Following a difficult start to life at Ibrox, Russell Martin is reportedly expected to ditch a Rangers flop who he has already played five times across all competitions this season.

Rangers confirm Jefte sale

The Gers couldn’t have asked for a much more frustrating start to what is meant to be a new era. They’re yet to win in the Scottish Premiership and now have one foot out of the Champions League following a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Club Brugge. The Belgian side raced into a 3-0 lead within 20 minutes at Ibrox and were only pegged back by Danilo’s effort in the second half.

Despite his outburst following his side’s opening day draw against Motherwell, however, Martin chose to take a different approach after Tuesday’s humbling evening against Club Brugge – reiterating the pride that he has in his side for how they reacted.

Whilst the former Southampton boss chose to remain positive with his words, he has since acted ruthlessly in the transfer market to sell struggling left-back Jefte.

The Gers confirmed the news that the Brazilian has completed a move to Palmeiras, which coincides with the arrival of new left-back Jayden Meghoma. It’s the type of decision that Ibrox may need to get used to, with Martin seemingly in no mood to keep hold of any passengers in his Rangers squad.

Martin expected to ditch Bajrami

According to Albanian outlet Gazeta Blic, Martin is now set to ditch Nedim Bajrami in ruthless fashion this month. The attacking midfielder was left out of Rangers’ squad to face Club Brugge and has reportedly been shown the door by the Gers just one year since arriving for a hefty £3.5m fee.

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After scoring the opening goal in Rangers’ 4-2 win against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup recently, the former Sassuolo man may have thought he’d done enough to keep hold of his place, but a swift exit is now reportedly drawing near.

Even that goal is not enough to mask what has been a difficult year for Bajrami at Rangers and he’s now, ultimately, destined to become one of several transfer flops signed by Philippe Clement.

After just five appearances under Martin, the midfielder looks set to be heading for the exit door with just under two weeks left to secure a move away from the Scottish giants.

Former Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has suggested that Mikel Arteta's record of achievement since being appointed by Arsenal in 2019 will give him his pick of jobs whenever he decides the time is right to leave the Emirates Stadium. One of those could be at Barcelona in the future, where Arteta made key strides in his formative years as a footballer.

• Big clubs will be 'knocking' on Arteta's door

  Mendieta, who turned out for Barcelona during a storied career that also took in defining spells at Valencia and Middlesbrough, doesn't expected Arteta to be looking for a new job any time soon. But there is a belief that he won't ever be short of offers.

  "Whenever Mikel Arteta's time at Arsenal is up and he's looking for new experiences, big clubs will be knocking on his door," Mendieta told OLBG.

  "The job he's doing at Arsenal and from now until the moment he leaves, which I'm assuming will be a long term, I'm sure there'll be more trophies in the cabinet. Like PSG, every season Arsenal can get better, get stronger and keep getting to the latter stages.

  "Big clubs will be knocking on the door, Barca included, as well as other big clubs and even national teams, he will have a lot of offers on the table."

  Hansi Flick's Barcelona contract runs until 2027 and the German coach is already 60 years of age, suggesting the Catalans could be looking for a new boss in the not too distant future.

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  Premier League consistency vs limited trophies so far

  Under Arteta, Arsenal have placed second in the Premier League in each of the last three seasons, the club's best run in the competition since Arsene Wenger's streak of eight successive top two finishes came to an in 2005.

  It is hugely impressive when Liverpool, for example, have been more erratic. But while the Merseysiders may have slipped to fifth in 2022-23, they won the title last season and the Gunners are still looking for a first league championship since the 2003-04 campaign. Meanwhile, Arteta himself hasn't won a major trophy since his first season in charge – the FA Cup in 2019-20.

• Arteta's Barcelona connection

  Barcelona could be a good fit for Arteta in the future. He was schooled in La Masia from the age of 15, forging friendships with Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Victor Valdes, and went on to make 42 appearances for Barcelona B as a teenager, before establishing a senior career elsewhere.

