Emile Smith Rowe is feeling fresh, fit and ready to prove his worth at Arsenal after a “really tough”, injury-interrupted season.

The academy graduate came through the ranks in north London and, having established himself as an exciting performer under Mikel Arteta, was rewarded with a new long-term deal two years ago.

Smith Rowe made his senior England debut later in 2021 but things went awry last term.

The 22-year-old underwent groin surgery to rectify an issue that has been plaguing him since a loan spell at RB Leipzig in 2019, restricting him to 14 club appearances and no starts.

“I am feeling good, it’s good to be back with the boys, back on the pitch with my team-mates,” the 22-year-old attacking midfielder said.

“My ambition is to get some more minutes this season and really push on.

“Last year was really hard for me, so I just want to kick on now and prove that I can play for this club.

“It was really tough because I had surgery twice, so it was really hard.

“But my family, friends and the club helped me a lot to get through it. I’m just really happy to be pain free right now and get fit.

“This was my first time having surgery, so it was a really hard decision to take but I went for it.

“I’m happy that I don’t feel anything there anymore. I am really happy to be fully fit now.”

Smith Rowe, who came on in Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United in New Jersey, is also buoyed by his starting role in England’s Under-21 European Championship final win against Spain.

It was, he says, an “amazing experience” to triumph in Georgia – success that will only add to his hunger for silverware as Arsenal look to build on last season’s Premier League runners-up spot.

“I am at a big club at Arsenal,” Smith Rowe said. “If I didn’t have competition, there wouldn’t be no point.

“I have to push myself every day in training, keep working hard.

“It’s tough competition but it’s good at the same time. I need to keep working hard and believing in myself.

“We’re very ambitious, we want to win trophies. We’re back in Champions League, which is good for the club so really ambitious for us and I want to push on now.

“There’s definitely a lot of confidence going into the new season.

“We’re a young team as well, so to get that far last season was really good from us.

“But, of course, we want to win trophies, so we are going to definitely try and be stronger this year and take it a step further.”

Bruno Fernandes is confident Manchester United will prove they are a “big team” as they attempt to kick on from a promising first campaign under Erik ten Hag.

This time last year, the Dutchman was sifting through the mess left by a wretched 2021-22 campaign in which embarrassing results compounded incoherent performances.

Ten Hag quickly stamped his mark on the team and oversaw United’s first trophy win since 2017, with the Carabao Cup triumph followed by a third-placed Premier League finish.

The Old Trafford giants also lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City and newly-appointed captain Fernandes is demanding more this time around.

“We did a really good season,” the skipper said. “It was not successful, but I think that our season was good.

“We started in the wrong way. We had two bad results, our away games were not the best. We didn’t get the best results. But I think overall the season was good.

“Obviously it was the first season for the manager, first season for many players.”

He continued: “Now we know that we have to improve game-wise and we will. We will improve it and we will show that we are a big team.

“Manchester United have to fight for everything. This club deserves that.

“We know when you come to a club like this that you have to fight for all the trophies that you are included in. That’s what we have to do.

“Fight for them, try our best to win every game that we have and that’s it.”

United certainly appear on the right track, with Mason Mount brought in from Chelsea and Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana following him to the club this week.

The Red Devils are now pushing for a striker to bolster a side that beat fellow title hopefuls Arsenal 2-0 on Saturday in New Jersey thanks to goals from Fernandes and Jadon Sancho.

The Portuguese scored as he led the side as permanent skipper for the first time since Ten Hag decided to take the armband off of Harry Maguire.

“There was a feeling I would like it to be me but I didn’t hear,” Fernandes said of the decision.

“The manager wanted to tell the team together. It is really good to be captain of Manchester United, it is a big achievement in my career but now there is a lot of work to do.

“The manager chose me because of what I was doing last season and the way he worked with me.

“He liked the way I work, my discipline, everything I give, my passion, everything I give, so I don’t see why I should change.

“(The approach) will be the same. I don’t need to change anything.

