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Aston Villa are interested in a new £25 million target who could potentially be a replacement for Diego Carlos, according to a new report.

Since Unai Emery joined the Villans, they have been busy in most transfer windows, and January is unlikely to be much different, as they are already being mentioned with incomings and outgoings.

Unai Emery open to selling £100k-p/w Aston Villa player in January

Unai Emery has been left unimpressed by an Aston Villa player and is open to cashing in on him in the new year.

ByBrett Worthington Nov 18, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news

Villa’s defence seems to be a key issue that they are looking to address in the New Year, as the Premier League side are interested in signing Omar El Hilali from La Liga side Espanyol. The right-back has been catching the eye with his performances in Spain and for his versatility in defence, as he can operate in multiple positions across the backline.

However, Villa are not the only team to clock on to his performances, as Manchester City are also interested in the player, as they see him as someone who could replace Kyle Walker. But while Villa have their eye on an incoming player, January could be the time when they cut their losses with a defender already on their books.

A recent report has stated that Emery is open to selling Diego Carlos in January, despite his heavy involvement in this campaign so far. The Villa boss is said to not be convinced by his role in the team and is ready to sanction his departure sooner rather than later. The Midlands side appear to already have a suitable replacement in mind, as they eye a £25 million defender.

Aston Villa eyeing Joel Ordonez who could replace Diego Carlos

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are among the clubs interested in signing defender Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge. The 20-year-old has been with the Belgian side since July 2023, when he joined them from Club NXT.

Ordonez, who can play as a centre-back as well as a right-back, has started 13 of the 14 games he has been available for in all competitions this season, four of which have come in the Champions League.

This report states Ordonez, who is in the 96th percentile for pass competition per 90 minutes for defenders, has impressed with his performances in Belgium and has put himself on the radar of Villa, as well as Liverpool and Newcastle United. All three teams are monitoring the defender ahead of next month’s transfer window, but it doesn’t state when Villa or any of these clubs could make a move in the market.

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It goes on to state that it could cost Villa €30 million, which is roughly £25 million, to get him out of Club Brugge, as they still see him as a key player. However, they are also aware that they may find it difficult to keep him at the club for much longer, so should they receive a fee of this figure, they could be willing to let him leave.

Aston Villa Football Club have had four of their players representing their respective nations at Euro 2024. Representing your country at a major tournament is always a proud moment, and for these players, it comes off the back of an impressive campaign with Villa, which saw them finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.

Sadly, two of the Villa players at Euro 2024 have already been eliminated. John McGinn and his Scotland side were knocked out at the group stages in heartbreaking fashion against Hungary. Youri Tielemans of Belgium was recently eliminated by France in the round of 16 with a Randal Kolo Muani shot ricocheting off Jan Vertonghen and deflection in to send them home.

Villa’s other two Euros representatives are from England, Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa. Watkins, the Premier League’s playmaker of the season for 2023/24, came off the bench against Denmark in the groups to play 20 minutes, although did not get on the scoresheet, and Konsa’s sole appearance so far was off the bench, too. The 26-year-old played 15 minutes against Slovakia in extra time as his side looked to hold onto the lead.

Now, with the transfer window open and players putting their names in the shop window, Villa have been linked with another Euro 2024 star who has impressed despite being eliminated from the tournament.

Villa target Serie A defender

The player in question here is Udinese and Slovenia centre-back Jaka Bijol, who was impressive in his country’s run to the round of 16. Following an impressive campaign for Udinese, too, he is thought to be targeted by some big clubs across Europe this summer.

According to a report Italian news outlet Tutto Mercato, the Villans have made 'concrete surveys' about signing the 25-year-old this summer. Villa could 'continue to shop in Italy', following their double signing of Juventus pair Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea.

However, the report suggests that Villa are not the only side interested in signing the impressive defender. Scudetto winners Inter, Antonio Conte’s Napoli and Lazio are all thought to be interested in a move for Bijol.

