Sri Lanka allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga has returned a Covid-19 positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) on the morning of the third T20I against Australia in Canberra. He is currently placed in isolation, and the match is expected to go ahead as scheduled.Hasaranga is the third member of the touring party to test positive for the virus after Kusal Mendis and Binura Fernando. Mendis, who returned a positive test on February 7, is expected to be available for selection for the third T20I after serving a seven-day isolation. Fernando, meanwhile, has been ruled out of the T20I series after testing positive on Saturday, the day after the series opener in Sydney.According to Arjuna de Silva, head of SLC’s medical department, Hasaranga will certainly miss the rest of the tour with Australian government protocols requiring a minimum seven-day isolation period upon contracting the virus. The series ends with the fifth T20I on February 20 in Melbourne.Hasaranga is also understood to be showing mild symptoms, but SLC are hopeful of having him back for next month’s tour of India.”He has some mild symptoms, some body aches,” de Silva said. “We think he probably contracted it from Binura. Unfortunately there’s no way that he’ll be able to play again on the tour, as he can only start training after three negative PCRs. After this tour, we’re going straight to India, so the aim now is to get him fit for that.”Hasaranga played in the first and the second T20Is, picking up a total of five wickets.Over the weekend, Hasaranga also bagged a big IPL deal when he was bought back by Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 10.75 crore (USD 1.43 million). Hasaranga’s first team was also Royal Challengers and he had played two matches for them in IPL 2021.
Last January concerns were raised about the quality of Arsenal’s attack. They were struggling in the final third, lacking purpose, cutting edge and most important of all, goals.
Over the festive and New Year period, there was a run of games where the Gunners scored just once over three games with West Ham, Fulham and Liverpool.
So, what happened next? Various targets were reported including Ivan Toney. Arsenal wanted the player for a bit before turning their attention elsewhere and passing up on the opportunity to bolster their offence.
That turned out to be the right decision as Mikel Arteta’s men began to run riot as 2024 went on. Indeed, throughout a run in February and March where Arteta’s team won six games on the bounce, they ended up scoring 26 goals. Incredible stuff, yet it still wasn’t enough to help win them the title.
What happened in the transfer market? Well, they missed out on a striker again.
Arsenal’s attempts to sign a striker
Edu and Co made up their minds early last summer. Benjamin Sesko was the primary target and they wanted to prise his services away from German employers RB Leipzig.
A deal never materialised for the Slovenian striker who ended up staying in the Bundesliga, penning a new contract that got rid of his release clause.
Another striker target was Victor Gyokeres. Plenty of reports suggested that the Gunners wanted to sign the Swede with one claim even suggesting that he was set to sign. That, of course, was not true.
Playing under incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim at Sporting, he has been a revelation.
Sporting CP strikerViktor Gyokeres.
Sold by Brighton for just £1m to Coventry City, the hulking centre forward then moved to the Portuguese capital in the summer of 2023. Since then, he’s not stopped scoring.
The 2024/25 campaign has been a particularly notable one for Gyokeres who is showing exactly why Arsenal should have signed him.
The 26-year-old is very much at the peak of his powers having scored 23 times in 17 appearances, three of which came in a stunning display against Manchester City on Tuesday evening.
Sporting sealed a remarkable 4-1 win with Gyokeres the undoubted hero, scoring a brilliant hat-trick past Pep Guardiola’s stunned side.
With Arsenal having now failed to win in their last three Premier League games, they could certainly do with a marksman of the Sweden international’s free-scoring ability.
But…perhaps they’ve already let one goal machine slip through the net.
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.
Arsenal’s very own Gyokeres
Kai Havertz has done a sterling job as Arsenal’s lead attacker this campaign, bagging seven goals in 15 fixtures and looking every bit the type of striker who could hit 20 plus.
However, it’s not Gyokeres levels, is it? The colossal former Coventry star scored 43 times last season and looks well on his way to matching that tally this time around.
Sporting CP strikerViktor Gyokeres.
So, who was Arsenal’s very own Gyokeres and where is he now? Well, coincidentally, he’s playing for Man United where Amorim could well find he has another new big-money striker lying in wait.
The player we’re talking about here is teenage sensation Chido Obi-Martin, who in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, “is a monster on the pitch.”
