With the new appointment of Mauricio Pochettino to Stamford Bridge as manager, Chelsea were meant to be entering a new era with a world-class manager steering them back to their previous best.

The Blues hadn't messed around in the transfer window either, breaking the bank to add the likes of Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, and more to their squad – notably paying £115m for the Brighton and Hove Albion central midfielder.

Yet, Pochettino's side find themselves in an unsatisfactory mid-table position at this current point in time with three defeats from their opening eight matches which included two narrow 1-0 home losses to Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

An injury to young Blues talent Cole Palmer – who signed for the club in the recent transfer window from Manchester City – sustained on England U21 duty won't fill Pochettino up with much confidence either ahead of Arsenal hopping over to west London next Saturday.

How is Cole Palmer playing?

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder relocated from his place of birth in Manchester to Chelsea in order to get more first-team minutes, with Palmer frustrated by being on the periphery at at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola – making 41 first-team appearances under Pep over a number of seasons, contributing six goals and two assists.

He's made six appearances for Pochettino this campaign so far, scoring his first goal in his new colours versus Burnley in the Blues' last outing before the international break from the penalty spot.

He also assisted Chelsea's fourth goal of the afternoon at Turf Moor, linking up with another new signing in Nicholas Jackson who scored late on to clinch an impressive 4-1 victory.

Fans of the west London outfit will hope Palmer's injury isn't a serious knock, with manager Lee Carsley having commented on the injury situation directly after his young Three Lions side emphatically beat Serbia 9-1 in Nottingham, stating: “There are a few bumps and bruises and we will monitor Cole, but we will not be taking any chances”.

If he isn't fit, this could leave Pochettino with a selection dilemma.

But, this dilemma could be solved by starting a "forgotten" transfer buy at Stamford Bridge – as described by journalist Felix Johnston – who also featured for his country in that 9-1 demolition, in the form of Noni Madueke.

How is Noni Madueke playing?

The 21-year-old will be desperate to break into his Argentine head coach's first-team plans, especially if his fellow countryman, Palmer, is to be sidelined.

Madueke scored two goals in the win versus Serbia, the ex-PSV Eindhoven winger starring at the City Ground despite a lack of first-team opportunities afforded to him recently at Chelsea.

Speaking whilst with the England camp, the young attacker – who has only made 16 appearances for the Blues since signing from the Netherlands in January – is still confident he can break into the Chelsea starting line-up after signing for £29m in January this year.

He said: "I love coming over here and showing everyone what I can do. It's a great squad, just as good as the last one. I've got a lot of belief in my ability and I'm sure things will click sooner rather than later. I think I've got it in me."

Despite having been cast out of late – after being an unused substitute against Burnley last time out – Madueke does appear to have the tools to be a real weapon for Pochettino, after previously recording 34 goal involvements in just 80 games for PSV.

As much as Palmer's thigh knock is a blow for the Blues, Madeuke could well benefit from his teammate's potential absence and seek to put himself back into Pochettino's good books when the international break is at an end.

USMNT skipper Tyler Adams brought his infant son Jax into the pitch to celebrate CONCACAF Nations League triumph.

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Adams brought infant son Jax onto pitchLeft unimpressed with Pulisic's medalOpened the scoring against Mexico in the finalWHAT HAPPENED?

Adams along with Giovanni Reyna were on target for the United States men's national team as they beat Mexico 2-0 to win their third consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title in Texas on Sunday. During the title celebrations, the USMNT skipper brought his infant son Jax onto the pitch who was left unimpressed by Christian Pulisic's winner's medal as he looked away every time the AC Milan star tried to show him the prize.

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Adams and his partner Sarah Schmidt confirmed in November that the couple were pregnant and then in January they gave birth to a baby boy. Jax, accompanied by his mother, was in attendance during USMNT's semi-final win over Jamaica last week.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR TYLER ADAMS?

The 25-year-old will be next seen in action for Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday as they take on Everton.

