سجل محمد حمدي، الظهير الأيسر لـ منتخب مصر، هدف الفراعنة الأول أمام غينيا بيساو، في المباراة المقامة حاليًا بينهما، ضمن منافسات تصفيات كأس العالم.
ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع غينيا بيساو، في الجولة العاشرة والأخيرة من المجموعة الأولى لـ تصفيات كأس العالم 2026، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.
طالع | ترتيب مجموعة منتخب مصر في تصفيات كأس العالم
وأحرز محمد حمدي، هدف مصر الأول أمام غينيا بيساو، في الدقيقة العاشرة من عمر الشوط الأول للمباراة، برأسية من داخل منطقة الجزاء، بعدما قابل عرضية مرسلة من الجانب الأيسر بعد تنفيذ ركلة ركنية. هدف مصر الأول أمام غينيا بيساو.. محمد حمدي
ويتصدر منتخب مصر، ترتيب المجموعة الأولى برصيد 23 نقطة، وتأهل إلى المونديال رسميًا للمرة الرابعة في تاريخه، بعدما خاض 9 مواجهات، فاز في 7 وتعادل في مباراتين.
ويلعب منتخب مصر مباراة غينيا بيساو، كتحصيل حاصل، بعدما حسم التأهل الرسمي إلى نهائيات كأس العالم الذي يقام العام المقبل في أمريكا وكندا والمكسيك، عقب الفوز على جيبوتي في الجولة التاسعة بثلاثية نظيفة.
Victory for either side would be a significant step towards the Shield final but NSW could only manage two wickets on the third day
Tristan Lavalette08-Mar-2025
Hilton Cartwright brought up his second hundred of the season•Getty Images
Hilton Cartwright and Cameron Bancroft batted through two sessions on day three in an unbroken partnership of 181 to set up an intriguing finish in the pivotal Sheffield Shield match between Western Australia and New South Wales.Batting had proven difficult across the first seven sessions on a tricky WACA surface, but the veteran WA batters dug in to turn the match on its head. Cartwright finished 108 not out and Bancroft, playing his 100th Shield match, was unbeaten on 85 from 260 balls as WA reached stumps at 209 for 2 in their second innings and a lead of 144 runs.Related
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Just 0.24 points separated second-placed NSW and WA at the start of the round with a victory for either team putting them in pole position to reach the final. Given the stakes, WA will be eyeing a declaration at some point on the final day although the surface has flattened somewhat as the match has worn on.”It [the partnership] gives us options,” WA coach Adam Voges said. “There’s still some good divots out there. It’s certainly a new-ball wicket. It’s been a real arm-wrestle for three days.”WA quick Lance Morris looms as a key on the final day, but he may be restricted in how many overs he can bowl in NSW’s second innings. He has a restriction of around 30 overs per game to manage his body. Morris took career best figures of 5 for 26 off 20.3 overs in NSW’s first innings.”We were really clear with Cricket Australia around what Lance’s plans look like,” Voges said. “The game demands from Lance what the game demands, but we’re mindful of the overall management plan with him.”After trailing by 65 runs on the first innings, Bancroft and captain Sam Whiteman went about blunting the dangerous new ball combination of Jack Edwards and Jackson Bird with trademark firm defence.They almost got through to lunch until Whiteman was well caught low down in the gully. It was a tricky period for No. 3 Jayden Goodwin and he could do little against a fired-up Liam Hatcher who added a second wicket.Still 37 runs short, WA’s hopes rested with veterans Bancroft and Cartwright. They were pinned down after lunch and scored just one run in five overs as WA crawled to the lead.Cameron Bancroft plays down the ground•Getty Images
