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Aston Villa are interested in bringing Santos star Marcos Leonardo to the Premier League this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio.

Who is Marcos Leonardo?

Leonardo is primarily a striker who has plied his trade at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium since his childhood days, having graduated from the club’s academy to get promoted to the first team three years ago. Across all age levels, he’s made 149 appearances to date.

The Brazil youth international's contract isn't set to expire until 2026, but having firmly established himself as Paulo Turra’s top-performing offensive player so far this season, he’s already attracted plenty of interest from several high-profile clubs in England.

Read The Latest Aston Villa Transfer News HERE…

Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest have all been linked with a swoop for the 20-year-old during the ongoing window, but with a move having yet failed to come to fruition, NSWE & Monchi have seemingly decided to enter the running in the hope of securing his services.

Unai Emery already has Ollie Watkins, Jhon Duran and Cameron Archer as his options at centre-forward, but with Wesley Moraes having completed a permanent move to Stoke City, not to mention that Keinan Davis has told the club that he wants to leave, the boss appears to be dipping into the market to find some new reinforcements.

Are Aston Villa signing Marcos Leonardo?

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Di Marzio name-checked Aston Villa as one of the clubs keeping close tabs on Leonardo, but admitted that as it stands, AS Roma are the team currently in pole position to land him. He wrote:

“#SerieA #Calciomercato | @OfficialASRoma, today is the decisive day for #MarcosLeonardo : the @SantosFC has to say whether or not he accepts the Giallorossi's offer. On the attacker there are also @AVFCOfficial and @NFFC, but the player has given priority to #Roma @SkySport.”

How good is Marcos Leonardo?

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Leonardo is a “natural goalscorer” which is proven by his return so far this season having posted eight goal contributions (six goals and two assists) in 12 Serie A appearances, so should the striker put pen to paper, it would be an exciting coup for Aston Villa.

Sponsored by Nike, Santos’ £8.9k-per-week earner has also recorded a total of 28 shots over the course of the current campaign which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, alongside being awarded two man-of-the-match accolades for his outstanding performances.

The Itapetinga native is additionally a versatile operator having previously been deployed on the left side of the midfield and out wide on the left wing alongside his usual role through the middle, so his ability to play in three different positions makes him a great option for the manager to have at his disposal.

Emery will undoubtedly begin the 2023/24 campaign with Watkins as his main attacker once again so Leonardo could find it hard to nail down a starting spot if the boss only opts to have one centre-forward up top, but he is definitely someone who could seriously push the former to up his game even more and compete for a regular place in the squad.

Arsenal have enjoyed a period of stable progression under Mikel Arteta, with little cause for worry as he forges a brighter future. However, that has not been a process without its hiccups…

Is Douglas Luiz leaving Aston Villa?

Having handed Emi Martinez a show of faith amidst Bernd Leno's injury, the Argentine impressed in between the sticks for a period.

Many thought they have pulled a blinder when such a stint resulted in a permanent move away to Aston Villa, retrieving a hefty £17m fee for what was essentially a backup goalkeeper. Few could have imagined just how far he would continue to grow.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Now, in an attempt to avenge that devastating decision, and bolster their midfield too, perhaps the Gunners could seek to snag Douglas Luiz from Unai Emery's clutches.

After all, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones suggested that they remain in the hunt, speaking to GIVEMSPORT:

"I think it’s an open secret in football that Arsenal still want Douglas Luiz, but they have failed to sign him in the past and given that Aston Villa are in a better place now than they were in 2022, I would expect them to keep hold of him again.

"It would take a huge offer to change their stance on that and while I do actually think this would be a great style of player for Arsenal to sign, I’m not convinced they have the capability in this window to make an offer that is so strong that Aston Villa can not turn it down.

How good is Douglas Luiz?

In his debut campaign at Villa Park, the Argentina international quickly established how much of a blunder sanctioning his exit was with his fine goalkeeping displays.

Featuring in all of their Premier League games that year, he maintained a 7.18 average rating, buoyed by his 15 clean sheets and 3.7 saves per game, at a 76% success rate, via Sofascore.

He was comfortably the highest-rated shot-stopper in the division that term, made even more impressive given how busy he was. Martinez was forced to make the third-most saves that year too.

