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Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a huge triple signing this summer after talks between a well known Red Devils director and another club's sporting director took place in recent days.

Man Utd transfer news

Few summer transfer windows have felt more important at Old Trafford than the one that will take place in the coming months, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe has the first opportunity to chance his arm. United's part-owner will want to make his presence felt and show that he is right to be in charge of transfer activity, and endless rumours continue to link them with exciting signings.

Wolves attacker Matheus Cunha is one player who has been backed to come in and add firepower for the Red Devils next season, with the club willing to double his current £60,000 per week wages. He has been compared to Marcus Rashford, not to mention being seen as a player who could get the best out of the Englishman.

Anthony Martial's departure this summer will require a new striker to come in, not to mention Rasmus Hojlund requiring more competition for regular minutes at United, and RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, in defence, Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande is being looked at as an ideal replacement for Raphael Varane, coming fresh off the back of Primeira Liga title title glory with his current club.

There are also concerns that United could lose key players, however, not least Bruno Fernandes, who is reportedly wanted by Barcelona and Bayern Munich. His agent is believed to have held talks with both European giants.

Man Utd eyeing huge triple signing

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are eyeing the triple signing of Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise this summer, with the Crystal Palace trio all seen as potential additions.

In fact, that aforementioned club director in question is Sir Alex Ferguson, and the legendary former Red Devils manager "has met with Dougie Freedman in London to explore Crystal Palace’s position" on arguably their three most prized players.

Whether Guehi, Eze and Olise all end up at United this summer remains to be seen – they have a combined value of £124m, according to Transfermarkt – but if Ferguson and Ratcliffe managed to mastermind the signing of all three of them, it could be some of the most significant business they have done in years.

In Guehi, the Red Devils could be signing a long-term solution at the heart of their defence – one who is currently seen as an option to start ahead of Harry Maguire for England at Euro 2024, especially with the latter struggling with injury problems currently.

Eze is also part of the Three Lions' squad, and could add so much creativity to Erik ten Hag's midfield, registering 15 goal contributions (11 goals and four assists) in 24 Premier League starts in 2023/24. Meanwhile, Olise could be an ideal upgrade on Antony, providing far more end product from a right-sided role and netting twice against United in Palace's 4-0 win at Selhurst Park last month.

Fabrizio Romano drops Man Utd exit concern regarding £240,000-a-week star

Paul Scholes loves him as a player.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 3, 2024

In many ways, Guehi could almost be the most important signing, given the need for centre-back reinforcements – Varane is leaving and Maguire is now 31 years of age – but the aim should be to sign all three together in one window.

Wolverhampton Wanderers defied many people’s expectations this season, with plenty of football fans and pundits predicting them to get relegated, including BBC Sport journalist Phil McNulty. He had them in 19th in his pre-season predictions, explaining that he had a “very, very worrying feeling” about the Midlands side.

However, Gary O’Neil’s side managed to finish in an impressive 14th in the Premier League table, 20 points clear of relegation. In fact, they were just three points off a top-half finish, with tenth spot claimed by Crystal Palace, who got 49 points.

Wolves actually overachieved this season, according to Understat’s expected points metric. As per the expected points table, the Midlands side achieved seven points more than they should have, with their expected points total of 39xPTS.

This is certainly impressive from boss O’Neil, whose side became a fluid and transitional team this season, with the likes of Matheus Cunha, Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan particularly thriving.

With such an impressive platform laid, it gives O’Neil and his side the opportunity to use it as a springboard and climb even higher in the Premier League table next season, plus potentially gather momentum in the cup. Already, Wolves have been linked with a new signing who could replace one of their current stars if he leaves.

Wolves target South American winger

The player in question here is CA Talleres and Paraguay international Ramon Sosa. The 24-year-old could well be set for a big move to Europe this summer, after playing well in top-flight football in Argentina.

According to reports in Paraguay, Wolves are thought to be one of the sides most keen on bringing Sosa to European football. However, they would face stiff competition from Londers Chelsea, Newcastle United and the City Group, who own Manchester City, should they want to get a deal done.

According to the report, Sosa’s current club, CA Talleres, value the winger at approximately £16m. They are in line to make a healthy profit on the 24-year-old, given they spent just £1.8m on him in January.

