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Arsenal are looking to offload as many as seven players in the summer transfer window, with manager Mikel Arteta and co also weighing up a “crazy” potential signing ahead of the 2025/2026 season.

Arsenal left disappointed after uneventful January

Despite consistent reports linking them with high-profile new striker options, with Arsenal making a public bid to sign Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins towards the latter stages of January, Arteta’s side ended the window empty-handed.

Related £190,000-per-week Arsenal star sets sights on Real Madrid move after talks

He wants a “dream” move to the Bernabeu.

Posts 6 ByEmilio Galantini Feb 11, 2025

Attention now turns to the summer, and how interim sporting director Jason Ayto can reshape Arteta’s squad ahead of a hopefully more convincing Premier League title push next season.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Leicester City (away)

February 15th

West Ham (home)

February 22nd

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26th

Man United (away)

March 9th

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

There is still every chance that Arsenal can catch Liverpool and pip Arne Slot’s men to this year’s domestic crown, but they face a major uphill battle considering the Gunners are currently six points behind them and have played an extra game.

With Gabriel Jesus out of the season, his Brazilian compatriot Gabriel Martinelli sidelined for a month and Bukayo Saka not expected back till March either, Arsenal are looking short in the final third, and the club are disappointed not to bring in a reinforcement during the last window.

“We had a clear intention which is always when a window opens to explore the opportunities to improve our squad with players that can make an impact,” Arteta said before Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg defeat to Newcastle.

“With players injured, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it. We are disappointed in that sense, but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players and we have to be very disciplined with that as well. I think that we were.

“It’s in the profile, a player that we believe can make us much better. Financially, there is a lot of ways, a lot of things that we must stay in the lane that has taken us this far, and from there try to improve.”

Arsenal looking to offload 7 players as they consider Gyokeres

Shedding further light on their plans for the summer, a report in the Spanish media has suggested that the north Londoners could be set for a major revamp this summer.

Indeed, Arsenal are apparently looking to offload seven players later this year, and this could help to both free up space and potentially fund a move for Sporting Lisbon sensation Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede, who will be allowed to leave for £63 million – £20 million less than his £83 million release clause – has been on fire yet again in Portugal this season with 34 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions already.

Arsenal are considering signing Gyokeres as one of a few striker choices on Arteta’s shortlist, and while it is unclear which seven players could depart at the end of this season, the 26-year-old’s potential move to Arsenal has been described as a would-be “crazy” transfer.

“I know Gyokeres very well personally, I was a bit of a mentor for him when he played for Brommapojkarna,” said former Arsenal midfielder Anders Limpar. “He’s a fantastically hardworking forward who scores a lot of goals.

“If we at Arsenal [were to] buy Gyokeres, then he will definitely call me. But then to see Gyokeres at Arsenal, that would be crazy.”

Middle-order batter had missed a chunk of IPL and 2021-22 Ranji Trophy knockouts for Mumbai due to a hamstring injury

Deivarayan Muthu07-Sep-2022

Ajinkya Rahane will lead West Zone in the Duleep Trophy this season•BCCI

Having recovered from the hamstring injury he had sustained during IPL 2022, Ajinkya Rahane is feeling refreshed and ready to start from scratch in India’s domestic season, which kicks off with the zonal-format Duleep Trophy from Thursday.Rahane, who had missed a chunk of the IPL and then the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy knockouts for Mumbai, is set to mark his return by leading West Zone in the Duleep Trophy.”The recovery has been good,” Rahane said on the eve of their Duleep Trophy opener in Chennai. “I was in NCA for a couple of months. The NCA staff and BCCI looked after me really well. I’m completely fit, and this is my first game after injury.Related

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Newsfile: India's 2022-23 domestic cricket season

Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup return in India's 2022-23 domestic calendar

