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The January transfer window is still some way in the distance, but the rumours have already begun in earnest.
Arsenal splashed the cash in the summer with a record-breaking move for Nicolas Pepe from Lille, and new recruit Kieran Tierney is finally bedding into the squad after recovering from injury.
They signed midfielder Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid – and there are rumours that he may be looking to seal a move away from the Spanish giants. Could that be sorted out in January?
With Spurs making a flailing start to the Premier League season – and with only one of their summer recruits really making a impact on the team so far this season, are we going to see Daniel Levy sanction any moves to add players to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad?

Ajax were halfway through last season when the feeling of inevitability set in.
This is a club where historically the best young talents rarely stick around, prised away by teams in bigger markets with more money, and as Erik ten Hag’s team progressed past Real Madrid and Juventus before eventually capitulating so dramatically against Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final it became crystal clear that this group would be broken up.

First Frenkie de Jong, the 22-year-old midfielder, announced that he was heading to Barcelona at the end of the season in a move agreed in January, long before Ajax won the hearts of fans across the continent thanks to a thrilling attacking approach that humbled two of the continent’s giants.
Then it was the turn of Matthijs De Ligt, the centre back who joined Juventus in July and has found life a little more testing in Turin. Kasper Dolberg, the 21-year-old striker, and promising defender Maximilian Wober departed too, along with the veteran presence of Lasse Schone.
In total the Dutch champions earned £185million from player sales in one window but reinvested only £50million on new acquisitions.
Now, sixteen games into this season, there is a compelling argument to be made that they are an even greater force.
They have won their opening two Champions League group fixtures, at home to Lille and away to Valencia 3-0, which means that a victory against Chelsea tomorrow night would make their progression to the last 16 a near formality.
Preposterously considering last year’s achievements, they had to go through two qualifying rounds – beating PAOK, who Chelsea faced in last season’s Europa League, and APOEL.
Domestically Ajax are unbeaten, winning eight and drawing two games to open up a three-point gap over PSV.
In terms of advanced statistics they are also outperforming 2018-19: among other leaps, they have jumped from 2.32 to 2.52 per the xGf metric and have reduced their xGa from 1.11 to 0.9.
They are shooting more, passing more and also retaining possession better.
So how have they managed to do it despite losing their two best players? Speaking at his pre-match press conference to preview Wednesday’s game, Ten Hag reiterated more than once that “last year was last year,” stressing the importance of focusing on the present.
“We are building a new team and developing a new team,” he added. “Now we have to step up and become better. Sometimes you fall down but you also have to step up again and be better, develop. That’s only possible when you play out of your philosophy. Our attitude is to be better every day.

Real Madrid target Christian Eriksen may have to give up his dream of a move to the Spanish club. The 27-year-old international is available for around £30 million, and Real had considered paying up despite him being free in the summer, in order to avoid a biddding was with Paris Saint-Germain, according to the Sun. However the emergence of Federico Valverde has put the need for a transfer in doubt.

Nigeria midfielder Joe Aribo is determined to keep improving his form after earning plaudits for his recent performances for both club and country, reports Completesports.com .
Aribo, 23, has enjoyed a promising start to his career with Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers few months after his transfer from Charlton Athletic.
The talented player has cemented a place in Steven Gerrard’s team despite doubts over his potential upon arrival at the club.
Aribo returned to the Gers starting line-up in Sunday’s 1-1 away draw against Hearts after missing the last three games as a result of head injury.
On the international scene, he has been impressive for Nigeria scoring in his first two games for the Super Eagles.
He scored a sublime goal in the 1-1 friendly draw against Brazil last Sunday.
“I am just thankful to God that I am able to be back and to be playing again, I just want to keep performing and keep playing as I can,” Aribo told Rangers TV.
“It was a wonderful feeling (playing against Brazil) and one of the highest I have been in football and I am just happy that I am out there and playing, I just want to improve.”

Rumors has is that the English Football Association and Nigeria Football Federation are set to battle for the services of highly-rated Chelsea defender Derrick Abu.
While the English FA are monitoring the progress of Abu with a view to a call-up to the Young Lions, the Nigerian Federation are yet to make an approach for the player.
A right-back who is capable of playing as a right wing-back, Abu has been described as the younger version of Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Blessed with stamina and excellent crossing ability and passing skills, he has all the attributes to become a top right-back.
Abu was one of the outstanding players if not the best on Sunday as Chelsea U16s beat Manchester City 1-0 to win the Premier League U16 International Cup final.
England recently won the race for Tammy Abraham, while the battle for other Chelsea Academy products in Fikayo Tomori, Faustino Anjorin, Tariq Uwakwe, Ike Ugbo and Jordan Aina is not yet over.

