Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has personally compiled a list of top contenders to reinforce the club’s forward ranks in January, with the Gunners widely tipped to move for new attacking options once we reach 2025.

Arsenal prepare for Ipswich Town after 5-1 win over Crystal Palace

Arsenal’s convincing 5-1 win at Crystal Palace was unfortunately overshadowed by star winger Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury, and news then emerged that alternative option Raheem Sterling sustained a knee problem, which will also keep him out for weeks.

Arsenal in "positive" talks with £46m Barcelona forward's reps ahead of January

The Gunners are in dire need of a new attacking option.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 24, 2024

As a result, Arteta is now facing a real selection headache as he prepares to host struggling Ipswich Town in the Premier League tomorrow.

Gabriel Jesus, who’s recently returned to form with five goals in his last two games, is able to play out wide in place of Saka, as is Kai Havertz, while exciting youngster Ethan Nwaneri could even be deployed in that position.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games	Date
Ipswich Town (home)	December 27
Brentford (away)	January 1
Brighton (away)	January 4
Tottenham (home)	January 15
Aston Villa (home)	January 18

There are a few options at Arteta’s disposal, but Saka will be an extremely sore miss for the north Londoners given just how imperative he is.

The England international, who was also sidelined for a short period earlier in the campaign, boasts an incredible 13 assists in all competitions already with nine goals to boot – and that will be near-impossible to replace.

It will be very intriguing to see how Arteta decides to field his Arsenal team against Ipswich in the 24-year-old’s absence, and the Spaniard has indirectly challenged his squad to step up while their key star is sidelined.

“I cannot be too specific because I don’t know, but it will be many weeks,” said Arteta on Saka’s lay-off.

“Obviously he’s a big player for us. You just have to see the impact that he has on the team, but it’s going to be a really good exercise for all of us to think about ways to overcome another challenge, because we’ve already had a lot in the season.

“We have to look internally at what we have and be creative, do a very good exercise again. How can we mould the squad? How can we adapt to the circumstances and be different? We cannot pretend to be the same. We’re going to have to be different and try to find the best way to do it and be very competitive and win a lot of games.”

While Arsenal reportedly contemplate signing a Saka alternative in January, reports suggest that a new striker is also firmly on the club’s to-do list ahead of the winter transfer window.

Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram a "main candidate" to join Arsenal in January

Indeed, a report from Spain has claimed that Arteta has personally compiled a list of “main candidates” to join Arsenal in January – and one of them is Inter Milan star Marcus Thuram.

The Frenchman boasts 13 goals and six assists in 21 appearances across all competitions so far this season, which has apparently garnered interest from Arteta, who’s earmarked Thuram as one of his top three striker targets alongside Bundesliga duo Benjamin Sesko and Victor Boniface.

The 27-year-old won’t come cheap, though, as it is estimated he’ll cost around £83 million to prise away from the San Siro.

It is very debatable whether Arsenal will part with that sort of money mid-season, regardless of Arteta’s fondness for Thuram, with both Sesko and Boniface also commanding lower price tags.

Benny Howell and Jake Lintott also included in 13-man squad for 50-over tour games

Matt Roller04-Jul-2022

Rehan Ahmed starred at the Under-19 World Cup•ICC via Getty

Rehan Ahmed, the 17-year-old legspinner, has won an England Lions call-up for two 50-over games against the touring South Africans next week after a breakthrough season for Leicestershire in the T20 Blast.Ahmed starred for England at the Under-19 World Cup this year, taking 12 wickets in four games and showcasing his sharply-spun googly. He took 19 wickets in the group stages of the Blast, the most of any right-arm legspinner, and will be given an opportunity as one of two frontline spinners in the Lions squad.Jake Lintott, Warwickshire’s left-arm wristspinner, is also included as England look to test their wristspin depth, with Matt Parkinson winning an opportunity in the main white-ball squads against India while Adil Rashid is in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage.Related

