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Everton decided to part ways with Sean Dyche earlier this month and then opted to swoop to bring in David Moyes for a second spell at Goodison Park.

The Scottish manager has returned for another ride in the dugout on Merseyside, having been out of work since his exit from West Ham United last summer.

It has been an almost-perfect start to life back at the club for the ex-Manchester United head coach, who has secured wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion in his first three Premier League matches.

The Toffees head coach has, however, had to deal with adversity already as he had lost some key players to frustrating injuries in the last week or so.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin suffered a hamstring injury in the win over Brighton last time out and is set for weeks on the sidelines, and Orel Mangala is due to miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury.

These big injury blows have directed where Everton need to be looking to strengthen the squad before the January transfer window slams shut on Monday night.

Everton keen on Premier League midfielder

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, telling Everton News, Newcastle United central midfielder Sean Longstaff is open to a move to Goodison Park ahead of the second half of the season.

The report, via Bailey, reveals that the Toffees are interested in a deal to bring the English midfield ace to the club before the deadline, as they look to bolster their squad.

That is backed up by the Daily Mail, who reports that Everton are eyeing up a potential swoop to sign the Magpies academy graduate in the coming days, with this latest report revealing that the player would be keen to make the move happen.

It was recently reported by TEAMtalk journalist Harry Watkinson that the Toffees have a long-standing interest in the experienced midfielder, which means that they have been tracking his performances for a number of years, rather than it being a panic move at the end of the window.

Watkinson added that it could take a fee in the region of £12m to convince Newcastle to part ways with the 27-year-old midfielder before the deadline on Monday.

Transfer Focus

However, it remains to be seen whether or not Everton are willing to offer as much as £12m to bring him over to Goodison Park to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Toffees should push to get this one over the line, particularly given Longstaff’s willingness to join the club, because he could come in as a dream replacement for Mangala.

Orel Mangala's form for Everton this season

The Belgium international, who previously played in England with Nottingham Forest, made the move to Everton on a season-long loan from Ligue 1 side Lyon last summer.

It now seems unlikely that the Goodison faithful will ever see him in a Blues jersey again, though, as he has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign with an ACL injury and is due to return to France to complete his recovery with his parent club.

Losing the 26-year-old star has come as a blow to the Toffees as he had been a regular starter under Dyche, with 11 starts in 16 appearances, and started all three of Moyes’ first three matches in charge.

Appearances

19

Starts

14

Pass accuracy

90%

Pass accuracy in own half

93%

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

Duel success rate

49%

As you can see in the table above, Mangala provided an incredibly reliable presence in possession with his ability to find teammates with his passes at an impressive rate, particularly in his own half.

He also made 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game to break up opposition attacks but was inconsistent in his ability to win duels against opposing players, which was an area for improvement for the midfield whiz.

Mangala was a metronomic midfielder who could keep attacks ticking with his use of the ball in possession and that is why Longstaff could be a dream replacement for him, as he offers similar qualities.

Why Longstaff would be a dream replacement for Mangala

The English midfield maestro has struggled to find regular game time with the Magpies this season, as he has only started eight of his 18 appearances in the Premier League, with the likes of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton ahead of him.

Longstaff has not registered a goal or an assist in those 18 matches but has completed 86% of his attempted passes and 92% of his attempted passes in his own half, which speaks to his reliability on the ball.

He has shown some goalscoring potential, as shown in the highlights above, but he has only scored 16 goals in 205 appearances for the Magpies in all competitions to date.

Longstaff, therefore, is not a midfielder who is likely to come in and provide goals and assists on a consistent basis, which is also not what Mangala offered Dyche or Moyes.

The Belgian ace was a reliable passer who also contributed defensively and that is exactly the kind of presence that the Newcastle ace could offer Moyes in the second half of this season.

Starts

30

Goals

6

Big chances created

5

Pass accuracy in own half

89%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.0

Duel success rate

47%

As you can see in the table above, Longstaff was a regular starter for the Magpies in the 2023/24 campaign and did offer a threat at the top end of the pitch, but it is not something he has carried over into the current season.

His defensive statistics were also incredibly similar to what Mangala produced for Everton this term before his ACL injury, which suggests that the Newcastle man could be similar to him in terms of his output off the ball.

