Luka Modric is determined to help AC Milan return to their once glorious heights as he reflected upon his decision to join the club.
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Mehidy Hasan Miraz has been left out of the T20I squad while mystery spinner Al Islam earns maiden call-up
Mohammad Isam13-Feb-2024
Shakib Al Hasan will not be in action in the T20Is and ODIs against Sri Lanka•ICC/Getty Images
Shakib Al Hasan’s eye condition has kept him out of Bangladesh’s ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka. However on the same day that the selectors announced the squads for the Sri Lanka series, Shakib struck a whirlwind 31-ball 69 for Rangpur Riders in a BPL game in Chattogram.Shakib had reportedly said that batting was an issue for him – he demoted himself down the order for Rangpur before returning to the top three in the recent games.Chief selector Minhajul Abedin, who will be relieved of his duties from February 28, selected his last squads of his eight-year stint. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the vice-captain of the T20I side, was left out among six changes. Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Hasan Mahmud and Rony Talukdar were also left out.Instead Anamul Haque, Mohammad Naim, Mahmudullah, Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed were brought back. Mystery spinner Aliss Al Islam, who is currently in action for Comilla Victorians in the BPL, earned his maiden call-up to the national side.Mahmudullah returned to the T20I side after more than a year, having scored two fifties so far for Fortune Barishal in this BPL season. Mahmudullah, though, has been a regular in the ODI team, having only missed the New Zealand tour last December. Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed were also back in the T20I squad. However, there was no room for Rakibul Hasan, Afif Hossain and Hasan Mahmud. Rakibul is a young left-arm spinner while Afif and Mahmud lost their places in both white-ball sides.Bangladesh will play the three T20Is against Sri Lanka in Sylhet on March 4, 6 and 9. The ODIs will be held in Chattogram on March 13, 15 and 18.Bangladesh T20I squad Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Litton Das, Anamul Haque, Mohammad Naim, Tawhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Mahedi Hasan, Mahmudullah, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Aliss Al IslamIn: Anamul Haque, Mohammad Naim, Mahmudullah, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Aliss Al IslamOut: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Rony Talukdar (wk)Bangladesh ODI squad Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur RahmanIn: Mahmudullah, Taijul Islam, Taskin AhmedOut: Rakibul Hasan, Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud
On following the auction: “We were trying to keep ourselves busy, and when [your name] popped up, you end up being glued to the screen”
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-20234:53
Making sense of CSK’s INR 14 crore bid for Mitchell
Mitchell Santner – “he’s a Chennai stalwart now” – was the first to get in touch. And then “your phone goes off pretty quickly,” Daryl Mitchell said with a laugh, talking about the calls from his new team at the IPL, Chennai Super Kings, not long after he was sold for INR 14 crore (US$1,687,000 approx.) at Tuesday’s auction in Dubai.”Yeah, your heart starts to pump a little bit as you see the paddles going up. And yeah, having been through an auction before and going unsold, it was a special night last night to experience that, and now to obviously be part of the Chennai Super Kings is an exciting time,” Mitchell said in a chat with reporters back in New Zealand the morning after.”[Elder daughter] Addie’s birthday today, so there was a bit of wrapping up presents and stuff like that while the auction was going on. At the auction, you don’t quite know exactly when you’re going to come up in the list. So yeah, I guess we were just trying to keep ourselves busy and watching it, and then, when it popped up, I guess you end up being glued to the screen to see what happens.Related
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“As soon as it’s all done, your phone goes off pretty quickly, and Chennai get in touch with you, speak with the manager and Flem [head coach Stephen Fleming], in contact with them to get a few things sorted and becoming part of the Chennai Super Kings team. It all happens pretty quickly. At the moment, I guess I am still pinching myself [because of] how lucky and grateful I am for this opportunity and looking forward to getting stuck into it in a few months’ time.”Mitchell, an established member of the New Zealand national team across formats after 20 Tests, 39 ODIs and 56 T20Is, was a part of Rajasthan Royals, in 2022, but go into the first XI only twice. This opportunity, he is hoping, helps him in a bigger way, and not just in terms of his cricket.”It’s my oldest daughter’s fifth birthday today, so I got her a pretty good present waking up,” he said. “Not that she understands what’s going on, but yeah, look, I guess that’s the whole thing about these sorts of situations, it will help us set up the family in many ways, [the two daughters can] grow up and enjoy the things they love, and for me, that’s the really cool thing about it, and they are the reason why you do all this.2:50
Mitchell excited to work with ‘great of the game’ Fleming at CSK
