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After what has felt like a lifetime, the international break is finally over and Arsenal are back to winning ways.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to the high-flying Fulham in a Premier League game that’s unlikely to impact the title race but offered the home side a chance to make right their draw at Craven Cottage earlier in the campaign. Fortunately, they did just that, winning the game 2-1.

With a season-defining game against Real Madrid in the Champions League next week, Tuesday evening’s game offered the squad the chance to build positive momentum.

However, to ensure his side are in the best shape possible for that, Arteta might need to make a few changes, such as dropping Mikel Merino.

Arteta's unorthodox options

Before we get to the change up top that we think Arteta should be making, it’s worth examining some of the other potential, if a little unlikely, changes he could make, like throwing the returning Bukayo Saka in from the start.

The Hale Ender has been out of action since late December, but he announced his return to first-team training with a social media post last week. Then, on Monday morning, the manager revealed he was back in contention for Fulham, saying, “Bukayo is ready to go.”

Having the 23-year-old available again is a massive game-changer for the Gunners, as despite not playing for almost four months now, he remains the club’s most productive player this season, with 23 goal involvements in just 24 games.

However, his importance is also why he didn’t start against Fulham and may not even start against Everton at the weekend as losing him again, even for a short spell, would make the club’s chances of progressing in the Champions League far smaller.

Likewise, while there have been some calls to start fellow Hale Ender, Ethan Nwaneri, down the middle in recent weeks, it would probably be best to avoid doing so.

The 18-year-old has played there at youth level and was even touted to eventually move there by the manager, but seven of his eight goals and his only assist have come from him playing off the right or in the middle of the park, and as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Moreover, there is another player Arteta should look to start down the middle in place of Merino.

The Arsenal star who should start over Merino

So, the first thing to say is that while Merino hasn’t been Arsenal’s answer over the last few weeks, he hasn’t been too bad, considering he’s a central midfielder being asked to play up top.

However, while his overall haul of five goals and one assist in seven appearances as a striker is quite impressive, the reality is that those goal involvements all came in four vgames.

Then, against West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, he failed to score or assist, making it clear that Arteta needs to replace him with a recognised attacker tonight.

The best candidate for this, from the players available, is undoubtedly Leandro Trossard.

Now, while the £27m Belgian has been a little inconsistent at times this season, he’s proven himself to be deadly in the penalty area over the last couple of years, and if Ian Wright thinks he’s “clinical” and the “best finisher” in the squad, then he must be doing something right.

For example, since joining the club in January 2023, the “sensational” attacker, as dubbed by Arsenal podcaster Adam Keys, has scored 24 goals and provided 20 assists in 112 appearances, totalling 5999 minutes.

That means the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace has averaged a goal involvement every 2.55 games, or every 136.34 minutes at the club.

Furthermore, the 30-year-old “wizard,” as dubbed by journalist Charlie Haffenden, has already played up top for the Gunners, racking up a haul of four goals and eight assists in 15 games, totalling 866 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.25 appearances, or every 72.16 minutes.

Finally, starting the Waterschei-born dynamo down the middle means that Gabriel Martinelli can start in his strongest position off the left, and Nwaneri can start off the right, before Saka comes on late to get some minutes under his belt, therefore making the whole frontline far more intimidating for their opponents.

Trossard’s Arsenal record at CF
Appearances	15
Starts	11
Minutes	866′
Goals	4
Assists	8
Goal Involvements per Match	0.80
Minutes per Goal Involvement	72.16′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Ultimately, with a big couple of weeks coming up, Arteta needs to make sure his side are in the best shape possible to ensure they can end the season with a bang, and one of the ways to ensure that happens, is starting Trossard in place of Merino.

Arsenal's "special" teen was meant to be Ramsey 2.0, then Arteta sold him

The talented midfielder never made it at Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 29, 2025

da premier bet： One of Aston Villa’s standout players could still be on the move this summer, despite both the club and the player reportedly being “happy” with the current situation, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Villa thump Magpies to boost Champions League hopes

da marjack bet： Aston Villa kept their Champions League hopes alive in emphatic fashion over the weekend with a dominant 4-1 win over high-flying Newcastle United at Villa Park. Ollie Watkins, Ian Maatsen, and Amadou Onana all found the net for Unai Emery’s side, while Magpies defender Dan Burn added to their tally with an own goal.