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ByDan Emery Jan 28, 2025

Overall, Longstaff appears to be a dream replacement for the Belgian ace because he is a Premier League experienced player who could hit the ground running, with the technical and defensive attributes required to fulfill a similar role in the team.

Greece international blunts Middlesex attack after Helm’s burst brings him nine match wickets

ECB Reporters Network22-Jul-2022

Aristides Karvelas celebrates his fifty•Getty Images

Debutant Sussex tailender Aristides Karvelas thwarted Middlesex’s hopes of victory with a defiant career-best half-century to secure a draw at Lord’s despite Tom Helm’s best efforts with the ball.Karvelas, a Johannesburg-born Greece international, batted for over two hours to blunt the Middlesex attack after Helm’s morning burst – which earned him record match figures of 9 for 146 – had raised the prospects of a final-session run chase.Helm picked up three wickets in 14 balls to reduce Sussex to 96 for 7, an overall lead of just 134, but a stubborn partnership of 45 between Karvelas and Archie Lenham steered the visitors towards safety.The 28-year-old was eventually dismissed after top-scoring with 57, but by then his efforts had saved the game and the captains agreed on a draw with Sussex on 181 for 9 in their second innings.Although Ali Orr perished cheaply for the second time in the match – run out by Toby Roland-Jones’ direct hit from mid-off – there were few indications during the opening hour that a clatter of wickets might accelerate the game.Tom Clark batted well for a chirpy 56, hitting successive fours off Roland-Jones and also depositing Helm over the short boundary for a maximum as Sussex progressed to 53 for 1.But Helm, following up a tight spell by Tim Murtagh at the Nursery End, then blitzed the visitors with a trio of rapid wickets – including the prize scalp of Cheteshwar Pujara, a rising delivery looping off the shoulder of the bat to second slip.When Clark played on to Umesh Yadav on the stroke of lunch, Sussex had slid to 69 for 5 and were looking vulnerable – even more so after Helm claimed his fourth wicket, with Delray Rawlins taken low at first slip.Sussex’s advantage still looked fragile when Murtagh bowled Dan Ibrahim through the gate, but Karvelas swiftly increased it by heaving a series of short-pitched deliveries from the Middlesex captain away to the short boundary.Murtagh rotated his seamers without success as Sussex’s eighth-wicket pair repaired the damage, using up 16.2 precious overs before Roland-Jones finally made the breakthrough, with Lenham (19) leaving the ball alone as it careered back to hit off stump.However, former Middlesex man Steven Finn joined Karvelas to snuff out any thoughts of a positive result, finishing 10 not out after his partner was finally dismissed, pushing forward at Sam Robson and offering a catch to gully.

Unlike last year when all matches were hosted at a single venue, the men’s edition this season will be played in four venues

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jul-2022

Fans will be back once again in the CPL after their absence in 2021•Getty Images

The 2022 edition of the CPL is set to kick off with the inaugural match of the women’s tournament – the WCPL – between Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Royals on August 31 in St Kitts and Nevis.This match will be followed by the opening game of the men’s edition on the same day at the same venue, where defending champions St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will take on Jamaica Tallawahs.The three-team WCPL – Guyana Amazon Warriors being the third team – will be played across four afternoons in St Kitts and Nevis during double-header days before the men’s fixtures in the evening and will end in a final on September 4. Unlike last year when all the matches were hosted at a single venue, the men’s edition this season will be played in Trinidad & Tobago, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis and Guyana, with the impact of Covid-19 on the wane.CPL 2022 schedule

Women’s: Aug 31-Sept 4 (St Kitts and Nevis)

Men’s: Aug 31-Sept 4 (St Kitts and Nevis), September 7-11 (St Lucia), September 13-18 (Trinidad), September 21-30 (Guyana)

St Kitts and Nevis will host seven men’s games before the teams will move to St Lucia for eight matches. Thereafter, the competition shifts to Trinidad for eight more fixtures before ending in Guyana with seven league-stage games and the three playoffs, followed by the final on September 30.The 2022 edition will also see fans return to the stadium, unlike the previous edition which was played behind closed doors.”It is very exciting to be able to confirm the fixtures for this season with this announcement being all the more special with the WCPL taking place for the first time in 2022,” CPL CEO Pete Russell said. “We can’t wait to be back travelling around the Caribbean and we are looking forward to welcoming our wonderful fans back into the stadiums across the region.”Related

