James Rodriguez is being linked with a move back to Spain as Atletico Madrid have been impressed by his Copa America performances for Colombia.

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James shining for Colombia at Copa AmericaAtletico & Real Sociedad interested in himWill face Uruguay in semi-finals this weekWHAT HAPPENED?

Real Sociedad have emerged as candidates to sign the 32-year-old amid his strong performances with the national team, but reports that more interest from Spain is developing, with Atletico already acting on their long-held interest in him.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

This is not the first time Rodriguez has been close to signing for Atletico. He admitted three years ago that he could have united with Diego Simeone before he left Real Madrid to join Everton. Atleti boss Simeone's admiration has never disappeared and they could snap him up for a low fee given his contract with Sao Paulo is now in its final 12 months.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Colombia captain and former Monaco and Real Madrid star has made five assists and scored one goal to help fire his side to the Copa America semi-finals, beating Paraguay, Costa Rica and Panama and drawing with Brazil along the way.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

The attacking midfielder will hope to fire his team to the Copa America final when they come up against Uruguay in the semi-finals this week. The winners will go on to meet Argentina in the tournament decider.

Tottenham Hotspur have been far more proactive under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou, with last season's struggle and discordancy under Antonio Conte firmly in the past.

Despite Harry Kane's 30-goal haul in the Premier League, Spurs slumped to an eighth-placed finish that ended 13 successive years of continental qualification, bereft of enterprise in their attacking play and reliant on individual brilliance and flashes of quality.

This lack of togetherness was the real locus of Tottenham's struggle but a backline bereft of confidence and strength created an environment that was always going to hinder the chance of success, in turn convincing Kane to finally draw the curtain on his career at the club.

And so the 30-year-old striker – described as "one of the best I've seen" by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola – completed an initial £86m transfer to German giants Bayern Munich last August after becoming Tottenham's all-time top scorer months before.

With one year remaining on his contract at the time, it came as no surprise that the rumours surrounding his departure coalesced into the plain truth that, yes, he had decided to take his leave after 432 appearances and 280 goals for Tottenham and status as a Premier League great.

Harry Kane's numbers after leaving Spurs

Make no mistake, Kane's absence at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is keenly felt. Sure, Heung-min Son has stepped up to the plate as the club's starring talisman and Richarlison has unlocked a rich vein of goalscoring form, with nine goals from his past ten league matches, but the Three Lions' captain is one of the finest centre-forwards of his generation.

Obviously, Tottenham are performing at a superior level this season, but Postecoglou's project would be in an even more promising position were Kane still plying his trade at the club, with his goals, leadership and intelligence the difference between fighting for top four and challenging for the Premier League title.

Interestingly, Kane's maiden year at the Allianz Arena has not gone to plan, with Thomas Tuchel's struggling side trailing high-flying Bayer Leverkusen by ten points in the title race, having won the past 11 Bundesliga titles.

Moreover, Bayern Munich lost the DFL-Supercup and were felled in the DFB Pokal second round by Saarbrucken, who compete in the third tier.

Kane's never-ending wait for silverware drags on, but on an individual level the Englishman is performing at staggering heights, having plundered 36 goals and 11 assists from 34 matches in all competitions including 30 goals from 25 league fixtures.

As per FBref, the £411k-per-week phenomenon ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 15% for assists and the top 8% for progressive passes per 90, highlighting his first-rate skill as a goalscorer but also his elite playmaking ability.

He's a generational talent and while it was sad to see him go, cashing in for a lucrative amount last summer was probably the best way for Tottenham, injecting funds to fuel a new era instead of eking out the last of his quality before seeing him depart on a free.

It would be impossible for Tottenham to sell a star for more money any time soon… right?

Tottenham's next big sale

Pedro Porro is the man who might just boast a market value to surpass that of Kane, with the Spanish right-back believed to be valued at a record figure by Tottenham this year following interest from Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola's outfit have already raided Spurs for a right-sided defender in the past and indeed plucked Kyle Walker for £53m back in 2017 – a world-record fee for a defender at the time.

According to Football Insider back in January, Manchester City have been hoping to re-sign Porro after letting him go during his younger years, but Tottenham quelled any immediate concerns by placing a £100m price tag on the 24-year-old.

