Published Jun 22, 2026, 6:20 PM GMT+1

Ben is an experienced sports writer and editor, graduating with a Master’s in Sports Journalism in 2017.

Ben counts experience with publications like The Liverpool Echo and The Lincolnshire Echo. He has covered various sports, from American football to Mixed Martial Arts, but his primary passion is football reporting.

Since joining Football FanCast in 2018, starting out as a freelance writer covering nearly every team in the English football ladder, Ben has progressed through the ranks. He now leads the publication’s news team as a senior editor.

Saka took part in an individual programme on Saturday as he continues to manage an achilles injury which disrupted the last few months of his domestic campaign with Arsenal.

Boss Thomas Tuchel revealed he does not expect the right winger to be fit to start until the final Group L game against Panama, but he built up his fitness on Sunday.

“I’m not in the physio department, but he hasn’t missed a day of training, so I think that’s a good thing,” Tuchel said.

“I think he’s played so many games throughout these last few years. You can see he’s a crucial player for Arsenal. He’s a top quality player and he brings quality to the pitch, for Arsenal and England.

“I think he’s very important, as everyone can see.

“Managing niggles going into a competition is very important for the latter stages.

“You need important players like him to be ready to play and step up when called upon.”

Arsenal are expected to dip into the market for new attacking depth this summer, with questions surrounding the future of Gabriel Martinelli this summer.

Arsenal square off with Tottenham in transfer market

The Gunners also want to upgrade in midfield, but could face competition from North London rivals Tottenham.

Spurs have been by far the busiest team early in the summer transfer window, winning the race for Marcos Senesi and also securing a free deal for Andy Robertson.

They were joined by Netherlands star Jan Paul van Hecke in a £52m deal last week, and the Lilywhites are now moving onto midfield targets, having completed their defensive overhaul.

Indeed, Roberto De Zerbi is said to be highly involved with Spurs' business this summer and is once again leading the charge for their next target.

Manu Kone transfer update

That man is Roma midfielder Manu Kone, who is expected to leave the Serie A giants for around £40m this summer.

Atletico Madrid submitted a bid in that region but were rejected by the player, whose agents have been sounding out moves to the Premier League instead.

In fact, he is even said to have agreed personal terms with Arsenal, but the champions won't have it all their own way.

According to Corriere della Sera, via Sport Witness, Tottenham are interested due to a personal admiration from De Zerbi, and Kone 'wouldn’t be against the idea' despite the report reaffirming he did agree terms with Arsenal.

ENIC have already made an approach to find out the conditions of the deal for the 25 year-old defensive midfielder, who played 29 times in Serie A last season and made a further seven appearances in the Europa League.

Roma have to sell some key players this summer in order to meet FFP restraints, and with the deadline to do so approaching this deal could advance quickly in the coming days.

The Italian club have also just appointed a new sporting director, Tony D’Amico, who started the job this week and will now have the task of extracting as much value as possible from the sale of Kone to the Premier League.