“It [a full-fledged domestic season] is really important. I’m looking forward to start from zero again. For me, I don’t want to think about my past or future; it’s about being in the moment, and that’s why I said I want to start from zero again. You always get goosebumps when you go on the field, and I always like that feeling.”When you get that goosebumps, you get the motivation – whichever game you’re playing, whether it is a domestic game or international game. That feeling should be there. That feeling is still there [for me], and I’m really excited about this season, starting with Duleep Trophy.”Rahane refused to view the upcoming domestic season as a path back to the national side – he has not played for India since the Cape Town Test against South Africa this January – and instead said that his focus was to just stay fit throughout the season.”We will see what happens in the future, but I believe it’s important to be in the moment and focus on what’s in hand right now rather than focus on your future,” he said. “[It] took me two months to get fit. I had to follow a strict diet and routine for these two months, but it was really good, and the [NCA] staff were really positive. I’m out of that now. [I] just want to be fit throughout the season, and keep scoring runs.”This [at Chepauk] was just my second session outdoors. I was just batting indoors in Mumbai, so I’m not thinking too far ahead or thinking too much about my batting. I [have] got the experience, but it is important to be in the moment and respect the opponents and respect the conditions wherever we are playing, and then take it from there.”Rahane captains West Zone against first-timers North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy starting Thursday in Chennai, while East Zone simultaneously play North Zone in Puducherry on the opening day of India’s 2022-23 domestic season.

Pep Guardiola's side might have lost their clutch on the Premier League crown, but should in the mix this summer

Manchester City, crisis club? It is sort of fun to say – or at least, see. From the neutral perspective, having someone other than the Cityzens win the Premier League, at the very least, makes for a refreshing change of pace.

And City have deserved their struggles this season. They have looked tired, out of ideas, frustrated. Erling Haaland is injured. Kevin De Bruyne is leaving. They lost the reigning Ballon d'Or winner to an ACL tear. Rotten luck? Sure. But it has made the Premier League that little bit more interesting.

The season is done now, though. City will finish third. They are winning games again, looking more like a Pep Guardiola side. Odds are, they will claim the FA Cup with a victory over Crystal Palace next month. And the Club World Cup, in some ways, could be a reset.

De Bruyne might be gone by then. New signings such as Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez will have been allowed to properly settle in. Haaland should be approaching full fitness. This machine could be whirring back into life again. Still, it might just come a bit too soon. There are no guarantees here, with tired legs and fitness issues likely to play a role.

A fully fit City should win this thing. Anything short of that? Then it's anybody's game.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL will provide scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.

Next up is Manchester City with a look at key players to watch, and expectations for the English side at the tournament.

Getty ImagesThe Basics

DOMESTIC LEAGUE: English Premier League

CLUB WORLD CUP HISTORY: Second appearance (won 2023 edition)

GROUP: G (Al Ain, Juventus, Man City, Wydad Casablanca)

OPENING MATCH: Wydad – June 18, noon, Philadelphia

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHow they got here

Ironically, Man City have rather struggled in European competition, and finally won their white whale of a trophy in 2023 after many years of glorious failure. And it was that victory that sealed their spot in the tournament, Rodri scoring the only goal in a 1-0 clash against Italian giants Inter.

ImagoThe player to watch

Who else but Haaland? The striker hasn't enjoyed his best season in Manchester blue, struggling a bit for form, and then picking up a serious ankle injury in March – just as he was getting in a goalscoring groove.

Still, the expectation is that he should be fit an firing by the time the tournament comes around. It will, in truth, be interesting to see which version of Haaland shows up. Will it be the razor-sharp Nordic force that will batter through the tournament and lead City to glory?

Or will Guardiola work his main man back into the side steadily, saving him for the big moments? It is an interesting storyline to follow in a tournament admittedly lacking in them.

A word, too, for Phil Foden. The attacking midfielder followed a Premier League Player of the Year winning season with a pretty dire Euro 2024 – and equally miserable domestic season. He needs to turn things around, and this summer could be the time to start.

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Getty Images SportRealistic expectations

Win the whole bloody thing.

Somehow, the Club World Cup field has gotten weaker as the season has chugged along. Real Madrid look a shadow of themselves, while Bayern Munich and Inter have struggled either domestically or in Europe.

Only PSG look to be at 100 percent heading into the competition. But a weaker field should make for an ample hunting ground for City. They will likely do away with Al Ain, Wydad and a pretty tepid Juventus side. After that, it's the knockouts – at which point City should be off to the races.

