Arsenal’s promising start to the new season continued with a 4-2 win over Leicester City — a result that maintains the feel-good factor around the club. It is a far cry from the start of last season, when they lost their first three league matches, with players and fans alike clearly having bought into manager Mikel Arteta and his project.
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On the eve of the Premier League season, manager Arteta announced Martin Odegaard as club captain. The Athletic has learned Arteta also nominated two other players to support him in leadership roles: Granit Xhaka and new signing Gabriel Jesus.
The latter pair made huge contributions against Leicester, scoring three goals and collecting three assists between them. Along with Odegaard, they will form the core of Arsenal’s leadership group, and are set to accept the responsibility of wearing the armband in the Norwegian’s absence.
Former skipper Xhaka wore the armband briefly when Odegaard was substituted in the 89th minute of the opening fixture against Crystal Palace.
Xhaka’s selection as one of the squad’s leaders is significant because he was stripped of the captaincy by then-head coach Unai Emery in October 2019 after swearing at Arsenal supporters abusing him during a home match against Palace. Last summer, the midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Roma in Italy, and there was even some suggestion he might have been available in this current window.
Despite the speculation, Xhaka has steadily rehabilitated his reputation at Arsenal. It was Arteta who persuaded him to stay at the club after the captaincy controversy when he was appointed two months later. The 29-year-old Switzerland international is a popular and respected figure in the dressing room, and Arteta considers him a natural choice to stand in for Odegaard as skipper when required.
Jesus is also an interesting choice, given that he is just six weeks into his time with Arsenal. The Brazil forward’s new status as a leadership figure within the squad speaks to the immediate impact he has made, both on and off the pitch. His attitude has been exemplary, and his six years at previous club Manchester City makes him a proven winner. What’s more, he represents Arsenal’s significant Portuguese-speaking contingent among Arteta’s chosen trio.
Along with Odegaard and these two deputies, Arteta intends to engage a wider group of the club’s senior players in continuous dialogue throughout the season to help engender a sense of shared responsibility.
The positive mood at Arsenal was boosted this week by some off-field club activities.
The club threw a party at their London Colney training complex for all the permanent staff who work at the training ground, Highbury House and the Hale End academy site. Coaches were laid on to assist with travel, and guests were welcomed with a BBQ, paella and music. Arteta and his women’s team counterpart Jonas Eidevall also took part in a Q&A.
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On Wednesday, the first-team squad enjoyed a trip together to the Champney’s luxury spa resort in Tring, a short drive north west of London. Though this provided an opportunity for the players to relax and bond, it evidently did not serve as a distraction, with Arsenal running out comfortable winners on Saturday.
David Ornstein and James McNicholas
Michael Edwards rules out Chelsea job
Chelsea maintained their unbeaten start to life under their new owners with a dramatic 2-2 draw against visitors Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, but the work of co-owner Todd Boehly and his consortium is still in its formative stages.
The west London club have been extremely busy in the summer transfer market, something which is sure to continue until the window shuts on September 1, and they are also aiming to install a permanent sporting director.
That position is Boehly’s responsibility but only in a temporary capacity. Once player trading comes to a close in just over two weeks, Chelsea are set to focus on making a full-time appointment.
It has been well documented that Michael Edwards was a leading target for the new Stamford Bridge hierarchy, the Englishman having decided to leave his post with Liverpool after more than a decade.
But if Edwards had emerged as the top candidate from Chelsea’s perspective, they are going to need to look elsewhere because, The Athletic has learned, he has turned down the potential opportunity.
It is believed Edwards — who joined Liverpool in November 2011 following two years at Tottenham and was previously employed by EFL club Portsmouth — informed Chelsea in recent weeks of his intention to take some time out away from football, so stepping into such a role is not on his agenda for now.
Chelsea’s process, consequently, is ongoing and the fact several possible options for the job will currently be employed elsewhere, and heavily occupied with those clubs’ recruitment activity, increases the probability that nobody will arrive before the end of the month.
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Among the situations that require clarity at Chelsea is the future of Armando Broja, the 20-year-old striker developed in their academy and now wanted by Premier League sides including West Ham and Everton.
The England-born Albania international spent last season on loan at Southampton and has been linked with another move, either temporary or permanent. However, it is thought Chelsea would like Broja to sign a new contract and talks to improve his existing one — which expires after the 2025-26 season — are taking place.
Manchester United ready to let Garner go
Manchester United are open to permanent offers for James Garner, with several Premier League clubs interested in a move.
Erik ten Hag has decided that Garner should be allowed to leave if a suitable bid arrives for the 21-year-old midfielder. Sources say United value Garner at around £14million ($17m).
Garner enjoyed an excellent loan at Nottingham Forest last season and went on United’s tour to Thailand and Australia with a view to pushing into first-team contention. But his chances to impress Ten Hag were limited by a minor injury and he has been an unused substitute against Brighton and Brentford. Donny van de Beek was sent on in both games instead.
United are looking to make midfield additions, with talks advancing over Juventus’s Adrien Rabiot. United have agreed a fee worth €20million (£17m, €20.5m) for the France international and are discussing personal terms with the 27-year-old. Discussions with Frenkie de Jong have gone on all summer.
Garner, who has been at United’s academy since 2009, played 41 times as Forest won promotion to the Premier League. He could not have returned to the City Ground on loan given Steve Cooper’s team already have Dean Henderson from United for the season.
Forest were interested in bringing him back but appear to have recruited sufficiently in this area and it is unclear if they will revisit a deal.
Everton, Southampton and Leeds have all shown interest in Garner. Tottenham Hotspur have also watched him. A departure will only take place if it makes sense for player and club.
