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OFFICIAL MOVE: KENNETH TAYLOR JOINS LAZIO AS JURRIEN TIMBER SENDS A "BROSKI" FAREWELL

Kenneth Taylor joins Lazio for €16.9m while Arsenal secure their core stars. Latest on Marc Guehi’s potential Man City transfer.

Official Move: Kenneth Taylor joins Lazio as Jurrien Timber sends a "broski" farewell
Kenneth Taylor’s heartfelt Ajax exit is a rarity in modern football

Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber reached out to his old Ajax teammate Kenneth Taylor after Taylor’s move to Lazio became official.

These two have seen a lot together—over 100 games side by side, working their way up through the Ajax academy and into the senior squad. Timber left for Arsenal in the summer of 2023, but Taylor stayed on in Amsterdam, riding out some rough times.

Ajax had a tough run last season, losing the Eredivisie title in gut-wrenching fashion. Right now, they’re sitting third, but PSV is miles ahead—16 points, to be exact.

Taylor has played 19 times across all competitions this season, but that’s it for him at Ajax. Lazio swooped in and paid €16.9 million (£14.4 million) to bring him to Italy. Timber jumped on Instagram to send his support, replying to Ajax’s farewell post (which featured a photo of both players) with a simple “Good luck, broski [red heart emoji].”

Ajax didn’t let him go quietly, either. The club released a heartfelt statement, with Director of Football Marijn Beuker calling Taylor “a true Ajacied” who came up through the ranks, set a good example for younger players, and became a fixture in midfield. Beuker said, “Kenneth wants to take the next step in his career, and we’re happy to give him that chance. We’ve thanked him for everything and wished him all the best in Italy.”

As for Timber’s own future, Arsenal wants to keep him around—and Declan Rice too. That’s according to football.london. Arsenal already locked in Bukayo Saka until 2031, and new contracts for William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ethan Nwaneri, and Myles Lewis-Skelly are done deals.

The Times says Arsenal’s also got talks lined up for Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, David Raya, and Mikel Merino. Their contracts all run out in 2028, so that’s the next order of business—even in the January window, with no new signings expected after spending £250 million last summer.

One name on Arsenal’s radar is Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, but unless Manchester City grabs him this month, that move would wait until summer. Palace boss Oliver Glasner admitted things could change fast: “I’m not naive. If City comes in with a massive offer and Marc wants to go, it’ll happen. If we’re only thinking about football, everyone at the club would want Marc to stay. The chairman feels the same. But money matters too. There’s a point where the finances outweigh the sports side—if Marc wants to leave, the final call is his.”

10-WEEK WAIT: WHAT DID BILLY GILMOUR DO DURING HIS LONG RECOVERY PERIOD IN LONDON?

Billy Gilmour is back: Analyse his return against Roma and the latest news on Scott McTominay's new 2030 Napoli contract talks.

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Billy Gilmour returns for Napoli after 10 weeks out with injury

Billy Gilmour couldn’t hide his excitement after finally shaking off his injury. Those ten weeks on the sidelines felt like forever, honestly.

He made his return on Sunday, stepping onto the pitch for the first time since November 1. Gilmour came on with just 11 minutes left in Napoli’s 2-2 draw against Roma and didn’t waste any time; he played a key pass that set up Alisson Santos’ equaliser only three minutes after coming on.

Gilmour, who used to run the midfield for Chelsea and Brighton, had been part of the Scotland squad that booked a spot at next summer’s World Cup in North America. Still, he missed those crucial games against Greece and Denmark and ended up needing surgery for a hernia right after.

While he was out, things got rough for Napoli. They slipped out of the title race and crashed out early from both the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

But for Gilmour, just being back on the pitch meant everything. He posted on Instagram: “First steps in 2026. There’s no better feeling than being on the pitch and doing it in front of your fans! It’s been a long 10 weeks; now I’m back doing what I love with this team. Forza Napoli Sempre!”

In other news, Scott McTominay, Gilmour’s teammate for both club and country, is in talks over a new Napoli contract. Since joining Manchester United for £27.5 million a year and a half ago, McTominay’s been a game-changer, banging in 12 goals during Napoli’s title run and picking up the league’s player of the year award.

He’s missed the last couple of matches but looks set to return against Atalanta on Sunday. With two and a half years left on his current deal, Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport says his agent and the club are already discussing improved terms.

NAPLES OR MANCHESTER? SCOTT MCTOMINAY’S AGENT HOLDS CRITICAL CONTRACT TALKS WITH NAPOLI

Scott McTominay's agent is in Naples! Discover the details of the 2030 contract offer and why Manchester United want him back now.

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Napoli’s Results Dipped During McTominay’s Recent Two-Match Absence

Scott McTominay’s team has sat down with Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, to talk about a possible contract extension at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. After 22 years at Manchester United, McTominay, now 29, made a £25.7 million move to Naples in August 2024.

He wasted no time making an impact. In his first season with Napoli, he played a key role as they clinched their second Serie A title in three years. He didn’t just help them win; he was named the league’s MVP. McTominay racked up 12 goals and six assists during that title run.

He’s kept up that form this season, too. So far, he’s scored 10 goals and picked up four assists across Serie A and the Champions League. Lately, though, he’s missed the last two matches, including Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Roma, after picking up an injury in the win over Genoa on February 7.

Even with him sidelined, there’s plenty of talk about his future in Naples. Corriere dello Sport says Napoli is already working on a new, improved contract for McTominay, who’s signed until 2028, after his standout first 18 months in Italy.

Antonio Conte’s side wants to keep him at the club until at least 2030. Reports say McTominay’s agent has flown to Naples for talks, and negotiations with Manna about the new deal are already underway.

So far, they haven’t hammered out the details on salary. But after proving himself as one of Serie A’s best, McTominay is set for a pay bump.

All this talk about a new deal comes just days after rumours surfaced about Manchester United being in the mix for McTominay’s return. Tuttomercatoweb reported on Friday that he’s considering heading back to the Premier League in 2026, with United leading the chase.

Supposedly, he and his girlfriend Cam Reading are thinking about a move home, and it sounds like a Premier League return could happen sooner rather than later.

Napoli’s global business development officer, Leonardo Giammarioli, spoke about the transfer buzz last week. He told talkSPORT the club is trying to fend off interest from other teams.

“Yeah, of course I’m worried,” he said. “But honestly, especially with Scott, he’s a great guy, we’d be happy if he reaches the next level in a couple of years. Maybe not now, maybe not next year, but he deserves it.

“Look at Stuttgart, they wanted to keep Nick Woltemade, but when Newcastle offered £65 million, there’s not much you can do. If the player wants to go and the money’s right, it’s tough for Italian clubs. The league keeps losing revenue.”

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