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Chris Gayle opts out of CPL 2022, turns focus to 6ixty

CPL to launch inaugural T10 tournament 'The 6ixty' in August

The CPL, now in its tenth season, will start just after Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) new competition 6ixty ends on August 28. The 60 ball-per-side tournament, predominantly a T10 match but with several notable differences, will feature matches between all six men’s franchises and the three women’s teams. Recently, Chris Gayle opted out of CPL 2022, and said he will instead turn his focus to 6ixty.Knight Riders are the most successful team in the competition, winning three of the first nine seasons. Royals and Tallawahs will be looking to win their respective third titles in CPL 2022 while Patriots will be aiming to defend their maiden win in 2021. Warriors and Kings are yet to win a CPL championship.

Ipswich Town have been on an incredible roller coaster over the last few years.

Kieran McKenna took the reins in late 2021 and led them from League One all the way to the Premier League in just two and a half seasons.

The Tractor Boys repaid the Northern Irishman for his brilliant efforts in the summer transfer window by bringing in talented additions like Liam Delap, Sammie Szmodics and Jens Cajuste, who are all vitally important to the club’s goal of beating the drop.

However, while the majority of the summer additions have already paid off, it would be fair to say a few have struggled, including Kalvin Phillips and someone else, someone who might have been a mistake.

Phillips' Ipswich struggles

Following a diabolical short-term loan to West Ham United last season that saw Phillips make ten appearances, lose six games, pick up a red card and then return to Manchester City early, there were serious questions about his next move.

Fortunately for him, Ipswich thought they saw an opportunity to bring someone to Portman Road with plenty of Premier League experience and a point to prove, so in mid-August, they signed the former Leeds United captain on a season-long loan.

Initially, while he wasn’t anywhere near his impressive best, the 31-capped international looked like he’d be a useful enough player to have in and around the squad, but then away to Leicester City, he got himself sent off and essentially cost the club what would have been their first win in an early relegation six-pointer.

The Leeds-born midfielder hasn’t featured at all since that incident, but there is a feeling that, given his incredible experience and undeniable talent, he could still play an important role as the season proceeds, even if it’s not as a regular starter.

However, while there is reason to be hopeful about Phillips’ future in East Anglia, the same cannot be said about another of the club’s significant summer signings.

The Ipswich signing worse than Phillips

So, with most of Ipswich’s summer signings already accounted for, it should come as no surprise that the potential flop in question is Jack Clarke.

Now, we say ‘potential’ as it’s still probably a little early to say anything with absolute certainty, but as things stand, it’s not looking good.

The Tractor Boys agreed to pay Sunderland £15m for the “unplayable” attacker, as pundit Adrian Clarke dubbed him, and considering he’d scored 26 goals and provided 18 assists in just 92 games for the Black Cats across the last two seasons, it looked like a brilliant deal.

However, since making his move to Suffolk, the former Leeds United gem has not looked anything like the utterly sensational player who had been tearing Championship defences to shreds for the last two years.

For example, in his 14 appearances to date, which amount to 559 minutes of action, the 24-year-old has failed to score a goal and has provided just a single assist, which isn’t good enough.

Clarke at Sunderland vs Ipswich
Club	Sunderland	Ipswich
Appearances	114	14
Goals	28	0
Assists	23	1
Goal Involvements per Match	0.44	0.07
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, it’s not just the lack of output that’s worrying, but also his general play, with the defeat to Crystal Palace a good example, as the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones awarded him a 5/10 match rating and lamented him for how he ‘lost the ball too often.’

Ultimately, Clarke’s exploits for Sunderland over the last few years were nothing short of extraordinary.

That said, he has been immensely disappointing for Ipswich so far, and considering the fee he cost, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if McKenna regrets his decision to sign him.

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Dec 1, 2024

A club are preparing to push hard for one member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad in January, as the player looks for a way out of Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs face Bournemouth after disappointing 1-1 draw to Fulham

The Lilywhites take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium tonight, and it is quite uncertain which version of Spurs we’ll see.

