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Real Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini claims that Antony has “matured significantly” since bringing his Manchester United nightmare to a close and securing a permanent transfer to Andalusia. The Brazil international forward became a big-money flop at Old Trafford, but has rediscovered a lost spark in Spanish football and bagged a brilliant brace against Villarreal in his latest outing.

Antony struggles after £85m Man Utd transfer

Antony moved to England from Ajax in the summer of 2022 for £85 million ($114m). That switch allowed him to reunite with Erik ten Hag, and a bright start was made to his spell with the Red Devils. He was, however, to slowly slip down the pecking order – with Ruben Amorim eventually deeming him surplus to requirements.

That allowed a loan switch to be agreed in January 2025, with Antony heading to Betis. A welcome return to form was enjoyed there, with nine goals being recorded through 26 appearances, with the South American forward also gracing the Conference League final.

Antony made it clear that his preference was to rejoin Betis during the summer transfer window, with interest from elsewhere – including Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich – being snubbed. A protracted saga came to a close on deadline day when United agreed to take a huge financial hit on the 25-year-old.

AdvertisementGettyLost spark has been rediscovered in La Liga

He has registered a further three goals this season, taking him to 12 in total for Betis – the same number that he posted for United across 96 appearances for the Premier League heavyweights. Antony bagged a stunning brace against Villarreal as Betis battled back from 2-0 down to claim a share of the points at La Ceramica.

Betis boss Pellegrini told reporters afterwards: “Yes, of course, Antony's two goals were of great quality, very precise. Antony himself had perhaps easier balls in the first half and hadn't been able to convert them. But that's football, it's about mistakes and successes. But overall we were superior and it's not easy because Villarreal plays very well and has very unbalanced players.”

Antony's growth: Betis boss hails Brazilian forward

Pellegrini went on to say of Antony’s personal growth since escaping a difficult situation in Manchester: “I said it a while back, the last time Antony played a game was in May. He only started playing again when he arrived in September, which was a long time since he had played. But he's matured significantly, he's working really hard in games, with and without the ball, with 40-metre runs, changes up front, getting into the box, working on recovering… And that's what has helped him to make up for some of that lack of precision, these two goals will be very good for him.”

Former Manchester City manager Pellegrini previously said of helping Antony to rediscover his love of the game: “I spoke with him before he came to Betis. He told me that he was not playing because he was not happy, but he had a lot of complaints about what he has done also. He wanted revenge, and here in Betis, I think he had it, and he did it in the way we know he can do, because it's not easy for you to play as a 100-million player. And Antony is a very good player. I am absolutely sure that this is a huge time for him here in Betis to help improve his career.”

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GettyFresh start: Antony relieved to have swapped Manchester for Spain

Antony was quick to air his happiness when seeing a move to Betis confirmed, saying of his desire to embrace a fresh start: “What a difference! Seville is more beautiful than Manchester. I’m finally here. I’ve spent more than 40 days in a hotel, it’s been very hard but everyone knew that I wanted to return to Betis. Now with more time, we have many things to do and to achieve. It has been difficult for me to sleep seeing so much affection from the Betis fans, there were people waiting at my house at two in the morning.

“For me affection is very important and not all the money is paid. Here I have a lot of feeling and affection, he was always my first choice and that’s why I waited until the last day to return to Betis. Now I’m here and happy in a city and a club that I love.”

Antony and Betis will be back in action on Thursday when facing Genk in the Conference League, before then travelling to Atletico Madrid on October 27 – with Pellegrini’s side currently sat fifth in La Liga.

Crystal Palace fans must be waiting with bated breath right now, as last-minute transfer developments continue to filter out of Selhurst Park.

Eberechi Eze has already heartbreakingly left East London behind, with Marc Guehi perhaps the next high-profile departee, as his much-talked-about switch to Liverpool remains up in the air.

