كشفت صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية أن هناك تغيرا مفاجئا في مستقبل جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي أتلتيكو مدريد، جواو فيليكس، خلال الساعات القليلة الماضية.
وكان فيليكس قد تمت إعارته إلى برشلونة في الموسم الماضي ولكنه عاد إلى أتلتيكو مدريد، مع استبعاد النادي الكتالوني فرص استعارته مرة أخرى في ظل اهتمامه بضم، نيكو ويليامز.
ولكن مع صعوبة صفقة نيكو ويليامز وضمه من أتلتيك بلباو، عاد اسم فيليكس يتردد مرة أخرى داخل برشلونة ولكن يبدو وأن الأمر معقد.
اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: صفقة انتقال جوليان ألفاريز إلى أتلتيكو مدريد مهددة بالفشل
وبحسب صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية أن فيليكس ووكيله خورخي مينديز يتواجدان في العاصمة البريطانية “لندن” منذ ساعات قليلة من أجل التوقيع مع تشيلسي مرة أخرى.
كان فيليكس قد لعب مع تشيلسي قبل عامين ولكن أداءه الفني لم يرتق للمستوى المطلوب ولذلك رحل مرة أخرى بعد نهاية فترة الإعارة.
يريد أتلتيكو مدريد بيع اللاعب نهائيًا كذلك من أجل إكمال صفقاته الصيفية وعلى رأسها كونور جالاجر وجوليان ألفاريز من تشيلسي ومانشستر سيتي.
ولذلك فإن بيع جواو فيليكس سيمنح أتلتيكو مدريد عائد مالي جيد لتمويل الصفقات الجديدة أو على الأقل سيكون جزءًا من صفقة جالاجر مع تشيلسي.
Batting allrounder Devika Vaidya, who bowls legspin, has been named as replacement for the injured quick-bowling allrounder Pooja Vastrakar in India’s World T20 squad. Earlier, Vastrakar was ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury sustained during India’s warm-up game on November 4 against West Indies.Twenty-one-year-old Vaidya, who has nine ODIs and one T20I appearance to her name, last played for India during the three-match ODI series at home against England earlier this year. She was part of the playing XI in the first two unofficial ODIs of three-match series against Australia A in Mumbai last month where the hosts were blanked 0-3. Vaidya had scored only 1 and 0 in those games and went wicketless in the three overs she bowled across the two matches.Vastrakar, 19, had been eyeing a comeback to international cricket, having earlier pipped fellow pace-bowling allrounder Shikha Pandey in India’s three-personnel pace contingent that was originally named for World T20. An ankle injury had sidelined Vastrakar during the Women’s Challenger Trophy in August, following which she was left out of the squad for the Sri Lanka tour in September.The ICC event technical committee comprising Geoff Allardice, Chris Tetley, Mel Jones, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Jennifer Nero and Roland Holder approved of Vaidya as her replacement. Vaidya is expected to join the squad in time for the semi-finals which will be played on November 22 in Antigua.India are slated to play their last league game, against Australia, on Saturday in Guyana. With both teams having already qualified for the knockouts by not losing a match so far, the result will decide the table-toppers in Group B who will play the second-placed team from Group A – one out of West Indies and England.