  As a newly-qualified coach cut from the famous Barcelona cloth, he was recruited by Pep Guardiola in 2016 to work on the backroom staff at Manchester City and remained there until interviewing for the Arsenal job towards the end of 2019.

  Although he hails from San Sebastian in the Basque region on Spain's northern coast, Barcelona would still be a football 'homecoming' of sorts for Arteta.

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  Could Fabregas succeed Arteta as Arsenal boss?

  If Arteta were to leave, Arsenal could recruit another former club captain to take over: Cesc Fabregas. The 2010 World Cup winner has been leading the revolution at Como and is quickly making a name for himself in coaching after a stellar playing career. Mendieta is "sure" a Premier League future awaits Fabregas, even if he's happy at Como for now.

  "I'm sure there's been some conversations. But he's happy at Como. I know he's happy because the project is key, he is the one deciding who comes and goes and he is bringing the culture and the environment," the two-time Champions League finalist said.

  "I'm sure Premier League clubs have approached him, former clubs will have approached him and we'll see him in the Premier League sometime in the future.

  "Would he suit Arsenal or Chelsea? It could be actually both. I think he's intelligent enough because he started to play in a way at Como and then he changed quickly. They also change the system within games. He was a very intelligent player and is a very intelligent coach.

  "He would adapt to whatever he has. If he goes to Chelsea and he has 50 players, he can pick and choose the system he wants to play. If he goes to Arsenal he can pick the players that he wants. Judging right now, Arsenal looks more like the style of football that he would be playing."

تُقام في الوقت الحالي مباراة بين برشلونة وجيرونا في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم، موسم 2025/26، بعد عودة الحياة إلى الدوريات المحلية عقب انتهاء فترة التوقف الدولي.

ويستضيف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا في خضم منافسات الجولة التاسعة من الدوري الإسباني لذلك الموسم.

والتزم لاعبو جيرونا بقرار رابطة لاعبي كرة القدم الإسبانية، والذي كُشف عنه في بيان رسمي أمس، كنوع من الاحتجاج على قرار إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في ميامي.

ووافق الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يويفا، على إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في الجولة العشرين من الدوري الإسباني في ميامي الأمريكية.

ونال ذلك القرار اعتراضًا واسعًا من جانب رابطة لاعبي كرة القدم الإسبانية، حيث أصدرت بيانًا رسميًا أمس وأعلنت خلاله احتجاجها على الأمر عن طريق التوقف عن لمس الكرة لمدة 15 ثانية في بداية المباريات بدءًا من الجولة الحالية.

ونفذ لاعبو جيرونا قرار الرابطة حسبما ذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، حيث لم يلمسوا الكرة لمدة 15 ثانية في بداية مباراتهم ضد برشلونة.

وكشفت الصحيفة عن موقف لاعبي برشلونة تجاه الأمر حيث احترموا تصرف جيرونا ولم يتحركوا أو يلمسوا الكرة في انتظار إنهاء الخصم لحركتهم الاعتراضية.

وقرر البث التلفزيوني لرابطة الدوري الإسباني عدم نقل التصرف الاعتراضي للفرق في المباريات، حيث يبدأ النقل بمجرد بدء اللعب الفوري.

Everton’s summer has already been one of major transition, with several familiar faces moving on and David Moyes reshaping his squad in key areas.

The Toffees opened the new campaign with a frustrating defeat at Leeds but quickly steadied the ship with back-to-back wins – including a confident home victory against Brighton and safe passage through the EFL Cup against Mansfield.

It was a timely reminder that, while this is a squad in flux, the structure Moyes is putting in place has the potential to deliver steady progress.

Recruitment has been central to that process. High-profile arrivals such as Jack Grealish from Manchester City and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea have given supporters optimism, while Thierno Barry and Tyler Dibling offer fresh energy.

But if Everton are to truly evolve into a side capable of competing consistently in the top half of the Premier League, there is still work to be done in central midfield.

