Frank Lampard said he has "given it everything" at Everton as he aims to claim a crucial victory that might ease the pressure on his job.

On Saturday, Everton face fellow strugglers West Ham, managed by former long-time Toffees boss David Moyes, in a huge clash at the bottom of the Premier League, with both teams level on 15 points.

A win could see Everton – who have lost seven of their past 10 games in all competitions and last won a match in October – rise to 14th.

However, defeat at London Stadium, combined with Southampton avoiding a loss against Aston Villa, would see them head into a two-week break propping up the table.

Lampard has been backed by Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, but he along with the club's board is facing increasing scrutiny. The Toffees have not yet signed a player in January despite their manager acknowledging they wish to reinforce their squad, though the Chelsea great is not looking for excuses.

"That’s a tough one. I've absolutely given it everything that I can and it's not one for me to analyse all the circumstances," Lampard told reporters when he was asked if he would feel he had been able to fulfil the role to the best of his ability should he be sacked.

Asked if he felt Everton's issues with recruitment were restricting him, Lampard added: "I can't answer that question and I don't want to answer in a way.

"I've been given an opportunity to work at a great club. I had one of the most amazing nights of my footballing career against Crystal Palace [last season], learned a lot about myself, about coaching, about living in this area.

"I've got my own opinions on those things obviously but I also had an understanding of what the job was, the size of the club, all the positive things and then some things that were maybe going to be taxing.

"Some things I can't control on that front so I just work. Part of the responsibility of the job is to keep certain things private and keep working out of respect."

Everton are reportedly close to signing forward Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal, and Lampard reiterated he hopes to add fresh faces to his squad.

"You want to help the squad and that [new players] would help me as a coach, no doubt," he said. "None of us, as coaches, are geniuses.

"Some are probably closer to being geniuses than others but we are not absolute geniuses. And recruitment to get players is generally what will help you have relative success.

"Until that point, there is a responsibility to work with what you have got. There is also my own capacity – can I get better? Can they get better? We have to focus on what we have got here."

Everton's loss to Southampton last week was further marred by the fact that the club's four-person board did not attend the game due to safety concerns.

It was subsequently claimed, through club sources, that chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale had been manhandled after a 4-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on January 3.

Merseyside Police confirmed no complaints had been filed by the club but they were working with Everton to ensure any threats were dealt with.

On Friday, the HerGameToo campaign announced they had been in contact with Everton over fears of the safety of female fans at Goodison Park.

A statement from the campaign confirmed Everton had provided reassurances that "robust procedures and reporting processes" were in place.

Leicester City have confirmed the signing of Danish left-back Victor Kristiansen from Copenhagen.

Kristiansen, a Denmark Under-21 international, has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal, with Leicester reportedly paying Copenhagen £17million (€19m).

The Foxes were in need of defensive reinforcements, particularly at full-back, with James Justin and Ricardo Pereira both out with long-term injuries, though the latter could return to action soon. Ryan Bertrand, meanwhile, has been out of action for over a year.

Kristiansen, 20, told the club's official website: "It feels amazing. It's really exciting to be here and I'm so excited to meet everyone at the club, as well as the fans.

"The Premier League is probably the best league in the world, and Leicester is a top team, so of course, I was excited. It was a no-brainer for me to say yes to this great opportunity."

Leicester might be a "top team" in Kristiansen's eyes, but they are struggling this season.

Brendan Rodgers' team sit 15th, just two points above the bottom three, ahead of Saturday's home game against Brighton and Hove Albion.

Leicester have lost all four league games since the competition restarted after the World Cup, having gone on a run of four wins from five matches prior to the break.

Jurgen Klopp reaches 1,000 games as a head coach and manager on Saturday when Liverpool tackle Chelsea, and it has been quite a ride.

From a relegation battle with Mainz in the German second division to the heights of Champions League glory with Liverpool, Klopp has achieved more than anyone expected of a man whose playing career was distinctly modest.

It would be stretching it to say the signs were there from day one, but they were certainly there from day two.

Klopp was named as an interim replacement for Eckhard Krautzun when Mainz decided on a change of leader on February 27, 2001.