If Guehi were to go, it doesn’t have to be all bad news, with the Eagles now looking to rekindle their interest in a defensive titan just in time before 7pm’s cut-off.

Crystal Palace rekindle interest in £40m star

Oliver Glasner’s Eagles already look to have defensive recruits in mind, with Igor Julio expected to leave Brighton and Hove Albion behind to join the Seagulls’ Premier League arch rivals on a loan basis before the window slams shut.

He could be joined through the door by past Palace target Strahinja Pavlović, with Sky Sports, via Ed Aarons reporting that the AC Milan colossus remains the Eagles’ number one target at the back, having looked at the Serbian in January.

However, the £40m-rated centre-back was deemed too costly at the time, with a deal also looking difficult to execute in the here and now.

Yet, if Guehi were to finally uproot to Anfield, that might well accelerate this move forward.

Therefore, Pavlović swapping Italy for England at the final hour could be a move to keep an eye out on, with the Premier League side winning a dream replacement for their 6-foot titan in the process.

How Pavlovic can be a dream Guehi replacement

After all, if Guehi were to relocate to Arne Slot’s Reds shortly, he has at least exited Glasner’s Eagles on the best possible note, having caressed this effort home versus Aston Villa to secure a farewell 3-0 win.

Away from that moment of individual brilliance, Guehi has also been rock solid at the start of the 2025/26 campaign, with the captain leading by example when collecting two clean sheets from his side’s opening three league clashes, with an imposing four duels won on average.

Palace’s deadline day target is also well known for being commanding in the air – as seen in this fierce header cannoning in at the back-end of the last Serie A campaign – with former Rossoneri icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic even going as far as to laud Pavlović as a “beast” in this department.

But, the 24-year-old is far from being a one-trick pony, even if he has also been heralded as a “warrior” by national team manager Dragan Stojkovic for his gritty approach, with his calm ability on the ball making him even more of a readymade replacement for Guehi.

Amazingly, Pavlovic actually bettered Guehi’s pass accuracy average last season in the hustle and bustle of Serie A action, with plenty of promising signs evident to suggest that the Serbian could fill the void left behind by the 25-year-old effectively.

It might just be too little too late for Palace if they want to get a statement deal over the line before 7pm, as Guehi’s switch to Liverpool perhaps goes down to the wire.

But, developments can suddenly spark into life on such a chaotic day, with Palace winning themselves a top deal at the death if Pavlovic does promptly swap Milan for London.

Better deal than Uche: PL "animal" in medical ahead of Crystal Palace move

Crystal Palace look set to win the services of another star on deadline day, away from their pursuit of Christantus Uche.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 1, 2025

Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie and Todd Murphy are the three names to drop off the original list from last year

Alex Malcolm01-Apr-2025Sam Konstas and Matt Kuhnemann’s rollercoaster summers have been capped by being added to Cricket Australia’s central contract list for 2025-26 in a clear sign both are set for more Test cricket this year, while Cooper Connolly and Jake Fraser-McGurk have been overlooked in a T20 World Cup cycle.Konstas, Kuhnemann and Tasmanian allrounder Beau Webster are the three new additions to the 23-player list with Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie and Todd Murphy all dropping off the initial group from 2024-25.Related

