Tag Futebol

Taylor Swift could cause Lyon a major headache at the end of the season if they cannot turn around their horrendous Ligue 1 campaign.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Lyon have just won once in 13 gamesRooted at the bottom of the Ligue 1 tableMay have to away from home due to SwiftWHAT HAPPENED?

Lyon are currently struggling at the bottom of the Ligue 1 table with only one win in their first 13 league matches this season. The seven-time champions have found no rhythm whatsoever and it is no surprise that they are in search of their third manager after firing Laurent Blanc in September and World Cup winner Fabio Grosso in late November. They face potential relegation this season but would get a chance to stay up if they climb at least to the 16th spot in the league table as it would take them through to the play-offs.

However, that should not be a Herculean task for the team having the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Dejan Lovren in their ranks as they find themselves just five points short of Lorient, who are 16th now. But pop sensation Swift could certainly make it difficult for them.

AdvertisementGetty Images THE BIGGER PICTURE

Swift is set to perform at two sold-out concerts scheduled at Groupama Stadium on June 2 and June 3. And the dates coincide with the second leg of the Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-off which sees the 16th-placed team lock horns with the winner of the Ligue 2 promotion play-offs. The return leg is always played at the home of the Ligue 1 side and hence Lyon find themselves in a spot of bother.

DID YOU KNOW?

The decision to host concerts was aimed at boosting the club's revenue, with the club management not anticipating being in a relegation battle. But the gamble could prove costly, as relegation would mark a significant downturn for a team that reached the Champions League semi-finals just three years ago beating Manchester City on the way.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LYON?

If Lyon indeed end up finishing 16th, the club may need to find an alternative venue for their home fixture in the relegation play-off as the dates for Swift's concerts are already locked. But should they move to a new stadium it would potentially cost them their home advantage at a crucial juncture in their fight to stay in Ligue 1. Nonetheless, Lacazzette and Co will hope to revive their fortunes as quickly as possible and climb up the ladder so that they do not need to bother about the relegation battle. They travel to Marseille on Wednesday for their next Ligue 1 fixture.

Arsenal are now considering a surprise move for PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, according to a recent report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Arsenal are still running the rule over a number of options to challenge for Bukayo Saka's spot at right-wing, with Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze being "monitored", amid "fierce competition" for his signature from Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Another attacking option for the Gunners is Fenerbahce's Arda Guler, having recently leapfrogged Newcastle in the race for his signature, with Dean Jones claiming that Mikel Arteta has "two more" signings up his sleeve this summer.

According to a report from Football Transfers, one of the club's more outlandish targets is Mbappe, with Arsenal, and by extension sporting director Edu Gaspar, currently weighing up whether to send a package to the representatives of the PSG forward ahead of what has been labelled a sensational 2024 move.

The Frenchman's contract is due to expire at the end of next season, so this summer may be the last chance PSG have to receive a transfer fee for their prized asset, who has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

At this stage, it is thought the La Liga side are leading the race for the 24-year-old, and they could make an offer this summer, should his current club reduce their asking price, but at the moment they are holding firm.

Arsenal are aware they are currently second-choice to Real Madrid, and they will have to hope the Spanish club fail in their pursuit of the attacker.

How much does Kylian Mbappe earn?

The France international is currently tied down to a huge £1.2m-per-week contract at PSG, so the Gunners will be well aware they must be willing to spend big if they are to secure his signature this summer

In truth, it does not seem very likely the Gunners will be able to compete for his signature, as while they do have Champions League football on offer next season, the PSG star will probably want to move to a side with a more recent history of winning major trophies.

However, if the former AS Monaco man is attracted by the prospect of being a part of the project at the Emirates Stadium, there is every indication he could be a fantastic signing, who could help take Arsenal to the next level.

Hailed as a "generational talent" by members of the media, Mbappe has recorded a remarkable 212 goals and 98 assists in 260 appearances for PSG, proving himself as one of the world's best players.