“I understand that the game doesn’t owe you anything, but you also have to be grateful for the opportunities that are provided. I still showed up this morning when we woke up, my daughter ran in and she [doesn’t] really even think about the IPL. So, I guess, in many ways, it’s about keeping things in perspective. And be grateful for what’s happened over the last 12 hours and being excited about it, but at the same time knowing that the hard work doesn’t stop, and you keep showing up with a smile on your face and getting stuck into the competition.”At Super Kings, Mitchell will have a lot of familiar faces around. Santner, of course. And Fleming. Rachin Ravindra has been acquired at the auction too, and Devon Conway was already there. Not to forget the physio, Tommy Simsek.”Really excited to play under Flem, he is obviously a great of the game in our country as a player and now as a coach as well. To learn off him, he’s obviously had a lot of success, and I am looking forward to that experience,” Mitchell said. “I grew up with Mitch since we were about 12 years old. And now, with Dev and Rachin in the team as well, it’s going to be good fun. And again, a lot of the Indian players – the cool thing about the IPL is that you get to rub shoulders with some world-class players, so really looking forward to that.”You obviously spend a lot of time in hotels throughout the IPL and to have some good mates there helps the time go a bit faster. Throughout the World Cup, I know Rachin was in charge of the PlayStation group every night, so those sort of things will be happening again. Yeah, look, it’s nice to have some familiar faces, but at the same time, it’s also awesome to be part of what is such a cool franchise and successful franchise, to learn off some guys and those things are going to be seriously exciting.”
MatériaMais Notícias
Na reta final de Campeonato Brasileiro da Série B, as equipes seguem fazendo contas para conquistar o tão sonhado acesso para a elite em 2023. E para Grêmio e Bahia, a história não é diferente.
Sendo assim, com seis jogos restantes para cada (18 pontos em disputa), confira abaixo a situação do Imortal e do Esquadrão, além das chances de acesso segundo o site ‘Infobola’.
Grêmio: atualmente na vice-liderança da competição nacional, a equipe gaúcha tropeçou pela 32ª rodada ao ser derrotada pelo Sampaio Corrêa, por 2 a 1. Entretanto, tem 95% de chance acesso.
Com 53 pontos, o clube gaúcho tem sete pontos a mais que o Londrina, hoje 5º colocado. Na próxima rodada, terá como adversário o CSA, na Arena, terça-feira (4), projetando os confronto diretos na sequência diante do Londrina (34ª rodada) e Bahia (35ª rodada).
Bahia:atualmente na 3ª posição da competição nacional, a equipe também tropeçou pela 32ª rodada ao ser derrotada pela Chapecoense, por 3 a 1. Entretanto, tem 91% de chance acesso.
Com 51 pontos, está a atrás dos gaúchos, porém tem seis de diferença para o Londrina. Nas próximas rodadas, terá como adversário o Novorizontino, terça-feira (4), pela 34ª rodada, além do Brusque, pela 35ª rodada.
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Wrexham are in the market for Premier League pedigree and Ryan Reynolds has told Alan Shearer "let's do this" while setting a Hugh Jackman challenge.
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Red Dragons looking to bolster their ranksEx-England captain jokes about leading the lineTop-flight experience being sought in WalesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Dragons are readying themselves for life in the Championship after enjoying a historic run of three successive promotions. They are being linked with a number of players that boast top-flight experience.
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Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are helping to make the funds available that allow Phil Parkinson to bolster his ranks. He could have more firepower at his disposal in 2025-26.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ex-England captain Shearer, who is the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer, has jokingly offered his services to Wrexham after linking up with former Newcastle team-mate Rob Lee and his current Red Dragons star son, Elliot.
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WHAT RYAN REYNOLDS SAID
Reynolds has left the door open for Shearer to get his boots back on at 54 years of age if he can get into the same shape as Jackman in the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ blockbuster. Reynolds posted on social media: "Honestly, I wouldn’t bet against you, Shearer. Get on the Jackman program and let’s do this."
Celtic are closing in on another Scottish Premiership title, but may have to concede defeat in their quest to retain an important asset heading into next season.
Celtic remain on course for a sparking end to the season
Following a Glasgow Derby defeat to Rangers before the international break, Celtic reacted in ideal fashion against Heart of Midlothian by claiming a 3-0 victory to retain their 13-point lead at the Scottish Premiership summit.
Daizen Maeda’s double and a close-range finish from Jota sealed an impressive afternoon, keeping the Bhoys on course for another domestic treble. While the date of their inevitable title party remains to be determined, Brendan Rodgers has already started work on potential summer reinforcements.
Looking to strengthen in midfield, Celtic have Augsburg star Elvis Rexhbecaj on their radar and could be given a boost in their pursuit due to the fact his contract at the Bundesliga club is set to expire in 2026.