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Abbott and Hardie were both part of the Champions Trophy squad but did not play a game in the tournament while Murphy played one Test on the recent tour of Sri Lanka as the third spinner but Australia do not have a tour of Asia in the 2025-26 season. There is a chance Australia could play two spinners in their XI during the three Test tour of the Caribbean but the success of Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon as a duo in Sri Lanka means Murphy has been squeezed off the list.It rounds out a remarkable period for Kuhnemann. He went from possibly missing the Sri Lanka tour with the broken thumb, to starring in both Tests before being reporting for a suspect action by match officials. He was subsequently cleared after undergoing ICC testing and is now clearly Australia’s No. 2 Test spinner.”Matt was outstanding once again in Sri Lanka and we believe he can play a key role across the next 18 months,” chair of selectors George Bailey said.Connolly’s absence is interesting given he played in Australia’s last Test and ODI teams. He also played two T20Is last year and might have played in Australia’s most recent matches against Pakistan in November had he not been nursing a broken finger. But despite earning an CA contract upgrade last year, he has not been placed on the central list for the next 12 months.Cooper Connolly featured across formats in the 2024-25 season•ICC/Getty ImagesKonstas, 19, is currently only a one-format prospect but he looks set to feature in a lot of Test cricket given he has been added to the list despite losing his place in Sri Lanka after playing the final two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests in Melbourne and Sydney where he cracked a remarkable 60 on debut.”In Sam we see promising upside in a young player who will continue to develop at first class level and in the international environment,” Bailey said.Nathan McSweeney earned a CA contract upgrade after playing the first three Tests of the India series and toured Sri Lanka as the spare batter but has not made the list.Mitchell Marsh remains contracted despite losing his Test place last summer. He is Australia’s T20I captain as they head into another T20 World Cup year but Bailey insisted his Test career was not over despite very lean returns during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.CA has continued to invest in injury-prone fast bowlers Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson. They played one ODI between them in the last contract period and Richardson is currently rehabbing from his third shoulder surgery. Xavier Bartlett has also been retained despite being overlooked for the Champions Trophy when Australia’s big three fast bowlers were all absent.Fraser-McGurk’s absence is notable given he earned an upgrade for playing five ODIs and seven T20Is in the 2024-25 period. He was in the Champions Trophy squad but was not selected for the semi-final when opener Matt Short was injured, with Connolly picked ahead of him having not been in initial 15.Sam Konstas will be looking to add to the two Tests he played against India•Getty ImagesT20 specialists Marcus Stoinis and Tim David have also been left off the list as they were last year. Both qualified for upgrades in the 2024-25 period with Stoinis receiving his before retiring from ODI cricket on the eve of the Champions Trophy.Players have the opportunity to upgrade to national contracts in the 12-month period via selection in Test, ODI and T20I cricket.Stoinis, David, Fraser-McGurk, Connolly, Abbott, Hardie, as well as white-ball bowlers Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis and Tanveer Sangha, who played in the Champions Trophy, will have the chance to earn an upgrade given Australia are set to play 19 bilateral T20Is across five series in 2025-26 as well as the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February and March next year.They will also play nine ODIs across three series. Australia only play seven Test matches in 2025-26 contract period, the last two of the West Indies tour and the five home Ashes Tests.Cricket Australia men’s contract list 2025-26Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa

After suffering a 3-1 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Club Brugge, Rangers have reportedly been handed further concern in the form of an opening bid for one of Russell Martin’s star men.

Martin "proud" despite Club Brugge defeat

There’s no denying that it’s been a disastrous start for Martin at Rangers. The former Southampton boss is yet to win in the Scottish Premiership and even watched on as his side made hard work of defeating Scottish League One side Alloa Athletic in the cup last weekend. So the arrival of Club Brugge couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Unlike Rangers as of late, the Belgian side were in a ruthless mood and raced into a shock 3-0 lead within the space of 20 disastrous first-half minutes. Ibrox began to empty and the thought of qualifying for this season’s Champions League proper became a mere fantasy for the Gers, who only managed to gain one goal back courtesy of Danilo.

Despite yet another evening to forget, however, Martin was “proud” of his side for how they responded to Club Brugge’s 20-minute thrashing. He told reporters: “That’s as hard as it will ever be for the players on the pitch. I’m proud of how they responded.

“We concede a crazy goal and don’t respond anywhere near well enough. Then we concede out of anxiety and make decisions based on desperation. The game plan went out the window. When you’re 2-0 down after seven minutes, tactics don’t come into it. It’s not about style of play it’s about the reaction and we didn’t react well.”

