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Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka is in talks about extending his contract at the Emirates Stadium, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: New contracts offered

With Arsenal performing so well in the Premier League, currently sitting top of the table, Mikel Arteta is keen to strike while the iron is hot, and tie down some of his top players to long-term contracts.

It has been reported that Bukayo Saka has agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract to remain in north London, with Gabriel Martinelli also committing his future to the club earlier this month.

The Latest: Xhaka in talks

As per a report from Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, the Gunners are in talks with Xhaka about a two-year contract extension, with the midfielder’s current deal set to expire at the end of next season.

Arteta is said to view the Switzerland international as a leader in the dressing room, and the player himself is happy to pledge his long-term future to the club.

The Verdict: Great news

The 30-year-old has not always had an easy ride at Arsenal, but it is fair to say he has more than rekindled his relationship with the fans, having once reacted angrily after being booed off the pitch by his own supporters.

In the Premier League this season, the Basel-born maestro has played 24 times, emerging as an absolutely vital player for the Gunners, striking up a good relationship in midfield with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey and being labelled ‘outstanding’ by journalist Charles Watts.

During that time, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man has weighed in with three goals and five assists, the joint-highest combined tally he has ever managed in a top flight campaign, highlighting the improvements he has made to his game.

Given his age, a two-year contract extension is probably about right for Xhaka, as that will keep him at the club until he is 32, by which point Arsenal will likely be thinking about a long-term replacement.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has slammed Antonio Conte, Cristian Stellini and Tottenham Hotspur for playing a weakened side in the FA Cup only to lose the next Premier League game.

What’s the latest on Spurs’ form?

It was bad afternoon for the north London club this Saturday as they fell to defeat away against Wolves with Adama Traore netting the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute.

To make things worse, this caps off a week where Spurs were also knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Sheffield United.

What’s more, clearly prioritising this most recent league game, Conte and assistant manager Stellini opted to rotate and rest in the mid-week defeat only for it to backfire as they ended up losing both matches.

While speaking about this all on BBC Radio Show 606, Sutton said he couldn’t understand why the club would not do more to try and win a cup competition considering their trophy drought.

He said (2:34): “Spurs fans, what is going on at Tottenham? I think it’s been a really disappointing season. May well finish in the top four but so inconsistent.

“But my beef with Spurs is that why would you play a weakened side – when your fans are desperate for you to win a trophy – why would you play a weakened side again Sheffield United in the FA Cup?

“I’ve got to say, I don’t get that one.”

Why aren’t Tottenham winning any trophies?

In that game against Sheffield United in the FA Cup, key man Harry Kane started on the bench and played just 25 minutes. Seeing as he has started all Premier League and Champions League games, it’s clear how important he is to the team.

With that in mind, Conte and Stellini must have felt it was okay to rest his legs, assuming that they could beat their Championship opponents without the use of the England captain.

That clearly was a mistake and with the club trophyless throughout Kane’s senior career – having last won silverware when they lifted the League Cup back in 2008 – it’s little wonder some fans would have been baffled by the dismissive attitude towards their mid-week clash.

It does seem as if they should know by now that if they want to win a trophy, they have to take the domestic cup competitions more seriously.

West Ham all but sealed their spot in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals as they eased to a 2-0 win against AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.

Two goals from the much-lamented Michail Antonio eased the pressure on David Moyes following last weekend’s embarrassing defeat against Brighton, although his side were always expected to win against the Cypriot minnows.

While Antonio impressed on his return to the side, contributing two impressive finishes on Thursday evening, it was arguably Said Benrahma who was Moyes’ star performer against Larnaca.

How did Benrahma perform versus Larnaca?

As per Sofascore, the Algeria international would earn an impressive 8.2/10 rating for his performance, which was the best of any player to feature in the game from both sides.

The former Brentford man was instrumental in the Hammers’ opener, as he sent Larnaca’s right back to the shops before whipping in a delightful cross, which Antonio simply had to steer home.

