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Leeds United could pull off a huge signing this summer if they are promoted from the Championship.

Farke's side flying but could still fall short

Currently third in the table, Daniel Farke's Leeds side sit just a point outside the automatic promotion places heading into the final games of the season.

A 2-1 loss to Coventry City dented their hopes of automatic promotion after a fantastic unbeaten run stretching back to the New Year, and they now know that they need to rely on Leicester City and Ipswich Town both dropping points in the final games of the season to be guaranteed a spot in the Premier League in September.

£45,000-a-week Leeds player says he'd happily quit for "amazing" club

Leeds and Daniel Farke could be needing to cash in on him this summer.

By
Ben Browning

Apr 8, 2024

Should they fail to do so, Leeds will have a second shot through the play-offs, and a move into the top flight could allow them to flex their financial muscles once more.

Leeds eyeing big reunion

Now, reports have claimed that Leeds and Farke are eyeing up a shock swoop to bring Kalvin Phillips back to Elland Road. The English midfielder left for Manchester City in a £45m deal in 2022, but only managed six starts across 18 months at the Eithad Stadium and was often a late substitute.

He left Manchester in January after losing his spot in the England squad, and joined West Ham United on loan in order to rack up game time ahead of Gareth Southgate's squad for EURO 2024.

However, he has done his chances of featuring more harm than good in his short stint at the London Stadium. Phillips has racked up just seven Premier League appearances since arriving in east London, during which time he has been sent off, conceded a penalty and been criticised for his ineffectiveness on and off the ball by fans, which led to him swearing at some supporters after a 4-3 defeat to Newcastle United.

He still has the faith of David Moyes, with the West Ham boss explaining that "Kalvin's a really good player, an international player, an excellent footballer and I do believe we can still make something out of the time we've got with him here".

But it has already been reported that the Hammers will likely not be making his deal permanent this summer, while Manchester City are also keen to offload him, setting a £30m price tag on his head.

Enter, Leeds United. Phillips' former club have reportedly contacted Phillips' representatives over a potential move for the midfielder, and have set aside £30m to make the deal happen, though they may require some flexibility on Phillips' £150,000 per week wages.

However, it will only go ahead on the condition that Leeds find themselves in the Premier League next season, while it is added that 'two other unidentified English teams' are keeping tabs on his situation ahead of a pivotal summer for the 28-year-old.

A return to Elland Road and the love of the home crowd could be just what he needs to rekindle his stuttering career.

Celtic turn their attention away from the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they prepare to take on Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the SFA Cup.

The Hoops travel across Glasgow to take on the Dons in the semi-finals of the competition, as they look to book a place in the final next month – where they would face either Rangers or Hearts.

Brendan Rodgers' side come into this match off the back of a 3-0 win over St Mirren in the Premiership on Saturday, which extended their lead at the top of the division to four points – cut to three after their rivals picked up a point against Dundee on Wednesday night.

Reo Hatate, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Adam Idah all got on the scoresheet during the second half against St Mirren, in what turned out to be a comfortable victory for the Bhoys after a goalless first half.

The Northern Irish head coach could now make some changes for this cup clash, to provide other players with an opportunity to impress, and should finally unleash Luis Palma from the start ahead of Hyun-jun Yang, with Daizen Maeda out injured.

When Daizen Maeda is expected to return

Earlier this month, Rodgers revealed that the Japan international has suffered an injury in the tendon of his hamstring, which ruled him out of the clash with St Mirren.

The Hoops boss added that the right-footed winger will be re-assessed over the coming weeks to see whether or not he will be available to play again before the end of the season.

This suggests that there is no guarantee that Maeda will be fit enough to feature during the run-in, and Celtic supporters may have to wait until the 2024/25 campaign to see him in action again, unless he can recover over the next few weeks.

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old forward has been wasteful with his opportunities in front of goal in the Premiership this season, and has rarely created chances for his teammates to find the back of the net.

However, Rodgers claimed – in September 2023 – that having Maeda on the pitch is like having "two players" due to the "unbelievable" work rate he puts in out wide, which shows that there is far more to his game than just goals and assists.

Celtic will need to find a solution to his absence on the left flank and Yang put in a solid performance against St Mirren, but Palma should also be presented with an opportunity to shine.

Hyun-yun Yang's season in numbers

The South Korean whiz, who was signed from Gangwon FC last summer, has not had the easiest of first seasons in Glasgow as he has battled to adjust to football in Scotland.