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Postecoglou’s side thumped Premier League champions Man City 4-0, thrashed London rivals West Ham in a London derby, beat top-four rivals Aston Villa by three goals and dominated Man United at Old Trafford, but they also handed both Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace their first wins of the season.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham

December 5

Tottenham vs Chelsea

December 8

Southampton vs Tottenham

December 15

Tottenham vs Liverpool

December 22

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

December 26

Tottenham’s inconsistency has been a real chink in their armour so far, and it could seriously endanger their prospects of clinching a first piece of silverware since 2008 and a place in the top four at the end 2024/2025.

It will be interesting to see how Spurs decide to show up on the south coast this evening, but they also are not helped by the plethora of absentees in their squad right now.

Postecoglou is without his number one keeper Guglielmo Vicario for the foreseeable future after surgery on an ankle fracture, while he’s also missing his star central defensive duo Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Rodrigo Bentancur are also set to miss tonight’s trip, while doubts surround summer signing Dominic Solanke, which has left Spurs very short on the field.

“Everyone from the weekend got through OK, Archie [Gray] obviously got a knock, but he’s recovered well,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham team news before Bournemouth.

“Dom’s due to train today, he’s still not 100 per cent, but he’s definitely improved from the weekend, so we’ll see how he goes through training today. The other injured guys are inching closer but not available.”

Due to the severe shortage of options, Postecoglou has even suggested that they could turn to £120,000-per-week outcast Sergio Reguilon, who is yet to make a first-team appearance and this season and was included on the bench for the first time in months against Fulham.

“He is ready. He is training every day so part of the squad and we’re down in numbers, but there is also a reason why Reggy is in the last year of his contract with us,” said Postecoglou on Reguilon.

“We’ll see how that all transpires but nothing wrong with his attitude. He is training every day and we literally have schoolboys on the bench, so we’re low down on numbers and he’ll probably be involved again tomorrow.”

Getafe prepared to open talks for Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon

As a result of his exclusion from the team, Reguilon is attracting interest from La Liga, as he reportedly looks for a way out of N17.

There have even been reports that Reguilon wants to terminate his Spurs contract, with SuperDeporte now providing an update on the former Real Madrid defender’s future heading into January.

The Spanish news outlet writes that Getafe are prepared to “negotiate hard” to sign Reguilon from Tottenham, as they look to take advantage of this situation and shore up their left-back department.

“Frustration” is emerging from Reguilon and his camp over the lack of game time, with Getafe apparently ready to offer him a route out of north London. Reguilon is accomplished at the top level, spending last season on loan spells at Man United and Brentford, so he could be a very astute option on loan mid-season.

According to SuperDeporte, Tottenham will demand around £10 million to sell him outright in January, despite his contract expiring at the end of this campaign.

A journalist has provided an update on Leeds United’s January transfer plans and it’s great news for Daniel Farke. The January transfer window will open in less than a month’s time, and given how desperate the Whites are to return to the Premier League, it could be a perfect time for them to further strengthen their promotion bid.

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ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2024 Leeds transfer news

Defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday put a dent in Leeds’ promotion bid, as they slip three points behind leaders Sheffield United and a point behind second place Burnley. However, there is still a long way to go in the race, and Farke will think a productive January transfer window can help them reach their goals in the second half of the campaign.

One player who could be heading to Elland Road is Lennon Miller, as the 49ers have sent Leeds officials to join the race for the Motherwell player. Miller is very highly rated, and he has been valued at £5 million by the Scottish side, as several Premier League teams also circle with interest.

Apps

13

Goals

2

Assists

4

Exits may also be on the cards for certain Leeds players in January. Striker Joe Gelhardt could be one to leave the club, as he is keen to leave in search of more playing time. Several teams are interested in a possible loan switch in January, given Gelhardt has hardly featured in this current campaign.

January transfer update as Leeds free up funds for Farke

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Leeds United are preparing to make more money available for Daniel Farke in January. The January transfer window is an opportunity for teams across all divisions to make changes they see fit to their squad, and with the Whites fighting for promotion, they are laying the “groundwork” for a winter “spree”.