This was just one of two big chances that the 27-year-old would create on Thursday, with Antonio missing a chance for his hat-trick when he hit the post in the second half.

Benrahma looked extremely assured in possession and dangerous every time he received the ball, completing 24 of his 27 attempted passes with an 89% success rate, which is an improvement on his 84.6% average in the Premier League so far this season.

The wide man, who touched the ball on 42 occasions, played two key passes, registered three shots and completed four dribbles in total, which again is a significant improvement on the 1.4 key passes, 1.9 shots and 1.5 dribbles he has averaged in the top flight.

It was something of a surprise when Moyes decided to take him off just after the hour mark, as he also contributed in defence, winning six of his seven duels on the night and completing two tackles, which again is impressive given he has managed just 0.7 tackles per game in the Premier League.

This wasn’t the first time that the Algerian winger has impressed in Europe, as he also earned a huge amount of praise from Joe Cole last season after a strong performance against Genk.

Cole said on BT Sport (via Read West Ham): Tonight at times he was unplayable. Fantastic, that’s how good he is, as soon as he saw the defender and squared him up, he knew he was in control of the situation. The finish was exquisite.”

West Ham fans will be hoping that the decision to sub Benrahma was simply to rest him ahead of Sunday’s big fixture against Aston Villa, where a defeat will surely spell the end for Moyes at the London Stadium.

Having soared to table-topping prominence in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are looking to bolster the offensive ranks this summer, and Lille phenom Jonathan David has been distinguished.

What’s the latest on David to Arsenal?

Reports from TEAMtalk in recent days suggest that Arsenal are known to be long-term admirers of the forward, although they will face competition from Manchester United amid a previous £44m valuation.

Speaking to the Independent following Canada’s exit from the 2022 World Cup, the 23-year-old proclaimed the Premier League to be the "best league in the world", igniting further rumours in his future on the major stage.

Should Arsenal sign Jonathan David?

With Arsenal firing at full throttle, Arteta will be cautious at making any drastic changes to disrupt the fluidity of his frontline.

Mykhaylo Mudryk, who was fiercely pursued by the north London side before Chelsea swooped for £88.5m at the eleventh hour this winter, has registered just one assist from seven outings thus far in his career with the Blues.

Arsenal instead opted for the more prudent route in signing Brighton & Hove Albion’s Leandro Trossard for £27m, who has been a revelation having scored a goal and five assists for his new outfit thus far.

Therefore, continuing this trend and targeting David, who albeit won’t come cheap but will be a sterling addition to provide competitive competition alongside Jesus, could be a most auspicious path to take, with the in-form forward dubbed “one of the best strikers in the world” by Tony Marinaro.

And by ditching Eddie Nketiah, whose finishing has been branded “wayward” this season by the Athletic's Paddy Boyland, the continuation of emphatic growth at the club will only increase the pace.

The Canadian David has scored 21 goals and served four assists from 29 outings across all competitions this term, hailed as “clinical” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his endeavours.

As per FBref, the phenom, with 22 goals from 37 international displays, ranks among the top 5% of forwards in Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, illustrating a ball-playing aptitude that would suit Arteta’s progressive system to a tee.

Nketiah has scored nine goals from 32 appearances this season, but only four times in the Premier League, and with the 23-year-old Englishman valued at just £17m by Football Transfers, signing David – who “just keeps on rolling” according to Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic – in his stead could cement newfound superiority.

The Gunners’ meteoric rise has been spectacular as it has been mechanical, with the system seemingly oiled to a sheen unseen at the Emirates for decades, cohesion suffusing across north London like shining sunlight, and with David complementing a burgeoning strike force, stability may well be intact for years to come.

Newcastle United fans have been left buzzing over the prospect of signing Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby in the summer.

The Lowdown: Diaby interest

As per 90min (via The Daily Express), Newcastle are interested in a move for Diaby this summer, and Eddie Howe is keen on the player.

