Wolves are now on the verge of reaching an agreement to sign a new defender for Vitor Pereira in what will be his first signing in charge of the Old Gold, with an agreement having already been reached in the first week of the January transfer window.
Wolves need defensive additions
Since the beginning of the Premier League season, only two sides have conceded more goals than Wolves. The Old Gold have shipped 42 goals in just 19 games, at a rate of 2.21 per game, though they have conceded just twice in the three games since the arrival of Pereira to take over from Gary O’Neil.
Club
Goals conceded
Goals conceded per game
Southampton
44
2.2
Leicester City
44
2.2
Wolves
42
2.21
West Ham
39
1.95
Brentford
35
1.75
Central to that problem has been defensive issues, with the club failing to adequately replace Max Kilman following his £45m move to West Ham United, signing teenager Bastien Meupiyou who is still yet to make his debut for the club.
It has meant that both O’Neil and Pereira have had to field experimental defences whether in a back four or a back three, with Matt Doherty the latest makeshift centre-back after a stint from Mario Lemina.
Now though, injury to Toti, who could miss up to a month, has forced Wolves into the transfer market in a bid to try and rectify their defensive concerns as they look to add to their ranks in a bid to avoid relegation from the top flight.
To that end, they are set to make significant progress.
Wolves reach agreement to sign £16m defender
That comes as various reports claim that Wolves have now reached an agreement to sign Stade Reims centre-back Emmanuel Agbadou in a deal worth a reported €20m (£16.6m).
Standing at 6ft 3 inches tall, the 27-year-old has been a key part of Reims’ defence this season, helping them concede just 21 goals in 16 games and placing them firmly midtable.
An Ivory Coast international, he is already in the prime of his career and could slot straight into Pereira’s side, though he is more accustomed to playing in a back four than a back three.
As per a report from Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, Wolves have reached an agreement to pay “around €20m”, and will also pay the centre-back around £50,000 a week in wages.
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For that outlay, Wolves will be getting an “exceptional long ball player” with “great interception skills” according to scouting site Concept Scouting on X, while he also manages over three tackles and interceptions per game this season.
The deal appeared to be confirmed by the Reims President, who told reporters that “The two clubs have reached agreement. Same thing for the player. All he has to do is pass his medical and sign his contract. Wolverhampton’s offer couldn’t be refused.”
Though he will be unable to face Nottingham Forest on Monday night, it is entirely possible that Agbadou could be registered in time to play a part in Wolves’ following game, when they take on Bristol City in the FA Cup.
The January transfer window is less than a month away from officially opening for business and it remains to be seen how busy it will be for Leeds United.
Whilst there could be incoming activity amid the club’s pursuit of automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking, the Whites could trim their squad by moving on some of the fringe players.
Max Wober returned to Elland Road in the summer after spending the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach and has failed to nail down a regular spot in the team this season.
The Austria international, according to a recent report from Kurier, is one of two players RB Salzburg are looking at ahead of the January window, as the Bundesliga side could bring him back, after selling him to Leeds in January 2023.
Wober has only made three appearances and started one game in all competitions for the West Yorkshire outfit this term, and was an unused substitute in the 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers last time out.
The left-footed dud could be moved on, amid interest from his former club, but he is not the only Leeds player who could be on the chopping block next month.
Players Leeds could sell in January
Experienced centre-forward Patrick Bamford is a prime candidate for a January sale after a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign, that has seen him fail to start a single league match.
Football Insider reported last month that the former England international is planning to move on from Elland Road at the end of the season, due to his lack of minutes on the pitch.
His contract does not expire until the summer of 2026, though, and Leeds must look for potential suitors in January, rather than the summer, to move him on if he does not see his future at the club.
In the same position, Joe Gelhardt is another player the Whites must consider cashing in on. He is reportedly keen to pursue a move away from Elland Road in January, amid interest from Rangers, Stoke, and Preston, among others.
It was claimed that a loan move could be in the works for the 22-year-old forward, but he has only played 12 times in the league since the start of last season and has not got close to being a regular, which suggests that it could be time to cut ties with the former Wigan man.
Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt.
Wober, Gelhardt, and Bamford are not the only players who should be sold by Leeds, however, as there is another flop at the club who should be moved on, having struggled after initially being tipped to be a big success.
Jesse Marsch thought this Leeds star would be great
In the summer of 2022, former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch swooped to make a host of signings, including the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Brenden Aaronson, and Tyler Adams.
The American tactician also signed right-back Rasmus Kristensen from RB Salzburg for a reported fee of £10m to compete with Luke Ayling.
Marsch described him as a “very good Champions League full-back” and, rather boldly, stated: “I am totally convinced that he will continue to grow into a great Premier League full-back as well.”
Rasmus Kristensen
21/22 Bundesliga
21/22 Champions League
Appearances
29
8
Goals
7
0
Big chances created
7
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.4
5.9
Duel success rate
60%
58%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Kristensen arrived at Leeds off the back of a very solid season in the Bundesliga and the Champions League with Salzburg.
He won the majority of his defensive duels and won possession back for his side frequently across both competitions, whilst also chipping in with plenty of contributions in the final third at league level.
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Unfortunately, however, Kristensen was unable to make the step up to the Premier League to replicate that level of form in England, and struggled in his debut season with Leeds in the 2022/23 campaign, and Daniel Farke must finally cash in on him now.
Why Leeds must sell Rasmus Kristensen
The Whites were relegated to the Championship under Sam Allardyce, who came in after Javi Gracia and Marsch were both sacked, and Kristensen was one of a number of players who failed to make the grade in the top-flight that term.
Marsch was ‘convinced’ that the Danish defender would be a ‘great’ Premier League full-back, but that turned out to be far from the case for the right-footed flop.
Kristensen was dribbled past 1.3 times per game across 26 appearances in the division, which shows that opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him down the flank.
Leeds defender Rasmus Kristensen.
He also completed just 69% of his attempted passes and won 54% of his duels in the Premier League, as the Dane was unable to showcase his strength to the same level as he did with Salzburg.
Kristensen was, therefore, a liability in and out of possession with his loose passing and his suspect defending, which contributed to Leeds being relegated from the league.
The 27-year-old dud was sent out on loan to Roma, where he started 19 of 29 league appearances, before joining Frankfurt on loan for the current campaign.
24/25 Bundesliga
Rasmus Kristensen
Appearances
9
Pass accuracy
80%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.9
Dribbled past per game
1.3x
Duel success rate
58%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Kristensen has, once again, struggled to stop opposition forwards from getting the better of him down the flank in the Bundesliga for Franfkurt.
His duel success rate and pass accuracy has improved in comparison to his Premier League showings, but his continued as a one-on-one defender suggests that he would have similar issues if the Whites brought him back into the fold.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claimed in October that Frankfurt want to sign him permanently, and Farke must finally bin the Marsch flop, who has not turned out to be as ‘great’ as predicted.
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Moving him on in January on a permanent basis could also provide funds, in theory, for Leeds to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season, if they wish to do so.
Nottingham Forest are now ready to table a big offer in January to bolster their frontline under Nuno Espirito Santo, it has been reported.
Nottingham Forest reliant on Wood
Consecutive Premier League losses have dampened the feel good factor around Nottingham Forest, and star striker Chris Wood has not scored in either.
The New Zealand international has found the net an impressive eight times so far this season and has the best conversion rate of any striker in the Premier League since Nuno arrived at the Midlands club.
He is rarely injured but was rested against Arsenal and came off the bench for the final few minutes as they look to preserve the 32-year-old’s fitness and form.
Appearances
29
Goals
18
Assists
1
Minutes per goal/assist
126.8
However, they also remain keen to sign an alternative striker to provide cover and competition for the ex-Newcastle man, with the reliable John Percy explaining: “I think a striker has got to be the priority.
“They obviously looked in the summer and sort of rained back a bit and thought, let’s just wait, which we’ve all said at the time was another sign of the evolution of the club and maturity. But I think that’s going to be the number one priority.”
