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Chegou ao fim a 35ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, e mudanças importantes aconteceram na tabela de classificação. A três jogos do término do torneio, saiba como está a situação das vinte equipes da Série A, que brigam por título e contra o rebaixamento.

RelacionadasFlamengoFlamengo vence o América-MG, chega à vice-liderança e acirra briga por título do BrasileirãoFlamengo26/11/2023FlamengoCBF altera horário de jogo entre Flamengo e Atlético-MGFlamengo26/11/2023PalmeirasMesmo com um jogador a menos, Palmeiras busca empate com o Fortaleza e se mantém na liderança do BrasileirãoPalmeiras26/11/2023

Quem subiu?

O Flamengo venceu o América-MG por 3 a 0, e assumiu a vice-liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Rubro-Negro empatou em pontos com o líder Palmeiras, mas perde posição por causa do saldo de gols: 26 a 17.

O Atlético-MG também ganhou posições após triunfar sobre o Grêmio por 3 a 0. Com o resultado, o Galo chegou à quarta colocação, com 60 pontos.

Dessa forma, após os jogos da 35ª rodada, o G-4 do Brasileirão está composto por: Palmeiras, Flamengo, Botafogo e Atlético-MG.

+ ➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Quem desceu?

Já na parte debaixo da tabela, na briga contra o rebaixamento, não houve mudanças de posição em relação à 34ª rodada. No entanto, após a derrota por 2 a 1 para o Fluminense, o Coritiba está matematicamente rebaixado para a Série B.

O primeiro time fora do Z-4 é o Bahia, com 41 pontos, mesma pontuação do Cruzeiro, que abre a zona de rebaixamento, mas tem uma vitória a menos. A sequência da classificação tem Goiás, com 35 pontos, e os já rebaixados Coritiba e América-MG.

VEJA TABELA COMPLETA DO BRASILEIRÃO APÓS 35ª RODADA

Palmeiras – 63
Flamengo – 63
Botafogo – 62
Atlético-MG – 60
Grêmio – 59
Bragantino – 59
Fluminense – 53
Athletico-PR – 52
Cuiabá – 48
São Paulo – 47
Internacional – 46
Fortaleza – 45
Corinthians – 44
Santos – 43
Vasco – 42
Bahia – 41
Cruzeiro – 41
Goiás – 35
Coritiba – 29
América-MG – 21

Colin Ingram, Ben Kellaway make centuries to push Glamorgan into first-innings lead

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Jul-2025

Ben Kellaway takes the applause for his century•Huw Evans Picture Agency

Gloucestershire 380 and 12 for 0 trail Glamorgan 528 (Kellaway 139, Ingram 117) by 136 runsBen Kellaway and Colin Ingram both made centuries as Glamorgan pushed into a first-innings lead to set up the prospect of a draw against Gloucestershire.Glamorgan’s middle-order pair put on 254 for the fifth wicket (147 added from overnight) out of a total of 528, as Gloucestershire’s bowlers were subjected to a mammoth 151.1 overs on a day in which just six wickets fell.Kellaway’s 139 was the 21-year-old’s second century of an eye-catching season for his home county while South African veteran Ingram racked up his 16th first-class century for Glamorgan.Glamorgan started the day with their partnership of experience and youth already established, having recovered from 121 for 4 on day two, and the Glamorgan balcony watched on as Gloucestershire’s bowlers endured all but 11 overs of the day’s play.An early itchiness to get going from Kellaway seemed evident, proactively using his feet against the early spin to start the day despite still trailing by 152.The pair settled into their work, having come through a wicketless evening session on day two, and carried that stand through to lunch as well, demolishing the new ball in the process – they took 32 from the first five overs from Ajeet Singh Dale and Zaman Akhter.Kellaway, and shortly afterwards, Ingram didn’t have to wait long for their milestones. On 99, Kellaway cover-drove his fellow youngster Archie Bailey to the fence, then kept the momentum up, taking three boundaries in the same over, as the partnership passed 200.At 365 for 4 at lunch, and with 10 overs still available to chase bonus points, Gloucestershire opted for a negative ploy: Graeme van Buuren bowling left-arm-over outside leg stump while the pacers banged in short balls from round-the-wicket.Negative it may have been deemed but successful it was. Both the partnership contributors fell to short balls, Ingram upper-cutting to deep-third, Kellaway pulling to square-leg in the 110th over. Just 23 runs were scored in the first hour of the afternoon as the hosts missed a potentially key fourth batting point while the visitors picked up a second bowling point.Chris Cooke and Timm van der Gugten remained cautious in a turgid session despite adding useful cameos. Cooke initially struggled to settle but opened up with reverse-sweeps coming to the fore in his partnerships with the tail, before Todd Murphy wrapped up the innings for his sole wicket.Walking out with 11 overs remaining and 148 behind, Gloucestershire made it to the close unscathed despite two direct run-out attempts that flew just wide of the stumps.

