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Neste domingo, o Bragantino volta a campo pelo Campeonato Brasileiro e recebe o São Paulo, que vem embalado após bater o Corinthians.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Dentro do Nabi Abi Chedid, o Massa Bruta quer melhorar o seu desempenho e fortalecer o seu retrospecto positivo contra os gigantes do estado neste Brasileirão.

Até o momento, nos duelos contra Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo e Santos, o Braga não foi derrotado. No total, o time obteve quatro vitórias e dois empates.

São Paulo

No jogo válido pelo turno, o Bragantino não tomou conhecimento do São Paulo e, mesmo após sair atrás no placar, conseguiu reagir e virou o marcador.

Confira os placares:

Corinthians 1 x 2 Bragantino

Bragantino 3 x 1 Palmeiras

São Paulo 1 x 2 Bragantino

Bragantino 2x 2 Santos

Bragantino 2 x 2 Corinthians

Palmeiras 2 x 4 Bragantino

RelacionadasSportSport confia em retrospecto no Allianz Parque diante do PalmeirasSport23/10/2021InternacionalDiante do Corinthians, Internacional quer se consolidar no G-6Internacional23/10/2021BahiaBahia não sofreu gol sob a gestão de Guto FerreiraBahia23/10/2021

Stumps Three wickets in the final session of the day – including a pivotal Kyle Mayers double-strike – ensured that the first Test remained finely poised going into the fourth day, after a 162-run stand between Lahiru Thirimanne and Oshada Fernando had at one point looked like putting Sri Lanka clear.While Sri Lanka’s lead of 153 with six wickets in hand looks promising on paper, their relatively long tail means a lot depends on Dhananjaya De Silva and Pathum Nissanka – their partnership unbroken on 66 – as well as next-man-in Niroshan Dickwella, the last of Sri Lanka’s recognised batsmen.The blueprint for what is needed, however, was mapped out earlier in the day by Oshada and Thirimanne, with the pair’s patience having for long periods blunted whatever the hosts threw at them.That partnership had begun in the sixth over of the innings, after captain Dimuth Karunaratne had edged a wide Kemar Roach delivery to third slip. At that point Sri Lanka, who had picked up the last two West Indian wickets cheaply within the first 15 minutes of the day, were still trailing by 94 runs.By the time Oshada edged a probing outswinger – falling nine runs short of a second Test century – to become Mayers’ maiden Test wicket, that deficit had transformed to a 68-run lead.In between, the the pair eschewed all risk and ground down the West Indies bowlers in what was an obstinate yet effective display. And so it needed to be, with the West Indian bowlers who, while visibly tiring, never gave away easy runs. In the absence of swing – at least far less than on the first two days – their bowlers continued to probe outside off. When that didn’t work they briefly switched to some shorter stuff, before going back to the tactics that had proved so successful in the first innings.But along with the aforementioned lack of swing, the Sri Lankan batsmen too were applying themselves far more adroitly.A key feature of Oshada’s innings was his use of the feet, whether it was coming down the track to the spin of Rahkeem Cornwall or moving back and across against the seamers. He also used the sweep and reverse sweep liberally, and rather successfully too, on the way to his second Test fifty, though the innings wasn’t without its fair share of fortune. Two early boundaries were undeniably of the streaky variety – both edged through the slip cordon – while a medium-difficulty chance at leg slip after gloving a delivery off Cornwall’s bowling was also grassed by Jason Holder when he was on 16.Thirimanne meanwhile recorded consecutive 50-plus scores for the first time in his entire Test career, in an innings that reflected the determination of a man that knows he doesn’t have too many chances left to nail down a spot in the side. His boundaries, rare as they were, were nevertheless exquisite in their execution – be it a back foot punch through cover point, or textbook drives through mid-off.But much of his innings was spent waiting – waiting for the bowlers to bowl to him. He accomplished this by simply refusing to attack deliveries outside off, thus forcing the bowlers to adopt straighter lines. These he would work away either side of the wicket as needed.Indeed his only misstep was his last, playing marginally down the wrong line to one that seamed back in from Roach coming around the wicket. The timing of that dismissal would also have disappointed him, having come just minutes after Mayers had removed Oshada and Dinesh Chandimal in near-identical fashion.But fortunately for Sri Lanka, Dhananjaya and Nissanka combined to stave off any further blemishes.