Vinod Rai has named a three-member panel to investigate charges but Diana Edulji wanted the CEO to quit or be fired
Nagraj Gollapudi25-Oct-2018The BCCI’s Committee of Administrators has split down the middle, and in public, over the handling of harassment allegations against the board’s chief executive Rahul Johri. The chairman, Vinod Rai, has announced a three-member independent committee to investigate the allegations, but his decision overrides the preference of Diana Edulji, the other CoA member, for Johri to resign or to have his contract terminated.These details were part of a remarkable press release issued by the BCCI late on Thursday night, which made public the deep divisions between the two CoA members. It announced the panel, to be chaired by Rakesh Sharma, a former judge of the Allahabad High Court, and also including PC Sharma, a former director of the Central Bureau of Investigation – India’s premier investigating agency – and Barkha Singh, a former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, and said it would report its findings and recommendations within 15 days.Johri had been the subject of an anonymous complaint on Twitter on October 12 and has since gone on leave. He has also denied the allegations made against him, the release said. While looking into the allegations against Johri, the release added, the committee “may take into account and/or probe all allegations of sexual harassment against Mr. Johri while he was employed with the BCCI.”However, the release explained in detail the lead-up to the appointment of the committee. It said the CoA met on October 20 and 22 on the issue, when Rai favoured the setting up of an independent committee “in order to follow due process of law and principles of natural justice.”Edulji, the release said, felt that Johri should resign or have his contract terminated since he “has such grave sexual harassment allegations against him” and “it would not be in the interests of BCCI and Indian cricket that he represents BCCI.”Rai, the statement said, did not agree and felt that an independent inquiry was necessary as the tweet was anonymous. It also pertained to a period much before the CEO joined BCCI and it was necessary to provide natural justice to the CEO by following a due process of law. It said he “was very clear” that, in similar instances, the person against whom allegations had been made were permitted to represent their case before an independent committee which would then take a considered view after weighing all evidence.Edulji then said she felt that such an inquiry was not called for or appropriate and that there was sufficient ground for Johri’s removal. She then informed Rai that she would approach senior Supreme Court lawyer Gopal Subramanium “for further guidance if no action is taken and the CEO is allowed to continue”.The statement then said that, after taking legal advice and “soliciting view-points from other relevant quarters”, the proposed members of the independent committee were contacted for their consent.Johri has been on leave since the allegations surfaced, and he was stood down from attending last week’s ICC chief executives’ committee meeting in Singapore. Following the announcement by the BCCI of the external panel, Johri will be kept away from his job and his current workplace until the external committee conveys its decision to the CoA, and not until October 29 as earlier announced.
Arsenal are a club with a proud history of developing and promoting their own youth talent.
Just last season, the Hale End duo of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly burst into the first team and played far more of a role than anyone was expecting.
Likewise, while he’s now injured, Max Dowman made his senior debut earlier this season and looked every bit the superstar in the making that those in the know have described him as.
However, when it comes to the Gunners’ best young talent of the last decade, it’s impossible to ignore Bukayo Saka, who, early on in Mikel Arteta’s reign, played a vital role in keeping the Spaniard in the job, alongside fellow academy star Emile Smith Rowe.
So, fans should be seriously excited about Arsenal signing two incredible prospects who could become Arteta’s new Saka and Smith Rowe.
Saka & Smith Rowe's youth records
Saka joined Arsenal at just seven years old, and while he wasn’t necessarily the most talked-about prospect, his talent was evident.
Chalkboard
The future star made his debut for the under-18s against Fulham in the 17/18 season, a campaign in which he made 22 appearances, scoring eight goals and providing four assists.
The following season would see him spend far more time with the under-23s, where he made 24 appearances compared to just six for the under-18s.
The Ealing-born gem would end up scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists across the two teams, but more crucially, he also made four appearances for the first team, one of which was a start.
The 19/20 season would see the 24-year-old make his final youth-team appearance, after which he was unquestionably part of the senior side.
Saka’s youth record
Team
U18s
U23s
Appearances
28
25
Goals
16
6
Assists
6
9
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Smith Rowe’s journey was a little different to his former teammates, as he made his debut for the under-18s and under-23s in the 16/17 season, ending the year with six goals and one assist in 16 games.
It was more of the same the following season, with him racking up a haul of 15 goal involvements in 27 games, which was for him to make his first team debut the following season and then be sent on loan to RB Leipzig in January.
19/20 was an odd year for the Croydon-born star, as he made more appearances for the first team and youth sides before being sent out on loan to Huddersfield Town in the Championship, where he scored two goals and provided three assists in 19 appearances.
Finally, the 20/21 season saw the midfielder make his last appearances for the junior sides before becoming a first-team regular, and by the end of his academy journey, the 25-year-old had scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists in 60 games.
With all that said, it was always clear that Saka and Smith Rowe were incredibly talented as youngsters, and it now looks like Arsenal have signed two more prospects who could be the new versions of them.
