Partey visa denied, misses Ghana opener
Thomas Partey will not feature in Ghana's World Cup opener against Panama. A Canadian court rejected his visa application and he is unavailable for selection Wednesday (1). Ghana's federation has not commented on whether he will join the squad later in the tournament.
Saliba criticised after France beat Senegal 3–1
William Saliba started for France in their 3–1 win over Senegal on Tuesday and the reviews were not kind. Paris Match called him "less commanding than usual" and "overwhelmed, like the entire defence, by the speed and creativity of the Senegalese attack" (2). The outlet pointed to his back injury, suggesting it is forcing him to play with restraint. He did make one decisive intervention against Ismaila Sarr after a Kylian Mbappe turnover.
Bradley Barcola and Nicolas Jackson both featured in the match.
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Trossard goes 90, Belgium draw 1–1 with Egypt
Leandro Trossard played the full 90 minutes as Belgium opened their World Cup with a 1–1 draw against Egypt (5). He was one of Belgium's brighter performers on a frustrating night.
Spain 0–0 Cape Verde, Merino off the bench
Mikel Merino came on as a substitute but could not help Spain break down Cape Verde in a shock 0–0 draw (5) (13). David Raya and Martin Zubimendi were also in the Spain squad. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha was the story of the night.
Personal terms agreed with Manu Koné
Arsenal have reached a personal agreement with French midfielder Manu Koné, currently at the World Cup (3). The deal would make him your first signing of the summer window. Roma remain interested but the report suggests Arsenal are closest.
Monga deal could close next week
Jeremy Monga is close to joining from Leicester City and the deal could be finalised next week (4). The 16-year-old winger would train regularly with the first team if he signs, following a clear integration plan the club has laid out (7). Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman are the blueprint.
Norgaard under pressure to leave
Christian Norgaard could be on the way out after just one season. Sources close to the situation say the midfielder is under pressure to find a move this summer, though a return to Brondby has been ruled out (6).
Kvaratskhelia staying put
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is unlikely to leave PSG this summer despite your club's long-standing interest (8). The Georgian is not expected to change clubs, which closes one high-profile avenue in attack.
Tonali race: Spurs, City, and Arsenal in the hunt
Sandro Tonali has a €120m price tag and your club are in a three-way fight with Tottenham and Manchester City for the Newcastle midfielder (12).
Esposito on the radar
Arsenal and Newcastle are both monitoring Inter Milan striker Francesco Pio Esposito (9). The young forward plays alongside Lautaro Martinez at the top of Inter's attack.
City's Anderson bid worries Arsenal
Manchester City are reportedly pushing a £120m+ bid for Aston Villa's Elliot Anderson, and your club fear that kind of spending will inflate the market for their own targets like Morgan Rogers (10).
Fan reactions
Gunners fans on Reddit are split on the Koné news, with some sceptical about the credibility of the reports and others noting Roma fans are already dismissing the story. The bigger talking point is Tonali's €120m price tag, shared across both r/Gunners and r/soccer, where the consensus seems to be that a bidding war with Spurs and City is exactly the kind of market Arsenal would rather avoid. The Saliba thread struck a more immediate tone: fans want him rested against Iraq after visible discomfort at the end of the Senegal match.