On the eve of his final Test, Alastair Cook was spoken of with great admiration by the man who took over from him as captain

George Dobell at The Oval06-Sep-20181:44

Cook century might be ‘written in the stars’ – Root

English cricket will “never see someone of Alastair Cook’s stature again” according to Test captain Joe Root.Cook leaves the game with more runs, appearances and catches (excluding keepers) than any England player in history.So as England prepare to go into the final Test of Cook’s career, Root has hailed his “outstanding” record, hailed him as a “role model” for the rest of the team and acknowledged he will prove “very hard to replace.””It’s been an outstanding career,” Root said. “To spend 12 years at the top of the order and have a record like that is some feat, especially in these conditions for the majority of it. There’s not many openers around the world who can match that, never mind English players.”In terms of his skills as player, I can’t think of anyone that comes close to his concentration. To have the record that he does opening the batting over such a long period of time is phenomenal. More than anything, to be such a grounded, hard-working professional. The way that he conducts himself in the dressing room, to every single person, the respect he has for the game, for all of his team-mates and the opposition. That is what everyone aspires to have.”You look at the way he goes about things and he’s a real inspiration on the way to carry yourself as a top pro. So he’s going to be very hard to replace. He’ll be a massive loss to our dressing room.Root admitted Cook was something of a hero to him growing up. He was among the crowds in Australia when Cook helped England to the 2010-11 Ashes with a prolific series and later made his debut under Cook’s captaincy on the 2012 India tour.”I remember someone walking into the team and making it look so easy at the top of the order,” Root said. “A bit further down the line I was in Australia when he got 730 odd runs. I managed to get to a couple of the games where he smacked it everywhere. He was just phenomenal really.”Then I remember making my debut and having to pinch myself that I was in the same dressing room. To even say I have played alongside him has been a great honour.”He’s been a huge influence on me. First he gave me the opportunity to play. And, as a role model, there aren’t many people who go about things in a better way than he does. He’s very down to earth.”Jos Buttler summed it up. He’s the most down to earth superstar you’ll ever see. He’s always got time for everyone. That’s a great quality to have in any walk of life never mind a high-pressure environment like international cricket.”I’ll miss him being around. Not just for his runs and what he adds to the team but him as a person as well. You’ll never see someone of his stature again in the game.”While Cook has been in poor form in recent months, Root was upset to hear of his retirement plans and still believes he is capable of ending his Test career as he started it: with a century.”I was sad when he told me,” Root said. “It was quite an emotional conversation. He has been a massive part of our dressing room for such a long time, beyond my time as an England cricketer and as a young lad watching him play. I’m sure it will be an emotional week for a lot of people, especially him, but I’m sure he will get the reception he deserves. He’s been a great servant to the game and a great servant to English cricket. I really hope he finishes on a real high.”I have seen a century coming for a while, though you might not think it with the scores he has had in the last couple of weeks. It would seem fitting for him to go out on a high personal note not just as a team. Hopefully he can soak up everything else that comes with this week and go out and deliver on the field. It would be nice to start and finish with a century. You never know, it might be written in the stars.”

The Premier League champions are set to win the race for the Philadelphia Union academy star who has garnered interest from around Europe

American soccer is no stranger to teenage prodigies. Perhaps the most famous one the sport has ever seen, Freddy Adu, came from the U.S., rising to prominence at just 14 years old. In the years since, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah all became stars in their teenage years before leading the charge to the 2022 World Cup.

All of those mentioned were very good players as teenagers, and were coveted by the biggest clubs in the world. They were never, though, touted as the best in the world within their age group. They were never called the can't-miss player of their birth year. They were never the very best in the world.

That's what Cavan Sullivan is being tipped as right now. The Philadelphia Union starlet is being hailed as "the best 14-year-old player in the world", and, this time around, it may not be an exaggeration. Sullivan is a legitimate superstar in the making, a player with all of the skill and ability to truly make it to the top levels of the sport.

