يعيش نادي الرجاء الرياضي المغربي على صفيح ساخن في ملف تجديد عقد لاعبه، في ظل مفاوضات معقدة يسعى من خلالها النادي الأخضر لحسم بقاء أحد أهم عناصره، خصوصًا بعد تزايد الحديث مؤخرًا عن اهتمام الأهلي بضم اللاعب.

وبحسب المعلومات الواردة لـصحيفة “المنتخب” المغربية، قدم الرجاء عرضًا جديدًا لمدافعه الدولي يوسف بلعمري يمتد لعامين إضافيين، في محاولة لتأمين استمرار المدافع الذي يُعد من الركائز الأساسية داخل الفريق.

طالع أيضًا | يوسف بلعمري يفتح الباب أمام الأهلي بقرار هام

ومع ذلك، لا تزال المفاوضات متوقفة عند نقطة الخلاف المالي، بعدما عرض النادي منحة توقيع تبلغ 400 مليون سنتيم، بينما يصر اللاعب على الحصول على 800 مليون سنتيم، معتبرًا أن القيمة المقترحة لا تعكس الدور الكبير الذي قدمه منذ انضمامه للفريق.

ويرتبط يوسف بلعمري بعقد مع الرجاء حتى صيف 2026، بعدما انتقل إلى صفوف الفريق قبل موسمين قادمًا من الفتح الرياضي، وتمكن خلال فترة قصيرة من فرض نفسه كأحد أهم عناصر الخط الخلفي، وهو ما جعل اهتمام الأندية يزداد، وعلى رأسها الأهلي الذي ترددت أنباء قوية حول رغبة مسؤوليه في التعاقد معه خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وتسعى إدارة الرجاء لحسم تجديد اللاعب في أسرع وقت ممكن، خصوصًا في ظل القلق من دخوله مرحلة شك قد تفتح الباب أمام عروض خارجية، إلا أن التوصل لاتفاق نهائي يبقى مرهونًا بتقليص الفجوة بين مطالب اللاعب المالية وعرض النادي، خطوة يعتبرها الرجاء ضرورية لإغلاق الباب أمام الأهلي الذي يراقب الموقف عن قرب بانتظار أي تعثر في المفاوضات.

A Barcelona presidential candidate says the club are "going to get a Harry Kane" if they don't unearth a striker like the Bayern Munich ace from their academy. The England captain has been linked with a move back to the Premier League but more recently, he has been on the Blaugrana's radar. Now, a rival to club president Joan Laporta has made an ambitious claim in an apparent bid to win votes.

• Life after Lewandowski

  A few eyebrows were raised when Lewandowski swapped Bayern for Barcelona in the summer of 2022 but perhaps unsurprisingly, the veteran Pole has been prolific for the Catalan outfit. In 161 games, he has scored 109 goals and added 20 assists. The 37-year-old is still banging in the goals this season, with eight in 14 appearances so far. However, with the former Borussia Dortmund star approaching the end of his career, Barca are looking to find a long-term successor. The striker's current deal expires next summer, although there is an option to extend his stay by another 12 months. Ferran Torres, 25, has shown he can lead Barca's attack but finding a quality replacement for Lewandowski in the not-so-distant future is a must. The Spanish champions have been linked with former Tottenham star Kane, while Atletico Madrid ace Julian Alvarez, and Manchester City's Erling Haaland, both 25, are also said to be targets. But Xavier Vilajoana, who wants to succeed Laporta, has his sights set on Kane, 32, or a new academy gem from La Masia.

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  'We're going to get him'

  Despite Kane being happy at Bayern, speculation continues to rumble on over his future. Crucially, the ex-Spurs man appears to be in no rush to jump ship, though.

  "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me," he told BILD this week. "I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern. There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

  However, Vilajoana, who is running against Laporta in the club's presidential elections next year, may have a thing or two to say about that if he gets into office.

  He told Sky Sports: "We have incredibly talented players at La Masia, but of course, if we don't have players, we will look elsewhere. I will always look for a player who understands Barca's DNA, not just a name. It's a dangerous thing to look for just a name, but someone who fits our style and culture."

