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Celtic failed to get their first win of the European season on the board when they were beaten 2-0 by Braga at Parkhead in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Hoops were held to successive 0-0 draws, losing on penalties in the second leg, by Kairat in the Champions League qualifiers, before they were held to a 1-1 draw by Red Star Belgrade in their first match of the league phase in the Europa League last week.

Their 2-0 loss to Braga in front of their own supporters, who made their feelings clear at full-time, means that they have failed to win four successive matches in Europe this season.

Celtic may feel hard done by, though, as VAR ruled out Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal with a call that was described by Chris Sutton as “possibly the worst decision of all time”.

Celtic have been dominant domestically, with four successive league title wins, but they have not had much success on the European stage, in any competition, and it is a step up that even some of the club’s best players have struggled with.

Kyogo Furuhashi, for example, struggled in the Champions League last season as he came towards the end of his career with the Scottish giants.

Why Kyogo Furuhashi struggled for Celtic in Europe

Something that can be underestimated about European football is the step up in physicality as well as quality in comparison to some Scottish Premiership matches.

In terms of how players use their strength, how they use their speed, the intensity of their press, it can sometimes feel like a different game in Europe, which is why Kyogo, in particular, had some tough nights in European games.

The Japan international, who scored 85 goals for the Hoops, was never the most physical centre-forward for Celtic, but it appeared to effect his European form more than his domestic form, possibly due to the reasons listed above.

Kyogo (Champions League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

6

7

Touches

14

13.1

Goals

2

1

Big chances missed

2

3

Duel success rate

33%

39%

Aerial duel success rate

0%

0%

Duels won per game

1.3

1.0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo lost the majority of his duels, failing to win a single aerial battle in the Champions League in his last two seasons with the club, scoring three goals in 13 matches.

Because of how dominant opposition centre-backs were with the Japanese striker, the experienced marksman failed to provide regular quality at the top end of the pitch.

Moments like the one in the clip above against Atletico Madrid were far and far between, unfortunately, and the increased intensity and physicality of European football may be the reason behind that.

Now, another member of Ange Postecoglou’s treble-winning side appears to be suffering from similar issues in the current team for Brendan Rodgers.

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Callum McGregor captained the Scottish giants once again in the middle of the park, but turned in a worse performance than Benjamin Nygren for Celtic.

Why McGregor is on his way to becoming the next Kyogo

Like Kyogo, the Hoops captain is not the most physical player in terms of his mobility or intensity, which is understandable given that he is a tempo-setting number six in the Premiership.

His composed play on the ball, completing 94% of his passes in the Premiership (Sofascore), helps him to dictate and control matches for the Hoops in domestic action, but the increased physicality and intensity of European football has had an impact on his performances.

Celtic average 73.2% of the ball per game (WhoScored) in the Premiership, which illustrates their total dominance, but they only had 56% of the ball against Braga at Parkhead on Thursday night.

Because Braga had more intensity to their press than a lot of the teams that Celtic face domestically have, McGregor, Nygren, and Paulo Bernardo had more of a fight on their hands than they usually do in a Hoops shirt at Parkhead.

Nygren outperformed the captain with his play in and out of possession, showing greater physicality and intensity, winning three more duels and twice as many tackles in 23 fewer minutes on the pitch.

McGregor lost 80% of his duels on the night. That came after he won four of his nine duels, making one tackle, in 90 minutes against Red Star Belgrade last week, per Sofascore.

The Celtic veteran’s physical struggles in the Europa League should not come as a huge surprise, though, as he has also lost 53% of his ground duels in the Premiership, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been slightly off the pace in his battles on the deck in domestic action.

Kyogo’s exit did not result in an immediate replacement in January, as the Hoops felt that Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda offered enough cover in the centre-forward position, and a similar situation could arise with McGregor.

That is not to say that the left-footed star will be sold by the club he has spent his entire career at, but the Hoops could get to a point where the captain may find himself out of the team to play a more dynamic and physical midfield that is capable of scrapping it out in matches to win duels and fight for points.

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Therefore, McGregor could be in danger of becoming the new Kyogo because of his struggles with the intensity and physicality of European football, based on recent evidence.

Rodgers will be hoping, though, that the 32-year-old star can learn from these last couple of matches and position himself better to avoid duels and take more control of the game in possession in the rest of the league phase.