Both boast powerful frames, Obi-Martin is only recently a United player after leaving the Arsenal academy behind without a single first-team minute to his name.
The motivation behind leaving remains to be seen but what is for certain is that the north Londoners have lost one of the best strikers at academy level in the country.
The Denmark youth international was a freak in front of goal last season. During a run of nine games from 16th March to 11th May, he netted on 28 occasions. Yes, that’s right, 28 in nine games. It’s utterly mind-blowing stuff.
Palace U18
4
Fulham U18
4
West Brom U18
1
Brighton U18
2
West Ham U18
5
Aston Villa U18
1
Norwich U18
7
Spurs U18
1
Chelsea U18
3
At U18 level, the 16-year-old star bagged 32 in 18 across the entire campaign but that wasn’t all he achieved.
There was a seven goal haul for Arsenal’s U18s against Norwich and he even scored a simply unbelievable haul of ten goals in one game for the U16s against Liverpool.
This is an unparalleled level of goalscoring and it’s rather ironic that he’s now set to learn from Amorim, the very man who has helped turn Gyokeres into one of the most sought-after strikers on the continent.
The Portuguese will be rubbing his hands with glee at Arsenal’s expense who have lost a budding young striker ready to emulate the Sporting goal machine.
Arsenal could hire amazing Edu replacement who achieved an unbeaten season
News broke on Monday morning that Edu Gaspar would leave his role at Arsenal.
Arsenal are prepared to submit a £50 million offer to sign one elite club’s star player, and this possible transfer aims to tick off a key item on manager Mikel Arteta’s transfer agenda for next year.
Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool as Arteta holds in-form Liverpool
Despite the absence of a key trio in Riccardo Calafiori, William Saliba and captain Martin Odegaard, the north Londoners were unfortunate not to pick up all three points on Sunday against a high-flying Liverpool side firmly in contention for the Premier League title this season.
Arsenal officials sent to club in last few days as Edu eyes £83m Brazilian
The Gunners have reportedly held initial discussions already.
ByEmilio Galantini Oct 29, 2024
Arsenal took the lead against Liverpool twice, with Bukayo Saka passing a late fitness test and handing them an early advantage before Virgil van Dijk levelled the score soon afterwards.
Summer signing Mikel Merino restored Arsenal’s lead just before half-time, burying a diving header past Caoimhin Kelleher, with Van Dijk’s foot playing the Spaniard onside from a free-kick.
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away)
November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
Whilst star Liverpool winger Mohammed Salah’s equaliser just under 10 minutes from full-time resulted in Arsenal sharing the spoils in a 2-2 draw, Arteta expressed delight with his Arsenal players for their display, especially considering the injury crisis which has befallen the squad in recent weeks.
“I’m very proud of the team especially with the situation that we are going through at the moment, and probably cannot imagine,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
“But overall I think, especially first half, it was a total domination, we were really, really good, really sharp, really efficient, really determined and the result should’ve been bigger. Without conceding anything, basically we gave two goals away which is the disappointing part. And the fact we couldn’t see the game off, especially looking at ourselves, the two things that we didn’t do particularly well and obviously about other aspects.”
One of the aspects which held Arsenal back from a win in the end was Arteta’s lack of attacking options off the back, with striker Gabriel Jesus out-of-form and unable to provide a real difference off the bench.
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus
There are suggestions that Jesus is facing an uncertain future at Arsenal, with Edu and his recruitment team targeting a new centre-forward in 2025.
Arsenal prepared to submit £50 million bid for Dusan Vlahovic
One potential target for the new year is Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic, who’s started the new Serie A campaign in fine fashion and faces an uncertain future himself, with his contract expiring in 2026.
It is believed by some media sources that Arteta is a real admirer of Vlahovic, and the Serbia international is “most appreciated” by Arsenal’s head coach as a top attacking target.
Dusan Vlahovic
Now, as relayed by a Spanish media report this week, Arsenal are prepared to submit a £50 million bid for Vlahovic, and Juve are “evaluating” their potential proposal considering his contract situation.