Jonathan Tah is one name on a list of players on Tottenham Hotspur's "radar", according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The German international is one of a few options that new manager Ange Postecoglou wants to add to the heart of his defence going into the new Premier League season.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – What's the latest on Jonathan Tah

With Clement Lenglet returning to Barcelona in the summer and the side shipping a disastrous 63 goals in the league last season, the defence is an area of the north London side that desperately needs improving for next season, something Tah could assist with.

Luckily for Spurs, German publication Sport BILD have reported that the 27-year-old could be sold for little as just €18m (£16m) due to an exit clause placed in his contract, something Daniel Levy and Co could exploit.

Another benefit of signing Tah is that he would be unlikely to command excessively high wages as the German international is only on a reported £58,000-a-week in Westphalia.

Levy will want to get a move on, however, as alongside Spurs, BILD (via Sportwitness) have reported that West Ham United hold a 'very concrete' interest in the player, and with the money they look set to receive for Declan Rice could rival Tottenham for the player's signature.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Jonathan Tah to Tottenham Hotspur?

Jones highlighted a list of centre-backs that Tottenham have an interest in, but clarified that some of their pre-Postecoglou targets may not fit his attacking philosophy.

Writing for GiveMeSport, he said: "Other names on Tottenham's radar up to now are Manchester United's Harry Maguire, Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni, 6ft 5 Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen – who has previously been compared to Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano – and Max Kilman of Wolves – but not all of their targets pre-Postecoglou stand up to the new requirements needed at the heart of the defence for next season."

Would Johnathan Tah be a good signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

For the rumoured price of just £16m, Tah could prove to be an excellent signing for the Lilywhites as they look to begin a new project under their Australian manager.

The 6 foot 5 "battleship", as once described by ex-teammate Christoph Kramer, has had a strong season for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga this year, with WhoScored giving him a respectable average match rating of 6.58.

He has done even better in the Europa League, averaging a great 6.95 across his eight games in the European competition.

The deal would also make perfect sense for manager Postecoglou, as the former Celtic man is well known for his desire to play exciting, attacking football that requires his centre-backs to be strong on the ball and possess a good range of passing.

That is an area Tah excels.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the Bayer man is in the top 10% of centrebacks for his pass completion per 90, an impressive 90.2%.

Former manager Peter Bosz was so impressed by the player, he compared him to one of the most celebrated defenders still playing, Virgil Van Dijk, saying:

"I certainly see parallels between Jonathan and Virgil van Dijk."

With the price, his statistics, and the reviews from former managers, Jonathan Tah would surely thrive under the tutelage of the progressive Postecoglou at Tottenham.

A new report suggests the popularity of domestic T20 cricket in England rose sharply during 2016.The YouGov SportsIndex Report 2017 places the NatWest Blast among the top 10 sporting events in terms of public perception for the first time.The report comes as the ECB executive continue plans to launch a new T20 competition on top of the NatWest Blast in the belief that the county system will not deliver a tournament of maximum impact.The SportsIndex report analyses the performance of overall recent public awareness and sentiment of news about leading UK and international sports competitions events by interviewing 100 people each day. Respondents are asked: “Over the past two weeks, which of the following sporting events have you heard something positive/negative about?”It them measures the ‘buzz’ about each event by defining the net difference between the amount of respondents hearing positive news and those hearing negative news in the previous two weeks. Buzz may also be negative if the event has been subject to a high level of negative publicity.The report states: “Twenty20 Cricket is English cricket’s 2016 success story, with efforts to re-position and market the game as an all-round entertainment spectacle seriously paying off and contributing to its much-improved buzz score.”The 2016 Olympics was rated as the top event, with the Paralympics third and the Six Nations fourth. Wimbledon (tennis) was second with the Tour de France rated fifth. The Premier League (football) was rated sixth with the NatWest Blast in seventh position. Test cricket was ranked eighth. The NatWest Blast competition was ranked 21st in the previous year.While the NatWest Blast was branded a “mediocre” competition by ECB chairman Colin Graves on its eve in 2016, tickets sales have grown by 63 per-cent over the last four years.The Blast has been built on the principle of appointment to view – playing games at a predictable time, usually Friday evenings – across all 18 first-class counties, although has been abandoned for 2017 with the tournament taking place in a more condensed midsummer slot.The envisaged new competition moves away from the long-established professional circuit and will feature games every night of the week and be based in only eight main centres.It also comes as it emerges that the number of tickets sold for games for the 2016 competition may have reached 950,000. ECB figures exclude all sales from games which are subsequently abandoned due to bad weather and declared a figure of 815,609, down from 827,654 in 2016. There were 15 abandoned fixtures in 2016 and seven in 2015.