Taiwo Awoniyi is that backup, but did little to further his case for minutes against Arsenal, while his injury record suggests that he cannot prove a reliable backup for Wood over a prolonged period of time as Forest look to move away from relegation candidates and into serious top half contenders.
Now, they appear to be trying to land a replacement ahead of the January transfer window.
Nottingham Forest ready £19m+ bid for forward
That comes as reports out of Brazil, relayed by Sport Witness, claim that Nottingham Forest are ready to offer £19m+ to sign Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto in January.
The January transfer window coincides with the end of the Brazilian season, making deals with South American giants more feasible, and Forest are keen to snap up the forward.
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To that end, they are ready to “propose an initial €23m fee” (£19.1m) which could include further bonuses to tempt Corinthians into parting ways with the 23-year-old.
Alberto has been in fine form this season, netting 11 times and grabbing four assists in 26 outings, while Forest have a strong working relationship with Corinthians, having signed Murillo from the Brazilian side as well as goalkeeper Carlos Miguel in the most recent summer transfer window.
The Brazilian international Alberto could be the next cab off the rank, with a previous report adding that “he dreams of moving to England and his agent is determined to fulfil that wish in January”, something that will strengthen Forest’s chances of beating off the competition to sign him.
West Ham are also thought to have been interested previously, but it is unclear if that remains the case following the signing of Niclas Fullkrug. Clearly though, Forest are ready to move early to land their man.
Leeds United have long been in a position in the footballing pecking order where they know that they are always in danger of having to sell their best players.
In the early 2010s, the Whites routinely lost their best talents, with the likes of Bradley Johnson, Luciano Becchio, Jonny Howson, and Robert Snodgrass all joining Norwich City, Lewis Cook signing for Bournemouth, and Ross McCormack making the move to Fulham.
Fast forward many years later and it is still the case for the West Yorkshire outfit, who cashed in on several of their key players in the recent summer transfer window.
After Leeds failed to secure an instant return to the Premier League, losing 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final, the club moved on four of Daniel Farke’s regular starters ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Glen Kamara all moved on from Elland Road, to join Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Rennes respectively.
These exits came as big blows for Leeds because of the individual quality that they provided on the pitch in the 2023/24 campaign for the German head coach, notably Summerville and Rutter.
Georginio Rutter's form last season
The French forward initially made the move to Elland Road when the team was in the Premier League under Jesse Marsch, but failed to help them to avoid relegation down to the Championship.
Playing in the second tier, however, helped the left-footed star to thrive in West Yorkshire, as he enjoyed a mightily impressive season last term under Farke.
Rutter established himself as one of the finest attacking players in the division, despite struggling with his finishing, as he showcased his creative quality on a regular basis.
The left-footed whiz ranked within the top 2% of forwards in the league for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.41) and the top 2% for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.29).
This shows that he was one of the most creative players in the second tier amongst his peers, which is also backed up by his goal contributions in the Championship.
23/24 Championship
Georginio Rutter
Appearances
45
Goals
6
Assists
15
Big chances created
22
Key passes per game
1.9
Pass accuracy
69%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Rutter consistently created ‘big chances’ for his teammates to find the back of the net, but struggled to score on a regular basis.
His form did, though, convince Brighton to swoop in to secure a deal for a reported fee of £40m, and he has produced two goals and two assists in eight Premier League starts for his new club so far.
Crysencio Summerville's Player of the Year form
Meanwhile, Summerville was even more influential than Rutter for Leeds in the Championship, because he combined ruthless goalscoring with elite creativity.
The Dutch attacker won the PFA Championship Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 campaign, thanks to his incredible efforts on the left flank.
He ranked within the top 12% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the league for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.39) and the top 4% for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.30).
These statistics show that he coupled consistent goalscoring with consistent creativity, whilst Rutter only had the latter, and that was reflected in his end product in the league.
23/24 Championship
Crysencio Summerville
Starts
41
Goals
19
Conversion rate
15%
Assists
9
Big chances created
17
Dribbles completed per game
2.3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Summerville contributed with 36 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in just 41 starts for the West Yorkshire outfit.
