Tag Futebol

Manchester United now believe they can strike a deal for an “unstoppable” £40m forward, and they could hijack Bayern Munich’s deal in the process, according to a report.

Man Utd remain keen on new forwards

The Red Devils haven’t been overly busy in the transfer window up to this point, but they have managed to get two forwards through the door, namely Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, with the Cameroon international putting pen to paper earlier this week.

AI predicts how many goals and assists Cunha and Mbeumo will get for Man Utd in 2025/26

The pair have been backed to star at Old Trafford.

By
Charlie Smith

Jul 22, 2025

Speaking about the reason he chose to sign for United, Mbeumo said: “As soon as I knew there was a chance to join Manchester United, I had to take the opportunity to sign for the club of my dreams; the team whose shirt I wore growing up.

“My mentality is to always be better than I was yesterday. I know that I have the spirit and character to reach another level here, learning from Ruben Amorim and playing alongside world-class players.”

However, with Marcus Rashford Barcelona-bound, there are also major doubts over Alejandro Garnacho’s future at Old Trafford, so Ruben Amorim may need to bring in at least one more forward this summer.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, one option the Red Devils have in mind is Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, as there is a belief they would be able to strike a deal for the 14-cap France international.

United view Bayern Munich as the frontrunners in the race for Nkunku’s signature, as he has already given the green light for a move to the Allianz Arena, but Amorim’s side could hijack the deal.

A deal should be doable for a fee in the region of £35m – £40m, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealing the forward is nearly certain to depart Stamford Bridge.

"Unstoppable" Nkunku needs to leave Chelsea

The 27-year-old was largely limited to appearances as a substitute in the Premier League last season, and with the Blues signing the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens this summer, he is likely to fall even further down the pecking order.

While the Frenchman hasn’t exactly set the world alight at Chelsea, journalist Zach Lowy lauded him as “unstoppable” during his time with RB Leipzig, with the former Bundesliga star showcasing his attacking talents across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns.

Given that he flourished during his previous stint in Germany, a move to Bayern Munich may be more tempting for Nkunku, and having failed to adapt to life in the Premier League, it would not be a major blow if Man United missed out.

تلقى جافي لاعب فريق برشلونة الإسباني، صدمة قوية عقب خضوعه لجراحة في الركبة، إثر الإصابة التي يعاني منها.

وأعلن برشلونة أمس الثلاثاء، أن جافي خضع لعملية جراحية في الركبة وسيغيب لمدة تتراوح من 4 إلى 5 أسابيع (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

جافي لعب آخر مباراة له في 23 أغسطس الماضي ضد ليفانتي، وبدأ يشعر بعدم راحة في الركبة التي خضعت للجراحة.

وأختار جافي بالاتفاق مع الطاقم الطبي لبرشلونة، الخضوع لعلاج تحفظي على أمل أن تتحسن حالته ويستعيد لياقته بصورة طبيعية.

وفي نهاية الأمر استقر الجهاز الطبي لبرشلونة على ضرورة خضوع جافي لعملية جراحية، وهو ما حدث بالفعل.

وبحسب ما ذكرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، دخل جافي غرفة العمليات متوقعًا غيابه لمدة أربعة أو خمسة أسابيع، ولكن الطبيب الذي أجرى الجراحة وجد أمرًا غير متوقع.

وكانت ركبة جافي اليمنى أسوأ بكثير مما كان متوقعًا، واضطر الطبيب إلى خياطة الغضروف الهلالي الداخلي للمحافظة عليه، وهكذا امتدت فترة غيابه من أربعة أو خمسة أسابيع إلى أربعة أو خمسة أشهر.

وأوضحت الصحيفة أن الخطوة التالية تمثلت في كيفية إبلاغ جافي بحقيقة الوضع، وانتظروا حتى إفاقته بصورة كاملة من التخدير، وحين علم بالأمر كان في حالة انهيار، متذكرًا إصابته الأولى.

وكان جافي محاطًا بأفراد أسرته وحظي بدعم كبير من أليخاندرو إيشيفاريا (أحد المقربين من الرئيس لابورتا ونادي برشلونة)، وقد ظل رفقة اللاعب في مستشفى برشلونة حتى وقت متأخر.

كما حرص هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة على تقديم الدعم لجافي بعد أن علم المدرب بخطورة الإصابة، للاطمئنان عليه ودعمه في محنته.

At long, long, long last, Arsenal have their striker. The Gunners have arguably needed one for the last two years, but after several months of searching, the answer has arrived.

On Saturday evening, they announced the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres who put pen to paper after signing for around £64m.

It ended a saga that became rather toxic, particularly at the Sporting end. Gyokeres reportedly told his former employers that he’d never play for the club again after a breakdown in relations.

The Swede felt that the Portuguese side had broken the agreement they had that he could be sold for a particular fee.