That's why Manchester City have already pounced, moving quickly to sign Sullivan years before he can even hope of playing for them. It's also why plenty of other top European clubs tried before City even got their chance. Every elite team in the world has been watching a player that may prove to be the most coveted prospect the American game has ever seen.

But who is Sullivan and why have City made such a big move to sign him? GOAL takes a look…

• Philadelphia Union
  

  Where it all began

  Throughout the past decade or so, the Philadelphia Union have probably been the best club in MLS at producing talent. Brenden Aaronson, Paxten Aaronson, Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie… the list goes on and on. There are several players waiting in the wings, too, destined for their own European moves.

  Sullivan is one of those players, as is his older brother, Quinn. You see, the Sullivan family has no shortage of talent, with the two brothers representing two of the jewels of the Union Academy.

  Sullivan's father, Brenden, played professionally in his day before becoming a coach. His mother played in college, too. Quinn Sullivan currently stars for the Union, having made 86 appearances over the last four years, while the family's two other brothers, twins Declan and Ronan, are also rising through the Philly soccer scene.

  Cavan, though, is the player in the spotlight right now. The hype is growing after he was handed the label of the most talented 14-year-old on the planet.

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• The big break

  Throw on any highlight compilation of the U.S. Under-15s national team and you'll spot Sullivan right away. It's almost impossible not to with his bleach-blonde hair. Once you get past that, though, you'll see the player rocking it can make magic with the ball at his feet.

  Sullivan really rose to prominence during the Generation adidas Cup in 2023 where, as a 13-year-old, he looked dominant against some of the biggest clubs in the world at the U15 level. Despite being two years younger than most everyone on the field, Sullivan helped lead the charge in wins over Valencia, Arsenal and Real Madrid, putting himself onto the radar of every European club watching.

  "Those that maybe haven’t learned yet, a young Cavan Sullivan has the talent and ability to become, I’ll just say a household name, and is doing really big things," Union head coach Jim Curtin said.

  His exploits weren't limited just to club level, though. Sullivan also led the U.S. U15s to a trophy at the 2023 CONCACAF U-5 Championships, earning the Golden Ball for the best player at the tournament. That award came, once again, despite the fact that he was just 13 years old.

  Big clubs started swirling, and the Union faced a fight to keep their homegrown star in-house.

• (C)Getty Images
  

  How it's going

  For months, now, the Union have been trying to keep hold of Sullivan. A report from claimed the club had made him the “best homegrown offer ever extended”. However, it appears that the Union could lose out to the almighty City Football Group (CFG).

  Widespread reports say that CFG is closing in on a deal to sign Sullivan, who would have an interesting roadmap going forward. Unable to move to Manchester City until he's 18, Sullivan would likely be placed with one of CFG's other clubs starting at age 16. The club most often linked is Lommel SK, who play in the second tier of Belgian football. Sullivan has a German passport through his mother, which allows him to join a club in the European Union at age 16, which means a big move across the Atlantic could come as soon as September 2025.

  The deal is not yet official and the Union will still hold hope of keeping their brightest homegrown star. One pathway forward would be Sullivan staying on until he turns 18, which would allow the Union to collect some sort of compensation for the teenage star.

  Regardless of what pathway he takes, Sullivan looks destined for the very, very top.

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• Biggest strengths

  The first thing that sticks out about Sullivan is, obviously, his maturity. Both physically and mentally, it takes a lot of maturity to play up in the competitions that Sullivan has. It takes even more to thrive in such a way that the world's biggest clubs immediately take notice.

  “He’s got his feet on the ground, all this extra hype about him," said Union II head coach Marlon LeBlanc. "It doesn’t go to his head and I think that’s the fantastic thing about him. It’s what also allows him to come into our environment and still be cool and be bold.”

  Sullivan's maturity may be his biggest asset, but it's not necessarily what caught the eyes of those mega-clubs. His skills did, and he has plenty.