Related Forget Watkins & Rogers: 9/10 star is becoming Aston Villa's best player

Aston Villa secured a vital 4-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Apr 20, 2025

The result moved Villa within just two points of Newcastle. They’re also now just one point behind Manchester City and level with Chelsea, making the race for a top-four finish incredibly tight with only a handful of games remaining.

Next up is a daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium to face City on Tuesday, a fixture that could prove decisive in the push for Champions League qualification. Speaking after the weekend’s win, Emery stressed the importance of maintaining momentum.

“We can’t stop. We are involved in the key moment of the season. Through the Premier League, we are trying to reach our first objective,” he said.

On Watkins – whose goal drew him level with Gabriel Agbonlahor as Villa’s all-time top Premier League scorer – Emery added: “I’m so happy with how he’s performing and progressing under our management. His individual goal is important—for him, for us, for the club, and for our overall development. Hopefully, we can keep helping him to achieve more and more.”

Watkins could leave Villa Park this summer

While Unai Emery is clearly thrilled with Watkins—who has scored 15 Premier League goals this season—his future at Villa Park isn’t entirely secure. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Watkins could still leave the club this summer if the right offer arrives. Writing in his exclusive GIVEMESPORT newsletter, Romano noted that both Villa and the player are happy with the current situation, but didn’t rule out a move.

“They’re happy with Watkins and he’s happy at the club,” Romano wrote. “Then if a proposal comes, never say never – as it was the case in January.”

Watkins was reportedly the subject of a £40 million bid from Arsenal during the winter transfer window, though Villa ultimately chose to reject the offer.

Having already seen Jhon Durán depart for the Saudi Pro League in January, losing Watkins this summer would represent a major blow for Aston Villa – particularly if they’re unable to secure the permanent signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.

That said, Villa have shown a knack in recent seasons for replacing outgoing talent with even stronger additions, so it wouldn’t be wise to bet against them pulling off something similar again if Watkins does move on.

New Zealand legspinner Ish Sodhi has backed the “experienced heads” in their side to bounce back from the defeat in the opening Test against Bangladesh. New Zealand went down by 150 runs in Sylhet, after which their captain Tim Southee felt they didn’t bowl consistently in the right areas for long enough.Sodhi, who was the last batter dismissed in Sylhet, said the home side’s impressive showing also gave New Zealand the “blueprint” to play in these conditions.”The great success this [New Zealand] team’s had over the past decade has been being able to park these sort of things pretty quickly, whether it’s success or loss,” Sodhi said. “That’s going to be tested though. It is never anything to take for granted. It is always hard to come back off the back of a loss. But with the experienced heads here, we’ve been there, we’ve done that. We know how to apply ourselves into the next games. Hopefully, that’s something that we can commit to really well and apply to this next game.”It is obviously tough to come out on the losing side in that first game in Sylhet, but I think as the Test progressed, we found a bit more rhythm. Obviously, I haven’t played Test cricket in a while, so it’s always going to be tough in these conditions. The way that Bangladesh played, they certainly outplayed us. But upon reflection, I think they gave us a blueprint on what’s successful in these conditions, and hopefully we can apply that to this next Test match.”Related

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Bangladesh scored 310 and 338 in the first Test, totals that Southee felt were more than what New Zealand should have conceded. Sodhi also called for accuracy from the bowlers in their bid to draw level in the two-Test series.”It is about just working in partnerships and being a little bit more accurate,” Sodhi said. “That’s something hopefully we can come together as a bowling group over the next couple of days – discuss as a spin bowling group, seam bowling group, whatever that looks like, and try to make improvements. It’s always going to be challenging, not playing a lot of Test cricket over a long period of time, but when you come together, [it is about] how quickly you can adapt.”Sometimes you wish you could have adapted sooner in the last game, but we can’t sort of look back now. We’ve got to try to find all the learnings that we had in that last game and apply them to this one, and hopefully we can come out on the winning side.”Sodhi, who picked up three wickets in Sylhet, will return to Mirpur, the setting of his best ODI haul of 6 for 39 after scoring 35 off 39 balls with the bat against Bangladesh in September, for the second Test that starts Wednesday.”Going into conditions where you have had a bit of success, you always have a bit more confidence going into games like that,” he said. “It’ll just be about exposing the conditions as best as we can, figuring out whether it’s going to turn, or if it’s not, what that looks like for us in terms of attacking and defence. So I am really looking forward to the prospect of the second Test, but a couple of good hard days of practice beforehand.”

Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen are among 10 players Manchester United have released as their summer shake-up continues.

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Man Utd release 10 players this summerLindelof & Eriksen among those let goRed Devils continue summer shake-upFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United have confirmed their retained list following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season, with the likes of Eriksen, Lindelof, and Jonny Evans among those departing as their contracts come to an end. Tom Heaton is also included on the list of free transfers but the club remains in discussions with the goalkeeper about a new deal. Finally, academy players Hubert Graczyk, Jack Kingdon, Sam Murray, Tom Myles, James Nolan, and Tom Wooster have been released.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

Lindelof's eight-year spell at United has now come to an end, as has Eriksen's after three seasons at Old Trafford. The pair have won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup together but they are now being offloaded as Ruben Amorim's side try to move on from one of the worst seasons they have had in decades. More exits could follow in the coming weeks and months as they try and start next campaign on a high.

DID YOU KNOW?

Evans has just completed his second spell at United (2023-25), after a first stint that ran from 2007-15. Over his Red Devils tenure, the Northern Irishman won three Premier Leagues, one Champions League, one Club World Cup, and an FA Cup.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Although the likes of academy product Marcus Rashford, wide man Jadon Sancho, and winger Antony are on United's retained list, it seems all three could head out the Old Trafford exit door ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

da poker： With no Premier League victories coming their way during the early stages of 2025, Ipswich Town do look set to fall immediately back down to the Championship.

da realbet： The Tractor Boys haven’t completely disgraced themselves with memorable wins against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at least sticking out, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough in the tank at Portman Road to maintain their top-flight position past this fleeting visit.

One factor that has arguably hindered Ipswich has been their hit-and-miss approach in the transfer market, with a number of loanees entering the building going on to have contrasting fortunes in Suffolk.

One of which is January arrival, Ben Godfrey.

Where Ben Godfrey ranks among Ipswich's loan signings

It has to be said that the Tractor Boys have at least been proactive in the market to try and give themselves a fighting chance at survival, regardless if many of their temporary signings haven’t been overwhelming success stories.

The additions of Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips have boosted the underdogs somewhat, with Cajuste even picking up two Player of the Month accolades for November and December, off the back of the Napoli loanee winning an encouraging 3.3 duels per league clash.

Moreover, the ex-Leeds United man has also shown flashes of his class by winning 3.9 duels per match but it hasn’t been smooth sailing for every loan recruit.

Indeed, Julio Enciso has found his stint in Suffolk so far to be mainly injury-ridden, whilst the aforementioned Godfrey has largely found his spell away from Atalanta to be crushing for his confidence when looking at the sheer number of goals he’s leaked lining up in defence.

Godfrey’s numbers from two PL games for Ipswich

Stat

Man City

Spurs

Minutes played

64

45

Goals conceded

5

2

Touches

50

14

Accurate passes

34/40 (85%)

6/8 (75%)

Clearances

1

0

Blocked shots

0

1

Interceptions

0

2

Total tackles

0

0

Total duels won

2/3

0/1

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the numbers, Godfrey has looked out of his depth on his return to English soil, further leaving Ipswich full of anguish that they didn’t sign anyone better over the winter.

As it happens, a fellow full-back is now starring after a loan spell at Portman Road many years ago.

Ipswich loan star is now a Ben Godfrey upgrade

As is the case with a large quantity of EFL clubs, the loan market proves to be invaluable in gifting your side some additional star quality on a short-term basis.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

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When Ipswich were routinely competing towards the top end of the second tier, Portman Road was home to many a standout loanee, including ex-Arsenal youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles during the 2015/16 season.

