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Leeds United have finally picked up another win this season in the Premier League on their own patch.

Before Friday night’s clash versus lowly West Ham United, the Whites’ last home success in the league stretched way back to the opening day.

Now, however, the Elland Road hoodoo has been lifted, as a quickfire double early into the tense game handed Daniel Farke’s men a much-needed 2-1 win to shove the Hammers further into their relegation pit.

Several top performers on the night ensured the three points were secured, as Leeds thankfully broke out of a run of three games without a victory in league action.

Leeds United's top performers against West Ham

Leeds fans, heading into this Friday night clash under the Elland Road floodlights, would have been lamenting their side’s recent wasteful displays in league action, having notched up 14 efforts on the Burnley goal at Turf Moor in a dire 2-0 defeat.

This wastefulness wasn’t on display against Nuno Espirito Santo’s lax visitors, however, as a first-half sucker-punch gifted Leeds a two-goal cushion after just 15 minutes had ticked away, with Brenden Aaronson getting the show on the road when converting a rebound after only three minutes.

Aaronson was a bright spark all night long, away from merely this crucial contribution, with 100% of his dribbles being successfully completed, making him a notable thorn in the side of a leaky West Ham outfit.

With 80% of his ground duels won as well, it’s fair to say everyone was singing the American’s praises come the full-time whistle, despite Farke stating at the full-time whistle that he can often be a “polarising” presence.

Joe Rodon would also be lathered with praise come the end of the 2-1 win when connecting with this sweetly taken corner to double his Premier League goal tally for the season, with Sean Longstaff also boosting his assist haul in the process, as the Welshman was left with plenty of space to head past a busy Alphonse Aréola.

Lucas Perri also stood out in between the sticks on his return to the Leeds XI, having had to calmly palm away an acrobatic Jarrod Bowen effort right after Aaronson’s instinctive opener. He was so close to a clean sheet, too, only for Mateus Fernandes to grab a Hammers consolation effort at the death.

Yet, despite the relief of a win being notched up, not every Whites first-teamer performed at their very best against the East Londoners, with this rusty individual in danger of losing his spot in Farke’s main team, as games come thick and fast in November.

The 6/10 Leeds star who could now be dropped

Of course, there will be concerns in West Yorkshire that Dominic Calvert-Lewin went another game without a Leeds strike, especially when coming up against such a charitable Hammers defence.

Still, nobody could deny the number nine’s determined work ethic for his team, with eight duels won in total when he has thrown into the thick of action.

Tanaka’s performance in numbers
Stat	Tanaka
Minutes played	72
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	37
Shots	1
Accurate passes	25/29 (86%)
Key passes	0
Total duels won	1/3
Stats by Sofascore

On the contrary, Ao Tanaka would exit the contest on the 72nd mark with zero of his ground duels being successfully won, as Farke potentially prepares to reshuffle his midfield pack for the test of Brighton and Hove Albion away at the start of next month, away from starting the Japanese gem again.

Indeed, while Ethan Ampadu and the aforementioned Longstaff made their presences widely known – as Ampadu successfully won three ground duels from his 66 touches of the ball – number 22 faded in and out of the clash, with Tanaka actually amassing fewer touches than Perri come the full-time whistle at 37 touches, next to the ex-Lyon stopper’s tally of 51.

Tanaka’s quiet performance was picked up on by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, with Smyth reserving high 9/10 ratings for the likes of Aaronson, but the former Fortuna Düsseldorf man would only receive a middle-of-the-road 6/10 appraisal after the dust had settled on the 2-1 win.

Smyth would simply note that Tanaka’s showing was a ‘mixed bag’ as the 27-year-old fell victim to being ‘outmuscled’ a couple of times, as evidenced by him losing 100% of his ground duels.

It will be interesting to see if Farke is tempted to drop Tanaka as tough games away at Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester City come onto his team’s agenda, with the number 22’s slight off-day very much sticking out as one rare negative, during what was a largely very positive showing against the relegation-threatened visitors.

Better than Rodon: Leeds star who won 100% tackles is already undroppable

This Leeds United star should be undroppable after outshining Joe Rodon against West Ham.