أشاد جيانلويجي دوناروما حارس مرمى مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي بأحد زملائه في الفريق وقد فضله على كيليان مبابي نجم ريال مدريد.

وقال دوناروما في حوار مع “ديلي ميل” البريطانية: “أفضل وجود إيرلينج هالاند في فريقي على كيليان مبابي”.

ويعتقد حارس المرمى الإيطالي أن زميله في الفريق إيرلينج هالاند يتمتع بصفات رائعة تجعله يتفوق على كيليان مبابي نجم ريال مدريد.

اقرأ أيضاً.. جوارديولا: كنا خارج سباق البريميرليج بعد أول ثلاث مباريات.. وليفربول سيعود

وأضاف دوناروما: “أعتقد أن إيرلينج قادر على تسديد أقوى التسديدات في كرة القدم العالمية، إنه أعسر لذا فهو مختلف عن كيليان مبابي، كلاهما يصعب مواجهتهما، الأمر معقد”.

جدير بالذكر أن دوناروما قد انضم إلى مانشستر سيتي الصيف الماضي قادمًا من باريس سان جيرمان بعد خروجه من حسابات المدرب الإسباني لويس إنريكي، وقد فاز مع الفريق الفرنسي بالعديد من الألقاب مثل دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم الماضي.

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي هذا الموسم في جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز المركز الثاني برصيد 16 نقطة خلال 8 مباريات.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma is facing a very uncertain future under Thomas Frank, following a less-than ideal start to the Dane’s tenure in charge.

Off the field, ex-chairman Daniel Levy has dominated headlines, after the polarising official was pushed to resign from his post after 24 years, with the Lewis family ushering in a new era at Spurs.

ENIC are reportedly planning to pump more cash into the club, and this windfall could be reinvested into their transfer activity in a bid to get Tottenham competing with the Premier League six for major silverware (Sky Sports).

While supporters will be wary of that old saying ‘the grass isn’t always greener’, it is a very intriguing time for the Lilywhites, but it is unlikely Bissouma will be along for the ride long-term.

The Mali international is out of contract next summer and Frank has already penalised the player for persistent lateness to training, which resulted in Bissouma missing out on a place in Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad.

Villarreal (home)

September 16

Bodo/Glimt (away)

September 30

Monaco (away)

October 22

FC Copenhagen (home)

November 4

PSG (away)

November 26

Slavia Prague (home)

December 9

Borussia Dortmund (home)

January 20

Eintracht Frankfurt (away)

January 28

He was also left out of the side which travelled to face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup last month, with Bissouma yet to make a single competitive appearance under Frank.

The transfer windows in Turkey, Mexico, Portugal and Saudi Arabia remain open for the time being, giving Spurs a chance to offload the £100,000-per-week ace even after the UK deadline on September 1.

Tottenham are open to offers for Bissouma, according to Sky’s Michael Bridge, but Fabrizio Romano says things have gone quiet when it comes to a potential exit for the 29-year-old and Frank’s side are not actively pushing to get rid.

Given the hectic fixture schedule awaiting Spurs, perhaps Frank is planning to keep Bissouma around in case of emergency as a squad player in the Premier League, with the ex-Brighton star fighting his way back to full fitness right now after sustaining an injury.

Bissouma held talks to join Galatasaray in the summer and fellow Süper Lig side Fenerbache also held an interest, but according to West Ham insider Claret & Hugh, Tottenham’s east London rivals were offered the chance to sign him too.

Tottenham offered Yves Bissouma to West Ham twice in a swap deal for Lucas Paqueta

C&H report, via an insider at West Ham, that Tottenham floated Bissouma towards the London Stadium on two separate occasions, with Spurs also proposing a straight loan swap deal for Brazil international Lucas Paqueta.

Before they sealed a £52 million deal for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, Spurs were actively pursuing a playmaker — seeing two very advanced moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze fall through in very dramatic fashion.

Paqueta was being targeted by Tottenham as an alternative to the duo, but the former Lyon star ended up staying with Graham Potter.

Spurs’ attempts to agree a swap deal involving Paqueta and Bissouma apparently had “no chance”.

The 28-year-old is now attempting to recapture the form he displayed from his early Hammers days, before Paqueta was embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal which derailed his career.

