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One of the biggest troubles for Leeds United this season is how poorly they have performed in front of goal. Daniel Farke’s side find themselves in a relegation battle, which many people expected would be the case. ESPN journalist Bill Connelly said they need “random bursts of quality attacking” to help them stay up.

Well, things haven’t worked out that way so far for the Whites. They’ve found the back of the net just nine times, better than just two sides, including bottom of the league Wolverhampton Wanderers. Leeds’ expected goals tally is just 12.94xG, the 12th best in the top flight.

One man who has struggled for his best goalscoring form is Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Calvert-Lewin’s struggles in front of goal

Leeds secured the signing of Calvert-Lewin in the summer on a free transfer, after his contract at Everton expired. He was brought in with the aim of bolstering their Premier League goalscoring stocks, although it hasn’t really worked out that well so far.

The experienced 28-year-old, who has 11 caps and four goals for England, has not quite hit the ground running in a Leeds shirt.

In nine games for the club so far, Calvert-Lewin has only found the back of the net once, against fellow strugglers Wolves.

It was a good finish, too, from the new Leeds number nine. He got on the end of a loopy cross from Jayden Bogle, finding space between the Wolves defenders and heading home. That is the kind of striking instinct Leeds fans may have expected.

However, it hasn’t really worked out for Calvert-Lewin, aside from that goal. His underlying numbers are surprisingly low, averaging just 2.8 shots per 90 minutes, with an expected goals per game of 0.33xG. That places him in the 25th percentile for Premier League strikers.

With a huge game against Nottingham Forest next up, Farke may decide to rotate the striker out of the side in favour of a man who knows where the back of the net is.

Leeds’ Calvert-Lewin alternative

Ultimately, Leeds need to start finding the back of the net more consistently soon. Goals win you football matches, and right now, they could do with a few victories to help propel them up the table.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Well, Farke could well make the decision to axe Calvert-Lewin against Forest this weekend, and bring in Joel Piroe.

The Dutchman is someone who knows where the back of the net is, and Farke even called him the “best finisher” he’s ever seen as a manager.

With strikes like this one against Bristol City in the Championship last season, it is easy to see where the Whites’ boss is coming from.

Piroe bagged from quite a tight angle outside of the area, which takes some doing.

Indeed, he has put up some impressive numbers in a Leeds shirt so far. In 102 games for the club, the striker has 33 goals and ten assists. Last term in the Championship, Piroe was the main man up front and bagged 19 goals with seven assists in 46 games.

His underlying stats showcase how deadly he can be, too. During the league-winning 2024/25 season, the Dutch striker averaged 0.56 goals per 90 minutes, with an expected goals tally of 0.49xG. Both of those stats placed him in the top 5% of Championship strikers.

Piroe – 24/25 Championship
Stat (per 90)	Number	Percentile
Goals	0.56	95th
Shots on target	1.14	89th
Expected goals	0.49xG	95th
Shot-creating actions	2.43	84th
Goal-creating actions	0.38	91st
Stats from FBref

Bringing Piroe into the side for the trip to the City Ground could be a stroke of genius from Farke. He has a point to prove, having fallen out of favour this season. He’s only played 164 top-flight minutes, but would surely love to get more regular game time.

Calvert-Lewin has been out of form this season. With someone who Farke himself has admitted is a deadly finisher waiting in the wings, he could be the difference in helping find the back of the net more often.

Farke can get DCL firing by ditching Aaronson for "unstoppable" Leeds star

Daniel Farke can finally get Dominic Calvert-Lewin firing at Leeds United by unleashing this speedy winger.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 6, 2025

Legendary former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos is extremely happy to see talented youngster Arda Guler getting a lot of playing under Xabi Alonso this season. While the ex-German international doesn't necessarily see Guler as his natural successor in midfield, he has absolutely no qualms about the fact that the Turkish international possesses all the tools to mark an era at the Bernabeu.

• Guler earns his place as Madrid begin the season on a high

  Since Xabi Alonso's appointment as the new head coach of Real Madrid at the end of May, things have been looking bright for Guler. After spending much of the 2024-25 season out of the starting lineup under former boss Carlo Ancelotti, Guler was handed the keys to the midfield at the Club World Cup – Alonso's first assignment after taking over Madrid's reins. The flamboyant left-footed midfielder was thoroughly impressive in the tournament in a new role which saw him played a bit deeper in central midfield as opposed to the right wing. 

