Sport

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has arrived in the United Kingdom to finalize a long-anticipated move to Premier League side Arsenal. According to The Athletic, the 26-year-old Spanish international is expected to hold final talks with Arsenal officials in London as the Gunners look to wrap up what will be their first signing of the summer transfer window. Zubimendi, who has a £51 million release clause in his current contract, will reportedly join for a slightly higher fee structured to allow Arsenal to stagger payments across several years. Read Also: Salah headlines six-man shortlist for PFA player of the year award Having risen through the ranks at Real Sociedad, Zubimendi has made 236 appearances and scored 10 goals for the LaLiga outfit, earning a reputation as one of Spain’s most technically gifted defensive midfielders. While Liverpool were heavily linked with the player last year, Zubimendi opted to stay in Spain for one more season. Earlier this month, reports also surfaced suggesting that Real Madrid had made a late move to hijack Arsenal’s deal, but it appears the Gunners have won the race. The transfer would mark a significant addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad as Arsenal seek to build on last season’s strong campaign and push once again for the Premier League title.  

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been named among six nominees for the 2024/25 Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Men’s Player of the Year award. The 33-year-old forward played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning campaign, contributing 29 goals and 18 assists. His standout performances have already earned him the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year honour with a commanding 90 percent of the votes, the widest margin recorded this century. Salah leads a competitive shortlist that includes his Liverpool teammate Alexis Mac Allister, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. READ ALSO: Premier League Disciplines Man City with £1m fine for Delays Palmer, last season’s PFA Young Player of the Year, made the list despite Chelsea’s inconsistent campaign. Declan Rice, meanwhile, was a midfield force for Arsenal, recording nine goals and ten assists in 52 appearances across all competitions, his most productive season yet. Newcastle’s Isak netted 23 times, helping the Magpies qualify for the UEFA Champions League and ending the club’s 56-year wait for silverware with a League Cup triumph. Bruno Fernandes stood out in a disappointing season for Manchester United, tallying eight league goals and ten assists as the Red Devils endured their worst top-flight performance since 1973/74. The winner will be announced at the PFA Awards Gala scheduled to take place in Manchester on August 19.  

Former Aston Villa captain Gabriel Agbonlahor has predicted a challenging start to the 2025/26 Premier League campaign for Arsenal, forecasting that the Gunners will collect only seven points from their opening six fixtures. The Premier League recently unveiled the full fixture list for the new season, with Mikel Arteta’s side set to face a difficult run of matches. Arsenal will begin their campaign away at Manchester United before hosting newly-promoted Leeds United. They will then travel to face Liverpool, host Nottingham Forest, and square off against Manchester City at the Emirates, before heading to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle United. Sharing his predictions on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor stated that “Man United away in the first game, I’ve gone for a draw. Leeds at home, I have gone for a win. Liverpool away a loss. Forest at home a narrow win. Man City at home a loss. Newcastle away, they don’t do well there, so I’ve gone for another loss.” Read Also: Madueke’s future uncertain as Arsenal show interest According to the former England international, that run would leave Arsenal with just seven points out of a possible 18, a disappointing return for a team aiming to challenge for the title again. Arsenal finished second in the 2024/25 season behind champions Liverpool and are expected to mount another strong title challenge, but Agbonlahor’s projections suggest the North London club may need to quickly find form if they are to stay in the race.  

Chelsea winger Noni Madueke could be on his way to Arsenal in a surprise transfer move this summer, according to a report by The UK Telegraph. The 23-year-old England international is said to be among the wide attacking options currently being considered by the Gunners, as they look to strengthen their forward line ahead of the new season. Madueke, who joined Chelsea from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, has shown glimpses of his talent but has struggled with consistency and fitness. Injuries and limited starts have hampered his ability to cement a regular role in the first team. Read Also: Premier League Disciplines Man City with £1m fine for Delays Under new head coach Enzo Maresca, Madueke has recently been deployed as a left winger, although questions remain over his long-term role in the squad. Reports suggest he may not be assured significant game time next season. Chelsea’s pursuit of reinforcements in wide areas specifically Jamie Bynoe-Gittens from Borussia Dortmund and Mohammed Kudus from West Ham has further fueled speculation that Madueke could be allowed to leave. A move to Arsenal would be a surprising cross-London switch, and while talks are still at an exploratory stage, the Gunners are monitoring his situation closely.

Manchester City have been fined £1 million by the Premier League after accepting responsibility for multiple breaches of league regulations during the 2024–25 season. The reigning champions endured a disappointing campaign, finishing third and ending their run of four consecutive Premier League titles. Their struggles have now been compounded by a hefty financial penalty for repeated violations of the league’s match punctuality rules. According to Premier League Rule L.33, clubs are required to begin matches and restart the second half on time. Failure to do so results in fines, which increase with each breach. Read Also: D’banj Excludes Wizkid from Top 3 Nigerian Artistes, Praises Rema, Davido, Burna Boy Manchester City were found to have violated this rule on nine occasions. While their initial fine stood at £40,000, repeated offenses led to escalating penalties, with the ninth infraction alone attracting a £190,000 fine. The cumulative total of the fines has now reached £1 million. City, currently participating in the Club World Cup, have accepted the sanctions and reached a formal agreement with the Premier League on the matter. The breach adds to a turbulent season for Pep Guardiola’s men, who now face scrutiny both on and off the pitch.