Credit: allnigeriasoccer.com

The 30-player shortlist for the 2019 Ballon D’Or will be announced later this evening, with Virgil van Dijk, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo all thought to be likely to make the cut.

Liverpool were lucky to escape with a point after being “outworked” by Manchester United, according to the Super Sunday panel.
Jurgen Klopp’s side saw their lead at the top of the Premier League table trimmed to six points after having to come from behind to draw 1-1 with United at Old Trafford.

United dragged the league leaders into a scrap by playing with an intensity so often lacking this season, and Graeme Souness admitted his former side were fortunate to come away with a point.

He told Sky Sports: “I thought Liverpool got away with it today, but you have to give credit to Manchester United as during that first half, they worked their socks off. They didn’t allow Liverpool to get into the game at all.
“Their midfield is known for their work-rate but they were outworked and bossed in there today. Overall, I think the result is fair if you examine the stats with 68 per cent possession.
“But United will take a lot from it. They turned up today – they looked organised and they did carry a threat.

“Salah was out and Manchester United did a good job on their full-backs, except for the goal. But Liverpool have certainly got away with one today as a lot of their players didn’t turn up.
“Liverpool have a midfield that will outwork anyone, but they got outworked in the first half which is very unusual.
“When they get to the last third, they haven’t really got any cuteness in the midfield but what they do have is workaholics, with Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum.
“That’s why they huffed and puffed for large periods today as United sat so deep. It’s very harsh to be too critical on the Liverpool midfield.”

While United undoubtedly needed the point more than Liverpool, a win against their fierce rivals and Premier League leaders could have made a major difference to their season.
In the short term, the extra two points would have lifted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to eighth in the table instead of 13th, while a win that few people outside of Old Trafford seriously expected could have been the spark required to kick-start their season and lift morale among the squad and fans.

Newcastle are in the market for a new striker and, according to a new report, have set their sights on acquiring the services of Nigeria international, Victor Osimhen, who is currently on the books of Lille OSC of France.
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is the darling of several European clubs at the moment as the Chronicles have confirmed that Newcastle United scouts are keeping tabs on the young but exciting Lille star.
Earlier in the week, news broke out that
Barcelona had jumped ahead of the queue of clubs seeking to snap Osimhen away from Lille as the Catalonia giants begin to prepare for post-Suarez.
Osimhen enjoyed a breakthrough season last term at Sporting Charleroi where he banged in 20 goals in just his first season in Belgium.
The 20-year-old was quickly snapped up by Lille in the summer as a replacement for Portugal’s Leao who left for AC Milan.
But the former Wolfsburg lad has however been compared frequently to the prolific Nicolas Pepe who departed for Arsenal in a £72m deal, having netted eight goals in 11 appearances for the Ligue 1 side this season.
Osimhen only joined Lille from Belgian outfit Charleroi for £10.8million.
It is his exploits in France, and lately in the UEFA Champions League, that has compelled Newcastle’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson and his team to include Osimhen in their compiled list of striking options for Steve Bruce in the next couple of windows.
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce will have money available to spend in January and he may look to do a deal for the Nigerian if possible.
On Friday, Bruce said: “We’ll start planning in the next couple of weeks, but January is always a difficult window.
“Well see what’s out there.”

Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez scored two goals each as Inter Milan survived a late fightback to beat Sassuolo 4-3 on Sunday.
Martinez struck inside two minutes before Domenico Berardi equalised, but Lukaku gave Inter breathing space with a powerful strike and a penalty before half time.

Martinez stretched his side’s lead to 4-1 from the penalty spot after the break, but Sassuolo hit back through Filip Djuricic and Jeremie Boga strikes.
Antonio Conte’s side held on in a nervy finish to the game as the home side pressed for a remarkable equaliser.
“We did everything right in the first half and should have scored more in the second,” Lukaku told DAZN as reported by Reuters.

“Once it goes to 3-1 and 4-1, it ought to be over. The positive we take is that we got the three points, but we need to defend better than that.”
The result leaves Inter in second place on 21 points, one behind champions Juventus and four clear of Atalanta in third.