Tag Futebol

Glasgow Rangers will take a healthy lead over to Czechia next week after they hammered Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at Ibrox under the lights on Tuesday night in their Champions League qualifier.

It was their best performance under Russell Martin, to date, with a clear style of play that brought success in and out of possession throughout the match.

The Ibrox boss made some bold calls with his team selection for the game, as he left out captain James Tavernier and Nicolas Raskin, whilst Oliver Antman was also handed a debut shortly after arriving in Glasgow from Go Ahead Eagles.

Antman did not need much time to settle into life in Scotland. The Finland international provided an assist of sorts in the first half, as his driving run won a penalty for the Gers.

He is not the only summer signing who has made a fast start to life with Rangers, though, as Djeidi Gassama continued to show that he has the potential to be an exceptional player for the club this season.

Why Djeidi Gassama can be a star for Rangers

The 21-year-old forward was signed from Sheffield Wednesday this summer to bolster the manager’s options on the flanks, but he did not arrive as a marquee signing.

Rangers reportedly paid a fee of around £2.2m to sign the French talent after he scored eight goals in 47 outings in all competitions for the Owls last term, which shows that he did not come in as a big-money recruit or a player with an outstanding record for his former team.

However, Gassama has quickly shown that he has the quality to emerge as a star for Martin and the Light Blues with his performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants.

Minutes

15

34

83

Shots

1

1

2

Goals

1

1

0

Key passes

0

0

1

Dribbles completed

2/2

0/1

2/3

As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman scored two goals and completed four of his six attempted dribbles in his first three outings for the club against Panathinaikos and Motherwell, before his impressive showing against Plzen on Tuesday.

Gassama added two more goals to his tally in the win over the Czechia outfit, scoring a curling effort in the first half before he headed into the bottom corner from Antman’s perfect cross in the second half.

The electric winger has offered a direct and exciting presence on the left flank for Rangers, and has provided goals to add substance to his performances, which is why he has the potential to be a superstar for the Light Blues.

Rangers made approach to sign new winger

According to Africa Foot, Standard Liege are looking to move on from winger Moussa Djenepo because of his wages, and the winger has a £1.7m release clause in his contract at the club.

Their report adds that Rangers and Leeds United, the two 49ers-owned clubs in Britain, have both made approaches over a potential deal for the winger this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

However, the outlet does not explain whether or not either of those teams are planning to follow up on their interest in the former Southampton man, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not he is an active target for the Gers.

Africa Foot reveals, though, that Tractor SC and Persepolis are both interested in a deal to sign the Mali international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

This means that Rangers may have to move swiftly to conclude a move for the former Premier League forward, if they decide to pursue his services before the end of the summer window.

Why Rangers should sign Moussa Djenepo

The Gers should swoop to sign the 27-year-old attacker in the coming weeks because he could be a bargain signing to play as a back-up for Gassama.

Djenepo and Gassama could be a brilliant one-two punch on the left flank for Rangers, with one starting and the other able to come off the bench to make an impact against tired defences.

Like the former Sheffield Wednesday man, the Standard Liege winger is a direct forward who likes to get fans off their seats by taking opposition defenders on. This is evidenced by his 2.2 dribbles completed per game in the Super Lig on loan at Antalyaspor in the 2024/25 season.

Dribbles completed

4.08

Top 1%

Dribble success rate

55%

Top 24%

Touches in the opposition’s box

6.12

Top 6%

Fouls won

2.89

Top 4%

Penalties won

0.17

Top 3%

Assists

0.00

Bottom 3%

Goals

0.17

Top 49%

As you can see in the table above, the Mali international excelled as a dribbler, committing defenders and winning fouls, in the Super Lig, but he did not back it up with goals and assists.

The wing wizard, who once scored a stunning solo goal for Southampton in the Premier League against Sheffield United, only scored two goals in 23 league games for Antalyaspor.

Djenepo, who only scored five goals in 91 games for the Saints, is unlikely to arrive at Rangers as a winger who is going to produce 20 goals and assists over a season, but that would not be his role.

The £1.7m-rated star was once hailed as “hugely underrated” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and the forward could play an underrated role as competition for Gassama on the left flank.

Martin could use the French winger to start matches and then bring Djenepo on as a perfect impact substitute, due to his terrific ability to dribble past players and win fouls to get the team up the pitch and to relieve pressure on the defence if they are holding onto a lead.

Overall, a £1.7m deal for Djenepo would be a low-risk signing that could allow the Gers to give Gassama a rest at the end of matches, whilst providing the Gers with another direct winger who can excite fans, even if he is unlikely to be a star player for Martin.

Bigger signing than Antman: Rangers must swoop for "complete" £7m star

Rangers could land an even bigger signing than Oliver Antman in a swoop for this star.

ByDan Emery Aug 5, 2025

أوضح سعد شلبي المدير التنفيذي للنادي الأهلي، أخر تفاصيل ملف المدير الفني الجديد للفريق الأول لكرة القدم، كما كشف آخر مستجدات انتخابات القلعة الحمراء، وحقيقة عودة سيد عبد الحفيظ.

وقال سعد شلبي في تصريحات عبر قناة “النهار”: “كم عدد من تقدموا للانتخابات؟ بدأنا اليوم الساعة التاسعة صباحًا واستمررنا حتى الخامسة مساءً، وتقدم مرشح وحيد على منصب أمين الصندوق وهو عضو الجمعية العمومية، وأحد الزملاء الموجودين من أعضاء النادي، حسن عطية”.