As aforementioned, a deal for Sosa from Wolves would likely occur should Neto leave the club. Newcastle and City are also interested in bringing the Portuguese international to their respective clubs. However, Wolves would demand a large fee, thought to be in the region of £60m, according to John Percy of The Telegraph.

How Sosa and Neto compare

Sosa’s numbers in top-flight football for CA Talleres this season have certainly been impressive. The 24-year-old has scored four goals and registered four assists for his side in just 12 league appearances.

Neto has played slightly more games in the Premier League due to injury issues. However, the winger has also put up some impressive numbers. The Portuguese, who will be heading to Euro 2024, has scored two and registered nine assists in 20 games for Wolves.

Stylistically, the pair are very similar players, too. Neto is a lightning-quick winger, who uses his pace to his advantage, running at opposition defenders relentlessly. Sosa is a tall, quick two-way winger who can go on the inside or the outside of a defender, adding an unpredictable nature to his game.

It is important to see how they stack up statistically, too. As per Fbref, Sosa is one of the best dribblers in the world. He averages 7.22 take-ons per 90 minutes and 3.89 complete take-ons per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 1% for each metric, meaning he is, statistically, one of the world’s best with the ball at his feet.

In contrast, according to Fbref, Neto averages just 5.22 attempted take-ons per 90 minutes and 2.2 completed take-ons per 90 minutes. This ranks him in the top 20% and top 22% respectively. Either way, they're still incredibly high numbers.

Sosa vs Neto dribbling stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Sosa

Neto

Take-ons

7.22

5.22

Successful take-ons

3.89

2.2

Stats from Fbref

The Paraguayan is a deadly dribbler, described by football analyst Ben Mattinson over on X as a “problem every time he gets the ball”. Mattinson then goes on to explain that Sosa has great “unpredictability on the ball”.

Sosa’s explosive dribbling and willingness to get on the ball and make something happen is a luxury that Wolves also have with Neto. That makes him an ideal candidate to replace the Portuguese this summer if he departs Molineux.

Related Wolves right in the race for "outrageous" £24m Neto replacement

The Old Gold could secure a shrewd signing by landing this talented winger.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 24, 2024

Liverpool will be bidding to keep their Premier League title hopes alive with victory away at Goodison this evening, although there may be a sense of distraction among the travelling party amid the continued hunt to find Jurgen Klopp's successor in the dugout.

Leading target Xabi Alonso has already outlined his commitment to Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen, while talk has also gone cold regarding Sporting CP sensation, Ruben Amorim, with the Portuguese coach also earning admiring glances from West Ham United.

With the end of the season fast approaching, it looks as if the Reds have identified a new frontrunner in the form of Feyenoord boss, Arne Slot, although the Dutchman is seemingly not the only high-profile name under consideration…

Liverpool's search to replace Jurgen Klopp

As per various sources – including The Athletic – the Merseyside outfit have already made contact regarding the potential appointment of former Tottenham Hotspur target, Slot, with the 45-year-old having come to prominence after leading the Rotterdam side to the Eredivisie title in 2022/23.

Despite the interest in the one-time AZ Alkmaar head coach, journalist Robin Bairner of Football Transfers has also revealed that Liverpool are keeping their options open, having "held talks" with Lille's Paulo Fonseca.

The report suggests that those discussions took place earlier in the season, with the Portuguese said to be 'admired' by those at Anfield for the work he has done both in France and in prior stints at the likes of AS Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk.

How Fonseca compares to Arne Slot

There is much intrigue surrounding the aforementioned Slot due to his recent success in his native Holland, with the in-demand coach even lauded as "similar to Pep Guardiola" by journalist Marcel van der Kraan, due to his "ultra-attacking" approach.

Fonseca, it must be said, is also intent on implementing a style of play that is pleasing on the eye, having previously told The Athletic that for him, "it's never just about the result", as he seeks for his sides to "dominate and create more chances than the opposition".

In pursuit of trying to "create something spectacular", in his own words, the 51-year-old has utilised that approach to good effect in recent years, notably winning a host of domestic honours during his time in Ukraine – including winning three successive league titles.

As for the current campaign, Fonseca has steered his Lille side to fourth in the Ligue 1 table, having also reached the last eight of the Europa Conference League, where his side were narrowly defeated by Aston Villa on penalties.

