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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is hoping to successfully mastermind a promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking.

The Whites were relegated from the top-flight at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and brought in the German boss to plot a route back to the big time last season.

He led them to a third-place finish in the Championship, just behind Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the automatic promotion places, and then lost to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley.

Farke won two Championship titles during his time with Norwich City and will now be hoping that he can secure a third trophy in the division this season.

His squad has been damaged by the departures of Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter this summer, but he has been able to bring in Joe Rothwell, Largie Ramazani, Manor Solomon, Joe Rodon, Jayden Bogle, and Alex Cairns.

The summer transfer window is still open until Friday night and the German boss could want to make further additions to his squad, with a Championship attacking midfielder said to be on his wishlist.

Leeds interested in Championship playmaker

According to the Daily Mail, Leeds are interested in signing Sheffield United playmaker Gustavo Hamer before the deadline passes later this week.

The report claims that the Whites submitted an offer of £13m to snap the Dutch maestro up from Bramall Lane and were rebuffed by the Championship side.

It states that the Blades are not looking to cash in on the 27-year-old magician in the final few days of the window, despite the 49ers' efforts to tempt them into selling.

An offer of £13m was not enough to convince Sheffield United to part ways with a player they paid £15m to sign from Coventry City last summer, following their promotion to the Premier League.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Whites will go back in with an improved offer for the talented attacking midfielder, as the report does not reveal what their plan is with the £30k-per-week gem going forward.

Dutch outlet TransferWatch claims, though, that personal terms have already been agreed between Farke's team and the ex-Coventry star, with it now being down to the two clubs to agree a fee.

Leeds and the Blades look set to compete with each other in the battle to secure promotion to the Premier League this season and Chris Wilder's side may not want to strengthen one of their potential rivals, whilst weakening their own team, with a few days to go before the deadline.

Farke, however, could unearth his own version of former promotion hero Pablo Hernandez at Elland Road by securing a deal for Hamer this week.

Pablo Hernandez's Leeds magic

The Spanish maestro was a versatile midfield player who could operate out wide on the flank or through the middle as an attacking midfielder for the club.

He thrived under Marcelo Bielsa in the Championship and provided immense quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the West Yorkshire outfit, particularly in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns.

The right-footed wizard was a superstar for the Argentine head coach in the 2018/19 season, after Bielsa was appointed in the summer of 2018.

As you can see in the table above, Hernandez was directly involved in 24 goals in 39 appearances for the Whites as they missed out on promotion via the play-offs.

He provided consistent quality as a scorer and a creator from a midfield position and followed that up with another impressive season as Leeds won the title in the 2019/20 campaign.

The Spanish ace produced nine goals and nine assists, with another season of a symmetrical spread of goal contributions, in 37 Championship games for the club.

These statistics, along with his overall stats as shown in the graphic above, show that Hernandez was a constant threat to opposition defences during his spell at Elland Road.

He was a mercurial talent who could win matches with his quality at the top end of the pitch and Farke could now land his own version of the talented ace.

Why Gustavo Hamer could be Pablo Hernandez 2.0

The Dutch magician is a proven Championship performer who could provide a similar presence to Hernandez in the final third with his ability as a scorer and a creator of goals from a number ten or wide position.

A central or attacking midfielder usually, Hamer has started the current campaign as a winger for Sheffield United and this shows that Farke could use him in a wide role or in behind Mateo Joseph.

The 27-year-old, who was described as a "beautiful" player by journalist Josh Bunting, has been on fire in the first three games, with a return of two goals, one assist, and two 'big chances' created in three appearances, and that comes after his tally of four goals and six assists in the Premier League last term.

Prior to his move to Bramall Lane in the summer of 2023, Hamer showcased his attacking quality in the Championship during his time with Coventry.

As you can see in the table above, the talented playmaker provided a huge threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Mark Robins in the 2022/23 season.

His return of ten assists from 16 'big chances' created also suggests that his teammates let him down at times with their wasteful finishing in front of goal.

Including an outing against Leicester at the start of last season, Hamer has produced 11 goals, 12 assists, and 21 'big chances' created in 45 Championship games since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Leeds could land “exciting” signing for Joseph in late move for EFL star

The Whites are reportedly interested in signing the attacking midfielder this week.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 26, 2024

These statistics suggest that Farke could unearth his own Pablo Hernandez by signing the Blades star, due to his ability to be a difference-maker on a regular basis from a midfield position at Championship level.