Joe Root, with a career-high 923 rating points, is now at No. 19 on the list of the highest-rated batters in Test history

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2022

Rishabh Pant got into unusual positions at Edgbaston but was effective all the same•Associated Press

Jonny Bairstow and Rishabh Pant, the standout batting stars of the Edgbaston Test, have burst into the top ten of the ICC men’s Test player rankings – Bairstow at tenth place and Pant at a career-best No. 5. The unbeaten century in the second innings didn’t hurt Joe Root’s cause either, as he consolidated his position at the top of the table, that too with 923 rating points, his best.Bairstow was the Player of the Match following innings of 106 and 114 not out in England’s seven-wicket win, which helped them square the five-match Test series 2-2. That made it four centuries in his last three Tests for him, and he moved up 11 places to No. 10. He has 1218 runs at an average of 55.36 with six centuries in the current World Test Championship cycle.With Bairstow moving up, Virat Kohli, who only managed scores of 11 and 20 at Edgbaston, fell four spots to No. 13. This is the first time since 2016 that Kohli has not featured in the top ten in Test cricket. As for Bairstow, it was a continuation of his stunning rise in recent weeks. Prior to the New Zealand Test series in June, he was ranked 47th. Now, he is back in the top ten for the first time since 2018.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Root, who collaborated with Bairstow in an unbroken 269-run stand that took England over the line against India and scored an unbeaten 142 himself – to go with 31 in the first innings – stretched his lead at the top of the table to 44 ratings points over second-placed Marnus Labuschagne. Root is now also among the top 20 highest-rated batters in Test history, at No. 19.Steven Smith and Babar Azam were at three and four respectively, with Pant at five. Pant was the main performer with the bat for India in the Test, hitting 146 in the first innings and 57 in the second. That took him up six places from No. 11.Two bowlers who gained in the latest rankings update were James Anderson and Nathan Lyon. Anderson picked up six wickets at Edgbaston, including 5 for 60 in the first innings, to move up one spot to sixth among Test bowlers. And Lyon, who picked up nine wickets in the first Test in Sri Lanka, has risen five spots to 13th.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

There was also a new top-tenner in the men’s T20I bowling rankings: Akeal Hosein. Hosein has returned 1 for 22 and 1 for 27 in the two T20Is at home against Bangladesh so far – the first ended in a no-result because of the weather and West Indies won the second by 35 runs. That has given him a jump of ten spots, and a joint-eighth position with Maheesh Theekshana.Papua New Guinea’s Norman Vanua’s impressive all-round showing in the T20I series in Singapore, meanwhile, has put him in the top ten among allrounders in the format. He hit 20 and picked up 2 for 30 in the first game, and scored 71 and returned 1 for 33 in the second, moving ten places to No. 9 as a result.

Newcastle United have now shortlisted an “excellent” goalkeeper who could be brought in to replace Martin Dubravka, according to a report.

Newcastle searching for a new goalkeeper

Dubravka is set to leave Newcastle this month, bringing his six-year stint at St. James’ Park to an end, meaning Eddie Howe will have to bring in a new back-up keeper to provide competition for Nick Pope.

In the same report, it is detailed that James Trafford is being targeted as a replacement for Dubravka, with chiefs now confident that an agreement could be possible this January, having missed out on the Burnley shot-stopper in the summer.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has also identified Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher as a genuine target for the Magpies, with the Irishman doing an impressive job filling in for the injured Alisson this season.

Newcastle among the front-runners to sign "excellent" young centre-back

He could be a brilliant long-term addition for the Magpies.

ByHenry Jackson Jan 7, 2025

Given that Trafford and Kelleher have been impressive for their respective clubs, it is likely they would be brought in with a view to replacing Pope on a long-term basis, but Howe also has another, more left-field target in mind.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Newcastle have now shortlisted Wolfsburg’s Kamil Grabara as an alternative target to Trafford, should they miss out on the 22-year-old.

The Burnley star remains the Magpies’ top target, but the Clarets are eager to keep hold of the young goalkeeper, amid their push for promotion to the Premier League, meaning it could be difficult to orchestrate a deal this month.

The recruitment team at St. James’ Park are said to be fans of Grabara’s distribution, and they appreciate the fact he already has some experience in England, previously spending time with Liverpool and Huddersfield Town.

The 26-year-old arrived in the Bundesliga for £10m back in the summer, but it is unclear how much Wolfsburg would be looking for to sanction his departure this month.

Grabara performing well in Germany

The Polish shot-stopper has made a solid start to life in the Bundesliga, being lauded as “excellent” by German football correspondent Seb Stafford-Bloor for making three superb saves in a game earlier in the campaign.

However, Trafford is outperforming Newcastle’s new target on a number of key metrics over the past year, so it is clear to see why the Burnley man remains Howe’s priority target this month.