Manchester United are looking for a new striker this summer and it is believed one of their targets, Rasmus Hojlund, would be keen on a move to Old Trafford.

How old is Rasmus Hojlund?

The 2022/23 campaign is not over just yet for the Red Devils as they face a tough challenge in London this weekend as they take on their city rivals in the FA Cup final.

However, they are going to have to do so without Anthony Martial with the French forward believed to have picked up an injury in their final game of the Premier League season on Sunday.

Although the Frenchman has hardly been a regular source of goals this season, this latest injury only highlights Erik ten Hag's lack of options at striker.

It is believed a striker is United's main priority for the upcoming summer transfer window with Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane reportedly their top target.

But Spurs are expected to battle hard to keep ahold of their all-time record goalscorer who has just 12 months remaining on his current deal in north London.

And with this in mind, United will have other options on their radar and one of them is believed to be the young Danish prospect, Hojlund.

Speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the 20-year-old would be keen on the possibility of potentially joining Ten Hag's side this summer:

(18:45) "They really like the player and the player really likes Manchester United because he's always been a Manchester United fan.

"So there is a connection I would say between United and Hojlund. But, at the moment, I think the big issue is going to be the price tag because Atalanta will not negotiate for less than €60m/€65m (£51m/£55m) for a player who has been very good this season, but honestly, he wasn't even a starter in the last two/three months."

How many goals has Hojlund scored?

Despite being just 20 years old, the Danish striker has begun to establish himself in Serie A having made 31 league appearances for Atalanta this season.

Across all competitions this season, the young Dane was able to find the back of the net 15 times as well as providing seven assists for the Italian outfit (via Transfermarkt).

However, it is on the international stage where he has shown a lot of promise with his early games for Denmark providing five goals in just four appearances.

Considering it is believed United are targeting the likes of Kane and Victor Osimhen, would a 20-year-old who is yet to score more than 10 league goals in a season be a suitable option?

Bringing in an unproven striker to the Premier League could mount huge pressure on the Denmark international's shoulders with United looking to close the gap on the title charge.

Although Hojlund has been described as "scary quick" by some in the media, it could potentially be too early in his career to lead the line at Old Trafford.

The Bosnian broke the deadlock after just eight minutes with a terrific volley before fellow golden oldie Henrikh Mkhitaryan struck in a 2-0 win

Age really is just a number as far as Edin Dzeko is concerned. At 37 years old, he might just be about to play in his first Champions League final, with the Bosnian having netted a brilliant opener in Inter's 2-0 win over AC Milan in the first leg of their last-four showdown at San Siro on Wednesday night.

On a great night for the game's golden oldies, the 34-year-old Henrikh Mkhitaryan doubled the Nerazzurri's advantage in the 11th minute, as the 'visitors' stunned their city rivals with the fastest of starts.

Indeed, Milan didn't manage a single shot in the opening 25 minutes – Inter had already racked up seven by that point – and, in truth, never looked turning the game around, despite seeing Sandro Tonali strike the post in the second half.

As a result, Inter are now perfectly placed to make amends for their two previous Champions League derby defeats to Milan, in 2003 and 2005, by booking their place in next month's final in Istanbul against either Manchester City or Real Madrid.