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Meanwhile, with one leg out of the Champions League, the Gers could reportedly be in for an almighty blow on the transfer front to only add to their recent woes.

Lille submit fresh Igamane offer

According to Rangers Review, LOSC Lille have now submitted a fresh loan offer to sign Hamza Igamane, only for that to be laughed off by the 49ers who have set their price-tag at a hefty £15m to sell the forward. Whether the French side now opt to get anywhere near that valuation before the end of the month remains to be seen.

The 49ers’ stance will come as a major relief to Martin, who simply cannot afford to lose a player of Igamane’s quality at this stage of the transfer window. The talented forward is yet to start a game under the new manager as he works his way back to full fitness after a disrupted pre-season, but Rangers will be hoping to see their star man become a much-needed difference-maker sooner rather than later.

A player who was described as “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig last season, Igamane has all the tools to become the most important player of Martin’s tenure and Rangers simply must avoid his departure at all costs this summer.

Hampshire quick led an accomplished bowling display from England on day one in Cape Town

ECB Reporters Network03-Feb-2025

England U19s 1 for 0 (Vaughan 1*) vs South Africa U19s 224 all out (James 84, Hansen 63, Jack 3-42)Eddie Jack claimed three wickets as England Men U19s bowled out South Africa Men U19s for 224 on the opening day of the second Youth Test in Cape Town.Jack included the dismissal of top-scorer Paul James (84) in his figures of 3 for 42, while seamers Alexander Wade and Harry Moore shared the load with two wickets apiece.The Young Lions, who fell just one wicket short of victory in the first Youth Test last week, were one without loss at the close.Jack claimed the opening wicket of the day when Jorich van Schalkwyk edged behind to wicketkeeper Thomas Rew who took four catches.After the Young Proteas were reduced to 74 for 5 skipper Bennie Hansen and James shared a 73-run partnership.Young Lions captain Archie Vaughan broke the stand when Hansen looped a catch to Rew from an attempted reverse sweep, before Jack removed James and last man Nathan Rossouw in the same over to end the innings.

تحدث مدرب ليفربول آرني سلوت عقب مباراة فريقه أمام ساوثهامبتون في كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية، وقيم أداء الفريق، وأوضح حالة لاعبه المصاب.

والتقى ليفربول وساوثهامبتون مساء الثلاثاء على ملعب “آنفيلد” ضمن مباريات دور الـ 32 لمسابقة كأس كاراباو.

وحقق ليفربول الفوز بهدفين لهدف على ساوثهامبتون، وحسم التأهل لدور الـ 16، في مباراة شهدت عدة تغييرات بتشكيلة الفريق.

وقال سلوت في تصريحاته إلى “ITV”: “لم يكن أداءنا الأفضل، هذا متوقع عند اللعب بفريق جديد تمامًا، العديد من اللاعبين لم يلعبوا منذ فترة طويلة”.

وأضاف: “كانت هناك إيجابيات، جيورجي مامارداشفيلي قدم مباراة جيدة، وفيديريكو كييزا وجيوفاني ليوني قدما أداءً جيدًا، سجل ألكسندر إيزاك الهدف الأول له، وسجلنا هدفًا آخر عن طريق هوجو إيكتيكي”.

وأردف: “هناك إيجابيات من المباراة، لكن أداءنا كفريق واحد لم يكن أفضل أداء لنا، لا أنتقص من أداء ساوثهامبتون لأنهم لعبوا بشكل جيد”.

اقرأ أيضًا | إيزاك بعد فوز ليفربول على ساوثهامبتون: إضاعة الفرص جزء من وظيفتي

وبشأن إصابة لاعبه جيوفاني ليوني خلال المباراة، أوضح سلوت: “بالطبع، هو متعب لأنه لم يشعر بالراحة فورًا، لكن هذا أمر علينا تقييمه الآن”.

