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Aston Villa are reportedly interested in former Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as Unai Emery prepares to bolster his squad this transfer window.

The Spaniard has had a strong start to the summer by acquiring the talents of Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby, however, there are expected to be more arrivals at Villa Park.

Who wants to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?

As reported by Sky Sports yesterday, both Villa and Brentford are chasing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is a free agent following the expiry of his contract at Anfield.

In their Transfer Centre, Sky Sports added that the midfielder has ‘already turned down’ lucrative offers from abroad with the desire to remain in England.

It was reported back in June by Football Insider that the Villans had been in ‘advanced talks’ for the 29-year-old, with a fresh update suggesting that the club remain in pursuit of the former England international.

What position could Oxlade-Chamberlain play at Aston Villa?

Having made 235 Premier League appearances, the midfielder has taken up a host of positions throughout his career, finding the most joy operating in central midfield.

Deployed primarily on the right flank while at Arsenal, the Portsmouth-born gem was renowned for his pace and strength in wide areas, however, struggled to consistently get among the goals.

Jurgen Klopp restored the faith in the Englishman by playing him in central midfield, where he immediately bettered his scoring tally in the league to all seasons prior in north London.

Despite nearing 30 years of age, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said in the club’s final matchday programme that the former Southampton man was in the “shape of his life”, and that his next club will have “won the lottery” in signing him.

For Villa, the time is now to bolster the squad currently on show at Villa Park, as the club prepares for their return to Europe for the first time since 2010.

Emery is building something encouraging in the Midlands, and the squad could still benefit from the signing of a player who boasts such strong experience in England as the Champions League winner.

Oxlade-Chamberlain could add a host of strengths to Emery’s side, most prominently in being available to replicate the service of club captain John McGinn, to whom he bears similarities.

Like the former Liverpool ace, the Scotsman has the versatility to play anywhere in the midfield, with both talents bringing energy and stability in the middle of the park in their approach to play.

Hailed as “superb” by BBC Sport writer Raj Chohan, the Englishman could add another source of reliability in midfield to that displayed by McGinn, as suggested by their numbers.

Likened to the Villa skipper for his statistics obtained in the 2019/20 Premier League season where he was a regular for the Reds, via FBref, the midfielder showcased strengths in progressive play mirrored by McGinn.

That term, the former Arsenal ace averaged 5.88 progressive passes and 2.91 progressive carries in comparison to the 28-year-old’s 4.68 progressive passes and 1.14 progressive carries per 90 last campaign.

The Englishman also showed strengths in his creative play, averaging 1.03 key passes per 90, highlighting another area in which he could benefit the side.

In signing the free agent, Emery could arm his side with a duplicate of McGinn, who is highly valued at Villa Park.

Tottenham Hotspur could finally be set to secure an heir to an old favourite of theirs, perfecting Ange Postecoglou's new-look midfield in the process.

Who are Tottenham Hotspur signing this summer?

With James Maddison the star new addition thus far, supplemented by the signings of Manor Solomon and Guglielmo Vicario, it seems that the Lilywhites are heading in the right direction towards building a brighter future.

However, it could certainly still be worth borrowing some ideals from the sole successful regime in recent memory though, taking a leaf out of Mauricio Pochettino's book by emulating his main men to prop up the new regime.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Of those stars of the past, few compare to Mousa Dembele, who held down the engine room with relentless power and endless grace for seven fine years. However, there is one star on the market who does boast frightening similarities both in physical profile and play style.

Sofyan Amrabat has been touted with an exit from Fiorentina ever since his exceptional World Cup, and it is Spurs who too are reportedly interested in making the Moroccan general the heir to their Belgian maestro.

He is expected to cost around €40m (£34m), per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

Whilst those performances on the world stage still stand as the apex of his career thus far, he has impressed for his club too across four years in Italy.

The 26-year-old managed a 6.86 average rating in Serie A last season, buoyed by his 90% pass accuracy, 75% dribble success and 1.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

When comparing that to Dembele's best year in north London, arguably throughout the 2015/16 campaign, it is clear that the similarities begin to shine through.