But Cartwright broke the shackles with a couple of boundaries off seamer Ryan Hadley and started to find his rhythm with the ball making a lovely sound off his bat. Cartwright has had a strong season with 694 runs at 53.38, but does sometimes fail to kick on from attractive starts.He almost rued another tease of an innings after edging a good length delivery from Edwards on 42. But wicketkeeper Josh Philippe spilt the catch after diving in front of Bird at first slip.Philippe, who moved from WA ahead of the season, and his team-mates were crestfallen in a crucial moment just before tea.Cartwright reached his half-century off 93 balls immediately after the break and Bancroft, who had been shackled through the second session, started to find his touch with his best shot being a six down the ground off spinner Chris Green.Cartwright continued on his merry way with his cover driving a feature as he continually dissected the crowded off-side field with precision.Bancroft had a nervous moment on 61 when he poked Green through the hands of Sam Konstas at short-leg, while Cartwright started to lose concentration as he neared his century. But he composed himself and reached his century just before stumps to cap WA’s turnaround.NSW had started the day’s play with a lead of 62 runs and looked to kick on after Edwards and Green had frustrated WA’s attack late on the previous evening.There was an unknown over whether Morris would bowl again in the innings due to his restriction. Having already bowled 18 overs in the innings, Morris did take the ball early on day three but it was Cameron Gannon who had Green edging to second slip where Bancroft had an uncharacteristic fumble before eventually hanging on.Morris then completed his third five-wicket haul of his first-class career after Sam Fanning claimed a superb catch at short square leg to dismiss Edwards, who fell just short of his half-century. It was redemption for Fanning after he twice dropped Kurtis Patterson, NSW’s top scorer with 86, on the second day.The unassuming Morris, playing a rare back-to-back Shield match, was somewhat reluctant to hold the ball aloft but deserved the strong applause from the crowd after a performance marked by sustained pace and unwavering accuracy.All eyes will be on how many overs he can bowl on the final day.
Mesmo eliminados da Libertadores, Corinthians e Liverpool-URU se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira (28), pela rodada final da fase de grupos da competição, de olho em uma vaga nos playoffs da Sul-Americana. A bola rola às 21h30, na Neo Química Arena.
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Ambas equipes possuem quatro pontos no Grupo E, mas o Timão leva vantagem no saldo de gols e tem a vantagem do empate para conseguir a classificação ao playoff da Sul-Americana, concedida a todos os terceiros colocados na fase de grupos da Libertadores.
Contudo, o foco de Vanderlei Luxemburgo e da diretoria alvinegra está em afastar o Timão da zona do rebaixamento no Brasileirão, e o treinador corintiano mandará uma equipe alternativa para o duelo contra os uruguaios, inclusive poupando alguns titulares do banco de reservas.
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Já o Liverpool-URU precisa da sua primeira vitória fora de casa na competição para avançar à Sul-Americana. A equipe do técnico Jorge Bava vem de duas vitórias consecutivas e lidera sua chave no Campeonato Uruguaio.
+ Timão se afasta do Z4? Veja tabela e os próximos jogos do Brasileirão
Veja todas as informações da partida:
CORINTHIANS X LIVERPOOL-URU
Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP) Data e hora: 28/6/2023, às 21h30 (de Brasília) Árbitro: Ángel Arteaga-VEN Assistentes: Tulio Moreno-VEN e Alberto Ponte-VEN VAR: Yadir Acuña-COL Onde assistir: Globo (apenas para SP), ESPN, Star+ e em tempo real no LANCE!
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CORINTHIANS:Carlos Miguel; Rafael Ramos, Renato, Caetano e Murillo (Vitor Meer); Giuliano, Matheus Araújo e Adson; Pedro, Giovane (Felipe Augusto) e Wesley.Técnico:Vanderlei Luxemburgo
Desfalques:Cantillo (transição parcial com o grupo), Barletta (trauma no joelho), Renato Augusto (transição) e Romero (tendinite no joelho direito) Pendurados:Roni e Fausto Vera
LIVERPOOL-URU:Britos; Martirena, Izquierdo, Pereira e Samudio; Lucas Lemos, Gonzalo Nápoli e Fabricio Díaz; Rivero, Otormín e Rubén Bentancourt. Técnico: Jorge Bava.