“You have to be as natural as you can because they all know me, they know I am really vocal, that I try to be open with everyone, be clear and try to help in the way I think is the best.

“Sometimes I can be wrong and not be the best way, but they know me really very well, so they know I will give everything for them.

“Everything I said to them is because I think they can do good things because they are big players in the dressing room.”

Manchester United capitalised on a pair of Arsenal errors as newly-appointed captain Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho got their US tour off to a winning start.

Erik ten Hag’s side finished third last season and took on the Premier League runners-up on Saturday evening at a sold-out MetLife Stadium – potential host of the 2026 World Cup final.

United emerged victorious from the sides’ first meeting on American soil, Fernandes and Sancho striking in a 2-0 friendly win against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was at fault for the opener as Fernandes all too easily beat him from distance, fresh from being named Harry Maguire’s successor as captain.

An air kick by Gabriel led to Sancho’s sublime second, the forward racing through to thrash home at the near post in front of 82,262 spectators in New Jersey.

Some of those had gone home by the time a pre-arranged penalty shoot-out took place after the final whistle.

Both teams wanted to take the opportunity to practise spot-kicks in front of a large crowd, United winning that too as Fabio Vieira blazed over in a 5-3 victory.

United new boy Andre Onana warmed-up with his new team-mates but watched from the stands as Arsenal handed first starts to Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber.

The friendly got off to an intense start in East Rutherford, Antony dragging a poorly-hit effort wide before Gabriel Martinelli rifled narrowly off target at the other end.

Play was swinging from end to end and Arsenal would have taken an 11th minute lead without the superb reactions of Tom Heaton.

Bukayo Saka fired over for Martinelli to get away a thumping shot that the United goalkeeper stopped superbly, before denying the Brazilian’s follow-up.

The early ferocity quickly tapered off in the summer heat with a goalkeeping error bringing the game back to life in the 29th minute.

Heaton played a long ball over to impressive 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo high on the right, who cut inside and laid off to Fernandes. The Portuguese took aim with a hopeful 25-yard strike that all too easily beat Ramsdale.

The Arsenal goalkeeper was again picking the ball out of his net in the 37th minute.

Gabriel’s awful air kick was seized upon by Sancho, who drove through on goal and kept his cool under pressure to rifle into the top corner of the near post beyond Ramsdale.

Antony had attempts to make it three during a heated end to the first half.

Lisandro Martinez was booked after a poor challenge on Saka saw both sides clash and Fernandes pulled furious boss Ten Hag away from officials at half-time.

Amad Diallo was among 10 United introductions at the break but soon limped off through injury.

Arsenal made only one half-time alteration and started well, nearly clawing one back when Eddie Nketiah slammed across the face of goal from a quickly-taken Martin Odegaard free-kick.

The Arsenal captain was left in a heap by Maguire in a tackle that saw him shown yellow, but play had been broken up by swathes of alterations by both teams.

Kai Havertz headed over and Facundo Pellistri missed the target as the clock wound down, Brandon Williams leaping to clear an Emile Smith Rowe header off the line late on.

United followed up their friendly win by triumphing in the subsequent shoot-out.

Mauricio Pochettino has continued his Chelsea clear-out with striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completing his move to French Ligue 1 side Marseille.

Marseille confirmed the signing of the 34-year-old Gabon international on Friday, which brings an end to his miserable time in west London.

Aubameyang scored one goal in 15 Premier League appearances for the Blues and was left out of the squad for the Champions League knock-out stages by then boss Graham Potter in February.

Aubameyang has previous experience in Ligue 1 having played for St Etienne for two years from 2011 and 2013 as well as loan spells with Dijon, Lille and Monaco.

The former Arsenal striker joined Chelsea on a two-year contract from Barcelona last September in a deal that saw Marcos Alonso move in the other direction.

But he struggled to settle following the departure of boss Thomas Tuchel and it became increasingly evident that his stay at Stamford Bridge would not be a long one.

