Arsenal and Liverpool ‘lead’ £38m race, Everton ‘switch sights’ in midfielder pursuit

Arsenal kicked off their Premier League campaign with a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Friday evening.

After a busy summer, the Gunners will be hoping to improve on last season’s fifth-placed finish in the top flight, but the general consensus among pundits is that they may struggle to do so.

Sky Sports regular Gary Neville is not expecting Arsenal to achieve a top four finish, citing one key reason in particular.

“I just worry about the experience in terms of a young manager,” he said on The Overlap.

“To be fair, it’s not unfounded, the evidence is there.

“Last season, Arsenal should have finished in the top four. But in the end the experience of Antonio Conte, the experience of the Tottenham Hotspur players [meant they did instead].

“In that game [Tottenham 3-0 Arsenal], Spurs’ experience on that night, it was alarming how naive Arsenal were and how short they were. My concern is just purely around that.

“I know Chelsea and Manchester United are struggling a bit in terms of where they are and they might both blow up, but I think both will have to happen in order for Arsenal to land in the top four.”

Likewise, fellow ex-Man United defender Rio Ferdinand has suggested that the Gunners will miss out on Champions League football against this season.

“I can’t look any further than Man City,” the former England international told William Hill. “Recruitment has been efficient and with [Erling] Haaland, they’ve got the best in the market.

“And [they’ve got] squad depth with someone like [Kalvin] Phillips as well. The only one I think will be a loss for them is [Raheem] Sterling, but I feel this season [Jack] Grealish will step up and become one of the main men.

“The top four will be Manchester City, Liverpool, Spurs and Manchester United, in that order.”

Check out the latest Premier League transfer speculation below...

Leeds United are close to reaching an agreement with Watford for winger Ismaila Sarr. Personal talks are said to be progressing well, but the attacker’s arrival remains conditional on a departure in Jesse Marsch’s squad. (Foot Mercato)

Newcastle United are ready to push ahead with moves for Marseille’s Bamba Dieng and Lyon’s Lucas Paqueta. The former could be signed for around £15m, with the latter valued at around £33m. (90min)

Leeds United want to sign Los Angeles FC midfielder Jose Cifuentes. Brighton are also understood to be chasing the Ecuador international. (El Futbolero)

Newcastle United are currently in pole position to sign Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele this summer. Villarreal are also interested. Spurs are understood to be seeking around £42m for the Frenchman. (Media Foot)

Villarreal left-back Pervis Estupinan has rejected a proposal from Brighton because he aspires to join a club that has ‘more sporting pedigree’. (El Periodico Mediterraneo)

Arsenal and Liverpool are in the lead to sign Spain international Yeremy Pino, with Villarreal open to selling him around £37.9m. (Marca)

Crystal Palace are monitoring Conor Gallagher’s Chelsea involvement as they remain hopeful of re-signing him on loan. (Daily Mail)

Everton have switched their sights to Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Mohamed Camara after hitting an impasse in talks to re-sign Idrissa Gana Gueye from PSG. (Daily Mail)

Watford are still in the race to sign Keinan Davis from Aston Villa. (Football League World)