Porro signed for Spurs on loan in January 2023 with an obligation to buy in the summer for £40m, now activated, and while he struggled to perform during his first months, he's now one of the Premier League's finest full-backs and will be in line for Tottenham's Player of the Season award, albeit with some fierce competition from the likes of Son.

Pedro Porro's season in numbers

Back in February 2023, Porro was "destroyed" on his Premier League debut against Leicester City, according to Tim Sherwood, failing to mesh the cogs together and leading pundit Jamie Carragher to remark that he "can't defend" after a 6-1 loss against Newcastle United several months later.

Premier League 23/24: Top-tackling Defenders

#

Player

Club

No. of tackles

1.

Emerson Palmieri

West Ham United

78

2.

Tyrick Mitchell

Crystal Palace

77

3.

Antonee Robinson

Fulham

73

4.

Pedro Porro

Tottenham Hotspur

70

5.

Destiny Udogie

Tottenham Hotspur

63

Stats via Premier League

Now, he's performing at the top of his game under Postecoglou's management and has been dubbed a "bulldog" by his teammate Dejan Kulusevski: immense defensively, influential in attack (Porro is Tottenham's second-highest assist maker) and difficult to contain as he charges up and down the right channel.

As per Sofascore, the £85k-per-week defender has chalked up seven assists from 24 Premier League appearances this term, completing 80% of his passes, succeeding with 59% of his dribbles and averaging 1.7 key passes, 2.9 tackles, 5.6 ball recoveries, 2.5 clearances and five successful duels per game.

Moreover, the 5 foot 9 ace ranks among the top 18% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 4% for assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for tackles and the top 3% for blocks per 90.

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Dynamic and effective in a fluid Postecoglou system, Porro is part of a new wave of talent that looks set to take Tottenham to new heights, ensuring that Kane's sale does not prove to be detrimental.

And if the day does come that his departure must be discussed, Daniel Levy might just find that he can recoup a club-record fee. There is much to be excited about down N17.

It's been a real topsy-turvey sort of season for Manchester United this year, with some massive wins, such as the one against Liverpool over the weekend, and some shocking defeats as well.

However, one of the bright spots in an otherwise forgetful campaign has been newboy Rasmus Højlund, who has looked electric at points and like a striker who could fire the club to glory in a few years.

That said, while the Dane is the club's top goalscorer, a former flop who left almost a decade ago is presently outscoring him and looks as impressive as ever.

Rasmus Højlund's performances this season

The young Dane arrived at the club off the back of a high profile £72m move from Serie A side Atalanta despite only joining the Bergamo-based outfit the summer before for €17m, which is about £15m.

To put it diplomatically, the first half of the season was interesting for the then-20-year-old. In the Champions League, he was lethal and, at one point, the competition's top scorer, but in the Premier League, he hadn't scored a single goal.

Appearances

20

6

3

2

Goals

7

5

1

0

Assists

2

0

0

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.45

0.83

0.33

0.00

However, on Boxing Day, he finally broke his duct and scored an 89th-minute winner against Aston Villa before scoring another six goals in his next five league games.

In all, the Copenhagen-born dynamo has scored 13 goals and provided two assists in 31 games for United this season and is starting to look at home in the Premier League, which should worry opposing sides.

However, for as brilliant as the young Dane has been, he is still being outscored by a former United flop.

Ángel Di María's season with Manchester United

Yes, the man in question is World Cup and Champions League winner Ángel Di María.

The Red Devils signed the Argentine great for a British record £60m in the summer of 2014 in the aftermath of his European triumph with Real Madrid, and to say the expectations were high would be an understatement.

Everything started perfectly for the former Real man, as in his first six league games, he scored three goals and provided seven assists, but following his goal against Everton on the 5th October, he'd only score once more in 27 appearances.

In fairness to the Rosario-born superstar, he was tasked with playing six different positions in that season, suffered from three injuries that saw him miss a number of games and had his house attacked, which must have made it hard for him to settle at the club.

