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Newcastle United will need to show they can pick up results on the road consistently to continue their fine start to December.

At St James’ Park so far this month, which is the Magpies’ dependable fortress, Eddie Howe’s men have collected a draw and a win, with only two losses from eight matches coming their way on their own turf this season so far.

In stark contrast, three losses have been tallied up away from home, with only one away win next to their name sticking out as a worrying fact.

In their defence, the only success on the road this season saw them emphatically get the better of Everton 4-1 in the Premier League, which might well stand them in good stead against Bayer Leverkusen and Sunderland to come.

Howe will hope his team’s up-and-down nature has been rectified by the time the January transfer window swings back open, with a potentially busy month ahead for the Toon in terms of incomings.

Newcastle looking to sign new midfielder

The unpredictability of January could also see Newcastle offload a couple of players, too, with reserve centre-forward option William Osula alleged to be keen to move away from St James’ Park.

There are also rumours bubbling away about fresh faces joining the building, with former Leicester City ace Bilal El Khannouss just one of many options catching the Toon’s eye in the middle of the park. On top of him, a cut-price £13m move for Ferencváros TC star Alex Tóth could be on the agenda.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has added more fuel to the fire by revealing that Howe and Co are set to make a move for rising AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit, with the reported transfer fee floating about for his services coming in at the £30m price range.

The inconsistent Toon have long been admirers of the well-rounded Dutchman, and with Manchester United and Liverpool circling, this would be seen as a statement move in January, as Newcastle prepare to spend the big bucks once more. Hope has already described the youngster as “one of Europe’s most exciting teenagers” so this one is certainly something to kick and scream about.

How Smit can be Howe's future Guimaraes

Howe will hope, by landing Smit, that he wins himself a future Bruno Guimaraes, which will be music to the ears of the devoted Tyneside fanbase, after the much-loved Brazilian only affirmed his legendary status at the club more with that audacious strike versus Burnley.

The 28-year-old is now synonymous with Newcastle, with his corner kick effort sailing straight over the head of Martin Dubravka, further backing up comments by his manager that he is a “difference-maker”.

Of course, Smit has some way to go before he’s pulling off screamers like Guimaraes’ ingenious effort regularly in the Premier League, but the 19-year-old does have a powerful effort up his sleeve, with his ability to conjure up a moment of magic from a very early age also seeing scout Jacek Kulig laud him as a “super talent.”

Indeed, this sumptuous effort in the U19 Euros in the summer shows off a star who is incredibly confident and assured in front of goal, with Smit now up to ten goal contributions in the senior ranks at AZ. Newcastle’s beloved captain is up to 27 goals and 29 assists himself in the senior picture at St James’ Park, with Howe hopeful that Smit could reach these levels in time, so he can replace the 28-year-old down the line.

It’s not just their output in terms of goals and assists that makes the two talents in question similar, however, with Smit’s energy and determination centrally also placing himself on the same pedestal as the industrious South American, which has led to the AZ number 26 even being branded as a “duel monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, a tag regularly placed on Guimaraes’ shoulders.

Games played

18

14

Goals scored

0

2

Assists

0

2

Touches*

38.8

62.7

Accurate passes*

23.3 (85%)

42.7 (89%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.8

Big chances created

3

3

Ball recoveries*

3.3

5.7

Total duels won*

2.9

3.3

Smit has certainly grown into being more of a lively performer centrally this season in the Eredivisie, when looking at the table above, making 5.7 ball recoveries and winning 3.3 duels per game.

In constract, the Newcastle skipper has made 5.1 ball recoveries, but he does blow Smit out of the water in the duels department, having won a fierce 5.4 duels so far this campaign in the demanding Premier League.

Still, with the upward trajectory the table outlines, he could reach Guimaraes’ commanding levels very soon, as Howe prepares to win himself a standout talent for the future in January, by securing Smit’s coveted services.