At the time, Maitland-Niles was just a wide-eyed product of the illustrious Gunners academy eager to prove a point in the senior game, rated at just £210k, according to Transfermarkt.

Fast forward past his formative time in Suffolk and Maitland-Niles would eventually go on to make a name for himself, with the versatile presence picking up an impressive two goals and three assists from 32 appearances when regularly lining up as a right winger.

The five-time senior England international had to spread his wings away from Arsenal to fully show off his best game, however, but his current spell at Olympique de Lyonnais is definitely playing to his strengths as an attack-oriented right-back.

Maitland-Niles’ Lyon numbers this season

Games played

32

Goals scored

1

Assists

5

Clean sheets

6

Transfer value now

£8.3m

Value increase by %

3852%

Sourced by Transfermarkt

As a consequence of a handful of England caps and his performances in Ligue 1, his transfer valuation has gone all the way up to £8m during his time with the French giants, representing a major 3852% increase from his once meagre price-tag.

Hailed as “tremendous” by football journalist Rob Sills during a different loan adventure out at Southampton, there must be some woe on Ipswich’s end that they can’t call upon Maitland-Niles in the right-back spot now when you take into account his six clean sheets for Lyon this campaign among other glowing numbers.

Capable of playing in midfield too, he could really have given McKenna a useful utility body, but the relegation-threatened side will simply have to make do with what they’ve got.

Related Ipswich loan flop who left in 2022 is now a bigger talent than Philogene

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O jogo

Desde os minutos iniciais, o Internacional mostrou a sua superioridade e não deu chances ao rival. Com apenas 7 minutos, Vinicius Souza abriu a contagem com chute de for da área. Melhor em campo, o time gaúcho ampliou o marcado através de Rangel soltou o pé de dentro da área e estufou as redes.

Na etapa final o Inter manteve o ritmo acelerado e chegou ao terceiro gol em falta de Tortello. O Aster chegou a diminuir com Dieguinho, mas a resposta do Inter foi imediata ao Ryan acertar uma cabeçada certeira. Nos minutos finais o time capixaba fez o seu gol de honra através de Acácio.

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He also reveals how moving around the crease has helped him, a skill he developed during the last LPL

Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Sep-2023If Sri Lanka had aimed too high in their Super Four game against Bangladesh, they could have ended up with a sub-par score. These are the thoughts of Sadeera Samarawickrama, the star of Sri Lanka’s batting innings, who struck 93 off 72 balls.Across the match, Samarawickrama was the only batter to make more than 20 at more than a run a ball. But he lauded Pathum Nissanka, who hit 40 off 60, and Kusal Mendis, who made 50 off 73, for setting the foundation.”When Pathum and Kusal were batting, the pitch seemed a bit slow and they did really well,” Samarawickrama said. “If they had taken risks at that point and got out, maybe I would have got out cheaply too. But because they took the game a little deeper and gave us some momentum, I found it easier too.Related

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“When I saw the pitch, we talked about how this wasn’t a 320 pitch – it’s a 250 surface. Even that you just have to get in the last eight overs or so. If we had gone too hard early, we might have been out for 220. So what I tried to do after getting a start was to get the team to 250.”Samarawickrama, who made his Sri Lanka debut in Tests in 2017, has clearly worked on his white-ball batting since then. On Saturday, he frequently shuffled towards off stump to access the leg side, and backed away to leg to hit through off – often behind point.These were skills he had developed and used in last year’s Lanka Premier League, he said. In that tournament, he was second on the run-scorers chart, with 294 runs and a strike rate of 131.25. It was that performance, in fact, that had launched him back into the conversation as an international player.”Moving around the crease is something that I started in the LPL last year – playing with the bowler’s mind and figuring out how to put pressure on him,” Samarawickrama said. “However the pitch plays, I have to back my strengths, one of which is to back away and hit. It’s something I learned with a lot of hard work, so I back myself to do that.”Sri Lanka have now also won 13 ODIs consecutively, second only to Australia, who had won 21 in a row.”When you play as a team, your own performances are lifted,” Samarawickrama said. “If we had lost, my performance today wouldn’t be highlighted either. If the top order isn’t doing well, the middle order gets it done. If the middle order can’t do it, the top order has scored runs. We’re playing as a team.”