The likes of Hetmyer and Pooran failed to fire in the T20Is against South Africa

Andrew McGlashan09-Jul-2021West Indies captain Kieron Pollard has pleaded for patience to be shown towards the team’s young batters as they try to build confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup.In the 3-2 series defeat to South Africa, the first of three five-match series West Indies are playing in the space of a couple of months, only Evin Lewis scored more than 100 runs as the batting order failed to fire collectively after starting with an eight-wicket win achieved with five overs to spare.Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran, two of the most talented younger batters in the set-up, scored 128 runs in seven innings between them with the pair both struggling to go at much more than a run-a-ball.”When Hetmyer wasn’t playing people were asking for his inclusion, now he’s playing, he comes in and is trying to fulfil a role,” Pollard told reporters ahead of the opening match against Australia in St Lucia. “He’s a guy who is really, really talented, we have a lot of time for him. Let him play and see if we can reap the rewards of his talent. We are willing to work with him and he’s willing to work. We just want him to succeed.”

“There’s a lot of conversations taking place but we still need to put it into practice. Some things might take longer, but that’s the nature of life.”Kieron Pollard

Pooran, who also has the wicketkeeping gloves, slipped down to No. 7 in the last T20I against South Africa and briefly gave a glimpse of what he is capable of with consecutive sixes off Lungi Ngidi late in the chase. However, overall it has been a difficult year in the format for him which included four ducks in six innings at the IPL and in 13 T20I innings stretching back to December 2019 he has a top score of 26.”Nicholas Pooran, again, a young individual finding his craft, we know he’s talented, and in any sportsman’s career you will go through a period like this,” Pollard said. “It is an opportunity for us to be there for these youngsters and give them this sort of hug and protect them then let them come out of it.”As a team we are willing to work with these youngsters because we know in the future what they can do. Sometimes the easiest suggestion is to put them on the sidelines but is that going to help? Has it worked before?”We are going to stick with these guys because we know deep down inside that these guys are talented and have what it takes to take West Indies cricket forward.”Away from concerns of the form of individual players, Pollard admitted that the batting line-up was struggling to find a balance to their tempo to ensure they don’t lurch too severely between boundaries and dots balls.In the series against South Africa, West Indies faced 233 dot balls in the five games compared to the visitors’ 175 although were miles ahead in the sixes count 53-23.Related

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“Yes, we’ve had a high percentage of dot balls throughout the series and the one prior to that,” Pollard said. “It has been spoken about time and time again, I can assure you that we try not to leave any stone unturned. We have a wealth of experience and wealth of coaches who take time to go into details of where we need to improve as a team.”There’s a lot of conversations taking place but we still need to put it into practice. Some things might take longer, but that’s the nature of life. It’s like going into school, some persons need extra lessons to get it right.””It can become a concern but is it a concern when you look around at the other teams and we hit more boundaries than them at different times. That’s our strength, so it’s two-fold.”Pollard also said it was difficult for players to work on specific skills during series where the matches come think and fast: the five games against Australia and South Africa take place over eight days.”Before the series we might get open nets, we got some in Grenada which was fantastic, not something we’ve had over a period of time so we were able to work on our manoeuvring game, rotating the strike, in a couple of sessions – no boundaries, just looking to rotate the ball.”When you play a series and have two games back-to-back you have one day’s rest, then play another game, the toll that it takes on the body is going to very high. How much can you actually work on a practical perspective to get it right? With that being said, most of time we can have conversations, show the guys visuals of what to expect in those scenarios then when we do get the opportunity we try and work on it as much as possible. We can’t work miracles overnight.”