1

By
Dan Emery

Oct 25, 2025

Kashif Ali struck a commanding 88 off just 46 balls, his highest T20 score, to help steer Worcestershire Rapids to a six-wicket victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road, and keep their qualification hopes alive.Kashif was in total control, smashing seven fours and six sixes during a third-wicket stand of 127 with Gareth Roderick (36) – the highest for Worcestershire against any opposition in T20 cricket, beating the previous best accumulated by Brett D’Oliveira and Adam Hose against Yorkshire at Worcester just last month.Ben Sanderson (2 for 24) removed both set batters in the 15th over, but by then Worcestershire were closing in on victory and sent Northamptonshire to their fourth straight defeat.Earlier Adam Finch ran through Northamptonshire’s middle order, claiming three for 28, including two wickets in two balls, as the hosts tried to kick on after a lacklustre start. It came after Tom Taylor snared 2 for 22 on his return to his old club as the Steelbacks lost three wickets for 11 in 15 balls in the powerplay, finishing the first six overs on just 34 for 3.Northamptonshire had Sanderson to thank for posting a near competitive total, his 27 off 16 balls helping to propel them to 152 for 9.In Northamptonshire’s powerplay, while Ricardo Vasconcelos scooped Khurram Shahzad for six, he failed to middle an attempted pull against Ben Dwarshuis, and instead top-edged, keeper Roderick having plenty of time to judge the catch.Taylor struck twice in the next over, his third, as first Robinson top-edged Taylor to mid-on as he went to turn one to leg, before the bowler hooped one back in to send Ravi Bopara’s off-stump flying. With Dwarshuis conceding just two off his next over, the Steelbacks were well behind the pace.Northamptonshire skipper David Willey (13) powered consecutive boundaries through extra cover off Khurram to bring up Northamptonshire’s 50 but his fightback ended next ball when he chopped onto his stumps, giving Pakistan international Khurram (2 for 40) his first wicket in Worcestershire colours.Justin Broad (19) played his shots, but he became the fifth wicket when he reached for a wide ball from Fateh Singh and dragged it onto his stumps.Finch then struck twice in the fifteenth over accounting for Lewis McManus and Saif Zaib in the space of four balls. First McManus was undone by a full ball which clattered into the base of the stumps. While Zaib then sent one flying through extra cover, he pulled Finch’s next delivery to deep backward square-leg where Isaac Mohammed held a stunning diving catch.George Bartlett scooped Khurram for six, but he became Finch’s third victim when he hit straight to cover.Sanderson pulled Dwarshuis for six before smashing 14 off the penultimate over bowled by Shahzad. First, he dispatched a free hit out of the ground, before inside edging for four and then dissecting two cover fielders. While he was bowled by Khurram’s final delivery, a George Scrimshaw boundary saw Northamptonshire pass 150.In the chase, Willey (2 for 22) struck twice in his opening overs, Mohammed who hit straight to mid-off, while Brett D’Oliveira was bowled stepping away.Kashif played positively from the get-go, garnering a handsome straight drive off Willey and a straight six off Sanderson. He targeted Broad, hitting consecutive boundaries before pulling over midwicket as the Rapids ended the powerplay on 44 for 2.Roderick, who started slowly, enjoyed Scrimshaw’s extra pace, a brace of boundaries bringing up Worcestershire 50 off 26 balls, before Kashif hit Scrimshaw for a massive six over deep midwicket. A similar shot in the pacer’s next over brought Kashif six more before he ran two to reach his half-century off 24 balls.Roderick finished the over by crunching another maximum, Scrimshaw conceding 31 off his first two overs.The runs kept coming for Kashif despite a blow on the foot by a perfect yorker from Willey. He attacked the spin of Pope too, coming down the wicket to smite him over deep midwicket.Sanderson then broke the partnership, Kashif falling to a well-judged catch in the deep by Broad, while Roderick spooned a catch around the corner, but some lusty blows from Ethan Brookes helped seal the win.

Newcastle United have endured a challenging start to the 2025/26 season, particularly in attack.

While their defence has been a relative bright spot – with six clean sheets already and one of the lowest expected goals conceded (4.9) in the Premier League – the Magpies’ forward line has struggled to consistently convert opportunities.

Through the early fixtures, Newcastle rank near the bottom of the league for expected goals, highlighting difficulties in creating high-quality chances despite controlling possession in several matches.

Injuries have compounded the challenge.

Both Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, the team’s starting full-backs, are set for extended layoffs, forcing manager Eddie Howe to rotate personnel and disrupt the attacking rhythm.

Dan Burn has deputised at left-back, a position in which he is frequently exposed, impacting the team’s build-up play from wide areas.