Much like Slot, any move for the Mozambique-born coach may represent something of a gamble as he never worked at a truly elite club – perhaps Roma aside – yet according to Fabrizio Romano, he does have the credentials to flourish in the Premier League.

Discussing Spurs' interest in him back in 2021, Romano said that Fonseca "is perfect in the dressing room and perfect in his relationship with the players", perhaps making him an ideal candidate to try and fill the hefty void left behind by the departing Klopp.

Club

Matches

Points per game

Lille

85

1.81

Roma

102

1.76

Shakhtar

139

2.47

Braga

57

1.82

Pacos Ferreira

39

1.38

Porto

37

1.95

Pacos Ferreira

41

1.93

Desportivo Aves

37

1.70

Pinhalnovense

4

2.25

As Romano stated, the Liverpool target was also "always appreciated by the fans" during his two-year stint in Rome between 2019 and 2021, ensuring a connection could well be made between himself and the Anfield crowd, if a deal is to be agreed.

As such, while it may be Slot who is taking the limelight at present, Fonseca is certainly not someone to be overlooked as the race to replace Klopp heats up.

Liverpool eye new manager known for unleashing youngsters – it's not Slot

A third target has been identified alongside the rumours surrounding Amorim and Slot.

ByBen Browning Apr 23, 2024

تحدث كارلو أنشيلوتي المدير الفني لريال مدريد، عن الأداء المميز للفريق، مشيرًا إلى تماسك اللاعبين وتركيزهم طوال المباراة، كما تطرق إلى بعض التعديلات التكتيكية التي أجراها، وخاصة فيما يتعلق بمبابي وفينيسيوس.

كما سلط أنشيلوتي الضوء على أهمية الدور الجماعي لجميع اللاعبين، بما في ذلك سيبايوس وأردا جولر.

ومع اقتراب مواجهة ليفربول، ناقش أنشيلوتي التحديات المتعلقة بالجاهزية البدنية لبعض اللاعبين وقراراته الفنية بخصوص التشكيلة.

وتغلب ريال مدريد على ليجانيس بثلاثية نظيفة في الدوري الإسباني، وسيلاقي ليفربول يوم الأربعاء المقبل بدوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال أنشيلوتي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “كانت مباراة رائعة من البداية للنهاية، الفريق كان متماسكًا ومركزًا، فينيسيوس قدم أداءً جيدًا من الداخل ومبابي أيضًا، بعد الهدف، سيطر الفريق بشكل جيد جدًا، أنا سعيد”.

وعن موقف مبابي من اللعب كجناح، أفاد: “هو أكثر تأقلمًا وهذا جيد بالنسبة له، ولكن اليوم كان أفضل للفريق لأن اللعب على الجناح يتطلب مجهودًا أكبر من اللعب في المنتصف”.

وواصل: “ومن هذه الناحية كان لديه مزيد من الطاقة مقارنةً مع فينيسيوس، لقد قدم أداءً رائعًا جدًا مع الهدف، بتمريرة رائعة من فيني، أعتقد أن كليهما معًا يتحسن تدريجيًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | رجل مباراة ريال مدريد وليجانيس في الدوري الإسباني

وعن الثنائي سيبايوس وأردا جولر، أردف: “عندما يكون الفريق في حالة جيدة، فهذا لأن الجميع قد ساهم بشكل كبير، ساهم جولر، سيبايوس، كامافينجا… متطلبات المباريات عالية جدًا ونحن نحتاجهم جميعًا، أنا راضٍ عن أداء الجميع في المباراة”.

وبشأن المواجهة المرتقبة أمام ليفربول، وجاهزية اللاعبين، أشار أنشيلوتي: “ما زال الوقت مبكرًا لمعرفة إذا كنا سنستعيد أي لاعب للتمهيد للمباراة يوم الأربعاء، لكن أسيينسيو قدم مباراة جادة جدًا، أعجبني كثيرًا، وفالفيردي هو ظهير رائع، بعد كارفاخال ولوكاس، فالفيردي هو أفضل ظهير في العالم”.

واستطرد: “المشكلة مع فالفيردي هي أنه يلعب بهذه الطريقة في جميع المراكز ومن الصعب تحديد أين يلعب بشكل أفضل، في الدفاع، أعجبني الفريق كثيرًا، وسنرى من نتمكن من استعادته لكي نقرر بشكل نهائي”.

