Arsenal made just one signing on deadline day – bringing in Denis Suarez on loan from Barcelona.

The cash-strapped Gunners were forced to look for temporary deals given the lack of funds at Unai Emery’s disposal. Having managed to secure Suarez’s services, Arsenal also targeted Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco and Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic; Arsenal also attempted to sign Christopher Nkunku from Paris St Germain. However, the London club were unable to get the deals across the line in time.

Instead, their attention will now turn to the summer window where a larger budget should be available for new recruits. Finishing the season in a Champions League place would make their summer recruitment drive a lot easier. Given their recent injury problems, adding defensive reinforcements should be a priority for Emery.

One man he could target is Borussia Monchengladbach starlet – Nico Elvedi. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Switzerland international has blossomed into a key player for the Bundesliga side since joining from FC Zurich back in 2015. Elvedi has made 17 appearances in all competitions this season and has been one of the club’s most impressive performers.

The 22-year-old primarily operates as a centre-back but his versatility means he is also comfortable at both right and left back making him the ideal summer recruit. Elvedi is excellent on the ball and displays a wonderful range of passing, completing 92% of his passes in the Bundesliga this season. The youngster is also a dominant force in the air, winning 2.4 aerial duels per game this season, meaning he will have no issues adapting to the physicality of the Premier League (WhoScored).

Still developing and improving, this would be an astute piece of business from the Gunners.

Arsenal fans, thoughts?

Swansea City boss Graham Potter has conceded that Oliver McBurnie could miss Wednesday’s Championship clash with Leeds United at Elland Road.

McBurnie, who has been in excellent form for Swansea this season, has been hindered by illness in recent weeks and his spot against Leeds is far from certain.

What did Potter say?

Swansea’s official website quotes Potter as saying:

“Oli has just had a period where he has picked up a few things, so we just have to be careful with him and monitor him.

“He trained lightly yesterday (Sunday), so we will see how he goes. I think it was tough for him to come on, but we will make a decision for Leeds closer to the time.”

McBurnie is enjoying a terrific season for Swansea, having found the back of the net on 15 occasions in 30 appearances in all competitions this term.

In the Championship, the striker has 13 goals in 29 appearances, including a brace in the recent 3-3 draw with Birmingham City.

McBurnie came off the bench in his team’s 1-0 win over Millwall at the weekend and it had been thought that he could return to the XI against Leeds.

Potter, however, has conceded that Swansea ‘have to be careful’ with the centre-forward as they risk losing him for a longer period without the right treatment.

What is the state of play for Swansea?

It has been a strange season for Swansea and not too many of their fans were happy with the club’s business in the January transfer window.

The Welsh outfit have only lost one of their last seven in the Championship, however, with a total of 44 points leaving them in 11th position in the table.

The former Premier League team are just six points off the playoff positions and a win over title hopefuls Leeds this week would send out a huge message.

Leeds have really wobbled in recent weeks, but did manage to pick up a good point away to Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon.

It promises to be a fascinating clash at Elland Road on Wednesday night and the Swansea fans will be hopeful that McBurnie passes a late fitness test.

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Everton’s official Twitter account wished the club’s supporters a ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ by posting an image of Richarlison and Yerry Mina together.

The message was simple – find love like Richarlison and Mina.

The problem with that is neither player is too popular with the Toffees fans at the moment.

Richarlison – a £35m arrival from Watford – has scored 10 Premier League goals this season, but it would be fair to say that not all of the Everton fans are convinced by the Brazil international.

Mina, meanwhile, has not been seen in an Everton shirt in the Premier League since January 13.

Indeed, the Colombia international – signed from Barcelona for £27.1m – has not featured in any of the club’s last five league matches and has not even made the squad for the previous four.

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The defender is still struggling with the injury that he picked up against Millwall in the FA Cup at the end of last month.

And it is currently unclear when the towering centre-back will be able to return.

To suggest that Everton’s tweet did not go down well with the club’s supporters would be an understatement, with a selection of their reaction available to view below:

According to The News, Portsmouth are set to be without centre-back Christian Burgess for this Saturday’s clash with Bradford City at Fratton Park. 