However, that was not the extent of his success in the Midlands, given he has gone on to feature 112 times for the club.

His exploits led to an emergence within his national team, which had huge ramifications on the recent 2022 World Cup.

The 30-year-old was called upon on numerous occasions, emerging at the biggest moments to keep his side alive. He helped them crawl through a penalty shootout against the Netherlands before his last-minute save from Randal Kolo Muani prevented France from winning the final at the death.

Then, he would be the hero yet again, saving once in another shootout to become the hero. Gabby Agbonlahor even suggested: "I think he's the best goalkeeper in the world."

To think of where his career has risen, and how easily he was allowed to leave by Arteta, it likely remains one of his few big regrets from his time at the Emirates.

However, adding Luiz to his ranks should alleviate that frustration, given the attacking impetus he would offer to his engine room, alongside a tireless work rate. It could be the key addition that helps push them closer to that title.

His 7.10 average rating in the league last season was the best of any Villa player, largely bolstered by his 12 goal contributions 86% pass accuracy, two tackles and 1.2 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

The Brazilian is creative yet cut-throat, with writer Jack Grimse having branded the £75k-per-week star a "warrior" in the past.

To bring this kind of steel and elegance to Arteta's side, which prides itself on blending work ethic with pure quality, and at last, they could be set to get back at Villa for taking and turning Martinez into one of the world's best.

Manchester United have been scouting a "tenacious" midfielder for "a long time" and could turn their attention to him should a deal for Sofyan Amrabat not materialise, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester United news – what is the latest?

It's been a brilliant transfer window for United fans so far this summer, and while it may have started a little slow, with some fans worrying that the spending of other sides would blow them away, they have ended up with a significantly improved squad with half of August left to try and add even more quality where they can.

One of the names that has been most heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer is Fiorentina midfielder and World Cup star, Amrabat. The 26-year-old had a brilliant 12 months for club and country and has been touted with a switch to the Theatre of Dreams for weeks.

However, whilst the three-time European champions remain the favourites to land their man – and his preferred destination – a deal has had to wait due to other deals taking priority and the need to offload players before outlaying even more on any incomings.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

With that in mind, should a deal for the Moroccan not materialise for whatever reason, the Red Devils have a list with several potential alternatives, including Everton's highly rated Amadou Onana, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation live on The United Stand's YouTube channel, saying:

"Onana from Everton is another player that United have always appreciated, and they have been scouting him for a long time, so I think they have multiple names into the list."

How good is Amadou Onana?

It should come as no surprise that with the interest the Belgian has garnered from the likes of Arsenal, West Ham United, and now Manchester United, he is a quality operator and would be an excellent addition to the majority of football clubs.

Last year was his first in England, but you wouldn't be able to tell from his performances as he was consistently one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise dismal season for the Toffees.

In his 29 league starts last year, the 21-year-old scored one goal, provided two assists, maintained a passing accuracy of 84%, won 1.8 aerial duals and averaged an impressive match rating of 6.71, per WhoScored.

His performances are only made all the more impressive when you consider the dysfunctional team around him, and had he not been playing, there is a very good chance Everton wouldn't be a Premier League team this season.

Described as both an "aggressive & tenacious tackler" whilst also possessing "above-average technical skills" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the £100,000-a-week titan could be precisely the kind of "one-man army" ten Hag needs to round out his squad this season.

Even if the Red Devils can secure the services of Amrabat before the window slams shut on September 1st, it might be a good idea to try and land Onana as well, to help the team fight on multiple fronts this year.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans to add another centre-forward to their squad before the end of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?

According to the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats are 'pursuing' a swoop to sign Jay Stansfield from Premier League side Fulham.

The report claims that Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman are eyeing up a loan deal for the number nine to bolster their forward options.

Fellow Championship teams Queens Park Rangers and Millwall have also been named as interested suitors, which means that the club are facing stiff competition to secure the talented youngster's signature.

How good is Jay Stansfield?

Mowbray could land the club's next Ellis Simms by securing a deal for the 20-year-old striker as he could make the step up to Championship football after an impressive spell in League One.

Stansfield went on loan to Exeter in the third tier last term and caught the eye with nine goals and seven assists in 28 starts, which means that he averaged a goal contribution every 1.75 starts.