وعن أداء لاعبه أسينسيو، أشاد: “لقد فاجأني من حيث إنه لا يخاف ودائمًا ما يكون في مكانه الصحيح، وهذا يعني أن الأكاديمية قد قامت بعمل رائع”.

وبشأن إمكانية الاعتماد على فالفيردي كظهير أمام ليفربول، أوضح: “هذا موضوع يجب أن أفكر فيه، لكن في الوسط نحن مغطون جيدًا لأن كامافينجا في أفضل مستوياته ولدينا أيضًا مودريتش”.

وأكد: “هذه تقييمات سأضطر إلى القيام بها عندما أتمكن من الحصول على التشكيلة الكاملة، من حيث إذا كان بإمكاننا استعادة أي لاعب للمباراة يوم الأربعاء أم لا”.

وفيما يتعلق بتواجد ميندي بديلاً، أصر أنشيلوتي: “قرار فني، لا أكثر، في الوقت الحالي، هو لا يقدم أداءً جيدًا، لكنه سيكون مهمًا للمباراة يوم الأربعاء”.

يرى النجم السابق لفريق ليفربول، راي هوتون، أن المصري محمد صلاح أصبح يشبه الأسطورة كريستيانو رونالدو، على حد قوله، في ظل تألقه المستمر حتى سن الـ32 عامًا.

ويقدم محمد صلاح أداءً مميزًا رفقة ليفربول، تحت قيادة المدرب آرني سلوت، هذا الموسم حيث سجل 10 أهداف وصنع مثلها في مختلف المسابقات.

وقال راي هوتون في تصريحات لشبكة “talkSPORT” الإنجليزية: “أعتقد أن أفضل مثال هو كريستيانو رونالدو، أنت تنظر إلى ما فعله بنفسه، وكيف حافظ على نفسه في حالة جيدة”.

وأضاف: “الأمر يتعلق بموقف العقل والحياة بالطريقة الصحيحة، وأعتقد أن محمد صلاح في تلك الفئة، أعتقد أنه يريد اللعب لأطول فترة ممكنة، لأنه يحب كرة القدم ويحب تسجيل الأهداف وصناعتها”.

وواصل: “إنه لا يسجل الأهداف فحسب، بل يصنعها أيضًا، وهو أمر ربما لم يفعله في الماضي، لكنه أصبح لاعبًا شاملاً هذا الموسم، من وجهة نظري”.

اقرأ أيضًا | صناعة مصرية.. مرموش يعادل رقم محمد صلاح في الدوريات الأوروبية الكبرى

وأردف: “أعتقد أنه غيّر لعبته، وهذا أمر مفيد بالنسبة لـ ليفربول حيث إن الفريق يرى أفضل ما لديه في الوقت الحالي، سواء في تسجيل أو صناعة الأهداف”.

واسترسل: “عندما تشاهد أداء محمد صلاح تجد أن الأمر رائع للغاية، وكانت مستويات طاقته هذا الموسم أيضًا مذهلة للغاية، تحت قيادة سلوت يمكنك النظر إلى مستويات لياقة اللاعبين البدنية، ليس فقط في الهجوم ولكن دفاعيًا”.

وتابع: “هم يضغطون عاليًا، لديهم فترة زمنية قصيرة من أجل استعادة الكرة، إذا لم يفعلوا ذلك، فإنهم يعودون بسرعة إلى مواقع دفاعية، ويقف الجميع خلف الكرة”.

وأكد: “وهذا ينطبق على كل لاعب، وليس على لاعب أو اثنين يقومان بذلك، كل لاعب يعود مباشرة إلى الدفاع، كما يتمتعون بحالة جيدة للعب ضد الخصوم الذين يلعبون ضدهم”.

واختتم الأيرلندي تصريحاته قائلًا: “ولكن محمد صلاح هو الأساس”.

