ECB welcomes funding although it falls well short of £35 million pledge from Rishi Sunak last year

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2025The UK government has pledged £1.5million for the construction of two new indoor, all-season cricket domes in Luton and Lancashire. But while the development has been welcomed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), it is significantly less than the £35million promised last summer by then-prime minister Rishi Sunak.That announcement, in April 2024, mooted the construction of 16 domes across England by 2029, as a tie-in to the women’s and men’s T20 World Cups in 2026 and 2030, respectively. The ECB has already funded a prototype dome in Bradford (open in 2023), and now seem resigned to not seeing anywhere near that figure going forward.Sunak’s promise looked set not to materialise after a change of government last summer. Speaking at the announcement of these amended plans last week at Leyland Cricket Club in Lancashire, culture secretary Lisa Nandy stated Sunak’s plans were not grounded in reality.”Unfortunately, the announcement made by the last government was a fantasy,” Nandy told the BBC. “There was not a single penny of actual funding attached to it.”So the announcement in itself equated to absolutely nothing at all. We are backing sport because we know how much it matters. It changes people’s lives. It opens up opportunities that people would never have had otherwise.”The ECB plan to push for further funding, in line with the governing body’s stated aims in their game-wide strategy, Inspiring Generations, which involve “working in partnership with the Government to maximise the legacy of the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup”. This £1.5million is in addition to the £400million for grassroots sport that was announced at the Spending Review, which will benefit a wide range of sports over the next four years.Speaking on Monday’s announcement, ECB chair Richard Thompson said: “These state-of-the-art all-weather cricket domes will be transformative for the communities they serve, opening up cricket to more people year-round and providing top-class facilities for elite players too. They are an important part of our plans to break down barriers and make cricket the most inclusive team sport.”We are pleased to secure Government support for these incredible community facilities, which we hope will provide a vital proof point of what can be achieved, and look forward to future collaboration. As we have seen in Bradford, centres like these can have a hugely positive impact–bringing people together, opening up opportunities, and inspiring the next generation.”As we look ahead to hosting the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026, building on that success by rolling out more domes in communities across England and Wales will be key to creating a genuine and lasting legacy from the tournament.”The two state-of-the-art domes will be focused on opening cricket up to a broader, more diverse audience as part of the “Plan for Change” initiative to get more young people active and participating in sport. The announcement is the latest step in the govenment’s new National Youth Strategy, which will be published in the autumn.

As the calendar prepares to turn to February, we are close to baseball's offseason concluding with spring training right around the corner.

After all, pitchers and catchers begin reporting to spring training across Major League Baseball over the next couple of weeks.

The dawn of a new season also means a new baseball video game is right around the corner. will go on pre-order on Feb. 4 and will be available on all consoles on Mar. 18. The baseball video game franchise made a big announcement on Tuesday, as the cover athletes for the new edition of the game were released.

Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz will be joined by Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes on the cover.

The game's motto this season? "Forge your journey" with the stars of today and tomorrow.

With three of baseball's brightest stars, the game is in good hands in the future. will harness that with this season's video game, set to be released this spring.

It turns out teams other than the Los Angeles Dodgers are allowed to make MLB offseason moves.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that former San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar is heading to the Atlanta Braves in free agency. The Braves would announce soon after that the deal was for three years and $42 million.

The move comes after Profar’s breakout season in 2024, which saw him post career highs in home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, and OPS at 31 years old in San Diego—making his first All-Star Game and winning his first Silver Slugger while helping the Padres push the Dodgers to five games in the NLDS.

While Atlanta fans were quick to celebrate the signing, San Diego fans were understandably disappointed. After nearly reaching the NLCS just a few months ago, the Padres have now watched stars like Profar leave in the offseason—while also missing out on the sweepstakes for star free agents like pitcher Roki Sasaki.

Profar is set to join Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuna Jr. in the Braves outfield, immediately making the trio one of the best in all of baseball.