Leverkusen have placed a £62m price tag over his head, while fellow Premier League rivals Arsenal are also thought to be interested in his signature.

The St. James’ Park outfit are also looking at left-back Mitchel Bakker as a potential alternative target to Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney.

The Latest: Newcastle fans buzzing

Taking to Twitter after the news was shared, these Magpies supporters were left buzzing at the prospect of signing Diaby in particular in the summer:

“If this is true, gonna be a lot of competition from some big European clubs but we gotta try sign him up. Would give us an edge going forward. Him and Isak would be deadly on the break. Even if we have to sell ASM if needs be to fund it” – @tynetakes

“Proper superstar in the making imo, from what I’ve seen of him I’d love him in out team. If we could sign him and Madders in the summer I’d be beaming :)” – @OneWingedAnge7

“Worth every penny” – @MrAliHenderson

“Bargain.” – @EastlakeIke

“Snap their hands off. £62m sign him up now on a summer pre-contract don’t wait for others to be involved.” – @Nick16014184

“Surely Diaby is a must get for NUFC? Brings everything they are lacking in the forward third, huge upgrade on ASM” – @cronnysworld

“No-brainer this if true. #nufc” – @TellingToon

“Pay it…Whap out the credit card and just pay it for both of them…Add Maddison, Tielemans and a few squad players and we’ll shape up nicely” @craiggrant1988

“Take them 2 in a heartbeat. Avoid Tierney like the plague” – @SamTooon

“Absolute bargain. Sign him now #NUFC” – @NUFC___NEWS

The Verdict: Get it done!

Diaby would certainly add fierce competition to the North East club’s frontline, with no fewer than 12 goals scored and a further seven assists made in 35 games in total over all competitions so far this season from out wide (Transfermarkt).

His goals in particular are unmatched by anyone in the Tynesiders’ squad, and so he is capable of displacing the likes of Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin in the starting line-up.

Nonetheless, the Toon will be looking for level-raisers as they go further into their long-term project, and Diaby would certainly be a statement signing.

Liverpool have very rarely got it wrong when it comes to their transfer business during Jurgen Klopp's reign and the outstanding recruitment has been a testament to the incredible achievements the club have earned over the last seven years.

Under the German coach, the Reds have won a Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, League Cup and most importantly, their first-ever Premier League title.

Indeed, things haven't been great on the red side of Merseyside over the current campaign with the club tallying up the worst injury record in the entire top flight so far which has been a huge contributor to their failure to secure another trophy this season.

The club are expected this summer to transform the stale squad that Klopp has squeezed every last drop of success out of with a number of players either out of contract or reaching the latter stages of their career with a youthful revolution desperately needed.

Despite the troubling downward trajectory Liverpool have found themselves on, there are still glimpses of young talent already secured in the squad that could remain a huge part of the long-term future for the Merseysiders.

One player who is becoming a stand-out performer in the squad is centre-back Ibrahima Konate, a player who has gone from strength to strength since joining the Anfield outfit.

How much is Ibrahima Konate worth?

The France international has quickly become a favourite amongst the Anfield faithful since signing for £36m in the summer of 2021 and was one of the final Michael Edwards masterclass signings before he resigned as the sporting director just one year later.

Konate came into a highly competitive back-line with Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip a seemingly unbreakable partnership at the time, however, it did not stop the young player from taking every opportunity to impress Klopp when given the chance to start which has led to him becoming a relied upon feature across all competitions.

The 6 foot 4 titan ranks in the top 15% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, passes attempted, successful take-ons, touches and tackles and despite suffering injury issues this season has continued to be a formidable force when on the pitch.

Over eight league appearances, Konate- hailed a "dream" by Liverpool legend Phil Thompson – has tallied up an 88% pass completion rate and successfully completed 83% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 75.4 touches, proving to be a forward-thinking asset at the back.

No slouch defensively either, his 1.4 interceptions, two tackles, four clearances and 5.4 duels per game, prove he is a huge presence on the pitch.