The youngster battled cramps, an injured hamstring and a fever to script a memorable innings

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2020Vijay Merchant, Ajit Wadekar, Sunil Gavaskar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Wasim Jaffer, Rohit Sharma … and now Sarfaraz Khan, members of the Mumbai triple centurions’ club in Ranji Trophy cricket, after the 22-year-old hit an unbeaten 301 to help Mumbai take the first-innings honours despite conceding 625 against Uttar Pradesh at the Wankhede Stadium.While questions could – and should – be raised over the playing surface, where 1313 runs were scored over four days for the loss of just 15 wickets, it should take nothing away from the knock that has just about managed to keep Mumbai’s stuttering campaign alive. They are currently 12th in the combined Group A and B table, and are potentially just a win away from entering the top five. While the position they find themselves in isn’t ideal, they would be encouraged by the recent upswing in fortunes.ALSO READ: ‘I was determined to make this one count’ – Manoj Tiwary on historic tripleLast week in Chennai, they recovered from 129 for 5 on the first morning to post 488 on the back of a superb century from Aditya Tare, the stand-in captain. This set the tone for them to walk away with three points after they secured a lead against an equally deflated Tamil Nadu side.This time, they saw Uttar Pradesh notch up a big score after they had removed half the side with just 281 on the board, with wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav making a fifth of his career runs in a single innings alone from No. 7 (203 not out).Sarfaraz walked in to bat on the third day with Mumbai tottering on 128 for 4, 497 behind. He later admitted to walking out to a lot of chirp from the UP team. After all, three years ago, Sarfaraz was part of Wankhede’s away dressing room, playing for UP against Mumbai, the side that nurtured him from age-group cricket. Lack of assurance from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) in terms of his place in the side played a hand in Sarfaraz’s move to UP, his home state. His performances there weren’t inspiring, and issues with his fitness and discipline led to him being sidelined.

He has matured a bit now. He is more selective, but still with the range of shots he has, he can bat at No. 5 and 6 and win matches for usAditya Tare on Sarfaraz Khan

“I was just delighted and would like to thank MCA for giving me another chance. It [century] was due for a long time. I am glad I scored my first century for Mumbai,” Sarfaraz told . “It was daddy’s [coach Naushad Khan] decision [to play for UP]. I still remember when I was leaving for UP and packing my Mumbai Ranji team’s clothing, I was literally crying because of my love for Mumbai. I never thought I would play for Mumbai again. I still can’t believe I came back and played for Mumbai. It’s like a dream.”This time in the home dressing room, after serving a cooling-off period, he was trying to give his career another push with his team in trouble. He had just made one half-century in three innings prior to the UP game, and shook off any signs of nerves by playing the way he does. He put together stands of 210 with Siddhesh Lad, 179 with Tare, and then 150 with Shams Mulani to give Mumbai a lead. It was a special effort given Sarfaraz battled cramps, a wonky hamstring, and a bout of fever during the course of the two days he batted.”Actually I wasn’t going to come out to bat,” Sarfaraz said. “Adu (Tare) was going to come in my place. I was having fever and cough, I wasn’t well for the last two or three days. Last night (Tuesday), I was okay-okay, but the fever returned during the lunch break. But I felt I should go out to bat, I felt I was the kind of player who could change the game if I remained in the middle.”Sarfaraz said the bouts of pain from his hamstring just prior to the tea interval was a result of cramping. “I hadn’t eaten anything since morning, I don’t eat usually while I’m batting,” he said. “I was tired. During the tea break, I said ‘ (that’s it, I’ve had enough)’. When I got to 250, I thought I must walk off, but the team kept backing me.”Sarfaraz’s return to form bodes well for a side that is without designated captain Suryakumar Yadav, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur, all of whom are either away in New Zealand or preparing to fly out to join the national team. Tare, who is currently leading Mumbai, felt Sarfaraz had matured as a player since he had last played for them.”He has a better head on his shoulders now than when he last played for us,” Tare said. “He was young, used to play a lot more shots then. He has matured a bit now. He is more selective, but still with the range of shots he has, he can bat at No. 5 and 6 and win matches for us.”

Leeds United are already setting up their plans to bolster the squad in the summer, eyeing up a long-term signing to improve their defensive ranks.

Leeds' January business opens door for defensive signings

German head coach Daniel Farke, who had signed nine players last summer, only made one senior addition to his side by deadline day last month. Wales international Connor Roberts was snapped up on loan from Premier League side Burnley, with no option to make the move permanent.

The 28-year-old full-back has registered one goal – against Leicester City – and one assist – against Plymouth Argyle – in five appearances as a substitute in the Championship thus far.

Farke also allowed Luke Ayling, Darko Gyabi, and Ian Poveda to go out on loan, whilst Leo Hjelde was sold to league rivals Sunderland on a permanent basis.

