David De Gea has sent out a message to former team-mate Lisandro Martinez after the Argentine suffered a serious knee injury.
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Omar Marmoush expressed his "crazy" feeling after his sensational hat-trick in Manchester City's 4-0 demolition of Newcastle United.
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For the third season in a row, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side are firmly in the race to fight for the Premier League title after two near misses in the two seasons prior.
However, on both occasions, Manchester City have pipped them to victory, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking to make it seven titles in the last eight seasons come the end of May.
Liverpool have been the only side since the 2017/18 campaign to dethrone City, with Arteta hoping to finally get one over on his former employers this term and make it third time lucky.
His side have been set up for success in recent years after their excellent recruitment in the transfer market, signing numerous talents who have propelled them to the top end of England’s top division.
However, one window brought about real excitement amongst the fanbase after the additions of multiple players with experience of winning the Premier League.
In what was the club’s first real push to compete with Guardiola’s side, the hierarchy splashed the cash to give Arteta the best chance of having bragging rights over his compatriot.
The additions of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from City obviously brought excitement amongst supporters after their time at the Etihad, which saw the duo each win four league titles during their respective times in Manchester.
The aforementioned pairing arrived with the knowledge of what it takes to get over the line and secure the title, potentially helping the Gunners end their long wait for a Premier League crown.
Within the same window, the club made a move for American shot-stopper Matt Turner from MLS side New England Revolution, moving to the Emirates as backup to Aaron Ramsdale after Bernd Leno left to join Fulham.
Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi and Alexandre Lacazette all departed the club as Arteta looked to trim down his squad whilst adding quality in certain areas and bolstering their top four ambitions.
The 42-year-old also signed one other player, but his time in North London certainly hasn’t gone to plan, looking to be a waste of money up until now.
Midfielder Fabio Vieira joined the Gunners from Portuguese side Porto during the summer of 2022, with his real expectations placed on his shoulders given his huge £34m transfer.
The 24-year-old, who’s previously been dubbed as “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, enjoyed a relatively impressive first campaign in North London, scoring two and assisting six in his 33 appearances – which included a wonder strike on his debut against Brentford.
However, his game time has significantly decreased since his debut campaign, making just 16 appearances last time around, starting just twice all season in the Premier League.
As a result, Vieira has been shipped out on loan to Porto, the side from which he joined, in a bid to resurrect his confidence and hopefully return him to the levels he demonstrated before his big-money transfer.
Should he fail to impress in his home country this season, the midfielder could see him out of Arteta’s plans, which could spell the end of his disappointing stint in North London.
Vieira has already seen his market value plummet as a result of his lack of minutes in the club’s first-team since his transfer, with Football Transfers now only valuing the 24-year-old at £7m – a drop of £27m in just two seasons.
|
Fabio Vieira’s stats for Arsenal (2022-2024) |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Games played |
49 |
|
Cost per game |
£695k |
|
Goals scored |
3 |
|
Cost per goal |
£11.3m |
|
Assists |
9 |
|
Cost per assist |
£3.7m |
|
Minutes played |
1886 |
|
Cost per minute played |
£18k |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|
It’s such a shame to see a player endure such a drop-off in a short space of time, but he simply hasn’t been able to replicate his performance levels from his first few months at the club – subsequently being unable to dislodge Martin Odegaard from the starting lineup.
As a result, Arteta will undoubtedly monitor his progress over the next couple of months, potentially having a huge decision to make and offloading the ace to avoid losing any more money on their sizeable investment.
Martin Keown thought Arsenal ace was like Henry, then he left on a free
The star was very unfortunate during his time at Arsenal.
By
Ethan Lamb
Oct 18, 2024
Eno Maresca has enjoyed a solid start to life at Chelsea, losing just twice since the 2024/25 campaign kicked off a couple of months ago.
Stability is needed at the club, especially if Todd Boehly wants to win trophies. With Maresca, it finally looks like he has found a manager who could be the ideal long-term option for the Stamford Bridge outfit.
A student of Pep Guardiola, the Italian has already gotten his team to play with a distinct style during the season’s opening months, as several of his summer signings have settled in well.