Furthermore, the Bhoys are keen to sign free-scoring attacker Maeda to a new contract. Rodgers has confirmed that talks are ongoing, and Dermot Desmond has played a part in initiating negotiations.
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Retaining key assets will hold parity with the importance of bringing fresh blood to Parkhead this summer. Nicolas Kuhn, Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers, among others, are players Celtic will be keen to keep hold of ahead of their Champions League qualifying path next season.
Either way, not everyone will be there to enjoy the journey. Football has a funny way of throwing up surprises, though supporters won’t be too shocked by the identity of one star that is now set for the exit door.
Brendan Rodgers confirms Greg Taylor is set to leave Celtic
Speaking after the Bhoys’ triumph over Hearts, Rodgers confirmed Greg Taylor is set to leave Celtic on a free transfer once his contract expires at the end of the season.
He stated: “I’ve been in the position so many times and I can read situations as well. It’s probably more that he’ll move on than stay, which is a big shame for me because he’s someone that I really, really like. I love him as a person but I love his game because I think his game is suited to how we work.”
Greg Taylor’s trophy-laden spell at Celtic
Appearances
208
Goals
9
Assists
32
Trophies won
10
Joined from
Kilmarnock
Transfer fee
£2 million
Jeffrey Schlupp has taken on the role of primary operator at left-back since arriving from Crystal Palace. Kieran Tierney will join Celtic in the off-season, plunging Taylor’s prospects of regular minutes into doubt.
Now, £780,000 per year earner Taylor appears to have decided to move on. History will remember the Scotland international as a valiant servant who played a major part in success stories during a golden era for the Bhoys, even if his end at the club feels slightly anticlimactic.
Bayern Munich have confirmed the summer signing of Jonathan Tah as a free agent after the centre-back's departure from Bayer Leverkusen.
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Leeds United returned to winning ways last night, claiming a 2-0 win over Millwall at Elland Road, extending the gap to four points over third-placed Burnley.
An own goal from Jake Cooper and a second-half strike from Ao Tanaka secured all three points for Daniel Farke’s side, edging them one step closer to promotion from the Championship.
It wasn’t a vintage display for large parts, but ultimately, after the defeat on the South Coast at the weekend, three points were all that mattered against Alex Neil’s side.
The Whites restricted the opposition to just four shots all night, with Illan Meslier a passenger not needing to make a single save after the backline prevented any shots from making it on target.
Multiple players stepped up after losing their unbeaten run a couple of days ago, impressing throughout and playing an important role in the triumph in Yorkshire.
Leeds’ star performers against Millwall
Left-back Junior Firpo continues to impress for Leeds, with the club desperately needing to offer the former Barcelona ace a new deal with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
The 28-year-old registered 11 passes into the final third, completing 100% of the dribbles he attempted – staggering numbers for a defender – before setting the second goal, notching his ninth assist of the campaign.
As previously mentioned, holding midfielder Tanaka managed to get himself on the scoresheet for the fourth time in 2024/25 but also impressed with his all-round game at the heart of the side.
The Japanese international notched 109 touches during the triumph, making nine recoveries and winning 10 duels – the most of any player on the pitch.
Despite his recent impressive showing, one other Whites player had an evening to remember, rapidly becoming as important as if not more important, than the 26-year-old in recent outings.
The Leeds star who’s becoming as important as Tanaka
Given the strength of the Leeds first-team squad, minutes can be hard to come by, as seen with Wilfried Gnonto, who has been unable to make a league start in 2025 due to the form of others around him.
However, it’s about taking your opportunity whenever it falls your way, something which Joe Rothwell has demonstrated under Farke over the last couple of months.
The 30-year-old, who’s on loan from Bournemouth, often had to settle for minutes off the bench during the first few games of the season but has emerged as a vital player for the side as of late.
He was recalled to the side last night after dropping to the bench in the defeat against Portsmouth, with his performance last night showing why Farke cannot make the same mistake again.
Rothwell featured for 87 minutes in the victory, partnering Tanaka at the base of the midfield, registering a total of 84 touches and completing 60 passes at a completion rate of 90%.
The loanee also completed 100% of the dribbles that he attempted and won 100% of the tackles he entered – highlighting his impressive ability to operate as a box-to-box midfielder.
Minutes played
87
Touches
84
Passes completed
60/67 (90%)
Dribbles completed
3/3 (100%)
Tackles won
1/1 (100%)
Passes into final third
14
Aerials won
1/1 (100%)
Rothwell produced numerous neat touches to get himself out of a tricky position, with his passing range enabling him to make 14 passes into the final third – providing players in front of him with the chance to shine.