His form convinced Premier League side West Ham to swoop in and sign him for a reported fee of £25m, that could rise to £34m with add-ons, in the summer.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
This means that Leeds raked in a minimum of £65m and a potential of £74m from the sales of Rutter and Summerville. There is one former Whites star, however, who is now worth more than both of them combined – Raphinha.
Raphinha current market value
A report in Spain recently reported that Barcelona would not consider cashing on the Brazil international for a fee of less than a whopping €100m (£83m).
This means that the Spanish giants currently value the impressive winger at a fee of at least £83m, and that is significantly more than the £55m deal they agreed to sign him from Leeds in the summer of 2022, and is more than both of Rutter and Summerville’s fees combined.
Raphinha scored 17 goals and supplied 12 assists in 67 appearances for the Whites during two years in Yorkshire between 2020 and 2022, before his move to Barcelona.
He had a fairly average first couple of years in Spain, with 13 goals and 16 assists in his first two LaLiga seasons combined, before bursting into life this term.
The 27-year-old wizard, who was once hailed as a “magician” by former teammate Dan James, has produced an eye-catching 12 goals and ten assists in 17 games in all competitions – more than one goal contribution every match on average.
Raphinha
As you can see in the table below, Raphinha has been in stunning form in LaLiga for Barcelona, with a mind-blowing 21 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 13 outings.
24/25 LaLiga
Raphinha
Appearances
13
Goals
7
xG
6.97
Big chances created
14
Key passes per game
3.4
Assists
6
Stats via Sofascore
Wasteful finishing from his teammates has prevented his already impressive tally of goals and assists from being even greater, which speaks to just how incredible his performances have been.
Raphinha, in November, is only seven goal contributions away from matching his tally for his entire career at Leeds in the current season, illustrating how much he has developed and improved since his £55m exit from Elland Road.
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It is a shame that Leeds were in a position where they felt they had to cash in on the forward in the summer of 2022, particularly given that they then went on to be relegated from the Premier League.
The father of Wrexham striker Ollie Palmer has taken aim at the January transfer business sanctioned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
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Red Dragons broke records in winter windowSmith & Rodriguez have one goal between themParkinson urged to tinker in promotion pushFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Dragons broke more records during the winter window, with Sam Smith acquired from Reading in a £2 million deal. Phil Parkinson added even more firepower to his ranks in the form of one-cap England international striker Jay Rodriguez, who arrived from Burnley.
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New recruits have been thrust straight into the starting XI, but have managed only one goal between them – with Smith finding the target in a 2-0 victory over Northampton. Rodriguez is yet to open his account, but is keeping the likes of Palmer, Paul Mullin and Jack Marriott out of Parkinson’s side.
WHAT OLLIE PALMER'S FATHER SAID
Both Smith and Rodriguez were replaced in the 78th minute of Wrexham’s 0-0 draw with Bolton, having drawn a blank, and Palmer’s father Andy responded to the social media post announcing those changes by saying “they were a good buy”, alongside several thinking face emojis.
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Palmer senior went on to say after seeing Wrexham miss the chance to draw level on points with second-placed Wycombe in the League One table: "PP (Phil Parkinson) and SP (Steve Parkin) need to swallow their pride. Need to look at the team they had before Christmas!! That team got them to where they are now… just saying. Maybe a Smith and Palmer upfront."
A “world-class” Arsenal player is set to miss their trip to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, alongside both Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard, with manager Mikel Arteta sharing news this morning.
Arsenal face Newcastle after 3-0 win over Preston
In mid-week, the Gunners soared to a routine 3-0 win away to Preston North End in the Carabao Cup, which sealed their place in the quarter-final draw against Crystal Palace, but Arteta has no time to celebrate as a tough trip to the North East awaits for the title chasers.
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Newcastle are winless in the league since mid-September – last securing victory with a 2-1 win over Wolves at Molineux – and Eddie Howe will be very keen to end that barren run with a surprise triumph over Arsenal.