وواصل: “عادةً لا تحدث هذه الأمور في غضون خمس إلى عشر دقائق، وعلينا الانتظار حتى الغد لمعرفة حالته، ثم ربما إجراء فحص بالرنين المغناطيسي لمعرفة مدى خطورة الإصابة”.

وأتم: “عادةً ما تخبرنا مشاعر اللاعب بالكثير، رأيت خلال عطلة نهاية الأسبوع لاعبًا في الدوري الهولندي الممتاز انفجر باكيًا، بالمناسبة، روبن فان بوميل، لاعب آيندهوفن، وبعد يوم واحد ثبت صحة كلامه، دعونا نأمل الأفضل”.

ويشير سلوت لإصابة مارك فان بوميل لاعب آيندهوفن أمام أياكس بالدوري الهولندي، وقد تعرض لإصابة قوية وخرج من الملعب باكيًا، وأكدت الفحوصات خطورة إصابته وربما يغيب عن الملاعب لفترة طويلة قد تصل لنهاية الموسم.

أظهر هوجو إيكتيكي، نجم نادي ليفربول، دعمه للاعب الريدز وذلك بعد مشاركته خلال مواجهة ساوثهامبتون أمس الثلاثاء، ضمن منافسات كأس الرابطة الإنجليزية.

ليفربول استطاع التأهل إلى الدور المقبل من بطولة كأس الرابطة الإنجليزية، عقب انتصاره المثير على نظيره ساوثهامبتون بهدفين مقابل هدف على ملعب آنفيلد.

وكانت المباراة تسير إلى الانتهاء على واقع التعادل الإيجابي بهدف لكل فريق، لكن إيكتيكي والذي دخل بديلًا سجل هدف الانتصار لصالح أصحاب الأرض.

اقرأ أيضًا .. سلوت يلوم لاعب ليفربول بقوة على تصرفه أمام ساوثهامبتون: ما قام به أمر غبي

ودعم إيكتيكي لاعب ليفربول الشاب، جايدن دانز، وذلك بعدم لعب الأخير أمام ساوثهامبتون، حيث دخل كبديل.

ودفع مدرب ليفربول، آرني سلوت بخدمات دانز كبديل في شوط اللقاء الثاني وبحلول الدقيقة 76، بدلًا من ريو نجوهوما.

وقام إيكتيكي بعمل إعجاب عبر “إنستجرام” على عدة صور قام دانز بنشرها له من مواجهة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون، في دعم كبير للاعب الشاب.

إيكتيكي سيغيب عن مواجهة ليفربول المقبلة أمام كريستال بالاس يوم السبت المقبل في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وذلك بسبب الايقاف.

وتعرض إيكتيكي إلى البطاقة الحمراء خلال مواجهة ليفربول أمام ساوثهامبتون، حيث قام بخلع القميص بعد هدفه الذي جاء في الدقائق الأخيرة من اللقاء.

وحصل إيكتيكي على الإنذار الثاني ليطرد بعد ذلك، حيث وصف المدرب آرني سلوت تصرف الدولي الفرنسي بالغبي.

وقد يمثل غياب إيكتيكي فرصة ذهبية أمام دانز للحصول على فرصة للعب خلال مواجهة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس.

If he was left out of a match Tom Latham would step up to the lead the side

Andrew McGlashan12-Aug-2024Tim Southee, New Zealand’s Test captain, may be left out of some of team’s upcoming matches on the subcontinent if conditions dictate a different balance to their side.Southee will lead a 15-player squad, which includes five-spin bowling options, for the one-off Test against Afghanistan and two matches against Sri Lanka, which ESPNcricinfo understands will both be staged in Galle, but he is no certainty to feature in them all or the three Tests which follow against India.Should Southee, who only took six wickets in four home Tests last season, not be part of an XI vice-captain Tom Latham would step up to captain the side.Related