Transfer Fee

£60m

Fee Sold For

£44m

Total Wages

£12.2m

Total Cost (Including Sale)

£28.2m

Appearances

32

Cost per Appearance

£882k

Goals

4

Cost per Goal

£7m

Assists

12

Cost per Assist

£2.3m

Goal Involvements

16

Cost per Goal Involvements

£1.7m

In all, the 5 foot 10 magician scored just four goals and provided 12 assists in his 32 appearances for the club and earned £250k-per-week for the 49 weeks he was a United player.

This means that with his £60m transfer fee and the £44m fee they received for selling him in 2015 taken into consideration, the World Cup winner cost the Red Devils £28.2m for one season of dismal performances.

That comes to about £7m-per-goal, £2.3m-per-assist, £1.7m-per-goal-involvement, or £882k-per-appearance.

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Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Ángel Di María's performances this season

There is no getting away from the fact that the "outstanding talent," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, was terrible for United in the year he spent at the club.

Still, after leaving, he rebuilt his reputation at Paris Saint Germain and Juventus, going on to produce 212 goal involvements in 295 games for the former and 15 goal involvements in 40 games for the latter.

Last summer, at 35 years old, the United flop elected to rejoin his old team, Benfica, on a one-year contract. While some might have expected him to slowly wind down, given his age, he's done the complete opposite.

So far, the tricky winger has scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 appearances for As Águias, outscoring Hojlund by two goals while providing nine more assists to boot.

Appearances

295

40

39

Goals

93

8

15

Assists

119

7

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.71

0.37

0.66

Ultimately, United probably did the right thing in selling Di Maria when they did, but there will always be slight doubt whether he would have been able to acclimatise to the Premier League with one more season, and if he had, maybe United would be in a better place than they are today.

أعلن حسام المندوه أمين صندوق نادي الزمالك ورئيس بعثة الفريق في الإمارات، موقف الفريق من خوض نهائي كأس السوبر المصري أمام الأهلي، كما كشف عن تطورات جديدة بخصوص أزمة ثنائي الفريق نبيل عماد دونجا ومصطفى شلبي ومعهما عبد الواحد السيد مدير الكرة مع فرد الأمن في مباراة بيراميدز.

وكان تم التحفظ على الثلاثي من قبل الشرطة الإماراتية للاعتداء على فرد أمن بمباراة بيراميدز، في دور نصف النهائي، التي حسمها الفارس الأبيض بركلات الترجيح والتأهل إلى المباراة النهائية من بطولة كأس السوبر المصري.

ومن المقرر أن يلعب الأهلي مع الزمالك، يوم الخميس 24 أكتوبر، في تمام الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري.

وقال المندوه خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “على مسئوليتي” المذاع على قناة صدى البلد: “غير مسموح وغير مقبول الاعتداء علي أي شخص، تلقيت معلومات اليوم أن الشخص تنازل عن الشكوى المقدمة في المحكمة، ما حدث لحظة انفعال ولم يكن مقصودا على الاطلاق، نؤكد احترامنا الكامل لسيادة القانون في الإمارات”.

وأضاف: “دفعنا كفالة 600 ألف درهم عما حدث من اللاعبين، الثلاثي يتم معاملته بشكل جيد جدًا، ما حدث أزمة صغيرة وسنعود إلى بلدنا كما أتينا”.

طالع | مران الزمالك | تدريبات متنوعة.. وأحمد سليمان يوجه رسالة للاعبين قبل مواجهة الأهلي في نهائي السوبر المصري

وواصل: “لم نصدر أي بيان بالانسحاب من مباراة نهائي السوبر، اليوم بالكامل مشغولين جدًا وطبيعية الأمر قلنا سندرس الموضوع نؤجل المباراة أو أي قرار آخر، لم نقل كلمة انسحاب نهائي ولن ننسحب وسنخوض المباراة وسنسعد كل الجماهير الزملكاوية”.

وأكمل: “كلنا حاليًا نجتمع مع حسين لبيب رئيس مجلس الإدارة ونيرة الأحمر وأحمد سليمان والبعثة بالكامل وسنأخذ القرار الصحيح، والتدريبات مستمرة والأمور مستقرة جدًا، والفريق سيخوض اللقاء”.

وأردف: “الروح المعنوية للفريق جيدة جدًا ولا يوجد شك بانشغال الفريق بما حدث، ولكن قلنا لهم ما حدث شق وهذا شق ثاني آخر، اتينا من أجل البطولة وسنعود بها، اللاعيبة رجالة واعتادت على الأزمات”.

