With two games, two clean sheets, and two wins in the bag already, it would be fair to say that Arsenal have kicked off their Premier League campaign in brilliant fashion this season.

However, while the focus on the weekend was firmly on happenings at Villa Park, the next four days will see that focus shift almost entirely toward the closing days of the transfer window.

As things stand, the only new addition to Mikel Arteta's squad this summer has been Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori, although it does appear that Mikel Merino's transfer is practically complete, bar the announcement.

However, the good news is that with mere days to go, recent reports have seen the Gunners linked with several talented attackers, including one who would be the ideal solution to the club's Bukayo Saka problem.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

Plettenberg has revealed that while the former Everton ace wants to move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain this summer, the French team are unwilling to meet the demands of the Serie A side, meaning that a deal between the clubs is currently unlikely.

According to reports earlier this month, the Bergamo-based outfit value their talented attacker at between €65m to €70m, which converts to between £55m and £59m.

Overall, the fact that the Nigerian's proposed move to PSG has seemingly fallen through is undoubtedly good news for Arsenal, and while they may be unwilling to match Atalanta's valuation, perhaps a deal could still be struck, as Lookman would be a brilliant signing and a perfect solution to their Saka problem.

Why Lookman solves Arsenal's Saka problem

Okay, so the first thing to do is point out that Arsenal's 'Saka problem' is not a problem with the winger himself. Instead, it is that, at present, the club do not have an adequate backup to the incredible England international in the squad.

For as talented as Reiss Nelson is, it's become crystal clear over the last couple of seasons that Arteta does not see him as a viable alternative or backup to the Gunners' number seven, and in light of the 22-year-old's world-class numbers in recent seasons, that is not entirely surprising.

What the North Londoners need is a genuinely high-quality attacker who can act as the Hale End superstar's backup – or competition – on the right while also being talented enough to fill in across the frontline to pick up enough minutes to remain happy with their role, and in Lookman, they'll get exactly that.

For example, in his career to date, the Wandsworth-born sensation has made 98 appearances as a left-winger, 62 as a right-winger, 54 as a second striker, 32 as a centre-forward, 14 as an attacking midfielder and even two as a left-sided midfielder, showing that he can start and star anywhere in attack.

On top of his positional versatility, he is currently in red-hot form. In 45 appearances last season, the "blistering" attacker, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored 17 goals and provided ten assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.66 games – talk about effective.

Lookman vs Arsenal's most productive attackers in 23/24
Player	Lookman	Saka	Odegaard	Havertz
Appearances	45	47	48	51
Goals	17	20	11	14
Games	10	14	11	7
Goal Involvements per Match	0.60	0.72	0.45	0.41
All Stats via Transfermarkt

This incredible form would have made him the second most productive player in the Gunners' squad last season, behind only the player he would hopefully deputise for next season, Saka.

Ultimately, Lookman is an effective attacking talent in the peak years of his career who can play on the right as well as across the frontline, and if he were to join Arsenal this summer, he would be the dream solution to Arteta's Saka problem.

Therefore, Edu Gaspar and Co must do what they can to get this transfer over the line, as he'd dramatically improve the squad.

Arsenal struck gold on "sensational" ace worth more than Merino & Williams

The special attacker has a massive season ahead of him this year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 25, 2024

On Saturday evening two heavyweight gladiators met in the form of Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua. Nearly 200 miles north on Sunday, two heavyweights met again, this time at the Etihad Stadium as Arsenal took on title rivals Manchester City.

Kai Havertz may have sent Rodri sprawling to the canvas like AJ after just five seconds on the clock but there was no knockout blow yesterday.

Instead, City and Arsenal shared the spoils from a contest that couldn’t have been more one-sided if they tried.

It was a peculiar match. The inevitable Erling Haaland struck the first blow and for a period of time it looked as though Pep Guardiola’s men, as Dubois had done 18 hours or so prior, were going to win the fight.

Yet, Mikel Arteta’s side fought back through two defenders; Ricciardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes, before Leandro Trossard’s foolish red card condemned his teammates to a second half of parking the bus.

Arsenal did so sensationally well until John Stones popped up with a matter of moments left to rescue a 2-2 draw for his team.

So, in a game of incredible highs and incredible lows, it was Trossard or Michael Oliver depending on your persuasion who was to blame.

Trossard’s performance vs Man City

Since signing from Brighton in a bargain £27m deal back in January 2023, the Belgian has been a force for the Gunners.

