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Nottingham Forest supporters will now be clamouring for the start of the Premier League season, safe in the knowledge that Morgan Gibbs-White will line up in the famous Garibaldi Red for the Tricky Trees’ opener against Brentford next month.

It really looked as if Gibbs-White would leave Nuno Espirito Santo’s side behind for a switch to Tottenham Hotspur, in a move that would have banked Forest £60m.

However, this controversial move would never get off the ground in the end, culminating in the 25-year-old penning a new, unexpected deal at the City Ground instead.

Forest will be on the hunt for some exciting signings now to further boost spirits in the Midlands, as a £30m attacker appears on the Premier League side’s shopping list, away from Nuno’s men also being close on a deal for Bologna forward Dan Ndoye.

Forest explore move for £30m attacker

Indeed, it looks as if Ndoye will be lining up next to the much-talked-about Gibbs-White very shortly.

According to Fabrizio Romano via X, the deal is done, as a £35m agreement has been reached between Bologna and Forest, following on from Evangelos Marinakis’ desire to land a standout replacement for Anthony Elanga.

Ndoye isn’t the only addition Forest might be anticipating in the forward areas, however, with a report by the Telegraph now revealing that the top-flight side have ‘discussed’ a potential move for Liverpool hotshot Ben Doak.

The up-and-coming Scotsman would dent the Marinakis bank account even more, with the Reds winger allegedly available for around the £30m mark.

However, this could be a price worth paying if he develops into even more of a blistering performer at the City Ground, with the potential here for Doak to become the club’s next iteration of Gibbs-White in the process.

How Doak can become Forest's next Gibbs-White

Gibbs-White is now a household name in the Premier League, having even been speculated to be on the radar of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City this summer, away from Thomas Franks’ Spurs sniffing about.

However, the 25-year-old hasn’t always been viewed in this glowing light, having struggled to ever get going at former side Wolverhampton Wanderers before embarking on a transformative adventure with Forest.

When plying his trade at Molineux, Gibbs-White would only collect a paltry one goal and one assist in Premier League action. At Forest, though, he is a beast that cannot be tamed, as seen in his ever-growing tally of 45 goals and assists at the difficult level.

Doak will hope, if he leaves Anfield behind shortly, that he can also go on to be as key as the four-time England international is at the City Ground, having been utilised sparingly at Liverpool to date, but he has still managed to show off flashes of his immense quality.

Middlesbrough

24

3

7

Liverpool U21s

16

5

2

Liverpool

10

0

0

Liverpool Youth League

8

4

4

Liverpool U18s

5

2

2

Celtic

2

0

0

Despite failing to break his goal or assist duck in the senior picture on Merseyside, Doak does have a healthy 11 goals and eight assists next to his name in the youth picture at Anfield. If given more minutes in Nottingham, he could go on to be a star in the first-team scene, away from settling for limited chances under Arne Slot’s wing.

After all, last season also saw the “special” forward – as he’s been glowingly labelled by Jurgen Klopp previously – set the EFL light on loan with Middlesbrough, as seen in his hefty ten goal contributions from 24 Boro clashes.

Coincidentally, before gaining more opportunities at Molineux, Gibbs-White was also viewed as a rising star out on loan with Sheffield United, with a mammoth ten goals and 12 assists coming his way at Bramall Lane.

At the time, he was even hailed as having “the world at his feet” by Blades teammate David McGoldrick, with similarly glowing praise heading Doak’s way too last season from Boro-based commentator Mark Drury, who stated that the Scotsman “looks like a natural” under pressure.

Doak might well finally get his big break in the Premier League with Forest, as excitement levels continue to grow and grow at the City Ground about what next season has in store.

As noted by Football scout Antonio Mango, he truly is a “menace” of a player…

Gibbs-White will love him: Nottingham Forest set to finalise "top signing"

Nottingham Forest are close to sealing a £35m deal for this exciting attacker.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 28, 2025

The INEOS hierarchy at Manchester United has been hellbent on avoiding the same mistakes as the previous regime, although there does appear to be a real sense of Deja Vu with regard to Jason Wilcox’s pursuit of a new centre-forward.