The 2022 World Cup finalist – who broke the all-time record for tackles completed in a World Cup game against Tunisia – has recently returned from injury and instantly reprised his role at centre-back in the monumental 7-0 victory over Manchester United, keeping Matip out of the team for the last three games.

As a result, it will come as no surprise that the defender's market value has soared over his short time in the North West with CIES Football Observatory reporting him to be worth €60m (£53m) – which is a 45% increase on the amount Liverpool paid to activate his release clause just 16 months ago.

With that being said, if Konate can continue to dominate in the Liverpool back-line there is no doubt that his value will continue to rise as he continues to prove himself as a huge asset to Klopp over the many seasons to come.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed that club captain Jordan Henderson will remain at Liverpool until here retires.

What's the latest on Jordan Henderson and Liverpool?

The England midfielder has won essentially all he can under Jurgen Klopp. Indeed, the duo have lifted the Premier League, the Champions League, and numerous other trophies during their time at Anfield.

At 32 years of age now, however, it remains unclear how many years Henderson has left in him at the very top. He still has a contract that runs until 2025, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll see that out.

By the end of his current deal, he will be turning 35 that summer. So he may want to leave then, or even before that stage, to allow him a final few years at a new club to experience a different challenge.

However, while speaking about the player on his YouTube channel, Talbot insisted that Henderson will remain with Liverpool until he opts to retire.

The journalist explained (32:01): “Henderson won't go for a while man. Henderson is going to be at that Liverpool club until retirement because he's too much of a dressing-room presence.

"You know, the relationships he has there. And sometimes that's important. It's not just about your ability on the ball."

How long has Henderson been at Liverpool?

Klopp certainly has been a big fan of Henderson over the years. After all, the Englishman has played 292 games for his current manager – more than any other coach in his career.

And even this season, the 32-year-old has played 31 games across all competitions. However, he has started just 14 Premier League games which suggests the German may be ready to move on from over-relying upon his captain who currently earns £140,000 per week,

What's more, there has been plenty of talk about how Liverpool want to revamp their midfield in the summer with a couple of big names. For instance, the likes of Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Gavi and Matheus Nunes have all popped up in the media as possible targets.

With that being the case, Henderson could soon see his minutes diminish further and so he could eventually feel as though he'd rather join somewhere else so he can see out his career on the pitch instead of on the bench.

However, Talbot seems to think he'll remain at Liverpool regardless and after so many good years with the club – having joined from Sunderland back in 2011 – any loyalty would be understandable.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been slammed by a wide section of the media after his error-ridden display.

What's the latest on Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool?

On Easter Sunday in the Premier League, the Reds played host to Arsenal at Anfield in a game that lived up to expectations.

Mikel Arteta and co got off to a flying start as Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring after just eight minutes before Gabriel Jesus doubled that lead before the 30-minute mark.

Mo Salah managed to pull one back before the halftime break and then had the chance to equalise in the second half when Rob Holding was penalised for a foul on Diogo Jota.

However, the Egyptian dragged his penalty wide from 12 yards. In the end, Liverpool did eventually equalise through Roberto Firmino as his 87th-minute effort was enough to see the game end 2-2.

Despite the comeback, it seems not everyone on the home side got away without coming in for some security in the media.

Most notably, Van Dijk was slammed for his poor outing. For instance, in the player ratings for the Express, he was handed a 3/10 for his efforts with journalist Stuart Ballard writing: "A game the Dutchman will want to forget after making key mistakes for both of Arsenal's goals."

How poor was Van Dijk against Arsenal?

As Ballard points out, the Dutchman certainly could have done more for both goals as he first failed to clear the ball as it fell into the path of Martinelli for the opener, before he then lost Jesus in the box as the Brazilian headed in at the far post.

Others in the media noted his poor performance. YouTube Mark Goldbridge wrote on Twitter: "No joke Wes Brown is better than Van Dijk. Did it for longer."