Meanwhile, United have fielded inquiries on Eric Bailly from several teams with talks progressing. West Ham, Marseille, and Monaco are among the latest to make contact. United would prefer a straight sale for the centre-back, but a loan is also possible.
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Affording Bailly’s wages will be a hurdle for all suitors, who ideally want a loan deal where United subsidise. United want a direct transfer however and are prepared to wait for deadline day.
Laurie Whitwell
City stand firm on €100m Bernardo Silva valuation amid Barcelona interest
Manchester City are not prepared to sell Bernardo Silva, with club sources insisting they won’t budge a millimetre on their valuation of the Portugal midfielder, which was around €100million at the start of the summer.
Reports of Barcelona’s interest in the 28-year-old have grown in the last weeks but City have not yet received any formal offer from the Spanish club, nor any contact from the player’s camp. However, club sources expect approaches could happen at some point for a player whose City contract expires in 2025.
Silva’s agent is countryman Jorge Mendes — who also represents his City team-mates Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Ederson. Mendes is understood to have a close relationship with the club but that won’t influence City’s stance and they are ready to inform him that the only possibility for Bernardo leaving is through a huge offer.
Timings are also playing an important role in City’s position as they would need to find a replacement for such a pivotal player, which could be an impossible job with only two weeks of the summer window left.
Barcelona are yet to register their most recent summer signing, Jules Kounde, with La Liga, and need to offload players already on the books to fit the France centre-back within their salary limit.
City are aware of Bernardo’s desire to move and are open to listening to offers at the right valuation. But a last-minute blockbuster deal seems really far from the Premier League champions’ intentions.
Kevin De Bruyne is confident his team-mate of the past five years will still be at the Etihad Stadium once the window closes: “The way I see it, he will be here, so there’s nothing that I’m worried about.”
Pol Ballus
Staveley and Ghodoussi have plenty to talk to Chelsea about
Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi launched a thousand Twitter conspiracies on Sunday when the Newcastle co-owners were pictured at Stamford Bridge watching Chelsea’s home match against Tottenham.
A day after attending Newcastle’s goalless draw down the road in Brighton, a result that brought Eddie Howe’s team their fourth point of the season, the pair were seen in conversation with Behdad Eghbali, who holds a similar position to theirs at the west London club.
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Newcastle are still looking to further strengthen their first-team squad before the transfer window closes, with multiple sources at the club telling The Athletic they believe they are at least one attacking player short of where they want to be.
Internally, there have been discussions about Chelsea trio Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher and Callum Hudson-Odoi, while Timo Werner was spoken about as a possible loan signing before making a permanent move back to RB Leipzig last week. Another Chelsea player, USMNT captain Christian Pulisic, is also a potential loan target.
It is understood Staveley and Ghodoussi, who are married, were there at the invitation of Boehly — someone Staveley knows as a friend after they both spoke at an event hosted by American economic think-tank the Milken Institute in 2019 titled Investing In Volatile Markets.
While Sunday’s meeting was a social one, Staveley and Ghodoussi have forged a strong relationship with Chelsea, a club they hope Newcastle will be rivalling for trophies within the next few years.
Sometimes, such relationships can lead in interesting directions, not least when it comes to mutually beneficial transfers.
No punishment for post-match swearing in the Premier League
For the second week in a row, colourful language has been used in a post-match Premier League interview
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland said, “It is a bit shit,” live on Sky Sports last Sunday when assessing a chance he missed against West Ham before saying, “Shit, sorry,” when his explicit language was pointed out. The Norwegian struggled to contain his laughter in a moment that quickly went viral on social media.
This weekend, it was the turn of Ralph Hasenhuttl, Southampton’s manager, to show the extent of his knowledge of the English vernacular.
After his team came from 2-0 down to draw with visitors Leeds on Saturday, the Austrian brushed aside stories of discontent inside the dressing room, saying: “You know this is shit.”
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Despite the colourful language, neither Haaland nor Hasenhuttl has been either warned or fined by the Premier League as there is nothing in the competition’s rulebook about not swearing in post-match interviews.
Dan Sheldon
FA push for creation of migrant compensation fund at Qatar World Cup
Before this winter’s World Cup in Qatar, whose hosting of the World Cup is controversial for the reasons described in this article, the England team have been repeatedly questioned over how they will demonstrate support for migrant workers there.
In the process of building eight new stadiums, and the associated infrastructure, in the tiny Gulf state, workers from countries including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been exploited, injured and — in the worst cases — lost their lives.
Appeals for a compensation fund have grown in volume as the tournament approaches, and The Athletic understands the Football Association is leading calls for the creation of such support in high-level conversations between national associations.
While some compensation schemes do exist, several bodies want them to include historical abuses. The FA is part of the UEFA Working Group, which also includes countries such as the Netherlands and Germany, as well as nations who have not qualified for the finals, such as Sweden and Norway.
On its most recent trip to Qatar, in June, the group also pushed for the introduction of a Migrant Workers Centre, intended to provide a shelter for any abused workers, raise awareness of the new labour laws, and offer legal support.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham has been praised as one of the most forthright voices pushing the issue.
Speaking at an event organised by Human Rights Watch, which is calling for a migrant compensation fund itself, Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian FA said: “There are very good leaders that try to work (for change) on the inside.
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“We have England, for example. I view them as a very constructive federation. Their CEO is a very high-level participant in the meetings.”
World football governing body FIFA — organisers of the World Cup — and the Qatar supreme committee for delivery and legacy are considering the plans.
Jacob Whitehead
(Top image: Getty Images)