Anyway, the attacker has finally got away from Lisbon and will now call London his home, bringing with him an abundance of goals. He scored 54 times in 52 outings throughout 2024/25.

Had that move fallen through, then Andrea Berta did have other options.

Arsenal's striker options this summer

Before Berta decided to go all in on Gyokeres, Slovenian powerhouse Benjamin Sesko was widely thought to be Arsenal’s number one choice.

They’ve been looking at the RB Leipzig striker for the best part of 18 months but things unravelled over the summer of 2025.

Indeed, according to the Athletic, it looked for all the world as though Sesko would be their first choice this summer. In March, Jason Ayton, Edu’s interim successor, was going to head to Germany in a bid to make headway on a deal. But, towards the back end of that month, the dynamic changed after Berta’s arrival at Arsenal.

That trip to Germany was canned and Gyokeres’ name came into contention with Berta a big fan of the player. With support from the owners, the club decided to explore the conditions of both deals.

Unfortunately, Sesko’s salary expectations and associated commission meant that the cost of any deal was too high. Consequently, they focused on Gyokeres and here he is.

Via The Athletic, also considered this summer was Ollie Watkins but they had reservations over his age. Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez was also on the agenda.

Indeed, the Atletico Madrid star’s name was discussed behind the scenes before they focused their attention on Gyokeres. That was probably a smart move considering some reports valued the Argentine at around £142m this year.

Still, he’d have been a remarkable signing had the club gone in that direction instead.

How Viktor Gyokeres compares to Julian Alvarez

While the Sesko move fell apart due to finances, the Gunners will be enormously content with the deal to bring Gyokeres to the Emirates Stadium.

Lavish fees have been spent in England this summer and you only need to look at the £79m fee Liverpool have paid for a project striker in Hugo Ekitike to know what Arsenal have got a better bargain here.

The Portuguese top-flight will have its doubters but the hierarchy in north London have paid just over £60m for a player who bagged 50 plus goals last season.

Even if he scores half that number in Arsenal colours this forthcoming campaign, he will have been a good signing. After all, Mikel Arteta’s men just need goals. For the first time since the 1923/24 campaign, no player in red and white scored double figures in the league. Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz endured lengthy injury spells but it makes for grim reading nonetheless.

There are some concerns surrounding the tactical fit of Gyokeres in this Arsenal team. We’re not attempting to bash this move, he’s a great signing, but despite the Swede’s power and height – he stands at 6 foot 2 – only around 12.5% of his shots came with his head and he didn’t score a single header in the league last term.

If Gyokeres finds a way to over 20 goals next season then few will care how they come but it does explain why Arsenal were looking at other options too, notably Alvarez.

Premier League-proven, the World Cup winner has been described as a “monster” by Argentine journalist Pablo Gonzalez and remarkably as “the best forward in the world” by reporter Roy Nemer.

His stock is incredibly high and his numbers in Spain last campaign demonstrate why. While Alvarez’s goalscoring record paled in comparison to Gyokeres, he did find the net on 29 occasions and at a higher level too. He also registered eight assists in all competitions.

While concerns surround Gyokeres’ ability to translate his form in Portugal to the Premier League, there will have no such doubts about Alvarez. He’s already dazzled for Manchester City at this level.

Goals

0.49

1.07

Assists

0.21

0.27

Shots

2.90

3.72

Pass success %

78%

72%

Key passes

1.88

1.81

Passes into penalty area

3.38

0.79

Progressive passes

3.40

1.87

Shot-creating actions

3.94

4.50

Progressive carries

2.50

3.89

In 2023/24, his final campaign under Pep Guardiola, the 25-year-old netted 19 goals and assisted 14, demonstrating that he is the complete package.

He’s also been there and done it all despite his age. He’s won the English top-flight on two occasions, he’s won the FA Cup, he’s won the Champions League, he’s won Copa America twice and of course, he’s got his hands on the World Cup trophy.

Despite being 25, Alvarez has quite the CV and there is no doubt that he’d have really taken Arsenal to the next level under Arteta’s wing.

Still, with Gyokeres, a 50-goal striker arriving through the door, few can complain when the club’s main problem last term was scoring goals.

He'd be better than Rodrygo: Arsenal "are looking" at signing £100m winger

Arsenal are ready to complete their summer transfer window with a big-money signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 25, 2025

Things have really kicked into gear for Arsenal over the last couple of weeks.

After watching their rivals bring in star player after star player, the Gunners have finally bolstered Mike Arteta’s squad with the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard.

Moreover, the Premier League runners-up appear incredibly close to securing the services of goalscoring extraordinaire Viktor Gyokeres.