He won’t have to wait long to face his old team—Atlanta opens its 2025 season in San Diego on March 27.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) e o São Paulo estão numa queda de braço em relação ao valor que a entidade deve pagar pela saída do técnico Dorival Júnior do Tricolor para ser o novo comandante da Seleção Brasileira.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasNotíciasPaulistão: como foram os últimos jogos entre Corinthians e São Paulo?Notícias29/01/2024ListasSão Paulo busca primeira vitória no estádio do Corinthians; relembre todos os confrontosListas29/01/2024

O clube paulista quer receber R$ 8,5 milhões, incluindo nesse valor R$ 4,5 milhões de multa de rescisão contratual, R$ 1 milhão do montante pago para tirar o treinador Thiago Carpini do Juventude e mais de R$ 3 milhões como indenização ao São Paulo.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Do total requisitado pela diretoria tricolor, a CBF sinalizou que aceita pagar R$ 5,5 milhões.

Dorival Júnior foi anunciado como novo treinador da Seleção Brasileira no dia 10 de janeiro, após demissão de Fernando Diniz. Pelo Tricolor, Dorival foi campeão da Copa do Brasil em 2023.

continua após a publicidade

Em março, o técnico irá encarar seu primeiro compromisso com a Amarelinha na convocação de jogadores para amistosos contra Espanha e Inglaterra.

+ SÃO PAULO

Tudo sobre

CBFDorival JúniorSão Paulo

The international break has provided Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank with a two-week break to prepare for the North London derby clash with Arsenal next weekend in the Premier League.

Spurs were held to a 2-2 draw with Manchester United last time out in the top-flight, thanks to a last-gasp Matthijs de Ligt goal, and they have only won one of their last four matches in all competitions.

This means that the Lilywhites will need to improve their performance if they want to come away with a result against their bitter rivals, and the Premier League’s current leaders.

Whilst the international break has provided the coaching staff with more time to prepare for the match, it has also thrown up a potentially disruptive injury to one of Frank’s key players.

Pape Matar Sarr had to go off in the second half of Senegal’s clash with Brazil, ironically, at The Emirates with an injury, and it remains to be seen how serious a blow that is.

The latest Spurs injury news ahead of the North London derby

It is fair to say that the Lilywhites have had their fair share of injury issues in the 2025/26 campaign, as they currently have 11 players who are either out or about to return from injury, not including Sarr.

James Maddison is the one player who will certainly not be returning to action any time soon, as the England international suffered an ACL injury in pre-season that will keep him out until next year.

James Maddison

Cruciate ligament tear

01/06/2026

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee injury

28/11/2025

Radu Dragusin

Cruciate ligament tear

21/11/2025

Kota Takai

Foot injury

21/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Knee injury

21/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle injury

21/11/2025

Ben Davies

Hamstring injury

21/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf injury

21/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Head injury

21/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Unknown

21/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Head injury

21/11/2025

As you can see in the table above, Tottenham have a host of players who Transfermarkt suggests could return for the North London derby, but that is their prediction and has yet to be confirmed by Frank or the club.

It has been reported, for example, that Randal Kolo Muani could be out for up to eight weeks with his jaw injury, which means that it would be surprising to see him return next weekend.

Senegal boss Pape Thiaw claimed that the injury was not a “big deal”, suggesting that there will be no long-term lay-off, but Spurs must prepare for the possibility that they will not have Sarr available, or at least ready to start, against the Gunners.

The Senegal international has started six of his ten appearances in the Premier League so far this season, per Sofascore, and his absence would leave a hole to fill in the middle of the park.

Lucas Bergvall would have been in contention to take Sarr’s place in midfield after returning to the Sweden squad for the international break, but he was excused from international duty after suffering a setback in his return from a concussion.

Chalkboard

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

This suggests that the 19-year-old central midfielder will either be unavailable for selection or lacking in match fitness, having not played since the clash with Chelsea on the first day of the month.

With this in mind, Spurs could ease the blow dealt by this potential injury to Sarr by unleashing experienced campaigner Rodrigo Bentancur alongside Joao Palhinha against Arsenal.

Why Spurs must unleash Rodrigo Bentancur against Arsenal

Playing the Uruguay international alongside the summer signing from Bayern Munich may not be the most popular suggestion, as there have been complaints from some supporters that it is a bit of a negative pairing.

Bentancur ranks within the bottom 38% of midfielders in the top five leagues and European competitions for progressive passes per 90 (4.13) over the past 365 days, whilst Palhinha ranks in the bottom 7% with 2.92 progressive passes per 90, per FBref.