  When asked if Kane would fit that profile, he said: "If we don't have a Harry Kane inside [the club], we are going to get him. Why not?"

• Barcelona president Laporta criticised

  Aside from Kane, Vilajoana, who is a former Barca youth team player and director, laid into Laporta for "offering more of the same chaos" with his own re-election bid. He believes he can offer a better vision for the club, while also spelling out his plans for the future.

  "We have seen what four years of improvisation, short-term fixes and asset sales look like and it's put the club at risk," said Vilajoana. "Joan talks about the future, but after all this time, he still doesn't have a concrete plan or experience to execute it. I won't stand on the sidelines while others play with its future. My campaign is about restoring sporting excellence and financial sanity, rooted in La Masia and in our identity."

  Vilajoana is also hopeful that Barcelona can play matches abroad one day, after plans to stage a game against Villarreal in Miami this season were scrapped. La Liga fans were dead against moving La Liga fixtures away from Spain but it seems Vilajoana is of a different view.

  "The US market is a very big one. It's a market where we can do a lot of things together. It's a big mistake [to cancel the Villarreal game in Miami]. I hope we can play again. Not only one match, but more than one," he added. 

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  Messi part of Barcelona's future?

  Lionel Messi, arguably Barca's greatest ever player, left the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, when Laporta announced the Blaugrana could not afford to keep him. But Vilajoana wants to collaborate with the Argentine great, who is plying his trade at Inter Miami, in the future. 

  He added: "We want Messi involved in a way that feels natural. In a role that he will want and where he will feel he brings most value. But we would do it with dignity. The way he was treated by Laporta was awful. I really hope a change in leadership can bring him home."

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank risks losing the dressing room if he fails to trigger a turnaround in fortunes in the club's upcoming fixtures. It has been claimed that several players are starting to lose faith in the Dane due to his tendency to make late tactical adjustments, which often leaves the players confused about their responsibilities during games.

Frank could lose Spurs dressing room amid poor run

According to a report from , sources close to the Tottenham Hotspur dressing room have indicated that there is growing uncertainty and confusion among players under the stewardship of head coach Frank. The report highlights the frequent last-minute changes to player roles – with tactical adjustments made just before kick-off or even scrapped entirely in the early phases of the match – as the primary factor behind Frank's waning authority in the dressing room. The Tottenham players are not happy with Frank's managerial style and the recent stretch of poor results has only exacerbated the situation.

In the aftermath of Spurs' 2-1 defeat to Fulham, the former Brentford boss insisted that he continues to retain the backing of the club's hierarchy, but there's no denying that he is under mounting pressure to turn things around, starting with Wednesday's visit to St. James' Park against a resurgent Newcastle.

Furthermore, he will also be tasked to maintain unity within the dressing room and continue steering the ship with leadership and authority. Several senior players are said to be unsure of their roles and responsibilities during games, with last week's edge-of-the-seat 5-3 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League highlighted as an instance when a late tactical tweak caused confusion. Even though some squad members are understood to enjoy working under Frank, there is concern that he risks losing the broader dressing room unless performances and results improve soon.

AdvertisementAFPFrank blanked by Van de Ven and Spence

Following Spurs' narrow 1-0 home defeat to London rivals Chelsea at the start of November, defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence headed straight to the tunnel without greeting the supporters, much to the surprise and disappointment of Frank. He was left rooted to the spot after seeing two of his players leave the pitch without showing appreciation to the fans in a moment that could be pointed to as the first signs of fragmentation between the squad and the coach.

“All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that," the Dane told reporters after the game.

“I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that.”

When asked whether it was "acceptable" for both players to ignore him, Frank responded: “I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues.

“We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem.”

Signs of a divide between Spurs and their fans

The loss to Fulham was a bitter blow to Spurs' aspirations this season, as well as their overall morale as the season heads into the second half. The Cottagers raced to a two-goal lead within the first six minutes, and Marco Silva's side would have Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to thank for his howler. 