وأتم: “الزمالك والأهلي يمثلا الرياضية المصرية على أفضل وجه، صباح غد جلسة المحكمة بشأن ما حدث من لاعبي الزمالك”.

Big picture

It’s all up for grabs now! As if we haven’t found it hard enough to separate England and New Zealand on the field in recent months, so it has fittingly come to pass that the first five-match T20I series between senior Test nations is coming down to a winners-takes-all tie-breaker as well.England 2, New Zealand 2. And only the decider at Auckland to come. You can’t say you haven’t been entertained by these two teams of late.Okay, so it’s not the World Cup final. But there’s a special jeopardy attached to games such as these – with a series on the line and that extra pressure to perform – that will doubtless encourage the matchwinners on either side to tap into their A-games. With the World T20 only a year away, performances in contests such as these may be precisely what both captains are looking for as they finalise their 15s and separate the contenders from the also-rans.And England, all of a sudden, are the team that is seemingly on a roll. Momentum is a fickle and over-rated thing at the best of times, particularly in the shortest format, but the bug-squashing dominance that England’s batsmen exerted on Napier’s short boundaries on Friday was a sight to behold.

Watch cricket on ESPN+

New Zealand v England is available in the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the T20I series.

In Dawid Malan, they were presented with a statement performance – a century of stunning power and no little frustration, as a man who has been flitting around the fringes of the white-ball squad for three years seized his chance to shine in the absence of the big three, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler.Remarkably, his innings of 103 not out from 51 balls may not yet be enough to guarantee a starting berth in England’s full-strength line-up. But in taking his T20I record to five fifties and a hundred in nine innings, he is making the sort of unanswerable case that Jonny Bairstow compiled in the 50-over squad prior to the World Cup. And that, more than anything, is what England were looking on this trip.Can they now close it out and seal the silverware that remains the aim of every touring side, regardless of developmental priorities? New Zealand never really regrouped after their beasting in the field on Friday, but just as Malan and James Vince had hinted at their form in the earlier matches, so too do the Kiwis have a raft of players who’ve got their eye in in the course of the first four matches. Martin Guptill is getting there, Colin de Grandhomme can never be discounted, Tim Southee’s savage range-hitting also hit the spot.But on the bowling front, England will have been every bit as encouraged by the progress they have made on this trip. Chris Jordan’s know-how with new ball and old has been a stand-out feature of every game he has played, and while Matt Parkinson’s legspin endured a few lusty blows over the leg-side, Eoin Morgan is sure to have been encouraged by his wicket-taking gumption – five in six overs in his career to date.Auckland’s awkward dimensions promise another batsman’s game – in particular the short fine-leg/long-off boundary that turns any error in line and length into a freebie. And if it’s anything like the tri-series bunfight against Australia 18 months ago – 243 v 245 – we are in for a treat. And for England fans with nothing better to do this weekend, it’s almost worth getting up in the middle of the night to pay attention…

Form guide

England WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LWWLL

In the spotlight

It’s been a promising first tour from Tom Banton but Malan’s exploits in Napier have raised the bar for those who hope to crack into the full-strength team in time for next year’s World Cup. He is one day shy of his 21st birthday, so to say that time is on his side is an understatement – and a return of 49 runs from 31 balls in two innings is significantly better than par – but as he showed in seizing the Royal London final for Somerset last summer, there’s more to come from this one. No time like the present to show it.Where’s he really at then? Martin Guptill endured a hellish World Cup, not remotely helped by his cruel role in the decisive moment in the Super Over, but in the course of this series, he’s been swinging back into the zone. The runs haven’t come in a torrent, but the tap looks ready to be turned back on again – as his 27 from 14 balls in Napier hinted. His levers can make a mockery of Auckland’s dimensions, given half a chance.

