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Arsenal got that little bit closer to winning the Premier League last season as they pushed Manchester City right up to the final day thanks to their best-in-class defence.

However, like last year, Mikel Arteta's side finished their campaign empty-handed, likely because they scored five fewer goals than the sky-blue behemoths.

So, it's unsurprising that the latest player touted for a move to N5 is a forward who outscored Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus combined last season – oh, and he's been compared to Erling Haaland as well.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a recent report from Spain (via Sport Witness), Arsenal are keen on Girona's star striker, Artem Dovbyk.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Napoli and Atlético Madrid have begun testing the water for a potential move.

However, while the Catalan club are willing to let the Ukrainian leave this summer, they will only do so if a side can 'get close' to his release clause, which stands at between €40m to €50m, or £34m to £42m.

It might prove challenging to get ahead of the other interested parties, but the Gunners need goals, and Dovbyk was incredible in that department last season – as are his similarities to Haaland.

How Dovbyk compares to Haaland, Havertz and Jesus

Before comparing his record to the Gunners' current crop of attackers, let's examine Dovbyk's comparisons to Haaland, which primarily stem from one source: FBref.

The company compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues and then creates a list of the ten most similar players for each individual. In the case of the Girona ace, the Norwegian goal machine is ranked as the most similar forward to him across all five leagues.

The parallels between the pair are best seen in their underlying numbers, such as their non-penalty expected goal and assists figures, the number of progressive passes and live passes they make, the number of goals they score per shot and shot on target, the number of aerial duels they win and how many shot and goal-creating actions they produce, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.84

0.96

Progressive Passes

0.91

0.92

Goals per Shot

0.22

0.18

Goals per Shot on Target

0.47

0.40

Live Passes

12.5

13.2

Shot-Creating Actions

1.98

2.08

Goal-Creating Actions

0.45

0.39

Aerial Duels Won

1.36

1.37

In all, the Cherkasy-born "sensation", as dubbed by Guardian journalist Nick Ames, shares a number of similarities with the two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, and unsurprisingly, he outscored the Gunners' two leading strikers last season combined.

In just 41 games for the Catalan club, he scored 25 goals and provided ten assists, averaging a goal involvement every 1.17 games across all competitions.

Appearances

41

51

36

Goals

25

14

8

Assists

10

7

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.85

0.41

0.44

In comparison, Havertz scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 51 matches, equating to a goal involvement every 2.42 games, while Jesus' 16 goals and assists in 36 games work out to a slightly more impressive 2.25 matches per goal involvement.

Lastly, while Arsenal played well last season with their current crop of strikers, they still came up short when it mattered most. Therefore, Edu and Co must go all out to bring Dovbyk to the Emirates in the coming weeks, as his record last season was incredible.

What Arsenal’s starting XI could look like after £300m spending spree

Arsenal could have a massive summer ahead of them if they are to finally overtake Manchester City.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 16, 2024

The Football Association has yet to interview any candidates for the England job, according to a new report, amid links with Thomas Tuchel.

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Lee Carsley in interim charge of EnglandLost to Greece in midweekTuchel linked as potential successor to Gareth SouthgateFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

England's search for a new manager has come into sharper focus after a dismal performance in midweek in which they were beaten, for the first time ever, by Greece. Lee Carsley was appointed as interim manager after Gareth Southgate resigned on the back of a second-successive European Championship final defeat, but the now reports that no candidates have been interviewed for the job.

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This week, ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel has emerged as a potential contender, while there have also been links with the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe. Nevertheless, they have yet to be spoken to in a formal capacity, and the report claims Manchester CIty boss Pep Guardiola remains a dream candidate, meaning the FA may choose to wait until the end of the season to discover if the Catalan becomes available at the end of his contract.

DID YOU KNOW?

While there have been informal inquiries made towards managers who the FA deem as potential replacements for Southgate, they are yet to invite coaches to speak with them formally. Applications closed on August 2, so they are very clearly taking their time over what is a huge decision.