The fans might not have got everything they wanted, but it was a pretty good summer transfer window for Chelsea this year.
The club were able to ship out several players they deemed no longer good enough, and bring in a host of brilliant young talents who could develop into superstars for Enzo Maresca.
However, unlike some of their Premier League rivals, there was no blockbuster move for a certifiable world-class player, like Alexander Isak.
The Swedish international’s £125m move to Liverpool is now the league’s record transfer, although, painfully, Chelsea did lose a young talent in the past who is now worth more than that.
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Over the last five years or so, Chelsea have seen a pretty constant stream of academy products come through and make it into the first team.
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However, like every other team, they’ve also lost out on some serious stars when they were young, with Declan Rice being a big one.
The Arsenal star came up through Cobham alongside Mason Mount and a number of other notable players, but at the age of 14 was let go.
He then moved to West Ham United, where he made 245 appearances and won the Conference League before joining the Gunners for £105m in the summer of 2023 and becoming a key cog in Mikel Arteta’s midfield.
Another youngster the Blues missed out on was Michael Olise, who left the club at the age of 14 and has gone on to become one of the best wingers in world football.
The Frenchman earned a £50m move to Bayern Munich last summer after impressing at Crystal Palace and more than justified his price tag.
In 55 appearances, he scored 20 goals and provided 23 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games.
In all, Chelsea have missed out on some unreal talents of the years, although perhaps the worst is someone now worth more than Isak.
The ex-Chelsea gem worth more than Isak
Unfortunately for Chelsea, there are plenty more stars they let slip through their fingers, but in this case, the player worth more than Isak is Jamal Musiala.
Yes, the German international was once a part of the Blues’ academy, but in the summer of 2019, he opted to join Bayern, for which the club received just £170k.
It was seen as such a disaster by some that Massimo Franchi, the creator of the Golden Boy award, compared it to “the Louvre losing the Mona Lisa!”
Dramatic? Slightly, but the mercurial midfielder has been exceptional in the years since, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, is worth up to 151m.
That converts to around £131m, or £6m more than Isak’s record-breaking move, and while that sounds absurd, his performances suggest otherwise.
For example, despite still being just 22-years-old, the “world-class” superstar, as dubbed by former manager Julian Nagelsmann, has racked up 207 appearances for Bayern, totalling 12163 minutes, in which he’s scored 64 goals and provided 39 assists.
That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 118.08 minutes.
Musiala’s Bayern career
Appearances
207
Minutes
12163′
Goals
64
Assists
39
Goal Involvements per Match
0.49
Minutes per Goal Involvement
118.08′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
On top of that, he has already won 40 senior caps for Germany, in which he’s scored eight goals and provided eight assists.
Ultimately, Musiala is an exceptional world-beating talent, and Chelsea must rue the fact that they weren’t able to keep hold of him.
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A Nottingham Forest player is now desperate to leave, after owner Evangelos Marinakis cost him a dream move, it has been revealed.
Marinakis causing a stir in the transfer market
On the whole, Forest’s summer transfer window is likely to be viewed as a success, given that they managed to strengthen their squad considerably ahead of their Europa League campaign, while also managing to tie Morgan Gibbs-White down to a new contract.
That is despite the fact Tottenham Hotspur had agreed a £60m deal to sign the England international, with Marinakis ultimately convincing the 25-year-old to renew his deal, before saying: “We are very happy about it. We share the same dreams and he is a talented player. He loves Nottingham Forest and has become a legend already.
“It didn’t take long to reach an agreement with Morgan – it was a very short conversation full of passion and love for the club. All of our supporters should know that this guy loves the club.”
However, a different player isn’t quite as happy to have remained at The City Ground, according to a report from GiveMeSport, which states Jota Silva is now desperate to quit, after a move to Sporting CP collapsed at the last minute.
Jota is now exploring a move to a club from Saudi Arabia or Turkey, given that their transfer windows remain open, and a pundit has blamed Marinakis for the Sporting deal failing to go through.