Pulisic has recovered from his previous calf issue, but an ankle problem will sideline him for at least one more game. Musah also sidelined

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• Pulisic to miss Roma clash with ankle injury
• Had been sidelined for nearly a month after a calf tear
• Musah will remain out due to muscle injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. international star Christian Pulisic won't make a return to the Milan side this weekend, manager Paulo Fonseca announced on Saturday. The American had an outside chance of making an appearance for the , after recovering well from a calf tear. However, an ankle injury, picked up towards the end of his recovery, will rule him out.

  Fellow USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah will also remain on the sidelines. Musah has missed the last two games with an unspecified muscle injury, and won't be able to recover in time for Sunday's fixture.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pulisic's continued absence could be a real problem for Milan, who have relied heavily on the American over the course of the last 18 months. They have won just one of three Serie A contests without him, and will also miss dangerous winger Rafael Leao – according to Fonseca.

• WHAT FONSECA SAID

  The manager offered an update on Pulisic's injury in a pre match press conference, admitting that he might have been able to play a role on Sunday: "I expected that we could have Pulisic [for the Roma game]. He is fine but these last two days he has an ankle problem, which is another one. He hasn’t trained with us. It is a problem that arose during the recovery process. He is not ready for tomorrow, not even for the bench. Not for the previous problem but this new one that has come up."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC, MUSAH?

  Fonseca didn't offer any more specifics as to when Pulisic or Musah might return. After Sunday, Milan will face Juventus in the Supercoppa Italiana semi final in Riyadh.

Arsenal dropped their first points of the new Premier League season in bizarre circumstances as the Gunners drew 1-1 with Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta's men looked good value for a first-half advantage at the break, Kai Havertz darting onto Bukayo Saka's through ball and lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper.

Sadly, the game changed in the second half when Declan Rice was sent off in controversial circumstances.

It was a moment in the game that totally changed the momentum. At one stage, the Seagulls were enjoying 81% of the ball over a five-minute period and left north London with a point thanks to Joao Pedro's neat finish from close range.

Still, Arsenal could have won the game. Havertz had a wonderful opportunity in the second half but was denied by Bart Verbruggen before the German turned provider, whipping the ball into Saka who couldn't quite get his feet in the right order and he was denied by the Brighton goalkeeper again.

In all, the Premier League title challengers did well to pick up a point but they will be ruing that incident with Rice in the second half.

Why Rice was sent off

In the first half, the club's record signing was given a booking for a strong challenge. Rice slid in, won none of the ball and was rightfully given a caution.

Whether he was rightfully given a second yellow, however, is up for debate.

The former West Ham man had a coming together with Joel Veltman on the left-hand side of the pitch and in Brighton's desperation to take the set play quickly from deep within their own half, Rice stopped them from doing so.

Veltman kicked out, Rice nudged the ball away and chaos ensued. By the letter of the law, the £105m man was rightfully sent off. What will specifically frustrate the Gunners is the lack of consistency.

In the opening 45 minutes Pedro also kicked the ball away, and at a far greater distance than Rice. Was he cautioned? No, he wasn't.

So, once all was said and done, Arsenal were forced to finish the clash with ten men and Rice will now miss a vital away clash against Tottenham after the international break.

Who is set to replace Rice against Spurs

This red is a bitter pill to swallow for those of an Arsenal persuasion. Away at Spurs, Rice would be vital but he won't be available. Nor will Mikel Merino.

Cruelly, he was injured in his very first full training session with the squad. Gabriel reportedly landed him on which caused a shoulder injury that will disrupt the Spaniard's first few weeks in the capital.

As a result, it's likely Jorginho will come into the team and partner Thomas Partey. However, once Rice is back and Merino is up to full speed, the Ghanaian simply has to be dropped to the bench.

His performance against Brighton, although not abysmal, showcased why. In truth, Partey hasn't started the season awfully either. He did, after all, score that important goal against Aston Villa a week ago.

The trouble is that his lack of athleticism hurts this Arsenal side, as does his lacklustre giveaways of possession.

Against Brighton he played some nice passes, notably into Saka on the right-hand side but in tight spaces inside their own half, he found it difficult to evade Brighton's press and was guilty of ceding possession.