ما موقف الخطيب وياسين منصور: “الأهلي لديه قواعد في عمله، حيث إن هناك إدارة تنفيذية تقود العمليات الخاصة بإجراءات الجمعية العمومية، وهذه العمليات لها ضوابطها في فتح ميعاد الترشح وإغلاقه، هناك رغبة عارمة من أعضاء الجمعية العمومية الموقرة لاستمرار محمود الخطيب في مسيرته وتحقيق مجموعة من الإنجازات المتزنة التي شملت كل قطاعات النادي”.

طالع أيضاً.. معلق مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في الدوري المصري

هل هناك مؤشرات لترشح الخطيب: “هو مشهد غير مسبوق لطبيعة السياق الذي نعمل فيه، فلم يسبق في أي انتخابات للنادي الأهلي أن تسبقها جمعية عمومية بأسبوع واحد، أي أن النادي عقد جمعيتين عموميتين في شهر واحد، هذا جاء نتيجة للظروف التي فرضتها الدولة المصرية بإجراء بعض التعديلات على قانون الرياضة، وبالتالي كان النادي ملزمًا مثل باقي الأندية بعملية توفيق الأوضاع، والقرار الوزاري الصادر من معالي وزير الشباب والرياضة حدد مهلة ثلاثة أشهر، وإذا لم يتمكن النادي من إجراء عملية التوفيق يعد مجلس الإدارة منحلًا”.

وواصل: “محمود الخطيب هو رئيس مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي حتى انعقاد الجمعية العمومية يومي 30 و31، ويتابع كافة الإجراءات الخاصة بالجمعية العمومية سواء في تحديد موعدها أو في إجراءات فتح وغلق باب الترشح، وكل ذلك بالتنسيق مع مجلس الإدارة وبقرار صادر منه، وبالتعاون مع الجهة الإدارية”.

ما حقيقة ما يتردد بشأن رفض السفارة الأمريكية منح التاشيرة للخطيب: “في الحقيقة كنت في غاية الانزعاج والضيق، لأنني المدير التنفيذي للنادي الأهلي، وأنا المسؤول عن التواصل واتخاذ كافة الإجراءات الخاصة بمجلس الإدارة، من إصدار تأشيرات وقرارات وزارية للسفر للبعثات الرياضية، والتعاون مع كافة المؤسسات الوطنية المصرية والدولية والقارية”.

واستكمل: “التأشيرة حينها نُشرت بينما كنت في استقبال السفيرة الأمريكية، وبالمناسبة هناك دعوة من السفارة للكابتن محمود الخطيب بمناسبة العيد الوطني للسفارة الأمريكية”.

وأردف: “الأهلي وجماهيره العظيمة جزء أصيل من هذا الشعب ومن النسيج الوطني، ولابد من التصدي للشائعات، كما أكد مرارًا السيد رئيس الجمهورية ورئيس الوزراء أن أخطر ما تواجهه الدولة المصرية هي الشائعات”.

ماذا عن ملف المدير الفني الجديد وعودة سيد عبد الحفيظ للعمل بالأهلي: “المدير الفني الجديد قيد الدراسة، فهناك لجنة تخطيط تجتمع مع المدير الرياضي الكابتن محمد يوسف بشكل مستمر، ولديها مجموعة من السير الذاتية لمدربين، والأمور في مراحل متقدمة لإنهاء التعاقد، الأهلي عندما ينهي تعاقداته يُنهي أولًا كل الأمور المالية والتفاوضية، ثم يعلن مباشرة في مؤتمر صحفي لتقديم المدرب الجديد، لذلك لا نستطيع الإعلان عن شيء إلا بعد توقيع العقود أو مذكرات التفاهم”.

واختتم: “أما سيد عبد الحفيظ، فهو واحد من أبناء الأهلي المخلصين، موجود في النادي منذ أكثر من 32 سنة، وهو في بيته وبين أهله، الكابتن سيد وضع بصمة واضحة في صناعة كرة القدم المصرية والإفريقية، ولا يمكن لأي جاحد إنكارها”.

Aston Villa just missed out on a Champions League spot at the final hurdle last season in the Premier League.

In the end, goal difference would be the sickener that separated Newcastle United and Villa in the fifth and sixth spots in the tough division, as Unai Emery and Co. prepare for Europa League football now, instead of sitting around Europe’s more exclusive table.

Emery will hope he can guide his team back into those elusive top five positions this forthcoming campaign, with plenty of new signings presumably needed to make this dream a reality.

Aston Villa contacted over deal for new attacker

First and foremost, however, Villa will be praying a number of their first-team superstars remain in the West Midlands past this summer’s hectic transfer window.

Already, the Villans have managed to tie down Boubacar Kamara to a fresh deal, but it remains to be seen whether Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers will stay put right up to September’s early deadline.

RB Leipzig goal machine Lois Openda looks to already be on the Premier League side’s radar in case Watkins does depart, alongside another prolific attacker reportedly catching Emery and Co’s eye as they look to add in more reinforcements up top.

Indeed, an exclusive report by journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that Villa have been contacted over striking up a deal for Fulham marksman Rodrigo Muniz, as he weighs up his potential options amid ongoing Cottagers contract talks.

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have also had intermediaries at their door from Muniz, with Leeds United also named in the past as an onlooker keen on snapping up the Brazilian, who already has 17 Premier League goals next to his name at Craven Cottage.