The Yorkshire side did spend significant money during the summer, as they added Joe Rodon, Largie Ramazani, Jayden Bogle, Ao Tanaka, and Isaac Schmidt to their ranks. However, they have had several injury concerns throughout this first part of the campaign, which compounded with the exits in the summer have left the manager a little light.

The club received hefty amounts of money from selling the likes of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Glen Kamara in the summer, and this report states that Leeds’ hierarchy are prepared to make a chunk of that money available to Farke this winter.

It is unclear where Farke plans to prioritise strengthening, but given their recent injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, a midfielder purchase may be high on the list.

West Indies toil during unbroken 193-run second-wicket stand but rain cuts further time from the game

Valkerie Baynes11-Mar-2022Joe Root looked genuinely impressed by what he was seeing. As Zak Crawley drove Kemar Roach down the ground for a boundary – not exactly sweetly struck but with the momentum of his considerable levers behind it – the England captain met him in the middle of the pitch for a couple of fist-bumps and approving nods, chattering away in encouragement and eliciting a broad grin from his young charge.Given that it was boundary number eight of 16 and counting for Crawley, who was compiling the second Test century of his career, the exchange may not have been unusual but in the circumstances, it stood out.After a dirty day three when Root more commonly wore a look of anguish as his attack failed to capitalise on prior opportunity, not to mention a tumultuous start to the year, England turned the tables on West Indies with an unbroken second-wicket stand in Antigua worth 193, a century and fifty so far to its protagonists and a 153-run lead heading into the final day.Related

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The hosts failed to make further inroads after Roach removed debutant opener Alex Lees, lbw in single figures for the second time in the match, to put the tourists at 24 for 1, still 40 runs in arrears.On a pitch that had admittedly offered nothing for the bowlers all match, the West Indies bowlers leaked runs, Veerasammy Permaul particularly expensive in conceding 51 off his 10 overs.Fellow left-arm spinner Jack Leach, meanwhile, had been one of the brighter lights for England, bowling 20 maidens – almost half his overs – as he took 2 for 79, including West Indies’ last wicket with the third ball of the day as the hosts took a 64-run first-innings lead.Quick Jayden Seales was the man dismissed, and he did not enjoy much more success with the ball, 12 wicketless overs costing 51 runs.But Roach, who was getting considerable swing with the new ball on the fourth morning, set Lees up with a series of deliveries that moved away from the left-hander before banging one in full and straight to beat the inside edge and slam into the front pad. Lees reviewed, perhaps in hope after seeing Crawley successfully overturn an lbw decision from umpire Gregory Brathwaite in the first over, only to have it confirmed that the ball was crashing into leg stump.Crawley was yet to score when he was reprieved the first time, with Hawk-Eye showing the ball was missing leg stump by some way. He had moved to 18 when West Indies burned a review shortly after Lees’ dismissal, Crawley adjudged not out to a Roach inswinger that hit him high on the back leg outside off stump.He had to wait out a 10-minute rain delay and Alzarri Joseph maidens either side of it on 49 before he regained the strike from Root and flipped Roach off his hip for a single to bring up his fifty off 100 balls. Crawley peeled off his next fifty from 81 balls as he and Root hit full flow and West Indies floundered for ideas despite trying seven different bowling options.Joe Root celebrates his half-century•Gareth Copley/AFP via Getty ImagesCaught behind off Seales for just 8 in the first innings, Crawley tightened up his defence but played expansively where it was warranted, pulling the short ball with authority, cutting anything wide and finding the boundary with the sweep and drive also.Root raised his half-century late in the afternoon session with a four off Permaul through third, and Crawley survived a hearty shout by West Indies, thinking he’d been caught at slip off the spinner, but for replays to show he had edged the ball into the pitch before it bobbed up to the fielder.Having scored 267 against Pakistan at Southampton in August 2020, his eighth Test, Crawley had made 12 single-figure scores – including two ducks – in 21 innings since.Called back into the side for the first time since the English summer for the last three Ashes Tests when England initially dropped Rory Burns and then Haseeb Hameed, Crawley scored a second-innings 77 in Sydney and survived the post-series clear-out, which also saw Lees called up to accompany him at the top of the order.Just like 19 months before, Crawley again lived up to the potential that put him there as he and Root gave England something to smile about before the intermittent rain that had punctuated play briefly a few times set in.