He would’ve been an intriguing signing for Spurs and only the third player to join them from West Ham in 14 years, after Scott Parker and Mohammed Kudus, but Simons’ sky-high potential has the fanbase very excited ahead of the Dutchman’s imminent debut.

Four days after the shortest outright result in Sheffield Shield history, considerable pace and bounce was still evident at the WACA ground as South Australia continued their stranglehold over Western Australia with a pivotal One-Day Cup victory.South Australia, who have not won the title since 2011-12, moved to the top of the table with one match to play before the final after dismissing last-placed WA for 164 in the 39th over with quick Liam Scott taking 3 for 16.Related

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The pitch used for this match had limited grass coverage and contrasted with the nearby green-tinged surface, which had just 763 deliveries bowled on it during South Australia’s six-wicket victory in the Shield.But the quicks still relished the conditions with 19-year-old WA paceman Mahli Beardman bowling with rapid pace to finish with 4 for 46 in his second List A match as South Australia reached a seemingly modest total.Tall offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli also enjoyed the bounce and finished with 2 for 38 off 10 overs in his List A debut. It was a tonic for him after missing out on the tour of Sri Lanka.”The wicket was fine, don’t think you can read [the low scores] too much into it…just one of those weeks,” said Rocchiccioli, who also said he’s eyeing playing in the UK during the off-season.Chasing 209 was never going to be easy for WA, who had five of their top six batters looking to make amends after being part of the side that capitulated for 120 and 66 in the Shield.Opener Sam Fanning did not have nightmares with his 49 in their first innings being the top score of that match. And his form continued as he drove well and attacked short-pitched bowling to dominate an opening stand of 40 with Jayden Goodwin.But Fanning was cut short on 34 after Jason Sangha took a brilliant one-handed catch above his head in the slips to trigger a collapse of 4 for 4. Skipper Ashton Turner has rescued his side plenty of times over the years and appeared to be on a mission with D’Arcy Short as they combined for a 77-run stand.But Turner almost out of nowhere on 43 was clean bowled by Scott in a misjudgement after he decided to let the ball go. WA’s slim hopes rested on Short, who notched the first half-century between the teams across the Shield-One-Day Cup double.The task proved too difficult with Short holing out on 55 to effectively ice the match for South Australia.Earlier, openers Henry Hunt and Mackenzie Harvey scored quickly against the new ball after the visitors were sent in to bat. There wasn’t the tennis ball bounce and prodigious sideways movement that was evident throughout the five sessions of the Shield.But speedster Lance Morris bent his back and Hunt was late on a short ball to hook straight to fine leg. Beardman entered the attack and almost matched Morris’ pace as he reached speeds of around 140kph. He got through the defences of Daniel Drew and hit the top of off-stump in a sign of things to come.South Australia slumped to 51 for 3 when Harvey fell to Rocchiccioli. With left-arm spinner Ashton Agar sidelined with a calf injury sustained in the ILT20, Rocchiccioli finally got his opportunity having been WA’s frontline spinner in the Shield in recent seasons.South Australia recovered with captain Nathan McSweeney, on his return from the Sri Lanka tour, and Sangha playing with relative ease in a 54-run partnership.Sangha had been the standout batter during the Shield match with 45 and 24 not out as his technique and application thwarted the minefield. He raced to 38 before throwing his wicket away out of nowhere after hitting a short and wide delivery from Morris straight down third man’s throat.McSweeney had toiled to 28 before uncharacteristically losing patience and being stumped after missing a straighter Rocchiccioli delivery. South Australia appeared in danger of a score of under 150, but Scott held the backend together with 47 as they batted through the 50 overs.South Australia, however, didn’t have a late flourish with Beardman completing an eye-catching performance with a further three wickets, including clean bowling Scott and Harry Matthias with piercing yorkers.But they had more than enough on the board as their quicks went about once again tormenting WA’s beleaguered batters.

AC Milan have been dealt a significant blow with Mike Maignan set to miss their next match after sustaining another calf injury. The issue, which forced him off during the win against Bologna, adds to a worrying pattern for the Frenchman, who has now missed 54 games since joining the Rossoneri, raising questions over the club's summer transfer strategy.