Manchester United will have to encounter a fighter jet pilot during their Europa League clash against Bodo/Glimt.

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Man Utd up against a fighter jet pilotBodo/Glimt's mental coach dropped bombs in LibyaAmorim set to manage United in his first home game in Europa LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bjorn Mannsverk, who works as a coach at Bodo/Glimt specialising in meditation, mental preparation and mindfulness, served in the Royal Norwegian Airforce and was part of a squadron that dropped bombs during the Libyan conflict in 2011. After leaving the Airforce, Mannsverk joined Bodo/Glimt in 2017 and since then has done wonders with the club, who have won three league titles and are one game away from adding a fourth trophy to their cabinet.

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Mannsverk explained his early challenges at the Norwegian club and how he helped the players overcome their mental issues and converted them into a winning unit. Speaking to , the coach said: "In 2017 they called it a mental collapse collectively in the club. They didn’t have any way of training that. There’s a lot of friction or resistance towards mental training because that’s associated with mental health.

"So they were very cautious. When I met the squad for the first time it was total silence. Then I understood they are not trained to talk together. I asked them, ‘How is the dialogue with the coaching team?’ There is no dialogue. It’s a monologue."

WHAT MANNSVERK SAID ABOUT MAN UTD

When asked about his strategy to motivate his players ahead of the clash against European giants United, Mannsverk replied: "If we do the same thing, it keeps the pressure down."

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Mannsverk visited Afghanistan on two tours before being added to the unit that raided Libya during the conflict. The coach revealed that his experience during the conflict gave him clarity over the benefits of mental training. He continued: "It gave me an extra dimension in being prepared before going down there, reflecting on what is my motivation, what is the risk, what can I contribute? It was a big change from Afghanistan.

"We were based in Crete, staying in a hotel where people go on vacation. You fly your war mission and then you are in shorts and sunglasses eating ice cream by the pool and I was not prepared for that. I could deal with it because I recognised what it did to me."

He added: "My first mission was the first time I dropped bombs in a war. I felt I had a really strong feeling when the bombs left the aircraft. I felt joy and when they exploded in the target I was even more happy. And it surprised me.

"I took time when I was back in the hotel in the morning to reflect on it. I figured out the one thing I feared was to miss my target and kill innocent people. That was my biggest fear, and that I felt responsible for my bombs because, if I hit the wrong target, I could ruin the campaign, the political message."

Rangers medics have been left "genuinely concerned" by an injury to a key player, according to a worrying update from journalist Keith Jackson.

Rangers transfer & injury news

The Gers are back in action on Saturday evening, taking on St Johnstone in a Scottish League Cup second round clash at Ibrox. Away from the on-field action, Philippe Clement's side continue to be linked with new signings, on top of the nine new faces who have already arrived in the summer transfer window.

Albion Rrahmani is one name who has been mentioned as a potential addition at Rangers before the end of the month, with the 23-year-old forward currently plying his trade at Rapid Bucharest. He has also won four caps for Kosovo, highlighting an element of pedigree at international level, too.

Meanwhile, Mali emerging talent Mahamadou Diarra has also been linked with a summer move to the Gers, with contact thought to have been made with the player's agent.

There are also injury problems for Clement to contend with at the moment, however, not least to Ridvan Yilmaz, who picked up a serious-looking thigh problem in the midweek defeat to Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League.

Journalist drops concerning Rangers injury update

Speaking on the Daily Record Sport's Hotline Show [via Ibrox News], Jackson claimed that Ridvan Yilmaz faces months on the sidelines through injury for Rangers, in a huge blow for Clement.

"I’m being told the injury is so bad, the swelling is so bad around the thigh, he’s still not been able to get a scan to find out the full extent.

"The medical department are genuinely concerned by this, there’s a feeling it could be weeks going into months, possibly Autumn before Yilmaz will be in any position to make a comeback."

This would be an absolutely huge setback, both for Yilmaz and Rangers, assuming the left-back's injury does end up being as serious as it is feared to be.