Partey did so on seven occasions throughout the match, once every 5.5 touches of the ball. From a player in his position, you would surely expect better. Handed a 5/10 match rating by GOAL's Charles Watts, the reporter summed up his display aptly: "Struggled in possession. Made some good recovery tackles, but was slack with the ball at times."

That was summed up by a pass success rate of 76%. It's not great at all but it was a tally that ended up being the third-best on Arsenal's team. That's a rather alarming statistic for a side that love to keep possession.

To make matters worse, the 31-year-old only won three of his eight duels. On that evidence, it's no surprise Merino has been brought in. He won more duels than any other player in Europe's top five leagues in 2023/24.

So, while Partey will have to stick around for the trip to Tottenham in a fortnight, barring a remarkable display there, he must be taken out of the side long-term.

Arsenal hit gold on amazing talent who’s worth way more than Sterling

Mikel Arteta has a player in his squad who could move on for a serious profit in the future

By
Ross Kilvington

Aug 31, 2024

Former Portugal coach Fernando Santos has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo for 'securing his future' by moving to Saudi Arabia.

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• Santos praised Ronaldo's Saudi move
• Compared Al-Nassr to European clubs
• Al-Nassr face Al-Akhdoud on Thursday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 2016 European Championship-winning coach spoke highly of Ronaldo as he praised the 39-year-old's decision to move to the Saudi Pro League in 2023 and "secure his future". Santos also boldly claimed that Al-Nassr is "no different" from any club in the European game.

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• WHAT FERNANDO SANTOS SAID

  Speaking on Egyptian Channel 1 (via ), Santos said: "Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr is an incredible decision, but it is a unique experience, and Al Nassr is no different to European clubs. The atmosphere in Saudi football is wonderful. Cristiano is a world-class player and was looking to secure his future."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo has faced criticism and trolling over his jibe at Ligue 1 during his speech at the Globe Soccer Awards last month, where he said: "The Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1, of course. I'm not saying that because I play here. I don't care what people think about it. Players should come here and they will see quickly. Just try to do sprints at 38, 39, 40 degrees…Come and you will see. If you don't believe me, come. In France, they only have PSG, everyone else is finished. Nobody can beat them because they have the most money and the best players."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CRISTIANO RONALDO?

  The ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid star is all set to take to the field for Al-Nassr this week after a well-earned winter break. The Saudi giants will face Al-Akhdoud in a league clash on Thursday.

It's not very fair is, it? Come on Erling, these people have families. The rampant Norwegian is proving to be the usual source of chaos, chaos that once all is said and done will probably see Manchester City beat Arsenal to the Premier League title for the third year in a row.

Haaland is a robot, an alien, a footballing juggernaut who destroys everyone and everything in his wake.

As Arsenal slumped to a 1-1 draw with Brighton in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off, Man City responded in emphatic fashion. Well, their striker responded.

Pep Guardiola's main man was at it again at the London Stadium to down West Ham in brutal, mesmerising fashion.

Haaland's performance against West Ham

The Norway international's hat-trick against Ipswich Town the weekend prior felt inevitable. Kieran McKenna's men performed some admirable business in the transfer window but very little can prepare you for the onslaught of Haaland.

The Tractor Boys went 1-0 up but the powerhouse forward responded by knocking three goals past them. Well, he was at it again against West Ham on Saturday evening.

Another hat-trick was notched up to take his early season tally to seven goals in three outings. For anyone who doesn't have him in their fantasy team, quite frankly, what are you playing at?

This is an unstoppable beast and the way in which he took his trio of goals in the capital two days ago was freakish. The second was a rasping crunching effort that soared past the goalkeeper and the third, out of nowhere, was quite magnificent.

Haaland ran in behind and comfortably slotted the ball past substitute goalkeeper and former Arsenal man Lukasz Fabianski as if he wasn't even in the net.

So, good luck Gunners. Truly, good luck finding a way to beat Man City when they have him up front.

How do they respond? Well, despite not adding a centre-forward to their ranks over the summer, they are beginning to build quite the weapon up front.

Arsenal's answer to Haaland

Now, hear us out, but Kai Havertz does have similar attributes to Haaland.

He may not have the goalscoring prowess – although that is improving – but he has a lengthy build that ensures he is a nightmare for defenders, boasts remarkable strength and is left-footed.

