Arsenal are set to allow a high-earner to leave in 2025 as sporting director Edu Gaspar sets his sights on a former Real Madrid star to fill the void in his position.
Arsenal extend unbeaten run with 4-2 win over Leicester City
Mikel Arteta was very nearly dealt an afternoon to forget on Saturday afternoon, but the Premier League title hopefuls came through their clash with Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium with all three points after a dramatic final few minutes.
Manager says he's "convinced" that £50m forward will go as Arsenal eye move
The Gunners are apparently really big fans of him.
ByEmilio Galantini Oct 1, 2024
Arsenal were 2-0 up and cruising against the newly-promoted side at half-time – courtesy of strikes from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard – and it looked at one point like it would be a standard day at the office in north London.
However, a brace from James Justin after the restart to make it 2-2 very nearly threatened to cause a huge upset and derail Arsenal’s title challenge, on an afternoon where Man City dropped points away to Newcastle United.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Southampton (home)
October 5
Bournemouth (away)
October 19
Liverpool (home)
October 27
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away)
November 10
In a huge sigh of relief for Arteta, Wilfried Ndidi’s added-time own goal and a 99th-minute strike from Kai Havertz spared Arteta’s blushes and made sure that Arsenal could capitalise on City’s draw in the North East.
The result also maintains Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the season in all competitions, with a few of the usual suspects like Trossard impressing against Leicester. However, there were of course those who didn’t get the nod from Arteta, and face uncertain futures overall.
Jakub Kiwior has been linked with an Arsenal exit this year and had to settle for a place on the bench again, having played just 16 minutes in the top flight this season.
The arrival of Riccardo Calafiori threatens to cast uncertainty over the Poland international’s future at the club, with fellow left-back Kieran Tierney in the same boat, having not featured at all for Arsenal this season due to a hamstring injury and being far down the pecking order.
Arsenal set to green-light Tierney exit as Edu eyes Miguel Gutierrez
The Scotland international was stretchered off at Euro 2024 and has been on the recovery trail ever since, but it is unclear whether he will get any opportunities once he returns to full fitness.
The £120,000-per-week ace spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad, with Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber all ahead of him, considering they can all play left-back.
Now, The Boot Room report that Arsenal will let Tierney leave in 2025, and it is believed that Edu has his eyes on former Real Madrid defender Miguel Gutierrez as a possible replacement for him and Kiwior – who could also depart.
Gutierrez, who racked up seven La Liga assists in 35 starts for new club Girona last season, really impressed under Michel as the Spaniards contended for an unprecedented title at one point.
The 23-year-old can play at both left-back and further up field on the left wing. He arguably fits the mould of an Arteta signing as well, considering his age and versatility, not to mention his attacking prowess out wide.
To add further incentive for Arsenal to consider a swoop, it is believed Gutierrez’s contract includes a £29 million release clause.
Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke endured a difficult summer that was full of speculation over his best players before the transfer window slammed shut.
The German head coach had to deal with the rumours and then had to contend with some of his key stars moving on from Elland Road, as Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter, and Glen Kamara were all sold.
All four of those players started at least 36 Championship matches for the club during the 2023/24 campaign, which speaks to their importance to the side last term.
The former Norwich City boss was, however, allowed to dip into the market to bolster his squad with new recruits, and brought in the likes of Joe Rodon, Isaac Schmidt, Largie Ramazani, Alex Cairns, Jayden Bogle, and Manor Solomon, among others.
Farke seemingly identified the central midfield area as one that needed to be strengthened, as the club brought in Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell in that position, after Kamara was sold to Rennes.
The Leeds boss now has a plethora of midfield options to choose from each week and has strong competition for places in that area of the pitch.
Leeds United's current midfield options
Captain Ethan Ampadu and Bulgaria international Ilia Gruev were selected to play in the middle of the park in the 1-0 defeat to Burnley last time out.
Meanwhile, summer signings Tanaka and Rothwell were forced to wait on the bench before coming on during the second half in an attempt to change the game.
Ampadu has started all 54 of the Championship games, including the play-offs, of Farke’s reign so far, which suggests that his place in the starting XI is not in danger any time soon, and it could be between Gruev, Tanaka, and Rothwell to play alongside the Wales international.