Speaking on CNN Portugal, journalist Bruno Andrade said: “There are many people you could blame, but especially Marinakis. He delayed the negotiations until the very last minute. In my view, the main reason was that he tried to push for a permanent deal in the final days. He eventually compromised for a loan with a purchase option, but by then he was already annoyed.”
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It is clear to see why the Portuguese winger is frustrated by the deal collapsing, given that joining Sporting CP was regarded as a dream move, but it is good news that he could be keen on a move to Turkey or Saudi Arabia.
There is no reason for Nuno to keep hold of a wantaway player, particularly one who has fallen down the pecking order at The City Ground, with the two-time Portugal international appearing for just 11 minutes so far this season.
The 26-year-old, who is thought to have cost around £6m, was also largely utilised as a substitute in the 2024-25 campaign, so it would make sense for Forest to cash-in, having secured the signings of Dilane Bakwa, Dan Ndoye and Omari Hutchinson this summer.
Having once been described as a “maverick” by former scout Mick Brown, Jota clearly has talent, but a move to Sporting CP would’ve made sense for all parties, given Bakwa’s deadline day arrival, so it is frustrating that a deal did not transpire.
Indian investment also not expected to shift BCCI stance on India’s male cricketers participating
Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Feb-2025
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf playing together for Welsh Fire•ECB via Getty Images
Despite the fact IPL owners make up half of the new investors in the Hundred, the ECB does not expect India’s male cricketers to be made available for the tournament, nor does it anticipate issues with players from Pakistan taking part in England’s flagship competition.On Thursday, the ECB confirmed it had entered into exclusivity agreements with eight partners to secure private investment in each of the Hundred’s teams, with a total valuation of just over £975 million. Those investors now enter an eight-week negotiation period with the eight host counties. Among them are RPSG Group (owners of Lucknow Super Giants), Sun TV Network Limited (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Reliance Industries Limited (Mumbai Indians) and GMR Group (co-owners of Delhi Capitals), who were successful with bids for Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave, respectively.While the ECB has got its wish with a variety of prospective new owners, there is a strong feeling that bringing on high-profile IPL investment will open up the lucrative Indian market. However, the ECB hierarchy do not believe these new connections will soften the BCCI stance on barring India’s active male players from participating in foreign T20 leagues. While many have graced county cricket, none have appeared in the men’s Hundred or the T20 Blast.Related
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“In terms of the India TV market, the overseas market is very important for us,” ECB chief executive, Richard Gould, said. “The fact that we have got such a wide-ranging set of investors from around the globe will, I believe, help us to add extra value to our overseas broadcast rights.”In terms of availability to Indian players, that is not priced in with our plans. The BCCI’s position has been very clear. At some point we’d love to see Indian players come and play in England. We currently see them obviously in bilaterals and actually quite a lot in county cricket. But that’s not something that we have predetermined through this process.”Gould also stated the ECB will ensure opportunities for Pakistan’s cricketers won’t be limited by the IPL influence on the Hundred. Given the tensions between India and Pakistan, no player representing Pakistan has taken part in the IPL since the inaugural season in 2008.The BCCI has never handed down an edict on the matter, but teams have operated accordingly, and not just in India. The first three seasons of the SA20, for instance, where all six teams are associated with IPL franchises, has not had any representative from Pakistan. There remains little if any Pakistan representation in IPL-owned teams at both the ILT20 and Major League Cricket (MLC). By contrast, the Hundred has relied heavily on Pakistani talent for overseas slots in a bid to uphold its “best versus best” tagline.”We’re aware of that in other regions,” Gould said of the playing restrictions encountered by cricketers from Pakistan, “but that won’t be happening here.”The ECB does hope working with IPL owners more directly will, in time, give the Hundred a dedicated window. Previous editions of The Hundred have coincided with MLC and the CPL, resulting in a conflict around talent acquisition. Though the MLC will finish before the Hundred this year, there is a two-week crossover with the CPL.With three of the eight Hundred investors involved in the MLC – Reliance (MI New York), GMR (Seattle Orcas) and Welsh Fire’s prospective 50% co-owner Sanjay Govil (Washington Freedom) – and former Professional Cricketers’ Association commercial director Johnny Grave in place as the league’s CEO, there is scope for more joined-up thinking around competition windows going forward.”One of the advantages that we have with our set is that there’s a connection there with majority of the other cricket leagues around the world,” Vikram Banerjee, who oversaw the Hundred sale as the ECB’s director of business operations, said. “And for all of those [T20] leagues around the world, it makes little sense for any of us to clash if we can avoid it.”So we are now on the same side, if you like, and we can have sensible conversations going forward. For the MLC, that includes that we obviously know the new CEO there pretty well.”But for us it’s about ensuring that we can make a Hundred of real success in our window by getting the best players, and clashes make that hard. So we’ll do our best to avoid it. And I think all the people coming in understand that.”