Statistic per 90

James Trafford

Kamil Grabara

Goals against

0.36 (99th percentile)

2.0 (9th percentile)

Save percentage

85% (99th percentile)

64.5% (14th percentile)

Clean sheet percentage

64% (99th percentile)

17.6% (25th percentile)

Touches

41.96 (80th percentile)

40.94 (66th percentile)

It must be noted that the Englishman plays in one of the strongest teams in the Championship, while Wolfsburg are a mid-table Bundesliga side, but he is still some way clear of Grabara on each metric.

As such, while the Wolfsburg man has impressed in the Bundesliga this season, he should only be targeted if the Magpies miss out on Trafford, who could be the first-choice goalkeeper at St. James’ Park for years to come.

A £50,000-a-week Everton player is now believed to be pushing to leave the club during the January transfer window, having grown frustrated with his time on Merseyside.

Everton manager latest

The Blues had a weekend off after their Premier League clash at home to Liverpool was postponed due to bad weather, in what would have been the final meeting between the two rivals at Goodison Park. The hope is that Everton having a breather could allow them to recharge ahead of a busy festive period, in what is a crucial run of fixtures for Sean Dyche, as he continues to battle to save his job. While he is safe for the time being, it hasn’t stopped other managers being linked with replacing him.

The Blues are reported to have contacted former Porto boss Sergio Conceicao about coming in at Goodison, but it is claimed that he would prefer to take charge at West Ham instead, with Julen Lopetegui currently under huge pressure at the London Stadium.

Meanwhile, a reunion with David Moyes at Everton doesn’t appear to have been ruled out, with the Scot also seen as an option to come in and take charge for the second time. It is a move that could be met with a mix of positivity and negativity among the fanbase, with some rating him highly after a great first spell there, but others wanting a younger, more attack-minded manager brought in.

Everton player pushing for January exit

On the transfer front, a fresh claim from Tuttomercatoweb [via Sport Witness] states that Everton striker Beto wants to leave the club in January, due to his lack of playing time this season. Serie A side Torino are looking to get a deal over the line – one that could cost as much as £16.5m – with a loan move with an option to buy being mooted.

Roma are also mentioned as potential suitors, but it is Torino who are holding talks already with Beto and his agents.

Beto has been a hugely disappointing signing for Everton since arriving last year, scoring just seven goals in 48 appearances, not producing the level of ruthlessness that was expected of him in the final third when he joined.

For that reason, it makes sense to sanction his exit in January, assuming Dominic Calvert-Lewin stays put, amid doubts over his own future at Goodison. Losing both strikers would make no sense, even if replacements came in, not allowing them time to get used to their new surroundings at a crucial point in the season.

Granted, Everton are in no rush to sell Beto, considering he is contracted at the club until the summer of 2027, but he hasn’t shown anywhere near enough consistent quality in a Blues shirt.

Beto’s Premier League stats this season	Total
Appearances	9
Stats	1
Minutes played	181
Goals	1
Assists	0
Dribbles per game	0.4
Key passes per game	0.0
Pass completion rate	47.6%

Should the right offer come along, Everton have to consider accepting it, receiving good money for a failed signing and keeping Calvert-Lewin until next summer before making a decision on him at that point.

Celtic moved three points clear of their nearest rivals, Aberdeen, in the Scottish Premiership with a 4-1 win over Hearts away from Parkhead on Saturday.

The Dons and Rangers both dropped points at the weekend and this means that the Hoops are now 11 points ahead of Philippe Clement’s men and three points ahead of second place.

Brendan Rodgers won the Premiership title and the SFA Cup in his first season back in Glasgow and is now charging towards more pieces of silverware this term.

The Scottish giants have a League Cup final clash with Rangers at Hampden Park next month to look forward to and are on course to make the play-off stage of the Champions League, having won two of their first four matches in the competition.

Things are looking great for Celtic right now and their work in the transfer market during the summer window has played a role in that, after the likes of Auston Trusty, Kasper Schmeichel, Arne Engels, and Paulo Bernardo were all brought in.

Centre-forward Adam Idah joined on a permanent deal from Norwich City after his loan spell in the second half of last season and scored twice in the 4-1 win over Hearts on Saturday.

Adam Idah's form this season

Rodgers swooped to bring the Ireland international back to Parkhead on a permanent basis in the summer and it was not a deal that came cheap for the Hoops.

Sky Sports reported that Celtic agreed an initial fee of £8.5m with Norwich to sign the 6 foot 3 marksman, with a further £1m in potential add-ons that could take it to £9.5m in total.

