Journalist Charles Watts has slammed Arsenal for not selling Ainsley Maitland-Niles sooner as he looks set to leave this summer.
What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?
At the start of the Premier League season, the 25-year-old was sent out on loan to Southampton and it looks as though that spelt the end of his time in north London.
Indeed, in a recent interview with The Athletic, he confirmed he will be leaving Mikel Arteta's team at the end of the campaign when his contract expires.
Maitland-Niles said: “It’s been a great journey but it has come to an end. It’s time for a fresh start and to find a new home. I’m looking forward to that, but at the same time my head’s not quite there yet and it’s all about what’s happening now with Southampton.”
This means, of course, the player is going to depart without Arsenal receiving any transfer fee for the £35k-per-week England international.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts expressed his disappointment at this, noting that the club should have chased in on the defender when his value was higher.
He said: "Arsenal turned out so many bids, or certainly more than one bid from Wolves a few years ago after that FA Cup win to keep him – you know, bids over £20m – and then they kept him and then just didn't play him, and he didn't want to play in the position they were hoping to play him in and then the relationship broke down a little bit, and now he's going to end up leaving on a free.
"And you just think, why didn't you just accept those bids from Wolves after the FA Cup final and get £20m or whatever it was at the time from them, bank it, let him go and move on?
"You just look back at that as a big missed opportunity for Arsenal to get some money in, and a missed opportunity for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, really, to build on because he's just stagnated since then."
Is Ainsley Maitland-Niles leaving Arsenal?
As alluded to by Watts, Premier League rivals Wolves did once bid at least £15m for the player but it seems as though the Gunners were holding out for upwards of £20m.
In the end, the negotiations broke down but it seems as though the player's value has only deteriorated from there.
Indeed, that offer came in the summer of 2020, with Maitland-Niles also making his international debut and playing five times for England in the same year.
Wolves, Premier League, Nuno Santo, Fosun, Jeff Shi, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Ruben Neves, Arsenal, West Brom,
Since then, however, he has not added to his Three Lions caps – proving how he's hardly excelled at club level.
All in all, it does feel as though if Arsenal could turn back time they would simply accept whatever bid was on the table from Wolves as he will now almost certainly leave for free just a few years later.
Tim Southee won New Zealand a thriller the last time they met Australia in a T20I six years ago, but now, the stakes are almost as high as the altitude as they face off in a crucial encounter in Dharamsala
The Preview by Brydon Coverdale17-Mar-2016
Match facts
Friday, March 18, 2016
Start time 1500 local (0930 GMT)
Big picture
Six years ago, Australia and New Zealand played a highly entertaining T20 match at Lancaster Park in Christchurch. Brendon McCullum blasted a 56-ball 116 and scooped audaciously off Shaun Tait, New Zealand racked up 214, Australia matched them in the chase, and Tim Southee kept things tight in the Super Over to seal a memorable win for the home team. And they haven’t met in a T20 match since.Strange as it seems, February 28, 2010 was the last time these Trans-Tasman neighbours played each other in T20 cricket. Now they finally reconnect in the shortest format and the stakes are almost as high as the altitude. Dharamsala is the venue for Australia’s opening match of this World T20, but New Zealand already have a win on the board against hosts India. Another one here and they will be in prime position to progress to a World T20 semi-final for the first time since 2007.New Zealand’s spin success against India in Nagpur augurs well for their hopes in this tournament. Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi and Nathan McCullum between them picked up nine out of ten wickets against India, and given that Australia can struggle against the turning ball in the short form it may just be advantage New Zealand. A few more runs from the top order would be handy, though – New Zealand were wobbling at 13 for 2 in the second over against India before recovering adequately.Quite what to expect from Australia remains a mystery. Punished at home by India in three T20s, they moved on to South Africa and found some form, but then were outdone by West Indies in a warm-up in Kolkata. They too have three spinners available, including the allrounder Glenn Maxwell, but neither Ashton Agar nor Adam Zampa had played a T20 international three weeks ago. This is a big step up. Australia are preaching “flexibility”, which is admirable, but there is something to be said for stability as well.