• Allegri rules Maignan out of Udinese clash with 'dangerous' calf problem

  Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed goalkeeper Maignan will miss the club's next match against Udinese after sustaining a right calf strain. The French international was forced off in the 56th minute of Milan's 1-0 victory over Bologna on Sunday and was seen leaving San Siro on crutches, according to . Allegri confirmed the blow post-match, expressing caution over the recurring nature of the injury. 

  "I don't think Mike will be in Udine because his calf is dangerous," he said. "The important thing is to work as a team like tonight, then even in difficult situations it's important to have this right spirit, one small step at a time."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Maignan's concerning injury record reveals worrying pattern

  The latest setback adds to a troubling injury history for Maignan since he joined the Rossoneri. The strain is to the same right calf that has caused him significant issues in the past, most notably in the 2022-23 season when complications kept him sidelined for 31 matches between September and February. In total, the France No.1 has now missed 54 games through various injuries since his arrival in Milan, a figure that starkly contrasts with other top Serie A goalkeepers. 

  The news soured what was otherwise a positive evening for Milan, who secured three points thanks to Luka Modric's first goal for the club. The 40-year-old midfielder fired home in the 61st minute to seal the 1-0 win. However, the victory proved costly, as defender Strahinja Pavlovic was also substituted with a hip flexor strain, leaving Allegri with two new injury concerns to manage.

• Milan may regret rejecting Chelsea's summer approach

  Maignan's persistent fitness issues will undoubtedly raise questions over Milan's decision to block his potential transfer to Chelsea in the summer. The Premier League club were reportedly on the verge of signing the goalkeeper before Allegri's arrival, with the new head coach insisting the club pull the plug on the deal to make Maignan a central part of his project. With the keeper once again facing a spell on the sidelines, the club may now be questioning the wisdom of retaining a player with such a problematic injury record.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What next for Milan as Terracciano steps up?

  In Maignan's absence, 35-year-old veteran Pietro Terracciano is set to deputise. The summer signing made his club debut after replacing the Frenchman against Bologna and is now in line to start against Udinese at the weekend and likely in the subsequent Coppa Italia fixture against Lecce. With Milan not competing in Europe this season, the lighter fixture schedule may provide some relief as the club awaits a full prognosis on the length of Maignan's absence.

It’s safe to say that Arsenal’s pre-season of 2025 hasn’t been the best. Attacking fluency has been lacking and the same old patterns in the final third have been evident.

As Myles Lewis-Skelly acknowledged on Saturday, the Gunners needed to make a “statement” ahead of the Premier League’s return next weekend and did just that in their final pre-season game.

At last, Mikel Arteta’s men looked fluent, they looked in the groove and they looked like title challengers again.

During a 3-0 win over Athletic Club, Bukayo Saka bagged his second of pre-season but the biggest noise was reserved for new star striker, Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede didn’t score a single league goal with his head last term but his first goal in Arsenal colours came as a header. Martin Zubimendi’s teasing cross from the right found Gyokeres who darted across his marker and found the back of the net.

The Swede is up and running but Arteta needs more attacking reinforcements before the window slams shut.

Arsenal's remaining transfer activity

There is a sense that Arsenal need to sell before they can dive back into the market again but time is running out and the north Londoners need some more spice in their forward line.

Gyokeres is done and sealed, as too is Noni Madueke, but another winger would certainly go down a treat.

Eberechi Eze remains the number one target for the remaining weeks of the window but Arsenal have not been forthcoming with a bid yet despite talks with the player’s representatives behind the scenes.

It’s been widely reported that Andrea Berta and Co will need to meet his £68m release clause in order to prise him away from Selhurst Park but a cheaper alternative may well be emerging.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, according to reports in Spain, Arsenal are very much interested in Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman with it suggested that they are preparing a bid of £39m.

Lookman has attracted the interest of Inter Milan this summer and the Italian giants are in the driving seat to secure the Nigerian’s signature.

Inter have already seen a bid rejected and Arsenal could now pounce on the situation, with the report noting that Lookman’s name is ‘being mentioned strongly’ in north London as a possible option.

No formal negotiations have taken place yet but the player wants out of Atalanta so things could accelerate swiftly if Berta coughed up the necessary funds.

Why Lookman could be Arsenal's new Alexis Sanchez

Arsenal may have Saka in their ranks but it’s been a long old while since the Gunners had a truly prolific wide forward in their ranks.

Indeed, after the arrival of Gyokeres, signing another winger has been the biggest demand from supporters.