This suggests that the perception that this midfield pairing lacks progression in possession is a fair one, but it is defensive quality that Spurs will need against Arsenal, who are top of the Premier League and have scored 20 goals in 11 matches.

Therefore, playing the £75k-per-week star next to Palhinha could be the way to go next weekend, particularly if Sarr and Bergvall are not 100% ready to start after their respective issues.

The former Juventus midfielder, described as a “mentality monster” by one analyst, came off the bench against Manchester United last time out, but started eight of his first nine appearances in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which shows how much Frank has relied on him.

Tackles

2.14

Top 43%

Interceptions

1.83

Top 2%

Tackles + interceptions

3.97

Top 14%

Blocks

1.52

Top 16%

Passes blocked

1.02

Top 27%

Clearances

2.64

Top 8%

Aerial duels won

1.92

Top 10%

As you can see in the table above, Bentancur ranks very highly among his positional peers in a host of key defensive metrics in the top five leagues in Europe and European competitions over the past year.

These statistics illustrate the defensive quality that he can provide in front of the back four alongside Palhinha, which is further evidenced by the club’s return of seven clean sheets in the 16 games that they have been on the pitch at the same time this season, per FBref.

This suggests that Spurs may have their best chance of keeping Arsenal at bay by playing Bentancur and Palhinha at the base of the midfield to protect Cristian Romero and Micky van De Ven next weekend.

Whilst they may not provide the youthful energy that Bergvall and Sarr bring to the team, the experienced midfield pairing could be a solid option to go with if the aforementioned duo are not available or fit enough to start.

Frank must sell £55k-per-week Spurs flop who was looking "like Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur must now look to offload one player who has failed to deliver in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 16, 2025

Liverpool pushed all of their recent agony to one side by comfortably getting the better of Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday night.

Arne Slot’s Reds do still find themselves seven points shy of Arsenal at the very top of the Premier League tree, with four defeats in a row not exactly helping their cause, but a win was desperately needed all the same, and it was secured in a straightforward fashion versus Unai Emery’s challengers.

Mohamed Salah would have also been relieved, from a personal point of view, that he was back amongst the goals last night as Slot and Co. picked up their first league win since the hotly-contested Merseyside Derby back in September.

The milestone Mo Salah hit vs Aston Villa

It was a milestone night for the Egyptian after all, coming up against the visitors from the West Midlands.

Despite experiencing a shaky start to the season by his lofty standards, Salah would still manage to collect his 250th Premier League goal of his illustrious career on Saturday evening, after he capitalised on a mix-up at the back by Emiliano Martinez to slot a first-half effort home with ease.

That set the reigning champions on their way to an assured three points, with Salah looking lively throughout, away from just adding himself to the Premier League’s record books.

The 33-year-old would very much keep Lucas Digne on his toes throughout, with the Liverpool veteran managing to complete five successful dribbles to look back to his usual rampaging best.

Moreover, Salah also showed plenty of energy and vigour when launching himself into duels, with seven ground duels also impressively won.

Come the end of the contest, Salah would have been pleased with his overall application, away from just stealing the majority of the limelight with his milestone goal.

Still, there is a fresher figure in Slot’s ranks who is seemingly turning into the Dutchman’s new version of the Reds legend, in terms of being a must-have presence on the teamsheet when fit.

Slot's new Salah-type player

Salah is now 33 years of age, meaning his time as a Liverpool regular, week in, week out, could come to a halt soon.

He has, unfortunately, wobbled at points this season, too, with only four goals collected in Premier League action, but class is permanent, as was seen in his encouraging showing against Villa, which showed there’s still life in the ageing winger’s legs at the moment.

It cannot be understated how crucial Salah has been over the years for Liverpool with consistent moments of magic, but Slot could well find he has a new Salah-type figure in his ranks now in Ryan Gravenberch, who is a “vital” figure himself whenever he’s fit in the Liverpool starting XI, as ex-Reds midfielder Steve McManaman labelled him after the important 2-0 victory.

Journalist Henry Winter also stated, after the three points were secured, that the former Ajax sensation is “so important” to how Liverpool tick, with Slot cursing his talisman’s recent injury luck, before he returned to the first-team fold against Villa, with Liverpool coming worryingly unstuck 3-2 away at Brentford with Gravenberch not in the side.