Rewind two years ago, with then-boss Erik ten Hag having identified Harry Kane as his primary striker target, albeit with United wary of engaging in protracted negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur chairman, Daniel Levy.

The ageing Englishman instead packed his bags for Germany, while the Old Trafford side went down the high-potential route. Despite reportedly being Ten Hag’s fifth-choice option at the time, in came a 20-year-old Rasmus Hojlund for an initial fee of £64m.

Season

Player

Goals

2024/25

Bruno Fernandes & Amad

8

2023/24

Bruno Fernandes & Rasmus Hojlund

10

2022/23

Marcus Rashford

17

2021/22

Cristiano Ronaldo

18

2020/21

Bruno Fernandes

18

2019/20

Marcus Rashford & Anthony Martial

17

2018/19

Paul Pogba

13

2017/18

Romelu Lukaku

16

2016/17

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

17

2015/16

Anthony Martial

11

2014/15

Wayne Rooney

12

2013/14

Wayne Rooney

17

2012/13

Robin van Persie

26

A player coveted by Paris Saint-Germain at the time, Hojlund had been earning rave reviews amid his promising displays in Atalanta, with then-boss Gian Piero Gasperini highlighting his electric pace that had ripped through Serie A defences.

We’d all seen the clips of the young Dane bursting into the box at breakneck speed. All dreamed of this ‘new Erling Haaland’ proving to be the next Scandinavian striking sensation on Premier League soil.

Overlooked, however, was the mere nine league goals he had scored in his solitary season in Bergamo, with such a gamble having yet to pay off for the Red Devils. The same mistake can’t happen again under Wilcox.

Latest on Man Utd's striker search

Speaking after scoring in the recent 4-1 victory over Bournemouth in the latest Premier League summer series clash, the 22-year-old – who had been linked with a move to Inter Milan earlier in the window – outlined his desire to “stay and fight for his spot, whatever happens”.

A bright start to pre-season has raised hopes that United’s number nine can kick on in 2025/26, although Hojlund might not get his own way, with reports indicating that he could be used as part of a deal to bring in a new striker.

Indeed, it has been claimed – including by The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell – that a swap deal could be on the cards which would see the Denmark starlet head to RB Leipzig, with Benjamin Sesko moving in the opposite direction.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Additional reports, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, having indicated that there is an “internal confidence” at Old Trafford that a deal for Sesko will get over the line amid their ongoing talks, with the club currently going toe-to-toe with Newcastle United for his signature:

Reportedly valued at around £70m, Sesko – who has been the subject of a bid from Newcastle – is hot property amid two solid seasons in Germany. That said, doesn’t this all feel a little familiar?

Why Man Utd are risking a Hojlund repeat

For a brief moment, it looked like United’s decision to plump for Hojlund had paid off, following his destructive debut away to Arsenal in September 2023. Having endured an injury-hit start to life in Manchester, the towering left-footer announced himself in fine fashion, proving a real nuisance for Gabriel and William Saliba in the home defence.

That image of Casemiro grabbing the youngster by the jersey – a mark that he was to be the man to win the game for Ten Hag’s men – evoked that strong early impression, with Hojlund also subsequently making his mark by netting five times in six Champions League group stage outings, including a breathtaking brace at home to Galatasaray.

Such moments have indicated that there is a player in there somewhere, yet with 26 goals to his name in 95 appearances, this is an expensive risk that has yet to pay off, with TNT Sport commentator Darren Fletcher notably describing the misfiring marksman as perhaps the “most unlucky number nine Manchester United have ever had”.

But should his woes be a surprise? His only season in a top-five league had yielded only nine Serie A goals, having previously scored 17 goals in 53 games for Sturm Graz and FC Copenhagen combined. Thrusting him in as the leading striker was perhaps a step too far, too soon.

Sesko’s path has worryingly been rather similar to date, with the 22-year-old – who is actually younger than Hojlund – having spent two seasons in the Bundesliga, after previously scoring 29 times in 79 games for Austria side Red Bull Salzburg.