By contrast, the Gunners have lost just once all season – a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth around a fortnight ago – but have since responded by getting the better of Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, holding in-form Liverpool with a weakened team and demolishing PNE.
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away
November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
Arsenal will have to contend with a much-altered side from Arteta’s full-strength eleven, much like they did against Arne Slot’s side last weekend. Odegaard suffered ankle ligament damage in September, and remains out, while Calafiori is set to miss Newcastle United following his knock against Shakhtar.
Meanwhile, Arteta claims Ben White hasn’t trained and is now a real doubt ahead of the encounter.
“Riccy and Martin are out definitely,” said Arteta in his pre-match press conference.
“With Ben we don’t know yet. He could not train so let’s see what happens. Now is the stage when he’s going to start to do certain work with us. Let’s see if he deals with pain if physically he’s able to compete. With the work he’s put in I would be surprised if when he’s back training with us we don’t say he’s ready.”
Takehiro Tomiyasu made a brief return to the side recently, featuring for six minutes in Arsenal’s win over Southampton a few weeks ago, but the Japan international has since been sidelined again with a rumoured recurrence of his knee problem.
Arteta confirms long-term Tomiyasu absence at Arsenal
Speaking to the media, Arteta has shared another update on the £100,000-per-week ace’s condition.
The Spaniard explained that Tomiyasu is set to miss Arsenal’s game against Newcastle with Calafiori and Odegaard. Arteta also said that Arsenal don’t expect him to return before the next international break, which is a real stroke of bad luck for the former Serie A star.
Reports have even suggested that Arsenal could be prepared to sell Tomiyasu, amid his run of serious fitness issues lately, so this is a pretty unfortunate period for the player who’ll be looking to bounce back as soon as possible.
“Tomi is amazing. He’s the best right-back I’ve ever played with. He’s always focused. It’s an honour to play next to him,” said teammate White to DAZN Japan (via The Metro).
“Tomi does the simple things at a world-class level. He is very alert and he isn’t careless in games. From the beginning he’s completely understood English and speaks as well as I do.”
Neste sábado (29), Sport e Náutico protagonizaram um verdadeiro clássico, com muita emoção pela Copa do Nordeste. O Timbú abriu o placar com Robinho, Mikael virou para os mandantes, mesmo com um a menos, os visitantes empataram e o camisa 99 do Rubro-Negro marcou o gol da vitória.
Com o resultado, o Sport chega aos seus primeiros três pontos na competição e na próxima rodada recebe o Sousa, no domingo (6), às 18h30 (horário de Brasília). Enquanto isso, o Náutico viaja para enfrentar o Sampaio Corrêa, um dia antes, às 20h.
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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS
AMBOS MARCAM!
A primeira etapa começou agitada e logo aos cinco minutos, após bate e rebate, Leandro Carvalho finalizou para grande defesa de Maílson. Mais tarde, Mikael recebeu atrás da linha do meio-campo, levou sozinho o contra-ataque, saiu cara a cara com Lucas Perri, que defendeu.
Mesmo fora de casa, o Timbu criou mais oportunidades, enquanto o Sport tinha dificuldades e apostou em lançamentos.Aos 27′, Leandro Carvalho cobrou falta fechado, Mailson segurou a bola, mas deixou cair, na falha, Robinho aproveitou e abriu o placar para o Náutico.
A resposta do Sport surgiu com Mikael, sozinho, porém o camisa 99 novamente desperdiçou. Em seguida, Carpina acertou belo arremate no travessão.Na terceira oportunidade que teve, Mikael não perdoou. Sander fez cruzamento rasteiro na esquerda e Mikael completou para as redes, empatando a partida.
OLHA A VIRADA! A segunda etapa foi bem truncada e pouco jogada nos primeiros 20 minutos. Muitas faltas de ambos os lados e poucas chances de gols. Aos 27′, Camutanga faz corte na área e a arbitragem marcou pênalti. Na cobrança, Mikael chutou forte, por cima e virou o placar para o Sport.
