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Mikel Arteta was in good spirits in a TV interview after Arsenal's win over Chelsea, faking a quick exit when asked about Bukayo Saka's fitness.

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Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0Arteta in good spirits after matchShared funny moment with interviewerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners picked up three more points without their injured talisman Saka, beating rivals Chelsea 1-0 thanks to another Mikel Merino goal. It was the 12th Premier League match the England international has missed, but Arteta is hoping to have him back soon after the international break.

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Earlier this month, the Gunners boss came under fire for walking out of a Sky Sports interview after being asked about the title race, but this time the Spaniard was asked about star winger Saka and he provided a much funnier response. He appeared to leave again before jinking back and re-entering the frame with a smile on his face. Arteta then confirmed Saka has a "good chance" of returning to action for Arsenal after the international break.

WATCH THE CLIPWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

The win over Chelsea puts Arsenal 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who will not play until after the international break due to their involvement in the Carabao Cup final. When the Gunners return, all eyes will be on the Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, where they will hope to have Saka back and raring to go.

Liverpool made it five wins from five in this season’s Champions League after a 2-0 dismantling of Real Madrid at Anfield last night.

Arne Slot’s side followed up victories against AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Bologna and Bayer Leverkusen after second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and substitute Cody Gakpo.

Star man Mohamed Salah squandered his effort from the penalty spot, but he wasn’t alone, with French international Kylian Mbappé also having his effort denied on Merseyside.

The victory keeps the Reds top of the new-look group format, maintaining their perfect record in Europe – remaining the only outfit left in the competition with a 100% record.

It was a real team effort to defeat the defending champions, but there’s no denying that numerous players stood out during the triumph, playing a vital role in inflicting more pain on Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Liverpool’s star performers against Real Madrid

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has done a superb job in recent weeks, stepping in for Brazilian international Alisson after his recent injury issues.

The 26-year-old made himself known between the sticks once more last night, producing some key saves that kept the game swinging in favour of Slot’s side.

Kelleher made three saves during the win, including a crucial intervention from Mbappé’s penalty, undoubtedly the key moment in the fixture coming just minutes after the opener.

He also completed 93% of the passes he attempted and seven recoveries, with his display making it seriously hard for the usual number one to walk straight back into the starting lineup upon his return from his latest setback.

Argentine midfielder Mac Allister also produced another phenomenal display, proving to the boss that he made the right call in reinstating him to the side after being named on the bench against Southampton on Sunday.

The 25-year-old completed 54 passes against the Spanish giants, whilst finding the back of the net in superb fashion, handing the Reds the advantage just minutes into the second half.

However, he wasn’t done there, creating two big chances for his teammates as they went in search of the all-important second, which eventually came through Gakpo with less than 15 minutes remaining.

Despite the aforementioned duo’s efforts, one player outperformed them both, giving Slot a real selection headache in the weeks ahead.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The Liverpool ace who stole the show vs Madrid

Right-back Conor Bradley has been tasked with one of the hardest jobs in football, stepping in to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Englishman’s hamstring issue.

However, he’s made it look simple, with last night one of his best displays since his first-team debut back in the 2021/22 campaign.

The Northern Ireland star was also facing one of the best talents in Europe in the form of Mbappé, but made light work of the 25-year-old, restricting him to limited opportunities in the final third.

Bradley, who was dubbed “magic” by pundit Ally McCoist, won eight duels during the match – the most of any player on either team – whilst achieving a 100% tackle completion rate, which included a superb last-ditch effort on the aforementioned talent.

He also managed to achieve an 86% pass completion rate, with eight of his passes being played into the final third, allowing him to have an impact at both ends of the pitch.

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One of his subsequent passes fell into the path of Mac Allister, allowing the midfielder to open the scoring for the Reds, with it no surprise that club legend Jamie Carragher was quick to praise the academy graduate, after stating “what a performance” it was from the youngster.

Not only did he wow that man Carragher, but Bradley was also handed a 9/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle – an indication as to how impressive the youngster was despite the mammoth task he was facing before a ball was kicked.

It was then frustrating to witness the man of the moment forced off with injury late on, although even so, he more than proved his credentials as the player who could potentially replace Alexander-Arnold for the long-term.

With his teammate yet to agree a new deal at his boyhood side, the future may not be so daunting, with Bradley waiting in the wings to make the role his own during the years ahead.

Liverpool's 9 best European nights – ranked

Liverpool have had plenty of wonderful European nights over the years.