Arsenal's new Saka & Smith Rowe
Arsenal have an array of exciting young talents already coming through Hale End, but they decided to go out and get two more in Edwin and Holger Quintero.
The Ecuadorian twins agreed to join the Gunners earlier this month, and while the fans will have to wait until they’re 18 before they can see them in action, it looks like they could be superstars in the making, the new version of Saka and Smith Rowe.
Starting with the former, then, and it’s Edwin who could end up being a new version of the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, in part because his natural position is off the right.
Moreover, and in the words of respected analyst-turned-Como scout Ben Mattinson, the teenager is someone with “the ability to run games and create something out of nothing,” which is what we saw from the Hale Ender on Saturday night.
On top of that, under-23 scout Antonio Mango has described the dynamic winger as an attacker who “likes to play with short pass-and-move principles” but can still be incredibly “dangerous from distance. “
Again, that sounds a lot like the 24-year-old when you consider his often lethal curling efforts from outside the penalty area.
Okay then, what about Edwin’s brother Holger? What about him suggests he could be a Smith-Rowe-esque player for Arteta?
Well, firstly, his primary position is in the attacking midfield, and while he is not afraid of taking shots himself, he is more of a creator than his brother.
For example, Mango has described him as a player blessed with “high technical & intellect qualities” and as someone who is “effective in all thirds of the pitch.”
Furthermore, Mattinson has highlighted his “excellent weight of pass” and the fact that he’s a “decisive creator with a killer final ball” while also being someone with “with 1v1 prowess.”
Ultimately, there is a long way to go for the twins, but as things stand, it looks like Arsenal have got their hands on two of the most exciting youngsters in world football, youngsters who could become the club’s new Saka and Smith-Rowe.
Arsenal flop is fast becoming their worst signing since Mustafi
Things are not looking great for the Arsenal star this season.
Liverpool have seen some of the highest highs in domestic football during Jurgen Klopp’s nine-year season reign, with a magnitude of talent gracing the pitch at Anfield in that time.
At the point of the German’s arrival, the Reds had been on an adventure of similar highs and lows with Brendan Rodgers, who went from missing out agonisingly on the 2013/14 Premier League title, to finishing 6th in his final season the year after.
While Klopp wrote himself into the club’s folklore by winning their first Premier League title, as well as adding Liverpool’s sixth Champions League win, Rodgers was the catalyst in harvesting some of the Reds’ most exciting talents of the Premier League era to Anfield.
From unearthing the seed of Luis Suarez from Kenny Dalglish to welcoming the likes of Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Joe Gomez and James Milner, Rodgers was blessed with a highly talented squad during his tenure with the Reds.
It’s difficult to refer to the club’s success over the past 10 years, as well as the success of Rodgers on Merseyside without mentioning the former manager’s best signing for the Reds, with Philippe Coutinho being the club’s star man from his arrival to his exit.
How much was Philippe Coutinho worth when he signed for Liverpool?
In 2008, Inter Milan secured the signature of Coutinho as a youngster from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama.
The reported fee is identified by Football Transfers to have been in the region of €3.8m (£3.2m), a fair price for a player making his first move to the European football scene after leaving his homeland.
After his arrival, Coutinho was loaned back to his boyhood club to continue his development, before rejoining the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2010.
The playmaker made a name for himself over the years at Inter, securing a total of 47 appearances as well as embarking on a half-season loan spell to Espanyol to gain further experience after struggling to adapt in Italy.
In his 47 appearances, the versatile midfielder scored five goals and registered four assists in all competitions, which was a statement big enough for Rodgers to strike a deal with the Italian giants for their 19-year-old starlet.
How much did Liverpool sign Philippe Coutinho for?
In January 2013, it was announced that Liverpool had signed Coutinho for a fee of £8.5m from Inter, with the deal a positive thing for both sides, considering the youngster hadn’t yet blown the minds of those at the San Siro with his talent.
There is always a subtle fear that players from abroad will fail to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League, however it was quickly evident that Rodgers had gifted Liverpool a bargain in signing the 19-year-old.