Birmingham City are currently putting plans in place to attack the Championship after they were promoted as champions of League One with 111 points.
The Blues wrapped up their 111-point league title success with a 2-1 win against Cambridge United away from home on the final day of the season earlier this month.
Chris Davies and his staff, working alongside the owners, will now be working towards the goal of building a squad that can compete for promotion to the Premier League.
Ipswich Town, albeit they have been relegated from the top-flight this term, have already shown that it is possible to do back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.
Davies may have to be incredibly ruthless with who he decides should and should not come along for the ride in the Championship, after his players helped him to an incredible season in League One.
One star whose suitability for the second tier is still in question is experienced centre-forward Alfie May, who has just enjoyed a fantastic year in the third tier.
Why Alfie May could be dropped as a starter
The 31-year-old attacker started 27 matches in League One in the 2024/25 campaign, but the step up to the Championship could see him reduced to a cameo role off the bench, or even in need of looking elsewhere for game time.
May turns 32 this summer and has not played a minute of Championship football in his career, playing in League Two or League One throughout his entire professional career to date.
The English centre-forward joined Birmingham from Charlton on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window last year and enjoyed an impressive debut season at St. Andrew’s.
24/25 League One
Alfie May
Appearances
44
Goals
16
Big chances missed
13
Big chances created
7
Assists
8
Ground duel success rate
43%
Aerial duel success rate
10%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, May racked up 24 goals and assists combined in 44 appearances in League One, and scored more goals than he missed ‘big chances’, which shows that the forward was an effective finisher at the top end of the pitch.
However, his lack of strength in duels, particularly in the air, may be why Championship teams have not taken a chance on him in the past, and why Birmingham could drop him as a starter heading into next season.
The Blues could swoop to sign an upgrade on him in the upcoming summer transfer window, as they have been linked with an interest in an international forward.
Birmingham eyeing deal for Serie A striker
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Birmingham City are eyeing up a deal to sign Che Adams from Serie A side Torino ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The Scotland international signed for the Italian club on a free transfer from Southampton last summer, and the Blues are now hoping to tempt him back to England.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Speaking to EFL Analysis, the journalist said: “I think Che Adams is one who’s on Birmingham’s list. He does tick the boxes. Obviously, he’s been there before. Knows the club. Obviously be very expensive in the Championship. We know that. So let’s see how that one goes. But yeah, they do want another striker.
“I’m not sure how much he wants to drop to Championship. I don’t really think he’s that keen on dropping to the Championship, but there are options there. If it’s a long-term thing for Birmingham, I do think that’s an option for him certainly.”
Torino'sCheAdams
These comments from Bailey suggest that it will be a difficult deal to do for the striker, who is valued at £13m by FootballTransfers, for financial and footballing reasons.
However, it could be a fantastic signing for Davies and his staff if the club are able to thrash out a transfer that would bring Adams back for a second spell at Birmingham.
