Martinelli signs new Arsenal deal, Premier League team news and more – live

Key events

Before their gathering astatine home against Brentford tomorrow, Southampton’s societal media squad person highlighted a tackle by James Ward-Prowse past January, erstwhile they hit nan Bees 4-1.

It is simply a very awesome tackle. “Absolute engine,” they say, arsenic opposed to absolute unit.

Spurs committee rejects fans' accusation connected deficiency of investment

Tottenham’s committee has powerfully rejected claims it has grounded to put importantly successful its squad successful caller transportation windows successful a missive to nan supporters’ trust.

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust past period wrote to nan committee expressing its concerns complete nan guidance of nan club, pinch 4 cardinal areas raised. These included nan mean to semipermanent strategy of owners ENIC and plans for nan January transfers.

A consequence was provided by Tottenham’s committee connected Thursday nighttime aft nan conclusion of a wintertime transportation model wherever Arnaut Danjuma and Pedro Porro were signed for Antonio Conte’s side, while Bryan Gil, Djed Spence and Matt Doherty departed connected either impermanent aliases imperishable deals.

“Like everyone astatine nan club, our caput coach wants nan squad to compete for apical honours,” a missive from Tottenham’s committee to its supporters’ spot publication successful consequence to concerns complete nan magnitude of Conte’s contract, which will expire connected June 30 though Spurs clasp nan action to widen it by a further 12 months.

“The nine has invested heavy successful nan squad. This is simply a continual process pinch nan purpose of opinionated nan nine successful bully stead connected nan transportation for years to come.

“Since opening nan stadium successful April 2019 we person spent much than £500m putting america successful nan apical quartile of spending successful nan Premier League – and we person made important investments successful nan Women’s squad too.

“In summation to nan summertime finance of complete £200m we person committed to a further £47m walk this January.

“Despite this we consistently spot references to our perceived deficiency of backing for caput coaches and deficiency of spending. It’s important that we woody pinch facts – our walk levels rather intelligibly show that we person backed our shot side.

“There is ever a good statement betwixt semipermanent finance and short-termism – which is why our recruitment has to beryllium first class. Mistakes astatine this level time off a financial and sporting effect for early seasons.

“We person felt nan financial effect of supporting subordinate purchases which person not worked retired arsenic hoped. We person taken steps to amended this area of operations and nan caller windows bespeak this.” (PA Media)

Real Madrid hit Valencia successful La Liga past night. Here is our report:

Sky Sports News are presently having an in-depth chat astir Fantasy Football selections and each nan options for nan coming weekend. Seems to beryllium a caller feature. Not awesome content, if you inquire me, which you didn’t. Hold tight for much head property conferences …

Sean Dyche appealed to disgruntled Evertonians to parkland their grievances pinch nan nine and assistance his relegation-threatened team, arsenic he denied receiving promises complete transfers earlier taking nan job.

The caller Everton head witnessed nan fracture betwixt fans and committee connected his 2nd time successful complaint erstwhile protests were held extracurricular Finch Farm training crushed complete nan nonaccomplishment to make a January signing. Demonstrations against nan committee are planned for earlier and aft Saturday’s location lucifer against nan convention leaders Arsenal, pinch organisers pledging their support to Dyche and his players during nan game.

This is next-level from Chelsea’s grounds signing:

Enzo Fernández says he wants to return Chelsea ‘to nan adjacent level’:

“So moreover Duncan Ferguson is consenting to speak of being connected a travel - not thing you’d person imagined that he’d beryllium consenting to burble erstwhile he was successful his hard-tackling pomp,” emails Charles. “1970s therapy-speak has genuinely embedded itself successful our consciousness, for bully aliases ill. During nan pandemic lockdown of caller memory, I had to person an question and reply pinch HR, and their first mobility was to inquire maine to show them each astir my “Covid journey”. I could person pointed retired that, for illustration everybody else, I was obliged to enactment successful and not really spell anywhere, but I felt that that mightiness spell down connected nan antagonistic broadside of nan ledger.”

Travelling without moving. Or not? Like it, Charles.

Graham Potter appears to beryllium drowning successful caller squad acquisitions astatine Chelsea. The early signs are not awesome for him successful his new-ish job, it must beryllium said. But arsenic stated, they are early signs. Time will tell.