Even so, there have been flashes of attacking promise.

Newcastle produced a 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League, generating 3.45 xG, and followed it up with a 2-0 league victory against Nottingham Forest.

While these results have boosted confidence, the Magpies still need greater consistency to complement their defensive solidity.

Amid this challenging start, fans are increasingly turning their attention to the team’s new attacking options.

Assessing Nick Woltemade's fine start at Newcastle

One player who has immediately impacted Newcastle’s attack is 23-year-old Nick Woltemade, the 1.98m forward signed from the Bundesliga.

Woltemade impressed in his previous campaign, scoring 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances and earning six caps for Germany.

His combination of size, technical ability, and goal-scoring instinct makes him a potent addition to Newcastle’s frontline.

Since joining, Woltemade has quickly shown he can handle the pressure of Premier League and European football.

He scored on his home debut against Wolves, then followed up with goals against Arsenal, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Nottingham Forest.

His penalty against Forest, placed with clinical precision into the top corner, earned him a standing ovation from the home crowd.

Across these games, Woltemade has displayed strong all-around attacking metrics: high work rate, intelligent positioning, and a pass completion rate hovering around 78%, as per Sofascore, demonstrating his ability to link up with teammates effectively.

Even beyond scoring, Woltemade’s presence transforms Newcastle’s attack.

His 1.98m frame allows him to dominate aerial duels, while his movement stretches defences and opens space for wide players like Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy.

With a goal whilst away on international duty Germany duty, Woltemade continues to develop chemistry with teammates and is becoming an essential piece of Howe’s squad.

For a club competing in the Champions League, he provides a reliable attacking outlet and a reference point for younger forwards to learn from.

Why Sean Neave can be the next Newcastle sensation

While Woltemade provides an immediate solution, Newcastle also have a homegrown talent in waiting: 18-year-old Sean Neave.

Born in Newcastle, Neave began at the famous Wallsend Boys Club before joining the Magpies’ academy, a pathway that has produced several Premier League players.

A 6ft 1in centre-forward, Neave has already impressed at youth level, scoring 17 goals in his first 30 U18 appearances, demonstrating natural finishing, positioning intelligence, and an eye for goal.

He has also been gradually introduced to first-team action, featuring in pre-season against Atlético Madrid, replacing Anthony Gordon in the 84th minute, and being included in the FA Cup fourth-round squad at Birmingham City.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Neave – lauded as a “top talent” by Magpie Media – was an unused substitute as Newcastle lifted the 2025 Carabao Cup, their first major trophy in seventy years.

An England U18 international, Neave made his debut against Poland in 2024.

Premier League 2

5 (2 goals)

EFL Trophy

2 (1 goal, 1 assist)

UEFA Youth League

2

Coaches praise his high work rate, intelligent movement, and composure in tight spaces.

His physical presence allows him to compete effectively in the box, while his goal-scoring instinct ensures he is always a threat to opposition defences.

Howe now faces the task of integrating Neave into a first-team setup that can compete on multiple fronts.

With Woltemade offering immediate attacking firepower, Neave represents Newcastle’s long-term vision: a local player who could become a regular first-team contributor, bringing energy, composure, and finishing ability.

Should he adapt to Premier League intensity, Neave could provide competition for Woltemade, cover during injury crises, and ultimately become the next academy success story to shine on Tyneside.

Newcastle are brewing a bigger talent than Gordon who's "similar to Mbappe"

One youngster could surpass Anthony Gordon as Newcastle’s next star under Eddie Howe

ByWill Miller Oct 16, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Na Arena Fonte Nova, o Bahia não tomou conhecimento do Red Bull Bragantino e venceu por 4 a 0. em duelo válido pela 20ª rodada do Brasileirão. Com o triunfo, o Esquadrão de Aço aparece na 16ª posição, com 21 pontos. O Massa Bruta é o 6º, com 32 pontos. 

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CALENDÁRIO

Na próxima rodada, o Bahia mede forças contra o Botafogo, no Nilton Santos. Enquanto isso, o Bragantino vai atrás da recuperação contra o Cuiabá, em casa. 

+ Confira a classificação e a tabela do Brasileirão

O JOGO

O Bahia foi superior desde os minutos iniciais. Com marcação forte e sem dar respiro ao rival, o gol saiu aos oito minutos. Após bate-rebate dentro da área, Rezende chutou e venceu Cleiton, 1 a 0. 