Why Che Adams would be an upgrade on Alfie May
The Blues could secure a big upgrade on the aforementioned Alfie May by signing the experienced centre-forward from Torino in the summer transfer window because of his proven quality at Championship level.
Adams has been there and done it in the second tier, including in a Birmingham City shirt, and has scored goals at an even higher level in the Premier League and in the Serie A.
The 28-year-old star, who manager Paolo Vanoli described as the “perfect player”, has scored nine goals in the Italian top-flight this season, and scored 25 times in the Premier League for Southampton earlier in his career.
These statistics show that Adams has already proven himself at a much higher level than the Championship, whilst May is yet to prove himself above League One.
The Torino striker has also proven his quality in the second tier in England in his last two seasons at that level with Southampton and with Birmingham back in the 2018/19 campaign.
Che Adams (Championship)
18/19
23/24
Appearances
46
40
Starts
43
25
Goals
22
16
Big chances missed
11
11
Big chances created
6
7
Assists
4
4
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Adams proved that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis, without missing many ‘big chances’ in the Championship in those two seasons, scoring as many or more goals than May did in League One this term.
This shows that Adams has the potential to deliver even more quality in the second tier than May did in the third tier of English football, which is why he could come in as a big upgrade on the current Birmingham star.
The Torino ace has also won 36% of his aerial duels in the Serie A this term, and won 38% of them in the Championship for Southampton last season, which suggests that he could provide more physicality in the number nine role than May.
It is now down to the club to wrap up an “expensive” deal for the forward and for Davies and his staff to convince the forward to make the drop back down to the second tier with the hope that he buys into a long-term project.
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This season has felt like one long nightmare for Tottenham Hotspur.
On top of losing a staggering 20 games in the Premier League, Ange Postecoglou will now be without James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski for the club’s Europa League final next week.
Moreover, on top of losing player after player through injury during the campaign this year, they now look like they’re going to lose one of their most important in the transfer window: Cristian Romero.
However, it is not all doom and gloom, as recent reports have linked them with a Premier League star who could be the ideal replacement.
Tottenham transfer news
Unfortunately, in the last few months, a number of reports have emerged touting Romero for a move to La Liga this summer, with Atlético Madrid being his supposed destination last month.
Transfer Focus
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It was even said that the Argentine defender had personally spoken to Diego Simeone about the purported move.
However, in the last few days, the World Cup winner’s supposed destination has changed to Real Madrid, with reports claiming that Xabi Alonso is a big fan of the player, who could be sold for around £60m.
TottenhamHotspur's CristianRomeroreacts
While this situation is far from ideal, the good news is that the North Londoners have been linked with someone who could be an ideal replacement: Marc Guéhi.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Spurs have maintained their strong interest in the full England international following their failed £70m bid for him in early February.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Newcastle United are keen to sign the Crystal Palace star, who could be available for a pretty reasonable fee of around €55m, which is about £46m.
It might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Guéhi’s ability and the potential departure of Romero, Spurs should do all they can to get it done.
Why Guéhi would be a great replacemnet
So, if Spurs cannot keep hold of Romero this summer and are forced to shop for a replacement, why would Guéhi be such a great option?
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehireacts after the match
Well, first of all, not only is he vastly experienced for someone who is still just 24 years old, but he’s also thoroughly Premier League-proven at this point and someone clearly quite sought-after.
For example, across his career to date, the “exceptional” centre-back, as dubbed by The Athletic’s Stuart James, has made 132 top-flight appearances, 52 in the Championship, 15 in the FA Cup and a handful more in several other competitions.
Guéhi’s senior career
Club
Palace
Swansea
Chelsea
Appearances
154
59
2
Goals
8
0
0
Assists
4
0
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.07
0.00
0.00
All Stats via Transfermarkt
On top of that, the 6 foot “tank,” as dubbed by former England U21 teammate Joe Bursik, is now a full member of the national team, making 23 appearances since his debut in March 2022, and most crucially, was an ever-present in the country’s backline when they made it all the way to the final of the European Championships last year.