Form guide
Australia: WWLLL (last five completed matches) New Zealand: WWWLW
Watch out for
David Warner has made his name as an opener but suddenly has become a floater in Australia’s T20 middle order. The switch worked well in South Africa, where he scored 20, 77 and 33, and although it is possible he could open again in this tournament, with other options such as Aaron Finch, Shane Watson and Usman Khawaja, that seems unlikely.Mitchell Santner‘s 4 for 11 against India was the best analysis by a New Zealand spinner in T20 internationals, and there is no reason to think he won’t cause problems for Australia’s batsmen as well. Santner has a certain about him – he just seems like a man for any occasion. And the big occasion hasn’t worried him yet.
Team news
There are so many possible combinations Australia could go with that choosing their final XI feels like something of a lottery, which their selection process has more or less been over the past six games. One question is whether to choose all three spinners, another is whether Usman Khawaja can squeeze into the top order, and another is how many fast men are required with a heavy complement of seaming allrounders.Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 David Warner, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 James Faulkner, 8 Peter Nevill (wk), 9 Ashton Agar/John Hastings/Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.New Zealand may well be tempted to stick with their winning combination.New Zealand (possible) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Kane Williamson (capt), 3 Colin Munro, 4 Corey Anderson, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Mitchell Santner, 7 Grant Elliott, 8 Luke Ronchi (wk), 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Adam Milne, 11 Ish Sodhi
Pitch and conditions
A new pitch has been prepared, which may not turn as much as that used by the Associates recently, but spin is still expected to play more of a role than pace and bounce. There is some rain expected on Friday as well, which could lead to an abbreviated game.
Stats and trivia
Australia and New Zealand have met five times in T20s for four wins to Australia; New Zealand’s only victory was in the Super Over in Christchurch in 2010
Australia have played only six T20s in 2016 but have used a remarkable 25 players
Quotes
“Yeah, I think you have to have something in mind [for a shortened game]. I don’t think a lot of the game-plans or the way each individual plays changes too much but I think you do have to have a few different game-plans if the game is a bit shorter.” .”It was definitely a lot of happy team-mates after the game [against India]. But we don’t want to get too carried away. It’s just one game in what is a short and condensed tournament. Lot of games to be played.”
Everton are reportedly eyeing up a potential move for Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira this summer.
The Lowdown: Khedira profiled
Khedira has played in all but seven points behind leaders Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga table.
The 29-year-old has a famous football-playing brother, Sami Khedira, who is retired at the age of 35, having won both the FIFA World Cup with Germany and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, among many other accolades (Transfermarkt).
The Latest: Everton interest
As per German news outlet Bild (via Sport Witness), Everton are one of a number of clubs in the Premier League that are interested in signing Khedira this summer.
He is out of contract at Union Berlin at the end of the season, with no signs of renewal talks at this moment in time.
The report notes that Khedira has ‘developed into a leader’ at Union Berlin, and that he has played a ‘key role’ this season.
The Verdict: Get it done
Khedira is certainly a player that is capable of coming straight into Everton’s starting line-up for next season.
No Union Berlin player has averaged more interceptions per game than him in the Bundesliga so far this term, while he also ranks highly among his team-mates for average aerial duels won, well as tackles, blocks and passes made per game (WhoScored).
The six-foot-two colossus would add a presence in the middle of the park for Sean Dyche’s team, and would also add extra leadership qualities in the dressing room, having already captained Union Berlin on a number of occasions this campaign.
However, any deal would likely depend on whether the Toffees can stay up in the Premier League, as Khedira would probably not fancy moving to the Championship from a major European division.
Nonetheless, if the Blues are able to sign him on a free transfer, it could turn out to be a real bargain, as at the age of 29, he still has a few years left in him at a high level.
They would need to wrap up a deal quickly though, given the interest from a number of their rivals in the top flight, the summer looks set to be at very interesting battle for Khedira’s signature, should he end up leaving Union Berlin as a free agent.
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez was sent off for dissent in the first half of his team's La Liga clash with Atletico Madrid.
Xavi rages at referee
Sent off in first half
Joao Felix opens scoring
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Xavi was handed his marching orders at the Wanda Metropolitano Satdium after raging at the match official. The Barcelona boss was booked for protesting after seeing Robert Lewandowski go to ground under a challenge from Axel Witsel. Xavi then continued his protests after an apparent foul on Ilkay Gundogan and was shown a red card.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Xavi has been no stranger to yellow cards in what is his final season as Barcelona boss. The former midfielder has already served two touchline bans in the current campaign and now looks set for more time in the stands. The red card will be a blow for Xavi but his team's performance will provide plenty of cheer with Joao Felix, Robert Lewandowski and Fermin Lopez all on target.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Atletico have lost all four games against Barcelona since Xavi Hernández took charge of the Catalan giants.