The Italian's blunder drew a cacophony of jeers and boos, which angered the Spurs boss after the game. “I didn't like that our fans booed at him straight after and a few times he touched the ball," he defiantly stated. "They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch. And we do everything we can to perform. After, fair enough, boo, no problem. But not during. That's unacceptable in my opinion."

In fact, even Pedro Porro couldn't hold himself back from lashing out at the fans. Taking to Instagram, he leapt to the defence of his team-mates, writing that "what I will not tolerate is hearing disrespect from the fans to my teammates, hence my frustration at the end of the game.”

Amid a difficult run of form, the last thing Spurs’ players and Frank need is a strained relationship with the fans. Their unwavering support, as it has been through the years, could be the catalyst needed to turn things around, even against all odds.

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Getty Images SportFrank's job at Spurs not under scrutiny

November was an extremely difficult month for Spurs. They lost four games and drew once, with their only win coming in the Champions League against Copenhagen. After capturing 17 points from their first nine league games, the London-based outfit have gone four Premier League games without a win. What's more, only four teams have earned as few, or fewer, points than Spurs' total of four from the last five league games.

Regardless, reports suggest that the 52-year-old retains the backing of the Spurs hierarchy, who remain adamant on giving Frank more time to lay his tactical imprint on the squad. 

Tough fixtures in the form of Newcastle, Liverpool, and Crystal Palace await Frank and Co. in the month of December. It’s crucial for Spurs to secure some positive results, not only to relieve Frank of the inevitable pressure if progress isn’t made, but also to dispel any doubts the players may have about the manager’s tactics and management.

“Playing two Test matches back-to-back is always fun and bowling a lot of overs is something I enjoy,” Kuldeep says

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2025

Shubman Gill won his first Test series as captain•BCCI

Shubman Gill, who has just wrapped up his first Test series win as India captain is “kind of getting used to it [the experience]”, he said after the seven-wicket win over West Indies on Tuesday sealed a 2-0 series win.”It’s about taking the right options in the given situation,” he said in the presentation ceremony when asked what he had learnt after seven Tests (starting with the 2-2 result in England) as the leader of the pack. “I try to make the most probable decision in the given situation that we are in. Sometimes you have to take some bold decisions, that X-factor depending on which player can get you certain runs or get you those wickets.”Four wins in seven Tests is a great start for any Test captain, but when you lead India, it comes with additional scrutiny. In Delhi, it was in response to India enforcing the follow-on after taking a 270-run lead, especially after the 177-run third-wicket stand between century-makers John Campbell and Shai Hope.Related

What did India gain by playing Reddy in the West Indies series?

Gambhir wants bounce and carry on Indian pitches

India complete 2-0 sweep in Gill's first series win

Washington: Heartening to take 20 wickets on this surface

Kuldeep's stump vision defies flat Delhi pitch

“We were around 300 runs ahead and the wicket was quite dead, and we thought even if we scored 500 runs, we have to get six or seven wickets on day five it would be a tough day for us,” Gill explained.The other little niggle was Nitish Kumar Reddy, the fast-bowling allrounder in the XI, not bowling a single over. “[He] didn’t really get to bowl any overs in this match but we don’t want players to only play matches overseas – that puts a lot of pressure on the players,” Gill said. “If we want to groom certain players that we think can help us win matches overseas [we need to find spots for them], because that’s been the challenge for us.”Two of the players who got to bowl a lot and played key roles in the series were Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. Two spinners trying to form a partnership after many years of R Ashwin being the lead spinner when at home.”I could get chance to bowl more overs,” Jadeja said with a laugh after collecting his player-of-the-series award. “We’ve been doing wonderful work as a team. We know what brand of cricket we have been playing since last five-six months, so it’s a good sign as a team that we continue to do it for a long period of time.”2:13

Why didn’t Nitish Kumar Reddy bowl a single over in the Delhi Test?