Below, GOAL runs through the winners and losers on an incredible night for Nerazzurri supporters…

GettyWINNER: Edin Dzeko

Immediately after the full-time whistle, Dzeko was asked when he's signing a new contract with Inter. "You have to ask the club," he said with a smile in his post-match interview with . "It depends on them."

On the evidence of what we saw at San Siro on Wednesday night, Inter need to sign him up as soon as possible, because the veteran striker is showing no signs of slowing down. He's now just the seventh player in history to score 20 Champions League goals after turning 30, while he's the second-oldest to ever score in a semi-final.

Dzeko's never relied on blistering pace, of course. His game has always been about a mix of physique and technique – as his goal so perfectly illustrated.

Quite why Davide Calabria was charged with picking up Dzeko at a corner is anyone's guess. It was, as Alessandro Nesta said on , "a complete mismatch", with the Bosnian easily holding off the Milan captain before almost effortlessly guiding a fantastic volley into the top corner of the net.

Dzeko could – and perhaps should – have added a second goal shortly after half-time but when he exited, he did so to a fully deserved standing ovation from the 'visiting' supporters on the Curva Nord, who will no doubt be hoping that confirmation of that contract extension arrives sooner rather than later.

After his 14th – and most important – goal of the season so far, Dzeko definitely deserves one.

AdvertisementLOSER: Milan's attacking options

Stefano Pioli waited for as long as possible to see if Rafael Leao would be fit enough to feature at San Siro, which was wholly understandable. The Portuguese winger is, by some distance, Milan's most talented attacker. The Rossoneri simply aren't the same side without a player who has previously provoked comparisons with Thierry Henry and Ruud Gullit on account of his tremendous turn of pace.

So, his injury-enforced absence came as a massive blow, even if it had been expected, given Leao hobbled off just 10 minutes into last weekend's win over Lazio with a minor muscular problem.

The hope was that Milan could make do without their talisman, just as they had done on Saturday, beating the second-placed Biancocelesti to boost their hopes of a top-four finish in Serie A.

However, the Rossoneri were already reeling when Ismael Bennacer was forced off with a knee problem after only 17 minutes of the derby. The Algerian, who has been operating as a kind of defensive-attacking midfielder, has been one of Milan's best players of late, even netting the crucial winner in the first-leg win over Napoli in the previous round.

The exact nature – and full extent – of his injury has yet to be determined but Pioli will be praying that Bennacer recovers in time for the second leg, particularly as there is no guarantee that Leao will be close to 100 per cent by next Tuesday.

As this loss so painfully underlined, Milan are not a squad blessed with a vast array of attacking options. Junior Messias is not good enough for this level, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is always injured, Divock Origi has been a disaster and Charles De Ketelaere a colossal waste of money.

So, if you take a couple of key men out of this side, they are always going to struggle to score.

GettyWINNER: Beppe Marotta

Beppe Marotta appeared on Amazon before the game and admitted that while Inter's Champions League run wouldn't resolve all of the club's financial problems, it would go some way towards ensuring that more money is available to strengthen the squad this summer.

It's not as if Marotta will need much to work with, though. He may have made the odd mistake over the years but Marotta's mastery of the market has long been the stuff of legend. He made one fantastic free transfer after another at Juventus, and is now doing likewise at Inter. Indeed, Inter's opening two goals were both scored by players who arrived at Inter from Roma for nothing.

The Nerazzurri could yet be forced to sell at least one of their stars at the end of the season to help balance the books, which is a disconcerting situation for the supporters. But they should thank their lucky stars that they have Marotta managing the situation. No other director in football has a better eye for a bargain buy.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWINNER: Federico Dimarco

It's hard to imagine any Inter player enjoyed this derby more than the Federico Dimarco, who was born and bred in Milan. The 25-year-old was in the stands at San Siro when Inter lost out on away goals to their city rivals in 2003, so, as he pointed out on the eve of the game, he didn't exactly have "wonderful memories" of the last time these two teams met in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

It's fair to say he's remember this particular game with far more fondness, having set up Inter's second goal with a brilliant break down the left-hand side. Dimarco is arguably Inter's most improved player this season, having emerged as an excellent attacking wing-back, as underlined by the fact that no player has more assists in this season's Champions League (five).