Yang is yet to nail down a regular spot in the starting XI and inconsistent numbers in the final third have followed, with four direct goal contributions in 24 appearances and ten starts in the league.

In fact, the 21-year-old attacker has zero goals, zero assists, and one red card in his last four league outings for the Scottish giants, after two assists in the previous two matches – perfectly illustrating his inconsistent season.

Of course, Celtic should not have expected a player to come to Europe for the first time at the age of 21 and hit the ground running with consistently brilliant performances, which is why Yang needs time and should be viewed as a great prospect for the future.

There were promising signs from his display as a starter against St Mirren, with three key passes and one 'big chance' created, but he also lost nine of his 15 duels and only completed three of his seven attempted dribbles.

He ended the match without a goal or an assist to show for his efforts, and this upcoming clash with Aberdeen provides Rodgers with a chance to replace him with Palma, who has the potential to offer more at the top end of the pitch.

Why Luis Palma should start for Celtic

Signed from Greek side Aris on a permanent deal last summer, the talented star has proven himself to be capable of scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis from a wide position.

Earlier this season, former Celtic man Peter Grant lauded Palma as a "real threat" and claimed that the winger "causes havoc" with his ability to send dangerous balls into the box to create chances for his teammates.

The Honduras international, who created one 'big chance' in just 19 minutes against St Mirren, hit the ground running at the start of the campaign, and his numbers back that up.

As you can see in the table above, the 5 foot 10 magician has been directly involved in 15 goals in 17 league starts for the Scottish giants this season.

Only Matt O'Riley (11) has assisted more goals in the division for Celtic, and no player has created as many 'big chances' as Palma's 13 so far.

This speaks to how influential the 24-year-old wizard has been at times for the Hoops, as there are few players as good as him when it comes to creating chances and assisting goals within Rodgers' squad.

His last start came against Kilmarnock in February and the forward has scored one goal and created one 'big chance' in three substitute appearances since then.

He has provided quality off the bench and the manager must now finally unleash him from the start today in the hope that his quality at the top end of the pitch, as a scorer and a creator of goals, can fire the Hoops to the final of the SFA Cup.

It will be an interesting battle to nail down the left wing spot in the absence of Maeda, and the opportunities will be there for Palma and Yang to both state their case for a regular place in the starting XI between now and the end of the season.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has revealed that he trained at the house of Ronaldo Nazario as he bids to get "closer" to the Ballon d'Or.

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• Vini Jr trained at Ronaldo's house
• Aiming to win 2024 Ballon d'Or
• Jude Bellingham also considered a frontrunner

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Vinicius has revealed that he spent time training at the home of Ronaldo Nazario, as he bids to win the Ballon d'Or. The Brazil international was in superlative form last season, scoring 24 goals and registering 11 assists in 39 games, as Real won La Liga and the Champions League, but he faces a fight with team-mate Jude Bellingham to take home the biggest individual prize in football.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Along with Bellingham, Vinicius will also have to beat off competition from Rodri, who won Euro 2024 with Spain. Rodri also won another Premier League title with Manchester City, racking up 17 goal involvements for Pep Guardiola's side.

• WHAT VINICIUS JR SAID

  Vinicius told CNN: “I was with Ronaldo just now when I was in Ibiza and trained at his house and he told me: ‘Train here a few more days, so you are closer to the Ballon d’Or.’ They are players who did incredible things and to be able to compete for the Ballon d’Or and to win an award that they won, that would be something really incredible.”

  The Brazilian attacker added: "I have Kaká as an example, I have Ronaldo who won the award twice, I have Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, a lot of Brazilian players who have won the Ballon d’Or. But without a doubt, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho are the ones I’m closest with, who tell me every day that I have to win the Ballon d’Or.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Vinicius will next be in action when Real play Las Palmas on Thursday. They have opened their campaign with a win and a draw, and Vinicius is still looking to open his La Liga goal account for 2024-25.

Former Manchester United man David de Gea has sent a special birthday message to Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes.