Andrea Berta and Co aren’t done there either, as reports are now linking the club to a midfield machine who’d be incredible at the Emirates, even if his arrival could be bad news for Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal target midfield maestro

The main thing Arsenal need to add to the team this summer is attacking flair, goals and dynamism, so it’s hardly been a surprise that some of the most exciting links in recent weeks have been to players who possess all of those traits, such as Morgan Rogers.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Aston Villa star could be available for around £70m this window, and while that is undoubtedly a lot of money, it’s easy to see why teams, such as the North Londoners, might be willing to pay it.

After all, the 22-year-old was able to amass an imposing tally of 29 goal involvements in 54 appearances.

However, with that being his first full season in the Premier League, there are still a few questions over how he might fare in the long run, questions which are not present for another of the Gunners’ targets: Eberechi Eze.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal remain intensely interested in signing the Crystal Palace star.

Moreover, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are now closing in on an agreement to sign the Englishman, which would see them pay an initial £45m of his £67.5m release clause, with the rest coming in playing-related add-ons.

In all, it looks like it could be a fantastic deal for Arsenal and Arteta, but one that might spell trouble for Odegaard.

Why Eze could be bad news for Odegaard

The first reason Eze could be bad news for Odegaard next season is a simple one, but arguably the most important: his output.

In his 43 appearances for Palace last season, totalling 3303 minutes, the 27-year-old “duel monster,” as dubbed by reporter Simon Collings, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists, and did so almost exclusively from attacking midfield.

This means the former QPR gem was able to average a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes for a team that, at their best, is a mid-table side.

Appearances

43

45

Minutes

3303′

3447′

Goals

14

6

Assists

11

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.40

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

191.5

In contrast, the Gunners’ captain was only able to score six goals and provide 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes.

In other words, the Norwegian international averaged a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes, in a team that finished second and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

However, it goes deeper than the statistics, as one of the most concerning elements to the former Real Madrid gem’s campaign last season was how he disappeared in some of the biggest games.

For example, The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claimed he put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half” of the game away to Paris Saint-Germain, while content creator Connor Humm argued that he may as well have “sat in the stands he was that non-existent” in the first leg.

In stark contrast, the Greenwich-born monster scored in the quarter-final and semi-final of the FA Cup, before scoring the only goal in the final, and leading his side to historic glory.

Ultimately, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Eze this summer, as he’d undoubtedly bring goals and excitement to the team, even if that’s at the expense of Odegaard.

Their new Alexis: Arsenal reach agreement in principle to sign £69m star

Arsenal could be closing in on signing their new Alexis Sanchez.

6 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 9, 2025

There’s a lot going on down Anfield Road this summer, and there’s more yet to come for Liverpool’s Arne Slot as the Premier League-winning manager pieces together a squad capable of sustaining title charges across so many years.

Few predicted Liverpool would be crowned champions after Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his post, but the Merseysiders proved a cut above their rivals to win the title at a canter. However, now is the time for investment, having spent nominally in last summer’s market.

Whether the Reds manage to offload Darwin Nunez and bring in a flashy new striker remains to be seen, but there’s little question that Jeremie Frimpong, who has already signed, and Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, who are on the verge, will improve the Merseysiders and then some.

It’s all going swimmingly, but Liverpool will be frustrated by their failure to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, the centre-back instead signing for Real Madrid last month in a £50m deal.

Why Liverpool wanted Dean Huijsen

Analyst Ben Mattinson remarked last season that Huijsen was “the most in-demand centre-back in the world”, and after such an impressive breakout campaign with Bournemouth, it’s clear to see why.

The archetypal modern centre-half, Huijsen, only 20 years old, can do it all, defending with steely tenacity and spraying balls forward with the artful elegance of a midfield maestro.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 7% of Premier League positional peers last term for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 4% for interceptions and blocks per 90.

With Virgil van Dijk approaching the autumn of his illustrious Liverpool career, the left-sided Huijsen would have been the perfect fit, but instead Liverpool will have to turn their attention elsewhere.

The Spain international is off the cards, then, but FSG may yet authorise a move for an up-and-coming defensive star.

Liverpool enter race for new CB

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Liverpool have joined Chelsea in the race for Benfica centre-back Tomas Araujo, who has an €80m (£68m) release clause in his contract.

The 23-year-old might be higher on Chelsea’s list at the moment, but that’s not to say Liverpool won’t accelerate their plans in the coming weeks, once other areas of the field have been dealt with.

It’s worth noting that Benfica do not want to sell their prized defender, but if Liverpool are serious, they may be able to tempt the player to push for an exit before the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

What Tomas Araujo would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool wouldn’t have just made themselves known as suitors for Huijsen because many of their divisional rivals had registered interest; the Reds’ data-driven approach would have seen the Dutch-born talent profiled extensively.

He is indeed off the cards, but Liverpool could sign a similar player in Araujo, who has been hailed for his “magnificent” rise to prominence in Portugal by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Having graduated from Benfica’s academy and having completed a season-long loan with Gil Vicente in 2022/23, Araujo has now completed 68 senior matches with the Eagles, winning the Taça da Liga last season (effectively the Portuguese version of the League Cup).