With Gravenberch back in the side, though, on Saturday night, Liverpool never looked in danger of gifting Villa the three points, as the standout number 38 picked up his third Premier League goal of the season already – to show off a killer finishing ability like Salah – when this kind deflection wrongfooted Martinez early in the second half.

Gravenberch also led by example when winning six duels and two tackles, to give Liverpool some needed grit in the middle of the park, on top of also bowing out from the 2-0 win with an 88% pass accuracy intact.

Games played

8

Games started

8

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Touches

74.4

Accurate passes

53.5 (88%)

Tackles*

2.0

Ball recoveries*

3.6

Total duels won*

5.3

The 23-year-old has been equal parts skilful and attritional throughout the season so far, as can be seen looking at the table above, with Salah’s insane 29-goal season last campaign in the Premier League even seeing him win his fair share of duels, when averaging 3.3 successful duels per clash.

The 8/10 midfield star – as was the post-match rating handed to him by journalist Ian Doyle – still has a long way to go before he’s seen in the same glowing light as Salah, who has become a top-flight great at Anfield.

But, if he continues at his current trajectory – with one analyst even branding him as “world-class” for his well-rounded showing against Villa – he will also be fondly remembered in the Liverpool hall-of-fame down the line, long after Salah’s esteemed playing days.

Best game all season: Liverpool star was even better than Salah & Gravenberch

Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield and this player stood out

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 2, 2025

After another difficult evening for Celtic in the Europa League, they’ve now discovered the extent of the injury that Callum Osmand picked up in another frustrating blow.

The Bhoys fell to a 3-1 defeat against Midtjylland and remain with just the one win to their name on the European stage this season – making qualification into the next round a mere fantasy at this stage.

Celtic schedule first interview with 37 y/o manager who dreams of Hoops job

The Bhoys are still on the hunt for their Brendan Rodgers replacement.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 6, 2025

For all the good work that Martin O’Neill has done so far this season, not even the Northern Irishman could turn his side’s fortunes around outside of domestic action and he once again distanced himself from the permanent job.

What the defeat has certainly done is pile the pressure on Dermot Desmond and the rest of the Celtic board to get their next decision right and get it done sooner rather than later.

Ange Postecoglou pulled out of the race for the job in the early stages and that dealt the Bhoys an undeniable blow. Since then, however, other impressive candidates have emerged such as Club Brugge’s Nicky Hayen and Kieran McKenna.

Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that McKenna is open to the job in what could hand Celtic quite the boost. The Ipswich Town boss has struggled to get the best out of his side in the Championship so far this season, but no one will be forgetting the history that he made at Portman Road anytime soon.

Alas, before any manager can arrive, it’s up to O’Neill to get the Hoops back to winning ways and do so without recent Old Firm hero Osmand.

Celtic discover extent of Callum Osmand injury

As revealed by O’Neill at full-time, Osmand suffered a pulled hamstring against Midtjylland and will now be missing for at least a few weeks. It’s a major blow for the 19-year-old, who just took his place in Celtic’s Europa League squad off the back of putting Celtic out of sight with his effort in the Scottish League Cup semi-final against Rangers.

With Celtic’s attack already coming under fire this season, they now have the task of squaring off against Kilmarnock and others without one of their most promising talents.