The likes of Eze and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo have both been linked but Lookman, a player possessing experience of English football already, is more of a goalscorer than both of those players.

Possessing the ability to play off the left or as a central striker, he certainly boasts positional similarities to Alexis who began his Arsenal career off the left but became a devastating centre forward at the Emirates.

During his debut campaign in England, the Chilean superstar scored 25 goals in all competitions, 18 of which came in 30 appearances from the left wing.

2014/15 (Arsenal)

52

25

12

2015/16 (AFC)

41

17

10

2016/17 (AFC)

51

30

18

2017/18 (AFC & MUFC)

40

11

9

2018/19 (Man Utd)

27

2

4

A 17-goal campaign followed in 2015/16 and then in 2016/17, his best in London, Sanchez scored 30 times, 17 of which came in 24 outings as a centre-forward.

Not just a goalscorer, Alexis was dazzling with the ball at his feet. During that 2016/17 campaign, only four players – Eden Hazard (143), Wilfried Zaha (142) and Adama Traore (136) – completed more dribbles in the Premier League than the Chile international (109).

Well, Lookman is certainly cut from a similar cloth. Hailed as “one of the best forwards in Europe” by journalist Oma Akatugba, he has certainly shown that since moving to Italy.

Last season, the former Everton man found the net on 20 occasions in 40 games. During the 2023/24 term, he scored 17, seven of which came on the left wing and a further seven came as a centre-forward.

Like Sanchez, he’s versatile. Like Sanchez, he’s also an incredible dribbler. Indeed, no Serie A player attempted more dribbles (186), or had more touches in box (170) last season.

It’s safe to say that the 27-year-old has come a long way since his days at Charlton, Everton and Fulham. He’s now an elite forward who could transform Arsenal’s threat from the left-hand side of the pitch.

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علق رايان جرافنبيرخ لاعب خط وسط ليفربول على أدائه الرائع خلال فوز الريدز على إيفرتون بهدفين لهدف واحد على ملعب انفيلد في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال جرافنبيرخ في تصريحات نشرتها “تلجراف” البريطانية: “أنا سعيد جداً بالهدف، في الموسم الماضي لم أسجل الكثير من الأهداف”.

وأضاف لاعب خط وسط ليفربول :”لذلك أنا سعيد جداً خاصة في ديربي ميرسيسايد، عندما يستلم محمد صلاح الكرة نعرف أنه يمررها، وأن اللاعبين تصبح لديهم مساحة للتحرك”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ردود أفعال جماهير ليفربول على تألق محمد صلاح أمام إيفرتون: يملك إرثًا أكثر من كريستيانو رونالدو

وواصل عن جدول المباريات المزدحم: “نعلم أننا لعبنا ثلاث مباريات في سبعة أيام، في إنجلترا الوضع صعب للغاية لكن استعددنا جيداً”.

وتابع عن هدف إيفرتون: “لم يكن من الضروري أن يحدث الهدف الذي استقبلناه، كنا نتراجع قليلاً ونعتمد على الهجمات المرتدة وسنحت لنا فرص للتسجيل مرة أخرى لكننا لم نسجل”.

وختم: “هذا الموسم لدينا حرية أكبر في خط الوسط، في الموسم الماضي لعبت في مركز اللاعب رقم 6 بشكل صريح، لكن الآن أستطيع التقدم للأمام أكثر”.

The old cliche goes that if you can’t beat them, join them, but the same is also true that if you can’t stop them, then sign them. Liverpool appear to be doing the latter.

Few players will have given Anfield hero Virgil van Dijk sleepless nights in recent years, although Alexander Isak might well be one of them, with Newcastle United’s Swedish sensation proving an absolute menace for the Dutchman and his fellow defenders.

Described by the Reds skipper as “definitely the most in-form striker at the moment in world football”, ahead of the Carabao Cup final in March, the returning Isak duly scored in that Wembley showpiece to seal an emotional, surprise win for the Magpies.

In all, the former Real Sociedad man has netted four times in just six appearances against the Merseysiders across all competitions, with that likely to have played its part in their apparent bid to prise the 25-year-old from St James’ Park on a £120m deal.

Such bombshell news has become the talk of the town from a Premier League perspective, although on Tyneside, Eddie Howe and co don’t appear to have thrown in the towel just yet.