That last one is rather tenuous, admittedly, but like we said, hear us out for a few minutes, he has come a long way since his blase attitude was said to be "like Mesut Ozil" by Paul Merson.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the £65m signing from Chelsea is actually the same height as City's no.9. So, there's the first box ticked.

Where else are they similar? Well, they've got that style of play that looks rather effortless. The German has already been compared to a figure like Dennis Bergkamp and it's clear to see why.

He may not be as graceful as the great Dutchman but like Haaland, that wirey frame and the long strides they possess come in handy when looking for two things; someone to hold the ball up and someone to regularly hassle defenders.

Until recently, Havertz had been playing as more of a false 9 in the Arsenal team. Yet, in 2024/25, he's been given the keys to become the leading man. The way he took his goal against Brighton on Saturday was Haaland-esque, racing onto a ball in behind and plonking the ball over Bart Verbruggen.

Stylistically there are also clear differences. Haaland has pace. Havertz isn't blessed hugely in that department. The numbers do tell us something interesting though, even if we can't quantify their biggest similarity; strength.

As we noted above, there are clear differences in some areas. Havertz is more creative, boasting more progressive passes per 90 minutes. There is a reason former teammate Roberto Hilbert once declared the Germany international has "some things Ozil had". This time we're comparing the two Germans in a positive light.

That said, they aren't really too dissimilar in the carrying department. They don't complete an awful number of passes per 90 minutes and defensively they've actually been relatively on par this term, leading the press with 0.67 tackles apiece.

There is little chance that Havertz ends up ending the campaign as prolific a goalscorer as Haaland but both of them, with their languid and rangy playstyles, will prove key in the destination of this season's Premier League title.

Less touches than Raya: Arsenal must look to bench 5/10 star after Brighton

Arsenal dropped their first points of the season on Saturday lunchtime.

By
Matt Dawson

Aug 31, 2024

A brittle backline cost the Reds the Premier League title last season, and history could repeat itself unless reinforcements arrive this month

With their side on track to beat Liverpool 1-0 for the second time this season thanks to Chris Wood's early goal, Nottingham Forest's joyous supporters couldn't resist the opportunity to take a shot at the opposition manager. As well as performing their own hilarious take on 'Zombie' by The Cranberries, the home crowd also sang with glee: "It's happening again, it's happening again, Arne Slot, it's happening again!"

In the end, the Forest fans were grateful for a point against the Premier League leaders, as Slot issued the perfect response to the taunts by making a double substitution that immediately drew Liverpool level midway through the second half, with Diogo Jota heading in Kostas Tsimikas' corner. From that moment on, the visitors dominated and would have won the game had it not been for some sensational saves from Matz Sels and stirring last-ditch defending from Nikola Milenkovic & Co.

Indeed, while Liverpool's forwards were left lamenting missed opportunities at the full-time whistle, the difference in defending was the real reason the game ended in a draw. Whereas a wonderfully well-organised Forest backline managed to restrict the Reds to one goal, their Liverpool counterparts once again conceded first – and far too easily.

It happened an awful lot under Jurgen Klopp last season, and it's now happening again under his successor.

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  History repeating itself?

  When Liverpool last visited Nottingham on March 2, Darwin Nunez nodded in a 99th-minute winner that sent Klopp's men four points clear at the top of the Premier League. At the time, it was unthinkable that the Reds would end up finishing a distant third in the table.

  Fatigue was the major factor in Liverpool running out of steam down the home straight, as injuries eventually took their toll on an over-achieving squad. However, their brittle backline was also brutally exposed during the business end of the 2023-24 season. Liverpool didn't manage another clean sheet after their City Ground shutout until the final day of the campaign, against Wolves – by which time their title challenge had long since gone up in smoke.

  For all of the excitement surrounding Jarell Quansah's emergence as a legitimate contender to start alongside Virgil van Dijk, which Klopp quipped saved the club millions, the Reds were ultimately left counting the cost of failing to adequately strengthen their defence. There's now a real risk of history repeating itself.

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  Konate can't be relied upon

  Liverpool didn't just fail to sign a defensive midfielder during the summer, they also inexplicably neglected to bring in a new centre-back (despite being once again linked with a plethora of players). They've been so fortunate that Slot has managed to solve the former problem by transforming Ryan Gravenberch into a stellar No.6, but hope that he could also find an in-house answer to the longstanding problem at the heart of the defence is fading fast.