Only Bukayo Saka scored more than Trossard’s haul of 17 in all completions for Arsenal last season and after finding the net against Aston Villa in match week two, it looked as though he was set another captivating year in front of goal.

Well, perhaps let’s think again, shall we? The winger has been hit or miss this season and you can hardly blame an element of ineffectiveness over his last few matches. Playing out of position in a more central role in the absence of injured Martin Odegaard, it’s not been a triumphant time.

The Belgium international was pretty anonymous against the Lilywhites last week and was just as poor, if not worse, at the Etihad on Sunday.

He spurned a glorious first-half chance after meeting Gabriel Martinelli’s cutback and then came a moment of madness.

Just a matter of weeks ago he had seen teammate Declan Rice sent off for ‘delaying the restart’ and the same eventuality fell Trossard’s way this weekend, heaving the ball forward despite Oliver having already blown his whistle for a free-kick.

The referee whipped out a yellow card and as it was a second caution swiftly handed him a red for his troubles. Like Rice, he’d been made to pay the price for kicking the ball away. This time there could be no excuse..

It wasn’t as though he was having a particularly great afternoon before that, failing to win any of his individual duels and unsurprisingly boasting fewer touches (11) than goalkeeper David Raya (52).

So, what happens next? Well, Trossard is now suspended for the League Cup tie with Bolton Wanderers in midweek.

He is back for the match with Leicester next weekend but shouldn’t keep his place following a display that GOAL reporter Charles Watts suggested warranted a dismal 3/10 match rating.

Trossard’s best replacement

With Odegaard still nursing his ankle injury then the clash with both Bolton in a few days time and the Premier League fixture with Leicester next weekend represents the ideal chance to give Ethan Nwaneri his first senior start for the club.

Appearing aged 15 in the Premier League, coming off the bench against Brentford in 2022, he is now 17 and widely regarded as one of the hottest young talents in the country.

#1 Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 5 months, 28 days

2022: Brentford

#2 Cesc Fabregas

16 years, 5 months, 24 days

2003: Rotherham

#3 Jack Wilshere

16 years, 8 months, 12 days

2008: Blackburn

#4 Jermaine Pennant

16 years, 10 months, 15 days

1999: Middlesbrough

#5 Paul Vaessen

16 years, 11 months, 11 days

1978: Lokomotive Leipzig

#6 Ryan Smith

16 years, 11 months, 18 days

2003: Rotherham

#7 Gedion Zelalem

16 years, 11 months, 29 days

2014: Coventry

#8 Armand Traore

17 years, 16 days

2006: West Brom

A fleeting four-minute substitute display in the north London derby are all the minutes he’s played in 2024/25 but there is surely no better time to finally integrate him and unleash the young Englishman than over the club’s next two fixtures.

So, why is Nwaneri such a promising young player? Well, he possesses that rare gift of making something happen out of nothing. For those of an Arsenal persuasion, let’s call it the Odegaard gene.

Capable of unlocking a defence by simply finding the net himself or by weaving his magic to pick out a teammate, the teenager seemingly has it all and is ready to take the Premier League by storm.

The Odegaard role is perfect for him, playing off the right side but occupying central areas that helped him achieve the best part of 18 goals and four assists in youth action last term.

It would be too far to say this is now or never for Nwaneri but it is important for him to get a footing and feel for the Premier League on a regular basis now.

Hailed as an “outstanding internal solution” by analyst Ben Mattinson, that’s precisely what he could prove to be as Arsenal look to solve not just Trossard’s red card but their gutting Odegaard blow.

Against the newly promoted Leicester, the England youth international could finally earn a chance to impress. He certainly deserves to after their Belgian’s moment of madness on Sunday.

Alongside Gabriel: Arsenal star who made 0 passes all game bullied Man City

Arsenal nearly escaped the Etihad with all three points.

ByMatt Dawson Sep 22, 2024

A player praised for his lightning-quick speed is said to have been in “constant contact” over potentially joining Arsenal via his representatives, with transfer chief Edu Gaspar and co casting their eyes on the January window after a productive summer.

Arsenal planning for 2025 after £100 million summer transfer window

In their bid to usurp Man City and win their first Premier League title in over two decades, Mikel Arteta’s side splashed just over £100 million on five new recruits before summer deadline day on August 30.

Related Arsenal in talks with "exciting" £84m player and his reps ahead of January

The Gunners have reached out for discussions.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Sep 19, 2024

David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Neto and Raheem Sterling all put pen to paper on moves to north London, with the latter making his debut off the bench in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Tottenham last Sunday.