One day later, Klopp made his debut as a coach in the second tier of the Bundesliga. He had been a player in the team until that point, but this marked the beginning of a new chapter.

Club president Harald Strutz, quoted in the Rheinische Post at the time, voiced the suggestion the interim boss could stake a claim for the full-time job.

"Maybe that will be a permanent solution," Strutz said, presciently.

Midfielder Christof Babatz, who would be a significant figure in Mainz's rise to the Bundesliga under Klopp, then said after the first game resulted in a 1-0 win over Duisburg: "The coach teased that certain something out of us."

And so began the story of Klopp's touchline career, one centred on teasing out the very best from the talent at his disposal, nurturing prospects into polished performers, and tallying trophies along the way. From Mainz, to Borussia Dortmund, and eventually to Liverpool, Klopp has delivered on that initial leap of faith.

There have been league titles, cup triumphs and big European final nights with Liverpool and Dortmund, plus promotion and even a relegation during his formative Mainz days.

Here, Stats Perform looks at those first 999 games, as Opta data shows some essential numbers behind one of the 21st century's great coaching careers.

Pep, Howe, Hecking and Magath – Klopp's rivalries

Klopp has faced Pep Guardiola more than any other rival manager, going head-to-head with the Catalan 27 times across their careers.

There have been notable defeats along the way, including the 2014 DFB-Pokal final, when Klopp's Dortmund went down 2-0 to Guardiola's Bayern, and the 5-0 and 4-0 thrashings meted out by Manchester City to Liverpool in September 2017 and July 2020, both of which rank among the top nine heaviest defeats Klopp has had to stomach.

However, Klopp has the overall upper hand across their meetings, winning 11, drawing seven and losing nine of those games.

He has faced only one other boss more than 20 times: German Dieter Hecking, against whom Klopp pitted his wits 21 times, winning 11, drawing five and losing five. Hecking bossed Lubeck, Alemannia Aachen, Hannover, Nurnberg and Wolfsburg during Klopp's time in the German leagues.

Klopp certainly has a happy record against Newcastle United's former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, achieving 11 wins from their 13 meetings.

This shows the most wins Klopp has had against any boss is 11, against Guardiola, Hecking and Howe, while it can be revealed the team he has beaten the most are Freiburg (13 times), followed by Crystal Palace, Nurnberg and Arsenal (all 12).

His real nemesis appears to have been Felix Magath, the former Stuttgart, Bayern, Wolfsburg and Schalke coach. In 14 games against Magath teams, Klopp won only three times, losing eight.

Bayern have had the most wins against Klopp, with 16. No other team have reached double figures, with Hamburg, Schalke and Wolfsburg (all nine) next on the list.

The milestones, the biggest and the best... and the games he'd rather forget

Klopp won that first match of his career against Duisburg, and to date he has never lost on each 100th game on his way towards 1,000 as a boss.

There have been wins against the way against Bochum (200th game), Werder Bremen (300th), his old club Mainz (400th), Freiburg (500th) and Southampton (600th), and draws on his 700th, 800th and 900th games, against Newcastle, Chelsea and Real Madrid, respectively. Klopp's 100th game was also a draw, against Unterhaching with Mainz.

His biggest win was the 9-0 trouncing that Liverpool dished out to Bournemouth in August of this season, and his Liverpool team have also hit seven in a game five times (Maribor, Spartak Moscow, Crystal Palace, Lincoln City and Rangers), while his biggest win as a boss in Germany was Dortmund's 6-0 crushing of Arminia Bielefeld in May 2009.

Klopp has suffered four defeats by five-goal margins, the worst he has had to endure, with Aston Villa inflicting two of those: 7-2 in October 2020 and 5-0 in December 2019 – albeit the latter with Klopp and his frontline Liverpool stars out of the country on Club World Cup duty. There was also a 6-1 torching for Mainz at the hands of Werder Bremen in October 2006, and Liverpool's 5-0 whipping by Guardiola's City.