Newcastle star was entering Obertan territory, now he's their "best player"

This Newcastle United star is now beginning to turn around his underwhelming Premier League season.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 8, 2025

With a nickname like "The Martian", Jasson Dominguez is used to performing feats that are out of this world.

Tuesday's 4-2 New York Yankees win was no different, as the Yankees left fielder came up with a timely hit, as well as one of the more peculiar swings you'll see on a baseball diamond.

With the bases loaded, two outs, and the Yankees trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Dominguez connected on a 1-2 fastball, sending a liner down the left-field line for a bases-clearing double. But the ball wasn't the only thing Dominguez made contact with, as the middle of his bat hit his helmet and knocked the headgear over his eyes as he followed through with his swing.

The following inning, Dominguez was replaced in left field by Cody Bellinger, who shifted from center after Trent Grisham entered as a defensive substitution. After the Yankees' win, manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Dominguez left the game because he lost his contact lenses.

Dominguez himself told reporters that he believes the lenses popped out on the swing.

"I don't know—I think when the helmet was in my face I think that was when I lost it—I felt it when they popped out," Dominguez said.

Hitting a bases-clearing double, knocking your contact lenses out and then still running the bases afterwards? Now an extraterrestrial feat.

New Zealand-born seamer agrees move to Bristol on three-year deal

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2025Gloucestershire have signed seam bowler Will Williams on a three-year contract. Williams, who began his career in New Zealand but has played for Lancashire since 2022, will join at the end of the season.The 32-year-old has only played three times in the County Championship this season but had been offered a contract extension. In all, he has taken 99 first-class wickets at 24.29 for Lancashire, as well as nine in List A competition.Gloucestershire have been severely depleted by player departures, with fast bowlers Ajeet Singh Dale, Zaman Akhter, Tom Price and Dom Goodman all agreeing moves elsewhere. Singh Dale will move in the opposite direction to Williams, Akhter is joining Essex, while Price and Goodman have both signed for Sussex.”It is not often a player becomes available still in the peak of their career with a bowling record like Will’s,” Gloucestershire’s head coach, Mark Alleyne, said”That alone would have been enough to attract our interest, but after a couple of meetings, it was clear this lad is a lot more than a high-performing bowler. He has the character I love in a cricketer and is prepared to commit totally to the cause.”I look forward to welcoming and embracing him to the Glorious family; I’m confident he will be popular with players and supporters alike.”Williams was born in New Zealand and spent ten years with Canterbury. He has dual UK-NZ citizenship and has been registered as a local player since joining Lancashire.”I’m really excited for this new chapter in my life. Speaking to Mark [Alleyne], it’s clear the club has strong ambitions, and he’s made it clear how I fit into those plans,” Williams said.”From the outside, Gloucestershire has always looked like a tight-knit, hardworking group. I’m keen to bring my experience, learn from the environment, and hopefully make a positive impact on and off the field. I can’t wait to get started and to make Gloucestershire and Bristol my new home.”

Oliver Glasner has criticised the football authorities over Crystal Palace's impending fixture pile-up. The Eagles booked their spot in the next round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night as they eased past an inexperienced Liverpool at Anfield. An Ismaila Sarr first half brace and Yeremy Pino's late strike set up a fifth-round clash with Arsenal as Palace secured a 3-0 win on Merseyside.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Palace face prospect of 5 games in 10 days

  However, in progressing to the quarter-finals of the competition, Palace now face the prospect of five games in the space of just 10 days, and three games across five days, in the lead up to Christmas as the Eagles take on Manchester City on December 14th, Arsenal in the EFL Cup on December 16th and KuPS in the UEFA Conference League on December 18th.

  UEFA fixtures cannot be rescheduled, which has already forced the EFL to play the third round ties across a two-week period to accommodate the increase in European matches. And it looks as though they will have to reschedule again in order for Palace to fulfil their fixtures in what is already one of the most hectic periods of the season.

  Palace's victory at Liverpool kicked off a run of four games in a nine-day period as the Eagles gear up for meetings with Brentford, AZ Alkmaar and Brighton between now and the international break.