After all, they are both a couple of tough-tackling 6 foot 1 midfield stars, with the class to retain possession but also turn defence into attack in an instant.

During that Premier League term, the 36-year-old ace recorded a 7.41 average rating, with just four goal contributions, a 90% pass accuracy, a 92% dribble success rate, one key pass and 3.6 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

It was such form that led Pochettino to compare his key man to some of the greats he had met, claiming:

"I always say to him, ‘Mousa, when I write my book, you will be one of my genius players that I have been lucky enough to meet.

"One was Maradona; also Ronaldinho, Okocha and Iván de la Peña – he was a genius, too – and then Mousa. We always tell Mousa that if we had taken him at 18 or 19, he would have become one of the best players in the world."

Perhaps Postecoglou could now be credited with engineering that rise to the apex of world football with Amrabat, especially given that he has already received widespread praise of his own for that recent World Cup run. Journalist Carlo Garganese even noted:

"Amrabat the best centre midfielder in the tournament. MONSTER."

He too has that genius within him which is just waiting to be unleashed, with only flashes of it having been shown thus far in his career despite his ranking within the top 8% for progressive passes per 90 when compared to other midfielders across Europe.

Perhaps a switch to north London could see him truly look to Dembele as the benchmark, emulating the stylish flair that made him much more than your average defensive midfielder.

Arsenal winger Marquinhos is set for a medical at FC Nantes as the Gunners agree to a season-long loan without the option to buy, according to reports.

Who is leaving Arsenal?

So far, only a few players have departed the north London club, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Auston Trusty, Pablo Mari and long-serving midfielder Granit Xhaka standing out as the most noteworthy.

Mikel Arteta is in full preparation ahead of the new season, and after beating last season's treble-winners Man City in the Community Shield final on Sunday, they will be in good spirits.

Arsenal have attempted to back their manager with significant incomings this transfer window, having sealed deals for winger Kai Havertz, defender Jurrien Timber and central midfield star Declan Rice.

The aforementioned trio cost north of £200 million in a real statement of intent from Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar, but to free up squad space and more funds, certain players will need to make way.

Brentford's David Raya, who could come in to replace Matt Turner, is also closing in on a move to Arsenal as the club seek to provide competition for current number one Aaron Ramsdale.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

In terms of more outgoings, the likes of Folarin Balogun and Nicolas Pepe continue to be linked with moves away, and the former will command a £50 million price tag.

Marquinhos, who found game time difficult to come by last season, is apparently nearing the exit door as Ligue 1 side FC Nantes close in on a temporary deal.

That is according to newspaper L'Equipe, via Get French Football News, who say both Arsenal and Nantes have agreed to a season-long loan without an option to buy for the 20-year-old.

The attacker has featured regularly in Arsenal pre-season, even grabbing an assist against the MLS all-stars, but it appears Arsenal believe a loan move away is best for his development this campaign.

The transfer could happen very quickly, as L'Equipe say Marquinhos' medical at Nantes will happen imminently.

Little is said after that in regards to a loan fee, the wage split or other factors concerning the temporary move.

Who is Marquinhos?

The South American starlet was signed from Sao Paulo on a long-term Arsenal contract last summer.

"We’re delighted to have completed the transfer with Sao Paulo," said Edu in 2022.

"As Marquinhos was a player we had been watching for a while. At 19, he is still very young, so he is a player for the future. We look forward to Marquinhos now joining us for pre-season, making his new home, and continuing to grow and develop with us.”

Marquinhos has represented Brazil at Under-16 and Under-17 level, with Arteta praising him as a "very popular" member of the squad.

Arsenal's boss said:

“He’s very popular, with no English, just with his smile and attitude. He has earned the respect and admiration of everybody here.

“It was a big step for him because he hasn’t played enough minutes with us but we were willing to give him the opportunity. I think he deserved it, I think he took it really well and he’s a player that needs to keep developing and in order to do that we need to give him opportunities.”

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah is "100% open" to the idea of joining the Saudi league in the future, according to journalist Ismael Mahmoud.

How much does Mohamed Salah earn?