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England play Finland this weekend in Helsinki and Carsley will be desperate to steady the ship after the Three Lions' dismal defeat to Greece. If he is to have any chance of landing the job permanently, he must win.

The Danish hitman struck his first Premier League goal of the season to down Brentford, and if he stays fit he can take the next step at Old Trafford

Erik ten Hag had talked about turning points a lot last season, but after his side came from behind to beat Brentford on Saturday, the Manchester United manager was careful not to set himself up for a fall.

He had been here many times before, including exactly one year before, after a come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Bees. Within one month of declaring that the Scott McTominay late show "has to be a turning point and also a restart", United were outclassed at home to Manchester City, embarrassed by an inexperienced Newcastle in the Carabao Cup and dealt a damaging Champions League defeat by Copenhagen.

So you could hardly blame the manager for curbing his enthusiasm after a first win in all competitions in five weeks.

AFP'Hojlund is back'

"No it is just a win," Ten Hag said as he cast his mind back to the previous month before the international break, when United recorded their worst start to a Premier League season.

"In the last block [of games] we didn’t win enough but we only lost one game… So the only thing we had to do was score goals, we were in good spots but were not clinical and determined enough," he said. "What didn’t help was Rasmus Hojlund was injured at the start of the season, but now he is back."

He was right, Hojlund sure was back, crowning a fine individual performance against Brentford with an ice-cool dinked finish which proved to be the winner.

It was Hojlund's first Premier League goal of the season, but in only his second start after an untimely injury in pre-season delayed his campaign by two months. And his display offered United genuine hope that their miserable luck might just be about to turn.

AdvertisementGetty Images'Annoying' setbacks

Hojlund's time at United has been marked by long absences, and for the second season in a row he had to miss the start after injuring his hamstring in the first game of the pre-season tour against Arsenal, the same game in which star summer-signing Leny Yoro damaged his ankle ligaments.

In his first campaign, Hojlund showed up with a back injury which meant he did not make his first start for the club until mid-September. He injured a muscle in mid-November against Luton, and then just when he was finding his feet in the league in February, scoring in five games in a row, his hamstring gave way, forcing him out for another four games.

So it was little wonder that he described his latest setback, which came just days after meeting up with the United squad following Euro 2024, as “annoying”. Every time he has had an injury, Hojlund has taken a few weeks to get back into his old rhythm.

He contributed little in the Red Devils' turgid 0-0 draw at Aston Villa before the international break. But after playing twice for Denmark, he was back in business against Brentford, and not just because he got the winning goal.

AFP'Gave us breath'

He had combined well with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, who had a curious way of describing his fellow attacker's performance.

"I think the goal was the worst part of his performance because he held the ball very well and gave breath to the team," said the Argentina international. Hojlund agreed, admitting he had spurned the physical side and concentrated on using the ball effectively.

"It was just about trying to not fight too much with the defenders," he explained. "I had a good situation where I spun him [Ethan Pinnock] and I kept trying to do that, focusing on getting the ball down to the feet, holding it and playing from there. It worked very well and I’m very pleased with the team's and my own performance."

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Getty Images Sport'He will always score'

Ten Hag focused on the simpler side of Hojlund's game, and the ultimate reason United paid £72 million ($93m) to sign him from Atalanta two summers ago. "He will always score," said the manager. "What is important is that he is keeping fit. He picked up so many injuries in the first season and when he stays fit, he will score goals because that is proved in his stats."

Hojlund finished his first campaign with 16 goals in all competitions, a reasonable tally considering his fitness problems and the fact he was acclimatising to his first season in England. But it still felt underwhelming given his high price and because it paled in comparison to the 44 goals scored by Harry Kane, United's principal target that previous summer.

The fact that the tally made Hojlund United's top scorer last season was indicative of the team's overall struggles in front of goal, and it was a reason why many pundits were calling on the club to sign another striker in the close season.