  Since the start of the 2025-26 season, Guler's star has only improved. He has earned an increasingly prominent role in the midfield and has become a shoo-in in Alonso's setup, despite the presence of more established figures such as Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga. He won La Liga's Under-23 Player of the Month award in September, and has played in each of the 16 games Madrid have played this season, 14 of those as a starter.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kroos confident Guler will 'make his mark' at Madrid

  Madrid are lacking experienced figures in the midfield, with Kroos retiring from the sport in 2024 and Luka Modric leaving as a free agent to join AC Milan earlier this year. However, the 35-year-old is glad to see Guler, his former team-mate, get more minutes under his belt this season.

  "I'm happy that he's getting significantly more playing time this year for the first time, because he deserves it based on his footballing ability and he's a lad we can count on in the future," the ex-German international told . 

  However, Kroos believes that comparing Guler to him is not the right thing to do, with the former insisting that the latter is much more effective a bit higher up the field.

  "But I don't believe in comparisons," he added. "Arda is also a different type of player than me. His best position is much more attacking than mine, so it's not about me succeeding him at all. But I'm generally pleased because he's a good lad. I've played alongside him. He has a really delicate touch, which he's already used very effectively for Real this season. That's why I hope he continues to get consistent playing time, because that's the only way to improve. Then I'm sure he can make his mark at Real for many years to come."

• Alonso will continue to bank on Guler's talents

  Speaking to reporters after the 1-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League last month, Los Blancos manager Alonso had words of praise for Guler, signalling that he remains fully determined to develop the 20-year-old despite obvious room for improvement. 

  “Arda is in the process of improving everything," he said. "He’s 20 years old and has already played a few games for Madrid. With his age and quality, we have to support him. He needs to improve his decision-making and pressing, but he has a lot of good qualities. He gives great meaning to the game. When he’s involved, we have a better team dynamic. Where? It depends on what’s around him or what the game demands. I’m very happy with his progress, but we want more. He really enjoys playing football. He wants to find the pass, take the free kick… Wirtz was like that at Leverkusen. He’s young, but he’s a great player. He’s in the process, but at a high level.”

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• AFP
  

  Guler-Mbappe symbiosis would be key to Madrid's success

  Guler has shown immense promise ever since he was moved to a deeper position on the field. His on-field partnership with Kylian Mbappe has drawn parallels to the chemistry Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo shared during their time at the club. “I like the comparisons between Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil and Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler," he said recently. "They’ve achieved great things, but significant success is always achieved by a team, never just two players."

  Mbappe has been in breathtaking form this season, scoring 18 goals in all competitions. He has scored 12 non-penalty goals, of which six have been assisted by Guler. On days when they have linked beautifully, Madrid have been a treat to watch. It's fair to say that the duo will be extremely crucial to Madrid's chances of lifting major silverware at the end of the season.

Marcus Trescothick replaced Jimmy Adams as the batting coach for the men’s Hundred

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jun-2025

Luke Williams has two titles in the WBBL and one in the WPL apart from Brave’s maiden Hundred trophy as assistant coach•Getty Images

Luke Williams has been appointed head coach of Southern Brave for the Women’s Hundred 2025. He replaced Charlotte Edwards, who has been appointed head coach of England Women.Williams has a rich reputation as coach, being Edwards’ assistant at Brave since the inaugural edition of the women’s Hundred. Brave finished runners-up in 2021 and 2022 before winning their maiden title in 2023. That aside, he also coached Adelaide Strikers to their maiden Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) title in 2022 and went back-to-back in 2023. He also was the head coach when Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first trophy – across men and women – in the Women’s Premier League 2024.After Edwards took charge of England, he was one of the consultant coaches for the home series against West Indies last month. At Brave, he will have a familiar face in South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt, who is also part of the Strikers in WBBL.”It’s a privilege to take charge of Southern Brave this year from Charlotte Edwards,” Williams said in a statement. “Having worked with the team since for a number of years, we have an excellent group of players and staff and recruited well in the draft earlier this year, so hopefully we can get back to Finals Day and lift the trophy this summer.”Trescothick appointed batting coach for Southern Brave menFormer England opener Marcus Trescothick has been appointed as the batting coach for Southern Brave for the men’s Hundred 2025. He replaced Jimmy Adams, who will be coaching Hampshire in the men’s One Day Cup in August.Trescothick is also the batting coach for England men and was the interim coach for the team in white-ball cricket last July. This will be his first coaching assignment in the Hundred.

