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Norwich not budging on Ajer

An update has emerged on Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer, regarding Norwich’s pursuit of the Norway international…

What’s the talk?

According to the Pink’Un, Norwich will not be increasing their transfer offer for Celtic centre-back Kristoffer Ajer this summer. The Canaries have put a £10m bid, plus add-ons, on the table to the Hoops and will not budge on their personal valuation of the Norweigan.

The report claims Celtic want £15m for the defender who has 12 months left to run on his contract, with the Scottish giants now needing to make a decision on how they will react to the Premier League side’s ultimatum.

Fans would be livid

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou must avoid a big blunder with Ajer this summer.

If he is valued at £15m inside the club then they have to reject Norwich’s bid for the towering defender and hold out for the rest of the transfer window. Teams have until the end of August to sign players and that means the Hoops could wait until towards the end of next month when clubs may start to get desperate and chuck money around to land their targets.

For example, if it gets into the final week of August and Norwich, or any other side interested in Ajer, have failed to sign a centre-back they may decide to spend £15m on him. If not, then Celtic retain a key player for next season, albeit with the risk of losing him on a free transfer in 12 months.

However, Ajer departing for nothing could be worth it for the club if he is able to help them win the title back from Rangers next term.

The 23-year-old is a key part of Celtic’s side and enjoyed a fine season in the Premiership despite Neil Lennon’s side struggling throughout and eventually losing the title to their bitter rivals. Ajer averaged a sublime WhoScored rating of 7.16, winning 3.2 aerial battles, 1.3 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game at centre-back.

During last season, former Scotland boss Alex McLeish lauded the “inspirational” 23-year-old and compared him to current Liverpool and Netherlands star Virgil van Dijk in terms of the impact he has at Parkhead.

He told Football Insider:

“I go back to that St Johnstone game, you see sometimes when it’s not going for Celtic and the game’s in its dying embers, and then all of a sudden you see Ajer striding up the pitch trying to inspire like Roy of the Rovers.

“Running from defence, augment the attack and then it leads to a goal – these are inspirational moments and he is an inspirational, influential player for Celtic. Like Virgil van Dijk, he came to Celtic and we all know what happened next.”

This highlights Ajer’s worth to Celtic and why they should not be pressured into cashing in on him for £10m now when they could get a better deal further down the line in the window.

There is no rush for the Hoops to accept any offers now and a defender of Ajer’s aforementioned quality should not be sold easily as the fans would be livid if a key player was let go without much negotiation.

Supporters would be furious if they watched Ajer walk out of the door for £5m less than what his supposed valuation; it would show a weak mentality by the club to keep the best players in the building.

AND in other news, Postecoglou could discover Celtic’s new Lustig by signing “fantastic” £4m titan…

Adil Rashid's unique debut

Stats highlights from a frenetic final day in Abu Dhabi, when 15 wickets fell for 276 runs