  Ibrahima Konate was fantastic during the opening three months of the season, forming a formidable partnership with Van Dijk after coming into the team at half-time in the opening-day win at Ipswich. However, the Frenchman's form and fitness have once again become causes for concern.

  After missing all of December's league games with a knee injury, Konate has been shaky and sluggish since returning to action in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United on January 5, when he appeared to be running in quicksand as he tried – and failed – to cut out the cut-back that led to Amad Diallo's equaliser at Anfield.

  Konate looked a liability again at Forest, tellingly taken off after just 65 minutes as Slot moved Gravenberch back into defence – a sign in itself of Liverpool's lack of alternative ball-playing options at the back.

  Action needs to be taken, then. And fast. Because Konate clearly can't be relied upon for any significant spell of time.

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  Time to replace Robertson

  Konate wasn't the only man removed just after the hour mark, with Tsimikas replacing Andy Robertson at left-back – an overdue change that needs to be made before the start of Saturday's must-win match at Brentford.

  It's difficult not to feel sorry for the Scot, who, at his peak, was arguably the best player in his position for at least a couple of years, but is now an accident waiting to happen. When he's not getting himself sent off because of a terrible first touch, he's failing to get close enough to wingers or simply slipping at the most inopportune of moments.

  There may be an element of misfortune in Robertson's errors, but they're becoming far too frequent and consequential to ignore at this point. If Liverpool don't bring in a left-back before the close of the January transfer window – and they really should – Slot simply has to give Tsimikas a chance to lock down the left-back berth.

  The Greek is certainly not a long-term solution. In truth, he probably isn't good enough to be the starting left-back at Liverpool at all – but he's a better option than a slowing and clearly confidence-sapped Robertson right now.

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  Alisson's shocking stats

  Goalkeepers have a longer shelf-life than left-backs, but there are also growing concerns that time – or perhaps persistent injury issues – may also be starting to catch up with Alisson Becker.

  When Caoimhin Kelleher gifted Newcastle a 3-3 draw at St. James' Park on December 4 by misjudging a late cross, it was felt that Alisson's return to full fitness couldn't have come at a better moment. The expectancy was that the Brazilian would help restore order to a defensive unit that was starting to creak – that simply hasn't been the case, though. If anything, Alisson has only added to the mounting sense of uncertainty.

  It shouldn't be forgotten that Kelleher had been excellent up until his error on Tyneside and Liverpool wouldn't have even been in a position to win that particular game had it not been for the Irishman's earlier heroics in goal. Kelleher is by no means as comfortable on the ball as Alisson, but he's looked like the better shot-stopper this season. Despite playing two fewer games than Alisson in all competitions, he's kept more clean sheets (7-6) and made more saves (44-33). Kelleher also boasts the superior save percentage (79 to 71) – and Alisson's is only getting worse. He's faced 16 shots on target since coming back into the side – but only managed to keep out seven of them.

  It's hardly surprising, then, that after seeing the Brazil international beaten by relatively weak efforts from Amad and Wood in the last two games, many Liverpool fans are wondering if Alisson is no longer as mobile and reactive as he was at his peak – before the injuries started to arrive with alarming regularity.

  At the very least, it's now easy to understand why Liverpool moved so quickly to wrap up a deal for the highly rated Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will join from Valencia this summer.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been chastised for wasting £7 million on a player who has struggled to perform at his club. Farke has just overseen what was a very busy summer with plenty of squad overhaul in Yorkshire.

Journalist shares new update out of Leeds United on future of Daniel Farke

He’s coming under pressure.

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By
Brett Worthington

Sep 17, 2024

Update on the future of Daniel Farke

Despite suffering only their first league defeat of the season on Saturday against Burnley, Leeds boss Farke is already under scrutiny, as it’s been a mixed start to the new Championship season.

The Whites have won just two wins from their opening five league games and defeat to Clarets has now piled the misery on the German. According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Farke is now “under pressure” at Leeds after a disappointing start to the campaign. This 2024/25 campaign is Farke’s second in charge at Elland Road, but given the failure to seal promotion last season, he was already under huge pressure before a ball was kicked.