At the age of 23, Idah still has plenty of time to develop and prove that the club were right to spend that kind of money on him, but he is yet to nail down a regular place in the starting XI under Rodgers, with seven goals in 17 outings in all competitions.

The forward scored eight goals in 15 Premiership outings during his loan spell last season and only started five of those matches. It was an impressive return, given his lack of starts, but he has to find a way to get into the line-up ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi.

24/25 Premiership	Kyogo Furuhashi	Adam Idah
Appearances	12	9
Starts	9	3
Goals	5	4
Big chances missed	14	4
Assists	3	0
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Canaries academy graduate has been far more clinical than the Japan international, who has missed a whopping 14 ‘big chances’.

However, Idah has offered little in the way of creativity for his teammates, in comparison to Kyogo, and that may be what he needs to work on in order to nail down a place in the XI.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not the Irishman will go on to prove his worth in a Celtic shirt, there is a former Hoops marksman whose form has been on par with Idah’s, despite being sold for far less than the ex-Norwich star was bought for.

How much Celtic sold Vakoun Bayo for

In the summer of 2021, Belgian side Gent swooped in to sign Vakoun Bayo from the Scottish giants for a reported fee of £1.4m, after Toulouse were unwilling to match the asking price.

That came just over two years after Rodgers, during his first spell, had signed the Ivorian forward from Slovakian side Dunajska Streda for a reported fee of £2m in January 2019, after a return of 22 goals and nine assists in 32 games for his previous club.

Unfortunately, though, Bayo was unable to carry over his sublime goalscoring form from Slovakia over to the Premiership for Celtic, and struggled at Parkhead.

The Ivory Coast international, who was hailed as “powerful” by Chris Sutton, managed just two goals and one assist in 17 appearances across all competitions in his first year with the Scottish giants, which included zero goals in nine outings in the top-flight.

Bayo was then sent out on loan to Toulouse in the second tier of French football and enjoyed a solid season, with 13 goals and four assists in 36 games in all competitions.

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That, however, was not enough to earn him a second chance at Paradise, as the club decided that the striker would not be a part of their plans and he was sold for just £1.4m.

Where Vakoun Bayo is now

At the time of writing (26/11/2024), Bayo is currently on loan with Watford in the English Championship from Italian side Udinese, who they had sold the forward to earlier this summer.

He has had an odd career since leaving Celtic. The striker spent six months at Gent before joining Charleroi SC on loan, which resulted in a permanent transfer to the Belgian side in the summer of 2022.

Watford then signed him from Charleroi one day later and he spent five months with the Hornets, before going back to Charleroi on loan for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.

Bayo was then a permanent Watford player for the whole of last season before being sold to Udinese in the summer of 2024, and then loaned back to the Hornets for the current term.

The 27-year-old has, however, made a strong start to the current campaign and is currently level with Adam Idah for goals in all competitions, with both players on seven.

Championship	Adam Idah (23/24)	Vakoun Bayo (24/25)
Appearances	28	15
xG	5.83	7.83
Goals	6	7
Big chances missed	4	9
Duel success rate	31%	37%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Bayo is currently providing a bigger threat in the final third at Championship level than the Irishman did for Norwich in his last season with the Canaries before his initial loan move to Parkhead.

The Watford star has scored seven goals in all competitions, all coming in the league, and this means that he has been on par with the Hoops marksman, who has also found the back of the net seven times.

Whilst it is hard to say whether or not Bayo would have been a success with more opportunities in Scotland, Celtic may regret cashing in on him for just £1.4m, particularly given Watford spent £5m to sign him in 2022.

Celtic could land their next O'Riley with January move for "fabulous" star

Celtic have been linked with an interest in the English midfield dynamo.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 25, 2024

Chelsea have been hunting for their prolific number nine over the past few years, notably since their £97.5m move for Romelu Lukaku backfired, only making 44 appearances in his second stint with the Blues, scoring 15 goals and providing one assist.

Since then, Kai Havertz was often deployed as a striker under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, with other signings such as Pierre Emerick-Aubamayang and David Datro Fofana not going as planned.

This now leaves the current options as Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu, who have scored 17 goals between the three of them in 2024/25.

How Chelsea's main strikers compare

Jackson has started this campaign as the starting striker in Enzo Maresca’s team, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 901 minutes. His all-round play, ability to run the channels and work hard for the team, has seen him heavily trusted by the new boss, specifically over Nkunku.

The France international has still been used effectively this season, starting cup competitions, and coming from the bench in Premier League games, making 17 appearances, netting ten goals and registering one assist in 688 minutes.