  An attacking midfielder by trade, Sullivan's vision is already highly advanced for his age. He can make incredible passes that can change games, and he also can get goals for himself, too, with his strong left foot.

  He had a pair of assists in the final of the CONCACAF U15 championship, a 4-2 win over Mexico. He'd already scored three goals of his own throughout the tournament, too, showing what kind of impact he can already make in an attack on the international level.

  Mentally, though, Sullivan's got a bid of an edge to him, too. While facing off with Arsenal at the Generation adidas Cup, Sullivan inside the first minute. He promptly celebrated with a tea-drinking celebration against one of English soccer's top clubs. Sullivan was among the smallest players on the field that day, but he showed no fear, which is what makes him more than ready for whatever's in his path.

MatériaMais Notícias

Mesmo com o empate em 0 a 0 do Fluminense com o RB Bragantino, o meio-campista Martinelli teve um gosto especial para Martinelli. O jogador de 19 anos utilizou seu Instagram para celebrar sua primeira partida como profissional do Tricolor das Laranjeiras.

“30/11/2020 – Minha estreia no profissional, dia que ficará marcado pra sempre em minha vida e na minha história! Impossível descrever em palavras a felicidade de poder estar vivendo este momento com essa camisa. Obrigado, meu Deus. É tudo no Seu tempo!”.

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Em seguida, o jovem reconheceu que o empate no Maracanã não foi o esperado.

“Não foi o melhor resultado, mas valeu a pena o esforço. No próximo alcançaremos um melhor resultado”.

VEJA A TABELA COMPLETA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

Martinelli foi titular da equipe comandada por Odair Hellmann. O meio-campista foi sacado aos 37 minutos do segundo tempo para a entrada de Nascimento.

ScorecardLuke Wright will bring up his 300th T20 match in the Blast final after he bulldozed 92 to set up Sussex’s semi-final victory over Somerset. Wright’s 53-ball innings was the highest on a Finals Day and, allied to David Wiese’s 52 off 29 deliveries, powered Sussex most of the way towards their 202 for 7 in a stand of 120 in 10 overs for the fourth wicket.It proved more than enough despite a stand of 84 in 7.2 overs between Tom Abell and Corey Anderson. Sussex would have been getting a little nervous as that pair developed and the partnership was only ended when Danny Briggs got a fingertip on a fierce drive from Anderson with Abell out of his ground. From there the game was closed out as Jofra Archer finished with 3 for 32 and Chris Jordan produced a masterclass of yorkers with a maiden in the 17th over.

“Nice to have two non-Test grounds in the final” – Wright

Luke Wright, Sussex captain: “We’ve still got a big job to do now. To get through to the final is very very special. I feel for Somerset because they’ve been such a great side. There’s a lot of young talent on show, and it’s nice to have two non-Test grounds in the final.”
Lewis Gregory, Somerset captain: “Whoever deals with the pressures and demands on Finals Day tends to come out on top. They put us under a lot of pressure, and on the big stage there’s some clouded thinking – guys don’t quite execute how they have done. You’ve got to take your hats off to them: Wrighty played brilliantly and Wiese at the back end struck it beautifully.
“I’m sure we’ll all sit down and have a beer with Johann Myburgh tonight. He’s been a fantastic player for us and he’s one of the genuinely nice guys you want to have around.”