Simms enjoyed an excellent time on loan at Blackpool in League One prior to his move to Sunderland as he scored ten goals and assisted one in 19 starts – an average of one every 1.73 starts.

After a stint at Hearts in Scotland, the then-Everton finisher moved to the Stadium of Light and impressed last season with seven goals and two assists in 14 Championship starts before being recalled in January.

Stansfield could follow in his footsteps by taking his game to the next level in a move to Wearside after an excellent level of production in League One.

Ross Stewart (ten) is the only current Sunderland player who scored more than nine league goals and only Jack Clarke (12) managed more than seven assists, which shows how impressive the youngster's displays were last term.

Fulham boss Marco Silva claimed that the 6 foot 1 whiz became stronger and developed as a player during his spell at Exeter, which suggests that he could now be ready to take the next leap in his development.

The 20-year-old marksman's form for the Cottagers at youth level suggests that there is a prolific centre-forward to be unearthed there as he racked up a staggering 38 goals and seven assists in 49 U21 and U18 matches combined.

Therefore, the England U20 international has the potential to be a fantastic scorer for Sunderland if he is able to push on and improve upon his performances for Exeter. He now has experience of playing first-team football week-in-week-out and could use that to thrive for the Black Cats.

Stansfield, whose runs were hailed as "powerful" by journalist Josh Bunting, is yet to prove himself at Championship level but neither had Simms when he arrived on Wearside on loan from a Premier League side, which is why he could be the next version of the now-Coventry ace.

It would be a gamble from Mowbray but one that has the potential to result in a huge pay-off for Sunderland if the exciting talent is able to hit top form and make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch.

Celtic are continuing to keep tabs on a promising midfielder as Brendan Rodgers gets set for a frantic last week of the transfer window at Parkhead, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Celtic?

The Hoops find themselves in the midst of an early season malaise at Parkhead and will be hoping to react to an uninspiring 0-0 draw at home to St Johnstone last weekend, which followed an abrupt exit from the Viaplay Cup against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park the week previous, as per Sky Sports.

In defence of Hoops boss Rodgers, Celtic have encountered a freakish number of injuries at an early stage in the campaign and have a major dilemma in central defence, owing to Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki, Stephen Welsh and Yuki Kobayashi all being sidelined because of various concerns.

Despite Celtic's recent frustration, Northern Irish boss Rodgers is confident that his side can bounce back on Sunday against Rangers at Ibrox, as he stated in the aftermath of the Hoops' draw at home with St Johnstone:

"When you're playing Rangers, whether it's home or away, then it's the easiest game ever as a manager, in terms of the motivation and commitment. It's an obligation. You don't have a choice in any game, but in particular in that game."

Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma is closing in on a move to Scottish champions Celtic and will soon travel north of the border to be officially announced at Parkhead after arriving in London to put the finishing touches to his move, as per Honduran outlet Diario Diez.

The 23-year-old is set to be given the chance to wear the iconic number seven shirt at Celtic and will immediately go into contention for Sunday's crunch match away to Rangers.

Who else could Celtic sign?

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic could be set to bring in up to five new arrivals before the window closes at Parkhead, with Manchester City youngster Tommy Doyle still being monitored in the latter stages of market activity.

Several outgoings may also occur at Celtic before the end of the window and the likes of Benjamin Siegrist, Albian Ajeti, Ismaila Soro and James McCarthy could depart. Montenegro international Sead Haksabanovic has made his discontent at his involvement known in recent days and may depart.

Labelled "excellent" by former Cardiff City manager Steve Morison, Doyle spent last campaign on loan at Sheffield United and played a major part in their promotion to the Premier League, registering four goals and seven assists in 38 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

BBC Sport reporter Simon Stone has detailed that Wolverhampton Wanderers 'really like' Doyle and could look to replace Matheus Nunes with the England Under-21 international; nevertheless, it remains to be seen where the Citizens' youth product will end up come the end of the window.

Celtic have reached an agreement to sign Aris FC forward Luis Palma this summer, and a reliable journalist has revealed how imminent the move is likely to be finalised.

What position is Luis Palma?

Palma is naturally a left-winger who has made 52 appearances for Apostolos Terzis’ side since joining from CDS Vida back in January 2022, but he’s been heavily linked with an exit despite still having another three years to run on his contract in the Greek Super League.