What’s the latest?

Burgess was taken off with an injury in the 88th minute of Pompey’s 3-0 Checkatrade Trophy triumph over Bury on Tuesday night. The 27-year-old was making his 150th appearance for the south coast club, but the occasion was tainted by the ankle injury he sustained.

As quoted in the aforementioned report, Portsmouth boss Kenny Jackett now expects Burgess to be unavailable for this weekend’s visit of Bradford. He said “hopefully it’s not too bad, but I can’t see him turning it around for Saturday.”

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This incident leaves the Blues’ defensive contingent even more stretched with Jack Whatmough already ruled out for the rest of the League One campaign.

Jackett must now find a replacement for Burgess to play in the heart of his defence against Bradford.

The man to stand in

19-year-old academy product Matthew Casey could get the nod to make his league debut alongside Matt Clarke in the home side’s back line. However, it’s far more likely that Jackett will instead call upon experienced defensive midfielder Tom Naylor to fill in at centre-back.

The 27-year-old has filled in at centre-back before as his versatility allows him to perform comfortably in that position. Naylor has been a regular for Portsmouth so far this season and certainly has Jackett’s trust, so will likely be tasked with stepping into Burgess’ berth.

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Marco Silva chose to drop Gylfi Sigurdsson, Seamus Coleman and Richarlison from the starting XI against Manchester City.

The three under-performing regulars were left out of the XI against the champions as the Toffees lost 2-0, with Silva showing he has the backbone to make big decisions.

On the chalkboard

Silva opted to play Jonjoe Kenny at right-back in place of Coleman, Tom Davies in attacking midfield instead of Sigurdsson and Bernard on the left flank in place of Richarlison.

Cynics may feel the decisions were taken with the title race in mind – Liverpool, of course, are attempting to win the league along with City.

But the fact remains that none of the trio have been at their best in recent weeks.

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Sigurdsson has not scored or provided an assist in his last three outings, while Richarlison has scored just once in his last six games.

Coleman, too, has appeared prone to lapses of judgement in defence, as Everton continue to struggle to keep clean sheets – they have conceded 38 goals this season, the second-highest of all clubs in the top 10, and only worsened by Bournemouth.

Everton may have lost to City – that was slightly inevitable, given the irrepressible form of Pep Guardiola’s men – but Silva’s tactical decisions deserve respect from the Toffees faithful.

Under-pressure

Silva is attempting to make things right.

The Everton boss is under pressure, as they have won just three matches since the end of November, but The Times report that Silva has been told by owner Farhad Moshiri that his job at Goodison Park is safe.

He has not shied away from making the big decisions and his bold starting XI earlier this week may be something of a warning to his under-performing players.

They are ninth in the table, only five points behind seventh-placed Wolves, a berth that holds a Europa League qualification spot.

A turnaround in form could easily see the Toffees overhaul Nuno Espirito Santo’s men between now and the end of the season and Silva has taken the first step in sparking a revival.

It remains to be seen, of course, if his players will now respond.

فرض التعادل السلبي بدون أهداف كلمته على مباراة فريقي وادي دجلة وسموحة، التي أقيمت عصر اليوم الخميس على ملعب استاد بتروسبورت.

المباراة أقيمت في اطار منافسات الجولة 29 من عمر الدوري المصري.

بتلك النتيجة ارتفع رصيد سموحة إلى 40 نقطة محتلًا المركز الخامس، بعد أن حقق الفوز في 8 مباريات وتعادل في 16، فيما خسر 5 لقاءات.

وفي الوقت ذاته يرتفع رصيد وادي دجلة إلى 28 نقطة محتلًا المركز الخامس عشر بعد أن حقق تعادله العاشر، بينما فاز في 8 مباريات وخسر 13.

يُذكر أن نادي وادي دجلة قد أحتفى قبل المباراة بحارس مرماه محمد عبد المنصف، الذي وصل للمباراة رقم 400 في بطولة الدوري الممتاز.

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Aside from constant accusations of bottling it, it’s hard not to be impressed with Tottenham Hotspur. Here’s a club that has pulled itself up into the Premier League title conversation by placing faith in a young manager and even younger players, who have ceased the opportunity to continuously improve.

