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And just like that, Arsenal are set to get their Premier League campaign underway later today.

Mikel Arteta and his side will be hoping it’s fourth time lucky this season, and they can finally get their hands on the trophy that has been tantalisingly close for some time now.

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While it’s going to require a Herculean effort from the entire squad, the Gunners have put themselves in a good position with their transfer activity this summer.

The likes of Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres could be real game-changers for them, and with two weeks until the window slams shut, there is time for Andrea Berta and Co to get a couple more stars through the doors, such as Rodrygo.

However, with the Real Madrid ace now being linked to other teams like Tottenham Hotspur and, most recently, Manchester City, Arsenal might be wise to shift their attention to another winger they’ve been linked with this summer, a winger who has previously been compared to Thierry Henry.

Why Arsenal would want to sign Rodrygo

While they have somewhat slowed down over the last couple of weeks, likely due to the supposed growing interest from other teams, the stories linking Rodrygo with Arsenal were relatively constant earlier in the window, with many suggesting he would be able to leave Spain for a fee of around £78m.

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

Now, that is undoubtedly an enormous sum of money for one player, but it’s not hard to see why the Gunners might be willing to spend so much on the Brazilian.

After all, he’s helped Real win two La Liga titles, two Champions League titles and a host of other trophies since moving to the club back in 2019.

On top of that, the 24-year-old has been a pretty reliable source of goals and assists in recent campaigns, scoring 14 of the former and providing 11 of the latter in 54 appearances last season.

Moreover, due to the other superstars in the side, the former Santos gem has been forced to play out of position for much of the last two years, making what he has achieved all the more impressive.

In short, Rodrygo is an effective winger with experience of playing at the very top of the game and winning the biggest prizes in club football.

However, as things stand, it doesn’t look like Arsenal are going to be the one to secure his services, and while that’s not ideal, they could forget all about him by going big for another winger touted for a move to N5 earlier this summer: Rafael Leao.

Why Arsenal should sign Leao

While they have not been as constant as with other targets and players of interest, there have been several stories linking Arsenal with a move for Leao this summer, with the price tending to be around the £77m mark.

Once again, that is a lot of money to spend on one player, but as is the case with Rodrygo, the AC Milan star would be worth every penny, and arguably a better signing than the Brazilian.

For example, despite playing for a team that struggled more than LOSC Lille last season, the former LOSC Lille ace still managed to score 12 goals and provide 13 assists in just 50 appearances.

In other words, the 26-year-old dynamo averaged a goal involvement every other game, compared to the Real man, who averaged one every 2.16 games.

On top of being a slightly more productive player, the Almada-born “superstar,” as dubbed by writer Theo Mwangi, is also likely to be the more entertaining winger to watch, and the data shows as much.

According to FBref, the Milan man ranks in the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons per 90, whereas the Osasco-born international ranks in the top 20%.

Finally, if you still aren’t convinced that Leao is the man for Arteta and Co, then perhaps the words of his former manager, Stefano Pioli, will help.

It was back in 2022 that the Italian made the bold statement that his star winger “reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry, who started wide then came inside.”

While it might sound like a wild thing to say, given the Frenchman’s legacy in the game, it’s easy to see where he was coming from when you watch his highlights, as the Portuguese monster frequently gets down the left-hand side before cutting in and firing home.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive deal, Arsenal should do what they can to bring Leao to the Emirates this summer, as he could end up being an even better signing than Rodrygo.

Eberechi Eze's "first preference" between Arsenal and Tottenham revealed

The England international could have a crucial decision to make very soon.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 13, 2025

شهدت انتخابات النادي الأهلي المقبلة تطورًا لافتًا بعد إعلان انسحاب أحد المرشحين، في خطوة تعكس حالة من التوافق داخل القلعة الحمراء قبل أيام من انطلاق العملية الانتخابية.

وأعلنت منار سعيد، المرشحة على عضوية مجلس الإدارة فوق السن، انسحابها رسميًا من الانتخابات دعمًا لقائمة الكابتن محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي الحالي، مؤكدة أن مصلحة الأهلي واستقراره تأتي فوق أي اعتبارات شخصية أو انتخابية.