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Tom Abell, the Somerset captain, will lead a squad which features three players who have previously won full England caps in Tom Banton, Ben Duckett and David Payne. Will Smeed, the 20-year-old top-order batter, could make an overdue List A debut after a remarkable start to his T20 career.Sam Hain will be given the chance to showcase his recent improvement at No. 3, after two full seasons without playing a 50-over game. He has the highest List A average of all time and has been a Lions regular but has made strides in T20 cricket of late, significantly improving his strike rate.Benny Howell, the Gloucestershire change-up specialist, could play his first game for the Lions at the age of 33. Stephen Eskinazi and Adam Hose are the other batting options while Sam Cook and George Scrimshaw, Derbyshire’s beanpole seamer who has been a prolific wicket-taker in the Blast this season, round off the squad.Benny Howell could play his first games for the Lions•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

The two fixtures against South Africa clash with England’s ODIs against India and a round of County Championship games. Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director, thanked the counties for their “collaborative approach… enabling us to field strong teams”.”It’s always great when we can bring some of our best and highest potential players together, particularly to take on senior international opposition,” Bobat said. “The two games provide an excellent opportunity to continue to grow our depth and assess players’ readiness for England.”The squad reflects a balance of England’s next best players and some future players of note, as well as high performers from this season’s Vitality Blast campaign.” Paul Collingwood, England’s assistant coach, will act as head coach.The ECB said that the first fixture at Taunton on July 12 will “permit full squad participation” to help South Africa prepare for the ODI series, but the second game at New Road will be played as an 11-a-side List A game.South Africa named a 17-man ODI squad last month, which will be captained by Keshav Maharaj in the injury-enforced absence of Temba Bavuma.England Lions squad: Tom Abell (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton (wk), Sam Cook, Ben Duckett, Stephen Eskinazi, Sam Hain, Adam Hose, Benny Howell, Jake Lintott, David Payne, George Scrimshaw, Will SmeedFixtures: July 12 – 1st 50-over match, Taunton; July 14 – 2nd 50-over match, New Road

Runs shared around at Sophia Gardens as first vs third ends honours even on first day

ECB Reporters Network11-Jul-2022Nottinghamshire 19 for 0 trail Glamorgan 318 (Carlson 46, Hutton 4-76) by 299 runsIt was third v first at Sophia Gardens, where Nottinghamshire were the visitors, and it was honours even at the end of day one of the LV= Division 2 County Championship clash.League leaders Notts did enough to justify the decision of skipper Stephen Mullaney to bat first by bowling out Glamorgan for 318 (84.2 overs) on a hard-baked wicket that offered very little to the bowlers.They lead Glamorgan by 23 points in the table and both sides picked up three points in the day. Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater ensured Notts kept all 10 wickets intact by reaching 19 for 0 before stumps at the end of the day.When the two teams first met this season at Trent Bridge it was Glamorgan that got the upper hand, winning by seven wickets. New signing Sam Northeast chipped in with a score of 85 in the first innings in April and he was the man who made most headway in the opening sessions at a sun-drenched Sophia Gardens.There was little movement for their seam attack, but the accuracy of Luke Fletcher, Brett Hutton and Dane Paterson, backed up by Mullaney later on, earned them their just rewards.Home skipper David Lloyd never looked comfortable and he fell in the third over when Fletcher squared him up and got the lbw verdict to remove him for 6 (12 balls).That brought Colin Ingram to the crease and the 37-year-old hit a boundary off his first ball. That showed his intentions and he didn’t hang around as he scored 34 (29) in 44 lively minutes that included seven fours.He and opener Eddie Byrom put on 52 before Ingram was caught at the wicket by stand-in keeper Joe Clarke off Hutton. Hutton’s persistence meant he ended up with 4 for 76 from his 17 overs.Byrom got to 24 (55) before he was trapped LBW by Paterson and then left Northeast and Kiran Carlson helped to steer the ship safely through to lunch (103-3).If honours were even after the first session, it looked as though Northeast and Carlson were going to push Glamorgan into a commanding position as they put on 50 in 18 overs. Northeast reached his half-century in before departing four overs later when he became the third LBW victim, this time to Hutton, for 56 (85).Carlson was caught superbly at second slip by the debutant Max Montgomery to provide Hutton with his third wicket. He went for 46 (95) just as he looked set for a big score.A ball change in the 55th over caused new problems for the home batsmen and in the second row with it Paterson got a ball to move away from Billy Root, who edged the ball to Hutton at second slip. He left for 12 and Glamorgan were 193 for 6.There was a definite wag in the tail from the home side as Michael Nesser plundered 42 (51), Andrew Slater 35 (44) and James Harris 28 (44) to ensure their side passed the 300-mark to pick up three battling points.