Merino fractured his shoulder in training, and will have to wait for his first appearance in an Arsenal jersey. Meanwhile, Calafiori is back from a calf injury and could play against Atalanta in the Champions League this evening.

However, Arsenal’s injury crisis of late has highlighted the fact that Arteta could still do with extra bodies in key areas. The club is reportedly putting transfer plans in motion ahead of 2025 as a result, with a few interesting names linked in the past fortnight.

Lille striker Jonathan David is a target for Arsenal heading into January, as Edu contemplates a cut-price deal for the clinical forward who is out of contract next summer as things stand.

While Kai Havertz has continued to shine in a makeshift centre-forward role this season, already bagging two goals and an assist over his first four Premier League games, Arsenal continue to be linked with strikers in particular.

Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres’ agents have held talks with Arsenal, following the Swede’s electric start to 2024/2025, and the same can be said for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

Benjamin Sesko in "constant contact" over joining Arsenal

As per TEAMtalk, it is believed Sesko has been in “constant contact” over joining Arsenal, via his agents, with the Slovenia international having a gentleman’s agreement to leave Leipzig next year or in 2026 (Fabrizio Romano).

The 21-year-old scored 18 goals in all competitions for Leipzig last season, attracting attention from Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United, but Sesko snubbed all of their summer proposals in favour of staying at his current club for another campaign (Fabrizio Romano).

It appears the £92,000-per-week ace chose to further his development in the Bundesliga before deciding on a possible Premier League move in future. If or when Sesko does decide the time is right to go, it looks as if Arsenal will be at the front of the queue for his services.

“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Joshua Zirkzee was reportedly spotted on the verge of tears after being substituted early in Manchester United's loss to Newcastle on Monday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Zirkzee ran down tunnel after Newcastle substitution
• Spotted welling up after being jeered off
• Man Utd fell to another defeat

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Zirkzee lived through the most embarrassing moment of his career in United's loss to Newcastle. At 2-0 down, head coach Ruben Amorim made the decision to take off one of his striker's and as the Dutchman's name was announced, Old Trafford erupted into cheers following a poor cameo. Zirkzee was jeered as he made his way off before putting his coat on and darting down the tunnel in the corner of the pitch. According to , the young forward was 'seen with tears in his eyes' in the tunnel as the crowd reaction left him visibly emotional.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Amorim sympathised with Zirkzee in his post-match press conference, admitting the former Bologna man was "struggling". He said: "I talked with Josh about that, because it's important to express the message, but I'm always thinking about the team, and, in that moment, it was important for the team for Josh to go out.

  "You have to think about the team and also, sometimes about the player, because the player is suffering. I was there a few years ago and I know that he wants [it], because I saw it during the week, and that's the most important thing. He's a really good lad, so you'll have the support and you will prepare the next game."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Zirkzee was made the scapegoat for United's first-half performance against Newcastle but the truth is the entire team display was below par. The Magpies looked sharper in every department and the home side rarely had a sniff at goal, despite having two strikers on the pitch. The incident is more reflective of the general mood around United rather than the fans' opinion of a player who joined the club just a few months ago.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ZIRKZEE?

  Amorim says Zirkzee will prepare for the next game but it remains to be seen whether he will use him for the huge clash at Liverpool on Sunday. The 23-year-old has scored just three goals in 19 Premier League appearances for United this term.

INEOS are reportedly holding internal talks over Manchester United completing the signing of an "extraordinary" free agent – one who is more valuable than anyone else on the market currently.

Man Utd struggling despite new signings

It has been a testing start to the season at Old Trafford, with two defeats already coming their way in their opening three Premier League matches, including last weekend's humbling 3-0 loss at the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool. Casemiro's performance was so poor that he was substituted at half-time – he essentially cost his side two goals – but Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Brazilian is still likely to stay put this month.

It was a good summer transfer window for United, despite their current struggles, with Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt strengthening the defence, Manuel Ugarte acting as an upgrade on Casemiro and Joshua Zirkzee joining from Bologna to provide competition for Rasmus Hojlund. However, Ugarte is not expected to be fully fit for many weeks or even months, according to Erik ten Hag.