Jadeja has also moved up the batting order in recent times – all the way to No. 6. And the returns have been solid. There was a century in England when India saved a Test they seemed out of in Manchester, and one now in Ahmedabad, along with a number of other impressive scores. “In past so many years, I have been batting at No. 8, No. 9, so my mindset was a little different to what I have right now, but [I’m] just trying to spend more time in the middle when I get the chance.”He’s also got a chance to mentor the younger spinners in the side, like Kuldeep and Washington Sundar. “It’s lovely to have him [Jadeja] around,” Kuldeep said. “He’s someone who has always guided me in tough situations and giving me some advice and it’s really helping me out.”Having sat out the entire tour of England, Kuldeep was back in the XI for the two Tests against West Indies and bowled beautifully, finishing with a chart-topping 12 wickets, including eight in Delhi that earned him the player-of-the-match award.1:15

How Kuldeep beat the challenges of a slow pitch

“In terms of pace, I thought, probably the pace, and the drift, which I got in Ahmedabad, if you compare that to this Test match, there wasn’t any drift here, because of the surface. The wicket was too dry,” he said of the changes he had to make between the two Tests. “Playing two Test matches back-to-back is always fun, and bowling lot of overs and getting the breakthrough in the middle is something I enjoy.”There isn’t much time for the multi-format players, with the first ODI of the series in Australia in a week’s time.Kuldeep will squeeze in as much football-watching as he can: “I’ll watch a few games and we hardly have time, we’re going to fly tomorrow and we have a game on the 19th. So I have to prepare for that.”Gill will leave his preparations – or the planning, at least – till later: “It’s a long flight, maybe we can talk about it there.”

West Indies gave a better account of themselves with the bat than in Ahmedabad, but India still remained in control of the Delhi Test after Shubman Gill scored his 10th Test hundred and declared midway through the day at 518 for 5. In response, West Indies put on their first half-century stand of the series – a contrast to at least 57 for every wicket for India in this Test, Alick Athanaze posted their highest individual score of 41 and they went 43 overs with the loss of four wickets. It was an improvement after they failed to bat 50 overs in either of their innings in Ahmedabad, but they still needed 179 to avoid the follow-on.The day began on a sour note for India when the voracious Yashasvi Jaiswal was run-out after he had added just two to his overnight 173. He was quite demonstrative in letting his partner, Gill, know it was his call and that he should be looking at him and not the ball. However, Jaiswal had hit the ball to mid-off a little too well, and Gill had been quick to turn his back. Jaiswal, though, kept going, and left himself no opportunity to recover.The ever-calm Gill took it in his stride, and – at least for the spectators – more than made up for the run-out with sumptuous strokeplay to bring up his fifth century in just seven Tests as captain. For company he had 40s from Nitish Kumar Reddy, promoted so he can play some role in home Tests, and Dhruv Jurel, whose dismissal brought about the declaration.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

For most part, Gill hardly played a shot in anger. When the seamers produced a mildly testing spell in the morning, Gill prospered with short-arm cuts and defensive pushes for boundaries into the leg side, often after stepping out of the crease. He brought up his half-century with slight abandon, a lovely flick through midwicket. When Justin Greaves tried to mix cutters, he picked one even as he stepped out and then lofted him for a six.Reddy, who bowled just four overs in the first match and didn’t get to bat, was sent in at No. 5 so that India can give him time in the middle and give him every opportunity to develop into an allrounder when he is next needed overseas. It wasn’t the smoothest of innings, with an early edge falling short, but featured two sixes against the turn before a third attempt ended it on 43 off 54.Jurel was a more reliable ally, once again showing good judgement of length against spin. He preferred to press forward in preparation to face the ball, but was quick to rock back every time the spinners dropped short.Gill strolled through to his hundred before flicking into a higher gear, scoring 27 off 19 after reaching the landmark. In trying to match Gill’s pace, Jurel tried to manufacture a pull and was bowled off Roston Chase, the first man other than Jomel Warrican to take a wicket.Gill pulled the plug on the innings with that dismissal. Unbeaten, he now averaged 43.47 in Tests and 84.81 as captain. No India captain has scored more hundreds in a year than Gill’s five after he took over practically in the second half of 2025.1:08

