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Unai Emery and Sven Mislintat’s shared mission to rebuild Arsenal’s backline this summer won’t end with the imminent arrival of Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund.

In fact, The Independent believe the north Londoners will attempt to bring in up to four defenders this summer, but improving a side that conceded 51 goals last season, the most of any team in the top seven, is about changing the structure of the starting XI as well, to ensure a defence that was often left painfully open under Arsene Wenger is given the adequate protection it’s previously lacked.

Perhaps that’s a big part of why Emery has been brought to the Emirates. The Spaniard favours a 4-2-3-1 formation that puts two defensive-minded midfielders in front of the back four, and it’s not too dissimilar to Arsenal’s setup during the Invincibles season when Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva occupied deep pockets in the engine room and Denis Bergkamp tucked in behind Thierry Henry.

The problem though, is the lack of candidates at Arsenal naturally suited to those defensive midfield roles. Arsenal’s only real out-and-out holding midfielder is Mohamed Elneny, but even he struggles to convince at times. Then it becomes a matter of asking the likes of Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka to fulfil roles that don’t play to their natural strengths and often end up highlighting their weaknesses, the latter being the most repetitive example of that last season.

And while Arsenal’s recruitment drive during the last transfer window and the current one has hinged almost entirely on Mislintat’s Dortmund connections, the solution could well rest in Emery’s contacts within the game, linking up again with one of his former players in midfielder Steven Nzonzi. The Frenchman, known to Premier League fans from his time with Blackburn and Stoke City, was at the heart of his Europa-League-winning Sevilla side as the playmaking powerhouse anchoring the midfield.

The 6 foot 5 midfielder showed what he can bring to this Arsenal team on Monday night, as France began their World Cup preparations with a 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland. It was a performance that saw Nzonzi demonstrate his power, authority and ability to control the game with the ball, winning five aerials and completing four possession gains while making the most passes of any player on the pitch, a whopping 102.

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In many ways too, Nzonzi represents the transition Arsenal need to make this summer. He has the calmness and quality on the ball which was integral to the Gunners’ definitive style of football under Wenger, a philosophy the club obviously wish to maintain, but he brings with it strength, height and discipline too. Transfermarkt value the France international at £27million, so should the Gunners swoop for the Sevilla man? Let us know by voting below…

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Newcastle are one of several Premier League clubs interested in taking Marcus Rashford on loan, and fans would absolutely love a swoop for the youngster.

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle, Leicester and Everton are all eyeing a summer swoop for Rashford if Manchester United send the youngster out on loan.

The report from the Mail says Jose Mourinho has yet to decide whether or not to keep Rashford at the club next season, and the three clubs are all “among those lining up to take him on loan”.

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The 20 year-old scored a sensational goal for England in the 2-0 win over Costa Rica, and grabbed seven goals and five assists in the Premier League last season, despite starting just 17 games.

The Red Devils’ wonderkid, valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt, needs to be playing week in week out, and would love to be playing more centrally, where Romelu Lukaku is currently ahead in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

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Rafael Benitez is on the hunt for a new goalscorer this summer, so could a loan deal for Rashford be perfect? Mike Ashley wouldn’t have to spend too much money, and the Magpies would get a hungry young star with bags of pace.

Fans have been having their say on Twitter, and you can find some of the best reactions down below…

Sheffield Wednesday fans are praying they can secure Frederico Venancio on a permanent basis, after reports claimed the Owls are “in dialogue†over a move.According to a report from The Star, Sheffield Wednesday have held discussions with Vitoria de Setubal over a permanent move for Venancio.The report claims several Championship clubs are sniffing around the defender, but the Owls have the upper hand after his successful loan spell at Hillsborough last season.“I want to stay at Sheffield Wednesday. I love the club, the city and everyone who works at the club,†the 25 year-old said on the final day of the season.[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255574″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Four World Cup myths debunked”]“I did all I could during the season. I tried my best in all the matches. Every match was an opportunity for me to show my quality and talent.â€The Owls have not yet submitted a formal bid for the Portuguese defender, but it is thought a fee in the region of £800,000 should be enough to secure his services.Venancio, who is valued at £1.8m by Transfermarkt, made 25 Wednesday appearances last season, averaging an incredible 7.3 clearances per game along with 1.9 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game.Fans would love to have him back again next season, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Gary Neville was part of the England coaching staff at Euro 2016, so is well-placed to advise Gareth Southgate on how he should approach the Three Lions’ final World Cup Group G match, against Belgium.