S Rajesh17-Oct-20151:46

By The Numbers: Wicket fest on final day

18.40 The average runs per wicket on the last day of the Test (15 wickets fell for 276); on the first four days, the average was 68.25 (16 wickets for 1092 runs).49.36 The average runs per wicket in this Test, which is the third-highest among all Tests in the UAE. After the first four days, the average was a whopping 68.25, but it dropped dramatically thanks to Pakistan’s second-innings collapse. Had one more wicket fallen today, it would have been only the second instance in Test history of the last day producing at least as many wickets as the first four put together (among all Tests in which at least 100 overs were bowled on the first four days). The only other such instance was in the last Test of the 2013 Ashes, when 13 wickets fell on the first four days (the fourth day was completely washed out), and 17 fell on the final day.1 Adil Rashid’s was the first instance of a bowler taking a five-for in the second innings after going wicketless for 100-plus runs in the first innings on Test debut. The closest any bowler had come previously was also from England: in Brisbane in 1970, Ken Shuttleworth, a right-arm fast bowler, took 5 for 47 in Australia’s second innings after finishing with figures of 0 for 81 in the first.9 Total instances of debutant bowlers taking a five-for in the second innings after going wicketless in the first. The last such instance was in 1996 by Lance Klusener, who had figures of 0 for 75 in the first innings and then returned with 8 for 64 in the second, against India in Kolkata.4 The number of England spinners who have taken a five-for on Test debut in the last 60 years – Rashid, Peter Such, Nick Cook and Phil Edmonds. Overall, he is the 13th England spinner to take a five-for on Test debut.56 The number of years since an England legspinner returned better figures in a Test. That achievement rests with Tommy Greenhough, a Lancastrian who played only four Tests but who took 5 for 35 against India in 1959.14 Runs added by Pakistan’s last four wickets in their second innings – they lost their sixth wicket at 159, and were bowled out for 173. Only three times have their lost their last four for fewer runs in a Test against England, with the lowest being nine, at Lord’s in 1978.34 Instances of both teams scoring 500-plus runs in the first innings of a Test; only 4 have gone on to produce a decisive result, while 30 have been drawn.Adil Rashid became the first Test debutant to take a five-for in the second innings after going wicketless for more than 100 runs in the first•Getty Images206 Overs bowled by Pakistan in England’s first innings, which is their seventh-highest in Test history. The last time they bowled more overs was in 1980 in Faisalabad against Australia, when they bowled 211 overs in Australia’s total of 617.6 Instances of a batsman scoring a double-century and a duck in the same Test. Shoaib Malik is the second Pakistan batsman in the list, after Imtiaz Ahmed, who scored 209 and 0 v NZ in Lahore in 1955. The last time this happened was in 2003, when Ricky Ponting scored 242 and 0 versus India in Adelaide. Malik’s 245 is also the highest score by a batsman who got a duck in the other innings of the same Test.

Sri Lanka hold on to seal tricky chase

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2015Sachith Pathirana brought Sri Lanka back into the game with two wickets on debut. Milinda Siriwardana got the wicket of Babar Azam as Pakistan fell to 96 for 3•AFPAzhar Ali and Shoaib Malik resurrected Pakistan’s innings with an 83-run stand, both making half-centuries•AFPShoaib Malik was dismissed in the 37th over for 51 and two more quick wickets followed as Pakistan were soon 217 for 6 in the 43rd over.•AFPMohammad Rizwan made the third half-century of the innings as Pakistan surged to 287 for 8 – scoring 88 runs off the last 10 overs•AFPKusal Perera blitzed the Pakistan attack from the outset, smashing a 17-ball half-century – the second-fastest in ODIs and joint-fastest for Sri Lanka•AFPThe opening stand was 92 in just 50 balls before Kusal was caught for 68, but Tillakaratne Dilshan carried the chase for a while with a measured innings•AFPDilshan and Upul Tharanga added 48 for the second wicket before Tharanga was bowled for 28 in the 19th over•AFPSri Lanka lost a clump of wickets, including that of Dilshan, as 155 for 2 soon turned to 159 for 5•AFPHowever, the hosts’ lower middle-order contributed with handy cameos as Sri Lanka completed a tough chase with two wickets and 11 balls remaining•AFP

Sunderland Can Complete Spree With Move For £15k-p/w Ace

No Championship team has been as proactive in the summer transfer window as Sunderland, who continued their spending spree by bringing in Jenson Seelt from PSV over the weekend in a reported £1.7m deal.

Dutch defender Seelt is the Black Cats' fourth signing of the close season, following in the steps of Luis 'Hemir' Semedo, Nectar Triantis and Jobe Bellingham.

Tony Mowbray's side do not appear to have finished their recruitment drive just yet, though, with plenty more names being linked with a switch to the Stadium of Light.

Joe Gelhardt is one of those on Mowbray's radar following a spell on loan on Wearside last season, with the experienced manager revealing in April he would be interested in landing the Leeds United youngster on a permanent deal.

What can Joe Gelhardt bring to Sunderland?

Having been restricted to just one Premier League start in the first half of the 2022-23 season, Gelhardt was given the chance to play more regularly on loan with Sunderland in the final four months of the campaign.

The 21-year-old scored three times and assisted three more in 20 league outings for the Black Cats, who narrowly missed out on promotion via the play-offs.

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray.

Gelhardt's return of 0.45 combined goals and assists per 90 minutes, as per FBref, was better than that of highly regarded Patrick Roberts (0.41) and only slightly lower than Jack Clarke – a target for numerous Premier League clubs – at 0.48, albeit the latter playing 27 games more in a show of his consistency.