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• 'This will be irresponsible for the players'

  And Glasner has called on football's governing bodies to prioritise safety to collaborate on their schedules to protect players from injuries. "Honestly, I can’t believe that this will be fixed in this way. I think this will be irresponsible for the players," Glasner told reporters on Friday.

  "We have a responsibility for the players and have to look after their welfare. That is our main responsibility, and not just ours here at the club. When I heard it the first time yesterday, I couldn’t believe that they are considering this, but I am really upset.

  "In the summer, in the offseason, there are people who have to work on the schedule, and I would really prefer if they worked together. It would be nice if UEFA, Premier League, FA, and EFL talk together because it is not so surprising that this can happen. This is what really makes me upset and anxious.

  "Of course, it also affects Arsenal and all our opposition, which is why I say wait until the draw is done and then fix it and find the best solution for the players’ welfare. Not for Oliver Glasner, not for Crystal Palace, for the players’ welfare. That is their job, it is what they get paid for, this is what I expect."

• AFP
  

  'I’d have the easiest job'

  Glasner continued by pointing out that FIFA's call for players to have mandatory rest periods between games has been disregarded by football's governing bodies.

  "We could play every single day, I’d have the easiest job. You don’t have to plan the training, just give a team talk and let’s go. What we need to investigate is common sense," Glasner added.

  "There was a meeting in July in New York where FIFA met different players’ organisations, and there was a suggestion that FIFA, the highest organisation in football, they suggest a mandatory 72 hours between two competitive games.

  "Now, here in England, they say they don’t care what they are telling us. Just wait till the draw, and then fix the games. I really don’t understand. I really push very hard and strong that they don’t let us play three games in four days, because again, it is irresponsible."

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• Festive period already jam-packed

  The festive period is already one of the busiest periods in the football calendar. While a number of leagues across Europe have a break in player, the Premier League play across Christmas and into the New Year.

  In addition, teams will be hit by the Africa Cup of Nations, which takes place in Morocco between mid-December and mid-January. Palace may only lose two players to AFCON with Sarr, who bagged a brace in midweek, and summer signing Christantus Uche potentially representing Senegal and Nigeria, respectively, at the end of the year.

Manchester United claimed a needed victory last night, getting the better of Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side, securing a 2-1 win in what was a bonkers clash at Old Trafford.

Robert Sanchez’s red card within the first five minutes of the meeting certainly aided the Red Devils’ chances at victory, resulting in the visitors playing the rest of the meeting with ten men.

However, Casemiro’s second yellow card just minutes before the break handed the Blues a route back into the contest – but Ruben Amorim’s men held on for three vital points.

The victory was just the club’s second of the campaign, with both of their triumphs coming on home soil after previously beating Burnley at the Theatre of Dreams.

Two players played a huge role in the side walking away the victors, often being the shining light over recent months despite the club’s disappointing performances on the field.

Bruno & Amad’s stats against Chelsea

Bruno Fernandes has been United’s captain in recent years, taking huge responsibility in providing the goods within the final third despite his midfield role.

The Portuguese international got the ball rolling in the triumph, scoring the first goal after getting on the end of Patrick Dorgu’s cross in the 14th minute of the encounter.

Despite impressing in attacking areas, he also thrived out of possession, winning 100% of his tackles and making six recoveries – shutting out the Blues in their second-half push for a point.

Alongside Bruno, forward Amad Diallo also managed to catch the eye, completing 93% of the passes he attempted, four of which were into the opposition’s penalty area.

The Ivorian also managed to register two efforts on goal, whilst being fouled twice by the visitors, often causing constant havoc on the way to claiming all three points.

However, despite the showings of the aforementioned duo, one other first-team star managed to catch the eye, arguably making him Amorim’s most important player at present.

The Man Utd star who’s becoming Amorim’s best player

Over the last couple of years, United have splashed the cash massively in an attempt to return to their former glory after numerous campaigns without any form of tangible success.