James Foster set to replace long-standing coach on South Africa tour

George Dobell11-Nov-2020Bruce French has stepped down from his role as national lead wicketkeeping coach at the ECB to spend more time with his family.French, a former England wicketkeeper himself, has earned an excellent reputation as a specialist coach and joined the ECB in 2009. In that time, he has played a significant role in helping a generation of players improve their keeping.While the outstanding talents of French’s time in the role may have been Ben Foakes and Sarah Taylor, it was perhaps his work with the less natural keepers which proved most significant. With England keen to ensure their keepers were also producing runs, the likes of Matt Prior, Craig Kieswetter, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow were all entrusted with the gloves. All improved markedly under French’s expert tutelage, with Kieswetter playing a key role as England won the World T20 in 2010, Buttler completing a not entirely straightforward run-out to secure the World Cup title 2019 and Prior, perhaps the most improved of the lot, making a major contribution to the England side that rose to No. 1 in the Test rankings in 2011.There was an irony in French’s role in turning these batsmen into proficient keepers. His own international career was limited to 29 games (16 Tests and 13 ODIs) in large part due to his relatively modest ability with the bat. He was, however, a fine keeper who enjoyed a career spanning two decades with Nottinghamshire. French was also on hand to present his nephew, Jake Ball, with his Test cap when he made his debut in 2016.Jake Ball received his Test cap from uncle and former England wicketkeeper Bruce French•Getty ImagesAnother former England keeper, James Foster, will fulfil the role of wicketkeeping coach on England’s upcoming limited-overs tour of South Africa. Foster has not yet replaced French on a full-time basis but, like Marcus Trescothick, has been employed on a consultancy basis for this tour. It would be no surprise if he were to become a more regular member of England’s support staff, following roles in T20 leagues around the world, including with Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently-concluded IPL.French is the second long-standing member of England’s support staff to stand down in recent days following the departure of operations manager Phil Neale; a reflection, perhaps, of the demands of living and working in bio-secure bubbles. French will, however, remain on hand as a part-time consultant. Aged 61, he remains admirably lithe and athletic.ALSO READ: ‘The players know me as Uncle Phil, the operations man'”English cricket owes a huge debt of gratitude to Bruce for the fine work that he has done over a number of years,” Mo Bobat, England men’s performance director, said. “For some time, we have been able to select from an oversupply of excellent wicketkeepers and Bruce has played a significant role in developing those players.”There is much that Bruce should be proud of and this includes numerous memorable victories in both home and away series for England and of course, our historic World Cup win in 2019. Bruce has also ensured that his coaching insight has been effectively shared across the game through our coach development programmes. I wish Bruce every success in his future endeavours and have no doubt that he still has much to offer as a coach in the game.”Ashley Giles, England men’s managing director, also offered his thanks. “I would like to thank Bruce and those that are leaving the performance department for their contribution to the elite set-up over the past few years,” he said. “It has been a challenging time for all, but I am very proud of the efforts of every individual and the loyalty they have shown in maintaining England cricket at the forefront of international sport and competition.”I have worked alongside some talented people and the dedication and professionalism shown is renowned across the sport. Those that are leaving the ECB can look back on having made a significant positive impact that will be remembered for a long time. I wish everyone all the success in the next chapter of their personal lives and careers.”

Crystal Palace and sporting director Dougie Freedman have now made contact with the agents of a £25m-rated forward to replace Michael Olise.

Crystal Palace transfer latest

The Eagles haven’t wasted any time in making preparations ahead of Oliver Glasner’s first full season at Selhurst Park, making centre-back Chadi Riad the first signing of the Glasner era. Speaking after completing his move earlier this month, the Morocco international said:

“I’m really happy to join Crystal Palace. I was interested in coming here because of the history of the club, and the league in which it plays. They have been telling me how they played this year and I think it complements perfectly the way I play. The club has high-level players who are young and I have come here to follow their same trajectory, to grow as they have grown.”