The departure of Abdoulaye Doucouré to Saudi Arabia has left a sizeable gap.

For years the Malian was Everton’s engine, a player who could carry the ball forward, cover ground tirelessly, and chip in with goals at crucial moments.

Replacing him is no easy task.

Moyes has already tested the waters for Tomas Soucek, but West Ham have so far rebuffed Everton’s approach.

That has shifted attention elsewhere.

Benfica now are bracing themselves for an approach from Merseyside for one of their midfielders – a 26-year-old who has long been on Everton’s radar and who may now finally be available for the right price.

Everton set to bid for Benfica midfielder

The player in question is Florentino Luis, with the Lisbon outfit said to be expecting an offer from the Toffees, according to Portuguese outlet, Mais Futebol.

The Portuguese defensive midfielder came through Benfica’s academy system and has since established himself as a dependable figure in their first-team squad.

At 26, he is entering his prime years and fits the mould of the disciplined, ball-winning option that Moyes has been searching for since Doucoure’s exit.

The Toffees were linked with Luis as far back as January 2024, and Benfica are now open to a sale.

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The midfielder has slipped down the pecking order following the arrivals of Enzo Barrenechea and Ricard Ríos this summer, and with his contract running until 2027, this window presents the Lisbon club with a logical chance to cash in.

Benfica have already rejected advances from Marseille and Burnley, while Luis himself turned down a lucrative €5m (£4m)-a-year proposal from Saudi Arabia to keep his focus on securing a Premier League move.

That determination to play in England puts Everton in a strong position, with a fee in the region of £22m likely to be enough to tempt Benfica into negotiations.

The Portuguese international, who has also enjoyed loan spells at Monaco and Getafe, made 26 league appearances last season, contributing two goals and an assist.

While his attacking numbers may not leap off the page, his value comes in his ability to win the ball back, maintain possession under pressure, and distribute intelligently – qualities Everton lacked at times in their midfield last season.

Why Luis is the perfect upgrade on Doucoure

The comparison between Doucouré and Luis is intriguing.

On paper, the former Waford man delivered more goal contributions in the 2024/25 campaign – five compared to Luis’ three – and his willingness to break forward into attacking areas was a defining feature of his game.

But beneath the surface, Luis offers a profile that appears far more aligned with Moyes’ tactical vision.

According to FBref, the 26-year-old averaged 44.7 passes per 90 minutes last season, at an accuracy of 87.1%. Doucoure, by contrast, attempted just 25.4 passes per 90 with a lower completion rate of 80.3%.

That gulf highlights how Luis can act as a metronome at the base of midfield, helping Everton retain possession in high-pressure Premier League encounters.

Defensively, the Portuguese midfielder’s numbers stand out even more.

He averaged 3.74 tackles per 90, more than double Doucoure’s 1.68, and was particularly effective in the midfield third, registering 2.01 tackles per 90 compared to the Doucoure’s 0.70.

His ability to break up play and shield the back four would give Everton a stability they have often lacked when stretched by stronger opponents.

Luis also brings value in blocking passing lanes and covering ground.

He recorded 1.51 blocks per 90 and won more aerial duels than Doucoure on average (1.23 vs 1.05).

While Doucoure was a more direct attacking threat – averaging over a shot per game compared to Luis’ 0.32 – Moyes may feel that creativity and goalscoring responsibilities can be shouldered by his new attacking additions, while midfield solidity comes from players like Luis.

Where Doucoure was a box-to-box presence, Luis is a controller.

His progressive passing distance of 229.5 per 90 dwarfs Doucoure’s 79.1, showing a clear willingness to move the ball into dangerous areas rather than carrying it himself.

Combined with his high shot-on-target percentage of 42.9% (compared to Doucoure’s 29%), he offers technical quality when stepping forward without overextending his role.

Crucially, at 26, Luis arrives with years ahead of him to grow, while offering Everton the immediate reliability of a player who has competed regularly in both domestic and European competitions.