Australia will host Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international at Geelong’s Kardinia Park in February, after the ground was confirmed as the 11th venue in Australia currently accredited to host international cricket

Brydon Coverdale08-Aug-2016

Australia will host Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international at Geelong’s Kardinia Park in February, after the ground was confirmed as the 11th venue in Australia currently accredited to host international cricket.Geelong, Melbourne and Adelaide have been named as the venues for three T20Is between Australia and Sri Lanka, to be held from February 17 to 22. The fixtures will all be played as double-headers, with the men’s games preceded by women’s T20Is between Australia and New Zealand.The decision to take international cricket involving Australia beyond the state and territory capitals is almost unprecedented. Test matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Cairns during the southern winters of 2003 and 2004 are the only other occasions when Australia have played official international matches outside the capital cities.Regional venues were used for some neutral games during the 1992 World Cup, while Launceston, Devonport and Townsville have also hosted official international matches that did not involve Australia. Kardinia Park – known as Simonds Stadium for sponsorship reasons – will be the 21st ground in Australia to host international men’s cricket.Kardinia Park had a taste of elite cricket last summer when the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades played a warm-up match there ahead of the BBL campaign. That game was followed a week later by West Indies playing a two-day practice match there against a Victoria XI ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.In order to meet ICC standards for the size of international venues, the pitch orientation at Kardinia Park has been altered to slightly off the square, for the traditional configuration at the ground meant some boundaries were too short. Cricket Australia’s chief executive officer James Sutherland said given the ground met requirements, he was pleased to take international cricket to Geelong.”We’re committed to taking the game to as many parts of the country as possible and we continue to work with regional areas around Australia on how we can make this happen,” Sutherland said. “Geelong proved its capability to host cricket last summer with a successful BBL exhibition match between the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades attracting more than 10,000 people.”We’re really looking forward to the people of the Geelong region and beyond packing out the stadium and supporting the women’s and men’s national sides.”Despite the off-field facilities at Kardinia Park being of high quality and the dimensions meeting international standards, the prospects of the venue being used as a second first-class ground for Victoria appear limited. Tony Dodemaide, the Cricket Victoria CEO, said the cost of installing drop-in pitches and preparing the multi-sport ground (home of AFL team the Geelong Cats) for cricket was more feasible for international games.As preparation for the T20I series, Sri Lanka will play the annual Prime Minister’s XI match as a T20 game on February 15 at Manuka Oval in Canberra.Cricket Australia has also announced that an agreement has been reached for Adelaide Oval to host an international cricket fixture on Australia Day every summer for the next five years. For some years the tradition was to hold a match in Adelaide on January 26, but in recent summers such a fixture had not always eventuated.”We’ve been working closely with the South Australian Government and SACA to secure marquee matches in the state long term and we’d like to thank both parties for their support,” Sutherland said. “We’re pleased to be able to announce today that Adelaide Oval will host an International Australia Day cricket fixture for the next five years.”

Donald Carr, the former Derbyshire and England batsman who went on to become one of the most prominent administrators of the post-war era, has died at the age of 89