The 23-year-old has started all four games in the Scottish Premiership and Champions League so far this season, playing every minute until he went off injured during the week, showing that he is a key figure under Clement. His manager has described him as a "fighter", clearly valuing him, and Besiktas writer Aaron Armstrong has described the traits the Gers boss will now be missing.

“I’d say there isn’t really a well-known full back that’s identical to him. For me the thing with Rıdvan is that we expect young full back talents to be attacking, especially those who are pacey and have high work rates. But he’s firstly a very good defender, he’s never out of his depth and always aware. He has improved his crossing a lot from last year and he has good fundamentals like vision and reading the play."

As bad as the ref: Clement's 6/10 man just cost Rangers a UCL jackpot

Philippe Clement’s men now drop into the group stages of the Europa League

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 14, 2024

The hope is that Yilmaz's layoff is as short as possible, but this update does not bode well, hampering Rangers' hopes of league glory this season in the process.

أصدر مجلس إدارة النادي المصري، برئاسة كامل أبو علي، قرارًا بمعاقبة لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بعد خسارة اليوم أمام بتروجيت.

وتعثر المصري بخسارة على يد بتروجيت بهدفين مقابل هدف في خضم منافسات الجولة التاسعة من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز “النيل”.

فيديو | بتروجيت يفوز على المصري بثنائية في الدوري

وقرر مجلس إدارة المصري إيقاف مستحقات لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم لأجل غير مسمى، مع خصم مبلغ 200 ألف جنيه من مستحقات كل لاعب.

ويعكس القرار استياء مجلس الإدارة من مستوى الأداء، وحرصه على تحفيز اللاعبين لتحسين أدائهم في المباريات المقبلة.

يذكر أنه بتلك النتيجة ينال المصري اليوم خسارته الثانية مع تحقيق 4 انتصارات و3 تعادلات ليتجمد رصيده عند 15 نقطة محتلًا المركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري.

For South Africa, no one apart from Quinton de Kock scored more than 20

Firdose Moonda01-Jul-2021

West Indies defended 167 in the fourth T20I against South Africa to lock the five-match series at 2-2 and set up a decider for Saturday. Their big names all took responsibility: captain Kieron Pollard top-scored with 51*, Dwayne Bravo claimed career-best figures of 4 for 19, and Chris Gayle taking a wicket with his first ball to go with two catches were the icing on the cake.The home side scored 20 off their first over and 66 in the final four but their innings suffered a lull in between. They managed just 81 runs in the 15 overs from the second to the 17th as South Africa’s spinners put the brakes on. But their efforts were not enough for a batting line-up that lacks a finisher and remains over-reliant on Quinton de Kock.South Africa’s former captain scored a second successive half-century and a sixth T20I half-century in his last 15 matches, but had little support from the other end as no other South Africa batter scored more than 20. They last successfully chased a target above 160 in February 2018 when they beat India, and last won a T20I series in March 2019 against Sri Lanka, but will still have the chance to turn that around in two days’ time.Opening overload…
Aiden Markram, South Africa’s sixth bowler, was given the new ball and eyebrows would have been immediately raised over that choice. Lendl Simmons swept Markram’s first ball past short fine-leg for four, cut his third delivery, which was short and wide, for four more, and then took two sixes off the last three balls. The first was a sweep over fine leg and the second an audacious smack straight down the ground. West Indies scored 20 runs off that over, their most in the first over of a T20I and the most by any team batting first in this format. … and then the squeeze
But South Africa pulled things back impressively and took six wickets in the 15 overs that followed. As has been the case throughout the series, their spinners controlled the run rate and frustrated the West Indies line-up. George Linde was introduced after the powerplay and put in the most economical performance of his T20I career by conceding just 16 runs in four overs. He also brought up 100 wickets in the format – across both international and domestic matches – when Simmons was given out leg before after missing a sweep and being hit in front of middle and leg. Just before that, Linde had Shimron Hetmyer caught behind off an under-edge as well.Tabraiz Shamsi bowled overs in tandem with Linde initially – the pair gave away only 14 runs in five overs – and then returned for a second spell. Shamsi had Nicholas Pooran caught at deep backward square-leg off a top-edge and Andre Russell caught at short fine-leg after the latter top-edged a sweep. The left-arm wristspinner equalled his most miserly effort in T20Is with figures of 2 for 13, an identical analysis to the last match.Take it on the knee!
With West Indies on 101 for 6 after 16 overs and a par score looking distant, Pollard took matters into his own hands. He drilled the first ball of Anrich Nortje’s final over straight back to him and clattered him on the left knee. Nortje went down for several minutes, his face scrunched up in obvious pain. He received some treatment on field, got back up and bowled the remainder of his over before hobbling off for some rest to the applause of his team-mates.Dwayne Bravo finished with career-best figures of 4 for 19•AFP/Getty Images