When it comes to promoting young talent, Klopp has rarely hesitated. His youngest player was Harvey Elliott, now a first-team squad regular at Liverpool, who faced MK Dons in the EFL Cup at the age of 16 years and 174 days in September 2019.

Klopp has fielded five 16-year-olds for Liverpool, plus seven 17-year-olds, while he also gave chances to the 17-year-old Mario Gotze at Dortmund, and Mario Vrancic, also 17, during his time at Mainz. Gotze went on to become a World Cup final match-winner.

His oldest player was Peter Neustadter, a Kazakh defender who was older than Klopp himself, aged 37 years and 176 days, when he turned out for Mainz against Alemannia Aachen in the Bundesliga's second tier in August 2003.

Warhorse midfielder James Milner could yet break that record as the oldest Liverpool player to have appeared for Klopp, aged 37 years and 13 days when he played in the recent FA Cup replay win against Wolves this week.

James Woodburn remains the youngest scorer for Klopp after hitting the net against Leeds in an EFL Cup clash in November 2016 at the age of 17 years and 45 days, while Sebastian Kehl ranks as his oldest scorer – 35 years and 53 days old when he bagged for Dortmund against Hoffenheim in a DFB-Pokal quarter-final in April 2015.

Klopp's kingpins

Roberto Firmino has played more games for Klopp than anyone, racking up 341 outings for Liverpool under the manager, with Milner (301) next on the list.

When it comes to starters, though, we get a different picture, with former Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller top of the list with 280 games, followed by another BVB stalwart, Neven Subotic (278), and then Firmino (277 starts). Milner is a long way down that list, with 112 of the veteran's appearances for Klopp having come as a substitute.

Mohamed Salah has made 282 appearances and 261 starts for Klopp, and when it comes to scorers for the Reds manager, the brilliant Egyptian is the untouchable number one.

His 173 goals put him streets ahead of Klopp's next highest scorer, Sadio Mane (120), with Firmino (107) and former Dortmund supreme finisher Robert Lewandowski (103) being the only other players to reach three figures.

Among players with 10 or more goals for Klopp teams, Salah has also scored at the fastest rate, netting once every 133 minutes, with Lewandowski in a tie for second place with Darwin Nunez, both scoring at one per 139 minutes. Nunez scrapes onto the list, having scored 10 times so far.

Lewandowski hit four hat-tricks for Klopp's Dortmund, while Salah has managed five for Liverpool under the German.

Both men once hit four in a game for Klopp, with Lewandowski doing so in a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, and Salah in a Premier League match against Watford.

The manager teased plenty out of those two down the years, and Klopp will doubtless look to Salah, a former Chelsea player, to ensure his 1,000th game brings cause for celebration.

Chelsea have signed Noni Madueke from PSV, making the forward their sixth addition of the January transfer window.

The Blues have splashed a reported £35million (€40m) to land the England youth international, who spent time in the academies of London rivals Crystal Palace and Tottenham before moving to the Netherlands.

Madueke has signed a seven-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues having the option to extend that by a further 12 months.

"I'm really pleased to sign with one of the best clubs in the world in Chelsea," Madueke told his new club's official website upon confirmation of the deal on Friday.

"To return to England and play in the Premier League is a dream for me and my family and I can’t wait to get started.

"I am excited for what the future holds, the owner's vision for the future and to be at a club like this and winning at the highest level."

Chelsea's want for Madueke has persisted despite the mega-money deal to land Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as their loan deal for Joao Felix, while he was reportedly a player of interest to boss Graham Potter during his time with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Having supposedly seen approaches earlier in the window rebuffed, Chelsea returned to secure a deal to extend their spending spree under Todd Boehly.

Madueke has made only five appearances in the Eredivisie for PSV this season, scoring once.

PSV sold star player Cody Gakpo to Liverpool in December, and it had seemed that 20-year-old Madueke would be the natural replacement for the Netherlands forward.

Chelsea's busy transfer window has seen Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana signed on a permanent basis, with Joao Felix joining from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season and Mudryk arriving from Shakhtar.

Chelsea have signed Noni Madueke from PSV, making the forward their sixth addition of the January transfer window.