وتقدم لانتخابات القلعة الحمراء 16 مرشحًا، من بينهم قائمة محمود الخطيب، فيما يخوض باقي المرشحين السباق كمستقلين، على أن تُعقد الجمعية العمومية لاختيار مجلس الإدارة الجديد يومي 30 و31 أكتوبر الجاري.

طالع أيضًا | لماذا لم يتم إعلان محمود الخطيب رئيسًا لـ الأهلي بالتزكية؟ بيان منار سعيد بعد انسحابها من انتخابات الأهلي

إيمانًا بضرورة الحفاظ على وحدة وإستقرار النادي الأهلي، وحرصًا على مصلحة نادينا العظيم، ودعمًا للمنظومة التي تعمل بإخلاص من أجل رفعة الكيان وخدمة أعضائه وجماهيره.

قررت الإنسحاب من سياق الإنتخابات على عضوية مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي – فوق السن، وذلك إحترامًا وتقديرًا للكابتن محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي، ولقائمته التي تمثل استقرار وإستمرار مسيرة النجاح داخل النادي الأهلي العظيم.

ويأتي هذا القرار إيمانًا بضرورة الحفاظ على وحدة وإستقرار النادي الأهلي، ودعمًا للمنظومة التي تعمل بإخلاص من أجل رفعة الكيان وخدمة أعضائه وجماهيره، وأن مصلحة الأهلي دائمًا فوق الجميع وفوق المناصب فالنادي الأهلي أولًا دائمًا وأبدًا.

وأتقدم بخالص الشكر والتقدير لكل من دعمني وساندني خلال الفترة الماضية، مؤكدة أن خدمة الأهلي شرف لا يرتبط بموقع أو منصب، بل هي التزام وإنتماء دائم لهذا الصرح الكبير، متمنية التوفيق لكابتن محمود الخطيب ومجلسه وللجميع.

عاشت مبادئ الأهلى، وعاش نادي القرن شامخًا بقيادته ورجاله المخلصين.

يُذكر أن لجنة تلقي طلبات الترشح أغلقت باب القيد رسميًا في تمام السابعة من مساء يوم الجمعة الماضي.

Ella Toone and Jess Park can both fit into Man Utd's XI, according to head coach Marc Skinner, after Park's shock deadline day move from Man City.

Park joined Man Utd in shock deadline day moveEx-Man City star best as a No.10, like TooneBut United boss Skinner believes pair can play togetherFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils brought Park over from the blue side of Manchester in the final hours of the summer transfer window, while sending fellow England star Grace Clinton the other way. At times, Skinner struggled to fit both Toone and Clinton into his starting line-up, with both arguably at their best as No.10s. However, he believes things can be different with this England duo.

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Park largely played as a creative midfielder during her time with Man City and it has often been there that she has shone for the Lionesses, too. She can, though, play in a variety of roles, including off both wings or even as a No.9.

WHAT SKINNER SAID

Asked about the different threat Park could offer to opponents when playing in the No.10 role instead of Toone this season, Skinner was quick to explain that it doesn't have to be a case of one or the other. "They can play together," he said in his press conference on Wednesday.

"It's not about building walls around these players. It's about giving them a framework where they can then move within, which creates uncertainty for defenders. That's what I want them to do. I don't want them to be rigid because that bores me a little bit. I want to be able to open the fluidity of my team while also having control of structure and counter marking. If we can strike that, [Jess] is the perfect balance for that. It doesn't have to be either or. They can play together, as well as others."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Park made her Man Utd debut in Sunday's 4-0 win over Leicester, replacing Celin Bizet on the right wing for the final half an hour. The next week or so might present the potential for her to play in a more central role though, as the Red Devils have a lot of games coming up and, as such, may look to rest Toone somewhere.

Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado has joined Jorge Mendes’ Gestifute, becoming the fifth Barcelona player represented by the Portuguese super-agent.

• Casado leaves Wasserman for Mendes’ Gestifute
• Joins Yamal, Balde, and Guille Fernández
• Super agent's strong ties with Barca board prove influential

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Casado has opted for a change in representation, leaving Wasserman to sign with Mendes’ Gestifute. The Spaniard becomes the fifth Barcelona player under Mendes’ wing, with Yamal, Balde, Guille Fernandez and Ansu Fati, who is on loan at Monaco, on his list of clients. While the legal procedures are still being finalised, Casado has already informed his former agency of the decision. Despite interest from Wolves, West Ham, and Serie A side Como in the summer, Casado’s priority remains earning his place in the Barcelona first team.