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• Fernandes spends 30th birthday
• De Gea sends birthday wishes
• Says he misses the Man Utd captain

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  De Gea and Fernandes spent time together at Manchester United between the winter of 2020 and the summer of 2023. The two had become very good friends during their shared time at Old Trafford, and have even kept in touch with each other since the Spanish goalkeeper's departure from the club.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De Gea left Manchester United following the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2023, the Spaniard then spent a year away from football and has since returned to action having joined Serie A side Fiorentina as a free agent. De Gea has now sent birthday wishes to Fernandes, who celebrates his 30th birthday while on duty with the Portuguese national team.

• WHAT DE GEA POSTED

  De Gea wished Fernandes on his birthday with a photo of the two, and captioned it: "Miss you bro!"

  Instagram (@d_degeaofficial)

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• WHAT NEXT FOR DE GEA AND FERNANDES?

  De Gea is currently trying to settle in at Fiorentina as he looks to return to form with the Italian side, meanwhile, Fernandes will continue with the Portuguese national team as he will look to have a top performance on his birthday later today when they take on Scotland.

Tottenham Hotspur now have an outside chance of qualifying for the Champions League, currently trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by six points in the Premier League.

While Ange Postecoglou's squad hold two games in hand on the Villans, and would level the standings by winning both, forthcoming fixtures against Liverpool, Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and Manchester City speak of the tough task of closing the gap.

Securing a place among Europe's elite, or failing to do so, must not define a promising first campaign under new management after a dismal 2022/23 campaign that saw Antonio Conte dismissed with no love lost and Harry Kane leave for Bayern Munich in Germany.

Focus will remain fixed on crafting a late-season streak to push for the highest possible position but Postecoglou's project is at its base and Daniel Levy is already looking ahead to the summer transfer window, identifying yet another target from the Italian scene.

Spurs eyeing another Serie A star

According to Corriere dello Sport – via reports in Spain – Tottenham bosses have been informed that they will need to cough up €40m (£34m) if they are to sign Alessandro Buongiorno from Torino this summer, currently leading the race for his signature.

It's stated that Buongiorno 'fits perfectly into their plans' having earned all the plaudits for his performances this season and his outfit are now keen to exploit the wealth of the Premier League.

While Postecoglou would welcome another star to strengthen the backline, a £27m outlay was granted to secure Radu Dragusin from Genoa in January and it remains to be seen whether Levy will facilitate another similar venture.

Alessandro Buongiorno's season in numbers

Buongiorno might not be a big name over in England but he has deservedly cultivated a reputation for his dynamic, modern-tuned defensive work, having chalked up 106 senior appearances for Torino after graduating from the academy and enjoying a series of loan spells in lower divisions.

An energetic and vast-ground-covering defender, Buongiorno has completed 26 matches in Serie A this season – missing eight games due to injury – has scored three goals, has placed one assist and has incredibly kept 13 clean sheets, as per Sofascore.

The 24-year-old is preventing the opposition from scoring once every two matches this season, with his sublime showings earning him three caps for Italy over the past year, with Euro 2024 looming.

And it's not as if Buongiorno isn't pulling his weight, relying on the strength of his teammates to carry him over the finish line. Averaging 2.4 interceptions, 2.5 tackles, 4.3 ball recoveries and 4.4 clearances per outing, he truly is one of the finest centre-halfs in his homeland and is developing a complete and cultured skill set.

The 6 foot 3 titan's aggressive defensive style and deceptive technical quality suggest that he would be a tailor-made addition to Postecoglou's team in the Premier League, also winning out on top in 57% of his contested duels, winning 6.6 per game.

The left-footed defender's caveat is that he is a tad overzealous on occasion, picking up seven yellow cards, though this hardly negates his exciting ability in the central defence.

Now, who does that sound like?

How Alessandro Buongiorno would fit in at Spurs

With a striking stylistic similarity to Cristian Romero, Spurs' supreme star in the rearguard, there's no reason why moving for Buongiorno would not enhance the current crop.

It's important to remember that while Micky van de Ven and Romero are the preferred defensive axis, Tottenham have not played any European football this season. When that door opens next year, the full strength of Postecoglou's squad is going to be called into question.

Romero is a world-class defender and he has been magnificent this season – red cards notwithstanding – and a similar peer in Buongiorno would prove to be a wonderful addition to Postecoglou's project, especially on the other side of the central defence.

As per FBref, the Italy international ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 8% for tackles, the top 1% for interceptions and the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90, highlighting the core qualities that could see him emulate a high-level star such as Romero.

Indeed, Tottenham's Argentinian ace ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 9% for pass completion, progressive passes and tackles and the top 17% for shot-creating actions and aerial wins per 90.