Since Boehly took over in 2022, the club has spent unfathomable amounts of money in the transfer window for little return.
Indeed, players such as Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Roméo Lavia have failed to demonstrate their true talents, despite totalling nearly £300m in transfer fees.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.
Maresca made 11 signings during the summer, with importance being placed on youth as several players have clearly been earmarked as future stars.
Renato Veiga looks like an exciting prospect for the future, already featuring eight times for the Blues, scoring once and assisting once.
Jadon Sancho was perhaps a surprise signing towards the end of the transfer window, but the English winger is enjoying his new surroundings following his loan move from Manchester United. Indeed, after five matches for the club, he has registered three assists, enjoying somewhat of a revival in London.
If these summer arrivals can continue to click, then Chelsea will be a legitimate contender to secure a top four finish in the Premier League this season.
Maresca will be hoping he can unearth a star who could become a key part of his team for the next few years, similar to N’Golo Kante, who was arguably one of the best signings made by the Blues in the previous decade.
The French midfielder enjoyed a wonderful season at Leicester City during 2015/16, becoming a vital cog in their midfield as the club claimed a stunning league title win.
Antonio Conte was impressed, shelling out just over £30m for the player, a move which would immediately pay off.
“He is a perfect fit in terms of Antonio Conte’s philosophies and the style of football he wants to play.” Said Chelsea’s technical director Michael Emenalo upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge, wasting no time in settling into to Conte’s tactical system.
Kante missed just three league matches in his maiden campaign for Chelsea, as Conte led the team to another Premier League triumph, prevailing with a 3-5-2 formation which saw the club go on an impressive 13-game win streak.
The next few years saw the Frenchman establish himself as one of the finest defensive midfielders in Europe, adding the FA Cup to his collection in 2018, before starring for France at the 2018 World Cup as they won their second world title.
Europa League and Champions League titles followed in 2019 and 2021 before Kante finally departed the Blues in 2023 after making a total of 269 appearances for the club in seven years.
|
N’Golo Kante’s Chelsea statistics |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2022/23 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
|
2021/22 |
42 |
2 |
5 |
|
2020/21 |
48 |
0 |
3 |
|
2019/20 |
28 |
3 |
0 |
|
2018/19 |
53 |
5 |
4 |
|
2017/18 |
48 |
1 |
2 |
|
2016/17 |
41 |
2 |
1 |
|
Via Transfermarkt |
|||
In truth, they have failed to truly replace the qualities he offered in his prime, as Fernandez and Caicedo haven’t quite lived up to their lavish transfer fees since joining the Blues.
Might Conte have signed a perfect heir for the Frenchman back in 2017, however? As Tiemoue Bakayoko was signed in the summer of 2017.
Having led Chelsea to the Premier League title in his maiden season at the club, Conte was aiming to repeat the trick. This meant signing a few players that summer which could add something to his squad.
£40m was spent on the midfielder, who joined from AS Monaco and was heralded as one of the brightest talents in Europe, suggesting the move was something of a coup by Conte.
Former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop praised the youngster upon signing for Chelsea, saying: “Bakayoko certainly came to the fore at Monaco, you see his talents. I think he would be the perfect counter to N’Golo Kante.
“They’re very similar in their style, Bakayoko not as good defensively but Kante not as good in terms of precision of pass and his own passing range.”
On the surface, Bakayoko looked like an impressive piece of business. The reality was very different…
During the 2017/18 season, the midfielder made 43 appearances for the Blues, registering six goal contributions in the process, but his performances didn’t quite live up to the money Conte had spent on the player.
The long-term partnership with Kante failed to materialise and when Conte departed in 2018, new manager Maurizio Sarri clearly didn’t quite see a future for Bakayoko in his squad.
Loan moves to AC Milan (twice), Monaco and Napoli over the next five seasons meant the Frenchman made a total of just 43 appearances for the Blues, spending the rest of his time at the club out on loan to various teams.
He could have been the long-term heir to Kante had he impressed under Conte, but it turned out to be a dreadful piece of business.
In the summer of 2023, the 30-year-old was finally released from his Chelsea contract, freeing up some room in the first team squad.
He should have enjoyed a wonderful spell at the club following his move from Monaco, but for whatever reason, he failed to truly settle in England.