As a result of his showing, he was subsequently handed a 9/10 match rating by Leeds Live journalist Isaac Johnson, another indication of how impressive he was against the Lions.
Ilia Gruev appears to face a struggle to regain his starting role after Rothwell’s showing last night, with the midfielder the perfect partner for Tanaka – with his skillset vital to the club’s chances of promotion.
If Farke is to achieve his third Championship title come the end of the campaign, it’s pivotal he continues to utilise the loanee at the heart of the side, with Rothwell having the ability to make an impact at both ends of the pitch during the vital run-in.
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Match-winner says Mustafizur’s approach “allowed me to shape my game plan. Who to attack, when to attack”
Mohammad Isam04-Dec-20222:11
Jaffer suggests Shakib deserves more recognition
Mehidy Hasan Miraz stood in the middle of the Shere Bangla National Stadium, surrounded by India fielders just waiting for the final wicket to fall. At the other end, he had No. 11 Mustafizur Rahman, batting average of 6.30. Bangladesh needed 51 runs. They had a lot of overs in hand but they had just lost their last five wickets for eight runs. A portion of the full-house crowd had left. An India win was writ large in Dhaka.But this is 2022, a year in which Mehidy has been involved in a few miracles. He was part of the team that beat New Zealand in the Mount Maunganui Test. Mehidy and Afif Hossain rescued Bangladesh from 45 for 6 against Afghanistan. Mehidy took four wickets in an ODI in South Africa when Bangladesh got into a tough spot. These events have shaped his mind in a way that even in such a desperate situation against India on Sunday, he felt he could do it.Related
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When the last recognised batter Afif fell with 53 runs remaining, Mehidy had plotted his partnerships with the long tail. And when Ebadot Hossain and Hasan Mahmud fell for ducks, he didn’t stop believing.”Maybe people will call me (mad) but I had the honest belief that we could win,” Mehidy said. “I only focused on winning the game. I kept telling myself that I can do this. I thought I’d score 15 runs with Ebadot, 20 runs with Hasan Mahmud and the remaining 15-20 runs with Mustafiz. But two quick wickets meant that it was a do-or-die situation with the last wicket remaining. I had to take calculated risks. Mustafiz’s words really stayed with me. It gave me more belief.”It all kicked off when he swatted debutant Kuldeep Sen for two sixes in the 41st over. He swung a few wildly, even getting dropped by KL Rahul, but then when he saw Mustafizur handle the bowling properly, Mehidy went after Deepak Chahar for three fours in the 44th over. It reduced the runs remaining to 14, and that’s when it got serious.”If I thought that we would lose or we won’t be able to get the remaining runs, it wouldn’t have worked out like this,” Mehidy said. “It was definitely a do-or-die situation. There was no problem to get out trying to hit out. When we needed 50 runs, I took the chances. It came off.”But when we needed 14 or 10 runs, then I got really excited. We have lost a lot of close matches, but Mustafiz kept giving me encouragement. He told me, ‘don’t hurry, don’t try to hit a six. You bat along the ground, we will get the runs’. I was very clear with my game plan. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I think that helped out also.”What really helped Mehidy was how Mustafizur stood confidently at the other end, even starting off a four through the covers, Bangladesh’s first boundary since the 23rd over.”Mustafiz is my good friend,” Mehidy said. “He supported me a lot. One thing that stood out was his confidence. He kept telling me, ‘You don’t worry about me. I will stop the ball at my end. I will take balls on the body, but I won’t get out’. His confidence rubbed off on me.”He kept telling me not to worry about him. A batter would always worry about the tailender. If he gets out, it’s all over. But his approach allowed me to shape my game plan. Who to attack, when to attack. I didn’t go after every ball. I did sky a couple, but they couldn’t take the chances. You are bound to get out if you are trying to hit every ball. Calculative risk helped out.”The crucial moment was when the scores were tied. Mehidy was on strike. He turned the ball through the covers and took off in celebration. It was reminiscient of last February when Afif and Mehidy walked off with wide smiles after their heist against Afghanistan. Mehidy, though, feels this one against India was more important. “Both were important knocks but this is more special. This was the last wicket, we needed 51 runs. This was definitely more special.”
The January transfer window came and went without Arsenal adding any players to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch ahead of the second half of the season.
Mikel Arteta confirmed that the club were “actively looking” at potential recruits in the winter market, but the deadline passed at the start of February and the Gunners did not have any new players to compete in the forward department.
At the time of the January window, Arsenal already knew that they would be without Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka for months with knee and hamstring injuries respectively.