In essence, Luis represents the evolution of Everton’s midfield: a younger, more technically secure, and defensively dominant option who can provide balance to a squad undergoing rapid change.

Doucoure’s crucial goals and driving runs will be missed, but with Luis anchoring the centre of the pitch, the Toffees would gain a platform that allows their attacking talents – from Grealish to Dewsbury-Hall – to flourish.

The new Barry: Everton chasing late move for another "special" English star

Everton are interested in signing an England U21 star.

1

By
Will Miller

Aug 29, 2025

Arsenal’s Hale End academy has been on a brilliant run of producing top-quality talent over the last few years.

When Mikel Arteta first took over, it was Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who were the new youngsters taking the first team by storm.

Last season, it was Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly who burst into the senior side, and this year, it looks like Max Dowman is going to be the most talked-about youngster in the league.

However, despite producing numerous elite wingers and midfielders, the club has yet to develop a striker of the same calibre, selling those that have come through the ranks, including one who is now winning comparisons to Alexander Isak.

Arsenal's Hale End strikers

When talking about recent Hale End strikers, it’s impossible to ignore Eddie Nketiah.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

The Englishman joined Arsenal at 14 years old, made his debut for the first team in September 2017, and for a time looked like he was going to be a star for the club.

After all, he was given a new £100,000-per-week contract and the legendary number 14 in the summer of 2022, following his scoring of 10 goals and providing one assist in 27 appearances at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Unfortunately, while he was a useful squad player, that was as much as he was ever going to be at the Emirates, and so when Crystal Palace offered £30m for him last summer, the club couldn’t say no.

While that was an excellent deal for the Gunners, you’d have to say the £4m they got for Mika Biereth in the same window was anything but.

In the second half of last season, the Danish poacher racked up an impressive haul of 14 goals and provided five assists in 25 appearances for Sturm Graz, which was enough to convince AS Monaco to sign him in January for just over £10m.

Since joining the Ligue 1 side, the 22-year-old has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in just 22 appearances, which is precisely the sort of forward Arteta could use in the squad today.

However, perhaps the most regretful sale is of another player plying his trade on the French Riviera, a striker who has been compared to the record-breaking Isak.

The former Arsenal ace compared to Isak

Beyond the pair already mentioned, Arsenal have not sold a great deal of strikers in recent years, so it probably won’t come as a surprise that the player in question is none other than Florian Balogun.

The American international joined the Gunners at the age of eight and worked his way up through the academy, making a name for himself as a prolific number nine.

In fact, he was so prolific that he remains the club’s all-time leading goalscorer for the U21 side with 37 in just 62 games.

However, it wasn’t until his loan move to Stade Reims for the 22/23 season that he began to translate his form at the junior level to the senior game, as in just 39 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit, he scored 22 goals and provided three assists.

Such a rate of return gave Arteta and Co. a decision to make when he returned: play him or sell him? They opted for the latter when Monaco offered to pay a whopping £34m for the then 22-year-old.

It’s been mixed for the New York-born poacher since then, as injuries have been a problem, but he’s still managed to rack up a tally of 21 goal involvements in 50 appearances, totalling just 2829 minutes.

Moreover, FBref has come to the conclusion that Liverpool’s new record-breaking number nine, Isak, has been the sixth most similar forward to the American over the last 365 days, which is quite the flattering comparison.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.82

0.70

Shots on Target

1.46

1.34

Goals per Shot on Target

0.40

0.46

Live Passes

17.4

19.8

Tackles Won

0.15

0.16

Carries

21.0

20.1

We can get a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by looking at some of the underlying numbers that the pair rank closely in.

These include metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, goals shot on target, carries, live passes and more.

These statistics suggest that, with the right coaching and the right system, the “special” Hale End gem, as dubbed by Arteta, could potentially perform similarly to the Swedish marksman, at least in terms of his ability to carry the ball and get into dangerous areas.