There is not currently a clarification on how much a move for Bijol would be. However, according to Football Transfers valuation tool, he is worth £14m, a fair amount given he still has three years left on his deal with Udinese.

Why Bijol would be a good signing

Bijol was part of one of the most impressive defensive performances at Euro 2024 so far, despite tasting defeat against Portugal. His side kept the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes quiet, taking them all the way to penalties before being eliminated in heartbreaking fashion.

In his post-match ratings for Goal.Com, journalist Louis Wheeldon gave Bijol a 7/10 rating, pointing out that he “battled well” for his side, before noting how well he “kept his cool” under copious amounts of pressure. Indeed, this was reflected in his stats after the game from Sofascore.

He made ten clearances, which was more than anyone on the pitch, as well as winning three out of five aerial duels and made three crucial blocks for his side. It was a simply colossal performance from the Udinese defender.

Indeed, this outing is one we saw regularly from Bijol at Euro 2024. He played every minute of his side’s campaign and helped to keep a clean sheet against Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham's England in the group stages, conceding just one goal each against Denmark and Serbia. He was also a crucial player for Udinese last season, playing 24 times, despite a long three-month spell on the sidelines with a scaphoid fracture.

The 26-year-old is a wonderful box defender, and should Villa get the deal done, he could be the ideal signing to complement Pau Torres, the Villans’ key man at the back under Unai Emery. Firstly, the pair are ideal for each other given Bijol is right-footed and Torres left-footed, making them an dream duo from that point of view.

As a pure defender, Bijol is superb, and that is reflected in his stats via FBref. He averages 6.03 clearances per 90 minutes, as well as 2.84 combined tackles and interceptions per 90. He is also dominant in the air, winning 3.62 aerial duels on average per 90.

Clearances

6.03

Aerial duels won

3.62

Aerial duel win %

96.4%

Tackles and interceptions

2.84

This would work well with the Spanish defender, who missed out on a spot at Euro 2024. Torres is a great recovery defender, averaging 4.64 ball recoveries per 90. However, the 27-year-old is not quite as good of a box defender, with his best attributes coming on the ball, something Bijol is not as strong at.

The Slovenian averages just 1.81 progressive passes and completes an average of 27.8 passes per 90, a far cry from Torres’ numbers. In contrast, the Spaniard plays 4.67 progressive passes and completes 57.0 passes each game. It is fair to say there is a clear gulf between the two.

However, they can still work as a centre-back duo, given their left-foot, right-foot combination, and complementary attributes; Bijol being a far superior box-defender and Torres being the better player on the ball.

For a player valued at just £14.4m, it could be a smart move for Villa and could add to their depth at centre-back. Given Clement Lenglet’s loan has now expired, and he will not be joining permanently, they need to deepen their squad in defence, and Bijol could be the perfect addition.

Imagine him & Iling Junior: Aston Villa make bid for "monster" talent

Tottenham also have a vested interest in this talented wideman.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 2, 2024

Lauryn Goodman revealed that she "didn't want to go" out on the night she conceived her daughter with Manchester City star Kyle Walker.

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Walker started dating Goodman in 2019Their second child was born in August 2023Walker's marriage with Annie Kilner on the rocksFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In 2020, Lauryn gave birth to her and Walker’s son, Kairo, marking the beginning of an intense co-parenting relationship. Then after a brief pause in their romance, the pair reportedly rekindled their previous connection in 2022, with the defender wanting to spend more time with Kairo.

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The relationship grew intense once again and in August 2023, Lauryn gave birth to their daughter, Kinara. Annie Kilner, wife of Walker, learnt about Kinara from Lauryn during Christmas last year, when pregnant with her fourth child. In light of these revelations, Walker’s personal life went downhill and his marriage has hit the rocks.