Warrican: Need to be ‘extremely disciplined’ bowling here on first two days

Averaging 20 over the last 40 innings, the West Indies opening wicket failed to change that number either way, although this time they were unlucky. John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul had looked comfortable against pace. Campbell welcomed Ravindra Jadeja’s spin with a paddle-swept boundary, but the next sweep, nailed off the middle of the bat, hit the short leg’s helmet and lodged itself in the fielder’s arms. B Sai Sudharsan, the fielder, stayed off the field for the rest of the day, but had brought about a breakthrough.Chanderpaul and Athanaze then put together West Indies’ most assured phase with the bat, using their feet, sweeping, lofting down the ground, and then Chanderpaul was beaten in the air by a quick Jadeja delivery, which he steered for a sharp catch at first slip.Athanaze then hit Kuldeep Yadav’s first ball of a new spell straight to midwicket, having got too close to the pitch of the ball on this slog-sweep. Captain Roston Chase tamely flicked one back to Jadeja. In the stands, Viv Richards and Brian Lara were seen gesturing he should have defended it with the turn and not flicked against it.Shai Hope and Tevin Imlach saw West Indies through to stumps without further damage but they still had a mountain to climb.

Things got a bit testy between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels ahead of their clash on Wednesday, after a verbal altercation escalated and both benches were cleared.

The incident occurred during practice prior to first pitch, and involved players and coaches from both teams.

At the center of it all was Red Sox first base coach Jose Flores, who could be seen face-to-face in a heated exchange with Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson. As Anderson began to walk away, Flores continued to shout in his direction while making gestures with his arms. Anaheim pitching coach Barry Enright then arrived in support of Anderson, before he and Flores began barking at one another.

As that conversation continued to heat up, players and coaches began making their way onto the field to see what the commotion was about.

It's not immediately clear what set off the altercation, but it was eventually deescalated without too much of an issue.

Perhaps the pregame fracas got players fired up, as hitters from both teams came out swinging in the first inning. The Angels racked up four runs on Lucas Giolito in the top of the frame before Boston's bats responded with five runs of their own.

A wild start at Fenway Park.

We're just about one-third of the way through the 2025 MLB season, and we've seen some standout performances from many of the league's superstars, as well as some emerging, breakout talents.

Although we've not yet reached the season's halfway point, the MVP races have already begun to heat up thanks to some scalding hot starts from last year's winners in New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

At the end of the day, there's still plenty more baseball left to play, with most teams still having at least 100 games remaining on the schedule. A lot can change, and a lot probably will change.

As of now, however, it seems clear that Judge and Ohtani are the early favorites to repeat as MVPs. Both are enjoying dominant seasons and maintaining, if not improving upon, their level of play from last year. It's their award to lose at this point, though we've seen some outstanding performances from other players looking to make their case to be named Most Valuable Player.

We're going to take a look at the American League and National League MVP races, and rank the top three players in contention for each award. All stats are updated entering Tuesday’s games.

American League MVP Rankings3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals

After emerging as a superstar last season, Witt is again off to a roaring start in 2025. The Royals shortstop has racked up 20 stolen bases through his first 60 games and boasts an impressive OPS of .822. He's a game-changer both on defense and offense, and leads MLB with 22 doubles on the year. Witt finished as the MVP runner-up in the American League last year and figures to be in consideration for the award again in 2025.

2. Cal Raleigh, C, Seattle Mariners

Raleigh has been off to a scalding hot start to the 2025 season. The Seattle Mariners backstop is tied with Shohei Ohtani for MLB's home run lead with 23. He owns a 1.016 OPS and a .637 slugging percentage, and has even swiped six bases. Raleigh is a rare breed––a switch-hitting catcher that posts MVP-like hitting numbers, all while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense behind the plate. No MLB catcher has ever hit 50 home runs in a season, but at his current pace, Raleigh would be on track to launch 64 homers over the course of a 162-game season.

1. Aaron Judge, RF, New York Yankees

This one is obvious. No player in baseball has been better to start the season than Judge, who already paces MLB with a stunning 4.7 WAR in just 58 games. Judge leads all of MLB in the following categories: hits (86), batting average (.391), on-base percentage (.485), slugging percentage (.764) and OPS (1.249). Judge remains a constant threat any time he's in the batter’s box, and thus far he's running away with his third AL MVP award in four years.