What do you deliberation of Chelsea’s prospects nether Potter? You tin email maine aliases moreover nonstop a connection via Twitter pinch your thoughts …

Graham Potter has admitted it will beryllium challenging to support dressing-room harmony aft Chelsea accrued nan size of their squad pinch their frantic January transportation business.

The nine took their spending to much than £500m nether nan Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership erstwhile they collapsed nan British transportation grounds by buying Enzo Fernández from Benfica for £106.8m connected deadline day.

The Labour party has called for renewed attraction connected securing a financial colony betwixt nan Premier League and EFL, aft leaked proposals suggested nan task could extremity up being settled by a regulator.

Football authorities person been successful deadlock for much than a twelvemonth connected really to create a much sustainable distribution of revenue crossed nan men’s shot pyramid, aft they were forced into talks by nan government. A achromatic insubstantial connected reforming shot governance is expected to opportunity that an independent regulator would beryllium granted “backstop” powers to enforce an statement should shot authorities beryllium incapable to scope one.

Will Unwin has interviewed Duncan Ferguson, nan caller head astatine League One Forest Green:

“When I first met nan proprietor and saw his passion and enthusiasm for nan nine and what he was doing that surely went a agelong measurement to making my mind up,” Ferguson said … “On apical of that it was a commencement for maine connected my managerial journey. Feeling wanted was a large 1 for me. And I thought: ‘Why not return this challenge?’”

On nan taxable of nan club’s laudable committedness to sustainability, Ferguson said: “The vegan nutrient is rather nice. Chips are vegan, I didn’t cognize that.”

The Newcastle manager, Eddie Howe, has been having a chat pinch nan media soon aft seeing his squad advancement to nan Carabao Cup last by defeating Southampton earlier this week. The Magpies big West Ham successful nan 5.30pm Premier League kick-off tomorrow.

“We’ve tried to refocus nan players [after Tuesday],” Howe said, quoted connected nan club’s Twitter. “It is simply a very difficult game. If we’re disconnected it successful immoderate measurement it’ll beryllium moreover harder. There’s been a large push from maine & nan unit to make judge we’re fresh for this game.”

On Alexander Isak, who took a James Ward-Prowse free-kick successful nan look connected Tuesday: “Alex made a captious publication successful that moment. He was capable to jump and artifact nan free-kick but took a rustle to nan broadside of nan caput and had very flimsy signs of concussion. We’ve followed each nan protocols but whether he’ll beryllium available, I’m not sure.”

Alexander Isak: they shall not pass. Photograph: Richard Lee/Shutterstock

On nan suspended Bruno Guimarães: “When you suffer 1 subordinate you person to readjust & location will beryllium an opportunity for nan squad to regroup and find different way. The bully point for Bruno is that he’ll beryllium disposable for nan final, but we person 3 immense Premier League games he’ll miss.”

Speaking of Arsenal, they apical nan measure successful this week’s 10 things to look retired for successful nan Premier League.

Tomorrow lunchtime, Arteta returns to Goodison Park pinch his accomplished squad to look situation nine Everton, who will people beryllium hoping to go considerably little crisis-y nether nan recently installed head Sean Dyche.

Martinelli signs caller Arsenal contract

Premier League-leading Arsenal person announced nan news that Brazil guardant Gabriel Martinelli has signed a caller long-term contract.

On nan charismatic nine website, nan caput coach Mikel Arteta is quoted arsenic follows: “We’re delighted Gabi has signed a caller semipermanent contract. Our supporters spot his value and power each azygous clip he puts connected nan garment and he’s nan aforesaid each time successful training, pinch his difficult activity and affirmative values.

“Gabi is still very young, truthful we cognize there’s still overmuch much to travel from him and it’s awesome that we’ll beryllium connected this travel together. We’re now excited to proceed to create his immense talent and look guardant to seeing him execute pinch Arsenal successful nan years to come.”

Preamble

As Jean-Paul Sartre erstwhile said: “50% of shot is 90% mental.” Or was it Franny Jeffers? Can’t retrieve now, but nan constituent stands.

There is tons of shot connected this weekend, of people location is, truthful we must hole ourselves for nan beingness and intelligence challenges that dishonesty ahead.

We’ll beryllium tuning into plentifulness of head property conferences connected this Friday blog, updating you connected squad news, and sprinkling it each pinch immoderate (in theory) delightful banter. Allez!