Guiu, who was signed from Barcelona this summer for just £5m, has scored once in his seven appearances, showing promise as a hard-working centre-forward, who is a handful for defenders and looks to press from the front, winning the ball back in the opposition half.

Goals

0.63

1.08

Assists

0.31

0.12

xG

0.65

1.07

Progressive Carries

1.98

2.62

Progressive Passes

1.56

3.33

Shots Total

2.60

3.01

Key Passes

1.25

1.43

Touches (Att Pen)

4.79

6.43

Aerial Duels Won

0.52

0.95

The metrics above show Nkunku’s quality in and around the box, with a higher shot volume, more goals per 90, and a higher xG generated per 90. The Frenchman is a clinical finisher and has excellent movement to pair his instincts in dangerous areas.

However, whilst Nkunku betters Jackson in many of these per 90 metrics, what the Senegal international offers Chelsea is a real presence when running the channels, relentlessly making runs and being a nightmare for defenders, linking play and then driving forwards.

But one thing both of these strikers lack, is aerial prowess, both winning less than one aerial duel per 90 (Jackson with 0.52 and Nkunku with 0.95).

This is a clear hole in their squad building, and the Chelsea scouting department is looking to fix that in the coming windows.

Chelsea looking at Nkunku upgrade

According to reports from GIVEMESPORT, Chelsea are interested in Ipswich striker, Liam Delap, and could make a move for him next summer.

The report states that Chelsea’s scouts have been regularly watching Delap this season in his impressive run for struggling Ipswich.

The former Man City forward only left permanently last summer but has made a rip-roaring start to life in Suffolk, now being valued at £33m.

Making 12 appearances for Ipswich this campaign, he has scored six goals and provided one assist in 796 minutes played. His six goals in the Premier League have come from just 2.4 xG, therefore outscoring his xG by +3.6. It’s safe to say he’s truly delivering on the “unplayable” status he was given at Hull City by The Daily Mail’s Baz Cooper.

The 21-year-old forward offers a bigger and stronger build than both Jackson and Nkunku, winning 1.05 aerial duels per 90, and standing at 6 foot 1. Whilst he is the same height as Jackson, Delap has a stocky build, with a strong upper body, and the ability to bully defenders using his frame.

These are traits Chelsea want in their next striker option, to complement the qualities of Jackson, and add extra box threat to the squad, something that is currently lacking, especially when teams drop into a low block against the Blues.

Whether it is Delap, or someone else, Chelsea are definitely interested in adding a different-profile striker to their squad, in order to give Maresca extra options in games to turn the tide in their favour.

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Celtic return from the international break this evening as they prepare to travel away from Glasgow to take on Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

The Hoops have enjoyed a two-week break from competitive action since their 2-0 win away at Kilmarnock and will be hoping to pick up where they left off tonight.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have won ten and drawn one of their opening 11 matches in the Premiership and are top of the table on goal difference, as Aberdeen have matched their points tally so far.

A number of players have been away with their respective nations and played minutes in the latest international window, though, and this means that not all of his stars have been resting up for the last two weeks.

The likes of Alistair Johnston, Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Luis Palma, Reo Hatate, and Liam Scales, among others, featured for their countries over the break.

Rodgers could look to rotate his side for this clash with Hearts, with the minutes his international stars played in mind, but he will also want to keep the key performers from the last match in the XI.

Celtic's best performers against Kilmarnock

In the clash with Kilmarnock before the break, Kasper Schmeichel caught the eye with his ninth clean sheet in 11 league appearances for Celtic since his move to the club in the summer.

The Danish titan made six saves, five of which came from shots inside the box, to preserve a shutout and keep the Hoops in the game at times.

Winger Nicolas Kuhn, who has scored four goals and provided six assists in ten league games, was another player who impressed against Kilmarnock, whilst playing on the right flank.

The German forward assisted the opening goal from Callum McGregor before scoring in the second half, with a composed finish from a tight angle.

In the absence of USA international Cameron Carter-Vickers through injury, central defender Auston Trusty, who was brought in from Sheffield United on a permanent deal in the summer, also caught the eye.

The former Arsenal gem won six of his ten duels throughout the game and made six clearances and three blocks to stop attacks from the hosts, which shows that he put his body on the line to protect his goal and secure a clean sheet.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

One player who was not at his best for the Scottish giants, though, was central midfielder Reo Hatate, who struggled in the middle of the park.