Chelsea are making transfer plans behind-the-scenes despite a hectic summer window, and a rumour has now emerged involving Real Madrid.

Chelsea edge past Benfica after José Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge

Enzo Maresca’s side grabbed a much-needed 1-0 win over José Mourinho’s Benfica earlier this week after a difficult last month.

An 18th-minute own goal from Richard Ríos proved decisive as the Blues bounced back from their opening Champions League game defeat to Bayern Munich, not to mention their dismal loss against Brighton last weekend, with all three points against the ‘special one’ and a clean sheet.

The evening carried significant sentiment as Mourinho made his first return to Stamford Bridge since November 2020.

The Portuguese tactician, who won three Premier League titles over his two spells with Chelsea, received warm chants from the home support before Maresca’s young side eventually saw out the contest.

Chelsea fielded their most youthful starting eleven in Champions League history with an average age of just 24, but they did just about enough to overcome the Primeira Liga side ahead of another vital game this weekend.

Their win provides crucial momentum ahead of this weekend’s challenging Premier League clash with Liverpool on Saturday evening, and it comes in the aftermath of reports suggesting tension between Maresca and Chelsea’s board.

Maresca isn’t entirely happy with the squad at his disposal right now (Simon Phillips), coming amid their serious centre-back shortage, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah all set to miss their face-off against Arne Slot’s side.

Chelsea’s boss publicly stated that he wanted a new centre-back in the summer window.

However, despite internally discussing options after Colwill’s ACL injury, and holding talks with Dean Huijsen’s camp, BlueCo couldn’t get one through the door (Simon Phillips).

It has left them desperately short, and reports suggest that Chelsea are now prioritising the signing of a new defender in January as they respond to Maresca’s central defensive crisis.

Amid Maresca and the hierarchy’s rumoured differences, one decision that threatens to escalate the Italian’s dissatisfaction would be star midfielder Enzo Fernández’s sale to Real Madrid.

Chelsea prepared to let Enzo Fernández leave in Real Madrid swap deal for Fede Valverde

Indeed, Chelsea are now reportedly willing to facilitate a swap deal that would see Fernández move to Real in exchange for Federico Valverde, according to Spanish outlet Defensa Central.

The Argentine, who’s become a figurehead of Chelsea’s midfield after an initially difficult start to life, has been called one of the club’s only two “world-class” players alongside Cole Palmer by former defender David Luiz.

Xabi Alonso’s side have been monitoring Fernández ever since his Benfica days, with the player himself apparently “delighted” by the prospect of a move to the Spanish capital.

However, while Chelsea would entertain a proposed swap which would see Valverde head in the opposite direction, Real have no plans to consider letting their star midfielder leave despite a bad start to 2025/2026.

Valverde was forced to release a statement after widespread criticism from the media, with the 27-year-old also having a nightmare during Real’s 5-2 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid last weekend.

Real’s vice-captain started in nearly every one of his 65 appearances in all competitions last season, and has been favoured by their new manager as well.

Alonso handed Valverde the armband in all of their Club World Cup games, with the 71-cap Uruguay international also playing in all but one match this season — their 5-0 win over Kairat Almaty in the Champions League.

Given Alonso’s faith in Valverde, not to mention his clear statement, it doesn’t look like the versatile ace has plans to leave any time soon.

An “unbelievable” manager would be eager to take over as Manchester United manager, with Ruben Amorim now on the brink, it has been revealed.

Amorim facing the sack after Brentford defeat

It has now been revealed that Amorim is on the brink of being sacked, following yet another disappointing performance in the Premier League, with Man United suffering a 3-1 defeat at Brentford and falling to 14th in the table.