He oversaw a very difficult summer, as Leeds lost several key players to big money moves to the Premier League, and while they brought in players too, it could be said that they didn’t bring in as many as he would have liked. Farke’s talent ID will come under scrutiny at Leeds if this crop of signings don’t work out, and it has already been called into question at his previous clubs.

Farke blamed for wasting £7m on third division level player

According to Rheinische Post, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds boss Farke has come under fire for his decision to sign Nathan Ngoumou for his former side Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The Bundesliga side signed Ngoumou for around 8 million euros or £7 million back in 2022 from French side Toulouse. The winger played 21 times under Farke before the German left the club and, according to this report, Farke even went so far as to compare Ngoumou to a young Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

However, there is a belief that Farke overrated the player and this report states that Ngoumou wouldn’t even stand out in the third tier of German football after his recent performance for Mönchengladbach.

The newspaper believes the Leeds boss’ previous praise has made the situation worse and his hyping up of the player has been labelled as “astonishing” given that Farke didn’t know what to do with the player himself, moving him around in several different roles.

Real Madrid's hat-trick hero Kylian Mbappe showed off some of the messages his team-mates wrote onto his match ball after thumping Real Valladolid.

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• Real Madrid beat Real Valladolid
• Mbappe scores hat-trick
• Shows off team-mates' match ball messages

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 2024 summer signing scored his first-ever hat-trick in a Madrid shirt as he starred in the club's 3-0 win over Valladolid in La Liga on Saturday. After the match, the likes of Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Luka Modric and more signed his match ball in a touching show of support.

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  WHAT MBAPPE'S TEAM-MATES WROTE

  According to Marca, Modric wrote Mbappe was a "pressing monster," Bellingham put "Congrats, my 9," and Rodrygo commented: "Great, straight to Paris". Fran Garcia added: "Here's to many more, Kiki. You're great."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  For all the criticism Mbappe has received for his performances since leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Madrid last summer, the 26-year-old has 15 La Liga goals this season. Only Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski has found the net more in the league this term and it seems the Frenchman is not done yet.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Mbappe will look to continue his hot streak when Madrid travel to Brest on Wednesday in their next Champions League encounter.

If there were any doubts over whether investing £9m into Adam Idah would be a wise move, Celtic’s number nine is swiftly easing those concerns amid what has been another impressive week at Paradise.

The Republic of Ireland international first raced home to round off Wednesday night’s thumping 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League, prior to proving something of a rescue man after producing a quick-fire double to help see off a spirited Falkirk side on Sunday afternoon.

That latest brace against Championship opposition has now taken the 23-year-old’s tally to 12 goals in just 25 games since initially joining the club on loan in January. Not bad going for a player whom Celtic and Norwich City hero, Chris Sutton, suggested was a “long way from the finished article” upon making the move to Glasgow earlier this year.

The former Carrow Road starlet has quickly won over those at Parkhead, with the same situation now occurring with the summer’s other marquee signing, Arne Engels, with the promising Belgian helping to ease the blow of Matt O’Riley’s long-awaited departure.

Arne Engels' start at Celtic

Football can be a cruel mistress, can’t it. O’Riley, Celtic’s Mr Dependable for over two years – having scored 27 goals in 124 games in total – finally secured a dream move to the Premier League this summer, only to pick up a nasty injury just nine minutes into his Brighton and Hove Albion debut.

Not only has the Denmark international endured a difficult beginning in his new surroundings, but the playmaker will also have to observe the rise of a new star in his place back in Scotland, with that man Engels beginning to establish himself in Brendan Rodgers’ midfield trio.

It is, of course, early days, but the Old Firm side’s record buy – who cost a reported £11m from Bundesliga side Augsburg – has already slotted in smoothly, chipping in with four goals and assists in as many games thus far.

Described as a “machine” by teammate Liam Scales, the 21-year-old is already starting to repay his hefty transfer fee, with the hope that he can continue to build on this stunning start in green and white.

Consistency over an extended period is required, however, something that a certain Cameron Carter-Vickers has shown ever since his arrival back in 2021 under Ange Postecoglou.

Carter-Vickers' market value

There’s no getting away from what was a worryingly shaky start against Falkirk on Sunday, with the visitors taking a shock 2-1 lead into the break to spark fears of a stunning, surprise upset.