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  The decision to join Mendes reflects Casado’s ambition to strengthen his standing at Barcelona. Mendes is one of football’s most influential agents, with strong ties to Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, relationships that could prove crucial in Casado’s bid for a long-term role at Camp Nou. While speculation about a future transfer lingers, the 21-year-old is determined to stay at the club he grew up in and establish himself in the senior squad.

• TELL ME MORE…

  Casado has been clear about his intentions: he only sees a future away from Barca if first-team opportunities are limited. For now, his focus is firmly on developing under Hansi Flick and pushing for minutes this season. Mendes’ close involvement with players and powerful global network are expected to give the former Barca Atletic captian added security and leverage at a critical point in his career.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Once the paperwork is complete, Gestifute will take the lead on Casado’s medium-term plan at Barcelona. The player’s priority is to establish himself at the club, with any winter decisions only considered if his situation shifts.

England players will miss the latter stages of the WBBL, due to a clash with their tour of South Africa.To avoid a repetition of the situation which occurred earlier this year, when the end of the WPL overlapped with England Women’s arrival in New Zealand for a bilateral series, causing players to have to choose between club and country, the ECB has told players that they are expected in South Africa, if selected, on certain dates regardless of any overlap with WBBL games.The ECB informed players and their agents of the requirements before they entered the WBBL draft, which was held last weekend.”If a player is selected in the T20 squad, we’re expecting them into South Africa on November 17 and if they’re named in the ODI squad we’re expecting them into South Africa on the 27th,” Jonathan Finch, Director of England Women’s Cricket, told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s been reflected in everyone’s availability when they’ve gone into the draft.”This year’s WBBL starts on October 27 and there will be 11 regular-season matches remaining out of a total of 40 from November 17 before the knockout stages. England are due to play the first of three T20Is in South Africa on November 24, followed by three ODIs from December 4 and a Test starting on December 15.England had seven players signed in the WBBL draft, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge joining Hobart Hurricanes, Sophie Ecclestone retained by Sydney Sixers, and Heather Knight retained by Sydney Thunder, all at platinum level, worth up to $A110,000 (£56,000) depending on availability.Alice Capsey will join Melbourne Renegades from cross-town rivals Stars and Amy Jones returns to Perth Scorchers, both on gold $A90,000 (£46,000) deals. Hollie Armitage and Georgia Adams, who will both tour Ireland from this week while England’s senior squad prepares for next month’s T20 World Cup, joined the Sixers and Thunder respectively in the bronze price bracket for $A40,000 (£20,000).Sophie Ecclestone has been retained by Sydney Sixers for this year’s WBBL•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

The ECB took similar stance during last year’s WBBL with Bess Heath and Danielle Gibson both missing the final to join England’s squad in Mumbai for a T20I series against India starting four days later.The WPL announced their 2024 fixtures in January with the March 17 final falling two days before England’s first of five T20Is in New Zealand on March 19. New Zealand Cricket had confirmed the tour schedule, which also included three ODIs, the previous July and turned down an ECB request to move the dates.Knight, England’s captain, and seam bowler Lauren Bell opted out of their WPL deals to join the New Zealand tour from the outset, while Nat Sciver-Brunt, Wyatt-Hodge, Capsey and Ecclestone linked up with the squad for the fourth and fifth T20Is. Armitage, meanwhile, earned her only England cap to date in the third T20I before she and Linsey Smith made way for the WPL contingent.With the current Women’s Future Tours Program ending in 2025 and the next edition being worked on now, Finch is confident major clashes can be avoided in future.”What we have to get better at is having indicative dates when the tournaments are taking place,” he said. “That’s difficult because you’ve got broadcast complexities and all that kind of thing, but I think if we can get that pretty much nailed on, we shouldn’t have that problem.”I’ve got a responsibility to England and we think that’s fair – five or seven days out from a start of a tour – to come in, really focus in on what we’re trying to do from that tour and go from there.”Now where we’re looking at our FTP for after the next 50-over World Cup and I think everyone is sensitive to not wanting to have any clashes. Even if we don’t have the exact dates of the WBBL for instance, or the WPL, we have some indication of when they are so we can work out what that looks like.”Related

• Bates signs with Hobart Hurricanes as overseas replacement

• Kate Cross vows to lead England her way

• Heather Knight: Dani Gibson's 'bravery' elevates her T20 World Cup credentials

• Knight wants England to be ready for empty grounds at Women's T20 World Cup

• Draft takeaways: Adelaide Strikers' Mandhana bargain; and who is Jafer Chohan?