The uncertainty over the 40-year-old’s future is now growing, with one insider saying: “He [Amorim] looks knackered, he knows it’s not working.”

Fabrizio Romano says legendary 4-3-3 manager wants Amorim's job at Man Utd

He’s previously won a top-flight title and enjoyed a distinguished playing career.

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 29, 2025

Players are said to be unconvinced by the former Sporting CP manager’s in-game decisions and reluctance to alter his tactics, which clearly aren’t working, having lost the majority of his Premier League games since taking over last November.

In the aforementioned TEAMtalk report, it is revealed that Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is one of the potential Amorim replacements under consideration by INEOS, and there has now been an encouraging further update.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Glasner would jump at the chance to manage Man United if the job became available, saying on talkSPORT: “My information is if Glasner was offered the Manchester United job, he would take it in a heartbeat.”

Jacobs makes it clear that the “pressure is building” on the United boss, with INEOS now “succession planning”, although the board are still backing him heading into the game against Sunderland at Old Trafford this Saturday.

"Unbelievable" Glasner could be major Amorim upgrade

A record of 34 points from 33 Premier League games is almost relegation form, so it is difficult to see Amorim surviving much longer, and Wayne Rooney has suggested the Palace manager could have what it takes to become the new United boss.

Unlike the former Sporting CP boss, the Austrian has been able to successfully implement a three-at-the-back system at his current club, with Rooney saying: “I don’t want to go back to Man United but I’m watching Crystal Palace play three at the back and this looks incredible, look’s brilliant.”

Lauded as “unbelievable” by Palace chairman Steve Parish, the 51-year-old led the Eagles to FA Cup glory last season, and his side are now on an 18-game unbeaten run, which is by far the longest undefeated streak of any team in Europe’s top five leagues.

Games

71

Wins

33

Draws

23

Losses

15

Points per match

1.77

Glasner could be the ideal replacement for Amorim, so it is encouraging news that the Palace manager would be willing to take over at Old Trafford, despite the mess Man United find themselves in.

It was less than two years ago that Jurgen Klopp rocked Liverpool football club with the announcement that he would step down from his post at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Liverpool fans felt that the glory days would be no more, and the German’s project would taper off after several years of illustrious success.

That, of course, wasn’t the case, with FSG appointing Arne Slot from Feyenoord and then watching as the shrewd tactician willed Klopp’s squad into a new shape, putting paid to any hopes of a Liverpool downfall, and instead guiding the Reds to the Premier League title.

So begins a new era, allowing Liverpool to sign some rather exciting superstars. Alexander Isak provided the cream on an extraordinary summer transfer window, but it’s Florian Wirtz who could become the club’s poster boy down the line.

Why Liverpool signed Wirtz

Liverpool broke the British transfer record when signing Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a £116m fee. The 22-year-old arrived having established himself as a “generational talent” in Germany, as was noted by sports media professional Cristian Nyari, and fills the creative void left when Trent Alexander-Arnold up and left for Real Madrid.

Admittedly, Wirtz’s opening few fixtures in the Premier League haven’t been the stuff of dreams, but there’s no question that his immense quality is in there, and that he will grow into a superstar under Slot’s wing.

Stats via Sofascore

After a few quiet showings, he looked flashier and smoother as Liverpool beat title rivals Arsenal before the international break and is expected to become one of the leading players in the Premier League.

Liverpool paid the big bucks to bring Wirtz over, and that’s all well and good, but the Anfield side might already have a homemade version of the playmaker in Rio Ngumoha, who has made his mark already this season.

Liverpool's future superstar

Liverpool poached Ngumoha from Chelsea’s Cobham Academy in 2024, and right from the off, it was clear that they had landed an elite talent, with John Terry even remarking that he was “gutted” the Blues had lost a prospect with a certain likeness to Eden Hazard.

He’s made exciting progress over his time on Merseyside, but Ngumoha announced himself when scoring the winner at St. James’ Park on his Premier League debut last month, marking the most extraordinary of entrances.

Electric on the ball, physical and having showcased an ability to keep his cool to convert in big moments, Ngumoha has the lot, and his precocious emergence is somewhat reminiscent of Wirtz’s at Bayer Leverkusen, with the Germany talent making his professional debut at the age of 17 in May 2020.