O gol fez o Bragantino ir ao campo de ataque, mas o goleiro Marcos Felipe fez o seu papel. Em pelo menos duas vezes, o arqueiro do Bahia foi fundamental para segurar a vantagem. 

Aos 37 minutos, novamente com a bola parada, o Tricolor achou seu gol. Vitor Hugo subiu sozinho e desviou para o fundo da rede, 2 a 0.

Inconformado com a atuação na etapa inicial, Pedro Caixinha fez três mudanças no intervalo, mas o Bragantino não tinha inspiração. Por outro lado, o Esquadrão de Aço mantinha o ímpeto e aproveitava os contra-ataques. 

+ Federação atualiza posições de times brasileiros no ranking mundial de clubes

Exposto, o Braga sofreu mais um gol. Ademir invadiu a área e cruzou rasteiro para Mingotti entrar de carrinho e estufar as redes, 3 a 0. A vantagem poderia até ser maior, porém um chute de Thaciano explodiu no poste direito de Cleiton. 

Na reta final do confronto, o Esquadrão de Aço conseguiu ampliar o marcador. Gilberto cruzou e achou Cauly, que bateu de primeira e venceu Cleiton, 4 a 0.

BAHIA 4 X 0 RED BULL BRAGANTINO

Local: Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador (BA)

Data-Hora: 20/8/2023 – 16h

Árbitro: Arthur Gomes Rabelo (ES)

Auxiliares:Rodrigo Figueiredo Henrique Correa (FIFA-RJ)e Marcia Bezerra Lopes Caetano (RO)

VAR:Rodolpho Toski Marques (VAR-FIFA-PR)

Público/renda: pagantes/R$

Cartões amarelos: Kanu (BAH), Aderlan, Jadsom, Andrés Hurtado, Matheus Gonçalves (BGT)

Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols: Rezende (8’/1ºT) Vitor Hugo (37’/1ºT) Vinicius Mingotti (14’/2ºT) Cauly (38’/2ºT)

BAHIA:Marcos Felipe; Gilberto, Kanu, Vitor Hugo e Camilo Cándido (Matheus Bahia, aos 33/2ºT); Rezende (Acevedo, aos 16/2ºT), Thaciano e Cauly; Ademir (Everaldo, aos 19/2ºT), Vinicius Mingotti (Vitor Jacaré, aos 16/2ºT) e Rafael Ratão (Yago Felipe, aos 33/2ºT). Técnico: Renato Paiva.

BRAGANTINO: Cleiton; Aderlan (Andrés Hurtado, ao 0/2), Luan Patrick, Léo Ortiz (Lucas Rafael, ao 0/2) e Luan Cândido; Matheus Fernandes, Jadsom Silva e Gustavinho; Bruninho (Vitinho, ao 0/2), Thiago Borbas (Alerrandro, aos 16/2ºT) e Sorriso. Técnico: Pedro Caixinha.

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Barry Ferguson has hinted at knowing who the problematic players are for Russell Martin at Ibrox currently, as he battles to save his job.

A must-win game for Russell Martin at Rangers

The Gers trade Scottish Premiership commitments for Scottish League Cup action on Saturday evening, with Hibernian making the trip to Ibrox for a quarter-final clash.

For Martin, it feels like a must-win game, with the 39-year-old under enormous pressure after a disastrous start to his time in charge of Rangers, not yet winning a league game.

Recent reports have suggested that the Englishman is safe as manager for now, but it surely can’t take many more bad results before a big decision is made by the board.

Potential replacements are already being mentioned, including Davide Ancelotti, who was one of the front-runners to come in during the summer, but Martin has spoken positively ahead of the Hibs match.

“We have the chance to be in the semi-final, and a step forward towards silverware. I want to see a team that plays with the togetherness and intensity I see at training.

“Very rarely do you arrive at a club when there is not a problem. At every club we have been at, there are tough moments, but the potential is huge for the group if we work through the difficult moments together.”

Ferguson makes Rangers dressing room claim

Writing for The Daily Record [via The Glasgow Times], Ferguson hinted at knowing who could be the problem players at Rangers for Martin, but didn’t want to go as far as naming names.

There is arguably a feeling that Martin has lost members of the dressing room, and when that happens, the writing can often be on the wall for a manager.