Mesmo com um a menos, o Náutico conseguiu empatar novamente o confronto. Kauan Maranhão aproveitou boa jogada de Richard Franco e concluiu. Mas no fim, Mikael completou lançamento de Alanzinho e fez seu terceiro gol na partida, dando a vitória para o Sport.
FICHA TÉCNICA DA PARTIDA SPORT X NÁUTICO
Local: Ilha do Retiro, Recife-PE Data/horário: 29/01/2022 – 17h45 (de Brasília) Árbitro: Denis da Silva Ribeiro Serafim(AB/AL) Árbitro Assistente 1: Pedro Jorge Santos de Araujo (AB/AL) Árbitro Assistente 2: Rondinelle dos Santos Tavares (AB/AL) Cartões amarelos: Derley, Robinho, Carlão, Camutanga, Rhaldney (Náutico), Ezequiel, Adryan (Sport) Cartões vermelhos: Camutanga (Náutico) GOLS: Robinho (27’/1T) (0-1), Mikael (45’/1T) (1-1), Mikael (30’/2T) (2-1), Kauan Maranhão (33’/2T) (2-2), Mikael (43’/2T) (3-2)
SPORT (Técnico: Gustavo Florentín) Maílson; Ezequiel, Rafael Thyere, Chico e Luciano Juba; Ítalo (Fábio Alemão 35’/2T), Sander e Ronaldo Henrique; Jaderson (Vanegas 16’/2T), Mikael e Everton Felipe (Adryan 44’/2T).
NÁUTICO (Técnico: Hélio dos Anjos) Lucas Perri; Hereda, Carlão, Camutanga e Júnior Tavares; Djavan, Rhaldney e Juninho Carpina (Pedro Vitor (18’/2T), Ewandro (Kayon 30’/2T), Leandro Carvalho (Richardo Franco 14’/2T) e Robinho (Kauan Maranhão 18’/2T).
Al-Hilal have reportedly lodged a 'super offer' for Real Madrid star Rodrygo as they seek to replace expensive flop Neymar.
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Neymar leaves Al-Hilal for SantosSaudi side target Rodrygo as replacementMake 'super offer' for BrazilianFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Al-Hilal cut ties with Neymar earlier this week, with the 32-year-old joining Santos instead. Now, Marca reports the Saudi Pro League team have made a 'super offer' to recruit Madrid ace Rodrygo and want to make him one of the best paid players in the division's history.
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Neymar's move to Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 ended up being one of the biggest transfer flops of all time. Marca adds the cash-rich Saudi league wants to make Rodrygo the face of Al-Hilal around the world but the 24-year-old wants to succeed at Madrid.
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Rodrygo, whose contract with Madrid runs until 2028, has scored 67 goals and bagged 47 assists in 245 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish giants.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
It remains to be seen if Al-Hilal step up their efforts to sign Rodrygo, with the league hoping to make the forward the 'main image' of the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are eyeing a 2025 move for one Arsenal mainstay, as it is believed he’s now “almost certain” to leave the club.
Arsenal prepare for Southampton after 2-0 win over PSG
Mikel Arteta watched his side put on an imperious display against French champions PSG on Tuesday night in the Champions League, a result which extended the club’s unbeaten run so far this term and made a real statement.
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The two teams only played the other night.
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The Premier League title hopefuls were rarely threatened by Luis Enrique’s side – which is a testament to Arsenal’s all-round solidarity and big game management – with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka’s quick-fire first-half goals enough to seal a crucial three points in Europe.
Saka was bizarrely criticised for a “fringe” performance against PSG by pundit Darren Bent, despite his goal. That verdict aside, every Arsenal player, including the England international, contributed during an evening to remember at the Emirates Stadium.
Southampton (home)
October 5
Bournemouth (away)
October 19
Liverpool (home)
October 27
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away)
November 10
Next, Arsenal take on Southampton at 3pm on Saturday, and it is a match which Arteta’s side are expected to win comfortably with the Saints bottom of the table. Arteta will be able to call upon summer signing Mikel Merino again, following the Spaniard’s debut against PSG and after his recovery from a shoulder fracture.