Liverpool players celebrate
In the 2012/13 campaign, the £8.5m starlet contributed to 10 Premier League goals in 13 appearances, scoring three and assisting seven to make his arrival in England known and heard loudly.
The year after his arrival, Rodgers was full of praise for his acquisition, dubbing him a “sensational footballer” and lauding him for his “phenomenal” displays in red so early into his career at Anfield.
How many goals did Philippe Coutinho score at Liverpool?
His form during his early days under Rodgers were just a snippet of what was to come, as in 2016, he took home four personal awards for his contributions to the club in the 2015/16 campaign.
In that Premier League season, Coutinho scored eight goals and recorded five assists, shining during Klopp’s first term on Merseyside despite the poor collective outcome of an 8th-place finish.
The Brazilian took home the club’s Players’ Player of the Season, Player of the Year, Goal of the Season and Best Performance of the Season for his efforts, making the £8.5m price tag seem even more minimal.
While the Brazil international’s performance level and importance at Liverpool rose year by year, so did his market value, as documented by Football Transfers in the table below.
Philippe Coutinho market value rise at Liverpool
Month/Year
Expected Transfer Value (xTV)
01/2016
€40m (£34.5m)
01/2017
€40.4m (£34.8m)
07/2017
€68.2m (£58.8m)
01/2018
€96m (£82.8m)
Via Football Transfers
Coutinho’s rise in expected transfer value (xTV) ran parallel to his form, as highlighted by his 54 goals and 45 assists in all competitions during his five-year stay at Liverpool.
It took the Brazilian a total of 201 appearances to secure the 99 goal contributions he recorded with the Reds, with his best tally noted in the 2016/17 season as he netted 13 goals and claimed seven assists in just 31 Premier League appearances.
His form continued in the 2017/18 term, however it marked the beginning of the end for the much loved “magician”, as once hailed by former teammate Lucas Leiva, as the start of the season began a countdown of his final six months on Merseyside.
How much did Liverpool sell Philippe Coutinho for?
After totalling 20 goal contributions in 20 appearances in the first half of the 2017/18 campaign, Liverpool could no longer contain their star, as Barcelona came knocking with an undeniable offer on the table.
Back in 2014, Rodgers told the media that it was “frightening” to think of just how much his £8.5m signing was worth at that point, however not even the Northern Irishman could have anticipated the actual sum of the imagined figure.
In January 2018, Barcelona secured the signing of Coutinho for a monstrous fee of £142m, a price that amounted to an increase of 1570% from the mere expense that Rodgers first grasped him for five years earlier.
The sale amounted to a profit of £133.5m to accompany five years of quality and decisive goals and moments from the prolific Brazilian, with his departure a tough pill for those at Anfield to swallow due to his impact and growth at the club.
Philippe Coutinho Liverpool
Not many could have predicted what happened next to the superstar, as he failed to make an impact in Spain, before being shipped on loan to Bayern Munich and eventually returned to England.
During his four-year association with Barcelona, the playmaker scored just 25 goals in all competitions, slipping further down the pecking order as time went on before he joined Aston Villa on loan in January 2022.
What is Philippe Coutinho’s market value now?
Coutinho went from an £8.5m to a £142m player in five years, and fell from a £142m to a £17m player in just four, as he signed permanently with the Midlands club in the summer of 2022.
The 68-capped Brazil international’s fall from grace extended beyond his return to England, as just a year after his permanent arrival, he was sent on loan to Qatari club Al-Duhail after failing to impress at Villa.
Philippe-Coutinho
In the 2022/23 campaign, the former Liverpool whiz scored just one goal in 20 Premier League appearances, highlighting that his stint at the top of his game was almost certainly up.
Today, the 31-year-old has a market value of just €5m (£4.3m) as per CIES Football Observatory, suggesting that despite the pain of his departure, Liverpool let go of their hero at the optimum time with reference to his value.
The Reds struck gold not only by capturing Coutinho for £8.5m, but selling him for £142m was a stellar piece of business, especially when it’s considered the highs that Klopp’s side managed to reach without him.