Limited to just 20 appearances across all competitions in 2023/24, having returned from his promising loan spell, Araujo has now become a mainstay in Benfica’s first team, going from strength to strength to attract the attention of Liverpool.

And when collating his data from the 2024/25 campaign with Huijsen’s, you begin to see that Liverpool could actually strike gold in signing this second choice, for he matches up with the Spaniard nicely indeed.

Matching Huijsen across ball-playing metrics, Araujo has also proved himself to be more accurate in the duel and more active across tackling and intercepting areas, albeit making far fewer clearances than his fellow Iberian.

Curiously, Araujo also recovered more balls, which speaks highly of his athleticism and energy, covering ground. This would be especially important in the Premier League, which is played at a higher pace than the Liga Portugal.

And furthermore, Araujo is also a capable right-back, playing out wide when the situation demands it. The fruits of this can be found in his 0.6 dribbles per game, also maintaining a crispness in his passing while creating openings for his teammates in a similar vein as Huijsen.

He might not have the goalscoring advantage on Real Madrid’s new recruit, who already is an expert at using his rangy frame in the box, but then he has shown on occasion an ability to find the back of the net with a leaping effort.

A balanced defender who has proven his ability to shake things up on the biggest stage, Araujo is the real deal. Across the 2024/25 Champions League season, he ranked among the top 17% of central defenders for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for tackles per 90 (FBref).

Given Liverpool’s pressing need for more depth and quality in the rearguard, especially with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain and Jarell Quansah linked with a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, Araujo could be the perfect fit.

The Benfica star’s ball-playing and -carrying strengths indicate a style which Huijsen has performed so well in the Premier League, so now it’s up to FSG to steal ahead of Chelsea in the transfer tussle.

Perfect for Isak: Liverpool told £75m bid for PL star will be accepted

Liverpool may need to sign a new left-sided forward this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 14, 2025

Winner goes through to the final four, loser goes out

Firdose Moonda22-Jun-20241:26

Bishop: WI batters have to play freely against South Africa

Match detailsWest Indies vs South Africa
North Sound, Antigua, 8.30pm localBig picture – Semi-final spots up for grabsIt isn’t actually called a quarter-final, but for all intents and purposes, it is. West Indies and South Africa meet in the T20 World Cup 2024 with the winner set to go through to the final four and the loser set to go out.Tickets still available for crunch game

Additional tickets have been made available for the T20 World Cup game between West Indies and South Africa. They are priced at US$ 45 and can be purchased online at tickets.t20worldcup.com or at the counter at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

What may be lurking in the back of South Africa’s mind is how close five of their six games so far have been. They have snatched victories from the unlikeliest of scenarios and seem to be riding a wave of good fortune that they have failed to catch in tournaments past. They will be the first to admit that they are yet to put together the perfect game, but they boast a perfect record. Six out of six wins means they are once again being spoken of as champion material. Could this be the year South Africa finally win a T20 World Cup? West Indies might have something to say about that.The co-hosts were unbeaten through the group stage too. Though they lost to defending champions England in the Super Eight after that, they are still on track to achieving what they set out to: re-establish West Indies as a powerhouse by competing strongly and (hopefully, for them) winning a third T20 World Cup. If they score 160 and win by 52 runs, they could even go past England and top Group 2. For now, it all hinges on how they do in this match and though West Indies may take heart from sweeping South Africa 3-0 before the tournament, it’s worth remembering that that was a second-string South Africa side. The real test is now.Form guideWest Indies WLWWW
South Africa WWWWW1:44

How can West Indies contain Quinton de Kock?

In the spotlight – Alzarri Joseph and Marco JansenAlzarri Joseph has the same number of tournament wickets as Anrich Nortje – 11 – at a slightly higher average (13.81 compared to 12.90) but a slightly better strike rate. Joseph has taken a wicket once every 11 balls at the tournament – and Nortje once every 13 balls – and is rightly seen as West Indies’ biggest threat with the ball.Joseph has only played two T20Is against South Africa, and in the last one took a series-winning 5 for 40 to seal a seven-run win. Four of the five batters Joseph dismissed in that match – Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen – have been part of South Africa’s XI in every game at the World Cup thus far. On his home ground, Antigua, he will have even more motivation to attempt to repeat the feat.Related