Spending £40m on a player to then release him just six years later indicates the club had a nightmare on his signing. Maresca will be hoping to avoid such transfers during his spell in charge of the club, no doubt about that.
Chelsea once thought they had Hazard 2.0, but then he was sold for £3.5m
Chelsea had the next Hazard in £70m-rated gem, but then he was sold for just £3.5m.
By
Angus Sinclair
Oct 19, 2024
Jesse Lingard has reacted to the accusation that he “destroyed Manchester United’s culture” alongside Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford.
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The Uruguay international missed big chances off the bench as Arne Slot's side were forced to settle for a point on the road on Wednesday
Liverpool moved eight points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League after coming from behind to earn a 2-2 draw away at Aston Villa.
A lively first half at Villa Park saw the Reds take the lead on the half-hour mark after an awful mistake from January signing Alvaro Garcia. The full-back gifted the ball to Diogo Jota, allowing the Portugal international the simple task of laying the ball off to Mohamed Salah to fire home.
Yet Villa had been causing Liverpool problems and were level within 10 minutes as the visitors failed to clear a Marcus Rashford free-kick into the box and it eventually fell to Youri Tielemans to fire home at the far post.
The hosts then stunned Liverpool in first-half stoppage time as Lucas Digne was allowed to whip the ball in for Ollie Watkins to power home a fine header and make it 2-1 heading into the break.
Liverpool hit back in the second half with Salah involved again. Trent Alexander-Arnold kicked things off with a surging run, swapped passes with Salah, and then scored with a low shot that took a big deflection off Tyrone Mings.
Slot opted to make changes and threw on Conor Bradley and Darwin Nunez in search of a winner, and Nunez was involved almost immediately but could only blaze a fine chance off-target after being teed up by Dominik Szoboszlai. The Uruguayan was then sent through again but was denied by a quick-thinking Emi Martinez, who came flying off his line to win the tackle.
But Villa remained a threat at the other end and did have the ball in the back of the net through Jacob Ramsey, only to see it ruled out for offside. Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen also had chances late on as Liverpool ended up hanging on for a point
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Villa Park…
It’s been quite the start to life at the helm for Arne Slot, who has inherited Jurgen Klopp’s squad at Liverpool and recorded 11 victories in 12 matches across all competitions thus far – a club record.
The Premier League’s table toppers, who have also won each of their three opening Champions League contests, boast one of the most formidable frontlines across Europe, with Slot’s system also reviving Virgil van Dijk’s defence to redoubtable status.
But there’s an elephant in the room, and it’s starting to become a noisy one. Skipper Van Dijk, homegrown vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and all-powerful talisman Mohamed Salah are just over two months away from being free to negotiate with suitors overseas for a pre-contract agreement.
The superstars’ Liverpool deals are firmly into their final year, and though it’s unthinkable, contingency plans must be taken. The £350k-per-week Salah is the highest-paid player on the books, and, understandably, FSG are looking at long-term successors.
According to Caught Offside, Liverpool and Arsenal have sent scouts to watch Arda Güler in action and will pounce if anything changes in the prodigious talent’s situation at Real Madrid.
The Turkey international, 19, signed for Los Blancos in July 2023 for a reported €20m (£17m) fee, but he’s struggling to find space in Carlo Ancelotti’s superteam and may move for pastures new if the situation does not improve.
Newcastle United were interested earlier in 2024 and Spanish sources claimed that a bid of €80m (£67m) would convince Real to sell, though this exorbitant valuation might deter suitors such as thrifty Liverpool.
Replacing Salah with a teenager might feel like a foolish move, but Güler is a remarkable player and has already showcased his ability to step up in big moments, as he did for his nation at Euro 2024 this summer.
And he’s hardly flattered to deceive when blessed with football on the prestigious Santiago Bernabeu pitch, having scored six goals from just 23 appearances, of which only eight have come from the outset.
Güler, let’s be clear, is jockeying for the agency of success against the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior – de facto Ballon d’Or winner – and Rodrygo, with Endrick and Brahim Diaz also pushing for minutes of their own.