Left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi revelled in his first international wickets for Pakistan, braving winter temperatures that dipped as low as 13°C to take the wickets of Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and D’Arcy Short during his team’s 45-run win over Australia in Harare.”This is by far the coldest day of cricket I’ve ever played,” said Afridi, who found his way into Pakistan’s T20I squad after turning heads with some remarkable performances in the Pakistan Super League, played today in place of the rested Hasan Ali, and now has found his way into the wickets column.With the ball hooping through the air and jagging off the pitch, Afridi found the inside edge of Finch’s bat and then beat Maxwell with one that dipped and curved into his pads. “Since yesterday I’ve been planning on getting these two wickets and trying to work out how to get them out early,” said Afridi.He also added the dismissal of Short, flattening the left-hander’s leg stump as Australia’s chase completely lost its way. With the rest of the attack also chipping in with wickets and the match never out of Pakistan’s control, this was a far improved performance and Afridi said that captain Sarfraz Ahmed – who had some harsh words for his team despite their win yesterday – was much happier with them.”He’s definitely happy with the bowling attack today,” said Afridi. “He’s the captain, and sometimes that happens when he’s unhappy, but today he was much happier with our performance.”Where Australia had gone for the aggressive tactic of banging the ball in short this morning, Pakistan’s attack pitched it up more often than not to utilize the swing and seam on offer. “I think they didn’t take advantage of the pitch,” said Afridi. “The ball was seaming around a lot, and that’s why we pitched it up.”At just 18, Afridi is at the very beginning of his professional sporting career but his performances to date have already drawn comparisons to a young Mitchell Starc from Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur. He took 8 for 39 in his first ever Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match – the best ever by a Pakistani on first-class debut, and then claimed the best ever figures in PSL history with his 5 for 4 against the Multan Sultans earlier this year. During the same tournament, he shrugged off being hit for six by Shahid Afridi (his namesake, but no direct relation) to knock the T20 legend’s stumps down with his very next ball. It is no wonder, then, that he seems to have taken very easily to international cricket.”Shahid Afridi is a very big name, not just in our country but globally,” he said. “He hit me for six first ball in the PSL, but with the next one I got him out. I was very happy about that. After PSL, I don’t think any international match is tough for me. After that, I’m calm playing international cricket.”
Nat Watkins’ affinity for the Royal Selangor Club track has become readily apparent after his second fifty and second Player-of-the-Match award of the week on the ground in Jersey’s 10-run win over Malaysia via the DLS Method. Watkins followed his 86 three days ago in a loss to Denmark with a 79 against the tournament hosts in Jersey’s total of 270 for 8.The bulk of Jersey’s runs came during an 87-run stand with Ben Stevens (47 off 59 balls). Unlike on Monday when Jersey stuttered in the last 20 overs after a solid platform had been laid by the two left-arm spinning allrounders, the middle order powered on behind a run-a-ball 52 from Nick Ferraby.Malaysia had reached 116 for 1 in 27 overs but Watkins struck a crucial blow as rain began to fall at Royal Selangor, removing Ahmed Faiz for 47 at the start of the 28th. When the over was finished, play was halted and the wicket skewed the revised target slightly in Jersey’s favour once the rain stopped, with Malaysia needing a further 115 in the final 14 overs of a 42-over chase.Virandeep Singh played the anchor role as Suhan Alagaratnam (28 off 24 balls) and Muhammad Syahadat took a license to swing big in the aim of keeping the required run rate from climbing into double-digits. Malaysia needed 28 off 19 balls when Syahadat was run out after an indecision with Virandeep over a second run.With Malaysia’s long tail exposed following the loss of Syahadat, Cornelis Bodenstein struck twice in the 40th over while conceding just four runs. Eight came from the 41st off Anthony Hawkins-Kay, leaving Virandeep on strike to get 15 off the last over. The lanky opener struck a four off the second ball but after a dot on the third ball, he was caught off the fourth for 83.With 11 needed off two balls, Muhammad Wafiq couldn’t get either of Bodenstein’s last two deliveries away and the left-arm seamer ended with 3 for 23 with a brilliant death-bowling spell to boot. The win keeps Jersey in the hunt for promotion at 2-2 while Malaysia’s chances of moving up a division, which once looked very promising after starting with two wins, are now hanging by a thread after back-to-back losses.