The Blues have splashed a reported £35million (€40m) to land the England youth international, who spent time in the academies of London rivals Crystal Palace and Tottenham before moving to the Netherlands.

Madueke has signed a seven-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues having the option to extend that by a further 12 months.

Chelsea's want for Madueke has persisted despite the mega-money deal to land Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as their loan deal for Joao Felix, while he was reportedly a player of interest to boss Graham Potter during his time with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Having supposedly seen approaches earlier in the window rebuffed, Chelsea returned to secure a deal to extend their spending spree under Todd Boehly.

"I'm really pleased to sign with one of the best clubs in the world in Chelsea," Madueke told his new club's official website upon confirmation of the deal on Friday.

"To return to England and play in the Premier League is a dream for me and my family and I can’t wait to get started.

"I am excited for what the future holds, the owner's vision for the future and to be at a club like this and winning at the highest level."

Madueke has made only five appearances in the Eredivisie for PSV this season, scoring once.

PSV sold star player Cody Gakpo to Liverpool in December, and it had seemed that 20-year-old Madueke would be the natural replacement for the Netherlands forward.

Chelsea's busy transfer window saw Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana signed on a permanent basis, with Joao Felix joining from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season before they beat Premier League leaders Arsenal to the signing of Ukraine international Mudryk.

Juventus have been deducted 15 points in the wake of an investigation into the club's past transfer dealings.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed the news on Friday, with ex-Juve director Fabio Paratici – who is now at Tottenham – given a two-and-a-half-year ban from Italian football.

Paratici's ban includes a request for an extension to cover UEFA and FIFA activities, meaning potentially a big knock-on impact for Premier League side Spurs.

Former Juve chairman Andrea Agnelli has also been banned from holding office in Italian football for the next two years.

It has been widely reported the decision is likely to be appealed by Juve.

The Bianconeri had been third in Serie A, but have now dropped to 10th – 12 points off the Champions League places – as a result of the punishment.

Turin Public Prosecutor's Office had been seeking a nine-point deduction following a hearing earlier on Friday.

But the FIGC went with a harsher punishment after Juve were found to have used transfers to artificially boost their balance sheet.

The sanction comes on the back of chairman Agnelli, vice-president Pavel Nedved and the rest of the Bianconeri's board resigning en-masse last year.

That came in the wake of an investigation being launched into financial violations during their time in charge.

A separate ruling made last year acquitted Juve and other clubs of their financial conduct within Serie A, with a case centred on player values in exchanges and transfers.

But football prosecutors reopened the case Juve after seeking new documents collected by public prosecutors in Turin surrounding the club's conduct.

Juve have denied any wrongdoing, while lawyers claimed prosecutors had not brought enough in to reach the adequate threshold for a new ruling.

The 36-time Italian champions are next in action on Sunday at home to Atalanta, in what was set to be a potentially crucial clash in the race for Champions League qualification.

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has blamed a lack of "mental freshness" for his recent costly errors, which he puts down to France's run to the World Cup final.

Lloris played in six of France's seven matches in Qatar, including a full part in their 3-3 final draw against Argentina after extra time that ended in a 4-2 defeat on penalties.

The 36-year-old, who has since called time on his international career, returned to club action with Spurs on January 1 and has made a spate of errors in his four games since.

He was beaten too easily by Riyad Mahrez in Spurs' 4-2 collapse at Manchester City on Thursday, having also been at fault for goals against Aston Villa and Arsenal.

Indeed, his four errors leading to goals – as defined by Opta – are more than those of any other goalkeeper across Europe's top five leagues in all competitions this season.

On the back of a tough month for club and country, Lloris accepts the criticism he is facing.

"I can't complain. You're a professional and you just follow a rhythm," he told the Evening Standard. 

"When you're involved with the national team and you go until the last day of the World Cup, you come back and miss mental freshness. But you need to get back on track.

"When you look at the Arsenal goal, I can be in a good position, but the deflection hit the ball on my chest and with the spin it goes over [the line]. 

"It's something that even if I wanted to do on purpose, I can't. Even on Thursday, when you look at the third [City] goal, a deflection makes the ball go over my knee."