The Nicolas Raskin situation has stood out in that respect, with the midfielder being frozen out by the Gers boss until now, and it could be that he is one of the players Ferguson is referring to. Then again, he was a key man when the Scot was in charge, and is now back in the squad.

Related Rangers eyeing Ibrox move for ex-La Liga coach to replace Russell Martin

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Sep 18, 2025

Either way, Rangers simply must win this weekend, with a Scottish League Cup exit potentially the final nail in the coffin for Martin at Ibrox.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo terá um segundo semestre bastante agitado, com a boa campanha no Campeonato Brasileiro, e as disputas da Copa do Brasil, onde está nas semifinais e da Copa Sul-Americana, que está na sua fase de oitavas de final.

Para os tricolores paulistas apaixonados: produtos a partir de R$39,90 na FutFanatics!

Com um calendário bastante intenso tendo jogos praticamente a cada três dias, surge o questionamento se o São Paulo irá priorizar alguma competição. O técnico Dorival Júnior falou sobre o tema e garantiu que não pretende, no momento, priorizar nenhuma competição.

– Neste momento, nós não temos que ter a preocupação de brigar com o Botafogo. É importante que nós continuemos lutando pelos nossos pontos. Nós vamos acompanhando o desenrolar de cada competição. Não vamos abrir mão de nenhuma em momento nenhum. Vamos tentar fazer o nosso máximo e nosso melhor sempre. Nossa expectativa é de que as competiçõescontinuem, e nós busquemos a cada rodada ter a melhor equipe possível. Eu acho que nós não temos que pensar em nada além do jogo seguinte, quer seja do Campeonato Brasileiro, Sul-Americana ou Copa do Brasil. Nós temos é que estar muito focados e procurando fazer o nosso melhor, entrando com a melhor equipe possível – disse o treinador.

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Campeonato Brasileiro

Nas próximas semanas, a chamada ‘semana cheia’ de trabalho como essa, será raro de se ter. O São Paulo volta a campo no sábado (22), para encarar o Cuiabá. Depois, na quarta, vai à Neo Química Arena enfrentar o Corinthians, pela ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. No domingo (30), recebe o Bahia, e logo depois, já encara o duelo de ida das oitavas da Sul-Americana, ainda sem adversário definido. Ou seja, serão quatro jogos em 11 dias.

Será menos tempo também para recuperar alguns jogadores que seguem lesionados no Tricolor. No departamento médico até o momento, estão Galoppo (cirurgia no joelho esquerdo), Beraldo (lesão ligamentar no tornozelo esquerdo), Igor Vinícius (transição após cirurgia no púbis), Alan Franco (dores na perna direita), Gabi (fraturas nas costelas) e Belem (gripe), além de Talles Costa e Moreira (aprimoram forma física).

Na última temporada, o ex-técnico do São Paulo, Rogério Ceni preferiu apostar todas as fichas na Copa do Brasil e na Sula, mas acabou sendo eliminado no torneio nacional e perdeu a final do campeonato continental para o Independiente Del Valle (EQU).

Aston Villa bumped into PSR concerns earlier in the summer window and could be about to sanction an exit that would help their cause on that front, per reports.

Aston Villa sell Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United after league opener

In an unusual turn of events, Aston Villa have sold Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United directly after playing out a goalless draw against Eddie Howe’s side in their opening day of the Premier League season.

Earning the Villans a sum of over £40 million, he posted an emotional farewell message on social media to supporters, emphasising the honour of living his ‘dream’ by being able to pull on the shirt of his boyhood club.

He stated: “It’s impossible to put into words what playing for Aston Villa has meant to me. From being a young fan in the Holte End to living my dream and scoring in front of it, this club has been an extended family to me, and I’ve got memories for life – from making my Premier League debut, experiencing Champions League nights back at Villa Park and scoring my first goals in those competitions.”

Although a bitter pill to swallow, there is no doubt Aston Villa will benefit from the big-money sale as they look to reinvest in key targets while adhering to PSR regulations.

Encouragingly, Marco Asensio looks set to arrive at Villa Park after enjoying a fruitful time on loan at the club last season, offering Unai Emery a premium option that can cover a variety of roles within his forward line.

Aston Villa advancing talks for £120k-a-week star who Emery wants after U-turn

The Villans could sign him for a reduced fee.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 16, 2025

Now, the Spaniard could be set to offload another first-team star that will clear valuable wage expenditure once he is officially off the books at the club.