The 31-year-old, who earns £350,000 per week at Anfield currently, has been an unbelievable servant for the Reds since arriving from Roma back in the summer of 2017. He has smashed endless goaslcoring records, won many trophies and outlined his status as one of the world's best players.

In fact, Salah's brilliance in a Liverpool shirt arguably means he should now be spoken of in the same breath as the likes of Sir Kenny Dalglish, Steven Gerrard, John Barnes, Ian Rush, Luis Suarez, Graeme Souness and Billy Liddell, in terms of the greatest player to ever represent the club, having scored 186 goals in just 305 appearances.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Egyptian legend is out of contract at Anfield in the summer of 2025, however, so there are understandable concerns that his time at the club could slowly be ticking down, with a decision potentially needing to be made next year, in terms of either cashing in on him or allowing his deal to run out 12 months later before he leaves for free.

With the likes of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson all moving to Saudi Arabia this summer, there is the risk that Salah could join them eventually, being one of the posters boys for the new league in the process.

Will Mohamed Salah stay at Liverpool?

Speaking to The Redmen TV [via Empire of the Kop], Mahmoud eased any fears over Salah leaving Liverpool this summer, but admitted that a future exit is a real possibility:

"For €60 million, Liverpool will not let him go, the door is closed this summer. He wants to wait and see the Saudi project before he makes a decision [next year].

"He is 100% open to Saudi but he knows if he takes the step to [Saudi Arabia] he won’t be in Europe again. Maybe he will go next year or two or after his contract. But not this year. Mo wants to stay in Europe for at least one more year."

Losing Salah this summer is something that doesn't even bear thinking about, considering he is still possibly the most important player at the club, having been hailed as "world-class" by Jurgen Klopp in the past.

That being said, it is easy to envisage a scenario where Liverpool's iconic No.11 eyes up a move to Saudi Arabia this time next year, having spent seven years on Merseyside at that point. The Reds would clearly only let him leave for an eye-watering amount of money, but it could be the logical decision to let a then 32-year-old move on, using the money to continue the rebuild under Klopp.

In an ideal world, Salah would again sign an extension at some point, considering he has the fitness levels to play at the very top well into his 30s, but that may not be possible, depending on what his stance is at the end of the 2023/24 season.

For now, Liverpool fans should cerish every minute of him and hope that he can inspire the Reds to more silverware over the next nine months or so.

Tottenham Hotspur legend Hugo Lloris could soon be departing the club after Harry Kane with journalist Fabrice Hawkins sharing a transfer update.

Who is leaving Spurs this summer?

The most high-profile and devastating departure by some way is Kane's transfer to Bayern Munich, and the star striker will be near-impossible to replace.

Kane parted company with Spurs after 12 years with the north Londoners, making his debut all the way back in the summer of 2011 against Hearts, leaving supporters with a bitter taste in their mouthes.

The 30-year-old had entered the final year of his Tottenham contract and could've left for free next summer, prompting Spurs to make the big decision of selling to Bayern for around €100 million (£86m) plus an extra €20 million (£17.2m) in possible add-ons

Midfielder Harry Winks also left Spurs for Leicester City earlier in the window, joining winger Lucas Moura out the door after the Brazilian's contract expired in June.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is also rumoured to be closing in on a move to Ateltico, while Lloris has candidly admitted that this summer could be the end of an era for him at Tottenham.

“We have reached an important moment, whether it be for the club or me,” said Lloris to Nice-Matin.

“It’s the end of an era. I have a desire for something else. I will carefully study what is possible. However, I haven’t forgotten that I have a year left on my contract at Tottenham, and in football, it’s always hard to predict what will happen."

The goalkeeper has been at Tottenham since signing from Lyon in 2012, but after 11 years, the time could be now for him to try a new challenge.

Lloris had been attracting interest from Saudi Arabian sides like Al-Hilal, but according to reporter Hawkins, Serie A side Lazio have now entered the bidding.

According to the journalist, writing on X, Maurizio Sarri's side are in talks with Lloris over a proposed transfer to Italy.

"Lazio is positioning itself on Hugo Lloris, the interest is mutual," said Hawkins on Friday.

"HL who should be released from Tottenham for “service rendered” negotiates with the Italian club.