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With Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Ottneil Baartman all shining at different stages of the competition, Marco Jansen has flown under the radar despite being an important part of South Africa’s progress. The economy rate of 5.90 includes bowling mostly in the powerplay and is South Africa’s second-lowest after Baartman (though Jansen has played one more game). Though he has gone wicketless in all but one match, Jansen has been match-winning in other ways. Against England, he was tasked with the game’s penultimate over and conceded just seven runs, leaving Nortje 13 to defend. Crucially, he has adapted to conditions when some of his team-mates have not, and he is yet to be given a chance to show what he can do with the bat.Team news – West Indies have choices to makeShai Hope’s unbeaten 39-ball 82 opening the batting against USA may mean West Indies do not have immediate cause to bring in Kyle Mayers, who has replaced the injured Brandon King in their squad. It’s an interesting call to make because Mayers has the advantage of knowing the South African players well, from his time at the SA20, and of being West Indies’ second-leading run-scorer in the pre-World Cup series played against South Africa last month. Their other decision will be in the make-up of the bowling unit – whether to include an extra seamer in Romario Shepherd or stick to the offspin of Roston Chase.West Indies (probable): 1 Shai Hope/Kyle Mayers, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell (capt), 5 Andre Russell, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Romario Shepherd/Roston Chase, 8 Obed McCoy, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh MotieThe last time South Africa played in Antigua, they opted for two spinners and left Baartman out, and may consider that combination again. However, Tabraiz Shamsi was expensive against USA, which could open the door for the other left-arm spinner in the squad: Bjorn Fortuin, who has not had a game thus far. It’s more likely South Africa will stick to what they like best, with an unchanged batting line-up and one of Shamsi or Baartman.South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi/Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich Nortje1:43

Will Kyle Mayers open against SA?

Pitch and conditionsFrom South Africa’s match against USA earlier in the week, North Sound seemed good for run-scoring. That was a day game and this is a night fixture, though, so there may be a slight difference. There have been two night games played at this venue in the tournament: Australia chased down 73 against Namibia inside six overs and scored 100 runs inside 12 overs when they beat Bangladesh in a rain-affected game on Friday. Rain, in fact, may be the biggest concern for the teams with the forecast not great during the day on Sunday, but the precipitation probability decreases to 17% in the evening.Stats and trivia The head-to-head record between these two teams is equal: Played 22; West Indies won 11; South Africa won 11. In T20 World Cups, they have met four times, and South Africa have won three. West Indies’ only victory came in 2016 There have only been three totals of over 200 at the T20 World Cup so far and West Indies have one of them. They scored the highest total of the tournament with their 218 against Afghanistan in the group stage. South Africa have batted first four times in six matches and average 146 Nicholas Pooran is the tournament’s top run-scorer at the moment with 227 runs; Quinton de Kock is in third place, 40 runs behindQuotes”It’s important for us to continue in this vein because we see what’s at stake now.”
“This team believes that we can be really great as a unit. Obviously, with the last World Cup [in India] bowing out in the semi-finals… it’s both the character and there’s a lot of hurt. So, we just take it one game at a time and focus on trying to get the results to go our way and not looking at the negatives, just trying to highlight the positives as much as possible.”

The striker situation at Arsenal has been a nightmare for boss Mikel Arteta for many months now, unable to rely upon his two senior options for the majority of the campaign.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have missed a combined 28 Premier League games between them, with the pair currently sidelined with hamstring and knee issues respectively.

Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard are just two of the players who have been tasked with filling the void at the top end of the pitch, with the latter scoring three goals in his last two outings.

As a result, it’s a surprise to no one to see the hierarchy already targeting attacking reinforcements to help Arteta in his quest to win the title in 2025/26.

Numerous players have already been hugely touted with a switch to the Emirates during the upcoming window, certainly improving the options available at the manager’s disposal.

The latest on Arsenal’s pursuit for a new striker this summer

Ever since the appointment of sporting director Andrea Berta, it’s been clear to everyone who Arsenal’s number one target is to become their new talisman this summer.

The former Atlético Madrid man has already held talks with the representatives of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres over a switch to join the Gunners in the coming months.

The Swedish international could be available for a fee in the region of £60m this window, a potential bargain given his record of 48 goals and 11 assists in his 47 outings this season to date.

However, another name has emerged on their shortlist in the form of Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku, potentially making a shock move across the capital to join Arteta’s side.

According to French outlet RMC Sport, the Gunners have made an enquiry over a potential move for the former £52m signing, who could leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Why Nkunku could become Arteta’s next Havertz

As previously mentioned, Arsenal forward Havertz is currently on the sidelines through injury, with Arteta missing one of his key talismen within the final third.

The German joined the club in a £65m deal from Chelsea back in the summer of 2023, with supporters unsure of where his best position would be at the Emirates.

However, his record of 29 goals in all competitions during his two years in North London is evidence that he’s more than capable of featuring as the club’s central striker.

His absence has been felt throughout the last few months, with the likes of Merino featuring in an unnatural position to make up the numbers whilst he continues his recovery.

Arteta could land another version of the German international this summer should they complete a deal for Nkunku, with the Frenchman following in a similar vein in joining from Chelsea.