After conceding four second-half goals against City, Tottenham have now conceded 31 goals after 20 Premier League games – their highest tally since the 2007-08 season (36).

Spurs have lost three of their past four league games ahead of Monday's visit to Fulham and are five points off the top four, having played a game more than the sides above them.

Despite crumbling against City, though, Lloris insists his side do not collectively have a mentality issue.

"When you look at the guys working every day, we can't blame anyone," he said. "We have probably lacked consistency in our performances. 

"I believe we struggle a bit to play 90 to 95 minutes at our best, things we were able to do last season, especially in the last two to three months.

"But the most important period is ahead of us: February, March, April and May is where you play for everything, and it’s important going forward to get our level back."

Leeds United and Manchester United are set to face each other twice in five days after their Old Trafford match was allocated a new February slot.

The Premier League game was originally set to take place on September 18 but was postponed due to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, and now it is set to happen on Wednesday, February 8.

Erik ten Hag's side are then due to travel to Elland Road to face Jesse Marsch's men on February 12, with the Red Devils chasing an unlikely title charge and the Whites aiming to dodge another relegation battle.

With both teams into the fourth round of the FA Cup, the February 8 league clash between the old rivals could still be changed again in order to facilitate any replays.

"The Premier League is giving supporters as much notice as possible by announcing this potential fixture date ahead of the FA Cup fourth-round weekend [on January 28-29]," read a statement from the two clubs.

"The Premier League also acknowledges the unique circumstances of the teams playing each other twice in the same week. This is to avoid potential fixture congestion later in the season.

"Should either side require an FA Cup fourth-round replay, the Premier League will look at alternative dates to place this fixture."

Manchester United will face Reading in the FA Cup while Leeds will travel to Boreham Wood or Accrington Stanley.

Chelsea have an opportunity to truly turn a corner under Graham Potter when they face Liverpool in Jurgen Klopp's 1,000th game as a manager.

Just four months into the job, Potter had to fend off questions regarding his future on the back of a run of one win in eight matches, six of those ending in defeat.

Last weekend's slender 1-0 win over Crystal Palace has brought the "buzz" back to Chelsea, in the view of Potter, but another loss at Anfield on Saturday could change all that.

Tenth-place Chelsea are not the only Premier League giant to have struggled this term, with opponents Liverpool level on points in ninth, albeit having played a game less.

Indeed, this weekend's meeting will mark the first time since the 2015-16 campaign that both sides have been outside the top six at this stage of a season.

Stats Perform has picked out the standout Opta numbers to preview the big game, with both clubs needing to put a strong run together to have any change of securing a top-four finish.

Poor form laid bare

Chelsea have won just two of their past 10 Premier League matches, collecting nine points from a possible 30 in that period.

Both of those victories – against Bournemouth late last month before seeing off Palace  – have been on home soil, with the Blues winless in five away top-flight matches since mid-October.

Liverpool's form has been equally as patchy, having lost back-to-back league games in 2023 against Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion, the two sides directly above them.

They picked up their first win of the year in all competitions at the fourth attempt against Wolves in the FA Cup on Tuesday to lift the gloom.

Not since 1953 have the Reds started a year with three straight league losses.

Draws galore

Both teams are therefore in need of a victory if they are to make up any ground on the top four, though this fixture has often ended all square in recent times.

The two league games last season were drawn – 1-1 at Anfield in August and 2-2 at Stamford Bridge five months later, with Chelsea recovering from two goals down in the latter.

Then came the EFL and FA Cup finals contested in the space of three months that defined both sides' seasons; each ending goalless before Liverpool prevailed on penalties.

Never before have Liverpool and Chelsea drawn three consecutive league games, though, so that streak looks set to end this weekend.

No home comforts

Preceding that run of draws, Chelsea won 1-0 at Anfield in March 2021 – Mason Mont scoring the only goal – to continue an interesting sequence in this fixture.

The home team has won just three of the past 17 league games between Liverpool and Chelsea – and none in the Reds' case since July 2020 on the day they lifted the title.