"He was also offered to Real following Courtois' injury / other goalkeepers are higher on the shortlist."

How good is Hugo Lloris?

Lloris has made 447 competitive appearances for Spurs in all competitions over the last decade (Transfermarkt), proving an ever-faithful servant to the club.

The World-Cup winning star, though, suffered a decline in form over 2022/2023 – attracting criticism for his poor form and ultimately giving Spurs a decision to make this summer.

Lloris is now France's all-time most capped player, beating Les Bleus icon Lilian Thuram's record, with their manager Didier Deschamps calling him an "exemplary" figurehead.

“Records are made to be broken," said Deschamps after Lloris equalled Thuram's record late last year.

"It’s the longevity of two exemplary players, two great professionals who have both kept themselves at a very,very high level. These records mean something. Some are more anecdotal than others, but this one speaks for itself.”

Indeed, Lloris' experience on the biggest stages in football could be invaluable to any interested side.

Crystal Palace enjoyed a solid start to the 2023/24 Premier League season, defeating Sheffield United 1-0 as Roy Hodgson looks to build on a decent finish to last term.

The Eagles lost just twice in their final ten games during 2022/23, and it looks as though this momentum has carried through into the new campaign, giving Hodgson a wonderful platform to build on.

The club have made just two signings however and if a top-half finish is to be achieved, the veteran Englishman will be looking to secure a few more deals across the next week or so.

Could a move for a current Premier League defender be the catalyst for a productive end to the summer transfer window?

Are Crystal Palace interested in Djed Spence?

According to Football League World, Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to send out right-back Djed Spence on loan for the duration of the season.

Palace and Southampton are keen on securing a deal for the former Middlesbrough gem and with the promise of top-flight football, surely the London side hold an advantage over the Championship outfit.

His £20m move to Spurs has been a disaster, making just six appearances across all competitions and a fresh start for a team who could potentially challenge for a top-half finish would work wonders for his confidence.

How good is Djed Spence?

The 23-year-old enjoyed arguably the best football of his career during the 2021/22 season as he starred for Nottingham Forest during a season-long loan.

He ranked third for successful dribbles per game (1.8) and fifth for big chances created (six) across the whole squad, showcasing how effective he was at going forward from the defence and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Forest won promotion that season and Spence was a key feature in the team and there is no doubt he could thrive at Palace.

Indeed, he could even be Hodgson’s next Aaron Wan-Bissaka as Spence is statistically similar to the former Palace starlet according to FBref.

Across the big five European leagues, the Spurs defender ranks in the top 8% for pass completion percentage, progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, again demonstrating his wonderful attacking talents.

The United defender doesn’t rank quite as highly as the 23-year-old, but still features in the top 15% for pass completion percentage per 90 and is within the top 25% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

Wan-Bissaka has always been exceptional defensively, ranking in the top 8% of full-backs in Europe for interceptions per 90 (1.56), but that is an area where Spence thrives too, ranking as he did in the best 14% of full-backs in his triumphant Championship season for the same metric, although he actually made more per 90 minutes; 1.64.

The Englishman enjoyed an excellent spell coming through the ranks at Palace before sealing a £50m move to the Old Trafford side four years ago.

He eventually made 46 appearances for the Eagles before securing them a major financial boost.

Spence could bring something different to the Palace defence, and he was previously lauded by Ian Wright, himself a former Crystal Palace icon, following Forest’s win over Arsenal in 2022.

He said: “That was one of the best right-back performances I have seen for a very long time. A very long time.

"But I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.”

If the 6-foot gem can rediscover the form he displayed during his season in Nottingham, then Hodgson could secure himself a player with boundless talent and one who is similar to a former right-back that shone during his spell at Selhurst Park.

Southampton boss Russell Martin looks set to court a highly-rated defender to replace Tino Livramento at St Mary's Stadium before the transfer window closes, according to reports.

What's the latest Southampton news?

Saints have slowly edged themselves into the transfer window and are now looking to put the finishing touches to their squad before the close of play following the additions of Shea Charles, Joe Lumley, Ryan Manning and Flynn Downes on loan from West Ham United, as per Transfermarkt.