He’s also come into question about which position suits his playstyle the best, but has still managed to outperform Havertz in numerous key areas in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

The former RB Leipzig star, who’s been labelled a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has notched a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing his clinical nature in the final third.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst completing more take-ons and achieving a higher tally of carries with the ball into the final third – highlighting the danger he poses with the ball at his feet.

It’s unclear how much their London rivals would demand for his services, but it could be a risk worth taking with the positives massively outweighing the negatives with the Frenchman.

He’s fallen massively out of favour in West London throughout this season, with Arteta having the opportunity to sign another one of the Blues’ stars and transforming them into a key player for their title charge next campaign.

He'd make Rice unstoppable: Arsenal preparing bid for "world-class" star

Arsenal could be about to make a move for one player who would play a huge role under Mikel Arteta.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 26, 2025

Manchester United have reportedly submitted an offer to Barcelona for one of their remarkable defenders, according to a new transfer update.

Man Utd looking to save season in Europa League as Ratcliffe eyes signings

The Red Devils are on course to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League, with Ruben Amorim’s side losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest last time out.

Also unable to defend their FA Cup crown, United’s only chance of silverware is in the Europa League, where they will take on Lyon in the quarter-finals over the next two weeks.

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A move appears to be advancing.

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Should they defeat the Ligue 1 side, Man Utd will then take on Rangers on Athletic Club in the semi-finals, and if they make it to Bilbao, Tottenham Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt or Lazio would await.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS look set to shake things up at Old Trafford over the summer, with at least 10 Man Utd players on more than £1.8m a week on course to be moved on over the coming months.

That will allow room for new signings, and by the looks of things, attack is an area where Amorim wants to improve.

Man Utd’s next 5 fixtures

Date

Man Utd vs Man City

April 6

Lyon vs Man Utd

April 10

Newcastle vs Man Utd

April 13

Man Utd vs Lyon

April 17

Man Utd vs Wolves

April 20

The club have been linked with numerous players ahead of the 2025.26 season, with contact made for Lyon attacker Rayan Cherki. Hugo Ekitike and Lorenzo Lucca have been identified as striker targets, and now, a new defender is of interest to the Red Devils.

Man Utd make £40m+ offer to sign Barcelona star Balde

According to a report from Spain, Man Utd have made an offer of €50m (£41.7m) to sign Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde.

The report says that Balde’s progress under Hansi Flick has been ‘remarkable’, and that has caught the eye of the Red Devils, who only recently signed Patrick Dorgu from Lecce.

Man Utd’s bid hasn’t been enough to tempt Barcelona, who have already rejected the proposal presented by INEOS and have made Balde not for sale.

The 21-year-old, who has the same agency as Leny Yoro, is a product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy and has been a regular this season under Flick.

Balde was also previously hailed by former boss Xavi Hernandez, who was amazed by the full-back when he was a teenager.

“I have seen that they did a lot of individual marking and Balde can generate superiorities inside and out. It never ceases to amaze me that an 18-year-old boy is at this level. He has a lot of confidence and personality, he has a great physical condition and he’s going to give us a lot.”

It’ll be interesting to see where United turn to now in regards to looking at new full-backs to rival Diogo Dalot and Dorgu, as it seems a move for Balde is off the cards.

He had a career that achieved more than most and still left you wanting more, which is sometimes just fine

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Sep-2024Loosely, Sunday’s retirement was Moeen Ali’s third in as many years. But this one, at the age of 37, a week after he, as white ball vice-captain, was left out of both ODI and T20I squads, carries a weight of finality.Test retirement at the end of the 2021 summer was seemingly on a whim before he was parachuted into the 2023 Ashes to cover for Jack Leach as the spinner, then Ollie Pope as No. 3, after which he said he was done for good. All while a staple in the limited overs set-up.It is a weight that has been lifted off the story. Because though Moeen will still be traipsing about the franchise circuit, his England career, outright, is done. Now, a decade after this whole ride began, it is time to get off and remember what was.The glorious cover drive, the pull shot, the flight, the drift, the turn. The way he made the game look effortlessly easy, which lent itself to almost widespread infuriation during the periods of underperformance. He was a role model, and not just for the British Muslim community but the wider working classes.Related