Ultimately, given the money they were offered at the time, Arsenal probably did the right thing selling Balogun, but we can’t help wondering how he would have fared had Arteta opted to keep him.

Arsenal have Dowman 2.0 in 16-year-old Hale Ender who's a "top prospect"

The incredibly exciting gem could be Arsenal’s next big thing after Dowman.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 9, 2025

تقدم نادي أتلتيكو مدريد بشكوى رسمية إلى الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يويفا، ضد خصمه نادي آرسنال، قبل مباراتهما المرتقبة يوم الثلاثاء في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “الإمارات” مباراة فريقي آرسنال وأتلتيكو مدريد، في خضم منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري، من دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26.

وذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية أن مشكلة قد وقعت خلال الجلسة التدريبية للاعبي أتلتيكو مدريد على ملعب آرسنال، يوم الإثنين.

وأوضحت أن لاعبي أتلتيكو مدريد تدربوا على ملعب “الإمارات” ولكنهم لم يتوقعوا ما حدث في نهاية الجلسة، حيث اضطروا إلى المغادرة دون الاستحمام، والسبب هو عدم وجود ماء ساخن في ذلك الملعب.

اقرأ أيضًا.. لابورتا منتقدًا يويفا: حاولوا حرمان برشلونة من دوري أبطال أوروبا

وأشارت إلى إنه لذلك، وبعد خوض التدريب تحت المطر، اضطر اللاعبون المبللون إلى ركوب الحافلة ثم الاستحمام في الفندق، وسط حالة غضب شديدة لدى بعثة أتلتيكو مدريد.

وأفادت بأنه من غير المفهوم أن ملعبًا بحجم “الإمارات” ونادِ مثل آرسنال لا يمتلكان ماءً ساخنًا في غرف الملابس، خاصة وأن أعضاءً من جهاز أتلتيكو مدريد أبلغوا عمال النادي الإنجليزي بالمشكلة فور وصولهم إلى الملعب.

وبناءً على ذلك، تقدم أتلتيكو مدريد بشكوى رسمية إلى الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم بشأن هذه الواقعة، معربًا عن غضبه وعدم تصديقه أن ملعبًا مثل هذا لا يحتوي على مياه ساخنة عندما يتدرب الفريق المنافس هناك.

Ruben Amorim was shocked by the 'knee-jerk reaction' to Manchester United's latest defeat, as they lost 3-1 to Brentford, and insiders at the club now fear that he will resign, instead of being sacked, per a new report. The Red Devils have lost three of their opening six Premier League games and were dumped out of the League Cup by Grimsby Town.

Amorim surprised by fallout

Per the , Amorim has been surprised by the sheer amount of scrutiny that is on both the club and his position after their uninspiring start to the season. The Portuguese is said to be shocked by the fact there is a 'knee-jerk reaction' after every single defeat, and United have, thus far, lost half of their Premier League fixtures, and were also embarrassed by Grimsby in the League Cup. The most recent loss, to Brentford, has left Amorim with the sixth-lowest points tally after 33 games at any club in the history of the Premier League. Nevertheless, the club are said to have faith that the former Sporting CP boss can turn their season around, but insiders now fear he could walk away.

Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to be very keen to ensure that Amorim has a full season to prove himself but there is a concern that Amorim will see United as being a career-defining job, particularly if they keep losing games with the same regularity they are currently. 

AdvertisementAFPUnited being linked with other managers

United have been heavily linked with potential replacements for Amorim, although the report states that sources at the club are maintaining they have yet to draw up any kind of shortlist. While Erik ten Hag was in charge, the club did actively speak to other potential hires, doing so with Amorim before the Bayer Leverkusen boss moved on, but they are insistent there has been no repeat this time. Reports are linking the club with both Michael Carrick and Gareth Southgate, however, but the latter has not had any contact with Ratcliffe, despite the owner being an admirer of the former England boss.