Still steadfast in their desire to keep hold of the 6 foot 4 machine, Newcastle may steer Arne Slot’s side toward potential attacking alternatives…

Liverpool's potential Isak alternatives

The obvious place to start is with the man who could well have a pivotal role to play in Isak’s future, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.

The young Frenchman is being lined up as a future replacement for the Sweden star at St James’, albeit with Liverpool also throwing their hat into the ring, should it prove too difficult to get their top target out of the north east.

It would appear that it isn’t just that duo who the Merseysiders have their eye on, however, with the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones reporting that the champions are considering multiple other options in the bid for a new number nine.

Transfer Focus

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

Among those said to have been discussed at Anfield is Manchester United outcast, Marcus Rashford, with the Englishman noted as one of the six Isak alternatives that have been considered.

As the report does note, such talks have not progressed any further as yet with it looking unlikely that Slot and co will pounce, albeit with the 27-year-old certainly available having been exiled by Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim.

Valued at £40m earlier this year, amid the chance for Aston Villa to purchase their loan signing on a permanent deal, Rashford would represent a far cheaper choice than that man Isak. He would also be far more controversial, however…

Why Liverpool could be targeting the new Michael Owen

It says it all that the last player to directly move between Liverpool and Man United was Phil Chisnall, with the forward scoring ten goals in 47 games at Old Trafford, before moving to Anfield on a £25k deal in 1964.

Even signing a player with a previous association to the ‘other’ club has been a rarity in modern times, with notable examples including a certain Paul Ince in the late 90s, alongside the more infamous ‘treachery’ of Michael Owen.

Once the golden boy of Liverpool, having emerged from the academy ranks as a dazzling teenager, Owen burned his bridges – and then some – after ending up on the books at United in 2009, having joined Sir Alex Ferguson’s side via spells at Real Madrid and Newcastle United.

Despite admitting that he had had his heart set on returning to Merseyside amid his exit from Madrid in 2005, no such homecoming came to fruition, with the declining striker later linking up with Fergie on a free transfer.

Still just 29 at the time of that controversial switch, it was evident that Owen’s powers were on the wane, with his last-gasp goal in a 4-3 win over rivals Manchester City the only real moment of note across the next three years. Just 17 goals in 52 games says it all.

While circumstances might be different in the case of Rashford, he too could prove to be something of a bizarre, unnecessary signing, this time for Liverpool, with it hard to see the wisdom in even considering the Three Lions star as an Isak alternative.

Like Owen – who burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old at Anfield – Rashford was also once a teen sensation for Man United, having scored twice on debut as an 18-year-old back in February 2016, before ending that campaign with eight goals in just 18 games under Louis van Gaal.

2024/25*

24

7

3

2023/24

43

8

6

2022/23

56

30

11

2021/22

32

5

2

2020/21

57

21

18

High points have followed since for the academy graduate, namely his 30-goal season in 2022/23 during Erik ten Hag’s time at the helm, although inconsistency has been the theme of recent years.

As evidenced in the table above, the forward’s “unstoppable” 2022/23 campaign, as hailed by Ten Hag, stands out amid a rather underwhelming half a decade, in truth, with Liverpool not exactly targeting a player in his pomp.

As was the case with Owen, for all parties this appears to be a move best avoided, with the scrutiny and controversy unlikely to be made worthwhile by performances on the pitch.

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ByAngus Sinclair Jul 15, 2025

Left-arm quick Josh Little, who is currently with LA Knight Riders in the MLC, is a notable absentee from the Test squad

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2024Uncapped legspinner Gavin Hoey has received his maiden call-up to the Ireland squad for the upcoming one-off Test against Zimbabwe, which begins on July 25 in Belfast. He will bolster a spin attack that includes left-arm fingerspinner Matthew Humphreys and offspinner Andy McBrine.Theo van Woerkom and George Dockrell made way for Humphreys and Hoey who have just one Test cap between them. Seamer Matthew Foster, who was part of the Ireland squad that had toppled Afghanistan for their first Test win in March earlier this year, also didn’t find a place in this squad.Humphreys had a tough initiation into Test cricket, conceding 67 runs in ten overs on debut against Sri Lanka in Galle last year. His recent form, however, is more encouraging: he bagged 15 wickets in two first-class games for Ireland Emerging side against West Indies Academy at an average of 12.60, including two five-wicket hauls, last month.Related