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He won the Ashes in 2015 – the last time England held the urn – and has two World Cup winners medals as a vital cog in Eoin Morgan’s machine that achieved ODI and T20 successes in 2019 and 2022, respectively. And it speaks of Moeen’s character that Sunday’s announcement came with a clear message that the time was right for the team to move on from him, not the other way around.Alastair Cook, Moeen’s captain for 37 of his 68 Tests, regards him as the most selfless player he lined up alongside. Stuart Broad, who played with Moeen for all but nine of those caps, simply referred to him as his favourite team-mate.There is another thing about Moeen that does not matter but still counts: he was cool. And not “cool because he has a great beard” or “cool because he laces inside out over point”. But cool in the way cool is meant to be. A disposition rather than an act.It is little things like somehow being a cult hero and yet adored by everyone you have ever played with, despite the fact cricket is the kind of sport where the two do not go hand in hand. Even last summer, when the England team went crazy for bucket hats, they were all in agreement that Moeen – who flipped the brim to fashion it into a trilby – wore it best. Wisely, none of them tried to copy him, appreciating the fact they simply did not have the capacity to pull off the look.Moeen was a role model, not just for the British Muslim community, but the wider working classes•Philip Brown/Getty ImagesIt’s also the big things, like dropping into an Ashes, batting No. 3, and being the primary spinner despite a slit in your finger that you fix by – checks notes – bathing it in honey. Being a soothing comfort to watch when on full flow out in the middle, or having a knack for skewering tension in a dressing room, which is no mean feat.We might as well stick with that 2023 series against Australia, because it really is the perfect microcosm of his career. Ben Stokes dropped him an SOS “Ashes?” text, and he replied initially with “LOL”, before confirming his attendance officially during a meeting with Stokes and managing director Rob Key, which he arrived at armed with a bag of Sam’s Chicken. Duty called and Moeen answered, though not before getting a chicken burger.He averaged 25.71 with the bat, 51.44 with the ball, yet had a strangely profound influence on matters. There were only nine wickets, but that included Travis Head three times, Marnus Labuschagne twice, as well as Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith. And arguably his biggest contribution with the bat – probably pipping the 54 struck in a 121-run stand with Zak Crawley in the first innings of the fourth Test in Manchester – came while waiting for his turn to bat in the third Test at Headingley.”Harry Brook played a drive and got out for 3 batting at No. 3,” Broad recalled while speaking to Moeen on Sky Sports at lunch on day three at the Kia Oval. “I was sat next to you, and you’re a bit like ‘I’m not sure I like Brooky at three’ and you went straight to Baz [Brendon McCullum] and went, ‘Baz, let me go three – I’ll go three, get Brooky back to where he scores his runs. I don’t care if I snick off, I’ll go and try and blaze the new ball but get me up at three. Let me take the responsibility.'”Brook, who was at first drop in that innings after Pope injured his shoulder at Lord’s, went on to score 75 from No. 5 on the final day as England chased down 251 to save the series and get on the board on their way to a 2-2 series draw. “And you had such a natural selflessness to you,” mused Broad.

“The glorious cover drive, the pull shot, the flight, the drift, the turn. The way he made the game look effortlessly easy, which lent itself to almost widespread infuriation during the periods of underperformance”

Moeen almost shrugged off the thanks. “A lot of the time, whatever the team needs, I’m prepared to do that.”That brief period of Moeen in the time of Bazball carried a hint of sadness as he walked off at The Oval. You wonder how he would have fared had he played the guts of his Test career under McCullum’s stewardship.At the same time, he was very much of his era. And though this is usually the point in a tribute piece where you sneak in the flaws, Moeen’s entire career was punctuated by frustration. He certainly wasn’t clutch enough and there was no legitimate reason why he did not make more of his batting talent. That he only has five Test centuries is ludicrous and, ultimately, a blight on him rather than anyone else – as is the Test average of 28.12.Yet, his 204 wickets put him behind only Derek Underwood and Graeme Swann as England’s most productive spinner. Only 17 other players in the history of Test cricket have scored 3000 runs and taken 200 wickets. And even in an era when England’s white-ball batting stocks are through the roof, he still possesses the team’s fastest T20I half-century at 16 balls.Moeen’s was a career that achieved more than most and still left you wanting more. Sometimes, even in a sport wedded to numbers, leaving people wanting more is just fine.

Where did India go wrong in testing conditions in Adelaide? And can they completely change their approach with the same set of batters?

Sidharth Monga10-Nov-20222:52

Dravid: ‘We should have been able to get 180-185 on that wicket’

It is to be expected that there will now be plenty of ridicule around the new approach India had promised when Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid took over. Most of it will be opportunistic, though there are those who have genuinely been asking the question since the first match of this T20 World Cup. Either way, any such criticism without acknowledging the conditions this World Cup is being played in will be hollow.Let’s first of all look at how India have played this World Cup. They came to Perth early, played a warm-up match in Brisbane, saw the ball hooping around in Melbourne, and decided that these were not conditions where they needed to risk being bowled out for 120 in pursuit of 200. They chose to set a base, and then go big in the last ten overs, which has been the trend in the whole tournament.Related

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Dravid praised this approach, saying it was part of his batters’ adaptability, and trusted them to change their ways should they come across a pitch that calls for a score of 200.That brings us to the pitch in the semi-final against England. The trends in Adelaide have been clear: in day matches there this tournament, batting first has been great because the pitch keeps getting slower and slower, but in both the night matches before today, Bangladesh and Afghanistan gave India and Australia, respectively, a scare when chasing. Australia were desperate to secure a big win but Glenn Maxwell revealed their helplessness against the conditions, saying they just couldn’t force the pace when batting first but then the ball skidded on nicely when they bowled.In light of that, India’s first curious decision was to look to bat first should they win the toss; they got what they wanted, as Rohit Sharma said at the toss, though England won the right to decide and promptly put them in. This was a damp pitch with a strip of grass just outside off at one end running along the length of the pitch. That dampness was likely to dry out soon. Dravid was asked at the post-match press conference if they looked at those two night matches at the venue before deciding they would want to bat first.