Team news

It was a chastening day at Napier for New Zealand’s bowlers, not least Daryl Mitchell, whose solitary over was dispatched for 25 runs, and the temptation to mix things up will be extreme. But with Lockie Ferguson’s wicket-taking menace now concentrating on red-ball cricket with a view to a possible Test debut, New Zealand may opt for a return to Scott Kuggeleijn’s extra pace, or the crafty all-round seam option of Jimmy Neesham.New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Tim Seifert (wk), 4 Colin de Grandhomme, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Jimmy Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Tim Southee (capt), 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Blair Tickner /Scott KuggeleijnAfter his second TFC of the series, Lewis Gregory might be sweating on his role as England’s designated finisher, although England may be loath to change a winning side, especially if the circumstances offer a chance to truly test his mettle if an opportunity arises. James Vince probably deserves one more chance to show what he’s got after a couple of classy cameos, but the allure of silverware may limit the tinkering. Malan certainly hoped he had given Morgan a “headache”, having only expected to play in the first four games.England (possible): 1 Jonny Bairstow, 2 Tom Banton, 3 Dawid Malan/James Vince, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Sam Billings (wk), 6 Lewis Gregory, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 Matt Parkinson, 11 Pat Brown

Pitch and conditions

Known locally as the “postage stamp”, Auckland offers another drop-in wicket of indeterminate quality, and little respite for error.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have won just one of their last seven T20I matches at Auckland, against Sri Lanka in January.
• England have won each of their two previous T20Is at the ground too, by 32 runs in 2008, and by 40 runs in 2013, when Eoin Morgan and Jonny Bairstow made 84 runs from 48 balls between them.
• Tim Southee requires one wicket to become the eighth man to claim 75 T20I wickets.
• Colin Munro requires five runs to draw level with Kane Williamson’s run-tally of 1,505 for New Zealand in T20Is. Munro has played two more games (59 to 57), though Williamson has batted once more often.

Quotes

“I don’t think you can let there be any scarring. You don’t completely sweep it under the carpet and you’ve got to learn from these experiences, but also you dust yourself off and there’s a series to be won in Auckland.” New Zealand’s captain, Tim Southee is looking ahead rather than back“That’s probably why I chanced my arm; I thought if this is the last one I’d better make it count. Thankfully it came off, a few mis-hits went for six and a couple of them just landed in gaps so it worked out really well.”

Manchester United have had quite a poor season by their standards thus far. Although the team are currently residing in sixth place, their position in the table feels as if it flatters their performances.

The Red Devils have lost 11 Premier League games this term and currently sit on 44 points. Although to many, this may seem like they're not doing too badly, when some of the games they've lost are taken into consideration, it outlines how poorly they've played.

For example, in their most recent top-flight clash against Manchester City on Sunday, Erik ten Hag's men managed to lose 3-1. That is, despite going 1-0 up within the first ten minutes from a rasping Marcus Rashford effort.

In fact, United played so badly that, by the end of the game, City actually had more shots throughout the game than the Red Devils had possession of the ball.

Not only is this in itself embarrassing for Man United, but they also managed to break a 144-game record in the process of losing to their rivals.

However, although there isn't a specific player who can be singled out as the reason why they lost, one attacker can be held accountable for one of his worst performances in a Man United shirt.

Antony's game against Man City in numbers

Despite only entering the pitch in the 75th minute, Antony managed to produce a torrid cameo, subsequently handed a dismal 2/10 by the Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst in his player ratings.

Describing the Brazilian's display, he noted: "The first time he got the ball, he was offside and gave it away quickly."

As per Sofascore, during his 15-minute cameo, he managed a total of zero shots on or off target, he also only managed to touch the ball a total of six times and even lost possession of the ball twice.

Antony vs Man Utd
Minutes played	15
Touches	6
Accurate passes	3/3
Dribble success	0/1
Shots	0
Key passes	0
Crosses	0
Duels won	0
Possession lost	2x
Stats via Sofascore.

The £85m signing was also poor defensively as he lost 100% of the duels he attempted and failed to make any tackles or interceptions.

The aforementioned Luckhurst even described Antony as "a danger" to his own teammates following his limp outing.

Antony's time at Man Utd in numbers

Unfortunately for United fans, since the former Ajax man's arrival at the club, his performances have been somewhat similar to this week-in and week-out.

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For example, last season, despite contributing to a total of 11 goals in 44 games, these numbers put him just one higher than Jadon Sancho who only started 29 games in all competitions last season.

This season has been no different for the attacker either, as he hasn't yet managed to score a single goal in England's top flight.