The ex-Fiorentina star’s haul of eight goals in 12 appearances across all competitions is a real indicator as to why Arsenal have re-established their interest in Vlahovic, and it is claimed a move could happen as early as January.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has won the men’s 2024 Ballon d’Or award.
This year’s ceremony took place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, with the best men’s and women’s players over the past year being celebrated for their performances and achievements.
The 30 men’s Ballon d’Or nominees hailed from almost every corner of the world – Argentina, Turkey, Nigeria, Germany and Ukraine all had players included.
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1 ByBarney Lane Oct 23, 2024
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior was widely expected to take the golden ball, though it had emerged prior to the ceremony that he and his club would be boycotting the event after realising the Brazilian would not be crowned the winner.
Vinicius, who finished in second place ahead of Los Blancos teammates Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal, enjoyed a superb 2023/24 campaign for Los Blancos, scoring 24 and assisting 11 in all competitions as Carlo Ancelotti’s side won four trophies, including the La Liga title and the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Bellingham – the first Englishman in the award’s top three since Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard in 2005 – finished last season with an exceptional 23 goals and 13 assists for Madrid, before helping England to the final of the European Championship courtesy of an overhead kick for the ages.
But City and Spain star Rodri was the eventual winner. The 28-year-old might not boast the crowd-pleasing trickery of Vinicius or the acrobatic abilities and lovable arrogance of Bellingham, but he turned his club and country into winning machines from the heart of midfield.
Here’s why we think the panel plumped for the Euro 2024 and Premier League-winning midfielder ahead of the electric Vinicius.
1 He's so integral to City
Vinicius and Bellingham are both vital players for Madrid. That being said, neither are what you would necessarily call irreplaceable.
If need be, Madrid can rely on the attacking prowess of Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe without Vinicius on the left-hand side of their attack, while without Bellingham, they have the likes of Federico Valverde and Brahim Diaz ready to step up.
However, for Rodri at City, there is no suitable readymade replacement. To best demonstrate his importance to Pep Guardiola’s team, you only have to look at their Premier League record with and without him since he arrived at the club in 2019. In fact, last season, City didn’t lose a single Premier League game in which Rodri played. Clutch.
With Rodri
Without Rodri
Games
174
25
Wins
129
16
Draws
26
2
Defeats
19
7
Win%
74.1%
64%
Points per game
2.37
2
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ByBarney Lane Oct 24, 2024 2 He shone for both club and country
Rodri Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament
Vinicius had a great season for Madrid last year, but faltered at the Copa America in the summer for Brazil. Though he scored twice in the group stages, he picked up a suspension that ruled him out of Brazil’s quarter-final against Uruguay and could only watch from the sidelines as his team crashed out on penalties.
In Bellingham’s case, he enjoyed an excellent domestic season and a decent Euro 2024 campaign for England in the summer, but no more than that. Yes, he scored a last-minute overhead kick to save England from exiting to Slovakia in the last 16, but you could argue he went missing on occasion, including in the final.
Rodri, on the other hand, had no such problems. For City, he was the club’s outstanding player, arguably ahead of star striker Erling Haaland, as Guardiola’s side won their fourth consecutive Premier League title. At Euro 2024, he was named as the Player of the Tournament as Spain beat the odds to win the trophy, beating Bellingham’s England in the final.
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ByStephan Georgiou Jul 16, 2024 3 He's evolved the DM role
Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal with Bernardo Silva and Erling Braut Haaland
In years gone by, the role of the holding midfielder was just that: hold. Sit deep, sweep up the opposition’s attacks before they get past the midfield, distribute, wait, and repeat.
Rodri, however, has taken the role, made it his own, and set a new benchmark for what teams should expect from their deep-lying midfielders.
Not only is he energetic and tenacious in winning the ball back, but he’s also an attacking force to be reckoned with. Last season, he contributed 9 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for City.
For reference, Arsenal’s attacking midfield talisman Martin Odegaard was involved in 18 goals, Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, whose form last season earned him a move to Bayern Munich in the summer, was involved in 15, while Rodri’s City teammate Bernardo Silva also only contributed to 15.
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ByBarney Lane Oct 26, 2024 4 His peers agree
federico-redondo-rodri-liverpool-opinion
The highest kind of praise you can receive in any line of work is that from your peers – and Rodri has enjoyed plenty of that.