A problem national boards have faced is that the WPL in particular offers leading players a chance to make life-changing amounts of money for the first time in their careers. Sciver-Brunt was the joint-highest-earning overseas player in the inaugural WPL player auction when she went to Mumbai Indians for £320,000.Finch conceded that denying a player the chance to earn that sort of salary, especially later in their careers, was difficult. As a result, there would be some scope for discussion with players on an individual basis, and he said bringing England Women’s international match fees into line with those of their male counterparts also went some way towards easing the tension.”You know when you sign a central contract that you’re signing a contract that says, ‘my main focus is England,’ so that’s the starting point,” he said. “It’s not an exact science, things change – workloads over a period of time – as to whether we would want to have players exposed to that depending on what the lead-up looks like, but when you sign a central contract, that’s what you’re buying into.”I think we’re still in a space where we can manipulate or cultivate times of the year where it’s not going to have a massive impact.”The ECB is also in talks with the England Women’s Player Partnership, which has a number of current players on its committee, about introducing multi-year central contracts, which Finch said would give some players a greater level of security while protecting the ECB’s resources.”You’ve got a welfare perspective for players so the thing that was sticking out for the New Zealand one was I wasn’t willing for a player to get on a plane at the end of their competition, fly in and play within 24 hours,” he said.”People might say, ‘that’s not your choice to make.’ Well, I think it is. We’ve got a responsibility to ensure that we’re not asking too much of them and that’s why we put that period of time leading into a series. Not only does it give you time to get the players up and running for that series, it also allows you to build in a bit of decompression time if you need to. That’s something that I’m quite strong on.”The panacea will be that our players are available without worrying about whether they’re available for the whole tournament or not. I’m never going to take that [case-by-case discussion] away but we’re hopeful that we won’t get to that point.”

Birmingham City are now believed to be interested in completing the signing of a “fantastic” £8m midfielder in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer update.

Davies discusses Birmingham's summer business

The Blues are back in the Championship after a stunning season in League One in which they cruised to the league title ahead of Wrexham, and it will be fascinating to see how they fare.

It’s now a case of Birmingham nailing their summer transfer business, with manager Chris Davies admitting last month that certain players could move on, and new faces may come in.

“To be honest, I’ve found it hard to look into next season whilst this season is still going on. I haven’t had time to sit down and say, ‘Right, who’s staying and who’s going?’ Now it’s all wrapped up and we’ve got seven weeks to pre-season, ‘Ok, what do we need?’ We’ve got the core of a really strong team there but we do need to add, of course we do. The details of that are still to be decided.”

In terms of potential new signings, former Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has been linked with a move to St Andrew’s this summer, with the Japanese now plying his trade at Ligue 1 side Rennes. Now, a new update has emerged regarding another possible addition for Birmingham.

Birmingham want to sign "fantastic" £8m midfielder

According to a new update from journalist Alan Nixon on Patreon, Birmingham are in the mix to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien this summer.

He is also wanted by Southampton, following their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship, in what is expected to be an auction for his signature.

O’Brien, who cost the Reds £8m in 2022, could be a really astute signing for Birmingham this summer, considering he has proven his quality in the Championship in his career, making 162 appearances in the competition, as well as playing 13 times in the Premier League.

An all-action midfielder who could add real quality for Davies in the middle of the park, he once scored at St Andrew’s in a 2-0 win during his Huddersfield Town days, as well as being lauded by former teammate Jonathan Hogg.

“His attitude is fantastic and his work ethic. Everything about him; he’s a top kid with a bright future ahead of him. We know he is going to play in the Premier League. Whether it is with Huddersfield Town or not, he will get there. His attitude will drive him there.”

Still only 26, O’Brien is at the perfect age to come in and have an immediate impact for Birmingham, and the idea of a move away from Forest could appeal to him, rather than warming the substitutes’ bench most weeks at the City Ground.