According to The Daily Mail, Scottish Premiership rivals Glasgow Rangers, Championship clubs Stoke City and Watford, alongside Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor, have all considered a move for the 23-year-old, but it was Brendan Rodgers who was the first to act on his interest and make a concrete approach.

The Hoops recently entered talks regarding a deal for the Honduras international having tabled an opening offer of £3.5m which is close to Aris’ valuation of their prized asset, and the hierarchy have since received a further boost that he could be on his way to Parkhead.

On Friday, Giannis Chorianopoulos confirmed that the attacker is set to be missing from his club’s squad vs Lamia on Sunday in order to complete his move to the United Kingdom, which seems to be extremely close if the following update is to be believed.

Are Celtic signing Luis Palma?

Taking to X, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph revealed that Celtic are set to sign Palma in the final week of the transfer window with the two parties almost ready to give the green light on personal terms after a fee was agreed. He wrote:

“UPDATE: Celtic have agreed a fee of around £3.5m with Aris FC for winger Luis Palma. It’s understood talks over personal terms on a four-year contract are in the final stages. Once the deal is agreed and a work permit application is processed, he will travel to Glasgow.”

How many goals has Luis Palma scored?

Across all competitions last season, Palma racked up an impressive 21 goal contributions (13 goals and eight assists) in 36 appearances whilst emerging as Aris’ highest goalscorer in the Super League, via FBRef, highlighting how prolific he can be, so should he put pen to paper, it would be a massive coup for Rodgers and Celtic.

The Top Radical Sports client is also a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere over the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so he could be a great option for the boss to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur in other roles that he could provide cover for.

Furthermore, Palma has been dubbed a “huge player” by his manager Terzis, so he could be able to step up and deliver on the big occasions which the green and white stripes have a lot of in the near future, not to mention that he could be the perfect long-term replacement for Jota, who permanently left the club last month to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad.

Glasgow Rangers head into the international having endured a tough start to the 2023/24 campaign.

Michael Beale has led the Gers to just four wins from nine matches so far this term, while also failing to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League following a 7-3 aggregate demolition by PSV Eindhoven.

The pressure was ramped up after that defeat last week heading into the first Old Firm game of the season and a win would have allowed the Light Blues to leapfrog Celtic and secure the first blow of the campaign.

It wasn’t to be in what can only be described as a lacklustre performance, not helped by poor refereeing but there wasn’t a single standout performer across the 90 minutes.

How did Rangers perform vs Celtic?

The Parkhead outfit had failed to score in four hours prior to arriving at Ibrox for the match on Sunday and having drawn with St Johnstone along with being knocked out of the League Cup by Kilmarnock the week before, Brendan Rodgers was perhaps under some undue pressure already.

This should have given Beale a huge confidence boost, yet despite having two goals ruled out in the first half, the Gers simply couldn’t create any meaningful scoring chances.

Rabbi Matondo was unleashed from the start and his pace did cause trouble to the Celtic defence, yet he failed to make a key pass or have a shot on target throughout his 64 minutes on the pitch. Old Firm debutant Dujon Sterling was also underwhelming at left back and failed to add any attacking impetus to the starting XI as he replaced Borna Barisic.

The former Chelsea youth gem succeeded with zero of his three dribble attempts and lost possession seven times during the game before he was replaced by Ridvan Yilmaz.

Before the crunch tie, it remained to be seen who would be deployed to lead the line against an inexperienced defence, and it was Cyriel Dessers who once again got the nod, leaving £6m man Danilo on the bench yet again.

Did Cyriel Dessers play well vs Celtic?

The Nigeria international has endured a fairly uninspired start to his Rangers career thus far, scoring just twice and registering three assists for the club across eight matches.

One of those goals was a penalty against Greenock Morton, while grabbing an assist in the same game and in four Premiership matches, the striker has yet to record a goal contribution, with his performance against Celtic suggesting Beale may need to make a change for their next match.

He missed a big chance during the tie while having a grand total of zero shots against Celtic while drifting offside a frustrating three times across the 76 minutes that he was on the pitch.

The 28-year-old also failed to demonstrate his physicality as he lost 75% of his ground duels along with losing possession 12 times, and it’s clear that Beale needs to tinker with his tactics during the international break in order to get the best out of the former Feyenoord player.