Lancashire turns tables on champions after Will Williams’ dogged, maiden half-century

ECB Reporters Network27-Jun-2023

Will Williams defied the Surrey attack to make his maiden first-class fifty•Getty Images for Surrey CCC

Tom Bailey took four wickets in 16 balls in an 11-over opening spell of 4 for 34 to reduce Surrey to 57 for 5 in an extraordinary final hour at the Kia Oval and give Lancashire the chance of inflicting a first defeat of the season on the Division One leaders.The county champions had earlier been frustrated by Will Williams, Bailey’s new ball partner, who as nightwatcher batted four-and-a-quarter hours for a defiant career-best 61 to leave Surrey needing 208 to clinch a sixth victory in eight matches this season.But by stumps on day three it was a Lancashire win that looked more likely as Bailey wrecked Surrey’s top order after the home side had eventually bowled out Lancashire for 293 in their second innings, held up by Williams’ stubborn resistance and also by a powerful 54 from Phil Salt, his second fifty of the game.Bailey’s magnificent opening burst brought him the wickets of Dom Sibley for 1 and Tom Latham next ball for a duck in his fifth over and then, in his sixth and seventh overs, the scalps of Jamie Smith for 4 and Ben Foakes for 5.Sibley and Latham were both well held at second slip by substitute fielder Rob Jones, Smith was leg-before shouldering arms to an offcutter and Foakes caught behind, pushing out defensively.And the drama continued when Surrey skipper Rory Burns fell for 20, caught at first slip from Jack Blatherwick’s fourth ball, in the 20th of the 24 overs Lancashire bowled in a memorable mini-session. Will Jacks remains 19 not out.Williams, a 30-year-old New Zealander with a UK passport, began the day on one not out in Lancashire’s overnight 113 for 4, representing an overall lead of just 27, but he withstood Surrey’s five-pronged pace attack – spearheaded by Dan Worrall’s 3 for 69 – almost until tea to make his maiden first-class half-century.Christchurch-born Williams’ previous top score in 54 first-class matches was just 38, made for Canterbury against Wellington in February 2020. This was his 75th first-class innings, with his 698 previous runs coming at the lowly average of 13, but Williams, playing straight and defending competently, helped Salt to add 95 in 37 overs for the sixth wicket.LV= Insurance County Championship title favourites Surrey resorted to a short-ball barrage against him after lunch, with the second new ball, and although Williams’ run-scoring then slowed to a trickle – he made just ten in almost 30 overs in the afternoon session – he still resisted courageously and, in all, faced 220 balls.Surrey had only enjoyed one success in a tense morning session, with Burns leaping high at mid-off to pull off a superb one-handed catch from Daryl Mitchell’s lofted drive at Worrall.New Zealand Test batter Mitchell, on 17 overnight, looked in good touch as he moved to 30 but in the 12th over of the day was left stunned by Burns’ athleticism as he somehow clawed down a ball that seemed to be clearing him.Then, on 150 for 5, with only five more runs added, Salt was dropped by Smith at extra cover off Tom Lawes, this time the fielder failing to hang on to a chance above his head.Williams, on 23, edged Sam Curran at catchable height between slip and gully but otherwise batted with relative comfort against the Surrey seamers. And when Jacks was called up for a few overs before lunch, Williams drove the offspinner straight for six to bring up Lancashire’s 200 and to take his own score to 49.The 30-year-old’s half-century arrived soon afterwards, from 124 balls, and Surrey’s frustration grew when shortly after lunch Salt was put down off Curran on 30 by Latham, diving to his right at second slip, in the first over with the second new ball.Another 32 runs were scored before Surrey could celebrate their sixth wicket of the innings, Salt being bowled behind his legs by Jordan Clark, the ball flicking his back pad on its way into leg stump as Lancashire’s keeper-batter aimed towards square leg.Balderson narrowly avoided being dismissed by his first ball, a vicious lifter which clipped an elbow on the way through to keeper Foakes, and the left-hander had made only 10 when he edged a drive at Sean Abbott to first slip.Williams needed some on-field treatment after taking one nasty blow on the bicep on 57, ducking into an Abbott bouncer, and his brave resistance finally ended four overs before tea when he gloved a short ball from Lawes into Smith’s hands at short leg.Bailey’s useful 25, including some robust off-side strokes, was cut short by a top-edged pull at Curran that was well-held on the deep square leg ropes by Worrall and Lancashire’s dogged second-innings effort was finally over when No 11 Jack Morley fended a Worrall lifter to short leg.