After City beat Luton Town in the Premier League back in December, Hatters midfielder Tom Lockyer said of Rodri: “Honestly that guy man, it’s just a joy to share the football pitch with him.
“He’s just a Rolls Royce,” Lockyer added. “He just dictates everything that Manchester City do.”
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said of Rodri after Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph: “For me, Rodri is the best player in the world, please give him the Ballon d’Or now.”
Earlier this year, during an episode of The Rest is Football podcast, hosts Micah Richards and Alan Shearer both agreed that Rodri is the world’s current best player.
“It’s not even close,” said Richards. “Whether it’s on the ball, whether it’s in the mind, whether it’s his passing ability. He comes up with important goals, as well, and assists. It’s actually incredible what he’s doing.”
“He’s the best,” said Shearer. “No doubt.”
Unfortunately for Rodri, the Ballon d’Or is no longer voted for by players, but instead a panel of 100 journalists from around the world, each of whom represents one of FIFA’s top-ranked footballing nations.
Rodri will no doubt get Spain’s vote and Vinicius should get Brazil’s, while Bellingham may yet get England’s. But let’s hope the remainder of the nations can see sense and vote for the Spaniard.
Players with the most Ballon d'Or voting points since 2000
These are the most voted-for players at the Ballon d’Or since the turn of the century… who comes out on top?
Enzo Maresca has had no trouble integrating his methods at Chelsea, currently on a seven-game unbeaten streak, and sitting fourth in the Premier League.
Since joining the club, the Italian has opted for his 4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 starting shape, which looks to shift into a 3-2-5 shape in possession, with one of the full-backs inverting alongside the defensive midfielder. This has often been Malo Gusto so far this season.
This change has allowed Cole Palmer to attain a permanent central spot in the team, playing as the number ten, as opposed to the right-wing position he often played last term. The England international has started in red-hot form, scoring six and providing five assists in nine appearances, and 645 minutes.
But Nicolas Jackson is another player who has started well under Maresca, solidifying his starting centre-forward spot for the Blues, despite Chelsea looking at striker options in the summer.
Nicolas Jackson's time at Chelsea
Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal in the summer of 2023, paying slightly more than his £30.1m release clause, signing an eight-year deal at the London club. In his debut year for the Blues, the 23-year-old scored 17 goals and provided six assists in his 44 appearances.
For context, this was more Premier League goal contributions than Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba managed in his first season, making 26 appearances, scoring ten goals and providing five assists. However, the following campaign, Drogba netted 16 goals and provided 16 assists in all competitions, helping Chelsea to a Premier League title.
Of course, this comes with some pressure for Jackson now but he has started 2024/25 as he means to go on. The 23-year-old has made eight appearances for the Blues, scoring four goals and providing three assists in 555 minutes played.
Jackson has started all seven Premier League games for Maresca so far, despite the goalscoring form of Christopher Nkunku, who already has seven goals in 11 appearances, managing 430 minutes so far.
This shows the faith the new Chelsea manager has in the Senegal international, and Jackson will want to continue to repay that faith with goal contributions, along with his link-up play and work rate.
If Jackson can continue to add to his 21 goals and nine assists in 52 outings, then they will have a gem on their hands. However, Chelsea could be interested in another striker addition in January, who is currently smashing it in the Bundesliga.
Chelsea looking at new striker
According to reports from CaughtOffside, Chelsea are among the interested clubs in Frankfurt forward, Omar Marmoush.
The fee it would cost is believed to be around €40m (£33.5m) according to the reports. The 25-year-old has scored nine goals in nine appearances for the German outfit, also providing four assists in 747 minutes played.
The Egyptian has been labelled a “late bloomer” and “electric” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, praising his versatility as a forward who can play as a striker, a number ten, or even from the left.
Marmoush has now made 50 appearances in all competitions for Frankfurt since joining the club in 2023, scoring 26 goals and providing 12 assists in 3,892 minutes played. The 25-year-old has also played for Wolfsburg, St Pauli (on loan), and Stuttgart (on loan), having come through the Wadi Degla academy, and Egyptian second-division team.