Leeds midfielders
Market value
Ethan Ampadu
£13.5m
Ilia Gruev
£4.2m
Ao Tanaka
£3.4m
Joe Rothwell
£2.1m
Values via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea man is the most valuable central midfielder in the squad, by some distance, and Rothwell, who is on loan from Bournemouth, is the least valuable.
Leeds sold Kamara to Rennes for a reported fee of £8.4m in the summer, which would make him the second most valuable in that group, and the Whites will be hoping that they do not live to regret that sale.
One expensive sale of a central midfielder that Leeds will certainly not regret is Ronaldo Vieira, whose value has plummeted since he moved on from Elland Road in 2018.
How much Leeds sold Ronaldo Vieira for
In the summer of 2018, former sporting director Victor Orta opted to cash in on the young ace for a reported fee of £7m ahead of Marcelo Bielsa’s first season with the club.
He came up through the youth ranks with the Whites, after joining from the i2i Football Academy in 2015, and emerged as a regular first-team operator in the 2016/17 campaign.
Former Leeds midfielder Ronaldo Vieira.
Vieira showed plenty of promise in that breakthrough season in the Championship, as he showcased his ability on the ball and his combative nature in the middle of the park.
The teenage starlet, who was dubbed “bombastic” by ex-coach Simon Collins, completed 81% of his attempted passes and made an eye-catching 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game across 34 appearances and 24 starts in the division.
His combative qualities in midfield were on show again in the 2017/18 campaign, with 3.5 tackles and interceptions per match in 28 outings in the Championship.
2017/18 Championship
Ronaldo Vieira
Appearances
28
Assists
2
Pass accuracy
79%
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.5
Ground duel success rate
47%
Aerial duel success rate
40%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Vieira did not provide much in the way of quality as a creator of goals and his pass completion rate went down in comparison to his first full season in the league.
His duel success rates also show that opposition players found it too easy to get the better of him at times, as he lost the majority of his battles.
Orta then opted to cash in on the 20-year-old England U21 international at the end of that season, after Sampdoria came to the table with an offer of £7m.
Orta struck gold for Leeds
The Leeds sporting director struck gold for the club with that deal because Vieira has struggled since moving to Italy and away from Elland Road.
At the time of writing (18/09/2024), Transfermarkt places his current market value at a staggeringly low €1m (£843k), which is considerably
lower than any of the aforementioned Leeds midfielders.
It is also a stunning fall from the £7m that Sampdoria paid to secure his services back in 2018, when the central midfielder was 20 and seemingly on the rise.
Now 26, Vieira’s career has not gone to plan, as shown by his plummeting market value, and Leeds will look back on the £7m they gained from his sale as a blinder of a deal for them.
The English midfielder has only played 94 matches for Sampdoria in all competitions since his move in 2018, with loan spells at Torino and Hellas Verona in the 2022/23 and 2020/21 campaigns respectively.
He racked up 77 appearances in the Serie A for those three clubs combined and is currently playing in the Serie B for Sampdoria, where he featured in 13 league matches last term.
24/25 Serie B
Ronaldo Vieira
Appearances
3
Starts
1
Sofascore rating
5.73
Pass accuracy
69%
Duel success rate
33%
Error led to goal
1
As you can see in the table above, Vieira has played in three of the club’s second division games in the current season and has struggled badly.
The 26-year-old dud has been sloppy in possession, with a pass accuracy of 69%, and has been dominated in physical duels, whilst also making one error that directly led to a goal.
Overall, his time at Sampdoria has been disappointing as his value has plummeted and he has failed to nail down a regular place in the side, which is why Leeds struck gold by selling him for £7m.
Farke could ease James injury blow by unleashing amazing Leeds academy star
The Whites will be without the Wales international for the next few weeks.
Victor Luís não deve jogar pelo Palmeiras em 2022. O Ceará está em negociações avançadas com o Alviverde para contratar por empréstimo de um ano o lateral-esquerdo. A informação foi divulgada primeiramente pelo “Nosso Palestra”.