Having secured Champions League qualification by the skin of their teeth last season, Newcastle United are under no pressure to sell players this summer.

Of course, Eddie Howe will still have to comply with Profit and Sustainability (PSR) regulations in order to make sure the club are balancing the books this summer.

The last time Newcastle played in Europe’s premier club competition, they failed to make it out of the group stages.

Howe will be expecting a much better showing this time around, although this means simultaneously keeping his star players while adding in much-needed squad depth.

Alexander Isak has been the subject of links to Liverpool recently, following on from another wonderful campaign on Tyneside.

The Toon are not willing to let their star striker leave, never mind selling to a Premier League rival. As such, they have placed a valuation of around £150m on his head.

Whether this deters potential suitors or not remains to be seen, but the Swedish centre-forward does appear happy at the club.

He isn’t the only player attracting interest of late. Indeed, winger Anthony Gordon is another who enjoyed a productive season in 2024/25.

While Isak appears indispensable to the club’s success next term, could Gordon be allowed to leave if the right offer comes in?

The latest on Anthony Gordon's future at Newcastle

The English starlet has emerged as one of the most sought-after talents in the Premier League after a few impressive seasons at Newcastle.

Liverpool showed interest last summer, but nothing materialised. Could Arne Slot return this year and finally secure his signature?

Any move may cost around £75m as both Chelsea and Arsenal have joined the Anfield side in declaring their interest in the former Everton sensation.

Last season, Gordon registered 16 goal contributions – nine goals and seven assists – in all competitions for the Magpies.

While he didn’t play in the League Cup final, the winger scored twice on the club’s road to the trophy, and his efforts in the Premier League sealed a top-five finish for the Toon.

Goals

6

Assists

5

Big chances created

6

Key passes per game

1.5

Successful dribbles per game

1.1

Shots per game

1.7

Via Sofascore

When compared to his positional peers in the top flight last season, Gordon ranked in the top 7% for crosses into the penalty area (0.63) per 90 and in the top 5% for fouls drawn (2.63) per 90, proving how much of a menace he is down the flanks.

It is perhaps no wonder that so many clubs are keen on signing the Englishman, especially as he isn’t even the finished article yet.

Will Howe be prepared to accept an offer worth around £75m for the player? Especially as it could fund a few potential signings this summer?

That much remains to be seen, but if so, the club will need to spend in order to sign an able replacement. That’s for sure.

It appears as though Howe has already targeted a youngster who could potentially fill the void left by Gordon. Should he depart Newcastle, that is.

Newcastle eye move for French sensation

Howe has been working hard on trying to make something happen this summer in terms of incoming signings.

Players such as Jadon Sancho, Marc Guehi, and even Marc-Andre Ter Stegen have all been linked with moves to Newcastle in recent weeks.

All three would be excellent signings, without a shadow of a doubt, but the lack of progress is slightly worrying.

Now, according to ESPN, Newcastle are one of the clubs lining up a deal for Lyon starlet Malick Fofana this summer, although they face some stiff competition from the likes of Chelsea, Everton, Brighton, and Fulham for his signature.

As per the report, Fofana could cost around £45m, which, for a player of his age and lack of experience, is an astronomical amount. His ceiling for development is massive, however, which could entice Howe into making a swoop for the 20-year-old, especially if Gordon goes.

Fofana is a right-footed winger who likes to play on the left, and he would be the perfect replacement for the Englishman.