Aston Villa set to let Leander Dendoncker depart for Real Oviedo

Taking to social media platform X, Athletic journalist Jacob Tanswell has confirmed that Leander Dendoncker is close to leaving Aston Villa to join Real Oviedo.

There will be no transfer fee involved in the deal, though being able to clear his £90,000 per week wages, per Capology, will reduce their chances of flying too close to the sun concerning PSR regulations.

Following Ramsey out of the door, the Belgium international spent time on loan at Anderlecht last campaign and it is clear he isn’t part of Emery’s plans moving forward in the West Midlands.

Scoring once in 36 appearances for the Villans, the Passendale-born midfielder has struggled to make an impact at Aston Villa due to injuries, making an exit once all parties work out the finer details an agreeable solution for everyone involved.

The Melbourne Stars allrounder caused a scare in the opening game of the BBL season

AAP27-Dec-2024Hilton Cartwright has revealed he had fears of being left paralysed while laying prone on the Optus Stadium turf in the BBL season opener.Cartwright sent a scare through Australian cricket last week, after falling awkwardly in the field in Melbourne Stars’ season-opening loss to Perth Scorchers.He was taken from the field in a neck brace and medicab, before being quickly cleared of any serious damage in hospital and being released back to Melbourne. Incredibly, the former Test representative returned to play for the Stars just three days later against Brisbane Heat, and has not missed a game yet this season.Related

Cartwright cleared of serious injury after fielding mishap

Vince's classy century leads Sydney Sixers to record chase

Speaking for the first time since the injury, Cartwright admitted his mind had spiralled quickly while laying on the turf with what was ultimately a case of whiplash.”It was an extraordinary series of events. It looked worse because there was no information surrounding it,” Cartwright said.  “My neck pain had subsided quite a lot by the time I was on the sidelines, it was all on one side. Needless to say the doctors did a great job with how they handled it.”But my mind spun to the worst-case scenario about being paralysed, or strokes. My mind was completely spinning. But thankfully I was home that night and I haven’t had any serious repercussions from it.”After diving for a ball in the outfield, Cartwright’s neck snapped back quickly and he was left to lay on the ground for close to five minutes while receiving medical attention. Adding to the concern was that the 32-year-old became a father for the second time in October, with another toddler also at home.”As soon as all that pain subsided I started thinking around all the short-term side effects,” he said. “Am I going to be in a neck brace for a couple of months whilst we have a newborn? It would not only be tough on me, but tough on my partner. Thankfully everything got cleared and there were no issues. So far so good.”Cartwright said he had been able to class the incident as a “freak” accident, helping it not play on his mind while in the field since.His comments came as Stars slumped to a fourth straight loss to start the season, with Sydney Sixers chasing down 195 against them with 11 balls and two wickets to spare at the SCG.Stars will now likely need to win at least five of their last six to have any hope of making the finals, beginning with Saturday night against the Sydney Thunder. Otherwise, they risk missing for a fifth straight season.”If we’re being true to ourselves we want to win all six games to give ourselves a chance,” Cartwright said.

With just over two weeks to go until the Premier League season kicks off, it would be fair to say that this summer has been a success for Arsenal thus far.

On the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side have won all three of their games – if you include the behind-closed-doors clash with Watford – and off it, Andrea Berta and Co have been extraordinarily busy.

The Italian has sealed the signings of potential game-changers like Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, while massively improving the overall squad with players like Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

However, the Gunners do not seem finished just yet, as they continue to be linked with Real Madrid dynamo Rodrygo, who could cost up to £86m.

Before they can sign the Brazilian international, the Gunners may need to make a sale or two, so it’s good news that one of Arteta’s own signings has already received several offers.

Why Arsenal want to splash the cash on Rodrygo

While almost every club in world football would love to have a player of Rodrygo’s quality in their squad, there are likely three main reasons Arsenal want to sign him this summer, and the first is down to his output.

Over the last two campaigns, the Brazilian “superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

In other words, the former Santos gem has been averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is a rate of return that could seriously help the North Londoners catch up to Liverpool next season.

The second reason Arteta and Co would want the 24-year-old is that he can play in multiple positions.

For example, even though his best role is off the left, the last two seasons have seen him play off the right and up top, so while he would likely spend much of his time in England playing on the left, he would be able to cover for other players and offer the manager plenty of tactical options.