The rest is history, and Ngumoha has already written himself into the record books with his goal against the Magpies. Hailed as a “special” player by journalist Bence Bocsak for his efforts during pre-season, Ngumoha has since proved himself to be in a different category altogether.

1

James Vaughan

16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days

2

James Milner

16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days

3

Wayne Rooney

16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days

4

Rio Ngumoha

16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days

5

Cesc Fabregas

17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days

It was a show-stopping moment, to be sure, and Ngumoha’s potential is clearly recognised by Slot and Liverpool’s coaching staff, who opted against signing a direct replacement for Luis Diaz this summer after selling the Colombian to Bayern Munich for £65.5m.

Ngumoha will feature prominently throughout the campaign, and given that he has only just turned 17, he certainly carries the same prodigious weight as Wirtz when the German started to make a name for himself in Germany.

It would be foolish for the Reds to heap too much weight onto this youngster’s back as he cuts his teeth at the senior level, but there’s no question that he has what it takes to emulate Wirtz and one day stand alongside him as a generational talent in Slot’s Liverpool.

Higher ceiling than Isak: Liverpool make £100m superstar their No. 1 target

Liverpool are already planning for the future after their incredible spending spree this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 4, 2025

India batter suffered a knee injury on the eve of the match

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2025

Virat Kohli was at the venue but not fit to play the first game•BCCI

Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the first ODI against England in Nagpur due to a knee injury he suffered on the eve of the game. He was replaced in India’s XI by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was making his ODI debut along with bowling-allrounder Harshit Rana.India captain Rohit Sharma said at the toss that Kohli had injured his right knee on Wednesday night.Jaiswal was slotted to open with Rohit on the BCCI’s team sheet with vice-captain Shubman Gill, who would have opened if Kohli was fit, listed at No. 4, though it remains to be seen if that order remains. India lost the toss and were bowling first in Nagpur.The three matches against England are India’s last ODIs before the Champions Trophy begins on February 19. They haven’t played ODI cricket since August last year, when they lost a three-match bilateral series 2-0 in Sri Lanka, with one match tied.Kohli’s form has been under scrutiny in recent months, and after a poor tour of Australia where all of his dismissals were edges to the wicketkeeper or slip cordon, he spent a week working with former India and RCB batting coach Sanjay Bangar. He then played one Ranji Trophy match for Delhi – his first appearance in the competition since 2012 – where he was bowled for 6 against Railways.ODI cricket, however, is Kohli’s strongest format, and he is 94 runs away from becoming only the third batter to reach 14,000 runs in the format. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara have got there before, but Kohli is certain to become the fastest to the milestone.

After taking the reins at Tottenham Hotspur, new boss Thomas Frank has already demonstrated his ability to switch his tactics based upon the opposition from game to game.

He’s already operated with a back five and a back four in various games, undoubtedly evaluating the options at his disposal for his debut campaign at the helm in North London.

However, a glaring issue has arisen in the side, with a lack of depth in the final third potentially transforming into a huge problem should no solution be found before the end of the window.

If the Dane is to be successful in the Premier League, he will need various talents at his disposal to call upon, but at present, he’s severely lacking in options in attacking areas.

After the departure of Heung-min Son and injury to James Maddison, the number ten and left-wing positions are massively depleted – with owner Daniel Levy needing to rectify such issues as soon as possible.

Spurs’ attempts to land an Eze alternative this summer

Eberechi Eze appeared to be the player to fill such roles within the Spurs side, after the hierarchy agreed a deal with Crystal Palace for the Englishman’s signature.

The player himself wanted to join Frank’s side, but despite the progress made on a deal to land the 27-year-old – he will not be making a move to join the Lilywhites this summer.

He’s since accepted an offer to join North London rivals Arsenal, subsequently ending Levy’s pursuit of the attacking midfielder – which has seen the club move onto different targets.

Some of the options have previously been on their radar at previous points of the summer window, with Manchester City star Savinho just one name remerging in their sights.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed in recent days that Frank’s side will return to negotiations before the end of the window, after previously failing to strike an agreement with Pep Guardiola’s men.