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+Veja as datas de reapresentação e da primeira partida oficial dos clubes brasileiros em 2022
O defensor era o reserva imediato de Matías Viña na última temporada, mas com a saída do uruguaio e as chegadas de Piquerez e Jorge, Victor Luís perdeu espaço com Abel Ferreira.
VEJA TABELA COM DATAS E HORÁRIOS DOS JOGOS DO MUNDIAL DE CLUBES
O lateral de 28 anos testou positivo para a Covid-19 recentemente, e não iria se reapresentar com o elenco do Verdão na próxima quarta-feira (5), na Academia de Futebol.
Caso o negócio entre os dois clubes seja confirmado, o lateral-esquerdo será o quinto jogador a deixar o Alviverde na temporada. Jaílson, Felipe Melo, Willian e Borja já foram negociados pelo diretoria.
Victor Luís é cria do Palmeiras, onde soma146 partidas e quatro gols. Seu vínculo com o Verdão vai até 31 de dezembro de 2022.
Pulisic was substituted off the pitch earlier this week with a leg injury, and has been ruled out of Saturday's match
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Pulisic ruled out of Milan clash with JuventusUSMNT attacker dealing with muscle fatigueConceicao says injury "not serious"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao confirmed that Christian Pulisic will miss their crucial Serie A match against Juventus on Saturday, as the American winger is sidelined with an injury.
"Pulisic is out," Conceicao said in a press conference. "I don't feel like bluffing. He still feels some discomfort, and we don't want to risk it. It's nothing serious, but if he plays for about 20 minutes, he risks making the situation worse and I don't want that."
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Pulisic, who missed most of December with a calf injury, only returned to the pitch at the flip of the calendar year. He had torn a muscle in his right calf and sustained a minor ankle issue that forced him out.
He's been Milan's top attacker in 2024-25, with five goals and four assists in Serie A and three more goals in the UEFA Champions League.
Milan sit seventh in Serie A, three places behind Juventus in the regular season standings. The are unbeaten in their 20 domestic league matches this campaign, drawing 13 matches.
DID YOU KNOW?
Milan recently defeated Juventus in the Super Cup, with Pulisic scoring a crucial penalty as the defeated Weston McKennie and the 2-1 in the competition.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?
Milan are back in action in the UCL next week when they take on La Liga side Girona on Wednesday. Heading into the match, the Rossoneri sit 12th in the new format standings.
Ethan Bamber completes five-wicket haul to cement home side’s dominance
ECB Reporters' Network01-Sep-2021Derbyshire 205 (Bamber 5-41) and 42 for 1 need 292 more runs to beat Middlesex 282 and 256 (Robson 52) A last-wicket stand of 58 between Toby Roland-Jones and Tim Murtagh leaves Derbyshire needing the fifth-highest run chase in their history ahead of day four at Lord’s.The two pacemen missed eclipsing Middlesex’s 10th-wicket record against Derbyshire of 66 set three years ago, but their effort carried the hosts to 256 all out, a lead of 333, Alex Thomson taking 3 for 71.Murtagh then removed Luis Reece as somehow Derbyshire limped to 42 for 1 in an absorbing last session truncated by bad light, still needing 292 for victory.Earlier, Ethan Bamber took Derbyshire’s last first-innings wicket to record a career-best 5 for 41.Bamber needed just five balls to register his landmark, having Sam Conners caught at mid-wicket.Middlesex, leading by 77 made the worst possible start as Mark Stoneman, on debut and on a pair, shouldered arms to the first ball of the innings from Conners and lost his off stump.It was the cue for a frenetic second innings effort from the hosts, who constantly seemed in too much of a hurry to build on their advantage.Stephen Eskinazi’s boundary-sprinkled cameo ended with an ugly shot caught at point and first innings centurion Robbie White fenced at a wide one to be caught behind for nought.Sam Robson was the exception, leaving well outside off stump and driving bad balls to the boundary on both sides of the wicket.This mix of judgement and aggression took him to 50 in 55 balls with nine fours as he shared a half-century stand with Max Holden for the fourth wicket.But on 52, Robson suffered a rush of blood, charging off-spinner Thomson who bowled him through the gate.Holden and Martin Andersson each threatened to establish dominance only to fall for 44 and 41 respectively, the latter the second of two wickets in seven balls for Anuj Dal as the Seaxes slumped to 198 for 9.But Murtagh and Roland-Jones (33 not out) wrestled back control with a mix of good running and aggression.Inspired by his 31, Murtagh then removed Luis Reece for a duck via an edge through to John Simpson and 46 balls passed before a run was scored as Billy Godleman and Tom Wood clung on amid numerous appeals like wounded boxers in need of the bell.Relief came with Middlesex forced to bowl spin before a second interruption for bad light brought play to a close 11 overs early.