Villa will hope they can get even more out of Muniz if he decides to relocate to Villa Park shortly, hopeful that he could become their next Jhon Duran in the process, having had to wave goodbye to the Colombian rather prematurely.

Why Muniz can become Villa's next Duran

Villa would have been silly to turn down Al-Nassr’s advances last summer, however, as the Saudi Pro League outfit coughed up a whopping £65m for the South American’s services.

That is quite the steep price to pay for an attacker that had only managed to register 16 strikes in the West Midlands from 78 games, but Duran’s unique ability to come off the substitute bench at a moment’s notice and cause havoc, with his teammate in Rogers even describing him as a “handful”, meant Al-Nassr had to cough up some significant bucks to land their desired target.

Games played

78

97

Games started

16

47

Minutes played

2981

4078

Goals scored

20

26

Assists

1

3

Amazingly, despite only amassing 16 starts in England, Duran would still tally up a lethal 20 goals for his side, with Muniz showing a similar cutting edge in front of goal last season for Marco Silva’s men.

The ex-Flamengo striker only started eight Premier League contests in total, yet still managed to show off a similar potency that became an effective weapon for the Cottagers to latch onto, with a whirlwind eight strikes registered.

The in-demand number nine could well become even more of a threat if he is given the reins to become Villa’s leading man very shortly, having also been hailed as “one of the best strikers in the Premier League” on his day by Craven Cottage teammate Willian.

Even if Watkins were to stay, this feels like a deal that would be worth signing off on, especially if Muniz is also content with the idea of being a scorching hot option off the bench in the West Midlands.

His potential role as the new Duran is also enhanced by the fact that the pair produced a statistically similar performance during the 2023/24 Premier League season, as per FBref.

With Rogers also potentially by his side, the “strong” centre-forward – as he’s been labelled by Premier League icon Alan Shearer – should be able to reach even loftier heights, with Villa fans keen to cheer on another goalscoring hero if a deal is secured.

Emery's own Isak: Aston Villa make contact to sign "terrifying" £51m star

Unai Emery might land his very own Alexander Isak if Aston Villa successfully pick up this potent striker.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 31, 2025

Liverpool are preparing to defend their Premier League title, and while Arne Slot will be emboldened by the ambitious signings made thus far, their divisional rivals are growing in strength, packaging their teams with fresh parts.

But the Merseysiders set the standard with the £100m signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, a deal which may yet rise to £116m with add-ons.

It’s a fool’s game to name a prediction for the Premier League Player of the Year before the campaign’s even kicked off (but here we go anyway), and Wirtz hasn’t even played competitively in the English game yet, but he’s got to be among the frontrunners, and rightly so.

The attacking midfielder’s peerless creativity established him as a superstar in Germany, and he will hold the key to unlocking defences and charging Slot’s goalscoring endeavours.

In many respects, football is secondary at Anfield after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota, yet before too long, Richard Hughes’ focus will turn back to the transfer market with the 2025/26 campaign only weeks away – and Darwin Nunez expected to leave Liverpool for a new chapter.

The latest on Liverpool's striker search

The Athletic have confirmed that Liverpool are prioritising the acquisition of a new central striker as we head into the next phase of the summer transfer window.

Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak remains the dreamy top target, but signing him will be no easy feat, rated at £200m by his employers, who have no wish to sell.

However, the Magpies are looking to close a deal for Hugo Ekitike, another high on Liverpool’s list, which could spark a series of variables that might just play to Anfield’s favour. However, this is conjectural right now.

In any case, Liverpool need to replace Nunez, who only scored seven times last term and is heading toward the exit, something both parties are open to. Even with an elite playmaker in Wirtz joining the club, it’s felt the 25-year-old has had ample chances to prove himself.

With Napoli and Al Hilal both keen on the Uruguayan, the former already coming close but to be thwarted by financial differences, it’s only a matter of time before a move progresses for Nunez.

And when that happens, FSG are primed to sign a new out-and-out frontman.

Liverpool make contact for new striker

According to Liverpool reporter Matt Thielen, Liverpool have been in contact with Samu Aghehowa’s agents as they search for a new striker this summer.

The Reds aren’t the only ones scanning the market for a new striker to have centred on Aghehowa, however, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United both having shown an interest in recent weeks.

The 21-year-old could also prove to be cost-efficient. While he has an £82.5m release clause in his contract, Samu could be sold for considerably less at £63m.

Why Liverpool want Samu Aghehowa

In 2024, Aghehowa looked set for a transfer from Atletico Madrid to Chelsea, before the move collapsed and Porto swooped in.

The Blues’ frustrations proved to be the Portuguese outfit’s gain, for they have enjoyed the prolific qualities of a thriving young striker who has been hailed for his “elite potential” by analyst Ben Mattinson after scoring 27 goals and adding three assists across 45 matches in all competitions last term, notably dispatching a cool brace against Manchester United in the Europa League.

The Spanish striker has proved himself to be a deadly marksman, but he’s also a crisp and progressive distributor, ranked among the top 4% of strikers across divisions similar to the Liga Portugal last year for pass completion and the top 6% for through balls per 90, as per FBref.

In this regard, Slot could sign a new centre-forward with the goalscoring instinct and indeed technical awareness to operate within the ranged tactical parameters the Dutch coach likes to enforce.

Transfer Focus

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

And it’s a tactical quirk which could find an ideal partner in Wirtz, whose ball-playing qualities and silky movement would allow the striker to find space with consistency and strike on goal. Or, conversely, ‘Samu’ could use his capacity to drop deep and play surgical balls into the box to keep defenders guessing, letting his 22-year-old teammate sidle into space.