Celtic frontrunner McKenna now wants Hoops job

Colin Ingram passed 1000 runs for the second successive season during a sparkling half-century on the final day of this drawn Rothesay County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Despite Northamptonshire declaring 54 runs behind overnight, Glamorgan ran out of time to force a result after most of day three was lost to rain. However, with Derbyshire and Middlesex also drawing at Lord’s, Glamorgan stole a march by earning three more bonus points than both their promotion rivals, further boosting their promotion hopes.It allowed the Welsh County to further cement second position in Division Two. Third-placed Derbyshire now lie 27 points behind, while Middlesex sit in fourth, 30 points back.Former South African international Ingram reached the 1000-run milestone in 10 games after missing two matches in May during Australian Marnus Labuschagne’s stint at Sophia Gardens. His 55, off 85 balls with 11 fours, was his seventh Championship half-century this season to go with three tons.Ingram was joined by Kiran Carlson in a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 in almost 23 overs, while Calvin Harrison took 3 for 46 to take his tally in nine loan games for Northamptonshire this summer to 35. Justin Broad claimed 2 for 18 in five pacy overs.With Chris Cooke making an unbeaten 40, Glamorgan declared on 241 for 7, 295 runs ahead, when the players shook hands on the draw at 4.20pm.Earlier Northamptonshire declared at their overnight total of 413 for 9, 54 behind. Luke Procter found significant movement in his opening spell. After leaving one which jagged back, Zain-ul-Hassan failed to learn his lesson and was bowled in the Northamptonshire captain’s next over, shouldering arms to a similar delivery. Procter almost picked up a second wicket when Sam Northeast edged low to the slips, a diving Broad only able to get his fingers to it.First-innings double-centurion Asa Tribe made 24 before he was caught behind down the leg side off Broad, who then found some sharp bounce to surprise Northeast, keeper Lewis McManus taking the catch above his head.Carlson got off the mark pulling a short delivery from Broad for four, but he got into a tangle against a well-directed bouncer from the allrounder which he could only glove safely over the keeper and slips. Ingram was harsh on anything wide from the seamers and swept and cut the spinners as he moved through the twenties, Glamorgan going into lunch on 95 for 3.After lunch Ingram brought up Glamorgan’s 100 with a thick edge through gully off Ben Whitehouse for four. The debutant almost picked up Ingram’s wicket when he hooked him to fine leg, but Nirvan Ramesh injured himself when he fell attempting the catch, the ball running away for four. After a delay, Ingram dispatched the next two Whitehouse deliveries for four, a dismissive pull shot and a punch through cover, while Carlson pulled a full toss from Saif Zaib for six.Ingram duly passed 1000 runs for the season by swinging Zaib through midwicket before a reverse sweep off Harrison took him to his half-century off 66 balls.Harrison then made a triple breakthrough in the space of 32 deliveries, turning one past Carlson’s bat as he edged through to the keeper. Ingram’s innings ended in bizarre fashion when he miscued an attempted sweep off Harrison onto his foot, the ball looping up to slip where Ricardo Vasconcelos took the catch.Batting with a runner due to a calf injury, Ben Kellaway made 18, but Harrison bowled him around his legs for the second time in the match as he attempted to sweep.After tea, Cooke and Timm van der Gugten played some lusty blows in a partnership of exactly 50 off 141 balls, before Whitehouse claimed his maiden first-class wicket when van der Gugten cut straight to Harrison at point.

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia is making a huge leap in his career as he is close to finalising a long-term contract extension, reportedly snubbing an offer from the current Champions league holders Paris Saint-Germain. The 24-year-old has become a key player under coach manager Hansi Flick this season, accumulating the most minutes in the squad.

Garcia rejects PSG approach for Barcelona stay

According to a report from , negotiations between the club and the central defender have reached the "final stages," with an agreement in principle now in place after weeks of discussions. The 24-year-old's current deal expires next summer, but his impressive form under Flick has prompted the club to act decisively to secure his services for the foreseeable future.

The renewal comes amidst significant interest from PSG. The French champions, managed by former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique, reportedly had an offer on the table for the defender. Enrique knows Garcia well from their time together with the Spanish national team, appreciating his ball-playing abilities and tactical intelligence. However, Garcia has opted to stay at what he considers his "home," prioritising the project under Flick over a reunion with his former national coach in Paris.

The intrusion of PSG into the situation reportedly caused a delay in Barcelona's established roadmap for contract renewals, which also includes figures such as Jules Kounde, Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal. However, the report from Spain indicates that Garcia remains steadfast in his commitment to the Blaugrana.

Garcia feels "completely happy" with his current role in the team and comfortable within the dressing room, which features numerous fellow La Masia graduates and international teammates. His connection to the club, having returned on a free transfer from Manchester City in the summer of 2021 after initially coming through their youth ranks, plays a significant role in his decision.

Barcelona view Garcia as a fundamental part of their squad, the report adds, and even see him as a potential future captain due to his leadership qualities and understanding of the club's philosophy. The finalisation of the new contract is now described merely as a matter of scheduling the signature.