WHAT LAURYN SAID

Lauryn on her new podcast, , in a candid conversation with her friend and co-host, Lisa Andrews, discussed her relationship with Walker at length detailing how their connection went beyond mere chance encounters. Addressing assumptions that her pregnancies could have resulted from brief encounters, Goodman disclosed that her diagnosis of endometriosis, a condition that often impacts fertility, made conception difficult and unlikely to occur after a single interaction as she went on to emphasize that her relationship with Walker was a long-term affair.

Discussing the night she became pregnant with Kinara, Lauryn noted her initial reluctance to see Walker. She explained to her friend Andrews, “The night we conceived Kinara, I actually didn’t want to go meet him. I remember saying to my friend, ‘I really can’t be bothered to go and see him.’”

DID YOU KNOW?

Walker and Lauryn's relationship has been fraught with legal disputes and consistent clashes. Although Walker currently pays child support for Kairo and Kinara, the arrangement has seen its fair share of contention. As they navigate the legal system and co-parenting dynamics, their personal lives have often captured the attention of fans and tabloids alike.

Mendis, Hasaranga and Chameera show spirit but lack support in five-wicket loss

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Jun-2021England 189 for 5 (Root 79*, Chameera 3-50) beat Sri Lanka 185 (Perera 73, Hasaranga 54, Woakes 4-18) by five wicketsIt’s not as if this profoundly depleted Sri Lanka side did not have their moments.During the 99-run fourth-wicket stand between Kusal Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga, a creditable total seemed possible. When the seamers, led by Dushmantha Chameera, claimed four England wickets for 26 runs, leaving the opposition 80 for 4 (it would have been 80 for 5 if Perera had held on to dismiss Moeen Ali first ball, off Chameera), there was the slim possibility of making the run-chase difficult for England.But because the remainder of the game went roughly as expected, England’s victory was straightforward, ultimately. Sri Lanka lost 3 for 45 at the top of their innings, then their last seven for 40, making an eventual 185 that was miles form being sufficient.England’s new-ball bowlers had set the match up – Chris Woakes particularly disciplined and skilful as he claimed 4 for 18 from his 10 overs. Then Jonny Bairstow blasted a 21-ball 43, and Joe Root nurdled his way to the game’s top score of 79 not out, Moeen keeping him company through most of it. England had bowled Sri Lanka out inside 43 overs. They surpassed their score inside 35 overs, with five wickets to spare.A comfortable England victory had anyway been expected following the T20Is, which they had easily won, but the gulf between the sides had widened further when it became clear that no fewer than six of Sri Lanka’s original touring squad were unavailable for this game. Bio-bubble-popping trio Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis were already in Sri Lanka before this match began, having been flown back in economy class for their sins. Avishka Fernando and Dhananjaya de Silva, meanwhile, were out through injury, and Oshada Fernando was unavailable due to illness.Related