Hailed as a “monster in the making” with a “complete profile” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Aghehowa has the potential to throw down with the finest number nines that the game has to offer, but he’s not there yet.

However, his still-in-development skill set could actually be the perfect thing for Wirtz, with the two attacking players combining and growing in accordance with their partnership, learning all about the idiosyncrasies of each other’s games.

Matches (starts)

30 (23)

Goals

19

Assists

3

Shots (on target)*

2.7 (1.1)

Big chances missed

18

Pass completion

79%

Big chances created

5

Key passes*

0.6

Dribbles*

0.4

Duels won*

3.3

Looking at his clinical edge and ability to maximise a goalscoring opportunity (only hitting the target at an average of 1.1 times per league match last season) the Spanish forward could be elevated to the next level by Wirtz.

The German, after all, has been described as a “genius” of a creator by former Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, with his flowing river of chances sure to raise the 6 foot 4 powerhouse’s output.

Given that, were Aghehowa to sign, this could be Liverpool’s definitive offensive duo for an age, it makes sense that Hughes would have a vested interest.

Newcastle appear to be closing in on a deal for Ekitike, and the line over on Tyneside is Isak’s staying put; the 25-year-old will work in tandem with his younger French teammate.

Liverpool will, of course, remain attentive to Isak’s situation. Still, FSG’s ambitions only run so far, and it seems unlikely that a figure in the ballpark of £200m would be green-lit after such steep expenditure already.

With this Porto phenom going from strength to strength, Slot and co could forget about all that and focus on a man who looks perfect for this high-flying project.

Better than Wirtz: Liverpool preparing £113m bid to sign superstar winger

Liverpool could sign another marquee player this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 15, 2025

Naveen calls it “a surreal experience” as Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in a dramatic finish in Kingstown

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-20244:14

Rashid: It was hard to stay calm at some points

Rashid Khan has described Afghanistan’s qualification for the T20 World Cup semi-final as an “unbelievable feeling” and that it would be a “massive inspiration” for youngsters back home.”I think the semi-final is going to be a massive, massive inspiration for the youngsters back home in Afghanistan,” Rashid said after Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in St Vincent to secure their place in the final four and knock Australia out. “That Afghanistan team got into the semis for the first time. We have done it at Under-19 level, but this level we haven’t done that. Even Super Eight was first time for us and then in semis. It’s unbelievable feeling … We are capable – but as long we keep things very simple, and I think in the whole competition so far, we kept the thing simple. Yes, there were some tough times but we didn’t let ourselves down and we always try to come back stronger.”After Afghanistan posted 115 for 5, Rashid and Naveen-ul-Haq picked up four wickets each to help bundle out Bangladesh for 105, eight short of their DLS-adjusted target of 114 in 19 overs.”It’s something like a dream for us as a team to be in the semi-final,” Rashid said after the match. “It’s all about the way we had started the tournament. The belief came when we beat New Zealand. So it’s unbelievable. I don’t have any words to describe my feelings. Definitely back home everyone is so, so happy for this.Related

Not just another piece of content, Afghanistan have been a headline-grabbing act

Khawaja: Australia 'should be playing Afghanistan'

T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals: India vs England, Afghanistan vs South Africa

Gulbadin Naib's apparent cramp comes under scrutiny

Afghanistan storm into maiden World Cup semi-finals; Australia knocked out

“I think the only guy who had us in the semi-final was Brian Lara. At the welcome party, I told him, ‘We won’t let you down. We will prove that you are right.'”While Afghanistan needed only a win to qualify for the knockouts, the equation for Bangladesh was much tougher: they needed to chase down the target in 12.1 overs, something Afghanistan took advantage of. With rain in the air, the pendulum swung from one side to another multiple times before Afghanistan sealed the match.Rashid Khan and Jonathan Trott embrace after their semi-final spot was confirmed•ICC/Getty Images”In our mind, we felt 130-135 was a good total on this wicket but we were 15-20 runs short,” Rashid said. “But a few games we had watched before, 115 was the best total on this wicket. So it was all about the mindset. We knew they would come hard at us to chase it in 12 overs to get into the semi-final and that’s what we could take advantage of.”If we bowled into the stumps, we had the chance of bowling them out. We didn’t need to do anything extra. We were very clear with our planning. Putting in that 100% effort is always in your hands. Rain, drizzle is not in your hand. And we had to push ourselves for people back home, for their happiness, to make the country proud. That was the discussion we had and everyone did a wonderful job.”Rashid also lauded his fast bowlers – Naveen, who was named Player of the Match, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who is currently the leading wicket-taker in the tournament. On Monday, they combined to reduce Bangladesh to 23 for 3 inside three overs.”That made our job easy,” Rashid said. “In T20s, if you start well, that gives us spinners to attack the batters in the middle overs. That was something we were missing before. But now with the quality of the fast bowlers we have… they are not as fast but they are skilful. I feel if you have skills in T20s, you are more effective and they have given us great starts so far in the competition. They were very clear in their mind and that’s something very pleasing for me.”Naveen, meanwhile, called it “a surreal experience”. Apart from picking up two wickets at the start, he dismissed Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman off successive balls, punctuated by a rain break, to kick off the celebrations.”I think these are the games where you never know what can happen,” he said. “After conceding one boundary, it felt like the game was gone. Suddenly you picked up a wicket and you were back in the game. So the margin of error is very small. But yeah, we had confidence that these wickets are not high-scoring wickets. As long as we didn’t give away easy runs or bowled easy balls, and picked up wickets, we were in the game. Luckily, that happened.”