Glasgow Rangers are inching ever closer to finally appointing their next head coach after they decided to relieve Russell Martin of his duties before the start of the international break.

The Light Blues made the decision to part ways with the former Scotland international after a poor run of form that saw his side win five out of 17 matches.

Martin’s side, as illustrated in the graphic above, were simply not good enough across his time in charge of the Scottish giants, conceding a whopping 24 goals in 17 matches.

RangersReview reports that Kevin Muscat is close to finalising a deal to join the club from SH Port, and that an announcement could come this weekend.

The English-born tactician is set to see out the last three matches of the Chinese Super League season, with his team sat at the top of the table, before coming in as the long-term replacement for Martin next month.

Youth team coach Steven Smith will be in interim charge for the clash with Dundee United at Ibrox on Saturday, but it remains to be seen who will be in charge after that and before Muscat comes through the door.

What Rangers fans can expect from a Kevin Muscat team

Based on SH Port’s performances this season in the Chinese Super League, Rangers fans can expect a winning culture and entertainment from a Muscat team.

In the Super League, his side are top of the league with 60 points from 27 matches in a 30-game division, and have scored 67 goals in that time, eight more than any other team, per Sofascore.

Interim boss Steven Smith claimed that Rangers need a winner in the dugout in his pre-match media duties on Friday, which suggests that Muscat is the perfect man for the job.

The SH Port manager is on course to win a league title for the third time in his last four seasons as a manager, with his team sat four points clear with three games to go.

2025 (27)

2.22

1st

2024 (30)

2.60

1st

2023 (34)

1.88

2nd

2022 (34)

2.00

1st

2021 (18)

1.83

2nd

As you can see in the table above, Muscat is used to managing teams that are competing for league titles every season, and he has shown that he can coach a side to get over the line and win silverware.

However, supporters who were not too keen on the defensive set-up and record under Martin may not be too pleased to learn that SH Port have conceded 41 goals in 27 league games this season.

Muscat’s strengths are clearly in structuring a team to attack and score goals, rather than defend and cling on to 1-0 or 2-1 leads, and supporters will hope that that approach will be enough to turn the tide in Glasgow.

Whilst he may not officially link up with the team until next month, there are things that Steven Smith, or the next interim, could do to prepare the squad for Muscat.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

For example, the SH Port manager typically deploys right-footed forward Ruofan Liu on the right wing to provide creativity at the top end of the pitch.

The 24-year-old has created nine ‘big chances’ and delivered five assists in 17 league starts in 2025, per Sofascore, and Smith must unleash Oliver Antman against Dundee United to be Muscat’s next Liu in the making.

Why Rangers must unleash Oliver Antman against Dundee United

Mikey Moore has started three of the last five Scottish Premiership matches for the Light Blues on the right wing, including the 1-1 draw with Falkirk last time out.

The 18-year-old attacker, however, has failed to provide much in the way of quality at the top end of the pitch for the Gers, with no goals and one assist in ten appearances, per Transfermarkt.

His only assist for the club to date was a short pass to Nedim Bajrami, who scored a screamer from distance against League One outfit Alloa Athletic, which suggests that he has yet to provide any moments of genuine quality in front of goal.