In terms of other additions, free agent Yusuf Yazici has reportedly been offered to the Red Devils, with the 27-year-old leaving Lillie earlier in the year, being seen as a possible upgrade on the ageing Christian Eriksen. It remains to be seen if United will take up the offer, but a host of clubs are believed to be in the mix. There is still a chance for Ten Hag to bring in further players to bolster his squad – and his chances of staying in the job – but only free agents are available.

INEOS hold talks over signing "extraordinary" ace

According to a fresh claim from TEAMtalk, Manchester United owners INEOS are holding internal talks over the signing of Adrien Rabiot, who left Juventus at the end of last season, given the dire straits they find their midfield in after Casemiro's nightmare start and Ugarte's struggle to get fit.

The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Old Trafford plenty of times in recent months, being seen as an ideal figure to come in and add class to the midfield, and he is currently the most expensive free agent listed on Transfermarkt, being valued at £29.5m. He would however go against INEOS' strategy of targeting younger players on lower wages, perhaps what is currently keeping the internal discussions from progressing to a formal offer.

Rabiot could be a real signing of intent on top of Ugarte, easing the workload of the waning Casemiro and the need to play him, with so much quality in his armoury, both on and off the ball. Last season, he scored five goals and registered three assists in Serie A, as well as averaging 1.9 tackles per game. The 29-year-old has also been lauded by former France and Juve striker David Trezeguet, who waxed lyrical over him back in 2022.

"We are talking about a problem for Juventus because in Italy he may have been targeted for criticism, but in France it’s completely different. He is world class, an extraordinary player. Now he will evaluate his options and will go back to being the important player he always was."

Paris Saint-Germain

227

24

14

Juventus

212

22

15

Toulouse

13

1

3

Whether Sir Jim Ratcliffe manages to entice Rabiot to United remains to be seen, but if he can strike a deal for him, it could be an inspired piece of business. The fact that he would come in on a free transfer also takes out plenty of risk, should he struggle to set the world alight at Old Trafford.

It’s been a brutal start to the Premier League season for Everton this year.

Sean Dyche’s side have lost four from four, they’ve conceded 13 goals, scored just four of their own, and seem utterly incapable of holding on for a win after blowing a 2-0 lead for the second time in as many games yesterday.

While the Toffees did take the lead during the game at Villa Park and at one point looked on course for a first win of the campaign, there were several notably poor performers, including one who’s becoming a real problem for the Merseysiders and ended up taking fewer touches than Jordan Pickford in goal.

Pickford's performance in numbers

Now, the first thing to clarify is that Pickford has proven over the years that he is a great keeper, one more than capable of playing for a Premier League side pushing for Europe, but following a 3-2 loss, it’s rather difficult to shower a shot-stopper with praise, even if his performance wasn’t too bad.

For example, the Liverpool Echo’s Chris Beesly gave the Englishman a 6/10 on the day for his all-round display, but was sympathetic when it came to his involvement in the three goals, claiming that there’s ‘little you can do’ about a goal like Jhon Durán’s and that ‘he could do nothing about Watkins’ finish for the equaliser.’

So, while the former Sunderland ace cannot be entirely blamed for the three goals, the 6/10 rating seems fair, especially as his individual statistics from the match aren’t particularly impressive either.

Minutes

96′

Saves

4

Goals Conceded

3

Goals Prevented

-0.64

Runs out

2

Punches

1

Touches

42

Passes (Accuracy)

22/31 (71%)

Long Balls (Complete)

21 (12)

Clearances

1

For example, in his 96 minutes of action, he made four saves but produced a prevented goals figure of -0.64, succeeded in his two runs out, punched one ball, took 42 touches, was accurate in only 71% of his passes, and completed just 12 of 21 long balls and made one clearance.

In all, while he conceded three goals, Pickford was let down by his defence, and while he wasn’t great, he also wasn’t as bad as the scoreline would suggest, which is something that cannot be said about one of his teammates who took fewer touches than he did.

Ashley Young's performance in numbers

Yes, likely to no one’s surprise, veteran full-back Ashley Young is the problem player Dyche must consider dropping from the starting XI.

The former England international has buckets of experience, both in defence and on the wing, but it would be fair to say that for part of last season and so far this season, he has caused more problems for the Toffees than he has solved, and his display at Villa Park yesterday was another underwhelming one – to put it diplomatically.

The former Villa man was given a 5/10 by the Echo’s Beesly after the game, who wrote that it was simply ‘more pain for him back at the Villa’ and that he was ‘targeted in the right-back berth early on’.

