Eriksen deal is close
Portsmouth in the fifth round. But it came at a cost.
Shkodran Mustafi was stretchered off with an ankle injury in the second half, making it all the more important that the Gunners do not let Flamengo defender Pablo Mari slip through their fingers.
Mari had a medical this week but is now expected to return to Brazil with his club insisting on an £8million permanent transfer rather than a loan.
Bournemouth were behind inside five minutes when Willock rolled Dan Gosling, played in golden boy Martinelli and he found Saka on the overlap.
Adam Smith probably should have seen the danger and got there but Saka did not waste the opportunity, smashing his shot high into the roof of the net. It was the teenager’s first senior goal in this country, after scoring away to Eintracht Frankfurt and Standard Liege in the Europa League earlier this season. In response, Mustafi had to be alert to get across and cover after Ryan Fraser played Dominic Solanke through on goal.
Boss Mikel Arteta had made five changes but kept faith with Mustafi despite his howler in their crazy 2-2 London derby draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. And one of his changes proved him right by scoring the second. Nketiah started the move with a simple lay-off to Willock, who fed Saka with a wonderful ball out wide.
When Saka’s low cross came in it only needed a touch from a wide-open Nketiah to stab home on his first start for
Arsenal in a year. Bournemouth, showing six changes of their own, did not manage a shot on target until the 38th minute, when Emiliano Martinez denied Harry Wilson. Supersub Surridge set up a grandstand finale when he stabbed home with Rob Holding falling asleep in stoppage-time. ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Martinez 6; Bellerin 6, Mustafi 7 (Holding 62, 5), Sokratis 6, Saka 7; Guendouzi 6, Xhaka 6; Pepe 6 (Ceballos 69, 6), Willock 8 (Maitland-Niles 90), Martinelli 6; Nketiah 7. Goals: Saka 5, Nketiah 26. BOURNEMOUTH (4-5-1): Travers 6; Smith 5, S Cook 5, Ake 5, Simpson 5 (Francis 76); H Wilson 6 (C Wilson 76), L Cook 6, Surman 6, Gosling 6, Fraser 6; Solanke 6 (Surridge 89). Goal: Surridge 90.
MIKE ASHLEY faces the biggest decision of his 13-year Newcastle reign as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund look to seal a £340million takeover.
The Magpies owner knows a consortium headed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would have the clout to buy him out.
And staying put at a club he bought for £135m in 2007 would infuriate Toon fans who have campaigned for years to get him to sell up.
Newcastle will not comment but developments over the weekend have brought contrasting reactions from fans’ groups and Amnesty UK, who are concerned at Saudi human rights.
Amnesty’s Head of Campaigns Felix Jakens said: “Saudi Arabia is well known for its attempts at ‘sportswashing’
– trying to use the glamour and prestige of top-tier sport as a PR tool to distract from the country’s abysmal human rights record.” Fans’ polls, however, have overwhelmingly supported the Saudiled consortium, who have pledged to invest £200m in transfer funds and improving training facilities.
The ‘Toon For Change’ group have challenged Ashley, below, to “prove the sceptics wrong” by accepting a fresh bid.
Newcastle have been for sale for years and Ashley has always claimed he would only sell to a group who can take the club forward.
The vast wealth of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, who plan to take an 80 per cent share, with British billionaires David and Simon Reuben having a
10 per cent stake and businesswoman Amanda Staveley 10 per cent, means that will not be a problem.
The supporters’ group is demanding Ashley backs up his words with action but said in a statement: “We are sceptical about Ashley’s willingness to sell the club.”
THE final details were being put on Christian Eriksen’s £17.5million Inter Milan move last night, ending an increasingly unsavoury Tottenham career.
Steven Bergwijn, of PSV Eindhoven, is being lined up by Spurs to replace the Denmark forward, booed at matches after making it clear he wanted to leave the north London club.
Inter, who had initially offered half of Levy’s £18m valuation, have agreed to all but £500,000 of it.
Eriksen flew out for a medical and gave a thumbs-up to fans from a window during the first part of the test at the Italian Olympic centre.
The imminent sale leaves Tottenham short in attack so Bergwijn is in the frame. He can play through the middle in Harry Kane’s absence, but the £27m-rated forward’s natural position is on the left.