Antman, on the other hand, is a right-footed right winger who has shown glimpses of the creative quality that he can provide when he is at his best.

The Finland international has delivered three assists in 13 matches for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his summer move from Go Ahead Eagles, including one for James Tavernier in the Premiership in the clip below.

Antman, who reporter Chris Jack claimed has “feet like drumsticks”, also showcased his creativity in the Netherlands with Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign.

The 24-year-old wing wizard ended the season with a return of six goals and 15 assists in 32 Eredivisie appearances for the Dutch outfit before his move to Ibrox in the summer transfer window, per Sofascore.

xAG

0.34

Top 3%

xA

0.24

Top 16%

Assists

0.56

Top 1%

Key passes

1.87

Top 21%

Passes into the penalty area

1.42

Top 36%

Crosses into the penalty area

0.37

Top 32%

As you can see in the table above, Antman ranked as one of the most creative attacking midfielders or wingers in the league for Go Ahead Eagles last term.

This shows that he has the potential to be a Liu-type player for Muscat if he can unlock his best form in a Rangers shirt, as he has the creative potential to be a consistent threat as a right-footed right winger in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 system.

Therefore, Smith can warm him up for the next Gers head coach by playing him from the start against Dundee United this weekend, so that he can start to find his feet and gain confidence in Scottish football.

52 y/o who worked with Postecoglou now set to join Kevin Muscat at Rangers

The Gers have almost solved their manager problem.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 17, 2025

It would not be overdoing it to suggest the wheels have well and truly come off at West Ham United this season.

Well, we say this season, but in reality, things have been going wrong for East Londoners for some time, and Graham Potter has not helped.

The former Chelsea manager led the club to a 14th-place finish in the Premier League last year, but as things stand, he has them in the relegation zone, with one win and three losses this year.

Regardless of what happens this weekend, it’s time for the Hammers to find a new coach, and while Slaven Bilic’s name has been thrown around, there is another out-of-work coach who’d be a far better option.

The coaches linked with West Ham

Given the size of the club, it’s not been a surprise to see a host of pretty good managers linked with West Ham over the last couple of weeks.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

One of those has been Gary O’Neil, who has been out of work since being fired from Wolverhampton Wanderers last season.

Now, there is certainly a line of thinking that suggests hiring a manager who was fired by another relegation candidate is a bad idea, but it’s important to remember he also saved the Old Gold and Bournemouth before that from going down.

So, while he might not be the perfect long-term option, he might be worth bringing in for this season to stabilise the ship – he can’t be worse than Potter.

Another, more exciting name touted for the job has been Nuno Espírito Santo.

The Portuguese boss is another one fired by a Premier League side, but it’s really not the same, as after saving Nottingham Forest from relegation, he then led them back into Europe for the first time in generations.

Lastly, as we’ve already mentioned, Bilic has been touted for a return to the London Stadium.

Now, while there is an undeniable romanticism to that idea, there is another free coach who’d be a way better hire.

The manager West Ham should hire over Bilic

There are quite a number of quality managers out of work at the moment, from Marco Rose to Sean Dyche.

However, the one West Ham should be going all out for, and should stand a chance of getting, is Luciano Spalletti.

The Italian coach is currently out of work after being let go by the national team.

Still, fans shouldn’t be put off by the fact that things didn’t work out there, as even Roberto Mancini failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, despite being European champions at the time.

Moreover, it was his record at club level that even earned him the chance to manage the Azzurri, and it is an impressive one.

For example, he won back-to-back promotions with Empoli, two league titles and two cups with Zenit Saint Petersburg, back-to-back Coppa Italias with AS Roma and the big one, Napoli’s first Serie A title in a generation in 22/23.

Unsurprisingly, then, when we hold up his record to Bilic’s, there is only one winner.

During his last spell in club football, the coaching “phenomenon,” as dubbed by former Roma sporting director Walter, oversaw 96 games, of which he won 62, drew 16 and lost 18, resulting in a points per game average of 2.10.

In contrast, Croat’s last job was with Al-Fateh, where he oversaw 36 games, won 13 of them, drew nine and lost 14, which came out to an average of 1.33 points per game.