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This left the visitors with little choice but to field a slew of inexperienced players. Three – allrounders Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya Lakshan, plus left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama – were on ODI debut. Three others – Binura Fernando, Ramesh Mendis and Chamika Karunaratne – had played only one ODI. On top of which Pathum Nissanka was playing his seventh match. In fact, across their XI, Sri Lanka only had 195 caps – 105 of them belonging to captain Perera. Eoin Morgan was playing his 244th game.Woakes and David Willey ensured that England began the match as expected, extracting seam and swing in the first Powerplay, though Woakes in particular would probably have troubled even much better opposition. He rarely strayed from the channel, finding movement both in the air and off the surface, and nicked off Nissanka in the fifth over. Four overs later he bowled the delivery of the innings when he angled a ball in from over the wicket, then moved it away off the seam to take the edge of Dasun Shanaka. At the other end, Willey had had debutant Asalanka caught at slip for a duck.Chris Woakes claimed four wickets in a superb display•Getty ImagesAfter Perera and Hasaranga had each struck fifties, it was these two bowlers who came back into the attack to rip through the middle order. Woakes bounced Hasaranga out for 54, before nicking Lakshan off soon afterwards. Perera had been Sri Lanka’s most settled and confident player, but perhaps sensing a collapse from his team-mates, holed out to deep square leg off the bowling of Willey, for 73 off 81. That Perera could produce these kinds of innings was known, but Hasaranga’s half-century was encouraging – he had come in at No. 5 and had to battle through some excellent seam bowling before finding his feet against the spinners.In reply, Bairstow was brutal in the early overs, bashing six fours and a six in his 21-ball stay to propel England at greater than 10 runs an over in the early overs of their innings. But when he chopped Binura Fernando on to his stumps, England had lost both openers in quick succession – Liam Livingstone having spooned Karunaratne to mid-on the previous over.Joe Root celebrates a half-century in his 150th ODI•AFP/Getty ImagesThen, Chameera – the best of Sri Lanka’s bowlers – had Eoin Morgan caught behind, and Sam Billings flashed one aerially to backward point. His next ball should have accounted for Moeen too, but Perera was standing too far to the leg-side, and was late moving towards his left. He spilled that chance, and England rebuilt.Root’s innings was measured. There was little pressure from the required rate, so he chose to collect safe singles and twos into the outfield, relying heavily on a dab to third man against the quicks. In fact, in the whole of Root and Moeen’s 91-run stand, only three boundaries were struck. Although Moeen did seem bogged down at times, ultimately striking at less than 50, Root was untroubled by the lack of boundaries. He guided England home in the company of Sam Curran.

Weah got a hero's welcome at Lille, a club with which he won a Ligue 1 title, while McKennie also subbed in

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Weah returned to Stade Pierre-Mauroy as Juve playerWeah starred for Lille for four seasonsMcKennie made cameo in 1-1 drawFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. international Tim Weah rose to prominence as a player starring for Lille, helping the club secure a Ligue 1 title along with a Trophée des Champions in four seasons at the club. So when the winger was subbed on in the 68th minute in Juventus' Champions League match against Lille Tuesday, he was greeted by a well-deserved loud applause at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy faithful.

It was the standout moment in an otherwise drab 1-1 draw between the two sides. Weah's USMNT teammate Weston McKennie also featured in the match, coming on at the same time.

Fellow CONCACAF star Jonathan David, who plays for Canada, got the proceedings going with a stunning goal in the 20th minute. In the second half, Juventus would respond with an equalizer off Dusan Vlahovic's penalty.

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Juventus now sit 10th in the new Champions League table with seven points in four matches. The draw is a result manager Thiago Motta will live with, though questions still remain about how he sees McKennie in his plans

The midfielder came off the bench for the second-straight game, after a stretch where he started three-straight matches. Under normal circumstances, this would be considered standard rotation, but Motta made it clear he didn't envision McKennie as a part of his plans during preseason and opted against utilizing the American until after the transfer window.

McKennie is one of the USMNT's key players and an uncertain role could present issues for the player and his national team with the 2026 World Cup approaching.

DID YOU KNOW?

Weah got his professional start as a member of PSG, one of Lille's rivals in Ligue 1. The winger won two domestic titles as a member of the French giants, though he was a bit player for the club. During his time in Paris, Weah made six overall appearances and scored two goals.

WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

Juventus have one more match before the international break, playing local rivals Torino on Nov. 9.