Carrick could be seen as a potential interim appointment if Amorim does move on, but it speaks to the faith INEOS have in the 40-year-old that they are yet to open direct communications with anybody else. United play Sunderland before the international break and that game has already become a must-win, with the newly-promoted side in fine form with only one defeat from their opening six fixtures.

Amorim's defining period?

Amorim said after the defeat to Brentford that he was not concerned about his immediate future. 

He said: "I am never concerned about my job – I am not that kind of guy It is not my decision. I will do the best I can every minute I am here."

He was also not willing to throw his players under the bus after such a poor display, adding: "I think we played the game they wanted us to play, the opponents – really confused: first balls, second balls. If we play the game of the opponent, it’s harder for us. We never settled the game down. We suffered two goals where we knew they are really strong on that, with the long balls. Then we tried to get back in the game. We miss a penalty, and all these moments are a little bit against us. That could change the game, but in the end, we need to – and we should do – better.

"We need to have those moments for us. In the last game we had that, especially in the beginning of the game. Today, my biggest concern is the way we didn’t settle down the game, to control the game, to play our game. We should do that more in the game."

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(C)Getty ImagesWhere next for Man Utd?

United face Sunderland before the international break but they then face a huge test once they return: A trip to Anfield to face Liverpool. The two sides could not be enjoying more different seasons, and the Reds will be out to hand down another major defeat on their bitter rivals. Last season at Anfield, Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Amorim's men, and a similar result for United would feel like manna from heaven given the state of their current campaign. 

His initial assessment of Patidar the captain was also promising, especially since he hasn’t changed his batting style this season

Shashank Kishore01-Apr-20253:42

Knight: RCB attack good for home venue, spin the only question

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) start in IPL 2025 has opened the rare possibility of starting the season with three straight wins, a feat they’ve achieved only once, in 2021. Ahead of their first home game of the year, team director Mo Babat emphasised the importance of a “statement start,” even if their record at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been patchy over the last two years.”We’ve definitely tried to focus in those first couple of games at making a statement start,” Bobat said ahead of Wednesday’s match against Gujarat Titans (GT). “Because going to two big teams [Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings] with good and proud home records is a good challenge. So, we use that as something to motivate the group. Similarly, we want to come back here [Chinnaswamy] and motivate the group to put on a show in front of their own fans.”One issue of RCB at home has been their bowling performances, despite trying to build a strong bowling core every year. Bobat, though, feels the line-up for this season is different.Related

Red-hot RCB bank on home advantage to make it three in a row

Prasidh on IPL return: The game has changed from 2022 to 2025

“We’ve recruited a team that we think is pretty powerful, with the batting line-up which we hope can exploit those batting conditions,” he said. “And we think we’ve got a bowling attack that’s particularly skillful and that can deal with the challenge of bowling here. Attacking here but also defending here.”So that’s been our focus from the moment we started trying to assemble our squad. And the way we played in the first two games, we’re building good confidence in those two areas with our powerful batting and skillful bowling.”Hazlewood has been RCB’s star performer with the ball•Associated Press