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2016Donald Carr, the former Derbyshire and England batsman who went on to become one of the most prominent administrators of the post-war era, has died at the age of 89.In a first-class career that spanned from 1945 to 1968, Carr scored nearly 20,000 runs and claimed 328 wickets with his left-arm spin for Oxford University, Derbyshire and England, whom he captained at Madras in 1951-52 in his second and final appearance.He also played in the third “Victory Test” against Australia in 1945, alongside the likes of Len Hutton, Wally Hammond, Cyril Washbrook and Bill Edrich, and was a notable footballer too, winning his Blue at Oxford, and playing in front of 100,000 people at Wembley in two Amateur Cup final appearances for Pegasus in the 1950s.Carr captained Derbyshire between 1955 and 1962, and was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1960.However, it was his subsequent career in administration for which Carr will be remembered. He was assistant secretary of MCC from 1962 to 1974, during which time he was privy to one of the most contentious moments in cricket history, the omission and subsequent selection of Basil D’Oliveira for the tour of South Africa in 1968. He went on to become secretary of the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) and the Cricket Council until 1986.”Cricket has lost one of its greatest friends,” said Colin Graves, the ECB chairman. “Someone who gave a lifetime of service to our game; as a cricketer, a captain, a club secretary, an England tour manager, and, of course, as a senior administrator – serving MCC and the TCCB with distinction in a leadership role as the game moved into the modern, professional era; and always meeting the many difficult challenges he faced during this period with his customary good humour and charm.”This is deeply sad news for all Donald’s many cricketing friends and former colleagues and team-mates across the domestic and international game. He will be hugely missed by those who worked and played with him and we send our condolences and sympathies to all in the Carr family.”The President of MCC, Roger Knight, said: “Donald’s career in cricket, especially at Lord’s, is unlikely ever to be surpassed. As a cricketer, he captained both his university and his county, and after turning to administration became Assistant Secretary (Cricket) of MCC, and Secretary of the Cricket Council and of TCCB from their formation in 1974.”His period of office included the supervision of the first three World Cups in England, the advent of one-day cricket and the introduction of sponsorship in the professional game.”Donald’s commitment to cricket, his skills – both on the field and in the committee room – spanned more than 40 years, from his first-class debut in 1945, for England against Australia in the Victory “Test” at Lord’s, to his retirement in 1986.”He also served on MCC committees, on the Middlesex committee and as captain of Cross Arrows Cricket Club. He will be deeply and sorely missed across the cricket world.”The MCC flag, over the Main Ground, and the Cross Arrows flag, over the Nursery Ground, have been lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect to a man who devoted so much of his life to the game.”

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is personally waiting for Julian Nagelsmann to show an interest in joining Spurs, according to reports.

Could Nagelsmann join Spurs?

The former Bayern Munich boss, after being relieved of his duties last week, has been linked with taking the Spurs managerial post this summer – with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel stepping into his shoes in Bavaria.

Now out-of-work and readily available, Nagelsmann stands out as a prestigious new candidate to take the reins in north London with Levy actually eyeing him back in 2021. The 35-year-old was a target to replace Jose Mourinho back then and reports suggest Tottenham see an opportunity to go back in for one of European football's most exciting young coaches. Sky Sports claim an approach has been made by the Premier League top four hopefuls as Levy begins work on finding a replacement for Conte.

The Italian parted company with Spurs by mutual consent earlier this week, tasking Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason with guiding the club to Champions League qualification. Nagelsmann is seen as a top candidate by Levy and co, joining the growing list of prestigious candidates alongside Mauricio Pochettino and Luis Enrique among others.

Now, a report by The Daily Mail has an update on Tottenham's chances of hiring the German, with Levy personally waiting to see if Nagelsmann is in fact interested in making a move to Hotspur Way.

The Mail add that contact has been made with the former RB Leipzig boss as Levy weighs up his chances of hiring him, especially considering the possible interest of other big clubs. Indeed, Tottenham aren't the only interested party when it comes to Nagelsmann, as both Real Madrid and Chelsea are currently monitoring developments.

Is Nagelsmann perfect for Spurs?

We believe the manager's new-found availability should be a big draw for Spurs and arguably puts him out in front with the likes of Pochettino. Nagelsmann encourages an intense, high-pressing and entertaining brand of football which could be a breath of fresh air to supporters who are yearning for a departure from the more pragmatic styles of Conte, Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo in recent years.