South Africa’s tight work unraveled in those last four overs, when they conceded 66 runs as Pollard and Fabian Allen took on the specialist quicks. The pair scored six sixes in that period compared to the West Indies’ five in the rest of the innings, and Pollard hit three in three balls off Kagiso Rabada, who bowled his most expensive T20 over. Rabada delivered the penultimate over of the innings, which was also the most expensive at 25 runs, and did not complete a full quota for the first time in T20Is since his debut in 2014. Also, Lungi Ngidi’s two death overs cost 30 runs as Pollard brought up a sixth T20I half-century and his highest score in seven innings.Too cool for (old) school
The combined age of West Indies’ opening bowling pair in this match was 80 years, with Fidel Edwards (39) in his second series since his Kolpak comeback and Gayle (41) sharing the new ball, though their youth appeared endless. Edwards gave little away until his last ball, but it was Gayle whose was on full display. He took on bowling duties complete with cap, sunglasses and earpiece on, lured Reeza Hendricks out of the crease, beat him on the drive and had him stumped, before cartwheeling in celebration. Gayle told the commentary team he had been dared to mimic Kevin Sinclair, who showed off some gymnastics moves earlier in the series.Take it on the shoulder now!
Nortje was not the only player to suffer an injury in the match. Allen jammed his right shoulder into the ground beyond the square-leg boundary when he tried to cut off a Temba Bavuma sweep. He didn’t save the boundary and his arm was put in a sling as he left the field before he could bowl, with what appeared to be a dislocated shoulder. Allen was the only specialist spinner in the West Indies XI. His overs were made up for by Pollard and Russell, who bowled his entire quota in a T20I for the first time since March last year.Bravo for West Indies
Allen’s absence was also mitigated by the performance of Bravo, who has been consistently excellent with the ball in this series and continued in that vein in this match. Bravo’s first spell straddled the powerplay and cost just eight runs before a second at the death was laced with slower balls. He collected 4 for 11 in 12 balls in the closing stages of the match to eventually finish with career-best figures of 4 for 19. Bravo had Linde caught at point off a slower ball, de Kock caught in the same position chasing a wide full toss, Shamsi skying a ball to Gayle at extra cover and Ngidi holing out to square leg, as he took 3 for 1 in the 18th over to shut South Africa out of the contest.

An Arsenal summer target has suggested he made the right decision by not joining Mikel Arteta's side this season.

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• Arsenal tried to sign Spaniard
• Ended up staying at Espanyol
• Says he 'couldn't miss this opportunity'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal reportedly bid €20 million (£17m/$22m) for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia this summer but the La Liga team valued him at €30m (£25m/$33m). Now, the 23-year-old has opened up on staying with his current side, saying he "could not miss this opportunity" after cementing his place in goal.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT JOAN GARCIA SAID

  He told Marca on Thursday: "I tried to isolate myself from everything that was being talked about. I had been given the opportunity for what I had been fighting for a long time, which was to be Espanyol’s starting goalkeeper. And I could not miss this opportunity."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ultimately, Garcia would have been a backup option to Arsenal's first-choice stopper, David Raya. The former Spain under-21 player only made his first-team breakthrough towards the tail end of last season and if he continues to perform well, the 6ft 3in man is likely to get plenty more opportunities to become a bigger team's number one option – rather than a deputy.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Arsenal, who ended up selling second-choice keeper Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton and bringing in Bournemouth's Neto on loan to compete with Raya, may yet try and swoop for Garcia again in 2025, however.