Gabriel Jesus
ACL
August 31st 2025
21
Bukayo Saka
Hamstring
April 1st 2025
18
Kai Havertz
Hamstring
June 30th 2025
14
Gabriel Martinelli
Hamstring
Unknown
1
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Knee
Unknown
29
As you can see in the table above, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli have since suffered hamstring injuries that have left them unavailable for action, with the former out for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign.
This means that Arsenal are without four of their frontline attacking options for a large chunk of the second half of the season whilst they compete to win the Premier League and the Champions League.
Why losing Kai Havertz is a big blow
Havertz has been a Marmite figure throughout his Premier League career, with Chelsea and Arsenal, as he can be frustrating in some moments and brilliant in others.
The Germany international scored the winner in a Champions League final for the Blues, netting against Manchester City, but he also only managed a return of 32 goals in 139 appearances in all competitions in total.
Havertz has been similarly inconsistent in front of goal with the Gunners, as he has scored nine goals but missed a whopping 15 ‘big chances’ in the Premier League this season.
The left-footed attacker does, however, offer a constant threat at the top end of the pitch with his physical presence and his movement in-and-around the box.
Non-penalty goals
0.5
Top 26%
Assists
0.23
Top 16%
Shot-creating actions
2.94
Top 17%
Pass accuracy
78%
Top 10%
Progressive passes
2.56
Top 14%
As you can see in the table above, Havertz ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers in the top leagues across Europe in a host of key attacking statistics.
Whilst it is understandable for supporters to be frustrated with his wasteful finishing, as illustrated by his 15 ‘big chances’ missed this season in the league, the German dynamo’s injury is a big blow because Arteta could rely upon him to chip in with goals and assists fairly regularly.
Without Havertz or Jesus available, Arteta needs players in other positions to step up and provide the goals. He needs to unearth his own version of Aaron Ramsey, who was adept at scoring from midfield for the Gunners.
Aaron Ramsey's goalscoring quality for Arsenal
The Wales international, who moved on from The Emirates to sign for Juventus in the summer of 2019, was once a reliable goalscoring midfielder for the London giants.
Ramsey scored 64 goals and provided 60 assists in 369 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners during his time at the club, but he was particularly prolific between the 2013/14 and 2014/15 campaigns.
The Welsh star scored 26 goals and racked up 17 assists in those two seasons combined, which shows that he offered a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position for Arsene Wenger in those two years.
As you can see in the clips above, Ramsey scored a great variety of goals in the Premier League for the Gunners, thanks to his technical ability and the timing in his movements.
The former Arsenal star was able to get himself into great positions to score by timing his runs into the box to be in the right place at the right time, and had the quality in front of goal to make the most of those situations when he got there.
Arsenal may have Aaron Ramsey 2.0
Arteta could hit the jackpot for the Gunners by unearthing the club’s new version of Ramsey in Spanish central midfielder Mikel Merino, who showcased his knack for goalscoring off the bench against Leicester.
Chalkboard
The former Newcastle United star, who joined from Real Sociedad last summer, came on as a substitute for the striker-less Arsenal side against the Foxes and won the match with the only two goals of the game.
As you can see in the highlights above, Merino positioned himself like an experienced striker to head in Ethan Nwaneri’s cross and to convert from close range from Leandro Trossard’s ball in.
The £130k-per-week star, who Jurrien Timber claimed has “exceptional” qualities, has never been a prolific scorer in his career, with no more than five league goals in any season for any of his previous clubs.
However, Merino did score five goals from an xG tally of 3.30 in LaLiga for Real Sociedad and he has found the back of the net four times from 2.90 xG for Arsenal in the Premier League this term.
Shots
2.05
Top 11%
Non-penalty xG
0.33
Top 2%
Non-penalty goals
0.46
Top 3%
Non-penalty xG + xAG
0.43
Top 8%
Shot on target percentage
44.4%
Top 6%
Non-penalty xG per shot
0.16
Top 4%
As you can see in the table above, the Spain international ranks incredibly highly among midfielders in the Premier League in a host of key goalscoring metrics.
He has only played 800 minutes, with eight starts in 17 matches, in the division, though, and this means that there is only a small sample size at the moment, but it does show that the potential is there for him to offer a huge threat as a goalscorer from midfield.
There is enough there and in his performance against Leicester, though, to suggest that Arteta could hit the jackpot with Merino by unleashing him as a regular starter in midfield and giving him the freedom to push forward into the box to pick up goalscoring positions.
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The Spaniard has the attributes to develop into a Ramsey-esque figure for the Arsenal manager and he could be the man to step up and fill the void left by Havertz and Jesus in the second half of the season.