But that shouldn’t fool us into thinking every player at Tottenham is a resounding success story, even if they may appear that way. With that in mind, our writers deliver their verdicts below on a controversial question – who is Tottenham’s most overrated player?

Harry Sherlock – Christian Eriksen

“He regularly flits in and out of form and he struggles to maintain his highest level across a season. Indeed, the likes of Real Madrid are said to be interested and, when he is at his best, it is easy to see why. But those occasions come about all too rarely. Eriksen is not capable of performing at his peak for 38 Premier League games. Until he can, he’s going to be Spurs’ most overrated player.”

Will Jones – Lucas Moura or Erik Lamela

“Where to start? Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela are probably the two players in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad most guilty of flattering to deceive. Neither can produce the consistency required to shine at the elite level, but their reputations are spared due to the occasional flashes of inspiration they’re both capable of producing.”

Harry Elnaugh – Kieran Trippier

“The former Burnley man gave us a moment in the summer that none of us will forget as long as we live but he is often a massive liability at right-back. Of course, he is a huge threat when allowed to pick out a cross but, particularly in the 1-0 loss to Manchester City in which his mistake cost his side the game, he can be caught out on the back foot.”

Jack Saville – Christian Eriksen

“The Denmark international is borderline unplayable on his day, but those days are diminishing in regularity. If Tottenham can attract a huge figure for his services in the summer they would be wise to cash in and use the money to invest elsewhere.”

Christy Malyan – Hugo Lloris

“There’s a reason a truly elite club has never snapped up the Tottenham captain and it’s not because he happens to love the Lilywhites. Lloris is capable of making world-class saves but so are most goalkeepers in the Premier League and the fact is, he’s also capable of an absolute clanger.

“After that horrendous mistake in the World Cup final last summer his career should be in tatters – much like Loris Karius after his Champions League howler. It just so happens that Liverpool lost, whereas a France win swept what Lloris did under the rug.” 

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Xavier Amaechi is the next player to be linked with a move to the Bundesliga from the Premier League.

The 18-year-old is yet to make his first-team debut for the Gunners but football.london report that Bayern Munich are lining up a potential summer swoop for a player capped at England Under-16 and Under-17 levels.

Amaechi has won six caps for the former, scoring twice, and five for the latter, netting once.

For the Gunners, he has scored eight goals and laid on one assist in 15 games for the Under-18s, while netting three times and providing eight assists in 16 games for the Under-23s.

However, he is down the pecking order under Unai Emery and could be the next Arsenal youngster to seek pastures new abroad.

Marcus McGuane had made two senior appearances for the Gunners when Barcelona came knocking and he made the move, aware that his path to the first-team was clogged at the Emirates. He has played exclusively for the B team in Catalonia and it remains to be seen if his move will be vindicated.

Jadon Sancho, however, has reaped the rewards of going all-in on himself by moving to Borussia Dortmund from Manchester City and is already being touted as a potential £100 million player, with Manchester United said to be interested. Indeed, prior to the Champions League clash with Tottenham Hotspur, he had scored nine goals and laid on 14 assists in all competitions.

And after failing with multiple bids for Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi in January, Bayern appear to have turned their attention to Amaechi.

A player blessed with searing pace who is able to use both feet, his prolific exploits saw 14 clubs scout him earlier this week.

Emery, then, has a decision to make.

Chelsea dug their heels in over Hudson-Odoi and even began playing him regularly, perish the thought.

Amaechi has struggled with injuries and has had to battle back from a metatarsal problem sustained in September.

But now is the time for Emery to act; Bayern are circling and the Gunners boss has to decide whether or not he will offer the teenager promises of a route into the first-team.

He signed a new deal on his 17th birthday and is tied to the club until 2022 but a move to Bayern may prove too good to turn down.

It would be a gamble for Emery to start including him in his matchday squads but the question lingers: can he afford to lose a player who could become the next great British export?

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Following their fantastic 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Wednesday night, Tottenham now look to have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals as the Bundesliga leaders would need four goals without reply to progress in the second leg.