Frankfurt’s number seven has been showing his ability to impact games, with some lovely 1v1 finishes, lovely ball manipulation in the box to create half a yard for himself, and blistering pace on the break to help get his side forward, creating for both himself, but also his teammates.
Marmoush is now outscoring Harry Kane in the Bundesliga this season, and if Chelsea went after him, where would that leave the in-form Jackson?
Marmoush vs Jackson comparison
The first thing to compare is the two player profiles here. Jackson is 22-years-old, has a 6 foot 1 frame, is a very wirey runner, and was developed in the academy as a left-winger, and therefore possesses some winger-like traits, such as his dribbling.
Comparatively, Marmoush is 25-years-old, is 6 foot, and as mentioned earlier, is considered something of a late bloomer.
Omar Marmoush for Frankfurt.
FBref’s “similar players” feature actually notes that Jackson is one of Marmoush’s top most similar players which tells you their styles aren’t too dissimilar, both liking to run the channels, use their pace and power in transition, and can manipulate the ball in tight spaces.
Marmoush vs Jackson comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)
Marmoush
Jackson
Goals
1.08
0.69
Assists
0.72
0.52
xG
0.82
0.90
Progressive Carries
3.89
2.59
Progressive Passes
2.36
1.55
Shots Total
4.46
3.28
Shots on Target
1.93
1.72
Goals/shot
0.19
0.21
Shot-Creating Actions
5.97
2.59
Att Pen Touches
7.08
5.86
Aerials Won
0.56
0.52
Stats taken from FBref
You can see from these metrics, even though Jackson is having a strong start to the season, Marmoush is on another level right now, scoring over a goal per 90 with 1.08, also assisting 0.72 goals per 90, whilst actually generating fewer xG than Jackson.
His shot volume is high, taking 4.46 per 90, and getting 1.93 of these on target, but this does affect his goals/shot ratio slightly, as he scores at a rate of 0.19, which is 0.02 fewer than Jackson’s 0.21 goals/shot ratio.
But Marmoush isn’t just a clinical box finisher, he also has 5.97 shot-creating actions per 90, showing that ball manipulation ability we mentioned earlier, and how he can use it to create shots for himself, but also for others. This is matched by his 3.89 progressive carries and 2.36 progressive passes, which allow him to drive his team forward, something Jackson does very well too.
The dynamic of having both Jackson and Marmoush competing for that striker spot would be very interesting for Chelsea, maybe even pushing each other to get even better, or even playing so well, that you could play one of them from the left-wing, and transform the Chelsea attacking unit.
Maresca could ditch Mudryk with Chelsea move for "generational" £85m star
The Blues must continue to make upgrades to their fast-improving team…
Christian Pulisic was dangerous as ever Saturday, but the American was just inches away from getting a goal or two in Milan's 1-1 draw with Cagliari.
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Pulisic creates several chancesKey to Milan's goalUnable to find winner in 1-1 drawFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
U.S. international Christian Pulisic was at his creative best, but couldn't find a goal contribution in AC Milan's frustrating 1-1 draw with Cagliari in Serie A.
Pulisic certainly played his part for Milan, particularly in the club's opening goal. Played in by Theo Hernandez in the 51st minute, Pulisic smashed a shot off the post and back into play. Fortunately for Milan, Alvaro Morata was there to pounce, tapping home the ensuing rebound to give Milan the 1-0 lead at home.
Milan conceded just moments later, though, as Nadir Zortea snuck a long-range effort past Mike Maignan, who should have done better on the shot. Pulisic had a chance to restore the lead shortly after, but his one-on-one chance was pushed away by goalkeeper Elia Caprile.
In the end, Pulisic finished with five shots and three chances created, but Milan could muster just one goal as they took just one point from Saturday's match.
Pulisic wasn't the only American in the XI, though. Yunus Musah was also handed a start, going 63 minutes and completing all but one of his 31 passes before being replaced by Tammy Abraham.
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Saturday's draw somewhat halts Milan's momentum following this week's Supercoppa Italiana triumph. Pulisic helped spearhead a Milan comeback against Juventus in the semifinal before then guiding the club to another come-from-behind win over Inter in the finale to claim the trophy. Those two wins came under new manager Sergio Conceicao, who provided an immediate lift in those two matches.