Spalletti vs Bilic (last clubs)
Manager	Spalletti	Bilic
Games	96	36
Wins	62	13
Draws	16	9
Losses	18	14
Points per Game	2.10	1.33
All Stats via Sofascore

Ultimately, while Bilic would probably do a better job than Potter, it’s crystal clear that Spalletti would be a far better hire for West Ham.

"Fantastic" manager now tempted to replace Graham Potter at West Ham

Graham Potter could be gone in the next few games.

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 19, 2025

Still in the market for a centre-back, Newcastle United are already reportedly jostling for position in a race against Liverpool to sign a Premier League rival.

Newcastle set to target defensive additions in January

The summer transfer window may be closed, but that hasn’t stopped Newcastle from turning their focus towards 2026. The Magpies are clearly aiming to be far more prepared than this summer’s window, which saw them scrambling for options right up until the death after missing out on several targets to Premier League rivals.

Giovanni Leoni was one of those targets and it’s no surprise that it was Liverpool at the centre of Newcastle’s frustration. The Magpies even outbid the Reds in pursuit of the Italian defender, but he had his heart set on a summer switch to Anfield in a familiar story for several sides in recent months.

Eddie Howe did at least welcome Malick Thiaw in the summer window, but it could easily be argued that Newcastle still needed added options at the heart of their backline.

Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are now 33 years old, whilst Sven Botman’s injury history is a concern in its own right. The fact is, aside from Thiaw, Newcastle simply do not have a list of centre-back options that will be at the peak of their powers for years to come.

Now that their striker problem has been solved by Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, Newcastle are seemingly ready to turn towards their backline. Reports are even suggesting that they could finally enjoy some revenge on Liverpool when 2026 arrives.

Newcastle targeting Van Hecke hijack

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle are now targeting a move to sign Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2026. Battling against Liverpool, who are scouting the Dutchman as an alternative to Marc Guehi, the Magpies will be hoping to finally get one over on the Premier League champions.

Now would also be the perfect time to do it. Van Hecke is on the rise and one that Newcastle should do everything to sign. At 25 years old, he is excellent in possession and more than holds his own off the ball. With two years left on his current Brighton contract, it’s no surprise that a growing list of clubs are interested.

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By
Charlie Smith

Sep 5, 2025

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler will be more away than most of just how talented Van Hecke is. He told reporters in May: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player.

“He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.

“Of course, in some ways he needs to develop, but we always give him very honest feedback. And I think he has all the character sides to be one day captain, but that’s the long-term future at the moment.”

RCB’s batting coach and mentor is pleased with where Kohli’s spin game is at

Alagappan Muthu27-Mar-20252:50

Cricinformed: Spin no more a weakness for Kohli in IPL?

There was a time when Virat Kohli could be kept quiet by spin bowling. Then last year, in keeping with the Indian team’s new direction in T20 cricket, he upped his game when pace was taken off the ball. Kohli began IPL 2025 with an innings full of intent, and on the eve of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s game against Chennai Super Kings in Chepauk, there is once again focus on what he will do when he faces R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad.”He has batted well in the recent past against spin, especially in white-ball cricket,” RCB batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik said, “So, I don’t want to go too deep into stats. I am not very aware. But if I remember, in the [T20] World Cup finals, he got runs where it mattered. And apart from that, in the Champions Trophy, he had a good tournament second-highest run-getter [for India]. And that doesn’t come without playing on spin.”So, I believe right now, he is batting as well as he has ever done. And you speak to him even today, just now as I came out. He wanted to work on one more shot. At this point of time, to work on one more shot, tells you the hunger that he has in his mindset. He wants to just improve and keep raising the bar. So, he is a special player. And at this point of time, the way I see it, he is batting as confidently and as well as he has ever done in IPL.”Related