A player whom United turned down for a fee of around £2.5m back in 2019, the Slovenian has reached double figures for league goals in each of the last two campaigns, although he hasn’t exactly ripped it up with 13 and 14 goals, respectively.

Like Hojlund, at 6 foot 4 the in-demand striker is an eye-catching figure, having been described as a “monster” of a striker by analyst Ben Mattinson. His penchant for the spectacular will also have onlookers licking their lips – boasting a highlight reel of goals that any number nine would be proud of.

That said, in the view of The Athletic’s James Horncastle, speaking on the Libero podcast, there is a sense that he merely is a “highlights player”, with the respected journalist even quipping that he is akin to a ‘Slovenian Andy Carroll’ in that regard.

A scorer of great goals, but not exactly a great goalscorer then, with United again at a juncture where they are in need of a proven talent, rather than a player of undoubtedly exciting potential.

Like with Ten Hag and Kane two years ago, Ruben Amorim is said to have a preference for signing Premier League menace, Ollie Watkins. Perhaps listening to the Portuguese coach would be the right choice this time around?

Most important deal since Bruno: Man Utd make enquiry for "world-class" gem

Manchester United are set to make another key move within this summer’s transfer window.

1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 2, 2025

Gareth Batty, Surrey’s head coach, dedicated his team’s third consecutive County Championship title to the outgoing director of cricket, Alec Stewart, describing him as “irreplaceable” and adding that it was “delusional” to think that anyone could emulate the influence he has wielded across his five decades at the Kia Oval.Surrey, who beat Durham by ten wickets on Thursday afternoon to put themselves on the brink of the title, were crowned as champions shortly after 11am on Friday morning, once their nearest challengers Somerset had slipped to defeat against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.That result leaves them 26 points clear at the top of Division One ahead of next week’s final-round trip to Chelmsford, but the celebrations were already beginning at the Kia Oval on Friday, after the club’s 23rd county title.”It’s a whole squad coming together and putting in a heck of a lot of work over a long period of time,” Batty told the BBC. “To do it three times in a row is very satisfying. We shall enjoy today and then start the hard work tomorrow to do it all again.”Every time you get over the line it’s the hardest one, because other teams are trying to close the gap, trying to improve their squads, improve their players.”I feel like we are still keeping some distance, in a healthy, confident way, not in an arrogant way, because we’re working incredibly hard trying to improve our performances year in and year out.”Though Surrey’s pre-eminence on the county circuit is clear, this latest victory was not without its challenges, not least when their shock loss to Somerset at Taunton last week closed the gap at the top to eight points.A major hurdle came in the form of international call-ups, with four Surrey players featuring in both England’s Test and white-ball squads – which was both a credit to the calibre of player emerging from the club, but also a stretch even on their well-resourced squad.”In the T20 Blast we used 25 players in 15 games, and in the Championship it was 24 or 25. Some counties don’t have that size of squad,” Batty said. “So to have the rotation of players, to have the tenacity, the belief, the skill set, to come in and still be playing as a wonderful XI, is a credit to every single person. It’s the staff, it’s the players, it’s the drive.”Rory Burns and Ryan Patel celebrate together•Getty Images for Surrey CCC

Stewart, 61, made his Surrey debut in 1981, and has been a near-constant presence at the club ever since. However, he announced at the start of the season that he would be standing down as director of cricket after 11 years in the role, having taken a leave of absence in January 2023 to care for his wife Lynn, who has been undergoing cancer treatment.”He is irreplaceable,” Batty said. “Anyone who thinks they can do what Alec Stewart has done here is delusional. He is the heartbeat, he is the brains – everything here comes through Alec.”You don’t often get a cuddle and a bit of a tear from Stewie, but when the Lancs boys got the final wicket there was a big outburst of emotion. It was wonderful to see an iconic English cricketer get some rewards for his dedication and the club will forever be thankful to him.”Stewart, for his part, promised that he would not be a stranger at The Oval despite entering retirement.”I’ll still be around the place, sat in the stands watching,” he told the BBC. “If I’m involved in some capacity, very much in the background, then fantastic, because you know what this club means to me and my family.”But it’s about the boys. I thanked each and every one of them. Three in three hasn’t happened since Yorkshire in the 1960s, it doesn’t happen too often and that’s what I’m proud of.”