Right Winger

146

34

31

Centre-Forward

84

22

8

Left Winger

78

23

16

Attacking Midfield

3

0

1

Second Striker

1

0

0

Finally, despite still being relatively young, and two years off his peak, according to research carried out by The Athletic, the Los Blancos ace has a vast amount of experience playing in the biggest games in world football, and that winning mentality which the North Londoners have lacked in recent years.

For example, since moving to Madrid, the Osasco-born monster has won two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues, and even more impressively, has a record of 25 goals and provided 14 assists in 64 games in the competition.

In all, Rodrygo would bring goals, versatility and real know-how to Arsenal this summer, but to be able to afford him, the club would likely have to make at least one or two sales, which is something that appears to be on the table.

The Arsenal star with offers to leave

While much of the transfer talk around Arsenal this summer has focused on incomings, and understandably so, there have still been several reports about players potentially leaving the Emirates.

Transfer Focus

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

One of the most prominent earlier on in the window was talk of Gabriel Martinelli being a target for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, but transfers expert Fabrizio Romano quickly shot that down.

Then, more recently, there have been rumours over a potential loan move to Brazilian outfit Flamengo for Gabriel Jesus, one that would see the Gunners pay 50% of his wages.

However, the most realistic sale, at this point anyway, appears to be Leandro Trossard.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, the Belgian international, who joined the Gunners for around £27m in January 2023, is being monitored by German giants Borussia Dortmund, and more interestingly, has already been the subject of “two concrete offers from Premier League clubs” this window.

While the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace could still be an effective player for the North Londoners, selling him this summer to make way for Rodrygo would make sense, as even though Martinelli suffered a hamstring injury last season, the Brazilian still played more minutes than he did.

Moreover, the 30-year-old has been progressively getting less productive for Arteta’s side.

Appearances

22

46

56

Minutes

1071′

2263′

3455′

Goals

1

17

10

Assists

10

3

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.43

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

97.36′

113.15′

172.75′

For example, in his first half-season with the team, he produced 11 goal involvements in 1071 minutes, then in the following campaign, he produced 20 in 2263 minutes, and last season, he was only able to manage 20 in 3455 minutes.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to rejuvenate their frontline further this summer, and if by selling Trossard they can afford to sign Rodrygo, they should thank the Belgian and send him on his way.

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Celtic are now reportedly “set to up the ante” and try to complete the statement signing of a long-term target in the summer transfer window.

Celtic in contact over signing various players

It looks as though the Hoops are pushing hard to complete some important business this summer, with a number of players being strongly linked with moves to Parkhead.

Celtic are believed to have made contact with FC Cukaricki teenager Andrej Bacanin over a switch to the club, but rivals Rangers are also providing stern competition for his services. A new update has also claimed that the Scottish Premiership champions are in pole position to snap up the 18-year-old midfielder ahead of clubs across Europe.

Meanwhile, the Hoops have been in talks with Royal Antwerp attacker Michel-Ange Balikwisha over a move to the club, with the 24-year-old seen as a target for Brendan Rodgers’ side for a long time now.

In fact, one report earlier this year stated that the Celtic manager is a big admirer of the Belgian, having had his eye on him for some time now. Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding their pursuit of him.

Celtic increasing efforts to sign Balikwisha

According to The Daily Record, Celtic are now “set to up the ante” to sign Balikwisha this summer, as they look to “finally seal a move” for him. The report adds that signing Balikwisha would be a ‘statement of intent’, with the Hoops ‘primed to strike’.

Antwerp boss Stef Wils has also hinted in recent days that a move away for one of his best players is potentially on the cards, saying: “That’s possible, yes. I’m just working with the guys who are here at the moment. They all have the qualities to play here, so it would be foolish not to use them.”

It really does feel as though Celtic are now hellbent on getting a deal for Balikwisha over the line, in what could be such an impressive piece of business by the Scottish giants.

At 24, the left winger is at a perfect point in his career to come straight in and make an immediate impact, having been lauded as an “unpredictable” player by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Balikwisha seemingly likes the idea of moving to one of the biggest clubs in Britain after entertaining talks, and there is no reason why he couldn’t be the next great attacker at Parkhead, giving Rodgers the extra firepower he craves as his side look to both defend the title and perform better in the Champions League.

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The Antwerp star has 46 goal contributions in 141 appearances for his current club, and the fact that he can also do a job on the right wing and in a central attacking role is an added bonus.