The first two weeks of Chelsea’s winter transfer window have been dominated by chatter around who might leave. BlueCo were always prepared to sit back for the most part, having bolstered richly over the past year.

High-class players were never going to course through to the Stamford Bridge squad in bucketloads, but Chelsea are one of the sharpest operators in the transfer market and are always attentive to an exciting possibility.

Enzo Maresca deserves all the plaudits for his progress with the Blues, steering Chelsea away from the dysfunction and inconsistencies that have marred their efforts over the past few years.

There has been a bit of a blip in west London over the past few years, but this is a promising squad in its nascent phase, still looking for the right parts to move to the next level.

Chelsea looking to seal statement signing

Multiple sources reported on Monday evening that Chelsea have enequired about the availability of Bayern Munich forwad Mathys Tel, a long-standing target in west London.

The German giants don’t want to sell their 19-year-old prospect but admire Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku and could acquiesce if some sort of swap agreement was engineered.

Tel is a talented young forward, dynamic and versatile, but there are no guarantees that he’ll establish himself over the coming years, especially given that he has blanked across his 12 appearances in all competitions for Die Roten this season.

His potential is unquestionable, but Chelsea might be better off expending their energy in the transfer of a player who has proven his mettle in England’s top flight.

Stamford Bridge has been knocked out of kilter over the past several seasons but Chelsea are getting back on track, and Maresa’s project may benefit more from Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Chelsea eyeing Tel alternative

Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League and will be targeting Champions League qualification; the title, unfortunately, looks unlikely for this year. However, Maresca will want to push for gold in the Conference League and FA Cup, so signing a player like Delap could be the difference maker.

The Athletic have reported that technical director Paul Winstanley has shortlisted the 21-year-old centre-forward as five to ten possible attacking reinforcements.

Ipswich are rumoured to be looking for a £42m payday to part with their thriving number nine, and while Chelsea have Nicolas Jackson at the front of the ship, this could be the perfect signing to complete Maresca’s frontline.

What Liam Delap would bring to Chelsea

Last summer, Delap joined newly-promoted Ipswich from Manchester City in a move worth £20m, raising a few eyebrows but also many nods of appreciation from analysts who saw the vision.

Ipswich are fighting to keep their place in England’s top division and have collected 16 points from 20 matched, sat in 18th place but behind Wolverhampton Wanderers only on goal difference.

Delap has been excellent as the team’s main goal source, clinching eight strikes and two assists across 19 matches as he confidently leads the line.

He’s the marksman, but Delap’s hardly motionless, not reliant on the creativity and movements of his peers. As per FBref, the Englishman ranks among the top 18% of Premier League strikers this season for successful take-ons per 90.

Tel does pack more of a multi-angled punch, ranking among the top 9% of Bundesliga forwards last season for assists, the top 6% for pass completion, the top 18% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90.

Indeed, the France prospect has some curious qualities that could be effectively applied to Maresca’s system, nurtured and developed over the coming years. To be sure, Chelsea have a richness in depth that would allow the teenager to take the requisite steps over the coming years without shouldering too heavy a burden.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has remarked that “the sky is the limit” for the prospect, but is he perhaps too slippery and protean a talent? Are Chelsea better placed in delving down a more traditional track when targeting their next centre-forward?

Cole Palmer is a moveless presence at number ten, and Joao Felix serves as a wonderful foil, silky and artful. Tel has proved that he can score goals but given that he has yet to establish his best and most potent position, Delap would be the superior option for the greater good of Maresca’s project.

Centre-forward

33

5

1

Left winger

32

8

4

Right winger

14

4

1

There’s plenty to be admired here. He’s an ambipedal, technically skilled player, but, again, not what Chelsea need.

Delap has been described as a “one-man battering ram” by Opta Analyst, athletic and imposing as he surges into the danger area and unleashes shots on goal for Ipswich.

The Tractor Boys have surprised a few in staying on the precipice of the danger zone instead of foundering deep at the bottom of the Premier League’s pit. Delap’s goals and authority as the focal frontman has been crucial to the success of Kieran McKenna’s team after successive promotions.

The 6 foot 1 ace has only missed nine big chances in the Premier League this season despite having scored eight times, as per Sofascore. This is the mark of a truly clinical player, and with an average of 0.8 key passes per game, he’s also an adept playmaker.