Big-name departures have also been a feature for Southampton over the course of the last couple of months due to their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship as James Ward-Prowse, Romeo Lavia and Mohammed Salisu – alongside Livramento – have left the South Coast club in favour of seeking a new challenge elsewhere.

Everton were said to be keen on Southampton striker Che Adams; however, talkSPORT claim on X that the Toffees have been unable to agree fee for the Scotland international, stating: "BREAKING: EFC are in talks with Udinese over a move for Brazilian striker Beto. The goal-shy Toffees have also tabled two bids for SaintsFC’s Che Adams, but have so far been unable to agree a deal. – talkSPORT sources understand."

If Adams were to go, Southampton did have designs on submitting a bid for Swansea City striker Joel Piroe as a potential replacement; nevertheless, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has since reported that the Dutchman is on his way to Leeds United to undergo a medical ahead of a switch to Elland Road.

As per BBC Sport, Swansea City defender Nathan Wood has been the subject of a rejected offer from an unnamed club and Jacks boss Michael Duff has refused to confirm the source of the proposal, as he stated: "I think there's a bid that got rejected. It's a sign of having good players. If no-one was bidding for any of the players, we'd be useless. We think we've got some good players, Woody's another one of those."

Who else could Southampton sign?

According to Football Insider, Southampton have enquired about signing West Ham United defender Ben Johnson as boss Martin seeks to fill the void left by Livramento at right-back.

Johnson has previously rejected a contract extension at the Hammers and features near the top of Southampton's wanted list for the remainder of the window amid uncertainty over his future at the London Stadium.

The 23-year-old, who was labelled as a "really important" player by West Ham boss David Moyes back in 2021, featured 29 times in all competitions for his current employers last term, registering a solitary assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions, Johnson has fared well regarding the art of successful aerial duels, winning an average of 1.75 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the 91st percentile for this metric, according to FBRef.

Clearly, Johnson is in need of regular first-team football to keep his career trajectory moving in the right direction and a move to the South Coast may help the London-born defender to realise these aspirations.

Bedlam. That was the word Sky Sports commentator Peter Drury aptly used to describe Declan Rice's first and last-gasp goal for the club as Arsenal beat Manchester United.

Indeed, the sound inside the Emirates was deafening, but perhaps not something we hadn't heard before.

Only a few months ago Reiss Nelson crashed home a last-minute winner against Bournemouth in injury time. For title-challenging reasons, that strike was massive, but the sheer emotion that was shown as Arsenal's £105m signing found the net on Sunday was something else.

It was a moment that truly saw the England international arrive as an Arsenal player and one that supporters won't forget in a hurry.

For a moment it looked as though they had lost the game too. Alejandro Garnacho's 88th-minute strike, which was ultimately disallowed for offside, was the turning point that Mikel Arteta's men needed.

Within minutes they were ahead and then moments later, Gabriel Jesus sat Diego Dalot down on the counter attack before rolling the ball home to seal a remarkable 3-1 victory in injury time.

Rice and Jesus were the heroes but another man, that of the returning Gabriel Magalhaes, deserves just as much praise.

How did Gabriel play against Manchester United?

The Brazilian was easily one of the club's best players last season, building a rapport with William Saliba that ensured Arteta had one of the finest centre-half pairings in the Premier League.

This term, however, has been different. Until Sunday, the former Lille man hadn't started in the early weeks of the season. A makeshift defence was instead preferred, with Ben White moved inside and Thomas Partey at right-back.

Partey, however, missed the game with United through injury which ensured Arteta could move back to his tried and tested four-man defence. Gabriel was the main beneficiary and he returned in some style.

Stats via Sofascore.

Arsenal did concede through Marcus Rashford's opener in the first half but the £100k-per-week defender wasn't at fault there. In fact, he didn't really truly come alive until the second 45 minutes.

Anthony Martial offered little up top and it wasn't until debutant Rasmus Hojlund entered the fray that Gabriel sprung into action.

He relished the physical battle with United's new signing, and dispatched him with ease as the young forward tried to enter the penalty area late on. Hojlund dragged the ball inside but was completely outmuscled.