His lack of action is by no means a negation of the stunning skillset that impelled Florentino Perez and his transfer team to fork out funds for his signature, right at the fledgling phase.
As per FBref, despite his lack of minutes, Güler ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 6% for pass completion and the top 10% for tackles won per 90.
Examine Güler’s statistics from another angle. As per Sofascore, the winger has only started three La Liga games this term but has created three big chances, completed 88% of his passes, averaged 1.3 key passes per outing and won 61% of his ground duels.
Van Dijk, by comparison, has only won 50% of his ground duels in the Premier League under Slot’s management – though there’s no need to worry about that one.
Güler’s metrics point toward worth, such worth, that will have convinced Liverpool bosses, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, that this is a player worth investing in.
Of course, the only way that the £83k-per-week talent would be signed by Liverpool is if Salah does indeed leave at the end of the term, but if he does, this might just be the perfect young buck to keep Slot’s attack purring.
Salah might turn 33 next summer but there’s little notion that this supreme athlete is set to suffer a nosedive in performance any time soon.
He’s scored seven goals and added seven more assists across just 12 matches so far in 2024/25, starting 11 times. Pundit Gary Neville recently hailed the prolific winger as a “superstar” and the praise couldn’t be more apt.
With each passing season, never falling off, Salah is proving that he’s indeed one of the finest to ply their art on English soil, and his efforts under Slot’s leadership might just hold sway in the pursuit of the biggest silver prizes.
|
Liverpool’s Frontline in 2024/25 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Apps (starts) |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Mohamed Salah |
12 (11) |
7 |
7 |
|
Luis Diaz |
11 (7) |
5 |
1 |
|
Diogo Jota |
10 (9) |
4 |
2 |
|
Cody Gakpo |
12 (5) |
2 |
2 |
|
Darwin Nunez |
9 (4) |
2 |
1 |
|
Federico Chiesa |
3 (1) |
0 |
1 |
|
All stats via Transfermarkt |
|||
Salah’s ball-striking ability has foiled incalculable defences, but in Güler, FSG might just find the second coming, especially since he’s been hailed as a “magician with a wand of a left foot” by one scout.
Though the Egyptian’s absurd consistency in front of goal is something that simply cannot be replicated, Real’s teenage talent has showcased a clinical edge and carries the full package besides.
160 goals for Liverpool in the Premier League (plus two for Chelsea) leave him joint-ninth in the all-time scoring charts, with just 16 goals required to leapfrog Chelsea legend Frank Lampard into sixth place.
Replacing him is a daunting task indeed, and even if Salah does pen fresh terms, extending his time at the club by a couple more years, prudently bringing in an heir would be a good call.
Who better than Güler? Though Real Madrid will view the Turk in their long-term plans, he might not find regular minutes coming his way for several seasons yet, and Liverpool can be sure to put together a compelling case to move to Anfield.
A magician of a young player, this would be a statement of intent to send waves of excitement rippling across Merseyside.
Liverpool must axe star who earns 2x more than Jones & Bradley combined
Liverpool arguably wasted £21.4m on one statement signing
1
By
Joe Nuttall
Oct 22, 2024
The six-time Champions League winner was seen at the Crypto.com Arena supporting Doncic and the LA Lakers against the Dallas Mavericks.
It’s been almost three months since Liverpool’s 2024/25 campaign began, and Arne Slot’s side perch atop the summit of both the Premier League and the Champions League, having qualified for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals too.
What a start. When Jurgen Klopp stood down from his lionised manager’s position at the end of last season, no one envisaged this. But it has happened, and with Arsenal and Manchester City both currently out of sorts, the Reds faithful will be cautiously hopeful that big things might be achieved.
It could have been different, so very different. As soon as Klopp spoke into the camera and shattered a city’s red heart, rumours started bobbing up regarding Xabi Alonso, who appeared to be the perfect successor.
He’d been working wonders with Bayer Leverkusen, but rejected Liverpool’s probes and confirmed that he would remain in Germany for the foreseeable. A prudent move from a 42-year-old coach who knows an elite managerial career lies ahead, one that may, one day, find him in the Anfield dugout – on the righthand side, at least.