He also claimed that an offer of €70m (£60m) was being prepared for the Brazilian forward, who managed to notch 14 combined goals and assists in the 2024/25 campaign.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s answer to Saka

Bukayo Saka is a player who’s constantly tormented countless backlines in the Premier League over recent seasons – with Tottenham being one of the sides unable to contain the Arsenal winger.

The 23-year-old has scored five times against the Lilywhites in his career – the most of any side he’s faced – often claiming bragging rights for Mikel Arteta’s side in the North London derby.

Such performances have undoubtedly left the Spurs faithful wishing they had a player of his quality, but talents like the Englishman would cost a pretty penny in the modern market.

To make matters worse for the Lilywhites faithful, Saka will be aided in his attempts at the Emirates by Eze – rubbing further salt into the wounds after missing out on his signature.

However, their pain may be short-lived, especially if they can land a deal for Savinho, with the City star able to make the fans forget about the failed move for the 27-year-old.

The Brazilian has been labelled as a similar player to Saka by FBref, a comparison that is understandable when delving into his underlying stats from the previous campaign.

The 21-year-old managed to outperform the Gunners star in numerous key areas, subsequently handing Frank his own version of the top-level attacker.

How Savinho & Saka compared in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Savinho

Saka

Games played

29

25

Goals & assists

9

16

Shot on target accuracy

38%

33%

Progressive carries

7.1

5

Pass accuracy

81%

75%

Passes into the opposition box

2.4

1.9

Take-on success

46%

45%

Carries into final third

2.3

1.6

Carries into the opposition box

3.8

2.6

Stats via FBref

Savinho, who’s been labelled “incredible” by current boss Guardiola, posted a higher shot on target accuracy rate – able to cut inside off the right-hand side trouble the ‘keeper on a more consistent basis.

His ability to get shots off around the 18-yard box is undoubtedly crucial, but the need for a creative presence within the current first-team squad has been evident of late.

The Brazilian could provide just that with any move to North London, bettering Saka in various areas – such as passes completed and passes into the opposition area per 90.

However, Savinho has also caused havoc to the opposition with his talent at driving the opposition – registering more carries into the penalty area per 90, whilst also achieving a higher take-on success rate.

Missing out on Eze will certainly be a bitter blow, but any disappointment could be pushed aside if the hierarchy manage to get a deal over the line for the City youngster.

If he does make the move, the 21-year-old would have all the tools to match Saka’s achievements in the capital, undoubtedly offering the needed threat Frank has been hunting for throughout the off-season.

Related Bigger talent than Eze: Spurs to make late offer to sign £60m sensation

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a move for a star who could provide a bigger impact than Eberechi Eze.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Aug 22, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Santos e Newell’s Old Boys se enfentarão pela terceira rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana. A disputa entre os times acontece nesta terça-feira (2), a partir das 21h30 (de Brasília).

+Guia Santos: veja a análise dos adversários, onde assistir e tudo sobre o Peixe na Sul-Americana

O Peixe possui uma vitória e um empate na competição. Enquanto isso, o clube argentino acumula duas vitórias na competição e visa manter o 100% de aproveitamento.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSantosSantos e Argentinos Juniors homenageiam Pelé e MaradonaSantos01/05/2023SantosSantos anuncia renovação de contrato do meio-campista Lucas LimaSantos01/05/2023SantosSoteldo tem lesão na coxa constatada e vai desfalcar o SantosSantos01/05/2023

+ATUAÇÕES: Mendoza tem grande atuação e comanda vitória do Santos na Vila

O elenco comandado por Odair Hellmann enfrenta dificuldades na formação da equipe após lesão de Soteldo, camisa 10 da equipe.

Apesar do bom momento no torneio continental, o Newell’s possui uma colocação mediana na primeira fase do Campeonato Argentino.

NEWELL’S OLD BOYS X SANTOS
Copa Sul-Americana – Fase de grupos – Terceira rodada

Data e horário: 1 de maio de 2023, terça-feira, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
​Local: Estádio Marcelo Bielsa, em Rosário, na Argentina
Árbitro: Alex Herrera (VEN)
Assistentes: Lubin Torrealba (VEN) e Alberto Ponte (VEN)
VAR: Juan Soto (VEN)
Onde assistir: SBT, ESPN/Star+ e tempo real do LANCE!