Merino’s absence left Arsenal short in midfield for a time, and sporting director Edu Gaspar will be thankful that he didn’t green-light an exit for midfield general Thomas Partey as a result.
Thomas Partey
Partey was heavily linked with a summer exit from Arsenal since late last year, but the Ghanaian remained in north London and has since been handed the nod by Arteta in each of Arsenal’s league games so far – starting every single one.
The 31-year-old’s stellar partnership with Declan Rice in midfield looks unbreakable right now, with Partey winning all of his duels against PSG during an excellent display against a star-studded team.
It is quite the return to form for a player who started just nine times in the league last season, and the former Atletico Madrid star is on course to smash past the number of appearances he made over 2023/2024.
Partey "almost certain" to leave Arsenal as Barcelona eye move
However, there is the matter of his contract lingering in the background. The £200,000-per-week mainstay’s deal expires next summer, putting a host of clubs on alert over his potential availability in 2025. Unless Edu and Arteta opt to negotiate fresh terms, the African could be on the move sooner rather than later.
Despite his value to the team this season, journalist Jorge Asensio claimed this week that Partey is “almost certain” to leave Arsenal. Understandably, clubs are queuing up to sign him for a potential bargain price.
Barcelona are understood to be one of the interested sides, alongside Juventus, Inter Milan and Saudi Pro League clubs. Many more teams could register their interest soon, with Arteta facing the prospect of losing a “really important” player at the end of this season.
The allrounder is doubtful for Jamaica Tallawahs’ opening match on Friday
Alex Malcolm24-Aug-2021Carlos Brathwaite has been forced into isolation and is in doubt for Jamaica Tallawahs’ opening match of the Caribbean Premier League on Friday after a positive Covid-19 case was reported on his flight from the UK to St Kitts and Nevis.Brathwaite travelled from Manchester to Basseterre ahead of the CPL after captaining Manchester Originals in the Hundred. A fellow passenger tested positive for Covid-19 and he was told to isolate until further notice.”My tests have been negative as far as I know,” Brathwaite said. “We’ve been asked to be in quarantine. I still don’t know the full extent of it. I’ve just been told I need to continue to quarantine as opposed to being allowed to walk around the hotel as was initially allowed. So I’m just as much in the dark as you are, unfortunately.”Related
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Speaking from his hotel room following the announcement that he re-signed with Sydney Sixers for the upcoming BBL season later in the year, the allrounder said he was unsure whether he would be available for the Tallawahs’ opening clash with Saint Lucia Kings on Friday.”Not sure,” Brathwaite said. “I haven’t actually received anything official yet to know when day one is and how many days of quarantine, etc. So yeah, I’m just skipping in my room and doing sit-ups and hoping to be at least physically ready to go if I can.”Brathwaite was retained by Tallawahs along with Andre Russell after they were knocked out in last season’s semi-final by eventual champions Trinbago Knight Riders. He believes Knight Riders won’t have it all their own way this season.”The tournament is going to be interesting,” Brathwaite said. “I don’t think it will be an undefeated run to the finals as Trinidad had last year. I think it will be a little closer. I think all the teams are more evenly matched.”Brathwaite said runs from the top order will be key to Tallawahs’ chances given the quality of the allrounders and spin-bowling.”I feel as though we have a few potential match-winners. Myself, Russell, Rovman Powell obviously in the middle. Our spin attack, we’ve lost Mujeeb and we’ve lost Sandeep but we have Qais Ahmad, Veerasammy Permaul, and Chris Green. So when you look at it that’s a real balanced spin attack, left-arm orthodox, right-arm offspinner, leg-break bowler.”I think we just need to get some runs at the top of the ordr and middle order to provide a good platform. I think too many times last year we were 30 for 3, 40 for 4 and we didn’t really have a good platform to go on and get big scores.”So this year, setting a good platform and if we add the firepower that I know myself, Russell and Rovman can give, added with the spin stocks that we have and the whole bowling unit actually, I think we’ll do well.”