Aubameyang follows the likes of Kai Havertz and Mason Mount out of the club this summer while Romelu Lukaku – who preceded Aubameyang in the club’s supposedly “cursed” number nine shirt – Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi are all absent from the club’s current pre-season tour of the United States.

The curse of Chelsea’s number nine shirt claimed its latest victim after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s unhappy 21-game spell was ended by a move to Marseille.

The last dozen players to wear the shirt have struggled to make a prolonged impact – including three club-record signings up front, but also a holding midfielder and a certain Dutch defender.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the “Curse of Khalid Boulahrouz”.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 2022-23

“It’s cursed, it’s cursed, people tell me it’s cursed!” said then-manager Thomas Tuchel last summer, adding: “There was not a big demand for number nine, nobody wants to touch it.”

Aubameyang was not deterred but, after arriving with a broken jaw sustained in a robbery at his Barcelona home and seeing his former Borussia Dortmund boss Tuchel sacked the day after his debut, he failed to establish himself under Graham Potter – he was not even included in the squad for the Champions League knock-out stages, despite scoring two of his three Chelsea goals in the group stage.

Romelu Lukaku, 2021-22

The Belgium striker returned from Inter Milan for a second spell at the club for £97.5million but within months his frustrations became clear in an interview with Sky Sport Italia.

Despite 15 goals in all competitions, it was no surprise when he returned to Inter on loan. He scored 14 goals in the season while wearing number 90 at San Siro and has been left out of Chelsea’s pre-season tour of America.

Tammy Abraham, 2019-21

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was the last inarguably Chelsea number nine but amid almost £250m spent to fill the troublesome shirt in the 18 years since his departure, academy product Abraham produced arguably the most successful spell with 15 league goals and 18 in total in 2019-20. Twelve more the following year earned a move to Roma under former Blues boss Jose Mourinho.

Gonzalo Higuain, 2018-19

The Argentinian’s loan from Juventus yielded five goals in 18 appearances. He was shunted to number 21 on his return to Juve and terminated his contract early the following season to move to Inter Miami.

Alvaro Morata, 2017-18

A then club-record buy for £60m, the Spaniard scored 15 goals in his debut season but fell out of favour, switching to number 29 and adding another nine goals before joining Atletico Madrid.

Radamel Falcao, 2015-16

The Colombian scored once in 12 games in an injury-hit season.

Fernando Torres, 2011-14

The then British-record £50m signing from Liverpool got the longest run at making the Blues’ number nine shirt work for him, wearing it 172 times across three and a half seasons.

He scored 45 goals, including a memorable Champions League semi-final clincher against Barcelona, and set up another 26 but several prolonged scoring droughts saw him move on to AC Milan on loan and then his boyhood club Atletico Madrid.

Franco Di Santo, 2008-09

Fourteen scoreless substitute appearances were all Di Santo had to show for his time in west London.

Steve Sidwell, 2007-08

The former Reading midfielder managed only 24 appearances, scoring once. A largely defensive player, he would have been a glaringly unlikely wearer of the number nine shirt had it not been for his immediate predecessor…

Khalid Boulahrouz, 2006-07

The versatile Netherlands defender was assigned one of the few available numbers after his £8.5m arrival from Hamburg. He lasted one season and 23 appearances in all competitions before a loan to Sevilla and a permanent exit to Stuttgart.

Hernan Crespo, 2005-06

The Argentina striker had already spent a season at Stamford Bridge wearing number 21, scoring 12 goals, and a year on loan at Milan before Mourinho recalled him and gave him number nine as a show of faith. He added another 13 goals and a league title but soon returned to his earlier employers Inter.

Mateja Kezman, 2004-05

Inheriting the shirt from Hasselbaink, Kezman failed to make a similar impact with just seven goals in his sole season.

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou admits he is “not relaxed” by the uncertainty over the future of Harry Kane and wants the issue sorted as soon as possible.

England captain Kane has emerged as a prime transfer target for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich this summer.