Indeed, the Gers may well be ruing not signing someone who could have offered a greater threat in front of goal during the summer transfer window. One such option was Anastasios Douvikas.

How many goals has Anastasios Douvikas scored?

According to Greek outlet Nova Sports in June (via The Daily Record), the Ibrox side were gearing up to launch a bid of around £7m for the striker as they were looking to bolster their attacking options following the departure of Alfredo Morelos.

Celtic were also showing interest in the player and there is no doubt he was one of the better strikers that Beale was keeping tabs on throughout the window.

Last season, he finished as joint top scorer in the Eredivisie with 19 goals, a tally that would have also seen him finish as the highest scorer in the Rangers side, indicating that he could have vastly improved Beale’s frontline while being a better option than Dessers too.

Indeed, Douvikas, when compared to positional peers across the eight most similar leagues to the Dutch top flight, ranked in the top 8% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.55), the top 19% for progressive carries (1.69) and successful take-ons (1.1) per 90 while also ranking in the top 8% for tackles per 90 (1.14), demonstrating his abilities across a range of metrics.

In comparison, Dessers failed to rank in the top 25% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.43), while ranking outside the top 40% for progressive carries (1.22) and successful take-ons (0.79) per 90 along with finishing among the top 50% for tackles per 90 (0.5) when compared with positional peers in Europe's top five leagues.

Of course, Dessers was playing in Serie A, which is a trickier league to score in compared to the Eredivisie, yet it is evident that the sheer volume of goals Douvikas scored demonstrates he would have been a much better option for Beale this term.

The 24-year-old netted 22 goals across all competitions for FC Utrecht while Dessers scored only seven goals for Italian side Cremonese, further evidence that Douvikas should have been a higher transfer priority for the Gers.

Where is Anastasios Douvikas playing now?

They failed to lure him to Glasgow and following weeks of speculation, the striker eventually moved to La Liga and joined Spanish side Celta Vigo for a fee in the region of €10m (£8.5m), signing a five-year deal in the process.

Lauded as “sharp” by journalist Josh Bunting back in 2021, it appears as though Douvikas has really hit his stride over the previous 12 months and secured a richly deserved move to Spain.

He will certainly be one that got away for Beale, particularly if Dessers fails to improve in the subsequent matches following the break.

The last few weeks should have been the perfect time for the 43-year-old to get his new signings settled in and performing well while claiming a place in the Champions League.

It hasn’t worked out so far and much is down to just how poor the new signings have been, notably Dessers.

Douvikas may have cost more, yet his goal tally in recent seasons suggests he would have been a major upgrade on the 28-year-old.

Glasgow Rangers' opening nine matches of the 2023/24 campaign promised so much, yet Michael Beale has managed to secure just four victories from these games.

The international break arrived at precisely the right time and hopefully the players will realise that staying in second gear won't be enough to claim domestic prizes this term.

Having signed nine players during the summer, initial signs aren’t promising that the vast majority of them will make a difference in the quest for success this season.

Jack Butland is perhaps the only one who can receive pass marks and Beale missed out on a variety of players which could potentially have bolstered his squad, such as Harry Souttar and Luis Palma.

The 43-year-old also recently submitted his Europa League squad for the group stages and two new signings miss out, Kieran Dowell and Leon Balogun, as just 22 players were chosen.

A lack of homegrown players is clearly an issue and this could have been solved had the Light Blues managed to keep hold of a player who is now currently shining on the continent; Lewis Ferguson.

Did Rangers release Lewis Ferguson?

Ferguson, the son of former Gers star Derek and nephew of Barry, was a part of the youth setup at the club between 2009 and 2013, before leaving to join Hamilton Academical that very same year, and it now looks like a major mistake.

With a father and uncle who had starred for the Glasgow side across two different eras, it was evident that Ferguson knew the standards expected, but obviously, the club didn’t share the same vision.

What happened to Lewis Ferguson?

After just one campaign in the Hamilton first team, Ferguson moved to the North East and joined Aberdeen in the summer of 2018 having initially signed a pre-contract agreement in May.

Dons boss Derek McInnes praised the teenager, saying: “Lewis is a promising young player who I look forward to working with and developing here at Pittodrie.”