Right-back Djed Spence, who had spent the first half of the season on loan at Elland Road, was sent back to Tottenham Hotspur after reported punctuality issues during his time in Yorkshire, and there is now a clear need to reinforce the defensive ranks come the summer, regardless of what division the club finds itself in.

Latest Leeds transfer news

Journalist Graeme Bailey has dropped an exciting line on the club's interest in a summer move for a new full-back. He reports that Leeds are "doing work" on a deal to sign KAA Gent left-back Archie Brown at the end of the season.

The writer claims that Premier League sides West Ham United and Chelsea are both monitoring his progress in Belgium as they also eye up a potential swoop for the former Derby County youngster.

He reveals, in the accompanying article on HITC, that Brentford and Fulham, alongside a number of unnamed foreign suitors, are keeping tabs on him.

Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that Gent value Brown at a fee within the region of £15m. However, it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds would be willing to pay that much for his services.

A left-back could be a shrewd addition to the squad in the summer as the Whites currently only have one naturally left-footed player in that position.

Sam Byram and Junior Firpo are Farke's only left-back options at senior level, and the former is a right-footed defender who came through the ranks at Elland Road as a right-back earlier in his career.

2023/24 domestic league statistics	Archie Brown	Junior Firpo
Appearances	19	15
Big chances created	Six	Five
Assists	Two	Four
Dribbles completed per game	2.3	0.3
Duels won per game	6.6	3.9
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Brown has provided an attacking threat down the left flank for the Belgian outfit this season, as the ex-Barcelona full-back has for Leeds. The former is clearly superior at taking players on with the ball at his feet though, completing over seven times more take-ons per match, while also winning nearly twice as many duels.

At the age of 21, the former Derby starlet could come in as a project player who Farke can work with to develop and eventually emerge as the long-term replacement for Firpo, while also adding depth in several other positions given his ability to player further up on the left side of midfield or at centre-back.

This is why a move for the English whiz could be an exciting one at the end of the season as the Yorkshire-based outfit could land an excellent young player with the scope to become a fantastic performer in multiple positions.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has suggested that Tottenham would be making a real mistake by signing one forward who they're apparently in pole position for.

Spurs linked with new forward this summer

By some distance, the position in which Spurs have been most heavily tipped to strengthen in the next transfer market is their attacking ranks.

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He won’t be available for the foreseeable.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 14, 2024

Indeed, Spurs want a new winger as their key signing of the summer, and they've been repeatedly linked with some big names like Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze and Wolves winger Pedro Neto. However, another player they're thought to be interested in signing is Hull City sensation Jaden Philogene.

The 22-year-old has bagged eight goals and six assists in the Championship this season, leading to firm interest from north London. There's even been suggestions that Spurs are in pole position to sign Philogene this summer.

Robinson suggests Spurs could make mistake by signing Philogene

Reacting to the reports that Tottenham are favourites to sign the Tigers winger, Robinson has suggested that Philogene just isn't the signing Spurs should be making.

“I think he obviously didn’t get games at Aston Villa for a reason, he’s gone to the Championship and it’s difficult,” Robinson said. “I’ve not seen enough of the player regularly but he’s playing well at Hull in a team that are playing well and looking for the playoffs. But there’s a reason he didn’t break through at Villa.

“Often you see players who don’t succeed at the Premier League level, I’m not saying this is the case with him because I’ve not seen enough of him and I’ve not seen enough game time.

Hull City 4-1 Rotherham

8.94

Rotherham 1-2 Hull City

8.73

Hull City 1-0 Preston

8.61

Swansea 2-2 Hull City

8.49

Hull City 1-1 Plymouth Argyle

8.34

“But players find their level sometimes, so the scouting network have to be very good and very careful that he’s not a player who looks that good in the Championship but actually can’t do it in the Premier League because there’s a reason Villa will have let him go.

“At the same time, players do develop at a different rate, players develop later on, players get better and the more experience he gets in the Championship he may become a better player. From a Tottenham point of view, I don’t see him as the next level. If you’re looking at Tottenham’s front line the players they’ve got there now, you look at players like Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, James Maddison, Son Heung-min, Timo Werner, Brennan Johnson – is he an improvement on any of those, would he get in the side ahead of any of those? You’d probably argue not.