For contextualisation: Jackson has scored nine top-flight fixtures across 19 this season, missing ten big chances. Delap could be the perfect counterpoint, playing a similar tactical role while bringing his own flair and bite.

Chelsea have got some big decisions to make this month, but if Maresca wants to keep the fluency of his squad intact, perhaps even expanding it, then this is the move to make.

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ByEthan Lamb Jan 12, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Não foi neste domingo que o torcedor do Botafogo viu a primeira vitória do clube em casa neste Brasileirão. O Alvinegro empatou por 1 a 1 com o Juventude no Estádio Nilton Santos em jogo válido pela 5ª rodada do torneio. Pitta e Diego Gonçalves fizeram os gols.

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão e simule os próximos jogos

Com o empate, o Botafogo chegou a cinco pontos e ocupa a 11ª colocação na classificação, mas ainda pode perder posições pelo andamento da rodada. O Juventude segue sem vencer, tem dois pontos e é o penúltimo.

As equipes voltam a jogar no próximo domingo pela 5ª rodada do Brasileirão. O Botafogo tem clássico contra o Flamengo às 11h no Estádio Mané Garrincha, em Brasília. O Juventude também terá um confronto regional: medirá forças com o Internacional às 19h no Alfredo Jaconi.

PRESSÃO ALVINEGRA!
Empurrado pela torcida, o Botafogo começou em cima. Dominando o meio-campo e tendo facilidade nas viradas de jogo, o Alvinegro era soberano na posse de bola. O time teve uma boa chance em uma trama envolvendo Daniel Borges e Chay, mas o chute do camisa 14 passou pelo direito do gol.

O Botafogo tinha a bola, mas não transformava em chances efetivas. O time até conseguiu chegar no campo ofensivo, mas os jogadores se confundiam e erravam passes que pareciam ser até simples. Enquanto isso, o Juventude pouco ofereceu ao gol de Gatito. O resumo: primeiro tempo zerado.

PRECISOU DE UMA CHANCE…
O segundo tempo teve cenário parecido: Botafogo com a bola, pressionando, mas sem o ‘toque final’ para chegar ao gol. O Juventude, por outro lado, precisou de apenas uma chance para marcar. Em falha da defesa, Pitta se adiantou a Philipe Sampaio, deixou o zagueiro no chão e finalizou para abrir o placar.

DE VOLTA PRO JOGO!
Luís Castro chamou Diego Gonçalves e Matheus Nascimento imediatamente após o gol do Juventude. E os dois estiveram envolvidos no gol de empate do Botafogo. O jovem recebeu na direita, fez jogada individual de categoria e viu uma finalização bater na mão de Paulo Miranda dentro da área.

Na cobrança, Diego Gonçalves bateu com perfeição, deslocou o goleiro César e empatou. Foi o suficiente para fazer a torcida explodir.

LÁ E CÁ
O fim de jogo foi intenso e um pouco louco. O Botafogo se lançou ao ataque em busca do empate e deu espaço para o Juventude no contra-ataque. O Papo quase marcou o segundo, quando Capixaba chutou por cima após uma batida de roupa de Gatito.

No fim, a partida terminou em igualdade. A torcida ensaiou algumas vaias no último apito do árbitro.

FICHA TÉCNICA
BOTAFOGO 1 X 1 JUVENTUDE

Data-Hora: 01/05/2022, às 11h
Local: Estádio Nilton Santos
Árbitro: Bráulio da Silva Machado (FIFA – SC)
Assistentes: Alex dos Santos (SC) e Thiaggo Americano Labes (SC)
VAR: Pablo Ramon Goncalves Pinheiro (RN)
​Gramado: Bom
​Cartões amarelos: Philipe Sampaio e Victor Sá (BOT); Paulinho Moccelin, Rodrigo Soares, Marlon, Paulo Miranda e Pitta (JUV)
​Cartões vermelhos:

Gols: Isidro Pitta (0-1, 18’/2ºT); Diego Gonçalves (1-1, 37’/2ºT)

BOTAFOGO: Gatito Fernández; Saravia, Philipe Sampaio, Cuesta, Daniel Borges; Luís Oyama, Patrick de Paula (Tchê Tchê 13’/2ºT); Gustavo Sauer (Diego Gonçalves 22’/2ºT), Chay (Matheus Nascimento 22’/2ºT), Victor Sá; Erison (Vinícius Lopes 47’/2ºT). Técnico: Luís Castro.