Due to the high number of draws, though, Liverpool have lost only two of their past 15 top-flight games with Chelsea at Anfield, winning six and having to settle for a point seven times in that sequence.

Mudryk to make his mark?

One of the big factors behind Liverpool's drop-off this season has been their struggles at the back, having conceded 25 goals in 18 games – compared to 26 in 38 last season.

Should they concede against Chelsea, it will be the first time since between May and October 2016 they have gone nine successive Premier League games without a clean sheet.

Not since December 1953 have they shipped three-or-more goals in three straight top-flight matches, meanwhile, which they are risk of doing on Saturday. 

But that seems highly unlikely on the face of it as Chelsea have only scored more than twice in a league game once this season, coming in October's 3-0 win at Wolves.

Mykhailo Mudryk's arrival has bolstered Chelsea's attack, and he is out to become the first Ukrainian to score on their Premier League debut.

Mikel Arteta credited Erik ten Hag for overseeing a rapid transformation in Manchester United's fortunes ahead of Arsenal's huge Premier League clash with the Red Devils on Sunday.

Arsenal hold a five-point lead at the Premier League summit ahead of facing United, who remain the only team to beat the Gunners in the competition this season, winning 3-1 at Old Trafford in September.

While United's hopes of entering the title race appear slim following Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace, the Red Devils are fancied to finish in the top four after going unbeaten in their past six Premier League games (W5 D1).

Having instigated a dramatic turnaround of his own at Emirates Stadium, Arteta has been impressed by Ten Hag's work at Old Trafford.

"It's very impressive. He's turned things around pretty quickly," Arteta said at Friday's pre-match press conference. 

"I think he has implemented a very clear way of playing. The players have bought into it and there's a really good energy around the place. 

"A lot of things have changed in a short period of time, so credit to him and the coaching staff for what they have done."

While United's in-form attacker Marcus Rashford has been involved in eight goals in his 10 Premier League starts against Arsenal, Arteta knows he will not be the only threat to his team on Sunday.

"It's not only him, unfortunately," Arteta said when asked how he would look to contain Rashford. "It's a lot of individuals and the collective organisation that they have. 

"We have to be very aware of that. I will try to do that. We prepare for games to try to hide the ways they have to create problems for us."

United were dealt a huge blow ahead of their trip to north London as midfield enforcer Casemiro received his fifth yellow card of the Premier League season at Palace, earning him a one-match ban.

However, Arteta noted the Brazil international did not start when United overcame Arsenal earlier in the season, adding: "It's something that we can't control. 

"He didn't play in our first game either and we still didn't do enough to win that match. When you look at the squad they have, it's incredible. 

"They have the individuals and collective organisation to beat any opponent in this league, but we'll plan the game knowing he's not available."

Meanwhile, Arsenal's bid for a first league title since the 2003-2004 season has seen skipper Martin Odegaard assume a central role, scoring a team-high eight Premier League goals.

Asked about Odegaard's development since he became captain last July, Arteta said: "He's done it in a very natural way. He's still a really young player with huge talent, but still with more desire than talent.

"He knows he can get much better and he's on that pathway, enjoying playing for us and contributing to the team in a really impactful way. He needs to continue to do that."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is confident Leandro Trossard can make an "immediate impact" as he prepares to give the Belgian his debut against Manchester United on Sunday.

Trossard signed a long-term deal, which is thought to run until 2027, at Emirates Stadium on Friday after completing a reported £27million move from Brighton and Hove Albion.

The 28-year-old Belgium international had been keen to leave Brighton following a falling-out with coach Roberto De Zerbi, who criticised the winger's attitude earlier this month after taking him out of the team.

Arsenal acted swiftly to bring Trossard to the club after missing out on primary target Mykhaylo Mudryk last week, with the Ukraine winger joining Chelsea instead.

While Gunners fans had been eager for Mudryk to join, there is a perception Trossard represents less risky business given his Premier League experience and that he cost roughly a third of what Chelsea paid to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Arteta expects Trossard to adapt quickly, and confirmed he is in line to face Manchester United on Sunday, with the north Londoners hoping to open an 11-point gap between themselves and Erik ten Hag's men in third.