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The conditions in Chennai haven’t always been spin-friendly though. CSK coach Stephen Fleming has previously stressed on wanting to get back their home advantage. His preference remains the same – “if it does turn, great”, he said – but he does appear to be at peace with whatever he gets on match day.”It’s difficult,” Fleming said. “We don’t have much influence, really, on what comes up. Each pitch has a different characteristic. We’ve found that. So we’ll work really hard from ball one to try and work out what we have, trying to get us a team that’s pretty well-equipped for all conditions because that’s been the key to playing here.”We do find it’s a flat wicket. We’ve got guys that are good at bowling in those conditions. If it does turn, great. I’m sure we won’t get a green seamer, so the other two is what we’re looking for.”Noor Ahmad has given CSK’s attack a point of difference•BCCIFleming also had a theory on why mystery spin is so popular in T20 cricket. “A lot of these players are coming straight out of one season or half a season, two seasons at most, of first-class cricket. So they haven’t got a lot of grounding. They haven’t got the 10 years of first-class experience, but they’re incredibly powerful. So they know how to hit the ball, hit it a long way, but the subtleties of the game is something that you learn over time.”When you’re young and getting these big opportunities, sometimes you haven’t had the experience against a wide range of bowlers. So for many, it’s coming up against this type of player [mystery spinner] for the first time, and it’s a tough stage. But their default position is power, so you still have to be very smart with what you do. But that’s why we think players with a little bit of difference make a big difference.”

USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman found the net as Bayer Leverkusen battled Borussia Monchengladbach to a 1-1 draw in a Bundesliga clash on Sunday. The former PSV man broke open an otherwise drab affair with a tidy finish inside the box after 70 minutes. Fellow midfielder Gio Reyna came off the bench for Gladbach but was largely ineffective.

Getty Images SportTillman breaks open the game

It seemed that Monchengladbach and Leverkusen were heading for a scoreless draw until Tillman broke the game open in the 70th minute. The U.S. midfielder needed a stroke of luck to score, but did so all the same.

Striker Patrick Schick fluffed his lines inside the box, and the ball fell kindly to Tillman, who sent it home via the thigh of an opposing defender. It was his second Bundesliga goal for his new club.

AdvertisementLeverkusen throws away a late lead

It seemed that would be enough for Leverkusen, who defended admirably after going ahead. However, they let the 1-0 lead slip late.

Veteran striker Haris Tabakovic was allowed to ghost into the box late on, and nodded home a corner in the 92nd minute to grab an equalizer that wasn't quite deserved. Still, Leverkusen fell asleep, and failed to track the big Bosnian .

Getty Images SportReyna nothing more than late sub

After starting last week – and appearing to gain the trust of former manager Gerardo Seoane – Reyna had few opportunities under interim boss Eugen Polanski. The former Hoffenheim head coach left Reyna on the bench, and granted him just 10 minutes of action. 

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Draw in battle of new managers

Both sides will likely take the point after a tense clash. Leverkusen made headlines two weeks ago when they elected to fire former Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag after less than two months in charge. Monchengladbach followed suit soon after by letting Seoane go after just three games. 

Leverkusen's fixture list gets slightly easier, with St. Pauli, Union Berlin and Mainz all to come in the Bundesliga. Monchengladbach's slate is less kind. They play surprise Champions League contenders Frankfurt next week. 

Sunderland shocked many Premier League fans with an opening weekend 3-0 win over West Ham. Recently promoted teams have struggled in the Premier League over recent years, with last season’s best promoted side, Leicester City, only earning six wins for the entire season.

Regis Le Bris has overseen the club’s biggest-ever summer spend, and the opening weekend result demonstrates that it’s paying off. However, whilst there is time left in the transfer window, Sunderland are looking to bring in yet another attacker.

Sunderland had previously considered bringing in Leicester City’s Abdul Fatawu, but the Foxes valued him at £30 million, putting him out of the Black Cats’ price range. Le Bris does still want another attacker, however, and so they’ve shifted their attention to a pacey forward currently playing on the continent.

Sunderland plot move for "quick" forward

After deciding against signing Fatawu, Sunderland have swapped their attention to RB Salzburg forward Adam Daghim. Sunderland have extensive experience working with Daghim’s agency, CAA Base LTD, as five of their current players are also registered with them, including Trai Hume and Anthony Patterson.