Honorable Mentions

Red Sox 3B Alex Bregman, Red Sox DH Rafael Devers, Guardians 3B José Ramírez

National League MVP Rankings3. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

One of baseball's most consistent stars throughout his career, Freeman hasn't slowed down a bit in his 16th MLB season. The 35-year-old remains one of the sport’s best hitters, posting a 1.056 OPS in 49 games, ranking second in MLB behind Judge, along with nine homers, 38 RBIs and an NL-best .368 batting average. Freeman dominated in May, hitting .410 with 43 hits, four home runs and 21 RBIs in 27 games, and he'll look to stay hot throughout the summer.

2. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Chicago Cubs

Crow-Armstrong has emerged as one of the game’s most exciting players, and one of the best, too. The 23-year-old is off to a sensational start to the season, posting a .873 OPS to go with 15 home runs, 51 RBIs and 19 stolen bases, making him the only player with at least 15 HR and 15 SB. After recording 2.3 WAR in 123 games last year, Crow-Armstrong has already accumulated 3.6 WAR in just 59 games this season. Boasting a devastating combination of power and speed, Crow-Armstrong is MLB's biggest breakout star thus far into the season, and he if can keep it up, he could potentially challenge Ohtani for the MVP award.

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH, Los Angeles Dodgers

He may not be tracking for another 50-50 season, but Ohtani is still the top dog in the NL and is putting together one of the best-ever seasons by a leadoff hitter. He's tied for the MLB lead with 23 home runs, ranks second with a .661 slugging percentage and is on pace to become the first player since 1936 to score at least 162 runs. He's not yet returned to his pitching duties, though that's an expected step for Ohtani this season. Assuming his return to the mound is successful, he'll be hard to compete with for the NL MVP award. If he does win again, it would mark the third straight year he was named MVP and the fourth time in the last five seasons.

Honorable Mentions

Padres RF Fernando Tatis Jr., Cubs RF Kyle Tucker, Diamondbacks RF Corbin Carroll, Nationals LF James Wood

While he has made some mistakes, Mikel Arteta has got an awful lot right during his time in the Arsenal dugout.

The Spaniard has overseen a complete overhaul of the squad, instilled a new philosophy, and turned them from a fallen giant into serial challengers for both the Premier League and the Champions League.

However, there were plenty of moments early on in his managerial career when it felt like he was hanging onto the job by his fingertips, including a period in which Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe practically saved him.

Since then, the former has established himself as the club’s talisman, while the latter has fallen away and been sold to Fulham. Interestingly, there is a player in Arteta’s current squad who once felt like the next Saka but could now be closer to becoming the next Smith Rowe.

How Smith Rowe and Saka save Arteta

Even though the club were coming off their 14th FA Cup triumph, the start of the 20/21 season was nothing short of disastrous for Arsenal.

The North Londoners actually won their two opening games, against Fulham and West Ham United and even picked up a third win of the campaign in their fourth match.

However, the losses started coming thick and fast, and from the 8th of November to Boxing Day, the team didn’t win a single league game.

So, when Chelsea rocked up at the Emirates on Boxing Day, Arteta decided to roll the dice and start Smith Rowe in the ten, a decision that instantly paid off as the Gunners came out 3-1 winners and the youngster provided the assist for Saka’s goal.

From that point, results started to improve, and the two Hale Enders were crucial to that, with the midfielder racking up a tally of four goals and seven assists and the winger doing even better with seven goals and seven assists.

The duo continued to impress the following season, with Smith Rowe producing 13 goal involvements and the mercurial number seven producing 19.

However, a combination of injuries and the squad being strengthened around him saw the Croydon-born gem slowly lose his place in the side over the next two seasons.

Finally, after making just 14 appearances in the 22/23 season and then 19 the year after that, the Hale Ender was sold to Fulham for around £34m, while Saka went on to become arguably the team’s best player.

Interestingly, or perhaps unfortunately, there is currently a potential star in the making in Arteta’s squad today who at one point looked destined to follow in Saka’s footsteps, but might now be more likely to become the next Smith Rowe.