Southampton have “agreed a fee” with a club over the sale of an “incredible” Saints player, according to a fresh claim from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Will Still outlines plans as Southampton manager

Will Still has begun life as Southampton’s new manager, with the Englishman looking to back up his reputation as an exciting young coach with a big future in the game.

The 32-year-old has already spoken well since taking charge at St Mary’s Stadium, outlining what he wants to see from his team in a tactical sense.

“I don’t like to sit in and wait and be passive in what we do. I’d like our teams to dominate, to go and press, to be as aggressive as we can be. I don’t do that just for the fact of running and to say, oh, we’re going to be really aggressive. We want to be high up the pitch and in the opposition’s third as much as possible.

“It’s been entertaining. I want the players to enjoy it. I want the fans, obviously, to get on board and support it. But it’s (about) creating that environment where we’re here to win and we want to win a lot. We want to win consistently.”

The pressure will be on Still to guide Southampton straight back into the Premier League from the Championship, and he will know that new signings are vital. There are also players who will leave after Saints’ relegation, however, and a key update has emerged regarding one such figure.

"Incredible" Southampton attacker set to leave

Writing on X, Romano reported that Southampton have “agreed a fee” with Trabzonspor over the £6.8m sale of striker Paul Onuachu from St Mary’s.

Seeing Onuachu depart is a shame, given his popularity among Southampton supporters, with his giant stature and unique style making him something of a cult hero.

The Nigerian is a good footballer in his own right, however, scoring four Premier League goals last season and being lauded by Ivan Juric: “He’s an incredible guy, always training hard. He has some good things and some bad things he can do better, but he’s one of those guys that is always working hard.”

The fact that Onuachu only has one year remaining on his current Southampton deal means that selling him now is the sensible decision, though, allowing the club to receive a healthy amount of money that can be used on new signings this summer.

Southampton and Still want to sign new £4m+ forward with 11 goals in 24/25

The Saints are looking for a swift return to the Premier League.

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

A new striker will be needed in his place, though, and Still has to nail his replacement, in order to give his side the best possible chance of a quickfire return to the top flight.

With rumours continuing to arrive regarding Jobe Bellingham’s future, Sunderland have reportedly set their sights on signing a Manchester City gem who could replace their midfield star this summer.

Borussia Dortmund reach Bellingham agreement

Despite earning promotion to the Premier League, it looks as though Bellingham is set to follow the same path as his older brother Jude by swapping English football for Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Chasing their second Bellingham after their first proved to be a great success, the German giants have reportedly agreed personal terms on a five-year contract with the Sunderland star.

Whilst personal terms are agreed, Dortmund must still match Sunderland’s valuation if they are to sign Bellingham this summer. The Black Cats are reportedly set to demand that Bellingham’s €40m (£34m) release clause is matched this summer if they are to bid farewell to one of their best young players.

Losing such a talent at just 19 years old would be an undeniable blow for all involved at the Stadium of Light, but with £34m to spend, they could build Regis Le Bris a squad capable of securing Premier League survival at the first time of asking.

To that end, rumours have suggested that the Black Cats could also be in for a busy summer. With a permanent deal to sign Enzo Le Fee already sealed, Sunderland may reportedly welcome Chris Mepham back to the club in a similar deal.

Meanwhile, if forced to find a replacement for Bellingham in the coming months, those in Wearside could yet reportedly turn towards a young Manchester City talent.

Sunderland eyeing Charlie Gray

According to Alan Nixon on his Patreon, Sunderland are now eyeing a summer swoop to sign Charlie Gray from Manchester City if Bellingham completes a move to Borussia Dortmund.

The 19-year-old midfielder is yet to receive a first-team opportunity from Pep Guardiola, but has certainly left many impressed at youth level.