Sussex’s total could have been north of 230 if it hadn’t been for an impressive finish from Somerset – the last five overs of the innings going for just 25 and there wasn’t a boundary from the last 22 deliveries. Jerome Taylor finished with 4 for 20, but the damage had been done in a mid-innings period in which the 13th and 15th overs went for a combined 58.Jamie Overton, touted for an England red-ball call-up in the near future, was dispatched for 31 and Lewis Gregory taken for 27. Gregory had the chance to atone as part of the good finish, but Overton was left with one over unbowled – his brother, Craig, who wasn’t selected, was seen offered some consoling words on the boundary.Wright was one of the early generation of England cricketers to start spreading their wings around the T20 world. It’s a mark of the riches the national team has in white-ball cricket that he is no longer really part of conversations around those sides. He remains a formidable T20 player and this was a superb innings – laying a base in the early stages, then take the innings by the scruff of the neck himself.His fifty took 34 deliveries then he started to hurtle towards three figures as he and Wiese – who struck a monstrous six onto the third tier of the newest stand at Edgbaston – ripped the Somerset bowling to shreds. Had Wright found eight more runs he would have stood alone in second place on the T20 century-makers list; instead he remains in a group on seven, staring upwards at Chris Gayle’s gargantuan figure of 21 hundreds.”I’d have taken that at the start, for sure,” he told moments after walking off. “We tried to use the wind, it is blowing. I just play when the youngsters are in, then managed to get that over off Overton.”Chris Jordan was outstanding at the death•Getty Images

On missing his hundred, he added: “I don’t have to buy a jug tonight now. Got to save the wallet these days.”When Wright fell – caught at long-off against Anderson who had been called into emergency bowling duties – the innings fell away. Wiese, whose fifty had come off 26 balls, was the second of two wickets in two balls to conclude Taylor’s impressive four overs. It had been an important hand from Wiese because when Delray Rawlins, who had started to find his range against spin, fell Sussex were 73 for 3 in the eighth and the allrounders to come.But any bounce Somerset may have felt having clawed their way back with the ball did not last long. Archer’s pace and bounce accounted for Steven Davies, caught off the shoulder of the bat at point, and then he had Johan Myburgh caught in the covers in what would become his final innings in professional cricket. When James Hildreth fell, Somerset were floundering on 48 for 4 after seven overs.Abell breathed life into the chase as he took 25 off an over from Briggs, but Anderson took time to get going. He was twice given a life on 9 – a missed stumping and a chance to deep square – before depositing consecutive sixes off Wiese to increase the tension. Then came the tip of Briggs’ index finger leaving too much even for the in-form Gregory against the pinpoint yorkers of Jordan.The result continued the rapid downturn of Somerset’s season which over the last two weeks has seen their Championship ambitions fizzle away and now another push for a trophy has come up short. One of the club’s finest collections of players still waits for silverware to show for it.

تحدث جوردان هندرسون لاعب ليفربول السابق، وأياكس أمستردام الحالي، عن مرشحه للفوز بالكرة الذهبية “بالون دور” 2024.

ومن المقرر أن يقام حفل جائزة الكرة الذهبية لعام 2024 في سبتمبر، وسيحدد من هو أفضل لاعب في العالم خلال موسم 2023-24.

ومن أبرز المرشحين للجائزة هذا الموسم وفقًا لأدائهم، رودري لاعب مانشستر سيتي، وجود بيلينجهام نجم ريال مدريد، وزميله البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور.

هندرسون في تصريحات سابقة رشح الإسباني رودري للفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية هذا العام، لكنه قدم مرشحًا آخر الآن.

اقرأ أيضًا | “سلموها الآن”.. مدرب إسبانيا يختار بعد التتويج بـ يورو 2024 من يستحق الكرة الذهبية

وقال هندرسون في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية: “أريد فقط تغيير إجابتي، هل هذا جيد؟ هل يمكنني التغيير؟ بيلينجهام”.

وتوج بيلينجهام مع ريال مدريد بلقب دوري أبطال أوروبا والدوري الإسباني، وخسر لقب يورو 2024 مع منتخب إنجلترا.

فيما نجح رودري بالتتويج بلقب اليورو رفقة منتخب بلده إسبانيا، بتحقيق الفوز بهدفين لهدف أمام إنجلترا، وفاز بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مع مانشستر سيتي.

With a sparkling Premier League career that spanned 226 games and returned 56 (mainly emphatic) goals – Tim Cahill is rightfully one of Everton's most revered players.