Aston Villa, led by sporting director Monchi, have officials at a Champions League game on Wednesday night to watch two players Unai Emery is personally keen on, according to a recent report.
Villa got their own Champions League campaign underway on Tuesday as they brushed Young Boys aside in a comfortable 3-0 win, and the Midlands side are looking to use the competition to scout future transfers.
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He had fewer touches than Martinez in Switzerland.
ByJoe Nuttall Sep 18, 2024 Aston Villa eyeing free transfer swoop
The Villans have made a strong start to the campaign, winning three of their first four games of the Premier League season, and they have won their opening Champions League match to boot. But that isn’t stopping Emery and co. from looking at the free agent market.
It has been reported that Villa are interested in signing Oumar Solet, who has just become a free agent after having his contract terminated by Red Bull Salzburg on Saturday. The player entered the final year of his contract with the Austrian side, but they have taken it upon themselves to let the defender leave now.
That is said to have put clubs on alert, with Nottingham Forest, Wolves and West Ham also keen, while Liverpool, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur were said to have looked at the player during the summer, but it remains to be seen if they are still interested.
While Villa weigh up a move for Solet, the Premier League side are now also sending officials out into Europe as they take a closer look at two players participating in the Champions League.
Monchi sends Aston Villa officials to investigate £63m double signing
According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa will have scouts watching Girona pair Viktor Tsygankov and Miguel Gutierrez in tonight’s game against Paris Saint-Germain. As well as Villa having officials at the game, Liverpool and Arsenal are also said to be sending scouts to watch the highly rated duo against the French champions.
The report states that both attacking midfielder Tsygankov and left-back Gutierrez have caught the eye of Emery, and the Spaniard is said to be appreciative of their talents. It goes on to add that while it would put Girona at a disadvantage, as they are two very important players, they would be open to selling the pair if the right offers were to arrive in January.
It is claimed that if both players were to leave, it could bring in over €75 million, which is roughly £63 million. Tsygankov has been with the La Liga side since January 2023, when he joined the club from Dynamo Kyiv, while Gutierrez joined in August 2022 from Real Madrid.
Viktor Tsygankov
Miguel Guiterrez
Apps
57
81
Goals
12
4
Assists
14
14
Tsygankov would provide competition for the likes of Morgan Rogers and Leon Bailey, while Gutierrez would add competition to Lucas Digne and Ian Maatsen, who only joined the club in the summer.
Aston Villa are one of two Premier League clubs in a battle to secure the services of a 24-year-old attacker, according to a recent report.
The Villans face a very big week in their season, as they welcome Bayern Munich and Manchester United to Villa Park in a short space of time as they look to keep up their fine form in the league and in Europe.
Jacob Ramsey upgrade: Aston Villa eager to sign "fantastic" £17m star
The Villans are reportedly interested in a deal for the Serie A winger in January.
ByDan Emery Sep 30, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news
All Villa supporters will be looking forward to this week as their side gets to play two mouth-watering games. Unai Emery will be focusing all his energy on these matches, but it appears that the club’s hierarchy could be turning their attentions to what business they may conduct in 2025.
Villa are among the teams tracking Bristol Rovers’ young star Kofi Shaw. The 17-year-old has broken into the first team at the Memorial Stadium this season, featuring a handful of times, and his performances have caught the attention of Leeds United, Southampton, and the Villans.