Benjamin Sesko is the latest big-money man to make the move to Old Trafford, costing a fee in the region of £74m from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig during the summer window.

However, he’s yet to fit the ground running, failing to score a single goal, whilst getting replaced at half-time against Chelsea after failing to make an impact on proceedings.

The Slovenian only registered a tally of eight touches in the first 45 minutes, even failing to register a single effort on goal – with his withdrawal from the clash certainly warranted.

He’s already highlighted that big-money transfers don’t equal success, with cheaper additions such as Noussair Mazraoui proving to be worth every penny and more.

The Moroccan joined the Red Devils for a fee in the region of £12m last summer, but has massively exceeded expectations after making the move from German giants Bayern Munich.

The full-back has nailed down a starting role once again in recent weeks, with his showing against Maresca’s side last night arguably one of his best for the club.

He featured for just over an hour before being replaced by Matheus Cunha, but his figures highlight how impressive he was at both ends of the pitch.

Mazraoui, who was labelled “exceptional” by one analyst, completed 100% of the dribbles he attempted at Old Trafford, often getting into key positions despite his defensive responsibilities.

Out of the 26 passes he completed, 12 of which were into the final third of the pitch – showcasing his ability to quickly get the ball turned over into dangerous areas.

Minutes played

65

Touches

60

Passes completed

26

Passes into final third

12

Dribbles completed

2/2 (100%)

Duels won

9/9 (100%)

Tackles made

4

Crosses completed

2

However, his most impressive work came without the ball, making four tackles and winning 100% of the nine duels he entered – the most of any player on the pitch.

As a result of his showing, the 27-year-old was handed an impressive 8/10 match rating by Manchester World journalist Rich Fay – further highlighting how impressive he was against the Blues.

The performances of Bruno and Amad will undoubtedly get the majority of the praise, given their impact in attacking areas, but Mazraoui is arguably becoming more important than the pair.

His ability to dominate the visitors undoubtedly played a key role in shutting them out and preventing a comeback after Casemiro’s dismissal, with Amorim desperately needing to continue utilising the bargain addition.

Amorim has a bigger problem than Sesko at Man Utd & it's not Casemiro

Man Utd fought their way to a much-needed victory in chaotic fashion against Chelsea…

ByRobbie Walls Sep 21, 2025

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised the impact of Kelechi Iheanacho after the half-time substitute netted in a 1-1 draw against Red Star Belgrade.

The post deadline-day signing replaced Daizen Maeda at half-time after the Japan international struggled in the centre-forward role in Serbia.

Celtic had failed to make any chances from open play by half-time but they immediately improved, forcing three saves before Iheanacho took an excellent touch in the box and stroked the ball into the top corner in the 55th minute.

Rodgers hails Celtic forward Iheanacho

On the performance of Maeda, who was denied a summer move because of the club’s failure to source an adequate replacement, Rodgers told BT Sport: “He wasn’t at his best, or nowhere near it. However, he’s a good guy and sometimes that happens in the game.

“I could have made a couple of changes at half-time. I wanted to make that one certainly to give us that greater reference at the top of the pitch.

Celtic could not build on the opening goal and Marko Arnautovic scrambled the ball home from a corner 10 minutes later. But they held firm from some aerial pressure and Rodgers was pleased with the point against a side who, like Celtic, also suffered a shock Champions League play-off defeat after competing in Europe’s elite competition last season.

“This is a good point for this squad of players and for us coming here,” he said. “You come here, to a team that’s obviously won all of their domestic games, seven out of seven, coming to Belgrade is always a tough game.

Worse than Maeda: Rodgers must drop Celtic star who lost the ball 13x

Celtic endured a night of mixed fortunes away in Belgrade on Wednesday evening…

ByRobbie Walls Sep 25, 2025

“We had opportunities in the second half in particular. But we showed great resilience and showed moments of quality. Kels’ goal was absolutely outstanding and we had other moments in the second half. I still want us to be a little bit more proactive in the game. But overall, it was a nice first step for us in the competition.”