It's safe to say that since the Australian's transfer in 2012 to Shanghai, there's never been a player that's left the same mark in such a dedicated spell as Cahill.

As many defences and corner flags fell foul to Cahill's greatness, so did many of his successors.

Often flash-in-the-pan forwards that lit up Goodison for a season and then departed, there wasn't really another player ready to fill the dedicated role that Evertonians longed for. There were some strikers that even failed to light it up at all. Sandro, Cenk Tosun, Neal Maupay, Salomon Rondon… they weren't fit to lace the boxing maverick's boots.

Why did Everton sign Neal Maupay?

In August 2022, Everton signed Brighton's Maupay on a three-year-deal for £15m. He was similar in stature to Cahill, could mix it at the best of times, and was reasonably prolific with 26 goals in 102 appearances for the Seagulls.

It was perhaps a case of 'too good to be true' when the Frenchman's first goal for the club reflected the same sort of fan favourite tenacity and fire as Cahill.

Against West Ham, brilliant close control followed by a dastardly turn and shot combo into the bottom left was all too familiar. The icing on the cake? A bolt to the corner flag. Instead of the Aussie's trademark punch combo, Maupay excitedly hoofed the flag.

The Athletic's Greg O'Keeffe happened to write: "After showing a timely slice of quality to provide the winning finish, he gave one of the Gwladys Street End’s corner flags the type of assault they haven’t received since the days of another fiery fan favourite, Tim Cahill."

Was he to be the heir to Cahill's legacy? Well, no. Unfortunately, this display was one of few that offered up treasured parallels back to better times and Maupay steadily fell into a period of struggle similar to the very club around him.

In August 2023, his poor displays and difficulties were epitomised by a torrent of ugly online abuse he received from his own fans after failing to convert a number of chances in a 1-0 defeat to Fulham.

As struggles in front of goal persisted, that previously highlighted strike against West Ham proves to currently be the 5 foot 8 forward's first and last goal for the Toffees in 27 league games.

What are Neal Maupay's best qualities?

After an excruciating dry patch, Sean Dyche lost patience. He opted to go forward with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ellis Simms, and even Demarai Gray instead of the Frank Lampard signing. It says a lot, when two out of three of those names have since departed.

Fortunately, as all parties looked to the door, solace came with a former club. Four years after he left for Brighton, September 2023 saw Maupay return to Brentford on a season long loan.

READ MORE: Where is Salomon Rondon now?

Under a more progressive tactician in Thomas Frank, and potentially spurred on by old exploits (he scored 41 goals in 95 games), Maupay has joined a team where he has more time to play to his strength rather than find himself overlooked in industrial play.

With just one game back at Brentford, it's hard to suggest how good the striker right now. However, through looking at how Frank sets up and Maupay's FBref numbers – we can get a rough idea as to how he could perform.

London Football Writer Jack Brace provided key insight:

"Brenford tend to press high early in games given a more energetic front line without Toney. But they drop deep and counter once they've gone ahead. This has proved detrimental as 6/8 games this season have been lost from winning positions.

"With a lack of presence up top, they're more conservative in possession, making shorter passes, and playing to forwards' feet. Although there is a lack of aerial presence, Maupay could compliment Wissa, Lewis-Potter, and Mbeumo well."

FBref shows that Maupay could play an intriguing role for Franks' grounded, often-reactive pressing side Bees. He is in the top 12% percentile for both blocks and interceptions (0.38 and 1.06 per 90). Although his pass completion of 73.7% could be better – he could be a sleeping giant in an offensive regard if he gets confidence back.

He takes 3.08 shots per game (top 25% percentile) and has an interesting non-penalty xG of 0.48 per 90. This places him in the top 22% bracket of comparable forwards. As Brentford tick over with Toney and now Schade sidelined, a confident Maupay would be a highly welcomed prospect. It's just a shame he never lived up to that Cahill-like robustness on Merseyside.