“I think from a Tottenham point of view, if you’re wanting to push on and go to that next level, I mean a top-four challenge this season was unexpected but we’re in a top-four challenge and it’s a realistic possibility. And if you’re in the Champions League next year, you’re shopping at Harrods, you’re not shopping in the Championship.”

It's an excellent time to be an Arsenal fan at the moment.

Mikel Arteta's side are on a roll in the Premier League, are well and truly back in the title race and are set to play their first Champions League knockout game for seven years when they take on Porto tonight.

One of the players likely to make it into the starting XI will be Belgian international Leandro Trossard, who's been in fine form last month, with four goals in five games.

However, another attacker at the club didn't cost a penny, is now worth more than the 29-year-old and could be set for a profitable move in the summer.

Eddie Nketiah's academy record

The player in question is 24-year-old Eddie Nketiah, who joined Arsenal as a youth player after being released by cross-city rivals Chelsea at age 14.

The Lewisham-born striker later claimed that the experience of losing his place at Cobham gave him "that extra motivation and resilience when times are hard", which could explain how he has been able to fight for his place in the Gunners' squad.

In his 60 appearances for the various youth sides at Arsenal, the young poacher scored 46 goals and provided 11 assists, meaning he averaged 0.95 goal involvements per match for a considerable period.

Following this success, he was sent on loan to Championship side Leeds United in the 2019/20 season, although he only spent half a season in West Yorkshire and returned with five goals and one assist in 19 appearances.

Away from club football, the 5 foot 11 frontman was prolific for the England youth sides and is still the top goalscorer for the U21s, as he racked up 16 in 17 games.

Eddie Nketiah's market value

Nektiah's first team debut for Arsenal came back in September 2017, when Arsène Wenger brought him on for a minute of action against Bate Borisov in the UEFA Europa League, with his Premier League debut coming six months later, as the Frenchman gave him another short cameo, this time against Brighton & Hove Albion.

However, his first real stint with the senior squad came under Arteta in the 2019/20 season, when he made 17 appearances and picked up four goals.

The "monster" forward, as described by The Athletic's Aaron Catterson-Reid, has since gone on to play 162 games for the north Londoners, in which he has scored 38 goals and provided ten assists, which isn't too bad for a backup striker.

However, it's his new valuation that will really please the Arsenal board, as the CIES Football Observatory values him at around €50m or about £43m, which is £9m more than they value Trossard – who has ten goals to his name in all competitions this season.

Eddie Nketiah's Arsenal Record
Appearances	162
Goals	38
Assists	10
All Stats via Transfermarkt

This price discrepancy is most likely due to the age difference between the pair, as at 29 years old, the Belgian has fewer years in the game remaining than the Englishman, even though he has been more effective in recent months.

It appears as if Stan Kroenke and Co are looking to cash in on this new valuation of Nketiah this year as well, as it was reported earlier this month that his exit this summer is a genuine possibility.

Arsenal played a blinder selling gem whose value has plummeted by £15m

The highly-rated youngster hasn’t had the best of seasons this year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 20, 2024

Ultimately, the academy graduate has been a useful player for the club at times, but perhaps his greatest contribution to Arsenal could be a hefty payday when he moves on, which can hopefully allow him to reach his full potential as well.

أسفرت قرعة دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، التي أقيمت اليوم الإثنين، عن تواجد الزمالك في المجموعة الرابعة للمسابقة.

وأقيمت اليوم فعاليات مراسم قرعة دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، في العاصمة الإدارية الجديدة بالقاهرة.

وكان الزمالك صاحب التتويج بلقب النسخة الماضية قد تأهل إلى دور المجموعات بعدما فاز على الشرطة الكيني 3-1 في مجموع المباراتين بدور الـ32.

طالع أيضاً.. مباشر | قرعة كأس الكونفدرالية 2024-2025

وكان الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” أعلن تصنيف الزمالك، حيث جاء في المستوي الأول والمصري جاء في التصنيف الثاني.

وشهدت تلك المجموعة (المجموعة الرابعة)، صدام قوي ومواجهات نارية، حيث جاء الزمالك والمصري في مجموعة واحدة. مجموعة الزمالك في كأس الكونفدرالية

1- الزمالك (مصر).

2- المصري البورسعيدي (مصر).

3- بلاك بولز (موزمبيق).

4 – إنيمبا (نيجيريا)،