Instead, Conceicao's first Serie A match produced more of the same. With the draw, Milan sit back in eighth place, facing a fight to book their spot in next season's Champions League.
AFPDID YOU KNOW?
By lifting the Supercoppa Italiana earlier this week, Pulisic now has five senior trophies at the club level. He won the DFB-Pokal at Borussia Dortmund and lifted the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup trophies during his time at Chelsea.
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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR MILAN?
It's a big week for Milan, who will have little time to recover before facing Como on Tuesday. After that, it'll be another edition of Serie A's USMNT derby as Pulisic, Musah, and Milan visit Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, and Juventus on Saturday.
After a disappointing draw prior to the international break and injuries to Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal steadied the ship on Sunday with a statement win in the North London Derby.
Despite missing their captain and Declan Rice, Mikel Arteta’s side put in a defensive masterclass and limited Tottenham Hotspur to few, if any, genuine chances before Gabriel Magalhães nodded home the winner in the 62nd minute from a Bukayo Saka corner.
It was a goal that we have become accustomed to seeing from the Gunners in recent years and was the perfect way for the Brazilian colossus to top off an exceptional display and brush off some of the mistakes he’s made in his first few games this season.
Alongside his defensive partner, William Saliba, the 26-year-old fan favourite has become an essential part of the North Londoners’ title-challenging side over the last couple of years, and while fans will be hoping he stays at the club for many years to come, they can rest assured that a promising youngster in the academy could be his long-term heir down the line.
Gabriel's Arsenal career
It’s been just over four years since Arsenal agreed to pay LOSC Lille around £23m for the services of a then 22-year-old Gabriel, and while that was a reasonable sum of money for a player not many were familiar with in England at the time, it would be fair to describe it as a bargain in the years since.
While the São Paulo-born titan’s early years in England went under the radar somewhat due to the club’s position at the time, he has since established himself as one of the very best defenders in the league over the last couple of seasons, as demonstrated by his inclusion in the most recent PFA Team of the Year.
Moreover, not only has the “absolutely unstoppable” monster, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, helped create a brilliant defence that was the most effective in the league last season, but he’s also become a source of goals for the North Londoners.
Gabriel’s Premier League record
Appearances
136
Goals
15
Assists
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.11
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, since joining, the 6 foot 3 ace has made 172 competitive appearances for the club, in which he has scored 16 goals and provided one assist, although 15 of those goals have come in just 136 Premier League games..
Overall, Gabriel has become an undroppable star in Arteta’s title-challenging Arsenal side, and while he’ll likely remain a starter for quite some time, the club already have a youngster on their hands who could eventually step into the team in his place.
Why fans should be excited about Ayden Heaven
Yes, the academy gem in question is 17-year-old Ayden Heaven.
Now, due to his age, it’s unlikely that the young Englishman is going to see much in the way of significant game time this season or the next, for that matter, but he was on the bench alongside several other Hale Enders on Sunday afternoon, which is an indication in and of itself that the club think there is something there.
The good news is that they’re right, and while most fans will be familiar with the 6 foot 2 centre-back thanks to his impressive appearances during preseason, he’s also been putting in brilliant performances for the junior sides.
For example, the young “beast”, as dubbed by podcaster Will Balsam, has already racked up 36 appearances across the Gunners’ various youth teams in which he’s provided an assist, and while the vast majority of said appearances have been at centre-back, he’s also played at left-back and even in midfield.
It’s this flexibility, along with his “insane” passing range, as described by Balsam, that could see the exciting prospect finally push his way into the first team a couple of years from now.
Ultimately, Heaven is not going to replace Gabriel anytime soon, but he has been consistently impressive in the junior sides and seems to be edging closer and closer to a competitive first-team debut, which could signal the start of a remarkable career.
Arsenal teen who's "the fastest star at Hale End" could replace Martinelli
The promising 18 y/o has a bright future ahead of him.
A lengthy doping ban for Mykhailo Mudryk will pose a PSR headache for Chelsea once his £88 million ($110m) transfer fee is taken into account.