Related Sky Sports: Birmingham in contact to sign 156 career-goal star this summer

The Blues could bring in a prolific goalscorer.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Jun 20, 2025

Davies will know the importance of signing players who have shown in the past that they can excel in the Championship and the Englishman certainly ticks that box emphatically.

Birmingham City’s move for a “technical” player is now as much as “95%” complete, according to a positive update from journalist Sebastiao Sousa-Pinto.

Who do Birmingham want to sign?

The Blues know the importance of building on their League One title win and cementing their place in the Championship next season, with new signings required to take Chris Davies’ side to the next level, perhaps following Ipswich’s lead after their back to back promotions.

The financial influence of Tom Wagner and Tom Brady has aided Birmingham greatly in recent years, and supporters are understandably excited to see what the next step will be at the club this summer.

Luton Town centre-back Teden Mengi has been linked with a move to St Andrews in recent days, following a solid 2024/25 season from the former Manchester United player that saw him average 3.9 clearances per game across 20 Championship appearances.

Meanwhile, NEC winger Sontje Hansen has also been mentioned as an exciting target for Birmingham in the summer window, with the 23-year-old representing the Netherlands across five different youth age groups, winning a combined tally of 46 caps. Now, it looks like one player is very close to securing a move to the Midlands.

Birmingham's move for midfielder "95%" done

Speaking on his YouTube channel [via Sport Witness], Sousa-Pinto claimed that midfielder Kanya Fujimoto’s move to Birmingham from Gil Vicente is nearly complete, with the Japanese set to join on a free transfer.

“I’m talking about Kanya Fujimoto, the midfielder whose contract with Gil Vicente ended and who is now a free agent and, as far as I can tell, 90%, 95%, has been agreed with Birmingham City. The clock is still ticking to seal the deal. We’ll have to keep waiting, but the feeling has been very positive for a few weeks now.

“The feeling is still very positive for the transfer to be completed, but we’re still taking it one step at a time until we can close this deal, and Kanya Fujimoto can then join the Championship team as a free agent, once again after his contract with Gil Vicente ended.”

This is great news for anyone of a Birmingham persuasion, with Fujimoto a player who has now proven himself at a high level, making 156 appearances in the Primeira Liga.

The 25-year-old has scored 12 goals and registered 20 assists in Portugal’s top league, while analyst Ben Mattinson has hailed his “technical” quality.

Fujimoto has represented Japan in six age groups, further highlighting his pedigree, and he is a player who could be an instant hit for Birmingham, adding so much quality in midfield areas.

Kanya Fujimoto’s international career

Caps

Goals

Japan Under-20s

5

0

Japan Under-19s

3

0

Japan Under-18s

6

0

Japan Under-17s

9

0

Japan Under-16s

10

0

Japan Under-15s

1

0

Manchester United have a huge rebuild on their hands this summer, looking to catapult the club back towards their former glory within the Premier League.

Ruben Amorim has done a superb job to stop the rot at Old Trafford, already implementing his 3-4-2-1 system at the club, looking to transform their recent fortunes.

Whilst they still occupy a place in the bottom half of the table, the 40-year-old has led the Red Devils to a Europa League final, facing off against fellow English side Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the month.

Should they claim another win in Bilbao, the club will be featuring in the Champions League despite their lowly standing, offering the supporters a glimpse of joy in what’s been a dismal year.

If they are to be competitive across the board in 2025/26, new additions are needed to help Amorim in his quest, with numerous players already linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Matheus Cunha has been United’s most linked player over recent weeks, with the Brazilian international potentially being their first addition of the summer window.

The latest update on his future has revealed that the hierarchy remains in talks with his representatives over a move to the North West, also looking to trigger his £62.5m release clause.

However, the 25-year-old isn’t the only player on their list this window, with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma emerging as a key option for the manager this summer, according to one Spanish outlet.

The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing to lodge a £50m bid for the 26-year-old during the off-season, looking to bolster the options in the goalkeeping department.

It also confirms the club are looking to take advantage of his current situation with the Ligue 1 outfit, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2026.

Why United’s £50m target would be their best since Bruno

Bruno Fernandes has been the shining light for United throughout 2024/25, often producing the goods in key moments and helping Amorim’s side reach the Europa League final.