JUVENTUDE: César; Rodrigo Soares (Rômulo/Intervalo), Paulo Miranda, Rafael Forster, William Matheus; Yuri, Jadson; Capixaba (Jean 44’/2ºT), Marlon (Chico/Intervalo), Paulinho Moccelin (Guilherme Parede/Intervalo); Isidro Pitta. Técnico: Eduardo Baptista.

David Moyes faces one of the biggest challenges of his coaching career following his return to managing Everton.

The Toffees are in a relegation battle, make no bones about it. The Scot will have to conjure up all his magic to ensure they remain in the Premier League ahead of moving into their new stadium for next term.

He will have to get the best out of his squad, especially Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been poor this season.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin's faltering season in numbers

The striker has scored just two goals in 19 top-flight appearances this season. For a player who has the required qualities to be one of the finest attackers in the league, the Englishman has been a shadow of his former self throughout 2024/25,

Recent reports now link the player with a move to Atalanta and perhaps this is the right time for Moyes to sell the 27-year-old, especially considering it is the last chance he will be able to secure a fee for him.

Having missed 74 games since the start of the 2020/21 season, have these issues finally caught up with him?

If he does leave, Moyes will need to sign a replacement. He could turn to Ligue 1 to sign one.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Everton searching for Calvert-Lewin upgrade

It was reported by ESPN last week that Everton have been in contact with the entourage of PSG centre-forward Randal Kolo Muani ahead of making a potential move.

A fee of around €60m (£50m) is being demanded by the French giants, although a loan deal with an obligation to buy has been touted and this could entice Everton into making a move.

Goals

6

2

Assists

5

1

Shots per game

0.8

1.6

Big chances created

3

2

Scoring frequency (minutes)

211

175

There is no doubt the Frenchman would be an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, despite his struggles in the French capital of late.

The striker has scored just twice this season, although he has registered a higher shot-on-target percentage than Calvert-Lewin (13% vs 5%), created more big chances (two vs one) and succeeded with more dribble attempts (0.7 vs 0.4) in their respective leagues.

Hailed as a “future superstar” by German icon Lothar Matthäus during his time at Eintracht Frankfurt, the striker is even similar to Harry Kane.

Indeed, according to stats-led website FBref, the Bayern Munich star is the ninth-most comparable player to Kolo Muani across Europe’s top five leagues.

Why? Well, the pair have also registered similar statistics domestically across a range of metrics, which include shots per 90 (3.77 vs 3.64), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.27 vs 3.96), successful take-on percentage (50% vs 57.1%) and aerial duels won (9 vs 12), suggesting they operate in a similar way when it comes to leading the line.

Kane is arguably one of the finest centre-forwards in the world, showcasing his qualities in the Bundesliga since moving from Tottenham Hotspur in 2023.

If Moyes can land Kolo Muani this month, he won’t just have an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, but also a player who is similar to Kane.

Should he hit the ground running, the Toffees should avoid relegation comfortably.

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Everton could make a few changes this month now that David Moyes is at the helm.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jan 12, 2025

Scott McTominay has revealed that tomatoes have become his favourite snack after shifting to Italy, joining Napoli from Manchester United last year.

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McTominay enjoying life in NaplesReveals tomatoes are his new snackSays he never ate tomatoes at homeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

McTominay moved from Manchester United to Napoli in the summer of 2024 after being told he was no longer in the plans by Erik ten Hag. Gli Azzuri signed the Scottish midfielder for a reported fee of €25 million (£21m) as they looked to challenge for the Serie A title.

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McTominay has had a very good time at Napoli this season and has been enjoying life in Naples, and he has now revealed his favourite snack is tomatoes, something he never had while at home.

Getty Images SportWHAT MCTOMINAY SAID

Speaking to The Athletic, McTominay said: “I never ate them at home. They’re just red water. Here, they actually taste like tomatoes. Now I eat them as a snack. I eat all the vegetables, all of the fruits. It is all so fresh. It’s incredible."

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WHAT NEXT FOR MCTOMINAY?