With both sides into the knockout rounds with a game to spare, much of the buildup to the game has been dominated by discussion of rotation amid reports that the Red Devils will make ten changes with second place in the group theoretically a more appealing prospect.

Manchester United legend Neville says he strongly encouraged Roy Hodgson to make full use of his squad out in France two years ago when England made six changes for their Group B match against Slovakia.

In came Nathaniel Clyne, Ryan Bertrand, Jordan Henderson, Jack Wilshere, Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge in place of Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, captain Wayne Rooney, Dele Alli, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane as England sought to keep their squad fresh, hoping for a deep run into the tournament.

How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Yet, the Three Lions were going into the match still needing a win to top the group and off the back of a dramatic last-gasp win over bitter rivals Wales in the previous match.

Sturridge’s late winner had ignited the belief of the fans and of a squad who had played exceptionally well against Russia in their opener and kept going well against Chris Coleman’s side.

The changes. designed to prolong freshness long-term, ended up stunting the momentum of Roy Hodgson’s men as the rotated Three Lions lineup laboured to a 0-0 draw that saw them qualify in second place.

Despite that, Neville still recommends that Southgate makes ‘three or four’ changes, to keep his squad fresh and show them that he trusts their ability.

In theory, Neville, one of the shrewdest pundits on the scene, makes a good point and there is little doubt that England have laboured in the latter stages of tournaments gone by.

Yet, when the former United right-back got the opportunity to put his ideas into practice, it resulted in a loss of momentum leading into a theoretically straight-forward last 16 tie against Iceland and we all know what happened next.

Neville admits that people will look back and claim that rotating the squad was the wrong thing to do, but urging Southgate to do similar this time around does not suggest that he agrees with that school of thought.

Of course, there is an argument to suggest that Hodgson’s rotation was not linked to the insipid performance against Iceland, but at the very least, the dour Slovakia experiment should act as a cautionary tale for the Three Lions two years on.

Russia and France are just two of the already-qualified nations who have rotated in their closing group game – while Neville names Les Bleus 1998 vintage as a successful example – and it remains to be seen how successful that ploy will prove to be in 2018.

Neville may of course be proved right; a fresh, rotated England could go deep into the tournament after the Belgium encounter, but Southgate must at least heed the warnings.

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England’s current scenario is based around a great deal of hypotheticals, but Slovakia 0-0 England serves as a rare tangible guide to how Southgate should proceed.

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Everton are on the hunt for a new left winger this summer, and Pione Sisto may just have played his way on to their shopping list in Denmark’s 1-1 draw with Australia.

Although many fans will feel Ademola Lookman deserves a chance this season, Marco Silva seems certain to sign a new winger this summer.

Richarlison and Hirving Lozano have both been linked with moves to Goodison, although Lozano may be unattainable after reports claimed Barcelona are chasing his signature.

Sisto would likely come cheaper than both of those players, and valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt the 16-cap man could be an absolute bargain for the Toffees.

The 23 year-old plays his club football for Celta Vigo, and racked up five goals and nine assists in 34 La Liga appearances last season.

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The young winger plays on the left but likes to cut inside into central areas, using his fantastic skill on the ball to make things happen.

He completed an incredible six dribbles in the draw against Australia, and put his chances on the ball to good use firing in three shots and making one key pass.

If Silva wants a high intensity press from his front men this season then Sisto could be perfect, getting stuck into the Australians with three tackles on Thursday.

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The young winger is absolutely rapid, supremely gifted with the ball at his feet, and at 23 is starting to find the consistent end product that all wingers need to be considered top class. Everton could do a lot worse than making Sisto their new winger this summer.