Journalist Samuel Luckhurst added: "It was ridiculous at the time and it looks certifiable now that anyone regarded Van Dijk a greater centre-half than multiple title winners. The true greats perform and win season after season. Van Dijk was great but his drop-off has been staggering."

While Terry Flewers suggested that he ought to be dropped, saying: "Van Dijk and Trent [Alexander-Arnold] at fault again, Klopp must drop them!"

When you look at SofaScore it doesn't make for pretty reading either. With a 6.1 rating, the centre-back was the worst on the pitch from either team.

On top of that, he lost the ball 12 times, completed just 1/5 long balls, won just 1/4 ground duels, was dribbled past twice, and picked up one yellow.

Leeds United could achieve great things with the 49ers Enterprises owning the club if they avoid relegation from the Premier League, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Do Leeds look likely to go down?

The Whites have once again struggled in the top flight, having survived late in the day last time around after a tense end to the campaign. It looks likely to be similar in 2022/23, with Javi Gracia's side currently 17th in the table and only above the relegation zone on goal difference.

Off the pitch, it feels like a matter of time until the 49ers gain a majority share in the club, at which point Leeds could become a greater financial force, possibly allowing them to spend more on new signings and also potentially develop Elland Road. For that to happen, however, the Whites need to be in the Premier League, which as things stand, is far from a given.

That highlights the importance of these remaining 10 matches this season, starting with a massive home clash with fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening.

How bright could Whites' future be?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that the "sky is the limit" for Leeds, as long as they stay up this season:

"It feels like the sky is the limit for Leeds if they stay up this season. There could be a massive turnaround if they can ride this wave, but I don't know if they will.

"But, certainly, from the dugout to the playing staff, I think they're looking at it so closely, and they will step up their ambitions for next season in every single area."

This is an encouraging claim and it only further highlights how vital it is that Leeds retain their Premier League status beyond this season. If they don't, their long-term future could take such a hit, with the 49ers' grand plans immediately affected and the club going backwards again.

Should the opposite happen, however, Whites supporters should have every right to feel excited about what could happen in the coming years, as the club look to go from being relegation fodder in the top flight to steadily pushing further up the table and eventually becoming a true force again.

If Leeds hold their nerve and stay up, then the 49ers complete a summer takeover, the Whites could genuinely be in their most promising position for many years, following such a long period in the footballing wilderness.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth believes Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho may not play again this season.

What’s the latest news on Garnacho’s injury?

Garnacho suffered an ankle injury against Southampton in the Premier League last month and hasn’t been seen for the Red Devils since. The 18-year-old has made 29 senior appearances under Erik ten Hag during the current campaign, contributing to nine goals in all competitions.

Ten Hag admitted earlier this month that he was optimistic the Argentine would return before the end of the season, and the Red Devils have had no further luck with injuries in recent days.

It was confirmed that fellow Argentine Lisandro Martinez has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after fracturing a metatarsal bone in his foot against Sevilla, and Sheth thinks it could well be the same for Garnacho.

Sheth was talking to GiveMeSport regarding Garnacho in a story shared on Friday evening. The reporter described the attacker’s serious injury as a blow and suggested that he may not feature again this season.

"The injury that he's had, Ten Hag says it's probably a bit more serious than they first thought. So that will be a blow to United in the run-in. I don't know how much, if any, of that run-in Garnacho will be involved in.

"It's clear that Ten Hag sees him as part of his future, so it will be someone they want to keep hold of in regards to Garnacho."

It isn’t just Garnacho and Martinez either…

United are heading into the final months of the season still looking to win the Europa League and the FA Cup to add to the Carabao Cup triumph earlier in the season. A Premier League top-four finish is also on the agenda, so being without a number of players isn’t ideal for Ten Hag.

Alongside Martinez and Garnacho, United also have Raphael Varane, Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Tom Heaton and Donny van de Beek on the treatment table.

Ten Hag’s options may therefore be limited for the trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday and the return leg against Sevilla next week, and the club also have an FA Cup semi-final with Brighton scheduled for next weekend as well.