Having only turned 21 last month, it is clear that Gelhardt is a player who has his best years ahead of him but is already showing immense talent.

"What a player this kid is going to be," talkSPORT host Adrian Durham said in October 2021. "He was astonishing for Leeds at the weekend. He should be involved in far more games. I think [Marcelo Bielsa's] been a bit reluctant to use him because of his age, but get him in there."

As Mowbray pointed out towards the end of last season, Leeds' relegation from the Premier League may work against his side, with the Whites perhaps looking toward the £15k-per-week youngster to spearhead their drive back to the top flight.

But Sunderland should at the very least test the waters to sign a player who averaged 2.48 shots per 90 minutes for them last season (only Ross Stewart with 3.71 can better that among players still at the club), as well as leading the way for fouls won per 90 (2.56), both highlighting his ability to get involved in play.

The England U20 international still has plenty of areas to improve on, such as finding the net from more of his attempts (his 0.09 goals per shot was bettered by nine Sunderland players last term), but he is the perfect type of player for Mowbray to continue to mould.

With four new signings already in the squad, each ready to challenge for a first-team spot, it may well be that Gelhardt is the final piece of this spending spree for Mowbray.

Ex-Celtic and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers in line for return to the dugout with shock club

Former Celtic and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is reportedly being lined up for a return to coaching in surprising surroundings. The Northern Irishman quit his prominent role at Parkhead in October and has been waiting on enticing offers ever since. It is now being claimed that he is close to joining the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in Saudi Arabia.

New challenge: Rodgers heading to Saudi Arabia

are among those to report that Rodgers is wanted in the Middle East. It is claimed that he will travel to Saudi as “work continues to finalise a deal”. If terms can be agreed, then he will pick up the reins at Al-Qadisah.

Rodgers appears set to step out of his comfort zone after bringing a second spell in charge of Scottish giants Celtic to a close. He left Glasgow under a cloud, with holes being picked in his reasons for walking away.

AdvertisementGettyCeltic picked holes in Rodgers' reasons for quitting

The Hoops’ majority shareholder Dermot Desmond said at the time of Rodgers’ claims that he lacked support at boardroom level: “In June, both Michael Nicholson and I expressed to Brendan that we were keen to offer him a contract extension, to reaffirm the club's full backing and long-term commitment to him.

“He said he would need to think about it and revert. Yet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract. That was simply untrue.”

Rodgers also claimed to have been let down by the ambition of Celtic bosses when it comes to transfer business. He said: “There's no way you'll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, 'I want you to drive it like a Ferrari'. It's not going to happen.”

Desmond was not having that either and bit back by saying: “Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan's full knowledge, approval and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false.

“In reality, he was given final say over all football matters and was consistently backed in the recruitment process – including record investment in players he personally identified and approved.

“When his comments were made publicly, I sought to address them directly. Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue. Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative.”

Trophy triumphs: Why Rodgers is a wanted man

Rodgers is now being targeted to succeed former Spain international Michel Gonzalez at Al-Qadsiah. They vowed to “move swiftly” and ensure a “smooth transition” when parting company with their previous boss.

Several candidates have been sounded out, with CEO James Bisgrove and sporting director Carlos Anton overseeing that process. When it comes to Rodgers, “his style of play and philosophy ultimately made him the preferred candidate”. He also has trophy wins on his CV from a spell at Leicester.

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GettyChasing down Ronaldo: Where Al-Qadsiah sit in Saudi Pro League

Al-Qadsiah want a new man at the helm by the time the January transfer window opens. Rodgers is their top choice, with the 52-year-old boasting vast experience from spells with Swansea, Liverpool, Celtic and the Foxes – having first started out as reserve boss at Chelsea during Jose Mourinho’s initial reign at Stamford Bridge.

He boasts the highest win ratio, at 75.5 per cent, of any manager in Celtic’s glittering history and delivered four Scottish Premiership titles across his two stints at the helm – with those successes forming part of back-to-back domestic treble triumphs in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

Rodgers is now ready for a new challenge and appears happy to head out of the United Kingdom in order to find his next role. Al-Qadisah seemingly have an offer on the table, as they sit fifth in the Saudi Pro League table – 10 points adrift of Ronaldo and Al-Nassr, who boast a faultless record at the top of the division.

