At time of writing, Unai Emery is still the Arsenal manager, but it’s not looking good. The Spaniard’s office has been relocated to a trestle table in the basement, and Granit Xhaka is using his parking space. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Today’s tabloids reckon anything less than a win at Norwich on Sunday will see Emery permanently relocated at a travel tavern.
Details of the shortlist to replace him are sketchy, but the Mail report that the Wolves manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, is at its summit. Nuno’s rigid philosophy and surly post-match demeanour would be a refreshing change at the Emirates, but why he would take a sideways move at this stage is up for debate. If the club want a company man instead, they could turn to former players Mikel Arteta or Freddie Ljungberg.
Whoever replaces Emery, they will surely have a shot at reviving Arsenal’s top-four ambitions with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette in the squad. Ah, hold on, what’s this? Aubameyang is interesting Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the 30-year-old doesn’t fancy winding down in the Europa League. Quite where he’d fit in Barça’s ageing forward line-up, we’re not sure, although he could find himself coming off the bench for Neymar next season.
Lionel Messi still wants the Brazilian back at Barcelona, and PSG are more concerned about keeping Kylian Mbappé, with the French forward currently the subject of a relentless pursuit by Zinedine Zidane. Where would that leave PSG? Well, the Mill is just spitballing here, but Lacazette also wants Champions League football, and he would get a guaranteed eight games per season in Paris.
You know sacking season is in full swing when Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjær isn’t among the top three managers under pressure. Instead, he’s making plans for January. Plan A is an audacious, unlikely-to-actually-happen £180m double swoop for Erling Braut Haaland and Jadon Sancho. Plan B also focuses on young talent, but is a little more thrifty. Atlanta United playmaker Ezequiel Barco, Valladolid centre-back Mohammed Salisu and Reading forward Danny Loader are the latest names for United fans to furiously Google.
We’ve got pretty far into this thing without mentioning José Mourinho, but the Spursy One is an inevitable presence in the back pages. Despite Christian Eriksen changing the game against Olympiakos, his chances of staying still look slim. Real Madrid are ready to thrash out an agreement in January, but Juventus are about to enter the fray. Mourinho is prioritising defensive recruits, with Nice right-back Youcef Atal and Schalke keeper Alexander Nübel on his wish-list. Peterborough forward Ricky-Jade Jones is also interesting Spurs, United and Liverpool.
The Mill are as guilty as anyone else of sleeping on Leicester City, not a paid-up member of the ‘big six’ but the only club that look capable of catching Liverpool. Brendan Rodgers is planning to hit the north in search of January recruits, and wants to bring Celtic centre-back Kristoffer Ajer and explosive Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos over the border to join his title-chasing party.
In other news, Milan want shot of striker Krzysztof Piatek, who has scored a not-completely-terrible three goals in 13 games so far this season. United and Chelsea have been linked, but a loan move to a team drifting towards trouble (let’s go with West Ham) seems a better fit. Speaking of which, Zlatan Ibrahimovic might also be available for a dangerously expensive loan move. The striker has bought a 50% share in Swedish side Hammarby, but may still take his playing talents elsewhere.