Minutes

96′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Expected Assists

0.01

Clearances

5

Tackles

3

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Possession Lost

5

Key Passes

0

Touches

40

Crosses

0

Long Balls (Complete)

7 (4)

Passes (Accuracy)

19/23 (83%)

Dribbles

0

Fouls

1

That might sound like a harsh rating to give the 39-year-old, but based on his statistics from the match, it’s more than fair.

In his 96 minutes of action, the Stevenage-born ace took just 40 touches, lost possession five times, produced an expected assist figure of just 0.01, was accurate in just four of seven long balls, didn’t attempt a single cross or dribble, committed one foul, maintained a passing accuracy of just 83%, made five clearances and three tackles and won four of five ground duels.

Ultimately, while it wasn’t Young’s worst performance in an Everton shirt, it was another one in which he wasn’t particularly sound at the back and offered little to nothing going forward.

If Dyche wants to ensure the Toffees’ survival and lead them back to where they belong, he should look to drop the Englishman going forward.

The Telegraph share major Sean Dyche sack update from Everton chiefs

It comes amid speculation aplenty among Everton fans and the media.

ByBen Browning Sep 14, 2024

Big picture

After snatching rare ODI Super league points against what was arguably a third-string India side, Sri Lanka will now have to deal with some of the best IPL players in this T20I series. And they might have to do so without the top scorer and top wicket-taker in the LPL – Danushka Gunathilaka (suspended for bio-bubble breach while on tour in England) and Wanindu Hasaranga (recovering from injury). Sri Lanka’s recent form is also stacked against them: they have lost all but one of their last 13 (completed) T20Is. That solitary victory came against West Indies, the reigning world T20 champions, on a sluggish surface in Antigua, where their spinners clicked in unison.On Friday, too, it was the spinners who fashioned Sri Lanka’s victory and although India are better than West Indies in dealing with slower bowlers, spin could be Sri Lanka’s best bet on a potentially helpful Khettarama track. Akila Dananjaya, playing his first ODI of the series, posed a threat by turning the ball both ways while rookie left-arm fingerspinner Praveen Jayawickrama tricked batters with subtle changes in pace.Sri Lanka, by the way, haven’t qualified for the T20 World Cup main draw yet. They a top-two finish in the first round – where they are grouped alongside Ireland, Netherlands and Namibia – to enter the Super 12 stages. As for India, they are bona-fide contenders for the title along with West Indies and England. This series will be the last chance for them to fine-tune their plans before the tournament.Related

• Dhawan eager to make his place 'stronger for World Cup' with Sri Lanka T20Is

• Chakravarthy gets ready for his first, best, and only chance

• Suryakumar: How I build from here is all in my hands

• Sophisticated approach helps Avishka in ODIs

Can Varun Chakravarthy prove his fitness and emerge as the point of difference in India’s attack? Yuzvendra Chahal or Rahul Chahar: who will be India’s first-choice legspinner for the World Cup? Can Prithvi Shaw keep going and stake his claim for a more permanent role at the top in white-ball internationals? Chetan Sakariya or T Natarajan(injured and hence not on this tour)? These are some of the questions facing the Indian management in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, which will be held in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14.

Form guide

Sri Lanka LLLLW (Last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
India WWLWL
6:26

Chopra: Make or break series for Chakravarthy

In the spotlight

Chamika Karunaratne has often done the tough job for Sri Lanka this white-ball series – finish the innings with the bat and take up bowling when the side needs a breakthrough – and he has done it with gusto. The 25-year old has a variety of attractive shots in his locker, including the helicopter, and there are shades of Dhammika Prasad in his bowling, especially when he pounds the deck. He could also make his T20I debut on Sunday.Over the years, Sri Lanka have had many mystery spinners who have bamboozled oppositions – remember Ajantha Mendis and Sachithra Senanayake? – and now India have one of their own in Varun Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy can bowl in the powerplay, in the middle overs, and also in the slog, which is why the team management is giving him another crack at international cricket, despite having failed two fitness tests in the past.

Team news

Kasun Rajitha has been ruled out with injury while Hasaranga is likely to return to the team despite the short turnaround. If Hasaranga is fit, Jayawickrama will have to wait for his T20I debut. Sri Lanka might also consider bringing back Isuru Udana, who is more of a T20 specialist.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Avishka Fernando, 2 Minod Bhanuka (wk), 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Chamika Karunaratne, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga/Praveen Jayawickrama, 9 Isuru Udana, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Akila DananjayaChakravarthy, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devdutt Padikkal were the only three players from India’s squad who didn’t get a game in the preceding ODI series. While there are no real vacancies in the batting line-up, Chakravarthy could potentially make his first international appearance. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar are likely to slot back into the XI, having been rested among six changes on Friday.India (probable): 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Sanju Samson, 5 Suryakumar Yadav, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya/K Gowtham, 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal/Rahul Chahar

Pitch and conditions

The Khettarama pitch could take turn as it had done during the ODIs. The overhead conditions might be cloudy, with chances of rain on Sunday evening too.