Reo Hatate's performance against Kilmarnock in numbers

The Japan international, who featured in one of his country’s two matches during the break, was selected from the start in midfield against Kilmarnock alongside McGregor and Arne Engels.

He played the opening 85 minutes of the Premiership clash and failed to produce much in the way of quality in or out of possession for the Hoops, though, and could now be in danger of losing his place in the starting XI for tonight’s match against Hearts.

The 27-year-old dynamo did not register a single shot on goal, failed with his only dribble attempt, and ended the game without a single key pass to his name, which shows that he did not offer any threat at the top end of the pitch for the Bhoys.

Hatate also lost five of his nine duels, including two of his three aerial contests, and this shows that opposition players got the better of him more often than not in physical contests, as he was not dominant in his battles.

The midfield gem, who lost possession 17 times, did not showcase the best of his abilities in that game, as his form before that clash was impressive.

Appearances

11

Starts

9

Goals

3

Big chances created

4

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Hatate had scored three goals and created four ‘big chances’ for his teammates in his eight Premiership starts before the win over Kilmarnock.

With his travels to play for Japan during the break and his underwhelming performance last time out, though, this could be the ideal time for Rodgers to ruthlessly ditch him from the starting XI in order to hand another player a chance to shine from the start.

Who Rodgers should replace Hatate with

The Celtic head coach must drop the Japanese star to the bench and unleash summer signing Luke McCowan, who joined on a permanent deal from Dundee, from the start.

He has only started two of his eight appearances in the Premiership for the Hoops since his move to Parkhead, yet has scored two goals in the division for the club.

The Scottish ace, who captain Callum McGregor claimed has “massive quality”, has not had many opportunities to shine, but has caught the eye in his limited time on the pitch.

That should not come as a surprise to anyone, though, as McCowan is a proven Premiership performer who excelled for Dundee to earn himself a move to Paradise in the recent summer transfer window.

In fact, the left-footed whiz started the current season with a return of two goals and one assist in three appearances in the top-flight for his former club, before the Hoops snapped him up on deadline day.

Appearances

37

Goals

10

Big chances created

9

Assists

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

As you can see in the table above, McCowan was a key figure in the middle of the park for Dundee in the Premiership in the 2023/24 campaign, with his contributions in the final third.

He almost hit double figures for both goals and ‘big chances’ created respectively, whilst also making multiple tackles and interceptions per game to help his side out off the ball, and this shows that the Scottish ace carries a big threat at the top end of the pitch.

With this, and his two goals already for Celtic, Rodgers must provide him with a rare chance to impress from the start ahead of Hatate in tonight’s clash with Hearts.

Celtic have wasted money on their own Foden who's only played 28 minutes

The Celtic winger was compared to Manchester City Phil Foden before his move to Parkhead.

ByDan Emery Nov 21, 2024

United did not learn the valuable lessons of the Scot's dismal season in charge and continue to make the same mistakes that haunted him

No one with any connection to Manchester United, or indeed with any interest in football, will ever forget David Moyes' ill-fated season at Old Trafford. The Glaswegian's descent from being 'The Chosen One' asked to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson to a figure of ridicule was sharp. His side lost 11 Premier League matches and finished seventh, their worst showing in 24 years, while they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round. Moyes' side also had the worst home record of any United team since 1978, while they averaged just 1.64 goals per game.

Moyes' previous 11 years in charge of Everton had created an image of a steady pair of hands, but after his nightmare spell at United, he was considered damaged goods. He had brief and unsuccessful spells with Real Sociedad, Sunderland and West Ham, and it was only when he steered the Irons into Europe in 2021 during his second spell at the London Stadium that he started to be respected again.

His reputation grew further when he took West Ham to the Europa League semi-finals in 2022, and subsequently to Conference League glory in 2023. Still, his departure from east London last summer underlined his lack of aura and the sense that what happened at Old Trafford had changed him forever. And yet all of a sudden, Moyes is back in vogue, leading a truly stunning revival with Everton. Now, next up for the 61-year-old whose career has been rejuvenated is a showdown with United on Saturday…

Getty Images SportAs many wins as Amorim

With the Toffees winning four of their last five Premier League matches while frustrating Liverpool in an unforgettable final derby at Goodison Park, it feels like the last 12 years never happened and Moyes is the cream of the managerial crop once more, just as when he was anointed as Ferguson's successor in 2013. And what's more, United are losing games at such a fast rate that Moyes is no longer regarded as the worst manager in the Red Devils' modern history.