"Well, he trained today [Friday], so hopefully he will be [available on Sunday]. Yes. I think [all the paperwork is done], I think he's good to go," Arteta told reporters.

"He's a player we followed for a while now. The opportunity came, we have the necessity, obviously, to have a player in the frontline that is versatile enough to play in different positions.

"He knows the league, has enough experience here, and I think he can have an immediate impact in the team.

"In the summer we were looking for a player in that position and we were unable to do it. It's something this squad needed, obviously with the injuries of Gabby [Gabriel Jesus] and Reiss [Nelson].

"We are really short in the front line and we needed reinforcements, and we found in Leandro a player who fits everything we want."

The signing of Trossard, given his age, marks a departure from Arsenal's recent transfer policy of focusing on young players.

However, with Arsenal leading the Premier League and hoping to win their first title since 2004, Arteta emphasised how crucial he felt it was to bring in a player who would be able to give them what they need straight away.

"Very important, we have to think short term but also medium and long term, and I think he gives all that," Arteta said.

"He's a very intelligent player. When you look at his career, what he's done in the last few years, he's a player who fits our way of playing, for sure, and we are happy to have him."

Trossard will have found a familiar face in the Arsenal changing room, with Arteta's assistant Albert Stuivenberg formerly the player's coach at Genk.

The Dutchman was able to provide a glowing reference of Trossard's character, even if De Zerbi's recent criticism of his attitude might have caused concern among fans.

"Albert gave me a really, really good reference, but not for now, for a few years [ago]," Arteta said.

"We talk about everything that is connected, about players we know we want to recruit because character is something crucial, but as well to understand how they are, how they behave, whether they can accept the role they're going to have at the club with us, and then personal conversations. Obviously they are very important as well."

Newcastle United striker Chris Wood has joined Nottingham Forest on an initial loan deal, which is set to become permanent at the end of the season.

Wood only signed for Newcastle in January 2022, leaving then-relegation rivals Burnley in a £25million move.

Although Burnley were subsequently relegated, Newcastle stayed up comfortably under Eddie Howe and a year later are well in contention for Champions League qualification.

But having started 15 of his 17 Premier League appearances for the Magpies last term, Wood's 18 outings in this campaign have included only four starts and account for a meagre 437 minutes.

Wood found himself behind the fit-again Callum Wilson and club-record signing Alexander Isak in the pecking order, with the New Zealand international having scored just four times across 35 appearances.

He will instead spend at least the rest of the season at Forest, who have recruited Wood following news of an injury to Taiwo Awoniyi as they bid to secure their Premier League status for next season.

The agreement contains "a conditional obligation to become a permanent deal", Forest confirmed, with reports suggesting the achievable criteria of those conditions will lead to a £15m move.

Wood was no longer a starter at St James' Park, but only Jacob Murphy (36) had made more Premier League appearances for Newcastle since his arrival from Burnley, and Howe wants a replacement for the 31-year-old forward.

Ahead of the transfer on Friday, Howe said: "Hopefully, we're planning to replace him.

"Certainly, from my side, there was no thought of letting a player go and not replacing [them]. I think that would leave us dangerously short of players."

Howe acknowledged the club were now in a "difficult situation" in the transfer market but recognised Wood's departure represented "a very good deal financially".

Arsenal have completed the signing of Leandro Trossard from Brighton and Hove Albion for a reported £27million.

The Belgium international has agreed a long-term deal at Emirates Stadium, which is thought to run through until July 2027.

Premier League leaders Arsenal confirmed the news on their official website on Friday, with the versatile midfielder eligible to play against Manchester United this weekend.

"It is good work from everyone at the club to complete the signing of Leandro," Mikel Arteta said. 

"He is a versatile player with high technical ability, intelligence and a great deal of experience in the Premier League and at international level.

"Leandro strengthens our squad as we head into the second part of the season and we’re all looking forward to working with him."

Arsenal made no secret of their desire to bring in attacking reinforcements this month, with Mykhaylo Mudryk initially seen to be their primary target.