The summer transfer window may have closed in England, but one Newcastle United player looks to move to a foreign league, according to a new update from journalist Sacha Tavolieri.
Will Newcastle still lose players?
The Magpies' incoming transfer business looks to be done for another year, following a productive time of things since the end of last season. There was a clear need to kick on after a year of major progress at St James' Park and they have done just that, signing the likes of Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes, among others.
In truth, it has been an underwhelming start to the new Premier League campaign for Newcastle, who have now lost three matches in a row in the competition, having started out with a stunning 5-1 victory at home to Aston Villa last month.
There is no need to panic, however, especially as the Magpies opening fixtures have been difficult, with the losses against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton all representing real challenges.
In terms of potential outgoing business, there is still time for Newcastle to sell player who have been deemed surplus requirements, with some non-English transfer windows still open for the time being.
One player who has looked certain to move on throughout the summer is Isaac Hayden, who is now way down the midfield pecking and won't be playing a key part in Eddie Howe's plans moving forward.
Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden.
Is Isaac Hayden set to leave Newcastle?
Taking to X on Sunday, Tavolieri claimed that Hayden is set to complete a loan move to Belgian side Standard Liege, with their transfer window still open until next week, with the agreement that has been reached not including an option to buy.
"DONE DEAL. It’s Isaac Hayden to Standard Liege Signing Day! NUFC midfielder will finally be loaned to #RSCL without an option to buy confirmed. Been told the Englishman already very committed to the contribution he can make to the team."
This makes complete sense for all parties, with Hayden a solid footballer who has done a decent job for Newcastle in the past, but no longer being of the required standard.
The Magpies are now a Champions League-playing side again, with the likes of Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in the middle of the park, so Hayden could see it hard to player regularly under Howe, instead heading to be a Liege player, where he could thrive.
Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…
The 28-year-old should be remembered for being a dependable servant for Newcastle down the years, making 171 appearances in total and doing an understated job in the midfield, once being described as "brilliant" by former Arsenal striker and current pundit Ian Wright.
This is the perfect time for him to move on and enjoy a fresh challenge – he spent last season on loan at Norwich City, further showing how far down the pecking order he is – and the hope may well be that his loan move to Belgium will become a permanent switch next summer, should he do enough to earn a long-term transfer to Liege and officially leave the Magpies.
After missing out on the Scottish Premiership in a campaign to forget last season, Rangers now have the hard task of preventing Celtic from making it three consecutive title wins.
The man in charge of standing in the way of Brendan Rodgers' new side is Michael Beale, who will be hoping to use the remaining days of the transfer window to gain an edge over his Old Firm rivals.
As things stand, however, reports suggest that Celtic have already taken the lead off the pitch, potentially beating Rangers to their transfer target.
What's the latest Rangers transfer news?
So far this summer, Rangers have welcomed a total of eight reinforcements, with Feyenoord's Danilo and Atalanta's Sam Lammers the pick of the bunch, alongside Jack Butland and Kieran Dowell.
With seven days still remaining in the summer transfer window, however, Rangers may yet hope to welcome even more fresh faces. It's clear so far that Beale's side could do with all the help that they can get if they are to dethrone Celtic this season.
After two games in the Scottish Premiership, Rangers have lost one and sealed all three points in the other, with their opening day defeat against Kilmarnock a particular shock.
Of course, the Gers have since defeated Livingston with ease to get back on track on the pitch, but off the pitch, things aren't going quite so well.
According to The Daily Mail, Rangers' rivals Celtic have launched a £3.5m bid to sign Gers target Luis Palma. Rangers reportedly viewed the winger as a replacement for Ryan Kent, who left the club earlier in the window, but now look likely to miss out following Celtic's reported bid.
No matter which club takes pole position in Scotland, however, they will still have to reportedly battle it out for Palma's signature against Watford and Anderlecht this summer.