The ESPNcricinfo team of the tournament has players from five countries – find out if your top pick made the squad of 12 or not

Yash Jha03-Nov-20258:05

‘What dream? We’re living it’

Getty ImagesSmriti MandhanaSo rich was Mandhana’s vein of form coming into the competition that a quiet start – 54 runs in the first three outings – had left viewers perplexed. But she dialled things up once the big games arrived: 80 versus Australia, 88 versus England, and 109 in the high-stakes clash against New Zealand. She added 45 in the final to finish with the highest tally for an Indian in a women’s World Cup.AFP/Getty ImagesLaura Wolvaardt (capt)Wolvaardt, too, had a slow start, but more than made up for lost time, scoring 30 or more in seven consecutive matches – including half-centuries in wins against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan – and then hit centuries in both knockouts. Her 101 in the final versus India may have ended in a losing cause, but the 169 against England to take South Africa to their maiden ODI World Cup final will go down as one of the all-time great performances. Her tally is, by some distance, the highest at an edition of the ODI World Cup.Getty ImagesJemimah RodriguesSpeaking of iffy beginnings… Rodrigues found herself on the bench three weeks into her maiden ODI World Cup, after two ducks and two 30s. She celebrated her return – and a promotion to No. 3 – with a sparkling 76 not out off 55 balls versus New Zealand, before the career-defining 127 not out to end Australia’s reign with a record chase in the semi-finals.ICC/Getty ImagesMarizanne KappContinuing the trend of peaking at the right time was Kapp, whose first big contribution (aside from a chase-stabilising half-century against Bangladesh) came in the sixth game of the campaign: 68 not out off 43 balls followed by three new-ball wickets against Pakistan. She then demolished England’s hopes of chasing 320 in the semi-final with a double-strike in the first over, finishing with 5 for 20, having earlier chipped in with a 33-ball 42.Getty ImagesAnnabel SutherlandSutherland’s consistent mastery at the death, fuelled by a lethal back-of-the-hand slower ball, meant she was the joint-highest wicket-taker before the final. She started with a three-for against New Zealand, triggered an Indian collapse with 5 for 40 in Visakhapatnam, and added another three versus England – a game where she also had her only significant outing with the bat.Getty ImagesAshleigh GardnerPrior to 2025, the World Cup had seen only three hundreds from batters coming in at No. 5 or lower; Gardner hit two in this edition, both stunning recovery acts. She turned 128 for 5 into 326 against New Zealand by smashing 115 off 83 balls, and then turned a tricky chase versus England into a cakewalk – Australia were 68 for 4 in pursuit of 245 – with 104* off 73. There was a fifty in the semis too, and she chipped in with the ball all along.ICC/Getty ImagesRicha Ghosh (wk)Ghosh takes the wicketkeeping gloves in our team owing to her finishing prowess. She was the tournament’s fastest scorer as well as its highest six-hitter. Her unbeaten 20-ball 35 pushed India closer to 250 against Pakistan in Colombo; she played cameos in both the games versus Australia, including a handy 16-ball 26 in the record semi-final chase; she added 34 off 24 in the title clash against South Africa, and her 94 off 77 against the same opponents was an early contender for the knock of the tournament…AFP/Getty ImagesNadine de KlerkDeepti’s tournament started with a fifty and a three-for, and ended with a fifty and a five-for – the first such achievement in any World Cup final, women’s or men’s. The leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Deepti became the first player to do the double of 200+ runs and 15+ wickets in an edition of the women’s ODI World Cup. The Player of the Tournament recipient also contributed a four-for and fifty in the loss to England, and injected vital momentum in the semi-final chase against Australia with a 17-ball 24.Getty ImagesAlana KingKing delivered the spell of the tournament, claiming the first seven-for in World Cup history, to bamboozle South Africa in Indore. But don’t discount the rest of her tournament: two key wickets in the opener versus New Zealand, miserly returns against Bangladesh (2 for 18) and England (1 for 20), and the first fifty from a No. 10 in a women’s white-ball international to stitch a rescue act against Pakistan.ICC/Getty ImagesSophie EcclestoneEcclestone began the tournament playing second fiddle to fellow slow left-arm spinner Linsey Smith’s hero act against South Africa, but finished as strongly as ever. She proved too strong for Bangladesh (3 for 24) and Sri Lanka (4 for 17), and despite tougher outings in Indore, and an injury scare ahead of the semi-final, she was England’s standout performer in the defeat to South Africa with 4 for 44.ICC/Getty Images12th: Sophie DevineIn the final chapter of an illustrious ODI career, Devine was the lone star of New Zealand’s campaign, top-scoring in defeats to Australia (112) and South Africa (85), and scoring 63 in the win over Bangladesh. That meant Devine had 260 runs after three outings, but New Zealand didn’t bat for another two weeks, and Devine didn’t get a perfect swansong with low scores against India and England.