There might be some discontent concerning Liverpool's business this summer – or, more precisely, lack thereof – but surely the contractual situations of several star members press greater concern on FSG.

Captain Virgil van Dijk, vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and prized forward Mohamed Salah are all stepping into the final years of their contracts, and the fact that it has reached this point is understandably alarming.

Van Dijk, 33, is expected to stay on another year (at least), but Real Madrid are interested in Anfield's cityborn superstar. Salah, 32, is also expected to perform under Arne Slot this season, but Liverpool are lacking in options on the right flank and would be wise to bolster their fold.

While a breakthrough in negotiations with such players would be music to the fanbase's ears, let's also hope there's something in rumours that FSG are finally going to kick Liverpool's transfer window into gear.

Liverpool looking at LaLiga sensation

According to Japanese publication Sponichi, Liverpool are honing in on the signing of Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, who has been touted at £55m by the La Liga outfit.

It's reported that negotiations are already in the final stages with both the transfer fee and annual salary expected to be the 'biggest contracts in Japanese history'.

Kubo's agents have allegedly already arrived in England and an 'agreement may be reached soon'.

The Japan international, 23, has enjoyed a terrific season in Spain and could be the missing ingredient on the right flank, and while he's not the free-scoring winger that Salah is, his skillset could add an invaluable dimension to Slot's attack.

What Takefusa Kubo would bring to Liverpool

Pace, and lots of it. As per FBref, Kubo ranked among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in La Liga last season for progressive carries, the top 20% for successful take-ons and the top 16% for shot-creating actions per 90.

He might not be the most clinical winger on the block but Kubo boasts the complete skillset, with immense playmaking skills and unceasing wheels that allow him to drive into dangerous positions and contribute defensively – moreover, he drifts back, chips in with the defensive efforts.

The table below shows how he compared (in La Liga) last season to the performances of Salah (in the Premier League) – but let's drift away from the Egyptian kind and look at how Kubo, in this way, could be the perfect partner for Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool's homegrown sensation has been one of the linchpins of Jurgen Klopp's success over the past nineish years, with his vast repertoire of ball-playing options placing him among the finest technicians in the game – pundit Jamie Carragher even said that "it's like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back".

Birthed under Klopp's wing, the 25-year-old won the gamut of silverware at Liverpool and fans will now await his starring role in a new era with bated breath. He is irreplaceable.

Last season, in the Premier League, Alexander-Arnold only completed 25 starts due to injuries, but he was utterly mesmerising when performing, ranking among the top 11% of positional peers in the division for goals, the top 20% for assists, the top 1% for passes attempted and shot-creating actions and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90.

The bond that could be forged with Kubo is right there in the metrics: Alexander-Arnold's skillset is replete with creative quality, and there is little question that a fleet-footed player such as Kubo would not thrive with such support behind him.

Moreover, the Sociedad star is – as mentioned – a committed and multi-thinking player, eager to contribute during defensive phases. His 2023/24 La Liga heatmap highlights his vast ground-covering movements on the field, drifting deep to help his full-back.

Claims that Alexander-Arnold is a 'bad' defender might be unjust but he's definitely not a naturally sound defensive player, not lacking in pace and mobility per se but simply not adept as such an operative in the same way that he excels in attacking sequences.

Indeed, in the Premier League last season, the Liverpool linchpin won 44% of his contested ground duels at a rate of 2.7 per game – flick your gaze back to the Kubo and Salah comparison table and you will see that the Egyptian, for all his quality, isn't the best winger in the world to aid in that regard, certainly not like Kubo.