This season, RCB have been thrown a scheduling challenge: they don’t play two consecutive home games until the league phase ends. Bobat does not think it is an issue, but stressed on the importance of keeping his players fresh during the stretch of seven games across 22 days in the middle. Two senior fast bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, will be carefully handled. Bhuvneshwar missed the opener due to a minor niggle, while Hazlewood has only just recovered from a hip injury after battling side strain and calf issues during Australia’s Test summer.”He [Bhuvneshwar] probably could have played that first game if we really wanted him to, but we didn’t want to put him at risk,” Bobat said. “Josh came off the back of an injury with Cricket Australia, but they managed that pretty conservatively and then handed him over to us and we finished that rehab here. So, they’re both in a good place now.”It’s likely we’re going to have to think about keeping players fresh through the middle. I think that’s obvious. But right now, every game is important, so we’re not thinking too far ahead. We’ll take it on a day by day, week by week basis.”If you look at us, relative to probably other teams, we’ve not had too many soft-tissue injuries. [We aim to] try and keep them on the park because we know how good they are. If they end up needing a bit of a rest, we’re pretty relaxed about that too, because we’ve got a really good squad.”While the strong start has excited fans, Bobat emphasised on a single-minded focus on the next game. “We feel like we’ve got clarity on our strongest team,” he said. “If we play to our potential, the results take care of themselves. And you’ve just got to repeat that for 14 group games. And hopefully with some knockout games. We don’t really look beyond that.”‘Patidar has been very impressive’Rajat Patidar’s leadership in his debut season as IPL captain has also impressed Bobat, touching upon his authentic personality and tactical strength.”The main thing you want to see from any leader or captain is typically that they continue to let their personality come across. And I think he’s done that really well,” Bobat said. “We don’t want him to become a captain and be anybody else. We want him to be himself so, very calm, inwardly and outwardly. He rarely, if ever, takes a backward step. And we’ve seen that with his batting, particularly against CSK. Every time we lost wickets he continued to throw punches, which was really good.”And he seems to have coped with all the other stuff that comes with captaincy really well as well in some busy times. So, at the minute I think he’s been excellent. He’s done everything I hoped and expected him to be. We know it’s early days.”There’s a lot of cricket left to be played. And no doubt we’ll have some challenges at some point in the season. That’ll be a time where we’ve really got to be there to support him. But at the minute he’s been very impressive.”

Tottenham remain in the market for key additions before deadline day on September 1, with the clock against Daniel Levy who has just five days to make three major signings for Spurs.

Thomas Frank has made an excellent start to life in his first ever job managing one of the Premier League big six, overseeing impressive wins against Burnley and Man City with a hamstrung squad.

However, the new manager bounce is unlikely to continue indefinitely, and it is inevitable that Spurs will suffer new injuries amid their task of competing on four different fronts.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are two big attacking absentees for Frank, and it was made worse by club legend Son Heung-min’s departure to the MLS. Radu Dragusin also won’t be back for a while, meaning Tottenham would ideally like to sign a new centre-back, number 10 and winger in the next few days (Sky Sports).

Of course, with time against the Lilywhites, this could change, and their main priority right now is bringing in a playmaker.

This has resulted in Tottenham now making a last-gasp attempt to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, and they could hijack Chelsea in the process after their lengthy talks for the Dutchman.

Credible reports suggest that Simons is open to joining Tottenham, despite reportedly agreeing personal terms with Chelsea, so a north London leapfrog in the race for his signature is very much alive.

The former PSR sensation is in London right now amid Spurs and Chelsea’s race to sign him, with talks ongoing behind-the-scenes as a late battle ensues.

In terms of their wide targets, a player they’ve been struggling to land thus far is Man City winger Savinho.

The Brazil international was subject to a £42 million bid from Spurs, which was rejected out of hand, and Frank’s side were reportedly prepared to make another bid closer to the £60 million mark.

However, City are clear – Savinho is not for sale.

This has resulted in Tottenham being forced to go back to square one in pursuit of a Son replacement, but Savinho himself hasn’t exactly thrown the towel in.

Savinho "really" wants to join Tottenham and hopes for Man City deal

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, the 21-year-old “really” wants to join Tottenham and is still hoping that a deal can be struck before September 1’s deadline – even if it is unlikely.

The former La Liga forward, who City value at £69m, was a key member of the Girona side that surprisingly challenged for a 23/24 title, with Savinho also registering 13 assists in all competitions for City last season.

He hasn’t been able to feature so far this term due to injury, but Pep Guardiola believes he is an extraordinary player.

Manchester United’s lack of goals throughout 2024/25 was a real concern to everyone involved with the club – undoubtedly adding to their lowly Premier League finish.

The Red Devils ended the previous campaign in a measly 15th place, with no player in the first-team squad managing to register double figures for goals in the league.