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WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA
Xavi and the Catalans will move into second place in the table with a win over Atletico. The Catalans' next La Liga fixture is against Las Palmas on Saturday, March 30.
With the dreaded international break currently underway, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is likely to use this current halt to proceedings to take stock of his squad, following what has been a summer of upheaval at Elland Road.
Off the back of a miserable 2022/23 campaign that saw the Yorkshire giants slip back into the Championship – just three years on from sealing promotion – there was no doubt an expectancy that the club would struggle to keep hold of their star assets, particularly those with relegations clauses built into their contracts.
The Whites may not have been anticipating quite such a sizeable mass exodus following that return to the second tier, however, with 15 players having been moved on elsewhere amid the desire to continue competing in Europe's top leagues.
Despite managing to keep hold of Italy international, Wilfried Gnonto – even after the teenager put in a transfer request amid interest from Everton – there were few others who did not see their wishes granted, with Farke now in charge of an almost wholly refreshed and refurbished outfit.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke.
That is not to suggest that every unwanted asset was moved on during the recent window, however, with underwhelming left-back, Junior Firpo among those who were unable to find a new home, despite struggling to perform in recent seasons.
In truth, on the evidence of his on-field woes and hefty financial burden, the former Barcelona man has simply rinsed Leeds since his arrival back in the summer of 2021.
How much did Leeds pay for Junior Firpo?
At the time, it may have looked like something of a coup for Marcelo Bielsa and co to have snapped up the defender from Camp Nou, with the former Spain U21 international having previously shone during his prior stint at Real Betis – for whom he scored five goals and registered seven assists in just 43 appearances.
Signed for a relatively minimal fee of £12.8m, the attacking full-back was acquired amid the need to find a long-term solution on the left side of the defence, following the departure of Ezgjan Alioski on a free transfer.
With Stuart Dallas having also been something of a makeshift option in that role during the 2020/21 season, there was evidently a desperate need for reinforcement at left-back, with Bielsa's side looking to build upon a solid ninth-place finish following their return from the Championship.
As it has proved, however, Leeds may be wishing they had invested their funds elsewhere rather than on the one-time Dominican Republic international – who was dubbed a "defensive liability" by journalist Juan Arango in Catalonia – such have been his woes in recent seasons.
How much does Firpo earn for Leeds?
While a victim of numerous, unfortunate injury setbacks in recent times, the 6 foot dud has hardly helped himself when he has taken to the field, with journalist Dean Jones suggesting earlier this year that he has had "had some difficulties in the Premier League".
Pundit John Newsome has also been particularly critical of the defender's performances during his stay at Elland Road, with the ex-Leeds man stating back in December:
“They signed Firpo, they put a lot of money into him. I don’t think he’s anywhere near good enough,”
With just two goals and four assists to his name in 52 outings to date, Firpo has hardly proven value for money in an attacking sense, while defensively he has also proven rather costly, in truth, notably giving away a penalty at the tail-end of last season in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United following an "idiotic" handball – as per 90min's Graeme Bailey.
Such lapses of concentration having seemingly been commonplace for the former Barca man of late, with it hard to justify handing him a rather hefty £60k-per-week wage, particularly when he can't even stay fit long enough to be able to make an impact on the pitch.
How much has Firpo cost Leeds?
When taking into account that £60k-per-week salary – totalling roughly £6.2m to date – and his initial £12.8m transfer fee, the forgotten man has cost the club in the region of £19m over the last two years, with that likely to be viewed as money wasted by both the club and supporters.
The desire will likely be to get the 27-year-old off the books as soon as possible, with Capology revealing that he currently accounts for 11% of the total wage bill, due to his place as the third-highest earner among his teammates:
Georginio Rutter
£70k-per-week
Patrick Bamford
£70k-per-week
Junior Firpo
£65k-per-week
Daniel James
£50k-per-week
Pascal Struijk
£50k-per-week
Stuart Dallas
£45k-per-week
Helder Costa
£32.5k-per-week
Illan Meslier
£30k-per-week
Luke Ayling
£25k-per-week
Liam Cooper
£25k-per-week
While that has been somewhat distorted due to the string of players who were shipped off to new homes this summer, it serves as yet another reminder of just how poorly run the Elland Road outfit has been in recent times – with the sooner Firpo moves on the better.