His addition to Manchester United's ranks has been nothing short of a catastrophic failure and arguably one of the club's worst signings in recent memory.

If the attacker carries on as he has done the last couple of campaigns, it's hard to see how Ten Hag would be able to justify keeping the attacker around for much longer.

MatériaMais Notícias

Artilheiro dentro de campo, o argentino Germán Cano aproveitou a folga cedida pelo Vasco nesta quinta-feira para marcar mais um golaço. O atacante visitou a comunidade do Tuiuti, na Zona Norte do Rio de Janeiro, e entregou pessoalmente cestas básicas aos moradores da região.
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A doação foi originária de um leilão que o próprio jogador organizou. Na campanha, Cano disponibilizou para lances uma camisa utilizada em jogo, um par de chuteiras e um casaco do Vasco. Os itens, autografados, renderam mais de R$ 13 mil.

De máscara, o argentino publicou o momento em seu perfil no Instagram. Em seguida, o Vasco também enalteceu a ação de Cano.

-Uma tarde muito especial ajudando quem precisa na Comunidade do Tuiuti. Infelizmente, por conta da pandemia, não podemos ter muito contato, mas agradeço todos pelo carinho e recepção comigo e minha esposa. Foi um prazer estar com todos vocês – escreveu o atacante.

-Mais um golaço do nosso artilheiro! O craque Germán Cano marcou presença na Comunidade do Tuiuti nesta quinta-feira (27/05) para entregar pessoalmente as cestas básicas adquiridas com valor arrecadado com a venda de suas peças no leilão – publicou o Vasco.

Handing the youth an opportunity is key to the long-term success of any club, but even more so for a side like Arsenal.

Bukayo Saka is by far the biggest prospect to have thrived in the first team since progressing via the Hale End academy in recent years, but there’s plenty of talent waiting for a chance to shine.

The Gunners’ number seven will without doubt be a role model to those keen to replicate his exact footsteps, but the academy players will also be inspired by the rise to stardom of a certain Endrick.

The Brazilian has always been a one-of-a-kind prospect, but he truly announced himself in Europe last week on international duty, scoring against both England and Spain.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at an Arsenal U21 diamond who could be their answer to Endrick.

Endrick’s rise to success

At just 16 years of age, highly-rated wonderkid Endrick made his competitive debut for Brazilian side Palmeiras, becoming the club’s youngest debutant.

However, the centre forward was far from suffocated by the hostile atmosphere and experienced opposition, also taking on the status of the second-youngest goalscorer ever in the Serie A, Brazil’s top flight.

During his first real campaign in the first-team setup, Endrick helped Palmeiras achieve a consecutive league title, scoring 11 goals in 31 matches.

This form saw the youngster attract attention from across Europe before eventually signing a £60m deal to join Real Madrid this summer.

But what if Arsenal had their own version of Endrick, who’s just waiting to be given a break?

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 22, 2024 Arsenal’s answer to Endrick

With the fight for Champions League glory and Premier League triumph set to continue until the end of the season, finding an opportunity to give the youth a chance has been difficult for Mikel Arteta.

However, just like Endrick, Ethan Nwaneri made his competitive debut at an extremely young age, which clearly highlights just how talented the special ace is and how much the Spaniard believes in him.

The now-17-year-old was handed his first competitive appearance for the Gunners against Brentford in 2022, where the versatile ace took to the pitch at just 15 years of age, the youngest ever Arsenal debutant.

Despite holding such a prestigious record, Nwaneri has continued to work tirelessly in the academy to impress, mainly playing as an attacking midfielder this campaign.

Premier League 2

9

9

EFL Trophy

2

1

UEFA Youth League

2

1

FA Youth Cup

1

6

Premier League

1

0

As you can see by the table above, the “special” gem, as described by U23 Scout Antonio Mango, has been on fire, taking on more goal-scoring responsibility than creativity, with 14 goals and three assists in just 15 matches.

The number 63 is on a particular hot streak at the moment after being handed a short cameo by Arteta during the 6-0 win over West Ham United, scoring in his last five matches for club and country.

Although the next step for Nwaneri may be away from the Gunners, potentially on a loan, Endrick is the prime example that if you’re good enough, then opportunities will present themselves.