The Premier League confirmed its fixture calendar for the 2025/2026 season this week with Arsenal set for an intriguing opening game against Man United, and there is little doubt sporting director Andrea Berta will be aiming to secure all of Mikel Arteta’s top summer transfer targets by that date.

Regarding links to some of Europe’s most sought-after strikers, United have been equally active in the transfer market, with both sides attempting to get a prolific centre-forward through the door after disappointing seasons.

Arsenal make contact to sign trophy-laden £400k-per-week ex-Man City star

He’d be quite the addition to Arteta’s dressing room.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 17, 2025

Arsenal have been in talks with RB Leipzig over a deal for Benjamin Sesko for weeks, but as things stand, the Gunners are unwilling to match their demands of a transfer fee which could reach up to £85 million.

With Arsenal still yet to shake hands on a contract with the player’s representatives, plenty of work is still to be done if Berta wishes to strike a deal for the Slovenia international who’s eluded Arteta’s side since last summer.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Sesko rejected a proposal to join Arsenal this time last year and ex-interim sporting director Jason Ayto led a mission to tempt the 22-year-old with a move to the Emirates in January, only to be told that he wanted to see out the season with Leipzig (Ben Jacobs).

Amidst the Sesko saga, Arsenal are also trying to sign a new winger, but key target Nico Williams is now in talks to join Barcelona instead.

Arsenal planning to hijack Chelsea deal for Jamie Gittens

That is according to CaughtOffside, and given the Athletic Bilbao starlet is most likely to remain in La Liga with Barça, Arsenal are believed to be shifting their focus to Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens.

The “new name” target, as described by this report, is emerging as a priority signing for the north Londoners and Arteta is apparently a real admirer. They’re currently taking “concrete steps” to swoop for Gittens and holding internal talks over a move for the Englishman, who Dortmund value at around £51 million.

Arsenal are said to be “serious” about signing Gittens and could move quickly, which comes as a real concern for Chelsea and Enzo Maresca.

The west Londoners had three bids rejected for the 20-year-old before the Club World Cup transfer deadline (Florian Plettenberg), with CaughtOffside reiterating that Gittens has already reached a long-term agreement on personal terms to join Chelsea.

Chelsea are widely expected to bid again for Gittens (Fabrizio Romano), but Arsenal appear to be posing a major threat in the race, so Maresca may now have a battle on his hands.

The Dortmund sensation, called an “incredible” one-v-one forward by Nuri Şahin, bagged 12 goals and five assists in 49 total appearances last campaign – with four of his strikes coming in the Champions League.

Spanish giants Atlético Madrid now want to sign a £200,000-a-week Arsenal player as the Gunners begin talks over a new contract, according to a recent report.

Arsenal desperate for a new striker this summer

One of the main reasons why the Gunners were unable to mount a serious title challenge with Liverpool was because of the lack of goals in the team. There are not many weaknesses in Mikel Arteta’s squad, but the lack of a number nine has cost them in the last 18 months to two years, especially once injuries compounded the issue.

He's like Saka & Salah: Arsenal plan talks to sign £55m Ballon d'Or nominee

The free-scoring international could be just what Arsenal need.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 28, 2025

Therefore, it is no surprise to see that Arsenal are already looking at the market and trying to find the best possible number nine who will fit into their team. Benjamin Sesko and Jonathan David of RB Leipzig and Lille, respectively, have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium for a while now. Meanwhile, it was reported over the weekend that the Gunners have made an enquiry over the possibility of signing Christopher Nkunku, who looks set to leave Chelsea at the end of this campaign, given his lack of game time.

Reports have also stated that Arsenal are in advanced talks in a deal to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Club this summer. The Spain international has a release clause worth £50 million, and the Gunners are willing to trigger it to get a deal done.

Williams may not be the only high-profile arrival at the Emirates, as Arsenal are now willing to make a bid worth £69 million to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP. This figure would be a lot lower than his release clause, which is reportedly worth £86 million.

Atlético Madrid want to sign £200k-p/w Arsenal ace

These potential arrivals will cost the Gunners a lot in terms of fees and wages, and there is an expectation that some players will have to be let go – Thomas Partey could be one.

According to Marca, relayed by The Mirror, Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Partey amid talks over a new deal with Arsenal.

Partey, who is out of contract at the end of the season, is currently in talks with the Gunners over extending his stay beyond this campaign. However, Arsenal need to act quickly, as Atlético are keeping a close eye on the situation and will be ready to make a move should an agreement not be found. They are not the only team interested either, as Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are also keen, and the player himself is said to be open to joining Barcelona.

Partey, who has been labelled a player “Arteta loves”, has been a key player for Arsenal since arriving from Atlético back in 2020. This season the midfielder has played 31 games in the Premier League, 27 of which he has started. The Ghana international has also started 10 of the 11 Champions League games the Gunners have played, and he will be looking to add to that as Arsenal face PSG this week.

Apps

31

Goals

4

Assists

2

Touches

65.0

Big chances created

3

Key passes

0.5

Passing accuracy per game

46.5 (89%)

Tackles per game

2.5

Interceptions per game

1.0

Balls recovered per game

3.9

Arsenal appear keen to tie Partey, who earns a weekly wage of £200,000 at the Emirates, to a new contract, but it’s been reported that the player’s entourage are in active talks with other clubs, meaning he could be ready to move away from the London side.