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Moved to England in January 2023Failed Premier League doping testWaiting on the results of 'B' sampleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Blues signed the Ukraine international winger from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023. He penned an eight-and-a-half-year contract at Stamford Bridge, allowing payments to be spread over a long period of time – helping the Blues to adhere with Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
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Mudryk has, however, been provisionally suspended after failing a Premier League doping test. The 23-year-old maintains his innocence and is waiting on the results of a ‘B’ sample. If he is found guilty of taking a banned substance, then he could be stung with a ban similar to the four-year sanction that ex-Manchester United and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba saw reduced to 18 months on appeal.
WHAT FOOTBALL FINANCE EXPERT SAID
Any punishment for Mudryk will create difficulties for Chelsea, on and the off the field, with football finance expert Kieran Maguire telling : "There are two issues here, if he fails the drugs test and is subject to a four-year ban, which I believe to be the maximum, then what they will have to do is take a look at the existing value of his contract which he signed for £88m over eight years and they’re going to have to write it down to what they think they could sell the player for in four years time, or alternatively write off the whole contract.
"That would have significant implications as far as PSR is concerned, looking at the Premier League handbook there doesn’t appear to be any form of get out clause under these circumstances so he could be a very big hit for PSR."
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Maguire went on to say of how Chelsea could avoid a serious financial hit, with the club’s case involving Adrian Mutu from 2005 – who tested positive for recreational drugs rather than performance-enhancing ones – setting some form of precedent: "There are a lot of outstanding issues. If the player is found guilty there will be what we sometimes refer to as a ‘badwill’ clause in the contract which says that if you conduct yourself in an unprofessional manner then that could constitute gross misconduct and therefore under those circumstances the club is entitled to rip up the contract and then seek some form of redress. If there is a gross misconduct clause in the contract and that is deemed to be part of a drugs misdemeanour, then the club will look at the small print and see what their options are.
"One option is to suspend the player, another is to terminate the contract, and under those circumstances would they be entitled to any compensation from the player himself? There was a huge investment and he has signed a very long contract. At the time I think there were a lot of observers who said this could really work for the club if the player goes on to improve and they’ve got an increasing value asset and they’re locked in for many years. The downside and risk is that you’re also locked in if things go wrong, so it really does come down to taking appropriate legal advice and I’m sure Chelsea will go down that route should the worst happen."
Rangers’ pursuit of a European midfielder who could replace Todd Cantwell has been dismissed by a reliable journalist. The Scottish giants are now a few games into their 2024/25 season, picking up their first win in the league over the weekend as they beat Motherwell 2-1 at Hampden Park.
Philippe Clement’s side have been very busy this summer, as they have made eight new additions, but as speculation mounts over a player like Todd Cantwell, the club could still be looking for fresh faces in what remains of the transfer window.
Rangers could land dream signing for Barron in swoop for "exceptional" star
The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the midfielder this summer.
By
Dan Emery
Aug 13, 2024
Cantwell expected to leave Rangers
Cantwell has been at Rangers since January of last year, when he joined the club from Championship side Norwich City. The 26-year-old has gone on to feature heavily for the Scottish side since arriving, playing 64 times in all competitions.
Todd Cantwell
During that time, he has scored 14 goals and chipped in with 12 assists, scoring five goals and recording four assists in the Scottish Premiership last season. However, his future now looks away from Rangers, as earlier in this window Clement confirmed that the midfielder had asked to leave the club.
Since then, Cantwell has been training with the club’s B team, as interest has emerged from Turkey, in particular Trabzonspor. However, a bid has yet to arrive, but with his future looking away from Ibrox, Rangers will be looking at potential replacements.
Rangers move for Gustavo Puerta is now unlikely
It was reported earlier this week that Rangers had made an offer to Bayer Leverkusen to sign midfielder Gustavo Puerta. The report stated that they faced competition from Brondby as well as Belgian side Anderlecht, but those reports have now been dismissed.
According to Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry, Rangers have not made any contact with Leverkusen to sign Puerta. The 21-year-old was on the club’s radar during the January transfer window, when Clement was looking to bolster his midfield options.
But according to this latest update, Puerta is not on the club’s radar now, and Rangers haven’t been in touch with the German side since their initial interest. The Gers’ interest now seems to have faded, with reports in Denmark stating that other teams are moving ahead for the midfielder.