With Torino's main man in defence offering a style of play that focuses on both defensive solidity with an aggressive, front-footed approach and progressive, attacking success, there's no reason why he could not cement himself as a key player in Tottenham's system.

His left-sided preference also makes him the perfect foil for Van de Ven, who is elite and athletic and has been a revelation since joining from Wolfsburg in a £43m deal last summer but has picked up several injuries through the campaign and doesn't quite have the perfect stand-in, with Dragusin more effective when on the right.

Described as "remarkable" and "one of the most underrated players in Italy" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Buongiorno could turn out to be a real player at the top of the European game, having already planted the seeds in his homeland, and Tottenham must now move to fortify their ranks ahead of an anticipated return to European competition next year.

Maddison would love him: Spurs hit gold selling a "legend" for 750% profit

This former Lilywhite is one of Daniel Levy’s greatest hits.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 30, 2024

The powers that be at Sunderland will know the next managerial appointment after Mike Dodds is crucial now, with the new man in the dug-out needing to pick up the pieces to try and steer the Black Cats back into the promotion reckoning in the Championship.

After going through Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale in this disastrous second-tier season, as well as Dodds, the Wearside outfit will just pray that the interim boss' successor is a settled face who can lift the spirits at the Stadium of Light alongside attempting a return up to the Premier League.

One rumoured new manager coming into the building could well end up transforming Sunderland if his current job post in the Championship is anything to go by, with Jack Clarke even potentially staying put after watching what this head coach has managed to get out of the attackers at his disposal elsewhere.

Sunderland's search for a manager

Sunderland have been fishing about for some time now for the perfect replacement to come in after Dodds departs in the summer, with the rumour mill throwing up various different names.

Both Danny Rohl and Paul Heckingbottom have been linked with a switch to Wearside in the off-season, with Sheffield Wednesday hopeful that this is all just speculative talk when it comes to their popular German manager who could pull off an unbelievable relegation escape for the Owls still on the final day of the season.

Sunderland could appoint an “unbelievable” John O’Shea alternative

Sunderland could look towards this John O’Shea alternative as their next manager.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 22, 2024

The Black Cats could set their sights elsewhere on another second-tier miracle worker, with rumours swirling that Queens Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes is being eyed up by Sunderland after turning around the fortunes of the Hoops from relegation favourites to a side who can now beat Leeds United 4-0 with swagger.

The likes of Ilias Chair are loving life under the Spaniard going forward as was seen in that staggering demolition of job of the Whites – scoring once and assisting another two – with Clarke hopeful that Cifuentes could improve his game further if the two link up together at the Stadium of Light next campaign.

Why Cifuentes could be the dream Dodds replacement

Touted to be in the conversation for "manager of the season" by Justin Peach of The Second Tier Podcast, Cifuentes has been a revelation for QPR since coming in last October as an unknown entity from Swedish outfit, Hammarby.

Gareth Ainsworth would win just two of his 15 matches in charge of the Hoops at the start of this season before the left-field face of Cifuentes emerged onto the scene, who has since taken QPR all the way up 17th in the league standings after the club was hopelessly stuck in the bottom three under the ex-Wycombe Wanderers boss.

Cifuentes has also managed to get more of a tune out of the attackers at QPR since coming in, with the aforementioned Chair picking up eight of his 14 goal contributions for the season under the watchful eye of the former Hammarby manager – predominantly operating from Clarke's trusty left-wing area.

Moreover, Lyndon Dykes has become a goalscorer again for the Hoops up top under Cifuentes with all but one of his seven goals for the season coming under Ainsworth's golden replacement.

Operating with a 4-2-3-1 formation over recent months, with a 4-3-3 also in his managerial repertoire, Cifuentes should instantly fit into the new environment at the Stadium of Light with the Black Cats already lining up in the first of those two formations regularly.

Sunderland need a new and fresh revamp in the dugout, and with Cifuentes a hot property in the second tier based off his exploits at QPR, the Wearside outfit should go all in to make him their next manager.

With rumours rife that the aforementioned Clarke – who has 19 goals and assists this season – could be on his way this summer, recruiting such an exciting appointment could well be the solution in tempting the former Leeds United star to stay.

England began their Nations League group stage with a 2-0 win over Ireland, and Harry Kane has hailed start under Lee Carsley as 'perfect'.