Stats and trivia

• Three batters had scored more runs than Shaw’s 308 in the first half of IPL 2021 but nobody in the top 20 had a greater strike rate than his 166.48.
• Sri Lanka last won a bilateral T20I series in 2019, when a second-string side toured Pakistan and surprised them. They’ve lost each of their next five rubbers since.
• India have won 13 of the 19 T20Is they have played against Sri Lanka.

Quotes

“I did change a few little things between the England series and this one. I had an issue with my front leg going to the off side too much. So I corrected that in training, and then because of that I was able to get back in the runs.”
“After I came to Mumbai Indians in 2018, things started changing a bit. I got to know what my responsibility is, how do I go about my game, how can I take it one step ahead.”

Since Declan Rice left West Ham in 2023, the Hammers have made signings such as Edson Alvarez and Guido Rodriguez in attempts to replace the England international and the qualities he brought to the side.

Arsenal acquired Rice for £105m, a record transfer fee received by West Ham, and a record transfer fee paid by the Gunners.

Rice made 51 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal last season, scoring seven goals, providing ten assists, and contributing to 21 clean sheets in his 4,274 minutes played.

Some Irons supporters may well think he's fallen off since his days as the leader of the pack at the London Stadium but the footballing world would say otherwise. So good was Rice in a Gunners shirt that he's been named among the nominees for the 2024 Ballon d'Or.

Alvarez may have replaced Rice well since but there was another possible alternative who's now already left the club. That man is Flynn Downes.

Flynn Downes at Southampton

Downes spent a wonderful loan spell with Southampton in the Championship last season, making 37 appearances for the Saints, scoring two goals, providing three assists, and contributing to 14 clean sheets in his 2,907 minutes played.

Southampton acted on his excellent loan, making the move permanent this summer, for a fee of around £18m.

Downes has started the season well, despite Southampton's poor start, starting all three games for the Saints and playing 270 minutes across those matches.

Despite exiting the Hammers, he appears to be improving all the time, living up the words of a certain David Moyes below.

Downes vs Rice & Soler comparison

West Ham recently signed Carlos Soler on loan from PSG, another midfielder who can bring certain technical qualities to Julen Lopetegui's midfield group.

Soler made 28 appearances for PSG in all competitions last season, where he supplied four assists and scored twice. It's not quite the numbers Rice totted up admittedly.

However, when you compare Downes with the two of them, you can clearly see the difference in play style between Rice and Soler, and how the new Saints man could have been the happy medium. In fact, in plenty of metrics he trumps the club's exciting summer addition.

Downes vs Rice vs Soler comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)	Downes	Rice	Soler
Passes Attempted	76.7	58.8	64.3
Pass Completion %	93%	87.1%	85.7%
Key Passes	0.88	0.98	1.64
Progressive Carries	1.70	2.59	1.23
Progressive Passes	4.31	6.62	6.07
Passes into Final Third	4.24	6.60	4.75
Tackles	2.12	2.22	1.23
Blocks	1.10	1.20	0.82
Interceptions	1.61	1.63	0.56
Stats taken from FBref

Downes averages the highest passes attempted and pass completion per 90, showing his quality and composure on the ball, something that Lopetegui highlights in his midfield, and a reason Soler has been signed, to add more technical quality in possession.

The 25-year-old Englishman also ranks far closer to the club's former skipper in defensive actions, averaging 2.12 tackles per 90, compared to Rice's 2.22, averages 1.10 blocks, compared to the Arsenal midfielder's 1.20, and averages 1.61 interceptions, compared to Rice's 1.63.

Soler excels more with his creative passing, averaging the most key passes per 90 of the three. The Spaniard also ranks highly for progressive passes per 90, with 6.07. That comes ever so close to Rice's tally of 6.62 per 90.

Whilst Downes only averages 4.31 progressive passes per 90, he does average more progressive carries than Soler, with 1.70 per 90, indicating that he's more fluid when driving forward with the ball.