Furthermore, while the Lilywhites’ Argentine warrior has missed a staggering 75 games for club and country across his career, the former Chelsea prospect has missed just 16, and you know what they say: availability is the best ability.
Finally, if that’s still not enough to convince you, then perhaps his rather impressive underlying numbers will.
According to FBref, the Palace ace sits in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for through ball, the top 4% for passes blocked, the top 5% for goal-creating actions through a defensive action, the top 9% for goals plus assists, key passes and shot-creating actions, the top 11% for expected assists and more, all per 90.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehiin action
Ultimately, replacing a player as talented Romero is always going to be difficult, but Guéhi looks like he could get pretty close, and therefore, Spurs must do what they can to sign him this summer.
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As they did at the start of this season, Arsenal will go into next year as one of the clear favourites to win the Premier League.
While such an expectation now feels entirely normal, it wasn’t just a few years ago, as the 22/23 campaign marked the first season in a long time that the Gunners mounted a serious challenge for the title.
Mikel Arteta’s side failed to even qualify for the Champions League the year prior but came flying out of the gate and came painfully close to becoming champions with the exciting wing play of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, two of the club’s stand-out players.
While the former has only improved since then, the latter has struggled to match the 22 goal involvements he produced in 46 games, but the board might be about to sign a centre-forward who could help him get back to his best.
Arsenal's striker search
With Arsenal clearly needing another striker as far back as last summer, the club have been linked with a whole host of free-scoring forwards this year, from Alexander Isak to Benjamin Sesko.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former would probably be most people’s preferred option, as he’s proven in the Premier League and has been in incredible form this season, scoring 27 goals and providing six assists in just 40 appearances for Newcastle United.
However, with reports from earlier this year claiming that he could cost in excess of £150m, it seems incredibly unlikely that this is a deal that gets done.
Sesko, on the other hand, could cost around £58m this summer, and considering he’s managed to rack up a tally of 21 goals and six assists in 43 appearances for RB Leipzig, that might just be a reasonable fee.
Yet, as the Slovenian is still just 21 years old, the North Londoners might want a more senior marksman leading the line next year, which is where Viktor Gyokeres comes in.
According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their strong interest in the Sporting CP superstar ahead of the summer transfer window.
In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners have now made an opening bid of €60m for the Swedish superstar, which is about £51m, and considered likely to be too low.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates after the match
The good news is that the Portuguese giants are willing to sell him for less than his €100m – £85m – release clause, but the bad news is that the likes of Chelsea, Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan are also all keen to secure the 26-year-old’s services.
It would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Gyokeres’ immense ability in front of goal, it is one well worth fighting for, especially as he could get Martinelli back to his best.
Why Gyokeres could get Martinelli back to his best
Let’s say that Arsenal have their bid accepted, or they increase and get their man that way; why would Gyokeres help get Martinelli back to his 22/23 best?
Sporting Club's Francisco Trinaco and Viktor Gyokeres.
Well, while there are a few different reasons, they fundamentally all come back to one thing: his output.
For example, in 50 appearances last season, totalling 4169 minutes, the prolific “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Alex Turk, scored 43 goals and provided 15 assists.
Gyokeres’ Sporting Record
Season
23/24
24/25
Appearances
50
49
Minutes
4169′
3948′
Goals
43
52
Assists
15
12
Goal Involvements per Match
1.16
1.30
Minutes per Goal Involvement
71.87′
61.68′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That means he averaged 1.16 goal involvements per game for the entire campaign, or, in other words, he produced one every 71.87 minutes.
However, if that wasn’t good enough, he’s doing even better this season, as in 49 appearances, totalling 3948 minutes, the Stockholm-born sensation has scored 52 goals and provided 12 assists.
Such an incredible level of output means the 26-capped international is averaging 1.30 goal involvements per game at the moment, or one every 61.68 minutes.