'You don't get one from the grocery store' – Todd Boehly speaks out on Chelsea's striker search amid Victor Osimhen transfer talk

Todd Boehly has addressed Chelsea's striker struggles, pointing out that it is not a case of picking up a new No.9 from "the grocery store".

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Failed to sign a striker in summer of 2024Current options yet to truly convinceBlues have spent big across multiple windowsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues were heavily linked with Nigeria international Victor Osimhen during the summer of 2024, as he was nudged towards the exits at Serie A side Napoli, but no deal was done and the prolific 26-year-old is now with Galatasaray – competing against former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in the Turkish Super Lig.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

In west London, Nicolas Jackson managed nine goals before succumbing to a hamstring injury. Marc Guiu is also nursing a knock, Christopher Nkunku has struggled to live up to expectations, and Enzo Maresca has taken to using Portuguese winger Pedro Neto as a false nine.

WHAT TODD BOEHLY SAID

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, Chelsea co-owner Boehly said of the firepower issues: "Strikers are hard to find. You don’t go into the grocery store and say, ‘I am going to get a striker’. It is an amazing skill set and you have to have the right mentality."

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

On Chelsea’s overall strategy, which has seem them invest heavily on young players, Boehly added: "What we were really thinking about is how you put together a team that has the ability to stay together. When you read about the teams who were the dynasties over the years, they had superstar captains that really led them. What you're trying to find is that superstar captain."

Crystal Palace ready move to sign new 6ft 2 ace after 18 months of scouting

Crystal Palace are readying a move to sign a 6ft 2 player who earns £104,000-a-year, according to a recent report.

The Eagles return to Premier League action on Saturday as they travel to the Midlands to face Aston Villa, with Oliver Glasner knowing pressure is on him to turn results around quickly.

Crystal Palace have huge advantage over rivals in race to sign £25m target

It comes with Palace desperately in need of reinforcements in the January window.

ByBen Browning Nov 15, 2024 Crystal Palace transfer news

It has been a disappointing season for the Eagles so far, but January is an opportunity where they can strengthen their side as they look to improve in the second half of the campaign. Despite Glasner’s future not being secure, Palace are lining up potential transfer targets for when the window does open.

Two players that Palace have their eye on are both from Chelsea, as they are in pole position to sign Ben Chilwell in the New Year. The defender looks set to leave Stamford Bridge in January after not being used by Enzo Maresca and falling out of favour. Chilwell will want to get back to playing regular football, and Palace will hope the guarantee that they can offer is enough for him to move to Selhurst Park.

Palace have also made an approach to sign Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea in January. The Ukraine international has yet to live up to his hype when he joined the club, and Steve Parish believes he could be a good addition for Palace, as he’s seen as a “game-changer” like Wilfred Zaha was. But the Eagles are not stopping there, as they have their eye on a tall defender who has been on their radar for some time.

Crystal Palace readying move to sign new £104k-a-year player for Glasner

According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace are ready to make a move and sign Rav van den Berg from Middlesbrough. The Dutchman has been at the Riverside Stadium since July 2023, when he joined from Dutch side PEC Zwolle.

Van den Berg, who is 6ft 2in, was a key player for Michael Carrick last season at Middlesbrough, as he played 34 times in the Championship, and that has continued in this campaign, as he’s started seven of the eight league games he has been available for.

Football Insider states that Palace have been making regular scouting checks on the defender in the last 18 months, and they are now ready to test Boro’s resolve, as van den Berg has made himself one of the hottest prospects in the Championship.

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Van den Berg, who earns £104,000 a year at the Riverside Stadium, is under contract until the summer of 2027, and Palace are now appear ready to test their resolve. Glasner is keen to strengthen his defence when January arrives, and Palace feels that van den Berg could be the man to do that, but it is unclear how much it could cost the South London side to get a deal done.