West Ham United are in the race to sign a new striker in January, but a report has revealed that they aren’t the only club hoping to bring him to the Premier League.

West Ham transfer news

The Irons appear keen to bolster their options in the backline having already been linked with moves for two defenders in the form of Perth Glory’s James Overy and Club America’s Sebastian Caceres, but the centre of the park is another area that they are looking to strengthen.

David Moyes has set his sights on Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli and Manchester United’s Scott McTominay in that defensive midfield role, though with centre-forward reportedly having been made the priority area heading into the upcoming window, the boss is ready to do battle to secure one of his top targets.

Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez has established himself as Arne Slot’s best-performing offensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Feyenoord statistics), and his impressive form has caught the eye of chiefs, but not for the first time at the London Stadium.

The Irons held preliminary talks for the 22-year-old over the summer both with his club and his representatives having been recommended to the hierarchy by technical director Tim Steidten, but having instead chosen to extend his contract, a deal failed to come to fruition before the deadline.

West Ham plotting move for Santiago Gimenez

According to The Mirror, however, Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez is of interest to West Ham who are considering taking a second bite of the cherry for their summer target.

“West Ham are among a long list of clubs chasing highly-rated Feyenoord frontman Santiago Gimenez. West Ham, Tottenham, Arsenal, Newcastle, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, Napoli, Lazio, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have all watched the 22-year-old in action during months gone by and Feyenoord are braced for winter approaches.

"Now Gimenez's value has sky-rocketed upwards of £40million although Feyenoord have no interest in selling their most-valuable asset, particularly halfway through the current campaign, in January.

"Although Gimenez is not the only target of interest – he is believed to be a popular pick among the Hammers' transfer committee despite widespread competition from across Europe.”

Since putting pen to paper at Feyenoord from Cruz Azul last summer, Gimenez has posted a remarkable 44 contributions, 38 goals and six assists, in 57 appearances (Transfermarkt – Gimenez statistics), with this prolific form having seen him described as a “Mexican Machine” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Slot’s left-footed star has also recorded a total of 38 shots so far this season which is more than any other of his fellow teammates (FBRef – Feyenoord statistics), highlighting his desire to create chances and hit the back of the net. Additionally, Gimenez knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level having secured six trophies for both club and country since the start of his career, so he could bring a real winning mentality to the squad at West Ham.

Arsenal have seen an abundance of talent grace the pitch at the Emirates over the years, though not every individual has been as memorable as the next.

Mikel Arteta’s current crop of talent are heading in an upward trajectory, however, the narrative of no smoke without fire comes to mind with reference to the Gunners’ redirection to success.

From the days of mundane mediocrity in Arsene Wenger’s final seasons, to Unai Emery’s derailing of the squad prior to his exit, to Arteta’s successive eighth-place Premier League finishes, Arsenal have struggled to get to where they are now over recent years.

While the north Londoners have found sanctuary in their attacking trio of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Bukayo Saka, the subject of forwards has not always been as well thought of at the Emirates.

Rewind to the 2014/15 campaign during Wenger’s reign, and Arsenal’s three identifiable centre-forwards came in the form of Danny Welbeck, Olivier Giroud, and Yaya Sanogo, a trio renowned for their sometimes questionable quality in front of goal.

Sanogo was a well-thought-of figure in north London, but for the wrong reasons, as his 'bambi-like' ways, as described by Tony Stenson in a Daily Star column, saw a feeling of sympathy rather than frustration adorn his time with the Gunners.

How much Arsenal signed Yaya Sanogo for

Back in 2013, Arsenal announced the signing of Sanogo at the age of 20 from French outfit Auxerre, arriving in north London as a free-agent following the expiration of his contract at the Ligue 2 side.

In his final season with Auxerre, the Frenchman scored an impressive 10 league goals in only 13 appearances, prompting Wenger to approach the prospect in the bid to welcome him to the Emirates.