The 29-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season but, while Bayern continue to push to secure his services and have reportedly lodged two bids for the forward, Spurs’ stance remains the same, they have no intention of selling Kane.

Tottenham’s record goalscorer has also been offered a new contract that is a significant increase on his current £200,000-a-week terms, the PA news agency understands, although reports claim
Kane will not sign a fresh deal this summer.

Postecoglou, who was appointed as new Spurs boss ahead of the new campaign, conceded the situation is not a welcome one. He told reporters, via football.london: “Fair to say I am not relaxed about it!

“It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club.

“So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone. I don’t think it is good for Harry, I don’t think it is good for the club, because as laser focused as we want to be, you end up sort of repeating yourself along the way.

“But the flip side of that is I don’t want to put a deadline on it, because that adds even more pressure. You want these things to happen for the right reasons. The reality of it is he’s still a contracted player at our football club, so that’s the way I see him.

“It’s not like his contract is ending on the 12th [of August] and he’s got to make a decision, he’s got another year.”

New Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana cannot wait to create his own legacy at Old Trafford after he completed his move to the club on Thursday night.

United reached an agreement with Inter Milan to sign Onana for an initial 51m euros (£43.8m) with add-ons on Tuesday, and the 27-year-old has now sealed his switch to the Premier League club.

Onana has signed a five-year deal and targeted helping boss Erik Ten Hag secure more success.

He said: “To join Manchester United is an incredible honour and I have worked hard all my life to get to this moment, overcoming many obstacles along the way.

“Walking out at Old Trafford to defend our goal and contribute to the team will be another amazing experience. This is the start of a new journey for me, with new teammates and new ambitions to fight for.

“Manchester United has a long history of incredible goalkeepers, and I will now give everything to create my own legacy in the coming years.

“I am excited by the opportunity to work again with Erik ten Hag, and I can’t wait to play my part in the success I know he is determined to deliver at this great football club.”

Burnley have completed the signing of goalkeeper James Trafford on a four-year deal.

The 20-year-old arrives at Turf Moor from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee after spending last season on loan at League One club Bolton.

Earlier this month Trafford’s heroics helped England earn European Under-21 Championship glory after he made a diving save to deny Abel Ruiz’s penalty-kick in stoppage time to secure a 1-0 victory against Spain in the final.

He told the Burnley website: “I feel very happy to officially be a Burnley player. I was excited for it to all get done whilst the Euros was going on, I knew a lot about it and I was waiting to get back to make it all official really.

“I want to improve and learn as much as I can here and as a team. I just want to take it a day at a time and try and achieve as much as we can going forward.”

Burnley finished top of the Championship last season with 101 points to earn promotion back into the Premier League and manager Vincent Kompany is looking forward to seeing what Trafford can do this season.

“We’ve signed an extremely talented young man. More than just a talent he’s a great character,” Kompany said.

“James is a very impressive, confident mature young man. Most people have seen what he’s achieved in his career so far and his level of talent.

“We’re looking forward to developing that even further, making him even better. He’s done so much already and what excites us is how far he can go.”

Declan Rice is one of the world's best players in his position and is a great signing for Arsenal, according to John Barnes.

England midfielder Rice completed his move from West Ham to Arsenal last week in a transfer that could reach a value of £105 million.

Rice racked up 204 Premier League appearances for West Ham and bowed out by leading the club to success in the Europa Conference League.

Opta data showed he made more interceptions (63) than any other player in the Premier League last season.

Ex-England international Barnes has no doubts about Rice's ability to make an impact with Arsenal as they challenge for Premier League and Champions League glory under Mikel Arteta.

Rice made his first Arsenal appearance on Wednesday as his new side opened their US tour by comprehensively beating Wayne Rooney's MLS All-Stars 5-0 in Washington DC.

"Declan Rice, for a defensive midfield player, I think is one of the best in the country, if not the world, so, therefore, it's a great signing for Arsenal," Barnes said to Stats Perform.