كشفت صحيفة سبورت الإسبانية، عن بعض التفاصيل الجديدة في مسلسل غضب فينيسيوس جونيور، نجم نادي ريال مدريد، خلال مواجهة فريقه أمام برشلونة يوم أمس الأحد في الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

ريال مدريد حسم كلاسيكو الدوري الإسباني واستطاع أن يقهر غريمه التقليدي برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد، ضمن قمة الجولة العاشرة من البطولة المحلية.

وساهم هذا الفوز في تعزيز ريال مدريد لصدارته في الدوري الإسباني، وبفارق خمس نقاط كاملة عن برشلونة صاحب المركز الثاني.

وشهدت هذه المباراة غضبًا كبيرًا من فينيسيوس جونيور، حيث اعترض الدولي البرازيلي وبشدة على استبداله قبل نهاية اللقاء بحوالي 20 دقيقة.

وقرر مدرب ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، سحب فينيسيوس من الملعب ووضع رودريجو جوس بدلًا منه، مما أثار غضب ابن الـ25 عامًا كثيرًا.

اقرأ أيضًا .. آس: صمم على اللعب.. لاعب ريال مدريد خاض كلاسيكو برشلونة وهو مريض للغاية

واعترض فينيسيوس وبشدة على هذا التبديل ورفض مصافحة ألونسو، حيث ذهب اللاعب خارج الملعب مباشرًة قبل أن يعود مرة أخرى للتواجد على دكة البدلاء.

وذكرت الصحيفة، أن عدسات الكاميرا التقطت فينيسيوس وهو يقول “أنا دائمًا! سأغادر الفريق، من الأفضل أن أرحل”.

وعلى الجانب الآخر أفادت الصحيفة، أن ألونسو ظهر بوجه جاد للغاية عندما اعترض فينيسيوس على تبديله، في انتظار باقي تطورات هذا المشهد.

فينيسيوس قدم مباراة رائعة أمام برشلونة وساعد ريال مدريد بشكل واضح على حسم الكلاسيكو في لقاء الأمس، بينما جاء هدفي الميرنجي ضد البارسا عن طريق كل من كيليان مبابي، وجود بيلينجهام.

Manchester City had the unenviable task this summer of replacing Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian left as a legend of the club and of the Premier League, having won the top flight six times, as well as the Champions League in City’s famous treble win of 2022/23.

Of course, when the Belgian was at the peak of his powers, he had the baton passed to him from David Silva. Another legend at the Etihad Stadium, Silva played 144 times with De Bruyne, before departing the club for his native Spain to return to La Liga.

Well, now City could be back in the market for a playmaking genius, who could certainly be seen as their new Silva.

The state of play at Manchester City

With days left of the summer transfer window, City could still plot a late move following their humbling 2-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Real Madrid star Rodrygo is one name constantly linked with a move to East Manchester.

Transfer Focus

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

However, he is not the only Los Blancos star who could move to City.

Remarkably, according to Caught Offside, Pep Guardiola’s side are said to be ‘keeping a close eye’ on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s situation at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The former Liverpool star only moved to the Spanish capital this summer, but after being dropped in favour of Dani Carvajal, questions about his future have already been raised.

That has led reports to suggest that the Citizens could launch a ‘sensational bid’ as early as January for a player valued at £65m, via Transfermarkt.

Why Alexnader-Arnold would be a good signing

It is fair to say that Alexander-Arnold would return to the Premier League with an incredible reputation. Manchester United legend Gary Neville once said he has the potential to become “the best right-back the world has ever produced”, and he certainly shone for Liverpool.

In 354 appearances for his boyhood club, the England international scored 23 goals and amassed an incredible tally of 92 assists, with passes such as this one back in 2023, a regular occurrence. He helped the Reds to two Premier League titles and the Champions League.

For a right-back to so regularly create chances to the level Alexander-Arnold did, you have to be a “maestro”, as Statman Dave once described him.