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“Humphreys made his Test debut in Sri Lanka and found the going difficult against good players of spin out in the subcontinent,” Andrew White, the national selector, said in a statement. “He’d admit himself that he went through a period of a loss of form and maybe a loss of confidence, but he’s worked extremely hard to come back into the reckoning and his performances for Ireland Wolves have been exactly what we were looking for. Obviously in the West Indies last year for Emerging Ireland, then in Nepal, and has now backed it up in the recent series for the Emerging Ireland side against West Indies Academy, where he took 10 wickets. But it’s the consistency he has shown over the last period which has been really pleasing and he very much deserves his call-up.”White also talked up Hoey as an attacking option. “Hoey is a talented legspinner, and his ability to spin the ball both ways gives us a strong wicket-taking option,” he said. “Again, he’s a player that’s been on the radar for a while and can play across all three formats. But this is an opportunity for him to come into the Test squad and get used to the environment.”Left-arm quick Josh Little, who is currently with LA Knight Riders in the USA for the MLC, is a notable absentee from the Test squad. Little has prioritised white-ball cricket, including franchise opportunities, but is passionate about playing Test cricket in the future. While Little is now a regular in T20 leagues around the world, he is yet to make his Test debut.”I sort of blocked off this [next] two years as pretty busy franchise-wise, and then after that I’ll be putting an eye on Test cricket,” Little told . “It’s definitely something I want to do, something I’m passionate about doing. I can guarantee I will play Test cricket at some stage.”I love playing for Ireland, but equally franchise opportunities may not come around forever. It’s tough at times. Cricket Ireland have been nothing but accommodating. Sometimes it is a balancing act.”The one-off Test against Zimbabwe will be PJ Moor’s first international game against his country of birth. Moor had qualified to play for Ireland in October 2022 and was more recently part of the Ireland side, which earned their first Test win, in Abu Dhabi.Ireland Test squadAndrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig YoungIn: Gavin Hoey, Matthew Humphreys
Out: George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Theo van Woerkom

Arsenal are now set to hold talks over a deal to sign a £84m striker, with Mikel Arteta keen to secure his signature, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Arteta's striker pursuit rumbles on

There has been a new twist in the Gunners’ pursuit of a striker, with it being revealed that Viktor Gyokeres plans to snub Manchester United if the Gunners come calling, although the Sweden international isn’t thought to be Arteta’s top target.

Indeed, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now revealed the deal for Gyokeres is “not advancing”, with the north Londoners “focussing” on bringing Benjamin Sesko to the Emirates Stadium this summer, having identified the Slovenian as a prime target months ago.

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Unlike Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City, Arteta’s side don’t need to rush to bring a new striker through the door, as they are not competing in the upcoming Club World Cup, but they are now stepping up their pursuit.

That is according to an update from Plettenberg on X, with the reporter revealing that the next round of talks over a deal for Sesko is now “scheduled”, and the feeling around a possible deal is “very positive”.

Arteta is personally “keen” on signing the 22-year-old, who Plettenberg describes as a “top striker”, but a deal will not be cheap, with RB Leipzig expected to hold out for a fee of around €80m – €100m (£67m – £84m).

The Bundesliga club are now waiting for an official offer for the centre-forward, with no full agreement in place at this stage.

"Monster" Sesko could be ideal striker signing for Arsenal

It is important that Arteta is happy with the striker Andrea Berta brings in this summer, given that he must be suitable for the Spaniard’s system, with it previously being revealed they are in disagreement over whether to sign the RB Leipzig forward or Gyokeres.

At this point, the Slovenia international seems to be the more likely signing, which could be good news for the Gunners, considering he has proven himself in a stronger league than the Sporting star, while he is also five years his junior.

Sesko has maintained a solid goal record over the past two seasons in Germany, showing real signs of development since arriving from RB Salzburg, and he could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Arsenal in attack, much like Erling Haaland was for Manchester City.

Season

Appearances (all comps

Goals

Assists

2023-24

42

18

2

2024-25

45

21

6

Lauded as a “monster” by football scout Ben Mattinson, the Leipzig star could be a fantastic signing for the Gunners, although Gyokeres did manage to outscore his fellow forward last season, albeit in a weaker league.