But Chelsea beat them to the signing of the Ukraine international last week despite Mudryk appearing eager to move to north London.

Shakhtar Donetsk confirmed Arsenal matched the reported £89m (€100m) bid of Chelsea in monetary terms, but they felt the variables and bonuses in the Blues' offer were more realistic.

However, some might feel Trossard is a less risky signing and represents better value.

Arsenal are thought to have been keen on Trossard since before he joined Brighton from Genk in 2019, and at the Amex Stadium he has blossomed into a high-level winger who offers both a goalscoring threat and creativity.

Since the start of last season, Trossard is one of just seven players to score at least 14 Premier League goals (excluding penalties) and create more than 65 chances in open play – the others are Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Bruno Fernandes.

Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham had also been credited with an interest, though recent reports suggested a £12m bid by Spurs was "laughed off".

Trossard had been keen to leave Brighton after falling out with head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who criticised the winger's attitude earlier this month after taking him out of the team.

Arsenal have completed the signing of Leandro Trossard from Brighton and Hove Albion for a reported £27million.

The Belgium international has agreed a long-term deal at Emirates Stadium, which is thought to run through until July 2027.

Arsenal made no secret of their desire to bring in attacking reinforcements this month, with Mykhaylo Mudryk initially seen to be their primary target.

But Chelsea beat them to the signing of the Ukraine international last week despite Mudryk appearing eager to move to north London.

Shakhtar Donetsk confirmed Arsenal matched the reported £89m (€100m) bid of Chelsea in monetary terms, but they felt the variables and bonuses in the Blues' offer were more realistic.

However, some might feel Trossard is a less risky signing and represents better value.

Arsenal are thought to have been keen on Trossard since before he joined Brighton from Genk in 2019, and at the Amex Stadium he has blossomed into a high-level winger who offers both a goalscoring threat and creativity.

Since the start of last season, Trossard is one of just seven players to score at least 14 Premier League goals (excluding penalties) and create more than 65 chances in open play – the others are Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Bruno Fernandes.

Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham had also been credited with an interest, though recent reports suggested a £12m bid by Spurs was "laughed off".

Trossard had been keen to leave Brighton after falling out with head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who criticised the winger's attitude earlier this month after taking him out of the team.

Graham Potter confirmed Mykhaylo Mudryk is likely to make his Chelsea debut in Saturday's Premier League clash with Liverpool.

The Blues splashed a reported £89million (€100m) to secure his services from Shakhtar Donetsk, beating London rivals Arsenal in the hunt for the Ukraine international.

Questions have been asked as to how Potter will fit Mudryk into a top-heavy squad at Stamford Bridge, where he joins the likes of Kai Havertz, Joao Felix, Christian Pulisic, Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

While that remains to be seen, Chelsea fans will have their first glimpse of Mudryk in action at Anfield as Potter confirmed he is set for his debut.

"He is a young and exciting player. We have to help him adapt to us and the Premier League. He hasn't played so much football recently but has been training well, so we will have to assess him," Potter said.

"There's a chance [he could make his debut]. There is probably a role for him at some stage in the game.

"We've got to help him and everybody [must] understand that he is coming from a different country and league and has to adapt.

"He is a young player who has a lot of potential and at the same time he has had good experiences already and he is an exciting player.

"He's trained very well and is very happy to be here. He is looking forward to his career here and is excited to get started."

Chelsea's work in the transfer market is seemingly not yet complete, with PSV winger Noni Madueke closing in on a move to west London, while Brighton and Hove Albion reportedly rejected a £55m bid from the Blues for midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Although it may seem there is no end in sight for Chelsea's spending under Todd Boehly, Potter does not anticipate an influx of new additions at the backend of the mid-season transfer window.

"I don't think there'll be too many to be honest. I've no complaints about the squad. January is very complex. You might want A, B and C, but they are not available in terms of positional need," he added.

"You are always looking to strengthen your squad and we have done that. When players come back, we have an exciting squad of players.

"You've got to analyse the squad and analyse where it's at. Sometimes it is adding and sometimes it's moving out players. That is on a case-by-case basis and we'll look at it as and when."