Arteta has certainly shown his intent to include the youngster in his squad, and with the England U-17 international signing his first professional contract this week, Arsenal well and truly have a superstar in the making.

In The Pipeline

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

Time. That's what this Chelsea project needed, right? Yeah, perhaps not. Despite the well-documented money that's been spent, the Todd Boehly era is yet to go boom.

This season was meant to be one of revival. A renowned manager in Mauricio Pochettino had walked into the building but his reign has been average to say the least.

Some weeks Chelsea look capable of pulling off a shock. They have beaten Spurs this term, drawn with Arsenal and also held Manchester City.

Yet, the Blues have also tasted defeat against Nottingham Forest and Everton, two sides fighting for survival at the depths of the table.

There's also the football. Does anyone know what style Pochettino is trying to implement? What message he's attempting to send to his players? It's puzzling and precisely why rumours of a replacement continue to be talked about.

Who could replace Pochettino at Chelsea

The rumour mill has been in full swing over recent months with recent reports even suggesting the club would be open to a return for Antonio Conte. After his antics at Tottenham last season, it hardly sounds like the man to swat away the negativity engulfing Stamford Bridge right now.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has also been touted but arguably, there is one candidate who stands above both of those names; Ruben Amorim.

The Guardian reported at the start of March that not only was the Seagulls manager one name in the frame but so was Amorim.

Indeed, it was stated that the club's 'desire to wait until the end of the season before reviewing Mauricio Pochettino’s position' has not stopped Boehly and Co from casting their eyes elsewhere.

What makes Ruben Amorim so special

Back in 2022, The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke hailed the Portuguese managerial sensation as "the best young manager in Europe right now."

Well, fast forward to 2024 and that billing has not changed. Aged just 39, the Sporting CP honcho is somewhat of a wonderkid in the managerial world, notably described as the continent's "next super coach".

Speaking about him to the Athletic, Braga's head of recruitment, Paulo Meneses once stated: "Ruben is destined to join a top club in the ‘Big Five’ leagues.

“Due to the leadership he demonstrates and the quality with which he works, I have no doubt that he will be an unavoidable name in European football in the coming years.”

So, that's not a bad billing, is it? One might immediately draw parallels to Jose Mourinho when he emerged on the scene in Portugal with Porto but if you're looking for a modern-day comparison, perhaps Arsenal's Mikel Arteta – given his rise at such a young age as a manager – would be apt.

To suggest they are similar just because of their age would be lazy. There are also stylistic similarities.

The Coaches Voice highlight two primary areas of strength within Amorim's Sporting side. The first of which is a fluid front free 'who rotate to find spaces between the lines'. While the Portuguese sensation deploys wing-backs – different to Arteta's inverted full-backs – the wide forwards in both of their systems move inside. Just think Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, Arsenal's joint-top scorers last term who dominated by cutting in from the flanks.

Then there is the pressing. The Coaches Voices suggest that 'out of possession, Amorim’s Sporting is one of the most intense teams in Portugal.'

This season, Arteta's side have been celebrated for their supreme work off the ball, notably hailed by the Athletic for becoming "one of the best out-of-possession teams in Europe" this season.

How can that be quantified? Well, only Juventus (22.92) can boast a more impressive expected goals-against tally in Europe's top five leagues this season than Arsenal (23.04). The best side in Portugal? Yes, you guessed it, Sporting (20.37).

Expected Goals Against: Best teams in Europe

Team

xGA tally

#1 Juventus

22.92

#2 Arsenal

23.04

#3 Bayer Leverkusen

24.65

#4 Inter

26.05

#5 Bayern Munich

27.24

Data via WhoScored: Top 5 leagues only.

Where does Chelsea fit into the list of teams in the top five leagues? Well, they don't appear until 54th place with a tally of 43.13.

What does this all mean? Well, expected goals quantify the quality of chance a team concedes. As such, Juventus and Arsenal are the two best teams in Europe for preventing high-quality chance creation against them.

Arteta, of course, has players filled with quality in the final third but the pride of his team is undoubtedly the defence. You don't win titles without a sturdy backline.