"It is a great signing. He's very, very good. I would've loved him at Liverpool, but obviously, he wanted to go to Arsenal. He's a London boy.

"Arsenal have got what they needed. They have Thomas Partey in that position and Arsenal have always been a good footballing team, but they have lacked a bit of strength and protection for the back four and he will then give them that.

"That is as well as obviously signing Kai Havertz, a player with good experience, so they have made some very good signings."

Rice's England team-mate Jude Bellingham has also been on the move, swapping Borussia Dortmund for Real Madrid.

Bellingham completed 88 take-ons in the Bundesliga last season, the most by any central midfielder across Europe's big five leagues in 2022-23.

Barnes also believes that major transfer will prove to be a success as long as the 20-year-old does not try to do too much to meet any unrealistic individual expectations.
 
"He has been fantastic and I think he will do very well," Barnes said about Bellingham.

"However, he's not going there to be the superstar player. Of course, they had it with Cristiano Ronaldo and there was Lionel Messi at Barcelona, but Real Madrid doesn't have that [in the current team] – look at Eden Hazard [struggling] there. 

"Bellingham is a hard-working midfield player who is not going there to be a Messi or Ronaldo because that's not the type of player he is. 

"If you look at what they have there in terms of [Eduardo] Camavinga and [Aurelien] Tchouameni, they have got lots of good young players who are hardworking midfield players and Bellingham will be one of those. 

"Bellingham is not going there to be a Messi or Ronaldo – he is going there to help that situation whereby the age of the squad has come down. He's a very, very good midfield player who will help Real Madrid. 

"As long as he recognises that he's not going there to be the best player in the world in terms of what the public expect, like for him to score 30 goals a season and to be dribbling around people. 

"He does his job which he does very well and he will be very successful."

Amnesty International has called on Jordan Henderson to speak out against human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia after Liverpool agreed a deal to sell their captain to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

The 33-year-old has reportedly reached a verbal agreement on a contract worth £700,000 a week, with the clubs having agreed a £12million fee, the PA news agency understands.

He would be joining up with former Reds teammate Steven Gerrard, who was appointed manager earlier this month.

LGBT+ groups have warned the England midfielder that his reputation as an ally to the community could be irreparably damaged if he accepts the offer, having previously been a vocal proponent of inclusivity in the game.

Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death in Saudi Arabia, while the state stands accused of a host of other abuses including placing harsh restrictions on women’s rights and the right to political protest.

Critics including Amnesty have claimed that the regime of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman seeks to ‘sportswash’ the country’s international reputation by luring world football stars to the Pro League, with Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo amongst the most prominent players to have moved.

“Coming shortly after Steven Gerrard’s move to Al-Ettifaq, this looks very much like more Saudi sportswashing as huge amounts of Saudi wealth continues to pour into the purchase of star players, new events and even the acquisition of entire clubs,” said Amnesty’s UK economic affairs director, Peter Frankental.

“With every major signing Saudi Arabia is seemingly ratcheting up its sportswashing effort, with the overall strategy apparently one where Mohammed Bin Salman’s Saudi Arabia is increasingly associated with sport and entertainment, not repression and human rights abuse.

“While Saudi sportswashing gathers pace, there’s been a sustained human rights crackdown in the country, with peaceful activists intimidated and jailed, as many as 196 people executed last year alone, and (dissident journalist) Jamal Khashoggi’s sickening murder covered up.

“Jordan Henderson is of course free to play for whoever he chooses, but we would urge him to examine Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and be prepared to speak out about human rights violations in the country.”

Henderson has been in Germany on Liverpool’s pre-season tour but was left out of the squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Karlsruhe.

A deal is also believed to be close for midfielder Fabinho to join Pro League side Al Ittihad as the exodus of Premier League players moving to the country continues.

Chelsea have sold three players this summer to Saudi clubs, with N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy having left west London, whilst a £30m deal was agreed on Wednesday for Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez to join Al-Ahli for.