Currently plying his trade for Greek Super League side Aris, Palma was involved in an impressive 21 goals last season, scoring 13 and assisting a further eight in all competitions.
Meanwhile, so far this season, the 23-year-old has already found the back of the net twice and made three assists in five appearances. From Beale and Rangers' perspective, they could be missing out on a player in form who looks likely to only get better. Worse is the fact that it is Celtic who could secure Palma's signature, too.
At his best, the Honduran has earned plenty of praise, including from Aris manager Apostolos Terzis, who said, via Daily Record, after Palma scored twice in his side's 4-2 victory in the Europa Conference League: "Luis has done that all season. He has been a huge player for us. We know there has been a lot of interest in him and it's not surprising. Hopefully, playing in Europe next season will persuade him to stay with us."
Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…
Palma, himself, also commented on his future at the end of last season, saying, via Daily Record: "First of all, there have been no concrete proposals or offers for me. It's just been speculation.
"I am completely focused on my team. Nothing can distract me during this important time. In my mind, I am only thinking to try and help Aris to get as many points as possible. If a good proposal comes after that, then we can talk. But for now, I only care about this season and Aris."
Arsenal host Tottenham Hotspur on September 24th for what's always one of the biggest and best games of the Premier League season. It's a fixture that carries far more than just three points, after all.
This is one that the two teams judge themselves on and, as a result, it's one in which players can really make a name for themselves. And, one player who could do just that is Bukayo Saka.
We at Football FanCast thought we'd take a trip through his brief career to see exactly how he's previously fared in this north London derby.
What is Bukayo Saka's goals record vs Tottenham?
Saka is still only 21, of course, and has only been a first-team player at Arsenal for three-and-half seasons now. Still, he's managed to pick up seven appearances in the North London derby in that time – six of which were starts.
But the player's goal record isn't exactly one to shout about. He's managed a solitary goal across those seven games, coming at home in late 2021. Arsenal would win the game 3-1, mind.
What is Bukayo Saka's assists record vs Tottenham?
Saka's assist record is better than his goal record, though. He's created two across seven games, with the most recent coming in the 2-0 win at Spurs last season.
The other actually came in the same game as his goal. A goal and assist in a 3-1 North London derby win? It's comfortably his most impressive performance against Tottenham to date.
What is Bukayo Saka's head-to-head record vs Tottenham?
It's a mixed bag, really. Saka does have a positive record against Spurs but only just. He's won four of his seven games, losing the other three.
So you can seemingly expect a winner when the two teams meet in September. There hasn't been a draw in this one for a few years now.
But it is worth mentioning that Saka lost his first two North London derbies, the first of which he only played 20 minutes as a left-back. His record since those opening two reads four wins, one defeat – so he's certainly getting the better of Tottenham of late.
What is Bukayo Saka's record at home vs Tottenham?
Saka is yet to fail against Spurs at the Emirates, winning all three games against the arch rivals. 2-1 and 3-1 wins in 2021 came before a 3-1 win last season – you can't do much better.
The first of those 3-1 wins saw Saka score and assist, too, meaning he's very capable of delivering a big game at home in the derby. Arsenal will certainly hope he's able to this time around.
What is Bukayo Saka's record away at Tottenham?
Last season saw Saka break his duck at Tottenham on the fourth attempt. A 2-0 win – in which the player registered an assist – was the first time Saka went there and didn't lose.
Given he's played regularly since breaking into the first-team, it also meant this was the first time in years that Arsenal as a team won at Tottenham. It was a statement win that showed just how far their fortunes differed last season. Spurs went backwards, while the Gunners challenged for the title.
Who has Bukayo Saka scored against the most?
Saka's poor record against Spurs would suggest he's not one for the bigger games, but that's certainly not the case. Manchester United are the opponents against which he's scored the most – three goals in seven games.
They've all come in Saka's last three games against the Red Devils, too. He got one in a 3-1 win in early 2022 before scoring home and away last season.
Though, it's worth mentioning that the most goals Saka has against any opponent since reaching adult level is technically Spurs. He's got five against their Under 18 side – but we're not really sure we should count that.
Who does Bukayo Saka have the most goal contributions against?