Given the injury problems faced by boss Mauricio Pochettino, his work in getting his side this far in Europe’s greatest club competition should not go unnoticed, as it is a tremendous feat.

The last Spurs side to make it as far as the quarter-finals was managed by Harry Redknapp, spearheaded by the likes of Peter Crouch and Aaron Lennon amongst a whole host of other names whose fortunes in football have changed significantly from that illustrious tie against Real Madrid back in 2011.

So, eight years on from that 5-0 aggregate loss to Los Blancos, where are some of Spurs’ Champions League heroes from that season now?

Peter Crouch

Now at 38 years of age, a then 30-year-old Crouch scored four goals and recorded three assists in Spurs’ Champions League run back in 2011, including a famous winner against AC Milan.

Nowadays, however, the former Liverpool man finds himself at Burnley having signed for the Clarets from Stoke in a player-plus-cash deal for Sam Vokes – he will be sure to get a good reception when Spurs take on Sean Dyche’s men later in the season.

Aaron Lennon

Another one of Tottenham’s stars from that Champions League run also finds himself at Burnley.

Lennon’s mesmeric run and assist for Crouch’s late goal at the San Siro, which handed Spurs a 1-0 first leg lead over AC Milan, will live long in the memory of Tottenham fans, even if Turf Moor is turning into somewhat of a retirement home for Spurs legends.

Jermaine Jenas 

The man who was out-jumped by Emmanuel Adebayor for Real Madrid’s opener in the second leg has done little on the pitch since Spurs crashed out at the quarter-final stage in 2011.

Jenas only managed three more seasons before retiring as a result of injury problems, and has since appeared for ITV, BBC and BT Sport as a pundit.

Heurelho Gomes

The 37-year-old will always be remembered for dropping some absolute clangers in a Spurs shirt, most notably in the aforementioned quarter-final against Real Madrid in what was a huge high profile error.

Gomes, a former Brazilian international, is currently at Watford, where he is the Hornets’ number two stopper behind the in-form Ben Foster.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto

The charismatic left-back, who used to wear different boots on either foot, is currently without a club after leaving French club Metz at the end of last season, where he became embroiled in an ongoing spat with Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe.

Strangely, the former Cameroon international, who headbutted teammate Benjamin Moukandjo at the 2014 World Cup, has even said that he has been contacted by the porn industry as an option for work after his football career ends.

It’s safe to say that he is truly one of a kind.

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Southampton head into a well-earned three-week break now that their clash with Watford has been postponed due to the Hornets’ progression to the FA Cup’s last eight. The gap in fixtures has given the Saints a chance to get an interview with training-obsessed captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this week.

Speaking to the club media, the Dane said:

“[As captain] I have to be even more aware of other things. How is the team doing? How are my teammates? Does someone need help?

“I go and fight for what I love, which is Southampton Football Club and football. I give myself everything, so I need to look people in the eyes and feel people: who do I want to go to war with?

“I believe that if everybody takes their responsibility, if everybody is brave and mentally prepared to show their qualities in the same system and in the same way, we have a fantastic team – but only then.

“Suddenly you play against Southampton and you know, ‘I have to go for a fight now, I have to go to war’. That’s what I want from my team.”

It’s certainly inspiring stuff and it’s no wonder that Ralph Hasenhuttl made the former Bayern Munich man permanent captain upon his taking of the wheel in December.

Indeed, the midfielder epitomises the grit and determination which have been crucial to the drastic improvements the St Mary’s Stadium outfit have made in recent weeks. Obviously, moments of quality from the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Yan Valery have helped, but this attitude is admirable.

Southampton do have the quality man-to-man to escape their current predicament but Hojbjerg rightly believes they can be so much more than that with an elite mindset.

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Saints might have emerged victorious over Spurs last time out but they are far from safe with eight games left and merely two points separating them from the drop zone so, as Hojbjerg says, each and every man will have to fight for the cause.

If they don’t then they will have the 23-year-old to answer to and it sounds like he won’t tolerate anyone who isn’t pulling their weight in the starting XI.