Country’s leading run-scorer hits 121 as Worcestershire face heavy defeat

ECB Reporters' Network04-Jun-2021David Bedingham propelled Durham into a position of strength with his third century of the season on day two of the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter with Worcestershire at New Road.The competition’s leading run-scorer hit a chanceless 121 to take his tally for the summer to 787 at an average of 71.54.Bedingham and Michael Jones shared a fifth-wicket stand of 171 to help Durham to 381 all out and a first innings lead of 250.Worcestershire rallied after a disappointing first session, in claiming six wickets for 76 to secure maximum batting points with Josh Tongue returning 4 for 73 from 25 overs.But there is still sufficient encouragement in the pitch for the bowlers and Matty Potts picked up two wickets as Worcestershire limped to 99 for 3 by the close despite an unbeaten Jake Libby half-century.”We said the first hour would be key and we played and missed a bit but you need a bit of luck in a big partnership,” Bedingham said at the close. “We got through it, and the magic spray did the trick after I got hit in the ribs by Tongue, who bowled well the whole day.”It has been a feast-or-famine campaign for Bedingham who has scored three hundreds and two fifties but in eight other knocks in the Championship has a highest score of 33.He was in fine fettle today as Durham built effectively on their overnight 140 for 4, greeting the introduction of Dillon Pennington into the attack with three boundaries in his first over and hitting legspinner Brett D’Oliveira for two straight sixes – the second of which completed an 84-ball fifty.Jones went to a 116-ball half-century and Durham batted through the morning session without losing a wicket and adding 102 runs.Related

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It was a different proposition for batting once the second new ball had been taken and Leach made the breakthrough when Jones edged through to keeper Ben Cox.Bedingham brought up his century – from 154 balls with two sixes and 11 fours – when he turned Dillon Pennington off his legs for two, but Jack Burnham on nine had no answer to a lifting delivery from Pennington and the nick was taken head-high by Cox.Ned Eckersley edged a Leach away swinger to Cox after making eight and Brydon Carse had only a single to his name when he cut Pennington to Ed Barnard at point.Tongue brought Bedingham’s fine knock to an end on 121 when he was lbw working the ball to leg. He batted for 183 balls and hit two sixes and 13 fours. Barnard wrapped the innings up when Ben Raine, after a quickfire 16, holed out to deep backward square.Potts quickly made a breakthrough with Daryl Mitchell falling to a superb one-handed reflex catch in the gully region by Carse.Libby looked in good form and greeted the introduction of Raine with three boundaries in an over. Tom Fell also looked composed at the crease and the second wicket pair added 67 in fluent fashion in just 15 overs.But Potts returned to the attack and had Fell leg before for 21 and Gareth Roderick completed a pair when shouldering arms and being bowled by Chris Rushworth.

They couldn't quite get over the line again last season, but there can be no doubt that Arsenal took another step forward under Mikel Arteta in 2022/23.

The Spaniard's side made it to the quarterfinals of the Champions League and pushed Manchester City to the final day of the Premier League season, boasting the best defensive record in the competition.

However, the North Londoners scored five goals fewer than the Sky Blues, so it's unsurprising that the focus this summer has been to bring in a new number nine, be that Benjamin Sesko last month or Viktor Gyokeres in recent weeks.

While the Gunners are in the market for a new starting striker, the need for a backup is equally pressing, especially if Eddie Nketiah departs.