Frankental added: “On the one hand it would be deeply concerning if sporting figures like Henderson were expected to read from a script praising Saudi Arabia as part of their contractual commitments, but the real onus is on FIFA and other sporting bodies to ensure that Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in sport doesn’t involve human rights violations.

“If, as rumoured, we end up with a Saudi bid to host the World Cup in the 2030s FIFA must rigorously assess any bid according to proper human rights criteria, and we would urge FIFA to consider Saudi Arabia’s sportswashing as part of this assessment.”

Liverpool have agreed a deal worth £12million plus add-ons to sell Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, the PA news agency understands.

The 33-year-old is believed to have reached a verbal agreement with the club – who are now managed by former Anfield team-mate Steven Gerrard – over a reported wage of £700,000 a week.

The Reds captain has been in Germany with the team on their pre-season tour but was left out of Jurgen Klopp’s squad to face Karlsruhe in their first friendly on Wednesday.

He has made 491 appearances since signing for Liverpool from Sunderland for £20m in 2011 and skippered the side to the Premier League title and the Champions League.

He has also won the FA Cup and two League Cups.

Last week the England LGBT+ supporters group criticised Henderson as rumours of a move to Saudi Arabia circulated, with the midfielder having been a vocal ally of the LGBT+ community in football.

He wore rainbow laces during England’s run to the Euro 2020 final and has repeatedly voiced his support for greater inclusivity in the game.

Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death in the Gulf state.

A statement from the group read: “Our joy for Mr Henderson when he scored against Ukraine in the Euros (quarter-final) was, in part, due to his kindness and his ‘lucky’ rainbow laces.

“A banner was created to commemorate the low bar he had achieved in being outspoken on our right to support England & show visibility on the pitch.

“If the rumours are true, then that banner will be consigned to the depths of history.”

Manchester City have accepted a bid worth up to £30million for Riyad Mahrez from Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli, the PA news agency understands.

The Algeria international has consequently been given permission to miss the treble winners’ pre-season tour of Asia.

Mahrez, 32, is now set to discuss terms ahead of a potential move to the Jeddah-based Saudi Pro League outfit. Reports have suggested he has been offered a three-year contract.

The former Leicester winger was not included in the 25-man City squad due to leave for Japan and South Korea on Wednesday.

Mahrez had two years remaining on a contract which he extended last summer but had reportedly been frustrated with a lack of game time in the treble-winning 2022-23 campaign.

Mahrez made just 22 Premier League starts last term and was an unused substitute in the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League.

He joined City in a £60million deal from Leicester in 2018 having helped the Foxes to win the Premier League two years previously. He went on to win the title four more times with Pep Guardiola’s side.

Tottenham’s new Fan Advisory Board has unanimously stated its opposition to the club’s plan to increase match-day ticket prices for the 2023-24 season.

Spurs announced in April that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the forthcoming campaign, the second year in a row they had kept prices the same with the cost-of-living crisis cited as a reason behind the decision.

However, earlier this month the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust was informed about an increase in match-day tickets, while there is now set to be six Category A fixtures – the most expensive ticket – with Newcastle bumped up from Category B.

THST described the increase as “excessive” and expressed its frustration over a lack of dialogue with the club, which has been echoed by Spurs’ FAB members.

The 10 FAB members, which include Stephen Cavalier of THST and Proud Lilywhites’ co-chair Chris Paouros, met with Tottenham executive director Donna-Maria Cullen for the first time last Monday and expressed their objection to the match-day ticket prices.

“FAB members stated their opposition to the price increases,” the minutes from the first Tottenham FAB meeting read.

“SC (Stephen Cavalier) felt there should have been consultation with the Trust and discussion with the FAB before any decision.

“SC believed there should have been more transparency making clear that prices were increasing, a point supported by CP (Chris Paouros).

“The club had briefed the Trust ahead of the announcement and had responded publicly to media enquiries.