When does Junior Firpo's contract expire?
Frustratingly, not only is the transfer window now at a close, but Firpo still has two years left to run on his existing deal at the club, ensuring it won't be straightforward if Farke and co are to attempt to move him on in the near future.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano had indicated back in June that the Santo Domingo-born talent was in line to join the likes of Rodrigo, Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson by sealing a move away this summer, albeit with no such exit having occurred.
Junior Firpo left frustrated as he plays for Leeds United in the Premier League.
That failure to secure a move was likely impacted by the player's current injury woes, with recent reports indicating that he is still facing two more months on the sidelines, having yet to feature so far this season.
Amid that spell on the treatment table, Firpo has revealed his desire to contribute to the team once he is back fit and firing, although, with the likes of Sam Byram and Leo Hjelde already at Farke's disposal, a January sale should be the first consideration for the Leeds hierarchy.
It is fair to say that the 2021 arrival has rinsed the club for long enough…
Kane Williamson is confident that New Zealand’s recent problems in T20 won’t damage their confidence in the one-day game as they prepare for the marquee white-ball section of the season.Until the second T20I against Pakistan at Eden Park, New Zealand’s summer had gone without a blemish but since then they have won once in seven outings. However, their ODI record stands at eight wins on the bounce ahead of the Seddon Park opener against England.”I think we park the T20 for now and focus on a lot of the good one-day cricket we’ve been playing,” Williamson said. “The plans are fairly different so it’s important we go back to that. We know it’s a tough challenge against England.”We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. There’s been some good one-day cricket played by our group but we do know we’ll have to adapt to the opposition and the surfaces which have been different throughout each venue.”Those surfaces will include a used pitch for the opening match, the same that was played on for the T20 last weekend, which is expected to again offer purchase for the spinners. Williamson is ready for England’s “very aggressive” approach with the bat, but still sees a place for the more nuanced side of one-day accumulation.In the T20s it felt as though there was too much on the shoulders of Martin Guptill and Colin Munro, but the longer format brings the traditional skills of Williamson and Ross Taylor back to the fore and makes a very strong-looking top four. Williamson was able to practice leaving the ball in the nets on Saturday and you sensed he was itching to be able to build an innings again.”I think T20 cricket keeps pushing the boundaries of cricket, whether into the one-day game or even the Test game – you see people being a lot more positive,” he said. “But at the same time, that doesn’t completely change it – because you do get on surfaces that require a lot more batsmanship, perhaps more defence for a period of time, to get through some of those tougher moments.”T20 is definitely having an influence, but it’s important that all of us don’t get too carried away with it at times when the conditions might dictate something else.”Williamson was not getting wrapped up in Ben Stokes’ comeback – for all that Stokes has looked impressive in the nets, a player returning after such a long break could actually work in New Zealand’s favour at the start of the series – although he acknowledged the enviable all-round depth England have.”That comes back to the cricket we want to play, our plans, our styles,” he said. “There are a number of quality matchwinning players in the English side who have been playing good cricket. It’s tough to focus on one name.”The main question marks around the New Zealand side heading into this series are the middle order and whether the five-six combination of Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls packs quite enough of a punch, notwithstanding Williamson’s belief that batting doesn’t always have to be gung-ho.Latham as wicketkeeper in the top five adds the balance that New Zealand want, but his one-day runs have dried up again this summer as they did last season. Nicholls is making a decent fist of the finisher’s role at No. 6 with three half-centuries in eight matches this season, but when serious lower-order hitting is needed it falls to Colin de Grandhomme who has a strike-rate of 112 from his 11 ODI innings.Williamson, though, remained confident in his side to find another level after the limited competition provided by West Indies and Pakistan in the 50-over game.”The way they’ve been adapting to conditions, which have changed a lot, has been a real strength,” he said. “So it’s important we look to do that again, but at the same time we want to be fluid in how we operate in terms of guys perhaps being able to adjust to slightly different roles when that’s required.”