Next on course to arrive in London is Daichi Kamada, with the Japanese attacking midfielder set to be announced at the beginning of July. He was a free agent after leaving Lazio and has reportedly penned a two-year deal with Palace.

Alongside the incomings, there looks set to be at least one big outgoing, with Olise appearing to be close to a move to Bayern Munich. A deal worth more than £50m has been agreed with the Bundesliga giants, now managed by Vincent Kompany, with Palace in line to make a huge profit on the 22-year-old.

A replacement will be needed for the talented Olise, and it looks as if Palace have made the first move in acquiring one specific forward.

Crystal Palace make Antonio Nusa contact

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Crystal Palace, and by extension Freedman, have been in contact with the representatives of Club Brugge forward Antonio Nusa over the last 48 hours.

Nusa is thought to be “top of the list at Crystal Palace” and is valued at €30m (£25m), with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen also eyeing the situation.

This isn’t the first time the 19-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with a move to Tottenham falling through back in January. Brentford have also been name-checked as suitors for Nusa in 2024, but it appears as if Palace could be the side that secure his services this summer.

Primarily a left-winger who can also play on the right or as a second striker, Nusa is a Norway international and has made 82 senior appearances for his current club, scoring seven times and providing five assists.

That isn’t exactly a prolific return, but he has come in for plenty of praise from Norway teammate and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who said previously:

“Fantastic! He is an incredibly exciting player. You see it every time he gets the ball, it’s exciting. He is still young and will get even better. It was cool to see him. He deserved to get the chance that he takes to such an extent. Incredibly cool.”

Austin hopes the former FC Dallas and U.S. assistant will bring the club back to prominence after a disappointing season.

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Austin turn to Estevez as new head coachEstevez previously coached FC DallasMove will likely come as surprise to USMNTGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?

Austin FC have turned to former FC Dallas manager Nico Estévez as their new head coach, hoping to change their fortunes after two seasons out of the postseason.

“We are delighted to have Nico join Austin FC as our second-ever head coach,” said Austin FC Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell in an official statement. “Our search process was extremely detailed and we feel he is someone that ticks all the boxes – he is highly ambitious, has experience in MLS, and he is familiar with the culture in Texas. We believe he will be an excellent fit for this Club and community both on and off the field, and we’d like to wish him and his family a warm welcome to Austin.”

Estévez, 44, comes to Austin after recently working as a holdover assistant from Gregg Berhalter's staff on the U.S. men's national team to new manager Mauricio Pochettino. Prior to that, he was the manager of FC Dallas, where he had a 28-27-29 record. In his two full seasons in charge, he was able to guide to two postseason appearances. After a slow start in 2024, Dallas parted ways with the manager.

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“Austin is a vibrant city with fantastic music, food, culture, and most importantly, a fanbase that is incredibly passionate about soccer and Austin FC,” said Estévez in a statement. “That passion was one of the main reasons why coming to Austin was so exciting to me, and I’m looking forward to growing the team on the field while getting to know our supporters on a personal level. I want to thank Rodolfo and the entire Club for this opportunity.”

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Estevez's arrival will immediately heighten a budding rivalry between FC Dallas and his new club Austin, especially if both clubs return to form next season. The manager had a mixed spell in Dallas, but did have a strong record of bringing his team to the postseason and even brought his previous club to the Conference Semifinals in 2022. On an ambitious Austin side that already has one of the best setups and fanbases in MLS, expectations will be high.

Estevez's decision will also impact the U.S. national team as he was on Pochettino's staff. U.S. Soccer congratulated Estevez following his hire.

“We’d like to thank Nico for all his contributions to the program,” U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said in a separate statement. “He’s a fantastic coach and an even better person. We wish him continued success.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR AUSTIN?