Arsenal hold a “massive excitement” over one unseen teenager in their ranks, alongside fellow rising stars Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, who are making most of the headlines in north London right now.

Ethan Nwaneri scores for Arsenal against Nottingham Forest

Both Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri are enjoying breakthrough campaigns at N5, with manager Mikel Arteta handing both teenagers minutes amid an early season which has been plagued by injuries to first-team stars.

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Lewis-Skelly, 18, has made six first-team appearances in all competitions – mostly filling in at left-back – with the cameos including one full start against Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup.

“He can play in three positions – as a left-back, as a six, as an eight,” said Arteta on Lewis-Skelly’s versatility earlier this season.

“He’s very adaptable, I think that’s a good thing about Myles. He’s very intelligent, very thorough. And he has a competitive edge that I think is demanded at this level. He really wants it, and we’re going to use him in different positions.

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

Everton (home)

December 14

Crystal Palace (away)

December 21

“He’s a competitor, you look at him in every duel … the way he reacts with his teammates, you speak to him and it’s constantly eye contact, he’s asking questions … it’s a special character.”

While Lewis-Skelly is attracting praise from Arteta, the same can definitely be said for Nwaneri, who’s bagged four goals in nine appearances across all competitions this term.

He scored his first Premier League goal on Saturday, during Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, and the 17-year-old appears to be establishing himself as Hale End’s latest Gunners sensation.

“The first thing he does is take a touch, run forward, run past two players and put it inches away from the post,” said Arteta on Nwaneri’s attacking threat.

“I understand that, I am responsible for him, and you have to do that brick by brick. Today he put in another brick, now we have to put the cement, make sure that it doesn’t get dry, so that he can put in another one and another one and that one is going to stick. Then we put one more layer, we want to put five in a row. Believe me, it won’t work, and we have to manage that with his expectations and his load as well, which is really important.”

Nwaneri has already been called Arsenal’s next £100m star in the making, but the English gem may have some competition already.

Arsenal hold "massive excitement" over Max Dowman

According to Football Transfers, yet another teenager could be about to burst through the youth ranks. Arsenal apparently hold “massive excitement” over young midfielder Max Dowman. The 14-year-old, who turns 15 next month, is already being compared to AC Milan legend Kaka within the club, and he’s set to play alongside senior players in a behind-closed-doors friendly.

The match is being organised in two weeks’ time, and it is specifically being arranged to assess Dowman, Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri.

Dowman recently became the youngest-ever Arsenal player to feature for the Under-18s, with FT sources describing the Englishman as an “insane” footballer.

أكد البرتغالي جوزيه بيسيرو، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، أن فريقه يطمح للفوز بجميع البطولات التي يشارك بها، مشددًا على أهمية مواجهة بتروجت المقبلة في كأس عاصمة مصر.

جاء ذلك خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الذي عقده بيسيرو اليوم السبت، حيث أوضح أن الزمالك لا يزال يقاتل من أجل التتويج بالبطولة، رغم التعادل في المباراة الأولى أمام الجونة، مؤكدًا أن الهدف الأساسي هو تحقيق الفوز في لقاء الغد.

وتحدث بيسيرو عن احتمالية إجراء تعديلات على التشكيلة الأساسية، مشيرًا إلى أن التدوير ضروري ولكن يجب أن يكون بحساب، حيث قال: “جميع اللاعبين لديهم الإمكانيات، ولكن الدفع بعدد كبير من اللاعبين دفعة واحدة دون انسجام قد يؤثر على الأداء، لذلك أحرص على تحقيق التوازن بين الأساسيين وبعض اللاعبين البعيدين عن المشاركة بصفة مستمرة”.

وعن موقف أحمد فتوح من المشاركة في المباراة، أوضح المدرب البرتغالي أن اللاعب خاض تدريبات مع الفريق خلال اليومين الماضيين، وسيتم تقييم حالته مع الجهاز الطبي، مضيفًا: “نرغب في تواجده، لكن لا بد من الحذر حتى لا تتجدد إصابته”.