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So, Everton fans, would you like to see a swoop for Sisto? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

The focus will be on West Ham United’s Felipe Anderson and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah on Monday night when the Hammers welcome the Reds to the London Stadium in an important league clash for both sides.

Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping his team can put in a more disciplined performance against the league leaders following a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.

This will require a better showing from Pellegrini’s main players, like Anderson, who has been a standout performer for the East London club this campaign.

Three defeats in as many games have seen West Ham struggling for consistency and despite the commitment from Marko Arnautovic to remain at the club for the remainder of the season, at least, a player like Anderson has failed to take responsibility when the team has had its back against the wall.

But, the quality of the 25-year-old will have any team in the competition a bit worried and Liverpool will need to be at their defensive best to keep him quiet come kick-off.

Anderson could particularly be dangerous to the Liverpool defence who are currently without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez and if Jurgen Klopp decides to play Jordan Henderson at right-back again, Anderson could really fancy himself on the left-wing to cause them trouble.

With Manchester City breathing down Liverpool’s neck, following their 3-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday,  Klopp will be ever reliant on the brilliance of Salah from now on to guide Liverpool through this challenging part of the season and maybe the Premier League crown.

Liverpool struggled to get going against Leicester City last week and will need the likes of Salah and Roberto Firmino to step-up and put West Ham to the sword.

However, it could be Anderson who has the last laugh.

There’s no doubt about it – throughout the course of the 2014/15 campaign, Chelsea’s John Terry ultimately proved one of the most reliable standout performers across the entire Premier League spectrum.

The 34-year-old Blues skipper not only maintain his own usually high standard of performance on a week-to-week basis last term, but he has proved willing and able to organise every defender in the Chelsea back-line, subsequently serving Jose Mourinho will the strongest defence operating in the English top flight in 2014/15.

However, even though much of Chelsea’s success last season depended on their resolute defending and determined organisation at the back, John Terry’s future in the first team plans at Stamford Bridge ultimately remains unconfirmed at this stage in the game…

Much has been made of Mourinho’s recent decision to substitute the long-term Blues captain midway through his side’s defeat to Manchester City last weekend.

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So then, does the former England skipper still deserve his seemingly guaranteed spot within Jose Mourinho’s starting XI this term, or is this now the beginning of the end for John Terry?

Despite previously helping his side lift numerous domestic titles throughout the years, managing to stay fit and healthy at the not so peak age of 34-years-old, and simply proving a vital asset for Chelsea since Roman Abramovich took the club to the next level with his masses of post-communist fall-out wealth – yes, John Terry should arguably be dropped in the near future at Stamford Bridge.

No stint within the ever competitive Premier League can last for ever after all. No matter how successful certain players have proved since first emerging amongst the English top-flight, their time ultimately comes and goes just like everybody else. The real question is, can the Premier League’s ageing stars bow out with a bit of dignity, or does every culmination of life at the top seemingly end in somewhat jaded circumstances?

Steven Gerrard’s final swansong at Anfield last season proves a perfect case in point. Although the recently established LA Galaxy midfielder simply won’t be forgotten by Reds fans any time soon for his achievements in a Liverpool shirt, Brendan Rodgers arguably would have been better served last term by dropping the former England international much earlier on in the league proceedings.

In failing to do so, though, the Reds ultimately witnessed a Steven Gerrard who looked well off the boil and far from his former self throughout the course of the 2014/15 season.

Chelsea must therefore learn from such a scenario in their dealings with John Terry this campaign. Yes, his well-documented substitution against Manchester City last weekend has been blown out of proportion somewhat recently – but it will nevertheless likely act as a firm reminder of things to come at Stamford Bridge.

However, whilst John Terry can arguably no longer be counted upon throughout the duration of the upcoming campaign, sourcing an adequate replacement for the Chelsea skipper may prove slightly trickier than most would have initially expected. The likes of Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic and Kurt Zouma simply don’t offer enough strength in depth at the back without the presence of their reliable captain in place.

Dipping into the ever problematic summer transfer window for a promising centre-back may also test the club’s resolve this season. Whilst someone likes John Stones could potentially fill in at the back for Chelsea this term, his rumoured £40million price tag would surely put the Blues off with all things considered. Stones is a good player no doubt, but he’ll simply never be that good at the end of the day.