Considering West Ham sold Rice for such a substantial fee, Downes could have been their answer to replacing him all along, with a good blend of defensive and on-the-ball qualities, which could have benefited the team in both the short and long term.

West Ham sold a "deadly" star in 2023, now he's outscoring Fullkrug

West Ham sold deadly star too soon, as he is now outscoring Fullkrug

1

By
Connor Holden

Sep 4, 2024

GOAL offers 10 bold predictions for a year to include the Club World Cup, Nations League, Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup

American soccer had a largely electric year in 2024. The U.S. women's national team won Olympic gold, while the men advanced to the knockout stage in the Paris Games for the first time in 24 years. Adding to the momentum, both programs secured marquee coaching hires — Emma Hayes for the women and Mauricio Pochettino for the men — setting the stage for further success in 2025.

At the club level, Marta and the Orlando Pride claimed their first NWSL title, while the LA Galaxy returned to the summit of MLS for the first time in a decade. Blockbuster arrivals added to the excitement, with Asisat Oshoala and Racheal Kundananji joining the NWSL, while Luis Suárez, Olivier Giroud, and Marco Reus all made their way to MLS.

Overall, American soccer feels healthy. The foundations have been put in place and ambitions have never been greater. That spirit was celebrated by the GOAL Champions, the inaugural awards recognizing the most unique and most compelling players, coaches, fans and moments from soccer in the U.S. in 2024.

But that's just the beginning. Now it's on to 2025. This summer, the U.S. will host FIFA's expanded Club World Cup, featuring powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Chelsea, Inter Miami and Boca Juniors in a competitive tournament. On the international stage, both the USWNT and USMNT will have trophies to chase.

What to expect? GOAL makes 10 bold predictions for a packed 2025, a year that will include the Club World Cup, Nations League, Gold Cup, SheBelieves Cup, and more.

AFP1Alexia Putellas will come to the NWSL

Ever since Jonatan Giraldez arrived in the NWSL with the Washington Spirit last year, there have been rumors that the Spaniard has wanted to bring former Barcelona Femeni stars with him. Come 2025, that will finally happen, with two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexis Putellas arriving, where she will sign with the Spirit – forming a stupendous attacking partnership with U.S. international Trinity Rodman.

The 30-year-old signed a two-year extension with the Spanish club in May 2024, keeping her in Barcelona through 2026. However, Giraldez and owner Michelle Kang will force the hand of the club, and she will be the league's blockbuster signing of 2025 – and perhaps the final piece of the puzzle that takes the Spirit to the next level.

The Spirit and Rodman featured in NWSL's Championship game in 2024, but fell just short in the final to Marta and the Orlando Pride. They know they need to elevate their squad to climb higher, and Putellas would be the perfect fit.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport2Gio Reyna will leave Borussia Dortmund

Gio Reyna's uptick in form in December arrived at the perfect time, considering the start of the winter transfer window. And it's time for the 21-year-old to depart Borussia Dortmund. The U.S. international plied his trade there as a teenager, broke into the first-team, and announced himself as a footballing prospect with the German club. However, the past year has been miserable for him, and regardless of what Nuri Sahin says, he will leave the in 2025.

In January 2024, he departed on loan to Premier League side Nottingham Forest – but the move was a disaster, and he struggled to even find minutes off the bench.

As he looks to take the next steps in his young career, both he and his agent will see that it's in his best interest to move on from Signal Iduna Park and test new waters – whether that be a different Bundesliga club or moving abroad to England, Spain, Italy, France or even the Netherlands.

Getty Images Sport3Neymar will move to MLS

The Brazil superstar has had a rough time since moving from France to Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal, sustaining a gruesome ACL injury while on international duty with the early on in his time with the Middle Eastern club. And upon his return in 2024-25, he encountered yet another setback with the club.

His contract expires in June 2025, and he'll be a free agent seeking his next venture. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the 32-year-old recently purchased a $26M waterfront property in Miami, only adding fuel to transfer talk.

What makes the move most likely, though, is that David Beckham and and Inter Miami will want to reunite the Brazilian with ex-Barcelona teammates Sergio busquets, Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi and now, manager Javier Mascherano.

If the can make it happen financially, it's a no-brainer of a move.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty4Emma Hayes will remain undefeated, win second Ballon d'Or award

After taking over the USWNT program just two months ahead of the Paris Olympics, Hayes delivered with precision. The U.S. claimed a gold medal at the Paris Games, and followed it up with a series of victories – making Hayes unbeaten in 15 games in charge of the USWNT.