Luckily, recent reports suggest that Edu Gaspar and his team may have found the perfect solution: a young talent drawing comparisons to Erling Haaland.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a recent report from the Sunday Mirror via football.london, Arsenal are interested in Atlético Madrid's young striker Samu Omorodion and have let the Spanish club know as much.

Alongside the Gunners, the report claims that Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Napoli, and Chelsea are also keen on the forward and that the latter have already held discussions with the La Liga giants over a potential deal but saw their offer rejected. The player has been offered fresh terms, which will include an £85m release clause.

Given the level of interest from other sides, it could be a tough transfer to get over the line, but if Nketiah really is sold for around £35m, then bringing the Spaniard to North London in his place might be a brilliant move, especially given his comparisons to City's Norwegian goal machine.

How Omorodion compares to Nketiah and Haaland

Now, before we get onto the comparison between Omorodion and Nketiah, let's examine these comparisons to Haaland, which mainly stem from FBref and data analyst Ben Mattinson.

The former looks at every player in Europe's top five leagues and then creates a list of the five most similar players based on position, and for the Spaniard, City's number nine is the 10th most similar striker.

This similarity can be seen best in some underlying numbers, such as progressive passes, carries and passes received, goals per shot and shot on target and live passes, all per 90.

Progressive Passes

0.81

0.92

Progressive Passes Received

4.64

4.44

Progressive Carries

1.35

1.23

Goals per Shot

0.13

0.18

Goals per Shot on Target

0.35

0.40

Live Passes

13.1

13.2

Mattinson, on the other hand, argued that the 20-year-old's "ability to turn and hold off his marker" before firing a powerful shot past the keeper with his weaker foot is very "Haaland-esque."

With that said, how does he stack up with the player he could replace in North London? Well, when it comes down to the most crucial metric for strikers, pure output, he comes out just ahead.

In 36 first-team appearances last season, he scored nine goals and provided one assist, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.6 games.

In contrast, the Englishman scored six goals and provided three assists in 37 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement every 4.1 games. While that's not a massive difference, it is impressive considering the five-year age gap between the two forwards.

Ultimately, with it looking increasingly likely that Nketiah will leave this summer, Arsenal will need to bring in some reinforcements. Considering his impressive displays last season and favourable comparisons to Haaland, of all people, Omorodion looks as good a candidate as any.

And who knows, if talent scout Jacek Kulig is right that the youngster has a "big future ahead," he might be good enough to lead the line for Arteta in a few years.

Imagine him & Saka: Arsenal enter race for "mind-blowing" signing

The incredible ace has been described as “one of the best strikers in the world.”

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 1, 2024

Darwin Nunez was the hero for Liverpool as Arne Slot's Liverpool beat RB Leipzig 1-0 to keep their Champions League winning streak alive.

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Nunez stars as Liverpool beat LeipzigSlot reveals what he told the strikerNunez struggling for form under SlotFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Nunez opened his Champions League account for the season as he was on target against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday. The Uruguayan has struggled to shine this season, however, Slot has now revealed Nunez did everything he asked of the striker when facing the Bundesliga side and revealed his pleasure with the 25-year-old.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT SLOT SAID

Speaking to the media, Slot said: "I asked for a goal. He gave us one but in the lead-up to the goal, Gakpo was important and Mo with an assist. It was a team goal. It's pleasing to see that Darwin did a really good job today."

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Nunez has only made three appearances in the Premier League this season for Liverpool and managed just one goal. The 25-year-old is below the likes of Cody Gakpo, Luiz Diaz, and Diogo Jota in the pecking order but will hope his strike against Leipzig can help him return to his best form.

WHAT NEXT FOR NUNEZ?

Liverpool now turn their attentions to a crunch game against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, October 27, although it is unlikely that Nunez will start the important clash.

Minus Zian Flemming’s late penalty for Burnley at St James’ Park, Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over the relegation-threatened Clarets on Saturday was rather straightforward.