BBC Sport Writer Raj Chohan, writing on Twitter, recently gave an insight into Nagelsmann's tactical attacking, stating:

"No Lewa replacement led Nagelsmann to plan a 4-2-2-2 in pre-season with a Mané-Gnabry front 2. This pair’s obvious decline then forced him to abandon. He did excellent to then re-shape the attack around a hold-up 9 like Choupo. His methods of coaching an attack are outstanding."

Going by claims like this, he could be exactly what Spurs need, but the competition for his signature may well be fierce.

Back in 2009, an Arsenal youth side containing a spritely Jack Wilshere lifted the FA Youth Cup, defeating Liverpool by a 4-1 margin. Typically, Wilshere was a scorer on that evening, finding the back of the net courtesy of a penalty as he drove his teammates to success.The career that would fall upon the midfielder’s shoulders after that was extraordinary. He would go on to boss one of the best Barcelona teams we’ve seen in the Champions League as a teenager, but that was about as good as it got for the now 31-year-old.Nearly 14 years on, Wilshere has retired after an injury-ravaged career that saw him never reach his true potential.However, the former England international would prefer us to now focus on the positives. Last week, the gifted technician spoke of rediscovering his love for football.How has he done that? Well, by coaching Arsenal’s U18s. Wilshere was only ever going to land back at Arsenal but few would have predicted the roaring success he’d turn out to be behind the scenes.Now firmly involved in the academy set-up, the Stevenage-born hero took charge of his first game against non-league Hendon last summer. Fast forward several months and he’s now dining out at the Emirates, aptly guiding the club to another FA Youth Cup final.

They have achieved that feat in some style, with Myles Lewis-Skelly scoring a last-gasp extra-time winner against Manchester City at the Emirates a matter of days ago. The teenager lept the highest from a ball into the area and found the net in the dying seconds of the tie.

How poignant it would be if they were to now win that final. A key part of that has been wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri who will no doubt take most of the attention in the side, but there is a Wilshere-esque talent just lying in wait for Arsenal; Bradley Ibrahim.

Who is Bradley Ibrahim?

The 18-year-old is highly rated by those at Arsenal having trained among the senior team and been named on the bench during two Europa League clashes this term.

Described as an ‘an energetic box-to-box midfielder’ and a ‘tireless holding midfielder’ by the club’s website it’s clear to see where the comparisons to Wilshere come in.

Like his coach, Ibrahim is an able ball carrier while his passing range from deep is arguably what sets him apart from his peers.

His 81% pass success in the EFL Trophy, as per Sofascore, this term outlines the teen as someone who is calm in possession, while he is particularly good in front of the back four, maintaining a pass accuracy of 94% inside his own half.

The highly-gifted starlet’s range of passing was on full display in that semi-final win over Manchester City a few days ago, with scout Jacek Kulig going as far as to suggest he was sending “long diagonals like prime Xavi.”

That said, there is a physicality to Ibrahim’s game which suggests he could be like Thomas Partey too, having won two ground duels per game in the EFL Trophy.

Indeed, there are plenty of similarities between the two, with the Ghanaian notably adept at evading the press, bullying opponents and spraying cross-field passes.

It’s unlikely the FA Youth Cup star will ultimately rival Partey for a place but there is every reason to believe that Charlie Patino should be looking over his shoulder.

The Blackpool loanee is the current darling of the Arsenal academy and has been tipped for big things after scoring on his senior debut in last season’s Carabao Cup.

Indeed, after scoring three times and laying on four assists for the Tangerines this term, the 19-year-old has impressed a great deal after finally being handed regular senior minutes.

As such, it feels like there will be a place ready and waiting for him in the first team next term. He will likely now face competition from young Ibrahim, however, a combative presence who is learning from one of the best to come through Hale End and progressing at a rapid rate.

Whatever way you look at it, the future seems incredibly bright for the centre of Arsenal’s midfield.