Just imagine a striker as unbelievably efficient as him starting to the right of the Gunners’ number 11; his goal and assist numbers would explode.
Moreover, the sheer presence of someone so clinical in the frontline will force opposition defences to focus more attention on him, thus opening up more space for Saka and the rapid Brazilian to exploit.
Ultimately, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Gyokeres this summer, as not only would his goals make a significant difference on their own, but he’d also surely help Martinelli get back to his very best.
Same agent as Saka: Arsenal lead race to sign £51m upgrade on Nico Williams
The sensational youngster could flourish at Arsenal.
Back in January, the Sky Blues spent a reported £180m, that’s more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined, acquiring five new players, namely Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Juma Bah and Vitor Reis.
Nevertheless, Pep Guardiola does not plan to stop there, so does he have his eyes set on a new winger?
Manchester City's wide-attacker target
Much of the transfer chatter as we approach the summer has surrounded the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz. While Wirtz can play out wide, he’s more of a no.10, and thus, the Citizens may need someone else to take on that berth instead.
Well, according to a report from Spain, Manchester City remain “interested” in signing Rodrygo, who is valued at €100m (around £85m) by Real Madrid.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
As noted by Graham Ruthven of Total Soccer Show, Real Madrid lack balance when Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé are all deployed as a front three, forecasting that one will ultimately be “sacrificed”, with Rodrygo the most likely candidate.
Nevertheless, this is not to diminish the Brazilian’s talent, with his manager Carlo Ancelotti labeling him a “special striker”, while teammate Luka Modrić described him as a “world-class superstar”.
Nevertheless, with Felipe del Campo of Radio Marca claiming Rodrygo is considering leaving Real Madrid, could he be on his way to Manchester?
What Rodrygo's arrival would mean for Jeremy Doku
Given their positional and stylistic similarities, should Rodrygo swap the Bernabéu for the Etihad, this could be bad news for Jérémy Doku.
The Belgian hadn’t started any of the Citizens’ last five matches, making him a surprise inclusion in Guardiola’s lineup against Wolves on Friday night but he repaid the manager’s faith with an eye-catching performance, teeing-up compatriot Kevin De Bruyne for the night’s only goal.
Nevertheless, more broadly, Doku’s form this season has been mixed, scoring just six goals across all competitions, the most recent of which came during the 6-0 demolition of Ipswich in January.
Rodrygo, on the other hand, has continued to produce impressive numbers, in spite of the fact Real Madrid remain dysfunctional, as the table below highlights.
Doku vs Rodrygo 2024/25 comparison
Statistics
Doku
Rodrygo
Appearances
34
50
Minutes
1,776
3,290
Goals
6
13
Assists
9
10
Goals – xG
+1.7
+4.7
Shots per 90
1.79
2.64
Shots on target %
31%
38.5%
Shot-creating actions
80
142
Attempted take-ons
210
142
Take-on success %
52.9%
47.2%
Progressive carries
215
158
Progressive passes received
311
353
Touches per 90
47
53
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and FBref.com
As the table outlines, Rodrygo would represent a clear upgrade on Doku, coming out on top when it comes to goals, assists, shooting and chances created, even if the Belgian’s dribbling numbers are admittedly superior.
This shouldn’t be too surprising though, given that, as noted by Adrian Clarke of the Premier League, Doku might just be the ‘best dribbler in the world’, having registered more progressive carries (189) than anyone else across Europe’s top five leagues this season, according to FBref.com.
On the other end, Martina Alcheva of World Soccer Talk praises Rodrygo’s ‘versatility and work rate’, while Sive Vishwa of Breaking the Lines notes he is a ‘vital player for Real Madrid’, in terms of ‘pressing’, goal contributions and ‘unlocking defences’, believing the Brazilian to be ‘one of the hottest prospects in world football’.
Thus, if Man City get the opportunity to snap up Rodrygo this summer, they should absolutely do so, as he would improve any team he joins, potentially elevating the Sky Blues back to a level where they’re dominating the Premier League once again.
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