Taking 73 touches throughout the contest, while winning six out of his eight physical duels, it was a complete performance by Gabriel, but his finest moment was saved for the offside goal.

As reporter Connor Humm put it, it was an "outrageous" piece of football IQ as the Brazil international stepped forward at the perfect moment to play Garnacho offside. It may have been lucky, it may have been risky, but it looked brilliant either way.

The 25-year-old has been known to play on the edge and with risk, but today it more than paid off in a moment that helped turn the game around for Arsenal.

It was a shock that he didn't start until this weekend but on the evidence provided, he should be a shoo-in alongside Saliba again for the foreseeable future.

Arsenal have already dropped their first points of the 2023/24 Premier League season following last week’s 2-2 draw against Fulham, and it’s clear that Mikel Arteta still has plenty of work to do in order to turn his squad from also-rans into league champions.

The summer transfer window saw just four new arrivals make the journey to the capital and with Champions League football returning to the Emirates following a seven-year hiatus, it remains to be seen whether they are ready for the step-up in quality.

Who did Arsenal sign during the transfer window?

Goalkeeper David Raya arrived on a season long loan deal as experienced cover for Aaron Ramsdale, while defender Jurrien Timber joined from Ajax alongside Kai Havertz from Chelsea and Declan Rice from West Ham United in what was a saga which stretched for the majority of the summer window.

A grand total of £208m was spent and with the spine of his team significantly improved from last term, a lack of depth may prove to be Arteta’s undoing, especially if the club go on deep runs in Europe and the domestic cups.

Timber was injured in their opening Premier League match of the new season and faces the prospect of missing the entire season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury, while Havertz has yet to sparkle, failing to score or grab an assist across four matches for the club.

Rice, on the other hand, has been a wonderful signing and although it’s early doors, he could become a mainstay in the Arsenal midfield for the next few years and cement himself as a legend.

How has Declan Rice performed this season?

Having led West Ham to their first trophy in over 40 years as they claimed the Europa Conference League last term, it was inevitable Rice was leaving the club.

The £240k-per-week gem has embraced the challenge of playing for a bigger team extraordinarily well, and he looks comfortable at this level.

The midfielder has an average Sofascore rating of 7.37 from his three league matches so far, good enough to rank him fifth in the squad, while he ranks third for accurate passes per game (69), tackles per game (three) and second for interceptions per game (1.3), already displaying his passing and defensive skills to the Emirates faithful.

It’s no wonder he has previously been described as a “Rolls Royce” by journalist Joshua Mbu, and he is exactly the type of player that Arsenal requires in the heart of their midfield if they wish to be challenging the likes of Manchester City for the league title.

Rice will only get better by playing with players such as Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka and this should elevate his game to the next level in the coming years.

Arteta was also keen on another midfielder during the summer transfer window and although a deal failed to materialise, it's evident Rice is the better player.

Could Arsenal have signed Moises Caicedo?

Along with Rice, the saga involving Moises Caicedo was also one of the longest-running transfer sagas of the entire summer, with a whole host of teams showing interest in the young Ecuadorian starlet.

The Gunners had two bids rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion for the player back in January and they reignited their interest once the transfer window opened in June.

Chelsea were also keeping tabs on the youngster and as soon as the Rice move accelerated, Arteta focussed on securing the Englishman, leaving a plethora of clubs to do battle over the in-demand gem.

It was those at Stamford Bridge who did eventually secure Caicedo's signature for what could turn into a British record fee of £115m, with that representing £10m more than what Rice cost Arsenal earlier in the window.

They have struck gold on the 24-year-old however, and he is arguably a better player than Caicedo. Indeed, last season, Rice registered more goals and assists (five v two), shots per 90 (0.96 v 0.8), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.75 v 2.52), a higher percentage of challenges (62% v 58.8) and completed a higher percentage of successful take-ons (55.6% v 51.9%), clearing proving that he outshone Caicedo over a variety of metrics last term.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, Rice ranks in the top 5% for interceptions per 90 (1.78) and the top 15% for progressive carries per 90 (2.33), demonstrating that not only does he win the ball back often during matches, but he also drives forward with it on a regular basis in order to create chances.