“CP felt that the club’s approach on this issue had not been fan-centric, something the FAB is supposed to be, and that there is a significant risk to match-day atmosphere if fans aren’t able to attend matches regularly due to the cost of tickets.

“CP also explained that a number of Proud Lilywhites members had contacted them to say they would now be priced out of attending matches.”

Eddie Howe confirmed Allan Saint-Maximin is “in discussion regarding a move to another club” following Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over Rangers at Ibrox.

The forward was missing from the squad which travelled to Glasgow amid speculation he could leave the club this summer.

There as speculation that the 26-year-old Frenchman, who joined the Magpies in a £16million move from Nice in August 2019, is a target for a Saudi Pro League club with some reports naming Al-Ahli as potential buyers.

Manager Howe said: “Allan is in discussions regarding a move to another club.

“Nothing is confirmed, nothing is done at these stages but that’s why he wasn’t here today.

“With financial fair play you sort of have to trade otherwise, for us this summer we would be stuck in a position where we couldn’t recruit players the other way. That’s how financial fair play works.

“Maxi is a top player. We definitely don’t want to lose him, we want to strengthen the group but sometimes these things happen and we have to accept that.

“It is early to speak of Maxi in the past tense at Newcastle, certainly our respect and love for him is the same as the supporters.

“They love him and we love him and certainly if he does go it will be a difficult moment for all of us.

“There is no immediate plans for him to join us tomorrow but we will wait and see. He could end up with us again and if that is the case we would love to have him back.”

The visitors took the lead in Allan McGregor’s testimonial in the 16th minute when Elliot Anderson slipped in Miguel Almiron who steered the ball low past the 41-year-old keeper.

In the 64th minute Dutch attacker Sam Lammers, signed from Italian side Atalanta, intercepted a slack pass from goalkeeper Karl Darlow to his fellow Toon substitute Bruno Guimaraes before moving in to beat the keeper but with three minutes remaining Scotland Under-21 defender Harrison Ashby leapt to head a cross from Alexander Isak over McGregor’s replacement Jack Butland for the winner.

Howe, who revealed Joelinton was not involved as he had complications with his visa for the impending trip to America although he is expected to join up later, was “very impressed” with the debut of his new signing from AC Milan, midfielder Sandro Tonali.

He said: “He brought everything I thought he would bring in that first 45 minutes.

“Calm, composed, technically high level, good relationships with the players around him.

“He looked at home in a black and white shirt so it was a great start for him.”

Martin Odegaard says Arsenal must use the pain of last season’s near-miss to fuel a renewed push for the Premier League title.

The north Londoners enjoyed a campaign to remember under Mikel Arteta, only for perennial champions Manchester City to pip them to top spot at the death.

It was a galling end to a promising season for Arsenal, whose captain Odegaard says the ultimate disappointment will spur them on as they look to topple Pep Guardiola’s men.

“We have to use it,” he said. “The end of the season was tough for us and very painful after leading for so long.

“That is always going to hurt but we have to use it in a good way to come back stronger and be even more motivated and even hungrier.

“That’s what we did last year after we missed the Champions League the year before. We came back stronger and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Asked if it was hard to erase last season, Odegaard said: “It was difficult to be honest. We were very close and had the big dream and goal to win something.

“To be so close to doing it with this team is always going to hurt but you have to deal with it in a good way and move on and that’s what we’re going to do as a team. That is the only way.”

Arsenal have not wallowed in self-pity since falling short in the title race.

Instead, they have gone on an eye-catching spending spree bringing in Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and £105million Declan Rice.

“Every time I played against him I saw the quality,” Odegaard said of the former West Ham skipper.

“He’s a leader as well so it’s great for me to work together and hopefully we can help each other a lot.

“Every time I played him it was a tough one. We had some tough battles so I’m happy to have him on the team and hopefully we can find a good connection very quickly.

“I think his presence in the game (stands out). He’s good on the ball, he can take it forward and physically he’s very strong.

“He’s good in many areas, is physical and is a leader so a lot of areas.”