Keep calm and spread the joy – youngsters provide the spark for Bangladesh

Five players, all between 20 and 26 of age, have given the visiting side a rare day to remember in New Zealand

Mohammad Isam02-Jan-2022Bangladesh were desperate to have their batters go about their work in a (calm) way, and find some joy in the process after a tough 2021. Appropriately, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudul Hasan Joy, with a patient 104-run second-wicket stand, did the needful in the first Test against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui.New Zealand are the Test world champions, especially formidable at home. Therefore, to bowl them out for 328 and then finish the second day on 175 for 2 – just 153 short – with the runs coming from two young batters means a lot for a struggling Test side like Bangladesh.”The younger guys today played phenomenally,” Neil Wagner, who has picked up both the Bangladesh wickets to fall so far, said after the day’s play. “I thought they played patiently. They didn’t really give too many opportunities. They hung in there. They were prepared to dig in. They left the ball quite a lot. It made us ask more questions, and take wickets. It gave them the opportunity to score.Related

Miracle in Mount Maunganui (or how Bangladesh pulled off the mother of all upsets)

Ebadot stings New Zealand with late-evening strikes, gives Bangladesh a whiff of something special

Mominul wants to set 'small goals' for 2022

Gibson proud Bangladesh bowlers 'kept going all day'

“I thought that they played really well. Full credit to them. I thought when the ball was there to be scored, they scored. They also left well and defended well.”But, to make it Bangladesh’s day, it needed more than just those runs. Shoriful Islam, the 20-year-old left-arm quick, added Rachin Ravindra’s wicket to the two he had on the first day to get Bangladesh going on the second morning, and offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, very experienced despite being just 24, got rid of most of the tail. This was the first time New Zealand were bowled out for less than 350 by Bangladesh on home turf.That put the onus on the batters. If they failed to build on the bowlers’ work, the pressure would be right back on the top four, who were woeful at home against Pakistan recently.Shadman Islam, older than the others at 26, 23-year-old Shanto and 21-year-old Joy were part of the top four that looked incapable of buying a run against the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali, and were expected to be under fire against New Zealand’s quicks. On the day, they were not.Shadman and Joy added 43 for the first wicket to set a platform, but Shanto batted like the ideal No. 3, mixing defence and attack smartly. He was the aggressor of the two during their big stand, driving beautifully – he hit Neil Wagner, Trent Boult and Kyle Jamieson for fours straight down the ground.Shoriful Islam picked up three crucial wickets•Getty Images”Joy and Shadman gave us a nice platform. It was handy for me. When I joined Joy at the crease, we just focused ball-by-ball, over-by-over and then on to the number of hours,” Shanto said. “We didn’t want to force the issue. We didn’t set big goals, like runs or overs. Joy batted well, but I think it would have been a better day had I remained unbeaten at the end too.”Joy did survive a close lbw shout off Wagner – the New Zealanders thought he had inside-edged the ball, but a review would have sent the batter back. But otherwise, it was a chanceless 211-ball stay for Joy, who ended the day on 70. Shanto got out for 64, but he had done the job before that.Mehidy, who has come up through Bangladesh’s Under-19 system like Joy, Shanto, Shadman and Shoriful, said that the batting performance had given the team a lot of confidence.”It was a very good partnership,” he said. “Our top order wasn’t getting these partnerships recently, so this has given us a lot of confidence. We have to bat well in the first session tomorrow. I think we have a long way to go.”Mehidy was particularly effusive in his praise for Joy’s performance. “His innings is definitely a positive sign for our team,” he said. “His batting definitely helped the team. Joy batted well, took his time. He didn’t look like he was a new player. He adjusted well to the conditions and situation.”He is a member of the Under-19 World Cup-winning team [in 2020]. He did well in South Africa last year, and also made runs in domestic cricket before coming into the senior side. I think he has a lot to give to Bangladesh. The whole team has appreciated his batting.”

Juventus slap €80 million price tag on Kenan Yildiz amid Premier League interest

Juventus are ready to cash in on talented teenager Kenan Yildiz, with a handful of Premier League clubs interested in the Turkish winger's services.