The victory was set up by a trio of half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Ali Khil, and Darwish Rasooli, to set up an imposing total of 284 for 7
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2018Ikram Ali Khil gets off his feet to play a shot during his innings of 55•Getty Images
Reigning Under-19 Asia Cup champions Afghanistan reprised their regional success on a global stage at the World Cup in New Zealand, defeating Sri Lanka by 32 runs on DLS Method in Whangerei. Having already beaten Pakistan in Group D, Afghanistan clinched a place in the quarter-finals for the second time in their history, having done it in 2014 in the UAE before losing to eventual champions South Africa.The success for Afghanistan is also a 180-degree turn from the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, when they were similarly placed in a group with Pakistan and Sri Lanka but were defeated by both sides.
SL’s Kalana Perera out injured
Sri Lanka Cricket has named Thilan Wallekamkanamge as a replacement for left-arm spinner Kalana Perera, who has been ruled out of the World Cup with an ankle injury. Perera had hurt his ankle during a training session on January 16 in Whangarei.
Wednesday’s victory was set up by a trio of half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran (86 off 112 balls), Ikram Ali Khil (55 off 89 balls), and Darwish Rasooli (63 off 44 balls) to set up an imposing total of 284 for 7. The chase was in the balance when rain arrived after 24 overs with Sri Lanka 108 for 3. A revised target of 127 off the final 14 overs was set when play resumed, and the required run rate jumped from 6.80 to nearly ten an over.Afghanistan’s bowlers seized on this to successfully apply pressure. Captain Naveen-ul-Haq snared two wickets in the first four overs after play resumed, including the well-set Jehan Daniel for Sri Lanka’s eventual top score of 48. Naveen finished with 4 for 35 in eight overs and also effected a run-out.Afghanistan play Ireland in their final Group D match. Sri Lanka play Pakistan with the winner joining Afghanistan in the quarter-finals. A tie or a washout would also put Pakistan into the knockouts due to the net run rate tiebreaker.
Gerardo Martino has sent a message to Inter Miami fans regarding Lionel Messi ahead of the MLS 2024 season.
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Martino sends message on MessiInter Miami begin new season on February 22Messi and Suarez reunited at Inter Miami this seasonWHAT HAPPENED?
The Inter Miami manager has made it clear that he will occasionally bench star players including Lionel Messi during the new Major League Soccer season to protect against injury. Last season, the Argentine started his journey on a bright note but as the season progressed, he started facing injury problems and had to sit out several games towards end of the campaign.
AdvertisementWHAT GERARDO MARTINO SAID
Speaking to the , the former Barcelona coach said, "We have a responsibility to make sure the fans feel well represented on the field when our big stars aren’t playing. If the fans know that for different reasons Leo won’t be there or [Busquets] won’t be there or Jordi, but we will have a very competitive team, that is an important message.
"The best players are usually on the field, but we also must make sure our team is healthy and can last an entire season. That was difficult last season, the issue of if we were selling more tickets or fewer tickets, people wanting to know who was playing. I would love for them to play every single game, but we can’t be worried about ticket sales. If they are healthy, they will play the majority of the games."
(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
In his debut season in America, the 36-year-old played in 14 matches across all competitions where he scored 11 goals and provided five assists. Ahead of the 2024 season, he has reunited with his former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez who joined the club as a free agent.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?
The Herons have started pre-season training and will begin their season on February 22 against Real Salt Lake. Before the start of the new campaign, the club are set to play a host of friendly matches including their clash against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in the Riyadh Cup on February 1.
Liverpool have now received a boost in their pursuit of Nicolo Barella, with it being reported that Inter Milan are now willing to sell him if they receive a bid worth over €80m (£69m), according to reports from Italy.
What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?
Fabinho has recently followed Jordan Henderson out the exit door, putting pen to paper on a three-year deal with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, meaning there is now a pressing need for Jurgen Klopp to bring in new reinforcements in central midfield.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that Southampton's Romeo Lavia is Klopp's "priority" target in midfield, with talks currently ongoing, however the deal is not straightforward, with the Saints looking to hold out for a package worth £50m.
Fluminense midfielder Andre also remains an option for the Reds, with the Brazilian club said to be holding out for a fee of €25m (£21m), while they have made contact over Eintracht Frankfurt star Jesper Lindstrom, who is also being targeted by Arsenal.