Amorim would undoubtedly bring a more organised style of football to the Bridge. Like the Arsenal manager, he is pragmatic, progressive and ambitious. This feels like the perfect appointment if Boehly does ever move on from Pochettino.

Mohammad Abbas is still Pakistan’s “main man” according to Waqar Younis and will be seriously considered for the second Test in Adelaide after the visitors turned in a listless bowling display in his absence at the Gabba, leaving them facing the likelihood of an innings defeat inside four days.The decision to play Imran Khan ahead of Abbas has attracted widespread criticism and surprise, which only grew as the Australians churned out a first innings of 580 in Brisbane with big centuries to David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne.Waqar, Pakistan’s bowling coach, explained that Abbas was still on a long road back from the shoulder injury that he suffered against New Zealand last year, subsequently being recalled somewhat hastily against South Africa and then playing for Leicestershire in the English County Championship.Waqar indicated that Abbas’ return to rhythm would hopefully occur in time for him to play with a pink ball under lights at the Adelaide Oval, in what now looks likely to be a match Pakistan must win to square the series.”Mohammad Abbas has been a match winner for us over the last 18 months, he’s been bowling really well,” Waqar said. “Unfortunately he’s not at his best rhythm and recently back in the New Zealand tour he had an injury so he wasn’t bowling as good as he has done in the past against Australia and of course in England. But we’re not losing hope in him, he’s our main man and we’re going to have a really close look and hopefully once we get into Adelaide we’ll think about it.”Pakistan have insisted from the moment Abbas was dropped that he is not injured. This is now likely to invite scrutiny on how Abbas has been managed since that injury, which forced him to miss the last Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi and the first Test in South Africa. Since then he has played two Tests in South Africa, three ODIs against Australia in March, a substantial portion of the county season, and three games in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy as well.”It’s a decision that depends on the head coach and the selectors on who’ll play and who won’t,” Waqar said. “But it would be injustice against Imran Khan to say that his selection was unjustified. His performance in first-class cricket has been great and so too in the warm-up game in Perth. He was bowling well. But unfortunately he couldn’t do the same here.”ALSO READ: Not without Mohammad AbbasLooking at how the bowling attack had fared, struggling to find the consistency required to trouble Australian players hardened by plenty of Test cricket this year and far more familiar with the Gabba conditions, Waqar said that the youth of Naseem Shah (16) and Shaheen Afridi (19) needed to be considered.”You can learn from your opposition always. Naseem is only 16 don’t forget. Even Shaheen Shah is a teenager. Of course they’re going to learn a lot from this tour, going further into their careers,” Waqar said. “I’m very hopeful that these guys and the likes of Muhammad Musa and Mohammad Hasnain. They are the future of Pakistan cricket. All we need is time. We all need to give them time and hope that they learn in the next year or so and they’ll be a force.”It’s difficult to say what was going wrong out there. We sit down every evening and we talk about it and try to teach them what lengths need to be bowled. I think we missed it. It was very obvious and everyone has seen that our lengths weren’t right. With the first new-ball we bowled poorly. If we would have put the ball in the right areas, things might have been different. We got carried away and with a young attack it can happen in Australia.”We have to be very careful with Naseem Shah. He’s very, very young and we have to manage him well because he bowls very quick. You don’t want to put too much load on him, be careful with him. He is the future for Pakistan. We have to use him sensibly and I thought that’s what the captain did. He’s a wicket-taker. It was just his first Test match.”Yasir Shah’s selection, meanwhile, was put down to the fact that this was otherwise an inexperienced bowling attack, rather than the wrist spinner’s handsome record of dismissing Steven Smith six times in Tests – now seven after his full-length drifter snuck under the Australian No. 4’s bat.”We thought of both plans [four quicks or three and a spinner]. But picking him had nothing to do with the fact that Yasir has dismissed Steve Smith six times,” Waqar said. “Yasir is a match-winner and has won a lot of games for Pakistan. His track-record in Australia isn’t great. But he has a lot of experience and we all thought he’ll perform better but unfortunately that didn’t happen.”There is a lot of inexperience in the bowling and Australia is a tough place to bowl. Hopefully these guys are learning, and they are the future. One of them is making a debut, the other has played three Tests and one is making a comeback. It’s not easy. But we are working on it and hopefully we will get better.”