Puerta joined Leverkusen in the January transfer window last year and has gone on to play 10 times for the German club, with all those appearances coming last season.
Gustavo Puerta's Bayer Leverkusen stats
Apps
10
Goals
0
Assists
0
Stats as per Transfermarkt
The midfielder played seven times in the Bundesliga and three times in the Europa League, totalling 229 minutes of football. The 21-year-old signed a five-and-a-half-year contract when he joined the Bundesliga side in 2023, which means his contract still has four years left to run, and it is a contract that sees him earn a reported £4,000-a-week.
Puerta has shown great versatility in his short career, as the 21-year-old is able to operate as a central midfielder, both in attacking and defending roles, and he has also been known to play out wide when needed.
Liverpool just about got over the line in the end versus Ipswich Town on the opening day of the Premier League, surviving a scare here and there from the Suffolk side, to finish the contest as 2-0 winners.
The obvious class of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah shone through for Arne Slot's visitors eventually, and the Dutchman will hope his key players can come up trumps again, as Thomas Frank's Brentford now travel to Anfield today.
The ex-Feyenoord manager turned Reds successor to Jurgen Klopp could well alter his side slightly to face the Bees, though, with one possible change anticipated in the form of Jarell Quansah dropping out for Ibrahima Konate to come into the first-team.
At half-time against Ipswich, the English defender was taken off for the France international at 0-0 and Liverpool went on to win, with the ex-Leipzig ace winning four of his five duels, which is why the Dutchman could make that change at the heart of the defence.
Slot might well fancy a change of personnel in the middle of the park too, with Alex Mac Allister also potentially making way.
Mac Allister's performance vs Ipswich
Whilst the likes of Salah and Alexander-Arnold took the game by the scruff of its neck at Portman Road to ensure an opening day three points were secured, the Argentine midfielder very much faded into the background in terms of importance.
The former Brighton and Hove Albion man would fail to register a single key pass in the game, whilst also squandering possession 15 times and losing nine of the 14 duels that came his way versus Kieran McKenna's men.
Alexis Mac Allister.
In contrast, his holding midfield partner for the clash, in Ryan Gravenberch, was far livelier and switched on when the newly promoted side ventured forward, with three tackles won in the 2-0 victory, alongside giving up possession six fewer times than the Reds number ten.
His unmemorable display in Suffolk would see the 25-year-old dished out with a 6/10 rating at the full-time whistle by Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle, who described the ex-Seagulls man as "not being in the game as much" when compared to this Dutch teammate.
This could see Slot shake things up and drop Mac Allister for someone fresher today, with Curtis Jones potentially getting the nod to start alongside Gravenberch, over the former World Cup winner.
Why Jones should start vs Brentford
Jones did have a very promising pre-season for his boyhood club before the bread and butter of the Premier League action got back underway, even helping himself to a goal against Manchester United during Liverpool's bumper summer schedule.
Moreover, Jones' third-ever goal in the top-flight for Slot's men came against the Bees way back in 2021, with the former Feyenoord boss tempted to tweak with his XI slightly to accommodate for the 23-year-old's surprise inclusion.
Jones' performances in pre-season – Man United + Las Palmas
Stat
Man United
Las Palmas
Minutes played
60
90
Goals scored
1
0
Assists
0
0
Touches
46
109
Accurate passes
30/32 (94%)
88/90 (98%)
Interceptions
0
1
Tackles
3
3
Total duels won
5/7
7/13
Stats by Sofascore
Jones impressed in pre-season against Man United and Las Palmas, with his display against the Spanish side particularly standing out, with only two misplaced passes from a staggering 90 attempted.
Moreover, the homegrown Reds talent would win seven of his duels in the 0-0 draw, with his bite in the middle and calmness on the ball from this one-off clash potentially enough for Slot to gamble on him coming good at Anfield today.
Never looking back after scoring this sublime strike for his first ever senior goal, against arch-rivals Everton no less, the "outstanding" – as he was once described by ex-Reds great Jordan Henderson – Jones is now deep into his seventh campaign in the senior fold.
The £15k p/w gem – as per Capology – could kickstart his 24/25 season with an impressive display against Brentford, as Liverpool aim to make it two wins from two in league action, to rival the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League summit.
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