There were seven Premier League seasons where he played more than 20 games, and in four of them, he hit double figures for assists.

2018/19

29

12

2019/20

38

13

2020/21

36

7

2021/22

32

12

2022/23

37

10

2023/24

28

5

2024/25

33

7

City’s creative genius before De Bruyne was, of course, Silva. The Spaniard is City’s “greatest ever player” according to Jamie Carragher, and even has a statue outside of the Etihad Stadium paying homage to his genius.

The former Valencia midfielder pulled on that famous Blue shirt 436 times, scoring 77 goals and assisting 136 times on top of that. He was capable of operating all over the pitch in attacking areas, but did his best work as a number 10.

It is easy to see how Alexander-Arnold, who earned £180k per week at Anfield, could become City’s new Silva.

Firstly, this would be a signing from La Liga, and whilst he is more of a known quantity to Citizens fans than Silva may have been, creative signings from the Spanish top flight have tended to work well for them.

Both players have excellent creative numbers behind them, too. Alexander-Arnold’s record at Liverpool was sensational, and he already has two assists for Madrid. As for Silva, he had 39 assists to his name for Valencia before moving to City in 2010.

Of course, the key difference is the position, with the Los Blancos man playing at right-back rather than in midfield. Yet, there has been talk that he should move centrally, and he even began to invert into midfield under Jurgen Klopp, a role Carragher said was “almost perfect for him” back in 2023.

Whatever plans Guardiola hatches for Alexander-Arnold if he moves to City, he will look to get the best out of him creatively.

With the sort of influence he can have in the final third, his potential role in midfield and the fact he’d be moving from Spain, this really could be the second coming of Silva.

Man City exploring deal to sign Donnarumma alternative who's "like Alisson"

The Citizens have turned their focus towards a fresh option.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 22, 2025

While they’ve spent more in windows past, this summer was another hectic one for Chelsea.

The Blues were able to generate a massive £288m in sales, which enabled them to sign a host of incredibly exciting players and still make a £3m profit.

The most promising addition so far has been Joao Pedro, but the likes of Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Jorrel Hato could all look like sensational pickups in a few years from now.

However, while there is plenty to be happy about, some fans were left disappointed by the club’s decision not to sign Xavi Simons, who then moved to Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, with the Dutchman being compared to a former Chelsea signing who left having not lived up to expectations, maybe missing out on him isn’t the worst thing.

The Simons saga

Simons has been looked at as one of the most exciting young talents in European football for years now.

Stories of his brilliance in La Masia were doing the rounds as far back as 2017, when he was still just 14 years old, and while he never made it at Barcelona, the last few years have shown why so many were so excited about him.

The 22-year-old has racked up a tally of 33 goal involvements in 48 games for PSV Eindhoven and 46 in 78 games for RB Leipzig.

In short, it’s easy to see why Chelsea were so interested in the youngster for so long this summer, and reportedly had even reached an agreement on personal terms with him.

However, towards the end of the window, the West Londoners finally secured the services of Alejandro Garnacho and reneged on their interest in the player.

This vacuum then allowed Spurs to swoop in and sign the Amsterdam-born gem on a seven-year deal, and while this left some Chelsea fans upset, perhaps they shouldn’t be, as one of their former players who was sold for a sizable loss is now being compared to Simons.

The Chelsea dud compared to Simons

The side effect of Chelsea’s tendency to sign so many promising young players is that, over the years, they’ve had more than their fair share fail to live up to expectations.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Unfortunately, that is what happened with Christian Pulisic, as while he most certainly enjoyed spells of brilliance here and there, he “just didn’t live up to the hype,” per journalist Luke Edwards.

The American international was signed by the Blues for a whopping £58m in January 2019, while Marizzio Sarri was still in charge, and joined up with the club that summer.

At the time, then-Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia described the youngster as “one of the most sought-after talents in Europe,” but just over four years later, he was sold for a paltry £20m.