The Portuguese international has registered 36 combined goals and assists in his 53 appearances, heads and tails above the tallies produced by any other first-team member.

Such form has led to former Red Devils star Gary Neville claiming that the 30-year-old is the only player in the last decade to have lived up to expectations after moving to Old Trafford.

The quote is hardly a surprise given the fact that he’s registered at least 20 combined goals and assists in every one of the seasons he’s spent in Manchester after joining from Sporting CP back in January 2020.

However, Donnarumma could be the club’s best signing since Fernandes, should he move to the club this summer, massively improving the options at the manager’s disposal.

Andre Onana has been the number one option between the sticks this campaign, but has often come into question for his mistakes, making five errors leading to goals across all competitions.

A deal for the Italian would hand the side an added bit of quality, with his moments of magic handing hand the Red Devils the added quality they’ve been craving in such a department.

Donnarumma, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, has made an average of 2.2 saves per 90 – capable of producing flashes of individual brilliance – as seen against Arsenal in the Champions League.

He’s also completed 87% of the passes he’s attempted, allowing Amorim’s side to play out from the back, whilst making zero errors leading to goals – handing the club a reliable option between the sticks.

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s stats for PSG in Ligue 1 (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

23

Clean sheets

4

Save percentage

68%

Saves made

2.2

Pass accuracy

87%

Errors leading to goals

0

Long ball accuracy

44%

Stats via FBref

The ‘keeper has also shown his quality in preventing penalties, making two crucial saves in the penalty shootout against England in the final of Euro 2020, with the Italian certainly a huge piece of the club’s rebuild.

It will be interesting to see whether the Ligue 1 outfit will entertain selling their number one this summer, with his contract predicament one that needs to be resolved.

However, if he was given the green light to switch to England, it could be the catalyst for any success endured in the next few years, undoubtedly landing one of the very best talents in his position.

Related He'd be unplayable with Amad: Man Utd make £42m talisman their top target

Manchester United have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements for Ruben Amorim’s side.

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Arsenal have now been informed an “unbelievable” forward could be available for a fee of £80m in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Gunners planning to bolster attacking options

At this stage, it seems almost certain that a new striker will arrive at the Emirates Stadium this summer, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealing the Gunners are now “working hard” to secure a deal.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are among the more attainable targets, while Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak is also well-liked, although the Magpies have shown little interest in sanctioning a departure this summer.

Not only has Mikel Arteta set his sights on a new striker, but there is also interest in a versatile forward, and Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo is on the shortlist, with the Bees looking to receive a fee of £50m for the Cameroonian.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Apr 21, 2025

Mbeumo’s performances in the Premier League this season indicate he could be a great fit at the Emirates Stadium, but there have now been suggestions the north Londoners could also look to bring in one of Europe’s most renowned forwards.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Arsenal have now been informed that Barcelona star Raphinha could be available for £80m this summer, with intermediaries hinting that a deal may be possible in talks.

The Gunners are huge admirers of the left-winger, and they will remain informed about his situation at the Camp Nou, where the Brazilian remains very happy, with Barcelona currently attempting to tie him down to a new contract.

There could be fierce competition for the 28-year-old’s signature, with Chelsea and Liverpool said to be big fans, while there is also interest from the Saudi Pro League, with clubs willing to fork out £100m for his services.

"Unbelievable" Raphina draws praise from Thierry Henry

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is clearly a big admirer of the Brazil international, stating he “has it all” after Barcelona’s triumph against Napoli in the Champions League back in March, while also tipping him as a favourite for the Ballon d’Or.

The former Leeds United man has been extremely influential en-route to the Champions League semi-finals, picking up 12 goals and seven assists, while also ranking extremely highly on several key attacking metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.60 (98th percentile)

Assists

0.43 (97th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

5.36 (91st percentile)

Lauded as “unbelievable” by Romano, Raphinha could be capable of taking Arsenal’s frontline to the next level, but given that he remains happy at Barcelona, it remains to be seen whether a deal is possible.