The Scottish midfielder is trying to help Napoli battle with Inter Milan in the Serie A title race as Gli Azzuri sit three points behind the Nerazzurri. They will be in action next against Bologna on Monday, April 7.

Manchester City continue to be busier than any other club in Europe during this transfer window.

The Sky Blues are working on three deals that could see them spend in excess of £120m, with Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush all potentially on their way to the Etihad.

Meanwhile, club captain Kyle Walker has seemingly made his last appearance for the Citizens, having not been included in the squad for Tuesday night’s clash with Brentford, in which Phil Foden’s brace seemingly had them set for victory in West London, only to suffer a full-scale collapse, conceding twice, ultimately lucky to leave with even a point.

So, with Walker reportedly on his way to AC Milan, could Man City dip into the transfer market further as they target a new full-back?

Manchester City chasing a new right-back

According to reports on the continent, via TEAMtalk, Manchester City are continuing to monitor Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso ahead of a possible move.

La Vecchia Signora value Cambiaso as an ‘important player’, although a ‘significant bid’ could tempt them to sell.

Cambiaso joined Juve from Genoa for a reported €11.5m (£9.5m) in 2022, spending his first season on loan at Bologna, but establishing himself as a key figure in Turin subsequently, featuring in 39 of 43 matches last season, while he has started 18 times for I Bianconeri during this campaign to date, playing all 90 minutes of Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta in Serie A.

Commentator Leonardo Bertozzi labels Cambiaso as “versatile”, while Peter Young of Football Italia praises his ability to play on “either side of a back four, at wing-back and potentially in midfield”, comparing him to another former Juventus and Man City defender João Cancelo.

Reports in Italy claim Juventus value the 24-year-old at €50m (£42m), adding that this price tag has ‘soared in just a few months’, so Man City will have to pay big if they’re to land their man.

How Andrea Cambiaso would improve Manchester City

Already this season, Cambiaso has been deployed at left-back, right-back and even right-wing by Thiago Motta, while Italy boss Luciano Spalletti started him in all six UEFA Nations League matches as a right-wing-back, scoring his first two international goals against Belgium at Stadio Olimpico and then when France visited San Siro a month later.

Of course, Guardiola will love Cambiaso’s versatility, but first and foremost, Walker’s imminent exit means Man City need a new right-back, so let’s see how the duo compare.

Cambiaso vs Walker comparison (23/24 & 24/25)

Statistics

Cambiaso

Walker

Appearances

77

82

Minutes

5,218

6,661

Attempted passes

2,595

4,418

Pass completion %

86%

88.5%

Progressive passes

165

316

Touches per 90

52.1

64.3

Assists

8

6

Shot-creating actions

143

103

Take-on success %

46.5%

59.6%

Tackles

91

71

% of dribblers tackled

61.8%

54.4%

Blocks

47

40

Interceptions

25

50

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

Since the start of last season, Walker has racked up around 1,400 more minutes than Cambiaso, largely due to the fact Juventus were not in UEFA competition last season, coupled with England’s run to the final of Euro 2024.

The statistics do make for interesting reading, with Walker more impressive in possession and when it comes to dribbling, although Cambiaso is significantly more productive going forward, racking up 15 goals and assists, nine more than Walker despite his limited minutes in comparison.

Also, the Italian ranks vastly higher for defensive metrics such as tackles, % of dribblers tackled and blocks, showing he could be exactly the profile of full-back Man City need right now, considering they’ve kept only two clean sheets across their last 15 Premier League and Champions League games.

With Reis and Khusanov seemingly already on their way, the Sky Blues could have a nigh-on entirely new back-line by the time the window closes on 3rd February.

Related After Walker: Pep must now sell Man City star who earns more than Haaland

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Posts ByDan Emery Jan 14, 2025

Their potential Premier League title charge may have taken a hit yesterday afternoon, but this season has been brilliant for Chelsea so far.

Enzo Maresca has turned the Blues into a lean, mean-winning machine, and as things stand, they look primed to qualify for next year’s Champions League.

The West Londoners may not be the most defensively solid side in the league, but they’re lethal in attack, with Nicolas Jackson one of their most improved players.

However, as talented as the Senegalese striker is, he could soon become a victim to the club’s ambition, as the latest start touted for a move to Stamford Bridge could be his upgrade.

Chelsea transfer news

According to recent reports from Argentina via Calciomercato, Chelsea are interested in Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez.