The Arsenal gem who could become the next Smith Rowe

It would be fair to say that, as seasons go, last year wasn’t a particularly enjoyable one for Arsenal fans.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The club looked miles off in the title race and were beset with injuries to key players, only this time they didn’t have the squad depth they do today.

However, there were at least a few bright spots from the campaign, notably the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri.

The youngster had long been a prospect fans were excited about; he became the youngest player in the Premier League, after all.

Yet, it was the injuries to Martin Odegaard and specifically Saka that meant he ended up getting far more first-team minutes than supporters were expecting, and to say he made the most of the opportunity would be an understatement.

Nwaneri in 24/25
Appearances	37
Minutes	1378′
Goals	9
Assists	2
Goal Involvements per Match	0.29
Minutes per Goal Involvement	125.27′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, the often “unplayable” dynamo, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

In other words, the Hale End phenom averaged a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

It was these numbers, plus the moments of brilliance on the ball and his time out wide, that led many to see him as someone who could and probably would follow in the steps of Saka and become a key part of the squad in the coming years.

However, fast-forward to today, and it would be fair to describe his situation as more akin to Smith Rowe’s in his final seasons at the club.

For example, as things stand, the teenager has made just ten appearances for the first team, totalling 427 minutes.

Moreover, he’s started just three games all season, two of which came in the League Cup and another in the club’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague.

Worryingly, the Enfield-born gem has also only scored one goal and, like the Croydon-born star before him, has seen fresh competition arrive in the shape of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

Nwaneri in 25/26
Appearances	10
Minutes	427′
Goals	1
Assists	0
Goal Involvements per Match	0.1
Minutes per Goal Involvement	427′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

However, it is still early in the season, and while it’s clear that the manager isn’t as keen to pick the Hale Ender as he was last year, there is still plenty of time for things to change.

Therefore, so long as Nwaneri does get more game time across the rest of the campaign, he could still follow in Saka’s footsteps, but if he doesn’t, he could be another Smith Rowe.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

6 days ago

If you were to ask Mikel Arteta what a perfect game looked like ahead of kick-off on Wednesday night, he would have described something close to the one Arsenal delivered.

Sure, there were a few moments in the first half where Club Brugge looked threatening, but that is to be expected when a team is so heavily rotated.

Moreover, the Gunners were comfortably the better side for much of the game and came away with their 100% record in the Champions League still intact.

There were impressive performances across the pitch from Arteta’s men, including from one international who, like Noni Madueke, had his best game in an Arsenal shirt so far.

Noni Madueke's performance vs Club Brugge

Wednesday night’s game against Club Brugge could have been a banana-skin fixture for Arsenal.

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After all, the North Londoners were coming off a devastating defeat in the Premier League, were beset by injuries, and had to rotate a significant portion of the side.

However, the Gunners showed why so many consider them to be one of Europe’s best teams and swept the Belgian outfit aside.

The likes of Martin Zubimendi, Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White and Piero Hincapie all looked excellent, but the star of the show was undoubtedly Madueke.

The former Chelsea man was the busiest of the attackers in the first half and opened the scoring with a truly sensational solo goal.

The Englishman had the ball by the halfway line, beat one player, rode the challenge of another and then rifled the ball into the top corner from well outside the area.

The dynamic game-changer then continued to be a serious threat throughout the rest of the half, before scoring his second early in the second half, thanks to a smart run and a pinpoint accurate cross from Zubimendi.

All in all, it was a performance that more than justified the man of the match award, and has to go down as his best in an Arsenal shirt thus far.

Fortunately, the same could be said about another starter.

Arsenal's other standout star

Now, there are other players who deserve praise for their performances against Brugge, but the only other starter who comfortably had his best game in an Arsenal shirt was Christian Nørgaard.

The Danish midfielder has been something of a forgotten man since his arrival in the summer, playing just 302 minutes of football before last night.

However, while he did finally get another start on Wednesday night, just his fourth all year, it wasn’t in the middle of the park; it was at centre-back.

Understandably, such a move left some in the fan base feeling a little nervous ahead of kick-off, but there was no need to be, as the 31-year-old was practically faultless for the entire match.