Heading into 2025, that zero in the loss column isn't set to change, either. The Englishwoman and the U.S. will remain undefeated, going an entire calendar year without losing – including winning the SheBelieves Cup.

And as a reward, Hayes will once again be named Women's Coach of the Year at the prestigious Ballon d'Or ceremony, claiming it for the second straight year after her 2024 accolade.

Bangladesh head coach says he does not expect big turning tracks in his side’s bid to register their first T20I series win over Australia

Annesha Ghosh01-Aug-2021Bangladesh are looking for their first-ever T20I series win against Australia, but they won’t resort to big turners in order to achieve this. Head coach Russell Domingo said as much ahead of the upcoming five-match assignment in Dhaka, pointing out that it’s important to “play on good wickets” in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in the UAE.”Obviously, winning is always important,” Domingo said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to try and win a series against Australia; it will do wonders for our confidence. We also want to try and find our best combination [for the T20 World Cup], and playing against Australia will give us that opportunity.””Bangladesh don’t play against Australia that often, so this is a big series for us and we’re determined to do well in it.”The two teams have only ever faced each other four times in T20Is, with Australia commanding a 4-0 lead in the head-to-head. The only occasion when Bangladesh hosted Australia in the shortest format, prior to this series that kicks off on August 3, was in April 2014.Related

Mahmudullah 'very disappointed' at Covid-19 protocols ruling Mushfiqur Rahim out

Matthew Wade returns to middle order as Australia 'roll through different scenarios'

Bangladesh unhappy with Australia's Covid-19 demands

BCB wants Prince to stay on as batting consultant until T20 WC

Surfaces in Bangladesh, regardless of the format, have traditionally been spin-friendly and the presence of wristspinner Adam Zampa and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar make Australia’s spin attack a formidable threat even in overseas conditions. Domingo, however, said the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch would not overwhelmingly favour spin, instead offering the type of challenge the hosts need to fine-tune for the T20 World Cup.”We want to play on good wickets because that’s what you’re going to be facing when playing World Cups away from home,” Domingo said. “So, I don’t expect the wicket to be a major factor in the series. I don’t think it’s going to spin that much.”It looks like a pretty good surface at the moment and there’s been quite a lot of rain around Dhaka at the moment, so there’s obviously a little bit of moisture in the surface.”We’re just going to get a pretty good T20 wicket, a traditional Dhaka wicket, I suppose. Probably, later on [it might spin more] because we’re playing so many back-to-back games, but we can’t preempt it. [That said] nobody knows what the wicket is going to be like until we start playing on it.”Bangladesh were without any major injury concerns two days out from the series opener. Domingo said: “Soumya Sarkar is recovering from a mild strain that happened in Zimbabwe; we’re very confident he’ll be fit.”In the event of injuries to the home team’s designated openers, Sarkar and Mohammad Naim, Domingo said back-up options have been identified in Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Mithun.”We’ve thought long and hard about this. Obviously, Shakib is there and he will move into that opening spot. We’ll also get Mohammad Mithun back. I know he is a middle-order bat but in this format, he can do the job as an opener should one of the openers get injured.”Bangladesh vs Australia fixtures

1st T20I: August 3

2nd T20I: August 4

3rd T20I: August 6

4th T20I: August 7

5th T20I: August 9

“[Shakib is going to be] Very important,” Domingo added. “Like I said, he’s a very difficult player to place because he bats in the top order and bowls ten overs in 50-over cricket, so he’s going to be massively important for us. He’s been bowling really well. He’s confident with his bowling at the moment, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how he shapes up against the Australian top order.”We know they’ve got a few right-handers in the mix, which could work in our favour as well.”Weighing in on senior player Mushfiqur Rahim’s enforced absence from the series, a direct result of the Covid-19 protocols demanded by Cricket Australia, Domingo echoed the overriding sentiment in the Bangladesh camp.”I can’t understand the stringent rules Australia have placed on Mushfiq’s bubble,” Domingo said. “Ten days [on re-entering the bubble after visiting family] surely would have been enough, so [it’s] very disappointing the way they went about it.”But, look, we want to play against some of the best teams in the world. It’s a great opportunity for one or two of the younger players, or fringe players, to play and show what they’re capable of. We know Mushfiq’s absence is a big loss for us but we’ve got a biggish squad and some quality players, so it’s a great opportunity for them.”