He exploded into life during his maiden season in Aberdeen, going on to make 45 appearances in all competitions while registering 16 goal contributions – eight goals and eight assists – which included scoring the winner at Hampden against Rangers in the League Cup semi-final along with a goal against Premier League side Burnley in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League.

His potential seemed limitless and over the following two seasons he continued to be a mainstay in the heart of the Dons midfield while regularly chipping in with goals and assists, showcasing his attacking abilities.

Writer Stefan Bienkowski hailed the midfielder and his abilities during the 2020/21 season, saying: “Big fan of Lewis Ferguson just deciding he’s going to boss every game, every week this season.”

During the 2021/22 season, Ferguson enjoyed his most productive season to date. Over 36 league matches, he netted 11 times, took 3.4 shots per game, averaged 0.8 key passes per game and won a staggering 8.1 total duels each match, demonstrating how effective he was over a wide range of metrics.

Indeed, these figures would see him rank first, first and 12th across the squad and with these performances, interest was slowly building with regard to him moving away from Aberdeen.

Where is Lewis Ferguson now?

Prior to this wonderful season, Rangers were linked with a move for their former academy gem, yet it failed to materialise and just a year later, the midfielder was heading to Italy, as Serie A side Bologna secured his services for a fee of just £3m.

Former Hamilton owner Ronnie MacDonald believed that the Gers should have gone all out to get the 24-year-old, saying: “He was their (Aberdeen's) midfield enforcer when he’d just turned 19 years of age. If there was a hole in their team, he was the one they’d look for to fill it. But he’s a terrific lad with a great attitude and he’d have done it without questioning it. As a person and a player, Lewis is a diamond.

“He’s captaincy material and, when I look at him, he looks like a Rangers player and captain-type to me. Considering his family background, I can’t understand why there hasn’t been interest from them in him. But if he’s going to go to Italy, the best of luck to him."

His spell on the continent has been an extraordinary success for the young Scot. During the 5 foot 11 midfielder's debut season, the former Aberdeen star notched seven goals in 32 league matches for the Serie A side, including a goal against eventual champions Napoli as he took to Italian football with ease, following in the footsteps of former Scots who played in the country such as Denis Law and Graeme Souness.

Journalist Kenny Millar lauded him for his display against Inter Milan back in February, saying: “Class to see Lewis Ferguson more than hold his own as Bologna beat Inter Milan.

“Clear how highly thought of he is over here when you speak to staff and supporters.”

He has even been linked with European giants Juventus and AC Milan recently, proving that his move to Italy has worked wonders for his development.

How much is Lewis Ferguson worth now?

Having left the Gers for nothing a decade ago, the Scot now finds himself valued at €20m (£17m) according to the CIES Football Observatory and there is no doubt that this value will continue to rise with every positive display.

Rangers must be kicking themselves now having missed out on the midfielder and indeed let him go all those years ago. They could’ve signed him for £3m just a year ago, yet, if the club had more faith, he may not have left for anything way back in 2013.

With the need for more homegrown talent in the squad, especially for European football, it makes the decision much worse and hopefully, Beale will keep this in mind when keeping tabs on young talent which emerges through the academy.

Ferguson has been a beacon of light for Scottish football on the continent, and it is no secret that moving to Italy has helped progress his game massively, playing against far better players than if he remained in Scotland.

Hopefully, this is a wake-up call to the club and that this mistake will be avoided in the future.

Pairing together Chelsea's recent ethos of spend first, worry later under Todd Boehly and a history of loaning out a whopping 41 players at one time back in 2019 – it comes as no surprise that sometimes talent can slip through the Blues' net.

However, it's more unbearable than ever when said talent sits right under a club's nose. Today's agonising focus is a prime example in the face of the west London club's recent stagnation.

How much have Chelsea spent?

Well, if you got lost in the constant stream of moves to Stamford Bridge (we don't blame you), Chelsea spent £345.9m this summer alone. The eight moves that followed last season's especially insatiable expenditure saw Todd Boehly's total as owner now approach the billion pound mark.

One flagship capture, of course, was that of Brighton's 21-year-old Moises Caicedo. After gaining attention in a progressive Roberto Di Zerbi side as a hardworking midfield warrior, the Ecuadorian sparked a dramatic bidding war between Liverpool and Chelsea.