At the point of his arrival at Arsenal, Wenger admitted that he looked forward to seeing his “promising development” unravel in England, however, this was not the case.

Fast-forward to ten years down the line, and Sanogo is yet to beat his league tally of 10 goals at Auxerre, with his goalscoring knack far from replicated during his time associated with the Premier League side.

Yaya Sanogo's statistics at Arsenal

From injury woes to performance struggles resulting in a lack of selection, Sanogo’s development came to a halt in the instance that he left Auxerre.

During his first season at Arsenal, the 20-year-old prospect quickly showed that there was lots of work to be done for him to make it at top level, as he failed to score or assist in any of his 14 senior appearances handed to him that term.

In the summer of 2014, the Frenchman made a statement in Arsenal’s pre-season fixture against Benfica at the Emirates, scoring four goals to show a snippet of his potential to the home crowd in north London.

The 2014/15 campaign was one of two halves for the forward, as he secured more game time for the first team, including additional appearances in the Champions League.

Aside from his pre-season heroics, the highlight of the Frenchman’s career with the Gunners was in a group stage match in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, where he stunned the Emirates by scoring against Jurgen Klopp’s side as part of Arsenal’s 2-0 win.

While it was a time to be celebrated by the hopeful striker, it marked his only goal for Wenger’s senior team in the entirety of his four-year stay.

Once dubbed a “gamble” by journalist Charles Watts, Sanogo spent a host of time during his association with the Gunners away from north London, as he embarked on varied loan spells in the bid to gain form and confidence.

Season

Club

Goals

2014/15

Crystal Palace

1

2015/16

Ajax

0

2015/16

Charlton Athletic

3

Figures via Transfermarkt

As highlighted in the table above, his time away did not work as hoped, as he continued to show his frailty in front of goal, a trait that is not ideal for a Premier League centre-forward.

Excluding his four goals for Arsenal’s U21s, Sanogo’s time in the capital was inconclusive, however, when reviewing the steps he took after departing, it is notable that a suitable conclusion to his claims as a striker is yet to be found.

What Yaya Sanogo did after leaving Arsenal

Arsenal called it quits with the forward in 2017, as he joined French outfit Toulouse in the summer to end his four-year association in north London.

At Toulouse, the former Gunners dud found some scoring form, netting 16 goals in a total of 72 appearances, with his highest scoring tally being the nine goals he scored across the 2017/18 campaign.

It was an improvement, but still a scoring frequency far from clinical, and after three years back in his homeland, his time was called as his contract expired and the 27-year-old was left without a club.

Year

Club

Appearances

Goals

2017-2020

Toulouse

72

16

July 2020-Feb 2021

No club

N/A

N/A

Feb 2021-July 2021

Huddersfield Town

9

0

July 2021-January 2023

No club

N/A

N/A

2023

FC Urartu

12

4

Figures via Transfermarkt

Alarmingly, it was seven months before Sanogo found a new home, as he was picked up by Huddersfield Town in February 2021, where he failed to score in nine appearances before being released in the summer.

Sadly, the Frenchman then spent a year-and-a-half without a place to play football, with his prayers being answered in January 2023 as he signed for Armenian side FC Urartu.

What Yaya Sanogo is doing now

Now 30 years old, the centre-forward is back to playing football after a disappointing stalemate in his once-promising career.

In 12 appearances for FC Urartu so far, the former France U21 starlet has scored scored four goals, and has started the 2023/24 campaign encouragingly with two goals in eight appearances in the league.

From the highs of playing and scoring among Europe’s elite, to playing in Armenia, Sanogo’s career started in such a promising fashion, but quickly ended as he departed his homeland at a young age.

Not many bad words can be said in regard to Sanogo from an Arsenal point of view, however, not many words of excellence can be shed either, and it is a shame that he was never able to forge a successful career in Europe's major leagues, or in England.