This report comes from Football Insider, who write that Daghim is currently valued at £11.2 million after the Austrian side signed him for £2.6 million from the Danish Superliga.

Manchester City’s assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders spoke well of Daghim when he was his manager at RB Salzburg, saying: “Adam has great potential. I don’t like to single out individual players, but he has ability, he is quick, he is very committed and has a big heart. He works for the team.”

Sunderland may face competition if they attempt to sign the promising forward, as the report indicates that other Premier League and Bundesliga teams are also interested in signing him. In the past, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund have been noted as keeping tabs on the player’s development, viewing him as a possible transfer target, but it is currently unclear whether they are among the presently interested teams.

Whilst Daghim is currently featuring in a lot of matches for Salzburg, he is struggling for minutes. In Salzburg's last 13 matches, Daghim has featured in 11 of them, but hasn’t played for more than 45 minutes once. In the Austrian Bundesliga this season, he's only played for 57 minutes but has made a significant impression in those fleeting cameos.

Sunderland could capitalise on the lack of game time that Daghim is receiving by promising him more minutes at the Stadium of Light. The opportunity to prove himself in a more well-regarded league could be an invaluable step in his career progression, as well as being an incentive when Sunderland comes to negotiate personal terms.

Daghim has already proven that he can perform on the highest stage, having scored in the Champions League, most notably against Atlético Madrid and Jan Oblak. Sunderland have already demonstrated this season that they can score goals, but having another option in attack won’t hurt their chances of Premier League survival.

لم يترك نادي جالطة سراي، لحظة الفوز على ليفربول تمر مرور الكرام، حيث سخر الفريق التركي من الريدز عقب مباراة الفريقين في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

واستضاف جالطة سراي نظيره ليفربول مساء يوم أمس الثلاثاء في تركيا، ضمن الجولة الثانية من دوري أبطال أوروبا في الدور المعروف بمرحلة الدوري.

واستطاع جالطة سراي تفجير مفاجأة من العيار الثقيل، بعدما حقق انتصارًا مستحقًا على نظيره ليفربول بهدف مقابل لا شئ، سجله فيكتور أوسيمين.

اقرأ أيضًا .. ديكو: لا توجد مشكلة مع منتخب إسبانيا.. ومانشستر سيتي حاول ضم لاعب برشلونة

ونشر حساب جالطة سراي عبر تويتر، صورة للاعب ليفربول ، ميلوس كيركيز وهو محبط عقب الخسارة ضد الفريق التركي صباح اليوم الأربعاء.

وكتب حساب جالطة سراي على تلك الصورة: ”لن تمشي وحيدًا أبدًا، ولكن في بعض الأحيان تخرج بدون نقاط”.

You’ll never walk alone, but sometimes you walk out without points 🤷‍♂️#UCL pic.twitter.com/oFsyQ2xfSv — Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray) September 30, 2025

ليفربول لعب بشكل سيء للغاية أمام جالطة سراي الذي استغل عاملي الأرض والجمهور وكان الطرف الأفضل في لقاء الأمس.

وتعتبر هذه هي الهزيمة الثانية على التوالي التي يتعرض لها ليفربول، عقب خسارته يوم السبت الماضي أمام كريستال بالاس بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد، ضمن الجولة السادسة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وسوف يسعى ليفربول إلى مصالحه جماهيره، وذلك عندما يواجه تشيلسي الأسبوع المقبل، في قمة الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب ستامفورد بريدج.  

You can almost physically feel the shift in mood and anticipation at Arsenal. With deals wrapped for Noni Madueke and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres (who has not formally completed his move), the frontline is reshaping before our eyes.

The pursuit of Sweden sensation Gyokeres felt to have gone on for an interminably long time. And it did. So lengthy was the saga that Gyokeres, with his express focus on transferring to the Emirates Stadium in spite of rival interest, was nearly hijacked on two occasions over the past week. He turned a blind eye to Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United both times.