Eventually, he chose Stamford Bridge as his new home and penned a jaw-dropping eight-year contract with the option for an additional year, in a move that totalled £115m.

The size of the fee was emphasised further by Caicedo's boyhood club Independiente del Valle. After smartly inserting a sell-on clause, they are set to receive around £22m for a player they let go to Brighton for just £4m.

Unfortunately, Caicedo's impact has been a little underwhelming so far with just two starts to his name. What they could do for another of the summer's big money movers in Declan Rice…

Why did Declan Rice leave Chelsea?

Back in 2013, Chelsea painstakingly released a 14-year-old Declan Rice. England's centurion and Arsenal's new fan favourite started his footballing life at Cobham back in 2006.

Rice was so naturally adept that, despite never playing organised football as a child, he was still good enough for Chelsea's academy. He played alongside fellow midfielder Mason Mount, and began an infamous friendship with the now-Manchester United man.

Where Mount was the youthful poster boy, Rice was released in 2013 and perhaps, as the player claims, it was down to his slender height at the time. In disbelief at Chelsea's blasé nature (Rice is still uncertain as to why), West Ham emphatically signed the youngster.

With new opportunities, a welcome growth spurt, and success in the Hammers' development sides – Rice took just two years to break into the first team.

Just how good is Declan Rice now?

West Ham steadily showed prying Premier League eyes Declan Rice's capabilities. From 2015 until his move to Arsenal this summer in a £100m transfer, Rice amassed over 200 league appearances for West Ham and capped his final emotional term with victory in UEFA's Europa Conference League.

Rice's final season illustrated his level as Opta statisticians included him in their team of the season. Featuring as the sole West Ham representative, Rice won possession more than anyone else (334 times), and made the most interceptions (63).

Meanwhile, he ranked ahead of Caicedo in some key midfield metrics, sitting second for ball carries (702), ball carry distance (7,136m) and ball carry progress distance (3,827m) behind only Rodri when it came to positional peers. It's safe to say that letting him go was a big mistake from Chelsea's point of view.

Rice also covered extensive distance. His third-highest rank of 412km is nearly the equivalent of running 10 marathons. It's clear why some journalists, including the Telegraph's Sam Dean, have been quick to label the midfielder a "monster."

Evidently, letting a player go for free and seeing him become a world-beater will be a bitter pill to swallow. With Chelsea's recent spending spree, it would be quick (and probably harsh) to say that they haven't learned from their mistakes either. In one regard, that statement rings true with numerous talents having been overlooked by a club and owner who likes the flash of new toys.

Yet, with the Americanised notion of vast multi-year contracts, Boehly looks to be instilling the best young talent for a long time to come – creating a new-money developmental side of the game not quite seen before.

Mikel Arteta has explained why he subbed Bukayo Saka off at half-time during Arsenal's 6-0 rout of Sheffield United.

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• Arteta provided updates on Saka and Martinelli
• Saka left the pitch at half-time
• Arsenal thrashed Sheffield United 6-0

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Saka was forced to leave the pitch at half-time, while Martinelli was substituted in the 64th minute in Arsenal's 6-0 triumph against Sheffield United in the Premier League on Monday. Arsenal manager Arteta later clarified that the England international was not feeling right after the first half, which prompted him to substitute the player. Martinelli, on the other hand, suffered a cut after a challenge that left him unable to continue.

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• WHAT MIKEL ARTETA SAID

  Speaking to reporters after the match, the Gunners boss said of his decisions to take off Arsenal's two star players: "Bukayo was feeling sick and not feeling right. With Martinelli, it was a slight cut so we have to see how he is."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Gunners extended their Premier League winning streak to seven games as they thrashed The Blades at Bramall Lane. Captain Martin Odegaard opened the scoring for his side in the fifth minute before Jayden Bogle's own goal doubled their lead. Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice also found the back of the net as the north London side took a 5-0 lead in the first half. Ben White then scored a sixth goal in the 58th minute to seal a statement win for Arteta's men.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  The Gunners will be next seen in action on Saturday as they take on Brentford in a league clash before shifting focus to the Champions League three days later, where they face Porto in the second leg of their round of 16 tie.