In other words, the West Londoners made a £38m loss on the former Borussia Dortmund star, and with a tally of just 26 goals and 21 assists in 145 games, it would be hard to call him anything other than a flop.

With all that said, then, what does he have to do with Simons?

Well, according to FBref, the American ace is the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Dutchman in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League.

You can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by taking a look under the hood, at the underlying numbers in which they rank closely.

In this instance, that includes metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.67

0.62

Passing Accuracy

78.6%

76.5%

Expected Assists

0.25

0.23

Shot-Creating Actions

4.52

4.54

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.51

Successful Take-Ons

1.38

1.42

In addition to these statistical similarities, the young Dutchman has moved to the Premier League from a German side, just as the Milan man did.

Furthermore, they’re both equally capable of thriving out wide or as an attacking midfielder.

Ultimately, while some fans are understandably upset at missing out on Simons, the fact that Pulisic is so similar to him and failed at Chelsea suggests that perhaps the club were wise to steer clear of him.

Chelsea ended Guiu's loan for nothing; they've got a better teen to unleash

Maybe Chelsea didn’t need to end Marc Guiu’s loan at Sunderland?

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 3, 2025

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is readying an offer for their potential seventh signing of the summer, which is expected to be placed in the next few days, according to a new report.

Arsenal reach part £30m "agreement" to sign player who Arteta really wants

The Gunners are making progress.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 1, 2025

Following another season of near-misses, the Gunners have committed to backing Mikel Arteta once again, and their business so far reflects a side serious about ending their two-decade-long wait for a Premier League title.

The blockbuster, headline-grabbing signing has been that of Viktor Gyökeres, who’s widely seen as the final missing piece of their jigsaw.

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

25/26 – summer

£208m

Arsenal finally secured the Swedish striker from Sporting CP in a deal worth up to £64m, including add-ons, with Gyokeres making his long-awaited debut against Tottenham in the first overseas north London derby ever on Thursday.

Berta has been a long-time admirer and sees him as the clinical, physically dominant number 9 which Arsenal have seriously lacked. The 53-year-old apparently pushed to sign the 27-year-old over fellow top striker target Benjamin Sesko (Simon Phillips), with Berta finally getting his wish last weekend.

Gyökeres arrives off the back of another phenomenal season in Portugal, scoring 54 goals in all competitions, and he could be the difference between success and another ‘close but no cigar’ season for Arsenal.

Despite spending upwards of £200m already on fellow new arrivals Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera in that order, Berta’s business may not be done.

Talks continue with Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze and his representatives, as per Fabrizio Romano, with Arteta keen on the England international who could provide more creativity, ball progression and a serious goal return from midfield.

Arsenal missed the deadline to trigger Eze’s £60m release clause, which expired on Friday at 11:59pm, but it was never their idea to activate it anyway, as Berta looks to strike a cheaper deal for him.

Arsenal poised to make "formal" Eberechi Eze bid early next week

Football Transfers have an update on the matter, after the outlet’s previous claim that Arsenal have agreed to pay £30m on a ‘first down payment’ for Eze.

Arsenal are now stepping up their pursuit of Eze, with FT reporting the club are preparing a “formal” £51m bid to tempt Palace, which would be made up of the £30m down payment and a further £22m to be paid over the next two years.

Berta’s offer for Eze will apparently be submitted “early next week”, so in the next few days, with talks intensifying behind the scenes and the Gunners ready to make their move.

Eze would be an ideal fit for Arsenal as a central playmaker, and a different threat to captain Martin Odegaard.

The “unique” forward racked up eight goals and eight assists in just 34 Premier League appearances last season. That’s a goal involvement every other game, and his creativity went even deeper than that.

Eze also ranked in the 94th percentile for key passes and expected assists, with 2.06 key passes per match (Footy Stats) – dazzling around the box and completing over two successful dribbles per game too.

Arteta’s side often struggle against teams in the low block, as evident by their goalscoring record in 2024/2025, but Eze’s proven creativity could seriously help to solve this glaring issue.