Although the Manchester City gem is an unproven talent, this Sunderland side has had young players who are vying to prove themselves at the foundation of their success for a couple of years now and Gray could become the latest to do exactly that.

Replacing Bellingham won’t be easy for whoever is tasked with doing so, but there’s every reason why Gray has been at the heart of Manchester City’s impressive academy in recent years.

Sunderland now want to sign £2m star who "surprised" Klopp ahead of Leeds

The three promoted sides are all keen.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 6, 2025

The Citizens have birthed players such as Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens and Jadon Sancho over the last decade and the list could go on.

European football is littered with their graduates and one could now be on his way to Sunderland. At 19 years old, Gray could be one to watch.

Everton signed off at Goodison Park with a rip-roaring victory over relegated Southampton, marking a historic and unforgettable day for Blues across Merseyside and beyond.

With no hyperbole, the emotion was palpable as the Premier League match entered the dying embers.

It was an emotional farewell, one which was always going to end with three points for the hosts. It was Southampton, but it could have been anyone unfortunate enough to be swallowed into the noisy sea of Everton support.

Everton say goodbye to Goodison Park

The Toffees have weathered some storms in recent years, and no mistake, but with David Moyes back at the helm, there’s something cyclical about this change of scenery.

It’s a new beginning, but one which shouldn’t see the club lose their sense of place, nor their deep-rooted ‘Evertonism’ as they finally close the door at Goodison Park for the final time.

And what a send-off. The fans were out in force, and so too were some club legends and former icons. Tim Cahill, Peter Reid and Graeme Sharp were all there as special guests, as was Wayne Rooney.

Rooney might not have played the prime years of his career out on Merseyside, but he was reared in the city and raised to the professional level by Moyes before signing for Manchester United in a £30m deal, aged 18.

One of the Premier League’s superstars, Everton may well have found their new version of the Three Lions legend, and he took centre-stage on Sunday.

Everton's new Wayne Rooney

Moyes elevated numerous players when he replaced Sean Dyche at the helm in January, and while this could be said for Iliman Ndiaye, the Senegal international had proved the bright spark for the Merseysiders across the first half of the season.

Signed from Marseille for £15m last summer, Ndiaye has been a pillar of strength for Everton throughout the campaign, and while he’s the top scorer with nine goals from just 28 starting appearances, his slickness and thrilling movements suggest he could become a talisman in the mould of Rooney, one who could actually devote some of their finest years to the club.

Rooney’s capacity to excite, especially in his earlier iterations, was something that differentiated him from other talented up-and-comers.

Though Ndiaye is 25, he bears a likeness to the English great in this regard, as evidenced by his underlying data this term. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 20% of positional peers in the Premier League for goals, the top 17% for pass completion, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 1% for ball recoveries per 90.

There’s certainly a spring in his step. Ndiaye has been hailed for his ability to produce “magic” moments by Sky Sports commentator Seb Hutchinson, and if Moyes and the owners can get it right in the transfer market this summer, there’s every chance he could hit the next level in his development and truly establish himself as one of the country’s heaviest hitters.

Man United

559

253

141

Everton

117

28

8

D.C. United

52

25

14

Derby County

35

7

3

Were Everton to end up selling their silky star, he would also fetch a large transfer fee, like Rooney. Whichever angle you look at it from, Moyes has hit the absolute jackpot with this one, and must ensure he retains his services for the upcoming campaign at the least.

Most exciting deal since Richarlison: Everton could sign “world-class” star

David Moyes will look to bring in one or two exciting names to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

ByAngus Sinclair May 18, 2025

Well, that is about as deflating a night as Arsenal fans are going to experience this year.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last night, and instead of repeating the heroics of their game against Real Madrid, they seemed to just shrink.

It took all of three minutes for the visitors to take the lead through Ousmane Dembélé, and while the Gunners had a few chances of their own, the French side was undoubtedly the better team overall, taking a 1-0 lead back to Paris next week.