Austin is out of the playoffs, so its focus will shift toward scouting for the upcoming draft and reshaping the roster after a 10th-placed finish.

India’s attack has built huge pressure on Australia’s batsmen by stemming their scoring rate

Andrew McGlashan01-Jan-2021Marnus Labuschagne started 2020 with a double-century against New Zealand at the SCG. What Australia would give for even half that when they take on India in Sydney next week with the Test series locked at 1-1.In many ways, Labuschagne is lower down Australia’s list of concerns when it comes to their batting line-up: he has faced the most deliveries and scored the most runs in the two Tests so far. That does, though, come from a pretty low base with the home side having limped to totals of 191, 195 and 200 in their three completed innings.Dismantling India for 36 meant it did not prove costly in Adelaide, but at the MCG their under-par first-innings total was significantly overhauled by India and then they could only muster a lead of 69.However, Labuschagne’s series is also part of the problem. Three times he has got himself well set at the crease but has been unable to pass fifty. Compare that to last season against New Zealand and Pakistan, where he only failed to reach fifty once in eight innings, and converted four of those to hundreds, of which the smallest was 143.Related

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Struggles at the top: Australia's options for the third Test

For that, the credit has to go to India’s attack, which has pulled off some superbly worked-out plans to Labuschagne, as well as all the other Australia batsmen. The three substantial innings Labuschagne has played have ended lbw to Umesh Yadav, caught at leg slip against Mohammed Siraj and caught at slip off R Ashwin.Each has been the reward of excellent thinking with the dismissals against Yadav and Siraj highlighting the straightness with which India have bowled to Labuschagne, with a well-set leg-side field that has strangled his scoring rate.ESPNcricinfo LtdOf the six Test series Labuschagne has played more than a single match in, this current one is comfortably his slowest in terms of his strike rate – 41.61. As a new year dawns, for the first time since returning to the Test team in the 2019 Ashes, he has a problem to solve.”They’ve certainly come in with a plan with those straight fields and making sure they really aren’t leaving the stumps,” Labuschagne said. “Having a really heavy leg-side field obviously slows your scoring rate down because those shots you do get on your legs go for one not four, and they are always keeping those catchers in the game.”You have to be really disciplined as they showed when I did glance once around the corner and got caught with that leg slip. For us, it’s probably a two-phase answer: we need to be very disciplined and we also need to come up with ways to put them under pressure.”None of Australia’s batsmen has been able to break free – this is currently their slowest-scoring home Test series since 1986-87. While India have also had to work hard for their runs, the crucial difference in the last Test was that they had a match-defining century from captain Ajinkya Rahane.”It doesn’t have to be pretty, we got to keep grinding and finding a way,” Labuschagne said. “If we do get in we’ve got to make sure we get those big scores.”Should have played forward – Marnus Labuschagne shadow-practises after being dismissed•Getty ImagesIn terms of output, it has been the lean returns of Steven Smith that have caught the eye over the first two Tests as his three completed innings have brought 1, 0 and 8, twice dismissed by Ashwin and then bowled behind his legs by Jasprit Bumrah in the second innings at the MCG. Only once in his Test career has he been dismissed for four consecutive single-figure scores – against England during the 2015 Ashes – and he has averaged 26.40 since the 2019 Ashes.Unsurprisingly, with the record that Smith has under his belt and the success Labuschagne has enjoyed before this summer, the Australia camp is confident that an upturn is around the corner.”I wouldn’t be too quick to be judging these Steve Smith not looking good the middle,” assistant coach Andrew McDonald said. “He hasn’t got going in this series. Marnus, probably the question for me at the moment is tactically the way that India have prepared, and have been able to probably control those two players particularly with that leg-side theory.”That’s something those two players have got to come up with a better method. I don’t think it’s anything to do with technique. Technically, they’re ready to go. It’s about how that are going to score their rounds and how they’re going to combat these tactics from Indian bowlers and captains.”