According to recent reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Liverpool have also been handed a boost in their pursuit of Barella, as Inter would now consider selling the midfielder, if they were to receive an offer worth over €80m (£69m).
The Serie A side are now closing in on a deal for Udinese's Lazar Samardzic, which means they may no longer consider the Italian non-transferrable, in what would come as a real boost to his potential suitors.
In the Premier League, the Reds "in particular" are keen to sign the 26-year-old, with their interest mainly being driven by Klopp, who is believed to be a "great admirer", however Manchester City are also in the mix for his signature.
Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…
How good is Nicolo Barella?
It is clear to see why Klopp is such a huge fan of the Italy international, as he is a real threat going forward, averaging 0.22 non-penalty goals per 90 over the course of the past year, which places him in the 92nd percentile compared to his positional peers.
The central midfielder averaged a 6.94 WhoScored match rating in the Serie A last season, the fourth-highest in the Inter squad, amassing a total of six goals and six assists, the joint-third highest number of goal contributions of any Inter player.
With an average of 1.6 key passes per game, the Cagliari-born maestro is clearly a very creative player, however he is also happy to pitch in with the defensive side of the game when needed, as indicated by the fact he averaged 1.4 tackles during that time period.
Lauded as "fantastic" by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, the Inter Milan star has proven he could be a quality addition to Klopp's squad, however he is not a like-for-like replacement for Fabinho or Henderson, given that his main qualities are on the front foot.
As such, it is important the Reds get a deal for Lavia over the line first, but they should undoubtedly reignite their interest in Barella, should Inter Milan make it clear they are willing to sell him this summer.
Fulham are "pushing" to reach an agreement with Chelsea for Callum Hudson-Odoi and they're in pole position, according to reports this week.
Who will Fulham sign?
As we enter the latter stages of this summer transfer window, Marco Silva's side appear to finally be getting busy after being linked with a plethora of targets.
The west Londoners are chasing the signing of a star centre-back, leading to their talks for both Calvin Bassey from Ajax and Southampton's Mohammed Salisu.
The former is apparently Fulham's first choice and talks are at an advanced stage to sign the ex-Rangers star, according to reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Meanwhile, the Whites have also signed Mexico international striker Raul Jimenez from Wolves, coming as Fulham's star forward from last season, Aleksandar Mitrovic, pushes for a move away.
"It's not the ideal situation, I have to tell you," said Silva on Mitrovic's possible move to Saudi Arabia.
"Not because he received an offer, it's the situation about himself. As you know, he's not going to play tomorrow, he didn't play last Wednesday.
"He's not working properly with his team mates and when I say this is not the ideal scenario, this is the situation."
Amid talks for new forwards and new defenders, it appears Fulham's preparations for the 2023/2024 season are formally underway. Silva's side have also been seriously linked with a move to sign Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea, who spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen.
The winger is surplus-to-requirement at Chelsea, and it is their London rivals Fulham who are in "pole position" to sign him.
That is according to The Guardian and reliable journalist Jacob Steinberg, who writes that Fulham are "pushing" to seal a move for the forward this summer.
"Fulham are pushing to complete a deal for Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi," Steinberg wrote.
"Lazio are interested in the winger, who has a year left on a deal worth about £120,000 a week, but Fulham remain in pole position.
"The 22-year-old is keen on moving to Craven Cottage and is waiting for Fulham to agree a fee. Hudson-Odoi, who spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, has been training with Chelsea’s Under-21s.
"Fulham had their opening offer for Hudson-Odoi turned down last week and are looking for a compromise on a fee. Chelsea want to sell and are asking for about £8m, whereas Fulham have looked at paying £4m. Hudson-Odoi would compete with Willian for a place on the left wing at Fulham."
How good is Callum Hudson-Odoi?
Hudson-Odoi was tipped for the big time by Chelsea legend Frank Lampard back in 2019, who called him an "incredible" player at the time whilst predicting he could be "huge".
Now, Mauricio Pochettino's side want to sell the attacker – so much so they're very open to doing business with a west London rival.
While this doesn't give a great indication of his quality, members of the media did heap praise on Hudson-Odoi just last year.
FourFourTwo writer Mark White, taking to Twitter, called him a "special" player – all while highlighting the 22-year-old's "unbelievable vision" and "sheer mentality" in the final third.