Ruben Amorim has lost eight of his 14 Premier League games in charge of United, who are on track for their worst campaign since being relegated in 1974. They are also enduring their worst run of results at home since 1894. And no, that's not a typo. This is their worst run of home form in 131 years, when the club was called Newton Heath and played at a stadium called Bank Street.

Amorim was tasked with radically transforming United's style of play when he succeeded Erik ten Hag in November, but he cannot get a tune out of his players. And yet he is hellbent on sticking with his 3-4-3 formation, despite growing discontent in the dressing room with his tactical plan.

Amorim's struggles to imprint his particular style on United is in great contrast to the success Moyes has had with Everton while going back to basics. The Scot has accumulated 13 points in six games back in charge of the Toffees – just one fewer than Amorim has in 14 Premier League matches while matching his four wins. Moyes inherited an even bigger mess at Goodison than Amorim did when he got the keys to Old Trafford, as Everton were just one point above the relegation zone when he replaced the sacked Sean Dyche, but they are now 13 points clear of the drop and have climbed above United in the standings.

AdvertisementGetty Lessons not learned

This, however, is not a revisionist rewriting of history when it comes to Moyes' time at United. The team's current struggles do not change the fact that he was unquestionably the wrong man at the wrong time to take charge of the Red Devils. There is no hiding from the fact that he took a serial-winning squad and turned them into an ordinary team that the likes of West Brom and Stoke City could comfortably beat.

What history has shown is that United failed to learn the lessons from Moyes' torrid time in charge. His hapless spell should have highlighted the club's problems in the transfer market and its willingness to indulge players who did not pull their weight and questioned the manager. Instead, United became obsessed with trying to copy what other top clubs had done years before, appointing serial-winning figures like Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho whose methods were already out of date by the time they rocked up at Old Trafford.

GettyBungling the transfer window

Moyes' time in charge of United got off to the worst possible start, as the club dithered in the summer transfer window just after appointing him. Despite being linked with some of the best players in the world, they ended up only adding Marouane Fellaini from Everton on deadline day for £27.5m ($34m), paying an extra £4m as they waited until his release clause had expired. United had had the cheek earlier in the summer to make a joint-bid of £28m for Fellaini and Toffees left-back Leighton Baines. That offer was understandably rejected by Moyes' former club, and it was far from the only attempted transfer he and United failed to pull off.

Moyes was set on signing Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona and Gareth Bale from Tottenham, but the former opted to stay at the Camp Nou for another season while the Wales star had his heart set on Real Madrid, despite United offering Spurs more money. As deadline day approached, United got more and more desperate, making last-ditch moves for Daniele De Rossi from Roma and Sami Khedira from Madrid.

A frustrating transfer window for United culminated in farcical circumstances when they attempted to sign Ander Herrera the day the window was due to shut, failing to understand that Athletic Club would only sell him if the Red Devils paid his £30m release clause and deposited it at the head offices of La Liga. It was an impossible move to pull off in 24 hours and just underlined how out-of-depth the club was in the transfer market without the personality of Ferguson and the expertise of David Gill, the club's long-running chief executive who had stepped down at the same time as the manager.

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Lack of leadership

The natural response to such an embarrassing transfer window would have been to follow what most self-respecting clubs at the time were doing and appoint an experienced sporting director to take care of player recruitment. But United's newly-appointed chief executive Ed Woodward, an accountant by trade, continued to do most of United's work in the transfer market even after Moyes was sacked.

Woodward gave his next manager, Van Gaal, a £160m transfer war chest the following year, the type of support Moyes would have killed for. But there was no coherence to the signings. United picked up Radamel Falcao for a hefty loan fee and signed Victor Valdes after both players had endured lengthy periods out with serious knee injuries. They spent £60m on Angel Di Maria, who had no real interest in joining United and fell out with Van Gaal, leaving for Paris Saint-Germain after one hugely disappointing season.

The following year more mistakes were made as £42m was spent on a 19-year-old Anthony Martial and £35m splashed out on Morgan Schneiderlin. Bastian Schweinsteiger arrived for £9m, but the German was on huge wages and his physical powers were fading. It was rinse and repeat until United finally appointed their first ever sporting director in 2021, but rather than hiring a renowned transfer expert, they decided to promote John Murtough from within. Murtough had joined the club from Everton with Moyes.