Madueke’s arrival evoked less fanfare, but he’s a talented player and a fitting profile, one who will provide support for Bukayo Saka on the right flank.

Kepa Arrizabalaga saved three penalties in an exhibition shootout after the Gunners kicked off their pre-season tour with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan. Fellow new recruits Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard got their first tastes of action too.

The next phase in Mikel Arteta’s ambitious plan is coming together, but the Londoners may yet add more to their ranks as they look to end five years without silverware.

What's next for Arsenal

With a deal for Gyokeres done and dusted, Arteta finally has the free-scoring centre-forward he has sought over the past several years.

But more is needed. Cristian Mosquera’s transfer from Valencia to north London remains incomplete, albeit all but wrapped up. There are not expected to be any eleventh-hour issues regarding either of the club’s outstanding bids.

With Chelsea closing on a deal for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, Arsenal may soon accelerate their interest in Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that talks are ongoing between Arteta’s side and the player’s camp.

And then there are the futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard to contend with. Either could be playing elsewhere a few months from now.

Should that be the case, the Gunners will need a new left winger. Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has emerged as a top target in recent weeks, though he would cost around £87m and is coming off the back of a disappointing campaign, going 17 matches for Los Blancos without a goal.

However, Rodrygo is not the only talented wide winger on Arteta’s list.

Arsenal looking at deal for Premier League winger

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal “are looking” to complete a deal for Anthony Gordon this summer, with reporter Charles Watts confirming that technical director Andrea Berta is still keen on signing a left-sided forward before the summer’s out.

Gordon, 24, has emerged as one of the Premier League’s leading wingers over the past few years, and Newcastle United know it. Thus, he has been priced at a rather lofty £100m, though Arsenal would surely seek a reduced fee.

An out-and-out winger with impressive athleticism, the England international is also being pursued by Liverpool, who may accelerate their interest if the £70m-rated Luis Diaz is sold to Bayern Munich.

Why Arsenal should sign Anthony Gordon

Off the bat, Gordon has a wealth of experience in the Premier League – and that matters. Many are the talented players who have entered England’s top flight with much hype only to struggle against the current.

Rodrygo, of course, isn’t a nobody, and he hasn’t won two Champions League titles and risen to a position as one of Europe’s leading forwards to be told that he doesn’t have what it takes to impress in a robust and fluent Arsenal side.

But Arteta needs to choose wisely if he is to bridge that canyon and cross past Liverpool, all the while keeping Manchester City and a growing force in Chelsea at bay. And others.

Describing himself as a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, Gordon has what it takes to elevate Arsenal’s frontline higher, with his balance and pace and tenacity all exactly what is needed to serve Gyokeres at number nine and contrast with Saka out on the right.

For a range of reasons, Gordon didn’t reach his finest level last season. However, the previous term was one of great individual merit for the Three Lions star, who was awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year award after clinching 28 goal contributions across the season.

Looking at that high level against Rodrygo’s in La Liga, we begin to see why Arsenal are considering a move for the Magpies man in spite of Rodrygo’s ostensible availability.

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

30 (22)

Goals

11

6

Assists

10

5

Shots (on target)*

2.3 (0.9)

1.8 (0.7)

Big chances missed

9

1

Pass completion

82%

91%

Big chances created

16

5

Key passes*

1.6

1.6

Dribbles*

1.5

1.6

Ball recoveries*

3.6

2.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.1

Duels won*

5.3

3.8

Rodrygo, no doubt, is an elite forward, crisper than Gordon in possession and more clinical in the final third. However, they are both creatively on par, and the Newcastle star’s work rate and combativeness are underlined by his duel and ball recovery metrics.

From this, we can see why he ranks so highly on Arsenal’s analytical findings. Let’s hypothesise for a moment: if Gordon plyed his trade at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Rodrygo at St. James’ Park, can we honestly surmise that the data would remain in the same frame?

Arsenal’s transfer activity this summer bespeaks improvements up top, and Gordon would be the cherry on the cake. Moreover, he would find that he could lift himself to the next level under Arteta’s wing, part of an ever-improving side that is so hungry for that final piece of the puzzle.

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