Arsenal's biggest underperformers against PSG

It would be fair to say that, apart from David Raya, none of the starters really stood out for the right reasons, but there were undoubtedly a few who stood out for all the wrong ones.

Indeed, with Thomas Partey forced to sit out through suspension after his daft yellow card in Madrid, Arteta’s side were forced to make some changes.

The most notable of which saw Mikel Merino play in midfield with Leandro Trossard playing as the centre-forward.

While it was Merino who saw a second-half goal ruled out for offside, Trossard had a poor night at the office and didn’t give Arsenal the out-ball his Spanish colleague has provided so well since becoming a makeshift striker.

Not only did the Belgian struggle to hold up the play but he was also missed a gilt-edged chance in the second half. Sent through on goal, the winger came close to equalising from close range but was denied fabulously by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the PSG net.

Gabriel Martinelli was another who missed a fine opportunity to score on what was a frustrating night for the Brazilian.

Following on from his winning goal at the Bernabeu earlier this month, there was hope, if not an expectation, that Martinelli would once again rewind the clock to his 22/23 form against PSG last night, but that just didn’t happen.

While he still fulfilled his defensive duties, the Brazilian wideman was a frustrating watch in attack, failing to make the most of the few chances created for him.

Moreover, with how often Hakimi got forward, there was certainly space for him to exploit, but he just couldn’t, and then, with almost the final kick of the game, he blazed the ball into row Z.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by the Independent’s Jamie Braidwood, who awarded the winger a 5/10 at full-time, and one backed up by his statistics.

For example, in his 95 minutes of action, the 23-year-old failed to find the back of the net with an expected goals figure of 1.08, took two shots off target, failed in 100% of his dribbles, missed two big chances, made just six passes, misplaced two of three crosses and was offside once.

Martinelli’s game in numbers
Minutes	95′
Expected Goals	1.08
Expected Assists	0.03
Passing Accuracy	6/10 (60%)
Crosses (Accurate)	3 (1)
Shots On Target	1
Shots off Target	2
Dribbles (Successful)	1 (0)
Duels (Won)	5 (2)
Lost Possession	8
Big Chances Missed	2
Offside	1
All Stats via Sofascore

However, as bad as Martinelli was, one of his teammates was even worse.

Arsenal's worst performer vs PSG

So, while a few other starters let themselves down somewhat last night, one quick glance at social media will reveal to you just who the worst offender was: Martin Odegaard.

It was a night that demanded a captain’s display, but instead of that, the Norwegian international put in what content creator Connor Humm described as a “hall of shame” performance.

The man who should be unlocking defences for the Gunners was instead completely ineffective for the vast majority of the game, and even when he did do something right on occasion, he’d only go and lose the ball or make the wrong pass right after.

It was possibly his most disappointing showing of the campaign yet, which is odd for someone who has undoubtedly been one of Arsenal’s best players of the Arteta era. However, since his ankle injury earlier in the campaign, he’s been way off it, scoring just five times in 2024/25.

While that sounds unfair, it is once again an opinion shared by the aforementioned Braidwood, who gave the 26-year-old a 4/10 match rating, while Humm further laid into him, saying that he was so anonymous at times that he may as well have just “sat in the stands.”

Unsurprisingly, such damning indictments of the captain are more than justified by his statistics, as in 89 uninspiring minutes, he amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.08 and no expected goals figure, he misplaced 100% of his crosses, didn’t take a single shot, failed in five of six dribbles and only won 25% of his duels.

Odegaard’s game in numbers
Minutes	89′
Touches	42
Expected Goals	0.00
Expected Assists	0.08
Assists	0
Passing Accuracy	24/27 (89%)
Crosses (Accurate)	3 (0)
Shots	0
Dribbles (Successful)	6 (1)
Duels (Won)	8 (2)
Lost Possession	14
All Stats via Sofascore

Ultimately, last night was a massive disappointment for Arsenal, and if they are to overturn PSG’s one-goal advantage next week, then Odegaard is going to have to either put in a substantially improved display or be dropped entirely.