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Juve could part ways with YildizPremier League clubs keeping tabs on Turkish playerYildiz keen on staying in TurinFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With a potential finish outside the top four looming, Juventus are ready to offset the financial loss from missing out on Champions League qualification by cashing in on star player Kenan Yildiz. Juventus football director Cristiano Giuntoli is prepared to make sacrifices in order to ensure they remain financially stable during the 2025-26 season.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

That comes from a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Il Bianconero), who state that Juventus are set to leverage Yildiz's development into one of the best young players in the world and sell him for a figure close to €80-90 million.

The 19-year-old recently signed an extension with the Bianconeri, which will see him remain in Turin until 2029. Yildiz is eager to remain with the Old Lady to follow in the footsteps of Alessandro Del Piero, his idol. However, Juve are strategically positioning themselves to generate funds, fully aware that Yildiz is their most valuable asset.

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Jorge Mendes' recent trip to Turin, including meetings with Giuntoli and Yildiz's parents, has raised eyebrows. Although no offers have been made — given that he is not the Turk's official agent — Mendes has informed Giuntoli about interest in Yildiz from Premier League clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR KENAN YILDIZ?

Following Juventus' elimination from the pre-Round of 16 Champions League knockouts at the hands of PSV, Yildiz and his team-mates will be fully focused on ensuring they help Thiago Motta secure a top-four finish in Serie A. They have won four of their last five league games and are currently positioned in fourth place, 10 points behind league leaders Napoli.

Game-changer: Arsenal handed golden chance to land £71m Havertz upgrade

There is no sugar-coating it, Arsenal are in a serious slump at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side are supposed to be fighting for the Premier League title this season, but following their loss to Newcastle United last week, they are currently seven points behind leaders Liverpool.

Moreover, their defeat to Inter Milan during the week was their third in six games, and while the defence looks shaky, the attack looks blunt. In short, the Gunners need to change something and quickly.

Inter Milan (A)

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1-0 (W)

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So, fans should be excited about recent reports that have suggested the club now have a golden opportunity to secure the services of an exceptionally gifted number nine, even if that would impact Kai Havertz’s game time.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal will have the chance to launch an early bid for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres in January.

The report has revealed that there is a gentlemanly agreement between the player and club that he can leave in the summer for around £62.5m, but should clubs wish to jump ahead of the ever-growing queue, then they can opt to pay £71m in January.

While that’s good news, the bad news is that, alongside the Gunners, the report also claims that Paris Saint-Germain and several clubs from the Saudi Pro League are now keen on the Swede, meaning there could even be significant competition in January.

In all, it could still be a complicated and costly transfer to get done, but due to Gyokeres’ incredible ability, one worth pursuing, even if that negatively impacts Havertz’s game time in North London.

How Gyokeres compares to Havertz

So, if Arsenal are going to spend up to £71m – or more – on Gyokeres in January, it certainly won’t be with the intention of making him warm the bench, meaning he’ll be in direct competition with Havertz for a place in the starting lineup.

Sporting CP strikerViktor Gyokeres.

With that said, how to the pair stack up against one another? Is it an easy win for the Sporting ace?

Well, unfortunately for the former Chelsea man, it very much is, as across his 51 appearances for Arteta’s side last season, he racked up a reasonable tally of 14 goals and seven assists, meaning he averaged 0.41 goal involvements every game.

viktor-gyokeres-transfer-news-leeds-united-championship

However, in his 50 appearances for the Portuguese giants last season, the former Coventry City star, whom ex-teammate Maxime Biamou dubbed “unplayable”, scored 43 goals and provided 15 assists, equating to an obscene average of 1.16 goal involvements every game.

Things remain just as one-sided when we look at this season as well.

In just 17 appearances for the Lisbon side, the Stockholm-born goal machine has found the back of the net on 23 occasions and provided four assists to boot, meaning he’s currently averaging 1.58 goal involvements every game.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 29 has got on the scoresheet seven times in 16 games and has one assist to his name, which works out to a still impressive but significantly worse average of 0.50 goal involvements per match.

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Ultimately, even when you account for a slightly weaker league, the difference in goalscoring ability between Havertz and Gyokeres is enormous, and if Arsenal want to claw back lost ground on Liverpool and Manchester City in the new year, then they must sign the Swedish goalmachine in January.

Arsenal flop who was sold by Edu for £5m just silenced Sesko in the UCL

The former Arsenal dud has been sensational for his new team this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 7, 2024

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