Slot will be working tooth and nail toward successfully crafting Liverpool 2.0 as a unit that can win trophies with constancy, and Kubo – dubbed a "special talent" by journalist John Bunting – would be a brilliant addition to strengthen the Dutchman's accord.

It's important to note that Liverpool are not expecting to make any significant progress in the transfer market over the next fortnight, as Slot's pre-season tour begins in earnest over the pond. This, while somewhat disappointing, is pragmatic and understandable.

With a host of first-team mainstays absent following international commitments, Slot and Co simply want to work with their existing options – many peripheral and of a younger ilk – before FSG grant a major outlay on a new signing.

Perhaps then, such revelations fly in the face of Kubo-centred transfer rumours, but that is not really the case. Liverpool, if reports are to be believed, do have an interest in the player.

Give it some time. When August comes around, Liverpool will seek to accelerate some of their interest. Kubo could be the one to wind up on Merseyside, serving as Salah's foil on the right flank and forming a deadly and dynamic partnership with Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool targeting £30m ace who'd be their most creative CM since Coutinho

He’d be an interesting addition to Arne Slot’s budding project.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 21, 2024

After almost toppling Manchester City in back-to-back Premier League campaigns, Arsenal must take that final step next season and end their two-decade title drought.

Mikel Arteta's men finished just two points off the eventual champions last year, and while they produced the best defence in the entire league, they scored five goals fewer than the Sky Blues and with the margins as tight as they are, that's an area the Gunners need to improve on.

Fortunately, reports over the last few weeks have seen the North Londoners heavily linked to several top strikers, such as Napoli's Victor Osimhen or Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres.

However, with both of those superstars potentially being out of reach for Arsenal, another inform poacher has been touted for a move to the Emirates and could prove to be a realistic alternative to Sporting's Swedish goal machine.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are now interested in Bournemouth's star striker, Dominic Solanke.

The report claims that, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, the Gunners are now keen to secure the Englishman's services this summer.

The £70k-per-week poacher's contract with the Cherries is set to run until June 2027, and so, according to a separate report, they are understandably holding out for a fee in the region of £65m. However, whether a club is actually willing to stump up that sort of money is another thing entirely.

While he might not be as exciting a name as Gyokeres, the former Chelsea ace has proven his ability to score goals in the Premier League and could help move the needle for Arsenal.

Why Solanke would be a great signing for Arsenal

So, the first thing to point out is that, yes, in an ideal world, Arsenal will sign Gyokeres this summer. After all, he scored a frankly ludicrous 43 goals in 50 appearances last season and provided 15 assists for good measure.

However, with reports claiming that Sporting are still after a hefty fee for his services this summer, ranging from £67m to £84m, it looks as if the Gunners aren't going to be signing him.

That said, while Solanke wasn't quite as prolific last year, he was still a goalscoring machine, and the fact he has already proven himself such in the Premier League shouldn't be ignored.

In 42 appearances last season, the "outstanding" marksman, as Paul Merson dubbed him, scored 21 goals and provided four assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.68 games.

This impressive haul would've made the 6 foot 2 forward the Gunners' top goalscorer and second most productive player overall behind only Bukayo Saka, which is an incredibly impressive feat.

Appearances

42

Goals

21

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.59

Moreover, while he wasn't quite as effective the campaign prior, he still racked up 14 goal involvements in 35 games, which equates to a respectable average of one every 2.5 games.

Ultimately, while Solanke might not be the best striker around or as devastatingly effective as Gyokeres appears to be, he is still an excellent goalscorer. If he could score over 20 goals with a midtable Bournemouth side, just imagine what he could do in a title-chasing Arsenal team.

Alongside Merino: Arsenal racing for "monster" to rival the Spaniard

The vastly experienced international would be an excellent signing.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 2, 2024

Therefore, Edu and Co should do what they can to bring him to the Emirates this summer.