Departures of Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho throughout the summer window saw the side lose 23% of their goals from the last campaign, showcasing the need for added goals in Ruben Amorim’s side.

However, spending has not been alien to the United supporters after Erik ten Hag was handed over £600m to make the desired changes during his tenure at Old Trafford.

Despite previous claims from the hierarchy that huge money wouldn’t be spent during the off-season, the side now have two top-level talents now within their ranks in the form of Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.

What Mbeumo & Sesko will bring to United

Mbeumo’s move to join United may have set the board back a huge £71m, but it offers the side a proven and talented Premier League option in their quest for success at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old netted 20 goals in England’s top-flight throughout 2024/25, but his underlying stats further highlight his quality within the attacking department.

The Cameroonian ranked in the 96th percentile for goals per shots taken, whilst also ranking in the 98th percentile for goals scored per 90.

He didn’t just catch the eye for his ability to find the net, but also managed to create chances for those around him – as seen by his ranking in the 91st percentile for crosses completed per 90.

Such numbers would be hugely beneficial for numerous players at the club – but none more so than fellow new big-money addition Sesko.

Like Mbeumo, the former RB Leipzig man set the board back over £70m, but is undoubtedly seen as an immediate and long-term solution for the club’s dire goalscoring record.

The 22-year-old netted 21 times across all competitions last season, but also ranked in the 88th percentile for dribbles completed per 90 – subsequently handing the side a top-level all-round talent.

There’s no denying the big-money talents will hand the manager the quality he’s desperately lacked in recent times, but the hierarchy may have been better off keeping hold of another talent.

The former United star who outperformed Mbeumo & Sesko

Numerous big-money strikers have tried and failed to be a success at United, as seen by Hojlund’s recent spell at the Theatre of Dreams.

The Dane arrived with huge expectations after the club forked out £72m for his signature in the summer of 2023, but his time at Old Trafford has been nothing short of a disaster.

He only netted four league goals last season, even going on a 21-game goal drought – ultimately leading to his departure and the moves for Mbeumo and Sesko this summer.

Huge funds would’ve been saved had they kept hold of Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, with the forward potentially being offloaded too prematurely by the Red Devils.

Back in the summer of 2017, United forked out a mammoth £75m for the signature of the centre-forward in an attempt to bolster their frontline under José Mourinho.

Such a figure, like the recent additions, generated huge excitement amongst the fanbase, but the player certainly lived up to the hype he arrived at Old Trafford with.

He netted 27 goals in his debut year in Manchester, followed by 15 in his second, taking his tally to 42 goals in his 96 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils.

However, Lukaku, who’s been labelled “world-class” by fellow professional Jordan Graham, would leave the side after just two years – moving to Italian side Inter Milan on a permanent basis in a £73m move.

Fast-forward to the present day, the 32-year-old is now plying his trade for Napoli – still possessing a clinical edge that catapulted Antonio Conte’s side to title glory in 2024/25.

Lukaku – Serie A stats (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

36

Goals & assists

24

Goals & assists per 90

0.76

Goals per shot on target

0.60

Aerials won

1.8

Pass accuracy

74%

Shot-creating actions

2.4

Fouls drawn

1.2

Stats via FBref

During such a campaign, he managed to outperform new additions Sesko and Mbeumo in numerous areas – posting more assists than the duo (11), having the ability to create carnage despite his centre-forward role.

The Belgian also ranked among the top 5% of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues for goals and assists per 90 (0.76) tallies that were both higher than United’s new big-money additions – showcasing the threat Lukaku still poses in attacking areas.

At 32, there’s no denying that the former United star is entering the back end of his career, but he still has the talents to make an impact under Amorim at Old Trafford, scoring a mega 128 goals since departing. Compare that to Mbeumo (79) and Sesko (51) and there is a big difference.

Had they kept hold of him in the last six years, the hierarchy could’ve saved themselves millions of pounds – arguably having a better chance at success had the centre-forward stayed put at the Theatre of Dreams.

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