AdvertisementAFPHansi Flick's crucial role in Garcia's resurgence

Garcia's current status as an undroppable element of the Barcelona defence marks a significant turnaround from his situation just a few months ago. After spending the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Girona, where he enjoyed a successful season helping them qualify for the Champions League, Garcia reportedly harboured doubts about his role upon returning to his parent club.

claims that Garcia considered requesting another loan move during the recent summer transfer window to ensure regular playing time. However, Flick intervened, dissuading the defender from leaving and assuring him of his importance to the squad.

The German coach has backed up those assurances with significant playing time and has reportedly made it clear to the club hierarchy that he "absolutely does not want to lose" Garcia, valuing his consistency and adaptability highly.

Eric Garcia's 2025-26 season statistics and versatility

The faith shown by Flick is reflected in the statistics for the 2025-26 season so far. Garcia currently holds the distinction of having played the most minutes of any player on the Barcelona roster this campaign. He has made 17 appearances across all competitions already this season, racking up a total of 1,285 minutes on the pitch. In La Liga, he has featured 13 times, contributing one goal. He has also been a fixture in the Champions League, starting three of Barcelona's four matches in the competition thus far.

His value to Flick lies not just in his availability but his versatility. While primarily a centre-back, Garcia is capable of operating at right-back or as a defensive midfielder. The Spanish report notes that his performance is considered a "solid seven out of 10, no matter where he plays," a trait highly prized given the demanding nature of the fixture calendar. His recent performance against Athletic Club was highlighted as "outstanding," further cementing his place in the starting lineup.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWhat next for Barcelona and Eric Garcia?

With the agreement in principle reached, the immediate priority for Barcelona and Garcia's representatives is to officially sign the new long-term contract, ending any lingering speculation regarding his future.

On the pitch, Barcelona are entering a congested period of fixtures leading into the winter break. Garcia's durability and ability to cover multiple defensive positions will be tested as Flick attempts to manage his squad through La Liga and Champions League commitments. Barcelona will rely heavily on Garcia's consistency as they look to maintain their challenge for domestic and European honours in the coming months.

Arsenal are looking to establish themselves as the dominant force in English football and could now be set to accelerate their pursuit of a star who has an intriguing link with a key member of their squad.

Mikel Arteta is into his sixth year at the Gunners and will hope his side can seize the opportunity that lies ahead in the Premier League title race, given they have managed to amass a four-point lead at this point.

Ultimately, their frustrating draw away to Sunderland before the international break will be a source of inconvenience. However, no team is going to win every match across a whole campaign, so they will put it behind them ahead of stiff tests against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Looking at their central priorities, lifting the Premier League title has to be the main focus. Nevertheless, Pete O’Rourke confirmed on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast that Arteta could be set to engage in talks over a contract extension later next year.

He said: “Yeah, I think for certain it’s something that they will get to, as you said, it’s probably not the priority right now. Arteta’s contract will take care of itself. I’ve got no doubts about that. Arteta’s happy at Arsenal. Arsenal are obviously very happy with him.

“I think for Arteta himself probably his focus and priority right now is on success for Arsenal this season. I’m sure later in 2026, I’m sure there’ll be talks held between Arteta and Arsenal to see if they can sort out his future and extend his stay at the Emirates as well.”

Planning for the future is also firmly part of his remit at the Emirates, and he could now be set to complete a surprising deal for a star who has a familiar family name.

Arsenal could seal Quinten Timber free transfer

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are plotting a move for Feyenoord midfielder Quinten Timber, who is set to see his contract expire in Rotterdam come the summer of 2026.

Of course, he is the brother of Gunners fan favourite Jurrien, and this could hand them an edge in the race given their obvious tie to the player.

Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and West Ham United are also alert to his situation as he represents a lucrative option to strengthen ahead of next season without having to pay a transfer fee.

On the flipside, Dortmund may be willing to bid for the Utrecht-born midfielder in January, in case Feyenoord opt to take what they can get for his services rather than allow his deal to run down.

Scoring twice and laying on a solitary assist in 14 matches this campaign, 24-year-old Timber has been on the Gunners’ radar for an extended period of time, something that won’t come as a surprise due to his brother’s presence in North London.

Now, they could complete a rare scenario where twins are on board at the same club. However, Dortmund are deemed to be leading the race at this point.

Arsenal are also eyeing an explosive winger to compete with Noni Madueke