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• England win 2-0 over Ireland
• Declan Rice and Jack Grealish score in win
• Kane hails 'perfect start' to Nations League

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  England returned to action for the first time since their Euro 2024 final loss to Spain and Gareth Southgate's departure from the post of head coach. Carsley's Three Lions call-ups had a few differences compared to Southgate's Euro 2024 squad, and England looked like a refreshed side against Ireland as they cruised to a 2-0 win over The Boys in Green.

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• WHAT KANE SAID

  England captain Kane opened up on the winning start to life under Carsley as he posted on X: "Perfect start to our Nations League campaign away from home."

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  England were dominant at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin as they started the game strong as Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice finished a chaotic run of play in Ireland's half. Jack Grealish, who had been snubbed by Southgate for the Euros, then doubled the Three Lions' lead on the night as he coolly slotted a cutback from Rice past Caoimhin Kelleher.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  The Three Lions will now take on Finland at Wembley Stadium on September 10 as they look to get six of six points in their Nation League group stage before the end of the September international break.

Liverpool will play Aston Villa. And then they will host Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the Premier League season. Then? Jurgen Klopp will unleash one last salvo of fist bumps into the Anfield stands.

He will wave goodbye to Merseyside. There will be song and sadness. Liverpool will remember of the historic journey that has seen success across nearly every possible front. The Premier League and the Champions League? Both conquered.

Klopp's squad swerved away from their finest form in recent months and have now crashed out of the Europa League and FA Cup while slumping in the English top flight, pulled away from a gripping title race.

But FSG did not rest on their laurels and, after bringing Michael Edwards back as their new CEO of Football, have moved to appoint Feyenoord boss Arne Slot. It's not yet finalised but the Dutch manager's move to Liverpool has been cut and dried.

Slot mirrors Klopp in implementing a high-energy, heavy-metal brand of football and he will demand his players to be extremely active in both attacking and defensive moments.

His tactics could be perfect for Mohamed Salah, who has received his share of criticism in recent weeks but remains one of Europe's finest forwards.

Mohamed Salah's season in numbers

Salah has scored 25 goals and added 14 assists for Liverpool this season but has been culpable of some below-standard displays in recent weeks to coincide with Liverpool's toothless run of poor results.

However, he returned to form with a bang as Liverpool thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 last time out and while he's out of contract at the end of next season, The Athletic's ever-reliable David Ornstein has recently suggested that the 31-year-old will remain at Anfield next season.

As per FBref, the Egyptian winger ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals and the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area and assists made per 90.

He might be struggling at the moment, having failed to score in four successive Premier League matches before Spurs, producing a limp attacking effort as Liverpool crashed out of the Europa League against Atalanta – who have now reached the final – and even coming to blows with Klopp on the touchline during April's 2-2 draw against West Ham United.

Under Slot, the esteemed Egypt international could be revived, especially given that the tactician operates with a 4-2-3-1 formation, which could spark a transformation within Liverpool's central midfield.

Currently, Klopp employs an industrious and multi-approaching engine room to charge his high-octane brand, and while Slot has stylistic similarities to his German counterpart, he uses a No. 10 to spark creativity and maintain fluency in build-up play.

It's a move that could see Dominik Szoboszlai reach new heights next season, consequently lifting Salah back to the top of his game.

How Salah & Szoboszlai could thrive under Slot

Liverpool signed Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig last summer after activating his £60m release clause, and while he started ferociously, the Hungary international has waned as the campaign has entered its later stages.

The 23-year-old has been affected by injuries but there's no excusing some of the wayward performances that have derailed the fight for trophies, with reporter Lewis Steele even speaking of the "stinker" displays he has produced recently.

The comparison table highlights Szoboszlai's decreased prolificness since moving to Liverpool, noting his rise in progressive passing and carrying, a product of his deeper-lying, more creative central midfield role.

But he's beating a defender – successfully taking them on – at almost half the rate that led him to be described as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller while plying his trade in Germany.

Most importantly, perhaps, Szoboszlai is unable to provide the goalscoring support that earned him such acclaim in his pre-Liverpool days. Despite this downswing, he is actually taking more shots than he did last year, though on its own this metric is misleading given that the Hungarian hit the target almost twice as often in the Bundesliga last season.

By playing further forward, in a central or wide attacking midfield role, Szoboszlai could grow considerably as a Premier League star, with the tactical tweak under Slot's guidance possibly even forging a new partnership between the players.