In comparison, Caicedo ranks in the top 15% for interceptions per game (1.53) while ranking outwith the top 60% for progressive carries per 90 (1.12) when compared to peers, showing that he isn’t as forward-thinking compared to the Englishman.

Although Caicedo made more tackles (2.7 v 2.1) and won more total duels per game (5.9 v 4.4) than Rice in the top flight last season, Rice’s statistics are still excellent, and his attacking output will be key to any future Arsenal success.

Despite the extravagant cost, Rice has shown the pedigree in the Premier League which will allow him to blossom into one of the finest midfielders in the country in what will hopefully be a trophy laden spell for the player at Arsenal.

Caicedo is already outshining the majority of players in the league and while he is still only 21-years-old, there is no doubt he will continue to get better in the coming years.

There was no way Arteta could have afforded both talents, especially with the current nature of the transfer market, but he has certainly struck gold by signing Rice.

Having won the first piece of silverware of his career last season, the midfielder will be eyeing more glory at the Gunners during the 2023/24 campaign as they look to claim their first league title in 20 years.

Although it will be difficult to repay the £105m they shelled out on him, it’s clear they have signed a generational talent who will give them years of service over the next decade if he stays fit and healthy.

Crystal Palace have unearthed some mighty talent over the years, nurturing some stellar academy stars as well as assisting new arrivals on their path to greatness at Selhurst Park.

Not many talents stick out in south London as prolifically as Wilfried Zaha, who graduated from the academy to go on to make 458 senior appearances for Palace over his 18-year connection to the club.

Now that the Ivorian has bid farewell, it’s time for the new wave of starlets to take centre stage for the Eagles, with Roy Hodgson left with an abundance of talent at his disposal thanks to some smart signings in recent years.

Three years ago, Steve Parish welcomed one bright spark in particular to Selhurst, in a move that has proven to be a huge hit in south London. Step forward Eberechi Eze.

How much was Eberechi Eze worth at QPR?

When Queens Park Rangers signed youngster Eberechi Eze on a free transfer from Millwall in 2016, the R’s couldn’t have expected what the future would hold for both club and player thanks to his talents.

Two years after his arrival, the attacking midfielder broke into the first-team squad sporadically, making 16 Championship appearances in the 2017/18 campaign.

As a result, his expected transfer value (xTV) rose to €3m (£2.5m), as calculated by Football Transfers, telling of the path he would lead going forward.

How much did Crystal Palace sign Eberechi Eze for?

It wasn’t long before the Englishman made it to the big time, sealing a move to Crystal Palace in 2020 for a fee in the region of £20m, £4m of which were to be made up of add-ons.

At the time his xTV sat around the €17.8m (£15.2m) mark, suggesting that Palace overpaid for his services, however, the Eagles would go on to have the last laugh by capturing his signature.

What is Eberechi Eze’s market value now?

After three years and 98 appearances, it’s come to light that Parish struck gold by signing Eze, whose xTV has since rocketed to €35.1m (£30m), showing a mightily impressive £10m rise from the price he was purchased for back in 2020.

At just 25 years old, the growth that the versatile attacker has shown during his rise in the Premier League has earned him praise from beyond the comforts of Selhurst, with him earning two caps for England this year.

Why is Eze worth that much?

Lauded as having the “potential to become a star” by U23 scout Antonio Mango amid his move to Palace, Eze has quickly become one of the best talents in Hodgson’s team.

Last season, the Londoner scored ten goals as well as registering four assists in the Premier League, showcasing his importance to the attack on show in the south of the capital.

The 25-year-old was previously dubbed to be a “different class” by former Palace boss and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, which was supported by Eze registering as the highest-performing player in the Premier League in one decimal.

Indeed, as per FBref, Eze topped the charts in terms of his average of successful take-ons in comparison to other midfielders in the top flight, averaging 2.42 per 90 to show just how much of a menace he is on the ball.

From £20m to being valued at £30m in three years, Parish truly struck gold by signing Eze from QPR, with the future looking bright for both Palace and the England international.