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“Test tours to the subcontinent can ask some really tough questions of pace bowlers due to the nature of the pitches and the heat and humidity,” head coach Gary Stead said.”While we’re going over with an open mind around conditions, there is an understanding that all our bowling options may be needed across the different Tests. Tim and I have discussed this, and the need during these overseas tours to balance the workloads of the pace-bowlers, including himself, to ensure the team is best served.”The squad announced on Monday does not cover the India series in October and November, but it’s likely a very similar group of players will be involved.There had been some doubt over whether Kane Williamson would play the Afghanistan Test, which will be staged in Greater Nodia, but he has been included for the first occasion the two teams will play each other in the format.ESPNcricinfo LtdOffspin allrounder Michael Bracewell returns 18 months after last featuring for the Test side. Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner are also included while Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips will likely play important roles with the ball.Alongside Southee, the pace options are Matt Henry, Ben Sears and Will O’Rourke. The latter two impressed on their Test debuts last season while Henry was outstanding against Australia with 17 wickets in two matches. Kyle Jamieson was not considered as he continues his recovery from a stress fracture of the back.”It’s always great when young guys force their way into squads through performance and I know Will and Ben are really looking forward to the challenges of Test cricket in the sub-continent,” Stead said.”Michael’s had to show plenty of resilience to rehabilitate his injuries and force his way back into the Blackcaps across all three formats. His all-round skills, and ability to take the ball away from the left-hander make him a great asset, especially on what we expect will be turning wickets in India and Sri Lanka.”Saqlain Mushtaq will rejoin New Zealand as bowling coach for the three away Tests, while former England wicketkeeper James Foster returns as an assistant coach.The Afghanistan Test, which is not part of the World Test Championship, takes place between September 9-13 and the Sri Lanka matches between September 18-22 and 26-30.New Zealand play nine Tests from September to December with a home series against England starting in late November. They are currently third in the WTC as they push to reach next June’s final at Lord’s.New Zealand Test squad to face Afghanistan and Sri LankaTim Southee (capt), Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Kane Williamson, Will Young

It wouldn’t be all that controversial to claim that this season was a bit of a bust for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s men did well to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, but failing to win a domestic cup and finishing ten points off Premier League champions Liverpool was undeniably disappointing.

However, while the Gunners’ attack failed to spark this year, there were still some players who could go into the summer with their heads held high, like Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain was a force of nature in the middle of the park and was justifiably named the club’s Player of the Year for his efforts.

Fortunately, he could get even better next year, as reports have now heavily linked Arsenal to a dangerous goalscorer who’d be a dream teammate for the Englishman.

Arsenal target prolific goalscorers

As Arsenal still managed to create the best defence in the Premier League during their lacklustre campaign, it’s hardly a surprise that most of the players they have been linked with in recent weeks and months have been goalscorers.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, the most significant saga for the North Londoners so far has been around Benjamin Sesko, who scored 21 goals for RB Leipzig in 45 games this year.

Then, off the left, the primary target seems to be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who’s scored 14 goals in 52 games for the Spanish giants.

Interestingly, the Gunners were even linked with Bryan Mbeumo, who found the back of the net 20 times in 42 games for Brentford this year, at one point this summer.

Yet, another name has now firmly reentered the picture, and when it comes to scoring goals, nobody can hold a candle to him: Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Portuguese outlet Record, as relayed by Sport Witness, the Sporting CP star is now desperate to leave the club and join Arsenal this summer.

The report has revealed that the striker has expressed his desire to the Lisbon side’s president and informed them that he would not be returning to the club this summer in an attempt to force their hand into accepting offers totalling €70m, which comes to £60m, and stands at around €5m – £4m – less than the unofficial offer the Gunners made prior, per the report.

It might be an expensive transfer for Arsenal to get over the line, but given Gyokeres’ unreal ability in front of goal, it’s one they should pursue, especially as he could be a superb teammate for Rice.