Salah, for example, might be one of the finest finishers that the Premier League has seen but he has also moulded his game into a more dynamic spread that adds emphasis on creativity.

Szoboszlai has showcased his fleet dribbling skills and deft playmaking qualities both during his first year at Liverpool, but there's no doubt that he has been shoehorned into a deeper, more tightly configured role than he might have preferred within Klopp's Reds system.

It's a new era at Liverpool and while Slot will assess, assemble and reassemble his Liverpool squad as he chews over the optimum starting 11, Szoboszlai has all of the talented needed to forge a successful, trophy-laden career for himself under the Dutch coach's guidance.

Darwin Nunez axed, £180m trio sign: Arne Slot's dream XI at Liverpool

Things could be looking rather different at Anfield come August.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 9, 2024

In his favoured position, he might just be the creative linchpin of a fearsome frontline.

Cesc Fabregas says Manchester City's Erling Haaland is "too special and too good" and wished he had played alongside a player of his "calibre".

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• Haaland is a striker phenomenon
• Described as "too special"
• Fabregas admits to striker regret

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Como head coach Fabregas was waxing lyrical about Norwegian international Haaland and how the big forward always keeps defences on their toes. The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star admitted that he would have loved to have played alongside the 6'4 hitman – and that he never played with someone of his ilk.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT CESC FABREGAS SAID

  He told: “But I think when you are talking about this type of players like Haaland, you cannot really say anything like that because he will just put you to shame in a way. You know, he will make it happen. He will break the record – now he didn't score, but he will score three. He's too special and too good. And he plays in such a good team all around the pitch that there is always a gap or a way for him to make a difference at any point in any game. And especially in the form that he's in now, I would never get too complacent, you know, if I was a central defender or an Arsenal player or any player in any other team when we play against Haaland because the guy’s a machine. I really like him. I wish I played with a striker of his calibre and yeah, we need to always be on our toes to stop him.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fabregas played alongside so many great footballers during spells with Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea and he won a World Cup with Spain, Champions League titles, and more. But the fact that he seemingly puts Haaland on a pedestal, despite enjoying a glittering career and being team-mates to some first-rate strikers, speaks volumes about how good he thinks the City attacker is.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Haaland, who has already scored nine goals in four Premier League games this season, will next be in action on Wednesday night in their Champions League opener against Inter, before locking horns with Premier League title challengers Arsenal on Sunday.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard admits he was "scared" by the potential severity of his ankle injury, while providing an update on his recovery.

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• Odegaard suffers ankle setback
• Arsenal star sustains "significant" injury
• Midfielder issues update on recovery

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The attacking midfielder limped off in Norway's Nations League clash with Austria earlier this month, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta later revealing the 25-year-old had suffered a "significant" ankle injury. Now, the former Real Madrid man has spoken about his rehab process and his initial fears about the setback.

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  WHAT ODEGAARD SAID

  He told Arsenal's website: "It was a bad twist to my ankle, and I damaged some ligaments there, but it’s part of football and now I’m just trying to recover as quickly as I can. I’m moving forward, making progress and I’m feeling more positive every day. I have to be careful not to push it too much, but at the same time do what I can to make sure I come back as strongly and quickly as possible.
  
  "It's something I’m not used to. I’ve been quite fortunate, if that’s the word, or have done well to avoid injuries in the past, but this is football and I have to get on with it. I think it was unfortunate to get the injury in the way that I did, but also it could have been worse.

  "It was not a nice twist, and when it happened I felt it could be serious. I’ve injured my ankle before and the pain felt a bit different this time. That’s what scared me, but from what happened it could have been worse, so in that sense I got away with it a bit. Like any player, the first thing I asked the medical team was how long I would be out for, but it’s a bit tricky to say at the moment. In the early stages, it's crucial to get a proper rest and to make sure everything heals well. After that, it’s about getting stronger and building it up again."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite this injury, Gunners manager Arteta is hopeful Odegaard will be back in action in a "matter of weeks" – with a return after next month's international break a possibility. The Norwegian scored 11 goals and bagged as many assists last season, so not having him available for a significant time will hurt their silverware chances this term.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The next international break runs from October 7-15, with the Premier League returning a few days later. It remains to be seen if Arsenal skipper Odegaard will be back fit for his team's matches after that pause.