Newell’s Old Boys:Hoyos; Mendez, Velazquez, Ditta e Pitton; Sforza, Gomez e Ferreira; Sordo, Reasco e Recalde. Técnico: Gabriel Heinze.

Desfalques: Francisco González

SANTOS: João Paulo; Nathan, Messias, Eduardo Bauermann e Lucas Pires; Rodrigo Fernández, Dodi e Lucas Lima; Daniel Ruiz (Ângelo), Mendoza e Marcos Leonardo. Técnico: Odair Hellmann.

Desfalques: João Lucas (transição), Lucas Barbosa (transição), Luan Dias (lesão muscular), Soteldo (lesão muscular), Soteldo (lesão do LCA do joelho esquerdo), Zabala (lesão do LCA do joelho esquerdo).

continua após a publicidade

While last season wasn’t exactly the most enjoyable of campaigns for Arsenal fans, 25/26 is looking like it could be one to remember.

Just keeping their star players fit and available would be massive in the Gunners’ hunt for a Premier League title, but the board appear to be going all out in the transfer window to ensure Mikel Arteta has the best chance of success.

Martin Zubimendi is already through the door for a cool £60m, Noni Madueke has passed his medical, Christian Mosquera is set for his, and some real depth has been added to the squad with Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard.

That’s not all, though, as Andrea Berta looks to have finally secured the club a leading number nine in Viktor Gyokeres, and if reports are to be believed, he could soon sign another attacker who’s just as exciting.

Arsenal target attacker as exciting as Gyokeres

While there was quite a lot of work that had to be done to improve and reinforce the squad this summer, there is no denying that a new striker was priority number one for Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

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

After all, Arteta’s outfit produced the best defence in the league last season, but just the third-best attack, and a distant third at that.

So, it’s undoubtedly excellent news that, after weeks of speculation, the club appear to be on the brink of agreeing a deal for Gyokeres, one that will cost them an upfront fee of around £55m.

The Swedish marksman, who scored 54 goals in 52 games last season, will be a hugely exciting addition to the North Londoners’ squad, but he might not be the only one.

At least that is according to BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, who on the latest episode of the Latte Firm podcast confirmed that “Arsenal are very interested in Rodrygo.”

The journalist revealed that the Gunners have “spoken to the relevant parties connected to the player” and, in good news, have received “positive feedback” that he would be open to the move.

However, to get their man, the North Londoners would have to pay up to £80m, but even then, Rodrygo would be worth it, and as exciting a signing as Gyokeres.

Why Rodrygo would be as exciting a signing as Gyokeres

The first thing to note is that, no, Rodrygo has not been anywhere near as prolific as Gyokeres has been over the last two years, but that’s an unfair comparison to make, given his position and the competitions he’s been playing in.

Moreover, the 24-year-old has still been a dangerous outlet for Real Madrid, as, since the start of the 2023/2024 campaign, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

In other words, the former Santos gem is still able to average a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is undoubtedly impressive.

Appearances

51

54

Minutes

3707′

3452′

Goals

17

14

Assists

9

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

142.57′

138.08′

Additionally, he has done so while primarily playing out of his preferred left-wing position, and while he’d likely move back there at the Emirates, the fact that he’s so accomplished playing off the right or up top is another reason he’d be a tremendously exciting signing.

Finally, while there are some questions over how the Sporting CP star will cope in the biggest of games due to his relative lack of experience playing in truly elite competition, there are no such concerns when it comes to the Brazilian.

Since moving to Madrid, he has won everything there is to win, including two La Liga titles and two Champions League titles.

Moreover, he’s not just been a passenger for those victories, as he has a stellar record when it comes to Europe’s top competition, scoring 25 goals and providing 14 assists in 64 games.

Ultimately, Gyokeres’ absurd goal tally makes him a seriously exciting signing for Arsenal, but Rodrygo’s record and experience would make him equally so.

He'd be a dream for Gyokeres: Arsenal close in on signing £68m "superstar"

Arsenal are looking to conclude more business after agreeing a deal for Viktor Gyokeres.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 15, 2025