Ultimately then, whilst Chelsea’s back-line somewhat won the title for their team across the duration of last season, such a difficult task just won’t prove so easy this time around it seems. John Terry can certainly still do a positive job for Jose Mourinho this term of course – but at the grand old age of 34-years-old – the long-term Chelsea captain’s days at the top are rapidly becoming numbered in the modern era.

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It’s been a tough 24 hours to be an Arsenal fan. As soon as the transfer window slammed (because it never merely closes) shut, rival supporters started rolling out the vines, memes, pictures and gifs stored up specifically for goading Gooners.

The reaction has, of course, been all brought on by a disappointing summer of transfer activity, in which the Gunners only signed Petr Cech, while rivals such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City all invested heavily to bring in talented stars both from at home and abroad.

The particularly galling ‘stat’ for Arsenal supporters as the clock ticked on Tuesday was that their club were the only outfit in any of Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A) to fail to bring in an outfield player during the ENTIRE window.

Alas, we still think there is plenty to positive about, and here are FIVE reasons ‘Deadline Day-gate’ is really not an issue in North London…

Their one signing is, arguably, one of the best of summer

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Why use a scattergun approach when a precision drill is needed? Arsenal have depth and options, but the goalkeeper dilemma was the biggest issue facing Wenger going into the summer. Not even the most stringent of Spurs fans can deny that Cech is a huge upgrade on Wojciech Szczesny, and it’s hard to argue against the Czech Republic international being among the top five, maybe even three, goalies in the Premier League.

Real depth

Okay, up front Arsenal are a little light in terms of options, but in basically every other department the Gunners have quality and plenty of depth. Starting from the very back, Petr Cech and David Ospina are two good goalies, at centre-back Gabriel is a decent back-up option for Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, while Calum Chambers can also fill in.

On both sides at full-back Wenger can call on plenty of players, while in central midfield Francis Coquelin and Mathieu Flamini offer defensive cover. In the attacking midfield three behind the main striker Arsenal have, perhaps, too many choices, although this ‘problem’ is a positive with the whole season ahead.

Did the Gunners really even need a deadline day signing? Probably not.

The Prem’s most experienced manager

With close to 19 years under his belt at the helm of Arsenal, Wenger personifies the club. Although there has been criticism of late for a lack of silverware, the Frenchman has moulded the Gunners into what they are now, which is one of English football’s top clubs, while operating on somewhat restricted budget.

To put Wenger’s longevity into perspective, his closest ‘rival’ in the hunt for the timescale crown is Leicester City’s Nigel Person, who is yet to crack the four-year mark.

Time and time again Wenger has proven himself in North London, and he’s sure to come through again.

Proven record

Arsenal have had 17 consecutive seasons of Champions League football, underlining their consistent presence at the top end of the Premier League. With Wenger having been present through this period, it’s clear that his influence has been considerable, and his efforts in more recent seasons have been, perhaps, the most impressive with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United having been able to spend heavily.

Wenger has pulled through in tougher circumstances than he looks to be facing now, which bodes well.

Rivals are slipping

Although Arsenal’s opening game ended in a loss, seven points from the subsequent three matches is respectable, and the fact that Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs have all stuttered is encouraging.

Manchester City are very much the team to beat, but the door remains wide, wide open in the hunt for top four football, which is, ultimately, the aim for Arsenal.

Ahead of their titanic Champions League clash it’s appropriate to make comparisons between these two giants of European football. On the pitch the Gunners are massive underdogs against the German champions – Bayern have won their first nine league games this season, a Bundesliga record.

This has prompted their Chilean midfielder, Arturo Vidal, to declare Bayern Munich as the new invincibles, an honour that is normally reserved for Arsenal’s unbeaten champions of 2004.

Back then Bayern Munich were in Arsenal’s shadow, and German football was in disarray, after the national team’s early exit from EURO 2004. In recent years things have been very different for Bayern Munich and Germany, both teams have reached the pinnacle of the game, and they don’t look like relinquishing their powers anytime soon.