طالع أيضًا | ميدو يشيد بسيراميكا كليوباترا بعد طلبه حكاما أجانب لمباراة الزمالك

وتطرق بيسيرو إلى مباراة الجونة الماضية، مشيرًا إلى أنه راضٍ عن الأداء التنظيمي للفريق، لكنه كان يأمل في رؤية شراسة هجومية أكبر وسرعة في اللعب، خاصة مع اعتماد الخصوم على الدفاع المتكتل، وقال: “واجهنا فريقًا دافع بسبعة لاعبين، ومع ذلك خلقنا العديد من الفرص، ونجحنا في إدراك التعادل بعد التأخر بهدف، وهو أمر إيجابي يؤكد عقلية الفريق القتالية”.

وعن مواجهة بتروجت، شدد بيسيرو على ضرورة استغلال الفرص وعدم استقبال أهداف، مؤكدًا أن الفريق يسعى لحسم المباراة مبكرًا وتجنب سيناريو التأخر في النتيجة.

وفيما يتعلق بمباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا في كأس مصر، وإقامتها بحكام أجانب، علق بيسيرو: “لا أهتم بتعيين حكم أجنبي لمباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا في كأس مصر، وجميع الحكام من الوارد أن ترتكب أخطاء، ولكن المهم ألا تتكرر”.

واختتم: “هناك ركلات جزاء لم يتم احتسابها لنا من حكام أجانب مثل لقاء الأهلي، كما أن هناك ركلات جزاء لم يتم احتسابها من حكام مصريين مثل مباراتي بتروجت وزد، ومن الوارد أن يخطئ الحكم، ولا يؤجد شخص كامل، ويجب على الحكم أن يطور من نفسه ويتلافي تكرار الأخطاء”.

Arsenal are now prepared to lodge a £42 million bid for one Serie A “revelation”, as sporting director Edu Gaspar and co make transfer plans for 2025.

Arsenal's rumoured transfer plans for January and next summer

By his own admission, Edu spends weeks identifying transfer targets in detailed assessments of players who he believes could upgrade Mikel Arteta’s ranks at N5.

Arsenal officials dispatched to Europe on Monday as Edu eyes £86m player

The Brazilian is making plans for the upcoming windows.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 15, 2024

The Premier League title hopefuls – who are aiming to beat Man City and Liverpool to the crown at the third time of asking – have suffered from a plague of injury problems to key senior players as well, perhaps highlighting their need for more strength in depth.

Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kai Havertz, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and potentially Gabriel Martinelli have all been sidelined at various points, with a few proving very sore misses.

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Chelsea (away)

November 10

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

Odegaard remains weeks away from full fitness after suffering ankle ligament damage last month, while Arsenal are sweating over the fitness of Martinelli after he picked up a calf problem on international duty with Brazil.

“I’ve heard the Arsenal hierarchy have held discussions about what happens if certain players get injured, and that includes Saka,” said ex-chief scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected within the game, to Football Insider this week.

“They want to get to a point where they have a solid backup for every player in their starting XI. Long-term, they’ll be planning to strengthen in every position. But that applies to Saka certainly, because a winger who’s always looking to take people on is always likely to get a whack and pick up a knock.

“He may always be available at the moment, but I know the club are planning for what happens if that isn’t the case any longer.“

It is believed Edu is targeting Antoine Semenyo as a back-up to Saka, while Arsenal have also been repeatedly linked with a new number nine, potentially to replace Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal prepared to make £42 million bid for Isak Hien

Despite the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori in the summer, Spanish media report this week that Atalanta centre-back Isak Hien is a target for the Gunners.

Arsenal have been keeping tabs on Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato recently, sending scouts to watch the Dutchman in action against Germany on Monday, so it appears they’re after more alternative options to star central defensive duo Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.

Links to Hien may therefore have weight, with the 25-year-old Sweden international branded “one of the revelations at the start of this season”.

That is according to a claim from Spain, which also states that Arsenal are prepared to make a £42 million bid for Hien, who has been praised as a modern, ball-playing centre-half who could really suit Arteta’s system.

The ex-Verona gem has averaged more blocks per 90 than any other player in Atalanta’s squad, whilst also being second behind Berat Djimsiti for interceptions made and clearances according to WhoScored.