Scott Parker’s men never gave in, but after Anthony Gordon stroked home his fourth penalty of the season, there was a sense of inevitability that the Magpies were going to secure a sixth Premier League victory of the campaign, especially as the away side had to play all of the second half with just ten men.

It was far from vintage, but Newcastle will be pleased that they now enter into the upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby with a confidence-boosting win under their belt.

Then, it’s a tough encounter with Chelsea in league action, before more and more clashes come their way across the bumper Christmas period.

Before you know it, Eddie Howe’s men will be concerning themselves with matters in the January transfer window, as plenty of new signings are tipped to move to Tyneside.

Newcastle's transfer latest

Away from any new arrivals, though, Yoane Wissa lining up for Howe and Co against Burnley would have felt like a fresh signing in itself, as the injury-plagued striker finally pulled on Toon black and white, after exiting Brentford in the summer.

Still, even with Wissa’s return, Newcastle have been credited as being interested in the services of Bees goal machine Igor Thiago, as Keith Andrews fears another Magpies swoop could be forthcoming.

Of course, there is also constant talk bubbling away that Elliot Anderson might well seal a Tyneside return from Nottingham Forest.

Yet, with a ludicrous £100m price tag above the England international’s head, Newcastle might well be better placed to seek out cheaper alternatives, as Hungarian sensation Alex Tóth is allegedly catching the Premier League side’s eye.

Already garnering a lot of hype in his native country for Robbie Keane’s Ferencváros TC, Football Insider has now revealed that a £13m bid could be accepted down the line for the 20-year-old’s services, with Newcastle and Bundesliga clubs eyeing up the emerging talent.

Newcastle could be tempted to land such a promising midfield gem if he is available at such a cut-price fee, with the lingering disappointment of letting Anderson go prematurely, softened somewhat by the Budapest-born star’s arrival.

How Toth could be Anderson 2.0

Newcastle must still have restless nights about the decision to sell Anderson to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024, after the homegrown Toon prodigy had made 55 promising appearances in the first team ranks.

He was only just getting started at St James’ Park, though, with hindsight on side, as the 23-year-old is now a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, and for good reason.

He’s made a mind-blowing 8.4 ball recoveries per game this season in Premier League action, and won 7.8 duels per match, gifting him the label of being an “elite” performer at the very top by analyst and social media personality Statman Dave.

Likewise, journalist Bence Bocsak has tipped the Ferencváros number 64 to go to “the top” too, with a new Anderson-style project potentially on Newcastle’s hands if they land Tóth this January.

Games played

17

12

Goals scored

2

1

Assists

7

1

Touches*

65.9

54.5

Accurate passes*

37.6 (84%)

32.8 (87%)

Big chances created

8

4

Ball recoveries*

4.2

2.0

Total duels won*

4.8

4.0

Winning four duels per fixture his season in Fizz Liga action, Tóth isn’t a million miles off the high-octane approach Anderson is known for. He even regularly lines up for Hungary, alongside Liverpool faces Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai, off the back of these well-drilled showings, with three ground duels successfully won against the Republic of Ireland, just last month.

But, as per analyst page Football Wonderkids, it’s also his well-rounded ability to chip in with goals and assists and tidily play the ball about the pitch that makes him a “special talent” worthy of a Premier League switch, with a standout 11 goal contributions tallied up across his last two league seasons. Like Anderson, therefore, he’s got a goal involvement from the middle of the park in him too.

This has further led to the aforementioned Bocsak hailing the £13m asset as a “modern day midfielder” who is capable of everything, much like Anderson, who has three goals and seven assists for the Tricky Trees in total, yet is also known as a “warrior” for his defensive grit by Como scout Ben Mattinson.

Of course, if Tóth were to make the move to England, he wouldn’t become an Anderson-like talent overnight in his new, intimidating surroundings.

But, for just £13m, it’s surely worth the gamble that he could morph into Newcastle’s second coming of their departed midfielder in time.

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