Declan Rice’s magical free-kick double reignited Arsenal’s season as they thumped European champions Real Madrid on a historic Champions League night at the Emirates Stadium.

The England midfielder’s superb brace was even more incredible considering he had never scored a direct free-kick in his senior career.

Now a hero in N5, he joins a list of great free-kick goalscorers for the Gunners. Here, we rank some of the best free-kicks scored by those in red and white down the years.

10 best Premier League free-kicks of all time (Ranked)

David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored two of the best free-kicks in recent history, but who has scored the greatest in the PL era?

ByLewis Thompson Jun 15, 2024 9 Mesut Ozil v Liverpool 2014/15 Premier League

Arsenal were flying when they took on Liverpool at the Emirates in April 2015, with Arsene Wenger’s side coming into the game on a six-game winning streak.

Backed to see off the Reds as they looked to overtake Manchester City in second place, the Gunners went ahead just before the break through Hector Bellerin.

Minutes later, Arsenal were awarded a free-kick on the right-hand side, with Mesut Ozil standing over it.

And despite placing it on the ‘keeper’s side, the German doubled Arsenal’s lead with a superb effort, which set the Gunners up for a 4-1 victory.

8 Cesc Fabregas v Aston Villa 2009/10 Premier League

With their title bid threatening to falter, Arsenal were struggling to break down a stubborn Aston Villa team that had been a thorn in the Gunners side.

Level on points with their opponents at the time, it was a must-win game. But with Arsenal toiling, a less-than-fit Cesc Fabregas was summoned to give the home side the advantage they craved.

Around 25 yards out, the captain stepped up to put his team in front with a superb curling effort that Brad Friedel could do nothing about.

7 Robin van Persie v Sunderland 2007/08 Premier League

Robin van Persie’s strike against Sunderland would probably still be travelling had it not nearly shattered the Emirates crossbar back in 2007.

His thumping early free-kick against the Black Cats was past Craig Gordon like a bullet, and was one of those you could watch over and over again.

The Dutchman then popped up late on after the Gunners had dropped a two-goal lead to take them to the top of the table.

6 Thierry Henry v Roma 2002/03 Champions League

Thierry Henry had such a knack for scoring great free-kicks, he could have his own ‘best of’ compilation.

But one of his finest has to be his clincher in the Stadio Olimpico against Roma in the Champions League, which not only secured a superb away win in the second group phase for Arsenal, but a magical European hat-trick.

Goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli had absolutely no chance.

5 Mikel Arteta v Aston Villa 2011/12 Premier League

Some free-kicks just stay hit, and Mikel Arteta certainly proved this against Aston Villa in the 2011/12 season.

During a routine victory for the Gunners, Arteta put the icing on the cake with a screamer into the net from miles out.

Shay Given appeared to have been expecting a shot into the opposite corner, but once he’d made the wrong decision, the ball was already past him.

4 Declan Rice v Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League

This may be fresh in the memory, but Declan Rice’s first strike against Real Madrid was befitting of the occasion, not to mention a thing of beauty.

Having spotted the potential to curl one around the outside of the wall, Rice’s strike lit up the Emirates, handing Arsenal the lead over the European champions.

It was also Arsenal’s first direct free-kick goal since Martin Odegaard scored against Burnley in September 2021. The relief and ecstasy was tangible.

For the moment alone, it will likely be a special memory for years to come.

3 Thierry Henry v Wigan 2005/06 Premier League

Thierry Henry was up to his old tricks against Wigan in 2005, producing a superb free-kick – with a cold celebration to go with it.

Having built a reputation for taking free-kicks quickly, referee Graham Poll made it very clear he had to wait for the official’s whistle.

Clearly disturbed by this, Henry responded by placing an inch-perfect free-kick in off the post, leading him to ask the referee, “is that enough?”.

2 Santi Cazorla v Hull 2013/14 FA Cup

Arsenal had often been accused of lacking leaders, and when the Gunners were 2-0 down to Hull City in the 2014 FA Cup final, it looked like those concerns would re-emerge as their trophy drought threatened to extend further.

But after being handed a free-kick, Santi Cazorla scored perhaps his greatest Arsenal goal under the Wembley arch by torpedoing a strike past Allan McGregor in the Tigers net.

It set Arsenal up for the dramatic comeback that won them the trophy, and gave the supporters a moment to treasure forever.

1 Declan Rice v Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League

The term ‘top bins’ has been around for a while now, but this may well be the ultimate epitome.

Having just scored a screamer past Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal, Declan Rice lined up what he hoped would be another screamer.

Buoyed by his earlier effort, Rice smashed home an all-timer to double the Gunners’ lead on the night and score what is surely the best free-kick the club has ever seen, with the ball arrowing into the top corner.

When you consider the importance, the opposition and the perfect execution, it is going to be hard for anyone to top this.

Ranking The Top 10 Free Kicks Of All Time

Football Fancast runs down the top ten best free kicks in football history.