Arsenal in comparison have not won a league title since 2004, and are still yet to win the Champions League, leaving the Gunners well behind Bayern Munich in footballing terms.

Why then, with all of this in mind, does a Bayern Munich season ticket cost £104, compared with Arsenal’s season ticket charge of between £1000 and £2000? The disparity is ridiculous, and it brings into question the priorities of Arsenal football club, a club that is renowned for being tight spenders in the transfer window.

The Gunners are in danger of pricing out their loyal fans, and alienating the supporters of the club. Why should an Arsenal fan pay 10 times more than a Bayern fan to watch a team with fewer star players play in a team that is not as good as Bayern’s?

Once again BBC Sport’s The Price of Football has shown the true colours of Arsenal football club. A single match day ticket at Bayern Munich will cost you from £11. An Arsenal ticket will cost you from £27, reaching up to £97.

Regardless of the score in the upcoming Champions League encounter, the Gunners have a lot to learn from their German opponents, both on and off the pitch. Bayern could quite easily charge more for their tickets, although they believe in the integrity of their fans far more than an extra million pounds or two in profit.

The embarrassing thing is Arsenal charge so much more far an experience that is far inferior to what Bayern can offer it’s supporters. Let’s just hope that Arsenal can put in a good performance against Bayern to go some way to paying back the Arsenal fans loyal support.

If not then there will be more reasons than one to criticise Arsenal’s woeful European form.

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Two things keeping reoccurring: Arsenal flirt with the idea of mounting a title change, before reverting to type; while Manchester City try and court Pep Guardiola as the Spaniard flutters his eyelashes at United. So perhaps it’s time Arsenal fixed their problem by offering the Bayern Munich boss a home in London.

Until Pep Guardiola signs a new contract in Germany, speculation will continue as to where his next managerial role will be. The whole saga could be his way of getting the best deal from Bayern. However, he is a man that has spoken of his desire to continue his travels through the footballing world.

Bayern Munich themselves aren’t daunted by the prospect of their manager leaving. Their CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was reported by ESPN saying: “There is no person in this world who can’t be replaced at some point. That’s the state of things. Players come, players go, and the same applies to coaches. They come and they go at one point.”

Guardiola’s detractors (yes, there are plenty) highlight that he inherited good squads at both Barcelona and Bayern Munich. There’s often a sense it was harder to fail in his last two roles than it was to find success.

In this sense Manchester City appear the best fit. They have a squad brimming with potential that Pellegrini’s best efforts have failed to make the dominant force in the Premier League, let alone the Champions League. Combine this with the presence of Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain at the Etihad, two men Guardiola has worked with at Barcelona, and it should be a foregone conclusion.

But Pep prefers Manchester United. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans of the Citizens who aren’t exactly waiting with expectant open arms for the Spaniard’s arrival to these shores. After managing two of the classic big names in European football, United offer him the chance to tick-off arguably the biggest name in England.

The problem is they aren’t in the best position right now. He may view the post with suspicion. Since Moyes left, Louis van Gaal has failed to ignite the Old Trafford side. Guardiola would fear being yet another interim manager, trying to reshape a side and inner workings of the club. The looming shadow of Alex Ferguson over a new manager’s achievements could deter him. Unless van Gaal wins the league this year and retires.

These doubts leave the door open for Arsenal to make an offer to Pep. They may lack the perceived stature of United and the spending ability of City, but genetically the team is closer to his style. The Gunners always play beautiful football and each season they feel close to becoming genuine title contenders.

The annual summary is they are only one or two big signings away from breaking the cycle. Arsene Wenger will always be thanked for the success he has brought over the years and his sound financial management as the club coped with the cost of a new stadium. But he has hit a ceiling of his own making and is now stuck in his ways.

Guardiola can bring a few new signings and a fresh approach to the Emirates. He won’t need to reinvent the wheel there. It’s a perfect blueprint for his ideology and taking a team from the capital to Champions League glory would further cement his place as an all-time great.

Wenger should be graceful and allow the man that wanted to come to Arsenal as a player, lead them forward as the manager.

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