As well as keeping an eye on the development of Shaw, Aston Villa are also closely monitoring Samuel Lino, who plays for Atlético Madrid. Emery is said to be keen on improving his options on the left-hand side of his team, and Lino fits the bill, as he can play as an attacker as well as a wing-back. Monchi has been keeping an eye on the player ever since he joined the La Liga side in 2022, and it now appears as though they are readying their move.
Shaw and Lino may not be the only players that the Villa hierarchy are looking at, as they are also weighing up a move for a 24-year-old striker, who could be Ollie Watkins’ new strike partner.
Aston Villa find a new striker target with his club wanting £25m
According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are interested in signing Valencia striker Hugo Duro. The Villans are not the only side interested in the striker, as they face a fierce battle with fellow Premier League side West Ham United.
Villa and West Ham have been left impressed by Duro’s performances and talent, and they are keen to add him to their squads in the near future. The Midlands side believe that the young striker can bring “dynamism” and “youth” to their forward line.
Furthermore, Emery is personally confident that Duro’s playing style will adapt well to the Premier League, and therefore, he can make a serious contribution to their team’s goal-scoring chances. The report goes on to add that Duro could form a partnership with Watkins, as question marks still remain over the future of Jhon Duran despite his excellent goalscoring form.
Apps
115
Goals
27
Assists
10
It is believed that Valencia will look to get around €25-30 million, which is roughly £20-25 million – the 24-year-old is contracted to the La Liga side until the summer of 2028. Duro came through the academy at Getafe, and after spending the 2021/22 season on loan at Valencia, the Spanish side made the deal into a permanent switch.
After bringing in Miguel Almiron from Newcastle, the Five Stripes have now broken the league transfer record for their new star striker
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Atlanta sees MLS record bid accepted by Middlesbrough
Five Stripes sign striker Emmanuel Latte Lath
Forward will cost reported $22 million
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Atlanta United have had an MLS record bid in the region of $22 million accepted by English Championship side Middlesbrough for Ivorian forward Emmanuel Latte Lath. The 26-year-old has signed a deal through 2028, with a club option for 2029 as a Designated Player.
The striker joins the Eastern Conference side ahead of the 2025 season, just days after the announced the return of former club star Miguel Almiron from Newcastle United.
The Ivory Coast international scored 29 goals across 67 matches for over the past two seasons in England.
Latte-Lath's transfer passes the previous MLS record transfer fee that was set by FC Cincinnati this offseason when the Eastern Conference side added forward Kevin Denkey to their ranks for $16.2M.
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"We're excited to sign Latte Lath and look forward to welcoming him to the club and the city of Atlanta," said Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson. "He’s a forward with excellent pace and good goal-scoring instincts. His ability to stretch the field will add another dimension to our attack. At 26 years old, he’s entering the prime years of his career and has already shown his goal-scoring ability in multiple leagues in Europe."
Atlanta is currently in the midst of a winter overhaul, after cleaning house during the 2024 MLS campaign that saw the club transfer Caleb Wiley, Thiago Almada, and Giorgis Giakoumakis out of the club for north of $50 million in transfer fees. In addition, they moved on from head coach Gonzalo Pineda, sacking him in the summer, and appointing interim head coach Rob Valentino to ride out the rest of the campaign.
The club made one major signing over the summer, adding Russia international and 2024 UEFA Europa League champion Alexey Miranchuk to their ranks, paying Atalanta a reported $10M for his services.
Over the second half of the season, Valentino overachieved with the club, seeing them into the playoffs where they shockingly eliminated Lionel Messi's Inter Miami in Round One of MLS' Best-of-3 series. They were eliminated in the Conference semifinals by Orlando City.
This offseason, they appointed former MLS Cup-winning manager Ronny Deila as head coach, handing him the reigns to the program going forward while appointing Henderson, previously at Inter Miami, as their new Sporting Director.
DID YOU KNOW?
Two other Ivory Coast internationals joined MLS this offseason, with Wilfried Zaha signing for Charlotte FC and Jonathan Bamba for the Chicago Fire.
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WHAT NEXT FOR ATLANTA?
The are currently in MLS preseason action, working under new head coach Deila. Their first match of the MLS season arrives on Feb. 22 against CF Montreal.