It is hard to imagine such a scenario having occurred had Celtic’s centre-back “warrior” – as hailed by ex-Rangers man Alan Hutton – been on the field, however, with Rodgers’ men simply a different outfit when Carter-Vickers starts at the heart of the defence.

The USA international was particularly imperious in midweek in European competition, recording a 95% pass accuracy rate, while also winning four of his five ground duels having been rarely troubled on the night.

Described as the “best defender in Scotland” by the man who brought him to the club, Postecoglou, the 26-year-old has been integral to the Hoops’ latest period of dominance in Scottish football, having now made 122 appearances in all competitions to date.

Such form – which includes five successive clean sheets in the league this season – has also been paralleled by the former Tottenham Hotspur man’s stunning rise in value following his eventual £6m permanent capture in 2022, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at around £12m – level with Kyogo Furuhashi as the most valuable player in the squad.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

That figure thus eclipses the £11m and £9m fees paid for Engels and Idah, respectively, further showcasing just what a bargain Carter-Vickers has truly been during his time in Glasgow to date.

Long may it continue.

Unlike Idah & Bernardo: Rodgers must drop 6/10 Celtic man who "struggled"

The Hoops defender may not have earned himself a place in the starting XI on a regular basis.

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By
Dan Emery

Sep 22, 2024

West Ham United have achieved unthinkable things over the past couple of years, making numerous memories that the fanbase will never forget.

The obvious feat will be the Europa Conference League triumph over Fiorentina during the 2022/23 campaign, ending the club’s 58-year wait for a more European title.

Whilst the move to the London Stadium was frowned upon given the historical nature of the Boleyn Ground, it’s allowed the club to reach the next level and compete with Europe’s elite whilst boasting one of the most impressive stadiums in England.

New boss Julen Lopetegui will be hoping to lead the club to further European success whilst also competing in the Premier League and aiming to push the club further up the table in order to replicate their recent success.

They’ve achieved all these feats without one player who was once a key player in East London, but left in a controversial manner following his time with the Hammers.

Marko Arnautovic’s time at West Ham

Austrian forward Marko Arnautovic moved to West Ham in the summer of 2017 for £24m – a deal that broke the club’s transfer record in the process.

The seemed a hefty one at the time given the fact he was joining from Stoke City, but in hindsight, the deal was great business, with the attacker producing some excellent numbers during his time at the London Stadium.

Arnautovic registered 11 goals and eight assists in all competitions for the Hammers, as he helped the club register a 13th-placed Premier League finish during his debut campaign in the capital.

He would go on to register the same number of goals in the 2018/19 season, but couldn’t match his assist tally – however, it did contribute to the Hammers registering a top half finish for the first time in three seasons.

However, it would be his final contribution for the Hammers, departing the club in a controversial manner following months of speculation.

Arnautovic’s move away from West Ham

The striker was subject to a £35m bid from an unnamed Chinese League side during the January transfer window back in 2019, but the club’s hierarchy would reject the offer for the former Stoke ace.

He would demonstrate his displeasure at the club’s decision to prevent the move, expressing his desire to leave the London outfit and even refusing to feature for the Hammers after their failure to accept a bid for his services.

After months of discontent and speculation around his future at the club, West Ham decided to honour his request in the summer window of 2019, accepting a £23m bid from Chinese side Shanghai SIPG, ending his two-year stay with the Hammers.

He left the club amassing a tally of 22 goals in his 65 appearances – an average of one goal every 2.9 matches he featured – whilst near enough breaking even on the fee paid for his signature just two years prior.

Given his rapid decline in market value since his move away from the club five years ago, the club’s hierarchy made the right call in allowing him to make the big-money move away from the London Stadium.

Arnautovic’s market value in 2024

Five years on from his move away from West Ham, his market value has continued to plummet, with the now 35-year-old currently plying his trade for European giants Inter Milan.

Whilst he’s still featuring at the top level despite coming to the back end of his professional career, his market value has dropped dramatically – further showcasing why the club made the right call to allow him to leave back in 2019.

According to Transfermarkt, Arnautovic is now only valued at £3.3m – a drop of nearly £20m from the fee that they sold him for less than five years ago – an excellent decision in hindsight.

Whilst he was a success during his time at the London Stadium, his actions towards the end of his tenure gave the club no option but to offload him.

His decline in value demonstrates that although his impact at the top end of the pitch was sorely missed, they made the right call in selling him whilst his value was at its peak.

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