Ian Wright has admitted he would have ‘loved’ Arsenal to have made a move for Manchester City star Cole Palmer prior to his move to Chelsea.
The England international, who cost £42.5 million to acquire at Stamford Bridge in the final day of the summer transfer window, has undoubtedly been one of the team’s acquisitions of the year after significantly improving Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. Palmer has established himself as a strong contender for a spot in England’s Euro 2024 Finals squad with 12 goals and 9 assists in just 29 games for the Blues.
Wright praised the 21-year-old and stressed he would have loved to have seen the attacking midfielder strutting his stuff as part of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side – rather than impressing in the blue of their London rivals.
“I don’t want to say who I’d have had him in for, but I’d have loved to have had Cole Palmer,” he stated in an interview with the Wright’s House podcast. He’s like (Riyad) Mahrez, but he’s not that player; he has so much more, I heard someone say.”
After spending £30 million to go to the London Stadium, the Morocco international had a fantastic first season in England, helping David Moyes’ team win the Europa Conference League with a final victory over Serie A team Fiorentina. Speaking following Aguerd’s fantastic Premier League debut, Moyes expressed his great regard for the defender and drew comparisons between him and two other recent arrivals to the English game.
He said, “I have to admit that I compare him a lot to (Sven) Botman,” in a speech given in February of last year. I believed that Botman and [Nayef] Aguerd were the two best left-footed centre backs in France. Of course, there is Benoit Badiashile, the child who went to Chelsea, and a few other boys who fit the same description.
But in his second season with the team, Aguerd has struggled in an ineffective Hammers lineup. According to The Sun, West Ham is prepared to cash in on the defender as part of a season-long overhaul.
The 3AM Verdict: “It’s difficult to ignore the possibility that Aguerd’s future and his manager’s future are related, given the rumours surrounding Moyes’ future at the London Stadium.”
Aston Villa consider move for Israeli talent
According to reports, a number of teams are keeping an eye on Oscar Gloukh, a young player for RB Salzburg.
The 19-year-old offensive midfielder, who spent £5 million to join the Austrian team from Maccabi Tel Aviv in January of last year, has rapidly established a stellar reputation for himself. Gloukh has made 46 appearances since the move, tallying nine goals and 10 assists, which has attracted interest from several illustrious clubs across Europe.
After seeing the young player in action last year, Football Insider said that Aston Villa is “very keen” and has a long-term interest in signing Gloukh. However, Arsenal has also entered the race to get Gloukh after sending scouts to watch his development in recent weeks.
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