Indeed, his performance meant the team were practically playing with ten men at the Emirates and in truth, he may not be good enough to be a regular starter anymore.

Their new Sanchez: Arsenal weighing up bid for "unstoppable" £40m star

Arsenal could sign their new Alexis Sanchez this summer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 29, 2025

It’s been a bruising and rather dismal season for the Arsenal faithful this year, but last night’s game is one that’ll live in the memory for years, if not decades, to come.

Mikel Arteta’s side went into the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid in the knowledge that they needed at least a one-goal lead heading to the Bernabéu but did far better than that.

Two utterly sublime free-kicks from Declan Rice and yet another striker’s finish from Mikel Merino mean the hosts will travel to Spain with a genuine chance of making the semi-finals for the first time since the 2008/09 season.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

There were outstanding performances from Arteta’s men across the pitch, including from one starter who could well be the club’s own Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham's performance vs Arsenal

Going into last night’s game, the significant threats Arsenal had to be aware of were Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Junior, Rodrygo and Bellingham.

The latter, alongside Rice, is arguably one of England’s best players, but unlike the former West Ham United star, he did not have a particularly good game.

Granted, he made a few incisive passes that perhaps would have led to a goal on another night, but apart from that, he was practically a passenger and just watched the game pass him by, which is not something you can usually say about the UCL winner.

We aren’t the only ones to hold this opinion either, as the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick gave him a 5/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘drifted in and out of the game.’

It’s also backed up by his statistics, as in his 96 minutes of action, he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.25, had just one shot on target, didn’t make a single cross or play a single long ball, lost ten of 14 duels, lost the ball nine times, committed one foul and was dribbled past twice.

Bellingham’s game in numbers

Minutes

96′

Expected Goals

0.07

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.18

Assists

0

Touches

45

Shots on Target

1

Crosses

0

Long Balls

0

Duels (Won)

14 (4)

Lost Possession

9

Fouls

1

Dribbled Past

2

All Stats via Sofascore

It was a bad day at the office for the world-class international, and to his credit, he admitted as much afterward and even accepted that the Gunners could have won by more.

However, he’s still a brilliant player, so it’s exciting for Arsenal that they could already have their own version of him in the squad.

Arsenal's own Bellingham

So, there are a few players in Arsenal’s squad who are arguably at a world-class level, such as Bukayo Saka and Rice, but one who seems destined to get there and become the team’s own Bellingham, especially after last night, is Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we are not saying the teenager is at the level of the Real star, and they aren’t even playing the same position at the moment, but there are some undeniable similarities.

The first is that both players burst onto the scene when incredibly young, with the former Borussia Dortmund ace debuting for Birmingham City at just 16 years old, while the Gunners’ young phenom was just 17 when he made his first competitive appearance earlier this season.

Moreover, despite being so young and inexperienced, both played with such an extraordinary level of self-belief, boarding on arrogance from the word go, which translates into their playstyle, with the Islington-born gem bursting past some of Real’s most prominent stars last night.

We aren’t the only ones to think this either, as in his analysis after the game, Jamie Carragher claimed that the Hale Ender “reminds me a little bit of [Jude] Bellingham at that age.”

Lastly, while the “unplayable” 18-year-old, as Jack Wilshere dubbed him, is playing at left-back at the moment, he’s a midfielder by trade, and due to his strength, awareness and technical ability, we would not be surprised to see him move into the middle of the park as time progresses, potentially alongside Bellingham for the Three Lions.

Ultimately, Arsenal are blessed with several incredible players, but Lewis-Skelly looks like he could develop into a genuinely world-class talent.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 9, 2025

West Indies star talks to the Powerplay Podcast about her WPL debut, and much else

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2025West Indies allrounder Chinelle Henry talks to Valkerie Baynes and Firdose Moonda about her call-up for UP Warriorz as an injury replacement for Alyssa Healy, going to qualifying for this year’s 50-over World Cup in India, taking down England and her team’s long-awaited return to Tests. We also hear from Jemma Botha, the South Africa Under-19s opening batter, during her side’s World Cup campaign, where they finished runners-up to India.