Why Gyokeres would be a dream teammate for Rice

It will come as no surprise that the number one reason Gyokeres would be a dream teammate for Rice is his utterly absurd output, but there are two reasons for this, and the first is that he’d surely help the midfielder improve his own output.

For example, in just 52 appearances for Sporting this season, totalling 4248 minutes, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, was able to score 54 goals and provide 13 assists, which comes out to an out of this world average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

Just imagine a striker as devastatingly effective as the Swedish international playing ahead of the Englishman, who has himself become more of an attacking threat since becoming the team’s left-eight; he’d certainly rack up more assists than the ten he managed this year and probably even a few more goals than the nine he scored to boot.

Appearances

52

Minutes

4248′

Goals

54

Assists

13

Goal Involvements per Match

1.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.40′

On top of helping his own tally, though, it would also be a serious signal of intent to bring in someone so prolific and hopefully be the difference in getting the team over the line next year, in turn putting any potential doubt that the 25-year-old could start to have to rest.

Finally, on top of the mountain of goals the former Coventry City star might bring to the Emirates, he could also allow the Englishman the space to further develop his skills as a proper out-and-out left-eight.

We say this as the Sporting star’s heatmap from this season shows that he doesn’t drop into midfield very much at all, instead preferring to spend time in and around the penalty area, which in turn should give the former Irons star space to operate in without worrying about where his striker is.

Ultimately, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Gyokeres this summer, as not only could he fire the team to glory, but he could also help Rice reach another level entirely.

Arteta's own Mbeumo: Arsenal hold talks to sign £85m "generational talent"

The sensational attacker would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Manchester City are now set to table a huge contract offer, in an attempt to lure a “world-class” transfer target to the Etihad Stadium this summer, according to a report.

Man City pursuing new midfielders despite Rodri return

Man City never really managed to recover from Rodri suffering an ACL injury against Arsenal back in September, with Pep Guardiola enduring a rare trophyless campaign after the FA Cup final defeat, and the manager believes his side would have competed if the Spaniard had been available.

The City boss said: “I don’t have any doubts with Rodri there, and Phil there, and everybody there, the central defenders there, we would have competed; in the Champions League we would have been better.”

Guardiola will no doubt be hoping that Rodri’s return is a major boost for his side, but the manager remains tasked with bringing in at least one new midfielder this summer, given that Kevin De Bruyne’s time at the Etihad Stadium is set to come to an end.

Fabrizio Romano: Man City hold first talks to sign "incredible" £50m+ star

The Blues have made an enquiry over a defender, and discussions over a deal are expected to continue.

By
Dominic Lund

May 27, 2025

It will be difficult to find any player capable of providing goals and assists as regularly as the Belgian legend, but there has now been a new update which suggests Man City are stepping up their pursuit of a new midfielder.

According to a report from GiveMeSport, Man City are determined to lure AC Milan star Tijjani Reijnders to the Etihad Stadium this summer, and they are planning to offer him a huge salary increase in order to get a deal over the line.

Having cooled their interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, who could be Liverpool-bound, the Blues are eager to land Reijnders, and they are willing to spend a large amount of their summer transfer budget on the midfielder and offer him around £130,000-a-week.

AC Milan are eager to hold out for a fee of £50m, however, so the 26-year-old is unlikely to come cheap, but Guardiola’s side want a deal to be wrapped up before the Club World Cup.

Reijnders could be "world-class" addition for Man City

Scout Ben Mattinson believes the maestro is able to play at a “world-class” level, and he certainly put in performances of that standard during the 2024/25 campaign, despite Milan’s struggles.

The Dutchman predominantly featured in central midfield, while also often dropping to a deeper role, but that did not stop him from regularly providing goals and assists across all competitions.

Whoever replaces De Bruyne will have very big shoes to fill, given everything the attacking midfielder achieved at the Etihad Stadium, but Reijnders’ recent exploits on the front foot suggest he could also go on to achieve big things with Manchester City.