35, but he would be a rock at the back for Palace with 17 tackling, 17 positioning and 19 bravery.

Samir Nasri

The Eagles lack a great deal of creativity in midfield and former Arsenal and Manchester City ace Samir Nasri can provide that.

Being a free agent, the attacking mid, capable of playing across the line, would be a sensible addition for a year or two while you build the financial reserves.

What he would bring to the club attribute wise is exemplified in his 17 technique, 16 vision, 16 passing and 14 finishing.

Carlos Vela

Andros Townsend may possess some redeemable qualities on FM19, but Los Angeles FC megastar Carlos Vela would be a step up and beyond.

The 29-year-old Mexican is one of the higher rated right-wingers and still has some room to grow, all for as little as £6million.

Three players to sell

Wayne Hennessey

Welsh international shot-stopper Wayne Hennessey will not rival Vicente Guaita for a starting spot in your side, and his valuation of £8.75million would add a great deal to your available funds.

You would have to sign a new backup for the Spaniard, however, but there is a magnitude of goalkeepers on the market who can contribute as much for far less, especially loan-wise.

James McArthur

Despite a lack of quality, there are a number of options to call on should you desire an out-and-out defensive midfielder. Amongst those include Cheikhou Kouyate, Luka Milivojevic and Scotland’s James McArthur.

The 30-year-old Scot is valued at £12.75m and could be easily cashed in on thanks to his fellow midfielder’s qualities matching and exceeding his own.

Connor Wickham

There’s certainly a case of strikers who cannot score wasting Crystal Palace’s funds, and 25-year-old Connor Wickham fits that description better than anyone.

The former Sunderland disaster recorded just 15 goals in 91 games for the Black Cats, and he continued this vein of form in London, with nine in 34 games over three seasons.

Valued at £11m, selling Wickham would be a wise decision, especially as it would take £60k off the wage bill, too.

Three for the future

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Defensive wonder Aaron Wan-Bissaka is the young Eagle to develop.

The 20-year-old right-back is the only Under 21 currently at the club who can develop into a top draw talent, and solidifies his importance as their first-choice full-back.

Jairo Riedewald

Another reason why McArthur’s departure would not be felt is the emergence of Jairo Riedewald.

The 21-year-old defensive midfielder can develop into a first-team option, and cover a key role for years to come – freeing transfer plans for other areas of the pitch.

Max Meyer

Beyond Zaha, the offence at Crystal Palace must be built around the gifted Max Meyer.

The 22-year-old released by Schalke has the potential to be an incredible creative force in your side, and chose not to build around the German ace and you are paying £125k a week for a luxury item.

Manchester United have picked up somewhat since the arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager, with two comfortable wins in a row meaning things are looking up at Old Trafford.

The previous atmosphere at the club under manager Jose Mourinho was toxic to say the least, and the Norwegian deserves a chunk of credit for seemingly ridding the club of that feeling and allowing the Red Devils’ players to go out and play with freedom.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, eyes will be fixed on the club as onlookers observe if any new signings will be made by the club with a temporary manager in charge.

We at the Tavern think that there is definitely room for improvement, and one man we feel the club should be going all out to buy is Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, who has been in superb form for the French side in recent times.

Ndombele possesses all the qualitys of somene who can boss the midfield area, and with Nemanja Matic not getting any younger, adding someone like the Lyon star to the Old Trafford ranks could well be the ideal move.

It would allow Paul Pogba to flourish of course, and that can only be a good thing for the club. Lyon will know scouts will be watching Ndombele, and they might well be keen to cash in on the £45m-rated star sooner rather than later.

United fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

Tottenham fans have taken to Twitter to express their concern over some old quotes from Christian Eriksen, which have become relevant once again.

The Danish playmaker said back in 2014 that he has a ‘dream’ and a ‘secret plan’ in his head in regards to where he sees his career going, which is assumed to be in regards to playing for Barcelona at some point in his career.