ByAlex Roberts Dec 10, 2023

He’s taking over a team that has qualified for two IPL finals and won a title, and needs a big season to push for a place in India’s T20 World Cup XI

Shashank Kishore23-Mar-2024″I don’t know if you’ve looked at the captains photo with the trophy. That’s how different it is.”Shubman Gill summed up in one sentence the different vibe to IPL 2024. He was referring to the changing of the guard among captains. No Dhoni, Rohit or Kohli. Shreyas Iyer is the most experienced leader, while Gill is the newest.The new Gujarat Titans captain has barely any formal leadership experience. He’s led his state side Punjab in just two T20s in 2019-20. That’s two more than his predecessor – and opponent on Sunday, Hardik Pandya – had when he captained Titans to the IPL title in their first season in 2022, and steered them to the final again in 2023. The bar has been set high for Gill.Related

Hardik arrives in Ahmedabad, away captain at home away from home

Hardik, Rohit and Gill in focus as Mumbai Indians visit Gujarat Titans

He also takes over as Titans captain in what is going to be a crucial season for him as a batter. After a sensational performance in IPL 2023 – 890 runs – you’d imagine that Gill is a lock-in for India at the upcoming T20 World Cup. But the competition for place in the top order, and even to be a reserve in a 15-man squad, is tough.The spectacular rise of Yashasvi Jaiswal and the return of Rohit Sharma as captain leaves little room in the top two. Virat Kohli’s comeback to the shortest format means No. 3 could be spoken for too. Suryakumar Yadav, when fully fit, walks in as well.So this is the challenge facing Gill in his first season as Titans captain, just one year after he so successfully transformed himself as a T20 batter. Between 2019 and 2022, Gill had a best strike rate of 132 in an IPL season. He upped that to 157.80 while remaining prolific – three hundreds and nearly a fourth, an unbeaten 94.Gill took giant strides in improving his six-hitting too. Between IPL 2018 and 2022, he had hit only 47 sixes. Last season alone, he hit 33. The question now is whether Gill will continue batting this aggressively and effectively with the added responsibility of captaincy? There are some examples of young Indian batters who haven’t done so.A time for change: the next generation of IPL captains•BCCIRishabh Pant’s strike rate in his first IPL season as captain was 128.52; it was 152.26 in the previous three seasons. Sanju Samson’s strike rate was 147.32 for three seasons leading into his first as captain, when it dropped to 136.72. For KL Rahul, the drop was from 146.60 to 129.45.Hardik Pandya also slowed down as captain. He went from being a finisher for Mumbai Indians with a strike rate of 169 in three seasons before he became the Titans captain, and then scored at 131.26 in his new role as the team’s anchor. It’s probable that Gill isn’t aware of this trend, but he’s shown himself capable of overcoming challenges.As recently as February, his place in the Test side came under scrutiny during the home series against England after a string of low scores. As the criticism of his form and weakness against the incoming delivery grew, Gill displayed resilience in constructing a fighting second-innings hundred in Visakhapatnam. It paved the way for more runs in the next three Tests.IPL 2022 was an incredible season for Gill with the bat. He needs to find a way to match that along with the responsibility of captaincy, for the Titans to go far in the IPL, and to further his prospects of making the cut for the T20 World Cup.

The ECB’s marquee competition needs to achieve cut-through with the public while maintaining a veneer of progress

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Aug-2022″You know about ‘the Hundred variant’ right?”There was a theory doing the rounds at the end of last summer that each of the four men’s and women’s teams contesting the Hundred Finals Day fielded players suffering from Covid-19. It is a tough nugget to prove. Some only reported symptoms after that Saturday in August while others kept quiet. No one wanted to miss out on the Lord’s showpiece event, fearing they would not only be taking themselves out of action, but a number of team-mates as close contacts too. By that stage, the virus had been around the team environments more often than influencers. It had become part of the norm.Players were required to take regular lateral flow tests before training and match days – a regulation brought in by the ECB after fears the first edition of the eight-team competition (delayed by a year) would be cut off at the knees by coronavirus. A worry that was exacerbated by England having to pick an entirely new squad for their one-day series with Pakistan, reflective of the world outside the changing room walls in which more than half-a-million people were pinged by the NHS track and trace app in the first week of July 2021.Related

Southern Brave have 'no excuses' after Will Smeed, Will Jacks centuries leave title defence on line

The Hundred: Glenn Maxwell ready to show up for the ECB's big show

The Hundred – everything you need to know (or have forgotten)

'Going to keep seniors on toes' – Moeen cherishes pressure of intense competition

Men's Hundred tactics board: Par scores, home advantage and 10-ball sets

The 2020 season was a drag, leading many to contemplate why they do what they do. That crisis of confidence spilled into the start of 2021, with restricted crowds in the T20 Blast up until the knockout stages. And so, as the Hundred wore on, testing lapsed, as it did pretty much everywhere else. Among the logic of the majority of fit, young 20-somethings was that they were able to cope with this iteration of the virus, and a more relatable fatigue when it came to imposed restrictions, which were more severe on the players given what was at stake (money, lots of it) if the Hundred or any part of the international schedule stumbled.The freedom the Hundred offered extended beyond parking inhibitions on the field to make every ball count. To many who ply their trade on the domestic circuit, it offered a sense of relief. A chance to emerge from the grey.One of the overlooked aspects of men’s county cricket is its social scene. As much as it can be a grind, one of the upsides for a player is travelling to various parts of the country and sampling the nightlife. After one-and-a-half summers of losing that perk, the timing of a glitzy tour of seven major cities encouraged making up for lost time. Coming off the back of the England football team’s run to the final of the European Championships, which opened the floodgates when it came to public disregard of what rules were still in place, there was little encouragement needed. As players indulged at night, at times ignoring team guidelines to stick to outside spaces, mixing with the general public and occasionally friends on other teams, “the Hundred strain” was born.Shane Warne was the most high-profile member of staff to contract the virus, ruled out of fulfilling in-person duties for the start of the London Spirit campaign after testing positive in the first week of August, almost immediately after Andy Flower had done the same. The biggest fright for the competition came when Adam Lyth and Harry Brook returned positives ahead of Northern Superchargers’ match with Manchester Originals. It eventually went ahead when the rest of the Superchargers squad reported a clean bill of health.You can probably gauge the more sociable by the final standings, particularly in the men’s competition. That’s not to say such behaviour was allowed to slide. During Welsh Fire’s tournament debrief – they finished seventh – head coach Gary Kirsten lamented a lack of professionalism among his group, particularly from those who should have regarded this as an opportunity to showcase their wares on a bigger platform.