They hadn’t conquered Asia since 2014, and following their series win in Bangladesh, South Africa are setting sights on higher honours

Firdose Moonda31-Oct-2024It still matters. Winning away from home matters. Winning in the subcontinent matters. Doing both those things as a country that is now seen as one of the Test nations matters most of all, as South Africa have just experienced.Don’t buy into the talk that it’s only Bangladesh, a place where South Africa have never lost a Test and look at the bigger picture. For the last ten years, the subcontinent has been all but insurmountable. Between September 2014 and September 2024, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies collectively played 35 series in the subcontinent and won just six. Of those, England were responsible for three series (Sri Lanka 2018 and 2021 and Pakistan in 2022) while South Africa lost all four series they played.To be able to finally change that is something South Africa’s stand-in captain Aiden Markram described in an understated way as “very special,” while also recognising the significance it has in serving as a marker of progress.”For us as a group of players, we’ve never won a game or a series in the subcontinent so that makes it very special. It’s been a tough journey at times and to slowly be progressing is a really good thing for us,” he said.Related

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The last time South Africa conquered Asia was in 2014, at the latter end of a dream run that saw them go nine years unbeaten on the road. At the time, Markram was fresh off captaining the under-19 side to the age-group title in the UAE and the future looked bright. They didn’t know it then, but things were already changing.Big-name retirements started with Jacques Kallis in 2013 and every year since then someone else who was considered essential to success stepped away. As recently as last December, former captain and stalwart opener Dean Elgar called it a day which means South Africa have been in transition for almost ten years. The subcontinent became an impossible place to win as South Africa experienced in India in 2015 and 2019, in Sri Lanka in 2018 and in Pakistan in 2021. Of course, it’s not as though SENA countries hadn’t been making use of their own home advantage for decades so they had nothing to complain about, but it didn’t make the losses hurt any less.South Africa’s batting has paid the highest price for that. Since May 2018, they do have a single Test batter with an average over 40 which includes all of the current squad. Tony de Zorzi, thanks to his 177, and David Bedingham, with a hundred and three fifties, are close but both have only played eight Tests.What that means is that South Africa didn’t often have hundreds, which is something they had to play down and Markram is still singing from that hymn book.”As for numbers, it’s all quite relative. You look at different surfaces that you play on, wickets around the world are so different from each other and have so many different types of challenges that you face as a batter so it can be tough to pump that average up but we don’t speak about numbers,” Markram said. “We just speak about making an impact on the game and there can be a time where scoring 60 or 70 is match-winning and then there will be times where big hundreds runs are match-winning.”In this series, the latter was the case. From Kyle Verreynne in Mirpur to de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs and Wiaan Mulder in Chittagong, South Africa’s wins were built on big runs which gave their attack a lot to work with. And while there is some sense in what Markram said in that an individual stacking up hundreds may not necessarily equate to a successful team, he also recognised the need for a collective progression in performance.”I’m certainly not too fazed about numbers and I don’t think the rest of the guys are either. It’s one of those things that will take care of itself if you put in good performances consistently. Naturally the numbers will lift. We’re all definitely striving towards that but trying to be more consistent and trying to have a good impact on the game.”With South Africa’s batters focused on the efficacy and not the amount of their runs, it was hardly surprising to hear the leader of their attack, Kagiso Rabada, also play down his own importance. Asked about being back at No.1 on the ICC rankings or taking 300 wickets in his post-match interview, Rabada glossed over that the game “moves on”.Aiden Markram believes South Africa have the players required to reach the WTC final•AFP/Getty Images”You have to keep working hard. don’t look at where I am on the rankings,” he said, acknowledging it is a “good motivator to keep going.” His highest praise was for his team-mates, who he said are all “willing to put their hands up,” to drive success.And they can see the rewards in front of them. Despite playing fewer Tests than almost anyone else in this cycle, they’re in with a chance of making the final. They see the potential to make that happen as brimming with possibility. “We don’t really know what the ceiling is because we haven’t managed to lift the trophy,” Markram said.That’s also one way of South Africa looking at their empty accolades cupboard and wondering whether it will ever fill up. They’ve taken the approach that the things they are capable of are still coming and this year has shown them that.They reached the final of the T20 World Cup in June and now their chance to reach the WTC final lies in their hands. It’s proof that something is working, that the talent pool is starting to play to their potential and that maybe, the impossible could become possible.”We believe that we have the players in the country to be able to do so but by no means will it be easy,” Markram said. “The journey itself has been incredibly difficult but worth the fight, worth the hours, worth the sacrifice. That’s pretty much how we see it.”