However, whilst those quotes have aged quite a bit since then, they have become the source of debate amongst Spurs fans who feel that the former Ajax man’s reluctance to sign a new contract with the club isn’t about money, but is instead related to him looking to fulfil his dream of a move to the Camp Nou.

Supporters of the north London club will be panicking about losing one of their star men, especially as they’ve been crying out for quality additions to boost their title hopes, and they certainly haven’t had their worries eased by Eriksen’s old quotes…

Derby fans have taken to Twitter in smug fashion after it was revealed that their club’s former boss Gary Rowett had been sacked by Stoke following a dismal campaign so far.

Rowett left the Rams on bad terms, as he requested to speak to the Potters following their relegation to the Championship despite still being under contract at Pride Park – his desire to leave came soon after he saw his side lose to Fulham in the play-off semi-final.

Derby did receive £2m compensation for Rowett, but he is a heavily disliked figure around the club – the fans even waved inflatable snakes at the former Birmingham manager when Stoke took on Derby earlier in the season.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Theo Ogden made the 100 mile trip from Bolton to Hull only to see his side demolished 6-0 by the Tigers. Check out his reaction in the video below…

Rowett was in charge for just eight months at Stoke, but following their run of eight wins in 26 Championship games, he has been axed much to the delight of Derby fans, who are revelling in his failure.

Let’s take a look at some of the best tweets…

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According to Goal, Arsenal are close to securing a loan deal for Barcelona winger Denis Suarez.

Unai Emery has made it clear that the Gunners are in the market for loan deals only and that the north London club are not in a position to make permanent signings in this January transfer window, as reported by talkSPORT. 

Therefore, Suarez’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium would be on a temporary basis until the end of the season only.

Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…

Whilst many Arsenal fans will be understandably disappointed to hear that no permanent signings will be made, they ought to be excited about the potential arrival of Suarez.

The 25-year-old is on the fringes of the Barcelona squad, but is certainly a very talented player. The once-capped Spain international was brought on as a second-half substitute in Barca’s recent defeat to Levante. 

Although the winger couldn’t completely turn the game around in his 23 minutes on the pitch, he did produce a spectacular, mazy dribble that resulted in him winning a penalty for his side that got them back into the game.

Suarez’s impressive cameo impressed plenty of Arsenal fans, who took to twitter to express their excitement over the Spaniard’s expected arrival…

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Christian Eriksen’s future with Tottenham Hotspur is far from secure as the attacker continues to drag his heels over a new contract, according to AS.

The Chalkboard

Eriksen will see his contract with Tottenham expire at the end of next season and it is understood that talks over a new deal are not going too well.

The 26-year-old is one of the finest attacking midfielders in world football and he has been a revelation since arriving at Spurs in the summer of 2013.

The Denmark international is enjoying another strong campaign with six goals and nine assists in 27 appearances in all competitions.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have been strongly linked with a move for the 6ft ace, however, while AS have claimed that Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are also closely monitoring developments.

It is looking increasingly likely that Eriksen will leave Tottenham in search of pastures new and his exit could be the start of a tough summer for the club.

Pochettino to Man United?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been a sensation since replacing Jose Mourinho as head coach of Man United last month.

It is difficult to ignore Mauricio Pochettino’s work at Tottenham, however, and it seems that the Argentine is still the favourite to become Mourinho’s long-term successor.

Tottenham did not spend a single penny in last summer’s transfer window and there is no getting away from the fact that they simply cannot compete financially with the likes of Man United and Man City.

Losing Eriksen and Pochettino in one summer would be a huge blow for the club and could well lead to the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Kane questioning their futures. Toby Alderweireld, meanwhile, is sure to move on.

Tottenham’s form this season has been incredible when considering their lack of investment last summer, but the 2019-2020 campaign could be very different indeed.

CheekySport’s Joel claims Spurs badly need to invest in January after not having “the balls” to beat Arsenal. Check out his uncensored opinion in the video below…