Bukayo Saka for Arsenal
Saka's goal contribution high is five and he's managed that against three different Premier League sides. Impressively, two of those are Manchester United and Liverpool.
He's bagged three goals and two assists against the Red Devils. It's the reverse against Liverpool – two goals, three assists. The latter are also the opponent against whom he's played the most.
Southampton are the other side with five against them. Saka's record matches his one against the Reds.
How many goals does Bukayo Saka have in September?
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring a goal.
Saka has managed to score four times in the month of September – with some notable strikes, too. His first came in the Europa League back in 2019 as he made it 2-0 away at Eintracht Frankfurt.
After that came a goal for England in 2021. Saka scored to make it 4-0 against Andorra in a World Cup qualifier. He then scored later that same month against Spurs.
His fourth was last season as Saka equalised for Arsenal at Old Trafford.
What is Bukayo Saka's overall Arsenal goal record?
Saka, at only 21, has already played 182 competitive games for Arsenal. There will be many, many more to come as he just continues to get better as a player.
His record, as you'd expect from a young player, is impressive without being spectacular. Saka has 39 goals in those 182 games, coming in four separate competitions.
What is Bukayo Saka's Premier League goal record?
The vast majority of Saka's goals have come in the Premier League, of course. He's scored 32 of his 39 there, across 137 games.
It's a record of a goal every four or five games, then. It doesn't sound great but again, the stats include some very formative years for the Arsenal man.
The only other competition where Saka has more than a solitary goal is the Europa League. He's managed five there, across 25 appearances. Of course, he'll step up and make his Champions League debut this season.
What is Bukayo Saka's assist record?
Saka has actually assisted more goals than he's scored in his career. He's created 40 to the 38 he's scored, again coming in 179 professional appearances.
Though, Saka does have more goals than assists in the Premier League. There have 'only' been 27 assists in the top flight, compared to his 31 goals. The swing comes in other competitions.
For instance, Saka has nine Europa League assists in his 25 appearances, compared to just five goals. His two FA Cup assists outweigh his solitary FA Cup goal, too.
What is Arsenal's record vs Tottenham?
Arsenal vs Tottenham dates back to 1896 – a time when this wasn't even a North London derby as 'Woolwich Arsenal' played in South London.
Arsenal won that first game 2-1 and have since gone on to have the superior record across a total of 207 meetings between the two. In total, the Gunners have won on 86 occasions.
Spurs have replied with 67 wins, leaving 54 draws between the two famous clubs.
Sticking to just the Premier League era, Arsenal are still the dominant club here. They've played 62 top-flight games since the formation of the Premier League, with the Gunners winning 24 of those. Spurs have managed only 15 in reply, with the points splitting on 23 occasions.
What are Arsenal's recent results vs Tottenham?
The last five games have been very good to Arsenal. They won both of the games last season, 3-1 at home and then 2-0 away. That was a response to losing 3-0 at Spurs towards the end of the 2021/22 season.
The two before that were Arsenal wins, too – 2-1 and 3-1, both at home. It means the Gunners have won four of the last five North London derbies.
However, they hadn't won any of the five before that, losing three and drawing two. In fact, their clean sheet in the most recent fixture was Arsenal's first since late 2017.
When is Arsenal vs Tottenham?
Arsenal will host Tottenham on Sunday, September 24th at 14:00 UK time. It'll be each side's second post-international break fixture, so we should get a pretty good idea of where they're at.
Arsenal will hope to build on their enormously promising campaign last season. They shocked everyone with a title challenge and while it petered out in the end, there's little doubt that they made great strides. Signing Declan Rice only boost the confidence further going into this one.
Spurs had a very different season. They just couldn't find consistency and never even threatened the top-four spots, let alone the title. That's led to some big changes, both in the dugout and on the pitch. The hope will be that a new era breathes new life into Tottenham – something they sorely need.
As always, this will be a big one. The game rarely, if ever, disappoints and both teams can make big statements by winning the derby early in the season. Arsenal will turn to their stars of last season to lead them, while Spurs may need to find a new hero who can take them back up the table.