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 27, 2024

South Africa batter reveals he worked on playing the ball late to improve his game

Firdose Moonda28-Feb-2022Kyle Verreynne is among only a handful of batters on South Africa’s first-class scene to maintain a career average of 50 since his debut in 2015, but even with the weight of numbers behind him, he entered the international stage with hesitation. After eight Test innings with an average of 14, that turned into serious uncertainty.”It’s been quite challenging, mentally. Test cricket is the toughest format of the game and my first couple of series – starting in the West Indies – were on quite challenging wickets,” Verreynne said, after his unbeaten 136 on Monday. “Against India, it was probably the toughest pitches I played on and then coming here, in the first Test, the wicket was also quite tough to bat on. Mentally, you have a lot of doubts about yourself. You read a lot of things people are writing. There were a lot of questions being asked about me technically.”Related

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Verreynne's maiden Test century has South Africa in the box seat

High on the list of questions about Verreynne was why, before his innings in the second Test against New Zealand, he tucked away the aggressive approach he made his name on in the domestic circuit, and whether he should use his feet more. He spent the last week addressing both those concerns and realised his more tentative approach was a response to the slower surfaces in the Caribbean and he needed to adjust back to playing on surfaces with pace and bounce. “When we were in West Indies, I tried to change my technique to adjust to those conditions. When we got back to South Africa, I never went back to how I had been batting before,” he said. “I felt in West Indies, those adjustments were important but I forgot the importance of what worked beforehand. So I made some small things with my trigger movement.”He is still not convinced that he needs to move his feet more and is instead looking at playing the ball as late as possible. “Footwork has never been a strong point of mine. It’s more about contact points,” he said. “That’s something I have been working on a lot. Footwork isn’t always the most important thing, it’s more about if I am playing the ball late.”His array of well-timed and placed pulls and cuts were examples of how Verreynne has tweaked his approach to playing the ball under his eyes and almost at the last possible second. And he also found the tempo he was known for in local circles – after scoring only two runs off the first 10 balls he faced this morning, he hit 24 off the next 25. His first fifty runs came in 98 balls and the second fifty in 61 and his partnerships with Kagiso Rabada, who scored a 34-ball 47, came at a rate of 7.42 to the over.While Verreynne allowed South Africa to bat long and deep, Rabada’s knock changed the tone of the innings and buoyed South Africa when they took the field.”With KG, there wasn’t a plan for him to come out and play the way he did, but he said he was feeling pretty good,” Verreynne said. “He said to me he was going to stick around with me while I get to my hundred but once he started hitting it, I said to him to just carry on going because it looked like he couldn’t miss it. The way he played was one of the big factors of the energy we took into our bowling. What he was able to do, it gave everyone a bit of energy. It was good to see.”

“Footwork isn’t always the most important thing, it’s more about if I am playing the ball late.”Kyle Verreynne

Rabada left Verreynne on 95 and it was Keshav Maharaj who he celebrated his century with. Though this could be an innings that defines the early phase of his international career, Verreynne said he didn’t feel it as though he was at risk of being benched if he didn’t get to three figures in this series. “I didn’t feel like I was batting for my place,” he said. “I just felt pride. I’ve worked my whole life to play Test cricket. To get across the line and make a contribution is something I am really proud of. When I did cross the mark, it was a sense of pride and joy that I made a big impact towards pushing for a result.”He also brushed off any comparisons to his predecessor Quinton de Kock, who retired from Test cricket at the end of 2021, creating the opportunity for Verreynne to have a long run in the XI. “I’ve never been made to feel like I am Quinny’s replacement. His retirement came as a shock to all of us but from the next day, I had support and backing that this is my spot,” Verreynne said. “He had a great Test career and he was very successful so I understand there’s going to be expectations to live up to what he has done. I have been fortunate that I’ve been backed. I’ve got time and I just need to be myself.”Six Tests into his career, Verreynne is already repaying the faith the coaching staff have shown in him. His hundred may go on to form part of a historic win and unbroken streak of never losing a Test series to New Zealand, something that looked impossible after their massive defeat in the first Test. “Things didn’t go according to plan. Everyone knows that,” Verreynne said. “But before that, we beat India 2-1 so within the team, there were no doubts of what we were capable of. We saw the first Test as just one of those things. Sometimes it happens in the sport where everything just falls apart, which it did in the first Test.”

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.

Chamari Athapaththu breaks into top ten after showing strong form in the Commonwealth Games Qualifiers

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2022Meg Lanning and Tahlia McGrath have moved up in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings among batters after guiding Australia to a 1-0 series victory in the T20I leg of the ongoing Ashes series. Lanning, the Australia captain, displaced Smriti Mandhana from third place, while McGrath vaulted up 29 places to 28th.In the first T20I in Adelaide, McGrath followed up figures of 3 for 26 with an unbeaten 91 off 49 balls, including 13 fours and a six. Lanning also fired with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls as Australia hunted down 170 with nine wickets and three overs to spare. The second and third T20Is ended in no-results following lashing rain in Adelaide.Full rankings tables

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Shafali Verma regained the top spot on the table, leapfrogging Beth Mooney, who was sidelined from the Ashes games after undergoing surgery for a fractured jaw. Verma (726) now has a two-point lead over Mooney.Among allrounders, Ellyse Perry dropped out of the top ten in the list that continues to be led by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine.Meanwhile, Chamari Athapaththu advanced six places to break into the top ten. She made scores of 24, 86, 57, 30, 48 in Kuala Lumpur as Sri Lanka assured themselves of an opportunity to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be played in Birmingham this July-August.

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.

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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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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 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.

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

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“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 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.

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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.

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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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.

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.

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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7

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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