Yes, he did pick up a yellow card, but he also made a crucial interception in the penalty area in the first half, and as football.london’s Tom Canton put it, looked totally ‘unfazed by the unfamiliar position.’

That might sound a little hyperbolic, but the former Brentford captain’s statistics prove otherwise.

For example, in his 93 minutes of action, the £65k-per-week monster won 100% of his tackles, took 72 touches, won three of four ground duels, made clearances and two interceptions, recovered the ball twice, blocked a shot, completed 50 passes and even played two long balls.

Nørgaard’s game v Brugge

Minutes

93′

Tackles (Won)

3 (3)

Touches

72

Accurate Passes

50/54

Long Balls

2/3

Blocked Shots

1

Recoveries

2

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (3)

Interceptions

2

Clearances

4

All Stats via Sofascore

In fact, the København-born veteran looked so good at the back, both with and without the ball, that there might even need to be a conversation about him playing there against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Ultimately, it was a great night at the office for Arsenal on Wednesday, and like Madueke, Nørgaard undoubtedly put in his best performance since his move in the summer.

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Richarlison took his tally for the season to seven goals in all competitions, per Sofascore, as Tottenham Hotspur beat Brentford 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Brazil international converted from close range after Xavi Simons, who scored the second goal in the match, put it on a plate for the striker with a ball across the box.

Despite a return of six goals and two assists in nine starts in the Premier League for Richarlison, though, the Lilywhites are reportedly looking to add a new striker to their squad in the January transfer window.

Spurs have been linked with an interest in former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who worked with Thomas Frank at the Gtech, but he is not the only attacker on their radar.

Spurs have strong interest in Spanish striker

The Europa League champions are also looking at a possible move for a number nine who could arrive in North London as the manager’s next version of Toney.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur have a strong interest in signing Porto centre-forward Samu Aghehowa to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The report claims that the Spain international has a release clause in the region of £70m – a fee that would eclipse Spurs’ club-record fee – and that has attracted interest from Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United.

Tottenham are said to have done a lot of background work on the striker, whom they hugely admire, and they would like to snap him up to lead their line.

However, the outlet adds that Porto are set to block a January move for Samu, who is not pushing to leave, which could mean that the Lilywhites have to wait until the summer to do a deal.

Why Spurs should wait to sign Samu Aghehowa

Instead of panicking and signing an alternative centre-forward option in the January transfer window, Spurs should wait until the summer to pursue a deal for the Spanish attacker, because he could be a brilliant addition to the squad as Frank’s new Toney.

The England international, per Transfermarkt, scored 72 goals in 141 matches for Brentford in all competitions for the Danish head coach, whilst acting as the focal point for the team with his physical presence.

Toney won 3.2 or more aerial duels per game, per Sofascore, across all three of his seasons in the Premier League with the Bees, never winning lower than 46% of his aerial contests.

Samu, 6 foot 4, has won 59% of his aerial duels in Liga Portugal and 56% of them in the Europa League this season, after winning 51% in the Portuguese top-flight last term, per Sofascore, which shows that he can offer a similar focal point to Toney in the number nine role.

Appearances

30

11

xG

14.07

5.63

Goals

19

6

Minutes per goal

119

117

Assists

3

1

Aerial duel success rate

51%

59%

As you can see in the table above, though, the Spanish number nine is a terrific goalscorer to go along with his physical attributes, having scored 25 league goals since the start of last season.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed him as a “clinical” player during the 2024/25 campaign, and that still rings true with his return of six goals from 5.63 xG in the league this term.

Samu, who was described as a “freak of nature” by one analyst on X, has the physical and technical attributes to be Frank’s new Toney, as they are both prolific strikers who can also duel with opposition defenders and provide a focal point for their side.

On top of his similarities to Toney and his impressive record for Porto, the Spain international is also 21 and has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve further, which means that he would be a signing to make an immediate impact, but with scope for it to be a long-term move as well.

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Therefore, Samu is a player who is worth waiting for. That is why Spurs should stick with Richarlison, who has a decent goal return this season, until next summer before making a move for the Porto marksman, unless a January deal does become viable in the next seven weeks or so.