Indeed, Alonso made his return to Merseyside this week and saw his team, so indomitable last year, utterly wrecked by Slot’s machine. At the core of the home side’s success was Curtis Jones, who looked to be cut from the same cloth as the legendary Spaniard at times, his passing was so slick and stylish.
Jones, 23, has ebbed and flowed throughout his Liverpool career, often demonstrating great promise but also being plugged back by injuries and infrequent starting berths that come as a by-product of such setbacks.
But he has started to find his feet under Slot’s management, having waxed lyrical about the Dutch coach’s tactical philosophy during pre-season, explaining to reporters that the more control-oriented brand suits his own passing game perfectly:
It’s understandable. As per FBref, Jones ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 10% for assists, the top 17% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.
Technical and driven, he’s almost tailor-made for Slot’s style of football and it’s no wonder he’s starting to look like a fundamental piece of a thriving system, showcasing his quality against Alonso’s side in midweek.
That through ball was a thing to be witnessed. So simple, yet so perfect, weighted with an artist’s flourish. The Athletic’s James Pearce had even praised the “Alonso-esque” through ball, with the opposition manager’s identity certainly not lost on the correspondent.
|
Curtis Jones’ Performance vs Bayer Leverkusen |
|
|---|---|
|
Match Stats |
# |
|
Minutes played |
73′ |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Touches |
51 |
|
Accurate passes |
27/30 (90%) |
|
Key passes |
3 |
|
Possession lost |
8x |
|
Dribbles (completed) |
2 (2) |
|
Interceptions |
1 |
|
Total duels (won) |
5 (4) |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
Jones’ particular approach to the midfield craft is something that Slot is utilising well, but he’s not actually Liverpool’s own version of Alonso.
Instead, the club have a more fitting successor in Stefan Bajcetic, who is currently out on loan with RB Salzburg in Austria.
In the 2022/23 season, Bajcetic made 19 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side, emerging from the youth fold to save a squad in crisis, scoring once – against Aston Villa in the Premier League – and announcing to the Reds supporters that they had a new prodigy to rally behind.
Bajcetic was signed from Celta Vigo for just £224k in December 2020 and is touted for a star role in Liverpool’s engine room. Now 19, his fast-paced development was halted last term as he battled against injuries and growth-related issues that restricted him to a mere handful of displays.
Hailed for his “special” skill set by journalist Zubin Daver, the Spaniard is making headway under Pep Lijnders in Austria even if Salzburg as a whole are flattering to deceive, with five Bundesliga starts to his name and metrics that highlight his roundedness.
Indeed, as per Sofascore, Bajcetic has averaged 2.2 tackles, 1.5 dribbles and six successful duels per top-flight game this term, winning a whopping 62% of the lattermost metric – placing him in the same ballpark as the thriving Ryan Gravenberch (64% success rate in the Premier League).
He’s making the requisite improvements, shaping into a midfield force. Alonso, elegant and all-seeing in the middle of the park, was indeed an elite long-range passer but he was also a tenacious and confident protector of his backline. However, not the most imposing of athletes, this was down to his intelligence and knowledge of his craft. Is it really surprising he’s turning into one of the finest coaches in the business?
Perhaps not. Bajcetic, too, is not a hulking, heavyset force of a titan, though a spurt across the past year has seen him stretch to a height of 6 foot 2. Even so, his range of defensive qualities comes from a cerebral understanding of football that belies his youthful years and inexperience.
The Spanish midfielder plays with an almost unflappable mindset, reflected in his playing style. He’s not got the same surgical distribution that was innately formed in Alonso’s itinerary, but that’s not to say Bajcetic isn’t capable of splitting defences with well-worked balls.
Bajcetic will continue to hone his craft over in Salzburg, but keep an eye on him, for he might just return to Merseyside with a hunger for stardom under Slot’s wing, and he might just challenge the likes of Jones for a starring spot in a competitive outfit.
Left for £0: Liverpool must rue losing PL sensation who's now worth £100m
Liverpool allowed the talent to depart Anfield as a youngster.
2
By
Ethan Lamb
Nov 7, 2024
Jack Grealish has been a “huge success” at Manchester City, says Richard Dunne, despite questions being asked of value for money in a £100m transfer.
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