Why Newcastle must sign Malick Fofana

The youngster has already made his senior debut for Belgium after what was a breakthrough season with Lyon in 2024/25.

Indeed, across 41 games in all competitions for the French side, he scored 11 goals and grabbed a further six assists, showcasing his ‘explosive’ skillset, as it was labelled by Astorre Cerebróne of Breaking the Lines.

It was in the Europa League where the talented winger really demonstrated his talents. Not only did he record an impressive eight goal contributions in the competition, but he shone in a range of metrics.

When compared to his positional peers, he ranked in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (1.05) per 90, while also ranking in the top 1% for touches in the opposition penalty area (8.23) and for progressive carries (7.88) per 90 in the tournament.

This certainly proves that he loves taking on defenders regularly, while taking the ball into dangerous zones during matches.

His eye for goal could also be advantageous for Howe, who would look for a goalscoring winger to replace Gordon. Fofana is only going to get better, too, that’s for sure.

Fofana was hailed by U23 scout Antonio Mango for his “game-changing potential” late last year and certainly showcased his talents for Lyon throughout 2024/25.

He even starred in Ligue 1 for the French side. The youngster created six big chances and succeeded with 0.8 dribbles per game.

There is no doubt that he is ready to take the next step. After shining in the Europa League, could the Champions League be the platform for him to continue his development?

Howe must think so, and while a fee of £45m is big, especially given his lack of experience on the biggest stage, he must think of the long-term future.

Fofana could be a player who eventually brings the club a major profit a few years down the line, which will go a long way in his thinking, given his impressive form for Lyon, which suggests that he could be a brilliant replacement for Gordon.

Newcastle readying bid and fighting to land centre-back wanted by Real Madrid

The Magpies are well in the fight to land their man…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 21, 2025

Manchester United have now opened talks to sign an “incredible” star, who’s scored a whopping 147 career goals, and they are looking to get a deal done at the start of next year.

Man Utd looking to bring in another leader

In the wake of the 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night, Ruben Amorim praised Lisandro Martinez for his leadership capabilities, while also adding: “Mason Mount is always the same thing, training, talking, dealing with people around Carrington. That is not easy. So he is a very, very good player.”

However, the perceived lack of leaders in the squad has been criticised for quite some time, with Roy Keane calling into question whether Bruno Fernandes is a suitable captain after the 1-1 draw against Chelsea last season.

Following the emphatic win at Molineux, the Red Devils are up to sixth in the Premier League table, but they clearly aren’t the finished article just yet, having lost at home to 10-man Everton and drawn with a struggling West Ham United side in recent weeks.

If Man United are to start competing for the top honours once again, they may need to bring in players who are experienced at the top level, and they have now opened talks over a deal for Sergio Ramos, who is a free agent, following his departure from Monterrey.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states negotiations are in the early stages, with United expressing the ‘strongest’ interest in securing the former Real Madrid man’s signature, and they are looking to bring him in at the start of next year.

Several other unnamed clubs are in the race for the Spaniard’s signature, with his future set to be resolved in the next few weeks.

Amorim's priority target: Man Utd step up interest in "special" Madrid star

Man United are now in the race for a “special” player

By
Dominic Lund

2 days ago

"Incredible" Ramos knows what it takes to win

With Keane previously making it clear he is not entirely convinced by Fernandes as a captain, Man United could perhaps do with bringing in an experienced leader, who knows what it takes to win.

The 39-year-old certainly fits the bill in that regard, having become the first player to captain a team to three straight Champions League triumphs during his time with Real Madrid.

Mesut Özil has also made it clear just how highly he rates his former teammate, saying: “Sergio Ramos is the best defender I’ve ever played with. And the one with the most character. At that time I was still very young, but I already had a very strong mentality. It was incredible. It was clear that sooner or later he would lead Real Madrid to UCL glory.”

Not only is the 180-time Spain international a top-quality defender, but he also poses a threat at the other end of the pitch, having amassed a whopping 147 career goals for club and country.

That said, Ramos is now 39-years-old, and hasn’t played in Europe since a spell with Sevilla in the 2023-24 campaign, so there may be some doubts over whether he is still capable of making an impact at a club like Man United.