“At that 15-over mark, we felt we were probably 15-20 short… In the end, it looked like we were a lot shorter than even 15-20. [But] I think we should have been able to get to 180-185 on that wicket”India head coach Rahul Dravid

“Yeah, honestly we looked at those things,” Dravid said. “Also runs on the board was something in a semi-final. We had been batting well. We were one of those teams that were, even in these conditions, scoring 180, 180-plus. I think we had done it two or three times in this tournament. So we were playing well.”However, the way India got to those scores of 180 is not sustainable. An early wicket – which of course you cannot control – followed by a slow rebuild by Virat Kohli, leaving Suryakumar Yadav to do the heavy lifting. In his defence, Kohli’s numbers at the death are great, but he risks leaving himself too much to do the way he bats.Also, those scores of 180 came against Netherlands and Zimbabwe, not quite England who – contrary to what the doomsayers feared, when looking at the used pitch put out for this game – are arguably the best at playing on a slow surface. They have a world-class legspinner in Adil Rashid, an offspinning allrounder in Moeen Ali and a legspin-offspin allrounder in Liam Livingstone. And India are among the worst when conditions are tacky because their top three can be shut out by spinners.”When the game started, the boys were saying it was a little bit tacky, it was a little bit slower,” Dravid said. “Having said that, they [England] bowled really well. I thought they were really good up-front. They hit really good lengths, didn’t really let us get away. At that 15-over mark, we felt we were probably 15-20 short, and we really had a good last five overs.In the earlier games, Suryakumar did a lot of heavy lifting. England dismissed him for 14•Getty Images”I think Hardik [Pandya] was absolutely brilliant, and that’s exactly… In the end, it looked like we were a lot shorter than even 15-20. [But] I think we should have been able to get to 180-185 on that wicket.”That adaptability Dravid spoke of throughout the tournament probably went missing a little, but it is not entirely accurate to say India didn’t have the intent. Barring Kohli, who seems to have the role of batting through the innings and looking to score playing orthodox cricket, batters did try to hit out. Rohit looked scratchy because he tried to get away when the pitch was at its most difficult. There were nine boundary attempts in his 28-ball innings, he also tried to unsettle Rashid by sweeping him, but he just couldn’t quite get the timing right on a slow surface. Hardik tried to take Rashid on as soon as he walked out, but whenever he tried to hit, he ended up edging to short third.That is not to take away from England’s bowling, though. They had the variety and quality in their bowling to make sure batters had to take risks to hit boundaries. Rashid, especially, bowled beautifully after being attacked first up. Livingstone, called upon to bowl instead of Moeen because of two right-hand batters in the middle, gave the ball rip, found turn and also bowled accurately.India probably missed a trick in not promoting left-hand batter Rishabh Pant after playing him ahead of Dinesh Karthik precisely because they didn’t want Rashid to have a big say.England wrapped up the game with four overs to spare•AFP/Getty ImagesTo say, as Rohit did at the post-match presentation, that the bowlers didn’t turn up is barking up the wrong tree. When you are defending a small total, you have to attack with your lengths, which is what the bowlers did. There was no swing on offer, and England got the opportunity to attack them, which they did with aplomb.In the end, after a whole year of working hard to change the mindset of the batters – and Rohit was at the forefront of it, taking risks while KL Rahul and Kohli took their time – the team management will be frustrated their exit came playing cricket that pundits are calling “timid”.This is a question only they can answer: in the pursuit of results – a tight win against Pakistan which was no vindication of conservative batting, a defeat against South Africa, a scare from Bangladesh, two facile wins against Netherlands and Zimbabwe – did they lose sight of the process? Did they fall back into the bad old ways where the default was to take the conservative option in thinking a score on board will bring pressure in a knockout match? Rahul didn’t once try to hit out of a lean patch. Kohli didn’t attack spin. Did they try enough to fight the conditions?The larger question perhaps is, can they completely change their approach with the same set of batters? Dravid said it was too soon and disrespectful to think of the future of some of the senior players in the immediate aftermath of this defeat, but whenever he, Rohit and selectors sit down to review this tournament, that question will stare them right in the eye.