Interestingly, the report has revealed that the Blues would be willing to offer ‘a lot of money and three players’ because the Argentine has just agreed to a new deal.

According to the story, the players the West Londoners would be willing to send the other way are Benoit Badiashile, Carney Chukwuemeka and Mykhailo Mudryk, even though the latter is currently suspended.

The report does not mention a potential fee, but stories from earlier this year claimed that the Nerazzurri would have wanted around £94m for his services prior to signing his new deal.

So, with the three players included in the deal, we’d expect the fee to be lower than that.

Overall, even with three players included, signing Martinez could be incredibly costly and complicated, but given his immense ability, it’s a deal worth pursuing, even if it could be bad news for Jackson.

How Martinez compares to Jackson

Now then, if Chelsea can get their man and, in the process, spend tens of millions of pounds and swap three of their own players, it would undoubtedly be with the intention of making Martinez the club’s starting number nine going forward.

However, that would put him in direct competition with Jackson, who has looked good this season, so which one comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, the bad news for the former Villarreal gem is that when it comes to the only metric that truly matters for a centre-forward, pure output, he comes out a very distant second.

For example, since the start of last season, the Inter superstar, whom renowned football podcaster Angelo Valdes described as “the best 9 in the world,” has scored a whopping 33 goals and provided 11 assists for good measure in just 65 games.

That means the World Cup winner has averaged a goal involvement every 1.47 games since last year, which is a remarkable rate of return, and played a large part in Inter’s Scudetto triumph.

Appearances

44

44

Goals

27

17

Assists

7

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.77

0.52

Appearances

21

18

Goals

6

9

Assists

4

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.47

0.66

In contrast, the Blues’ promising forward has found the back of the net 26 times and provided nine assists in 62 appearances.

Now, to his credit, that equates to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.77 games, but that’s still less than the Argentine’s.

Ultimately, while Jackson could develop into a brilliant striker in a few years, Chelsea look like they could be fighting for titles in the coming campaigns and, in turn, will need a ready-made leading man.

Therefore, while it could be an incredibly complicated transfer to get done, they must do all they can to bring Martinez to Stamford Bridge next year.

As bad as Neto: Maresca got it all wrong giving 4/10 Chelsea man 90 minutes

Chelsea’s title bid suffered a real blow at home to Fulham

ByRobbie Walls Dec 26, 2024

Manchester City reportedly believe that Bayer Leverkusen and Germany star Florian Wirtz could be the man to replace Kevin De Bruyne.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• City want Wirtz deal
• De Bruyne departure opens space for creative midfielder
• Guardiola 'picked' target

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 21-year-old midfielder has shone for Leverkusen since he broke into the side as a teenager and was integral to the club winning their first Bundesliga title in a historic unbeaten campaign last season. He had been tipped with a move to Real Madrid, but now City believe the German can offer the same dynamism in midfield as their outgoing legendary playmaker, per the . Since the start of last season, Wirtz has registered 41 goal contributions in his 57 games and has grown into one of the most exciting players in world football.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It is little surprise that Wirtz has his suitors and has been identified as a suitable replacement for De Bruyne. The Belgian was also a star in Germany, firing Wolfsburg to the DFB Pokal and a second-place finish in the Bundesliga, before making the switch to Manchester. He has since gone on to make 413 appearances for City, scoring 106 goals, registering 174 assists and winning every trophy there is to win.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  Asked as to whether De Bruyne can be replaced, Guardiola offered a familiar answer. He said: "There are things that cannot be substituted. To say bye to this type of player is so difficult. I'd love Vincent [Kompany] to be here eternally, Sergio [Aguero], too, and now Kevin.

  "To say bye to these connections, these relations, for the manager, the mates, the fans, is not easy. In England or in every country, there are players who are unique, that represent what the club want to be and Kevin is one of them.

  "Now it's a bit of a shock for the fans, but people remember how blessed, how happy they were for many, many years to have a player who gave absolutely everything. Always Kevin will be there in my memory and he cannot be forgotten."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DE BRUYNE AND WIRTZ?

  It could be a summer of upheaval for both De Bruyne and Wirtz. While the Belgian is expected to move out of Europe, with Saudi Pro League and MLS sides battling for his signature, Wirtz will be the target of a host of Europe's biggest clubs.