“There was a sense from some female cricketers that their male counterparts regarded them as an inconvenience when it came to sharing training spaces or other resources”

His sentiment was shared by other coaches and senior players, who felt English players in particular were coasting when they should have realised a clearer path to stardom given the lack of stellar names, even if only for a month. Likewise a handful of overseas pros who benefitted from the absence of their more-decorated peers. That’s not the case this time around.The approach to Covid encapsulated why the first edition of the Hundred should be regarded in isolation. An anomaly of societal and cultural overcorrection to a pandemic still simmering beneath the surface. And it is also why so much of what was regarded as success will come under greater scrutiny this time around.The women’s competition held most of the aces, showcasing the depth of domestic talent and appetite for women’s cricket, even if the latter was abundantly clear following the 2017 50-over World Cup on these shores. Beyond performances ranging from a breakthrough for Alice Capsey, reaffirmation for Tash Farrant and confirmation of Jemimah Rodrigues’ talents were ceiling-busting asides, typified by the sight of London Spirit players sipping cans of cider on the Lord’s home balcony to celebrate the academic achievements of Alice Monaghan, who skipped her graduation from Loughborough University to play against Superchargers. Crowds for women’s matches averaged 7000-8000, with a peak television audience of 1.4million for the final between Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave across BBC and Sky.It will be fascinating to see how that success continues on this year, given how much of 2021 women’s edition was based on alignment with the men. Last year’s double-headers were another Covid-enforced circumstance rather than boardroom design, which will be harder to replicate this time given the women’s competition starts three rounds in because of the clash with the Commonwealth Games.There is also the notion of “respect” between the sexes, publicly insisted on but which at times felt overblown. Despite the odd men’s cricketer championing the output of their women’s team or the standard as a whole, there was a sense from some female players that their male counterparts regarded them as an inconvenience when it came to sharing training spaces or other resources.The Hundred pushed the women’s game to a new level in the UK•Getty ImagesOf course, it was always going to need more than a souped-up competition and accompanying marketing campaign to change the sexist views prevailing within cricket. Perhaps most instructive is how the Hundred is being used as the vehicle to drive this, even if the shifts are tectonically slow at this stage. The highest-paid women (£31,250) will now earn more than the lowest-paid men (£30,000) and the opening match of the women’s competition (Invincibles vs Superchargers on August 11) will be staged after the men’s fixture. “I’m excited to see how it goes,” Beth Barrett-Wild, head of the women’s Hundred, said on Monday. “It is going to be interesting to see how it plays out and I am very optimistic that it is going to look brilliant, and feel brilliant.”On the playing side, the expectation is for a better spectacle, in part because of a strong pool of international talent in both codes now that travel to the UK has eased. The playing conditions should feel a little more natural after players admitted being thrown by the adjustment to five-ball sets. Some even found the scoreboards confusing for the second innings (where balls remaining and runs required count down together) having been used to calculating required rates in six-ball overs.”Things like the five balls, the tactics behind it were totally different, especially at the death when you’re the fielding side,” Moeen Ali, captain of 2021 runners-up Birmingham Phoenix, said. “For people who didn’t know anything about cricket before, having spoken to those kinds of people – for us who knew a little bit about cricket, it was a little confusing, but for people who don’t know anything about cricket, they seemed to understand it really well and got the concept of it really well and quickly.”That, really, is the point of all this. A game that plenty admire given a makeover to make it more appealing to the rest, in a bid to future-proof English cricket. Beyond some unruly scenes in the crowd, which the ECB has vowed to clamp down on with more effective stewarding, the first season was far less garish than many had expected.So, what are our guarantees this time? A strong on-field product, over-the-top cheerleading from official broadcasters, prime real estate across the media the powers-that-be really care about, and a sense of belonging to something bigger for male and female cricketers who had become too accustomed to the shadows.As for the uncertainties, cut-through will be the biggest hurdle. The start of the 2022-23 Premier League on Friday is as big a distraction as they come, and a reminder of how lucky the 2021 season was to follow the Euros and not have to compete for eyes with the Olympic Games given the time difference meant Tokyo’s days were done by late afternoon, British Summer Time. The absence of centrally contracted England players such as Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, who ESPNcricinfo revealed has pulled out on the eve of the competition, won’t help. Nor will overseas stars flying out early for international duty.By and large, though, there is a liberty the Hundred will be looking to exploit. And with a soon-to-be confirmed window set aside for it in the upcoming Future Tours Programme, liberation is only going to grow.In a post-pandemic Britain, amid a sporting ecosystem shifting underfoot, 2022 will dictate where the Hundred intends to position itself in the future. And by proxy, where the ECB is looking to pitch up – that little bit closer to the peak of the global game. Now, ultimately, is the time for a tournament that will never be allowed to fall to take its first meaningful steps.