Manchester United fans' worst fears have been confirmed after Lenny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt missed training on Wednesday.
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Yoro and De Ligt absent from trainingManchester United fears confirmedEuropa League final next weekFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
De Ligt hobbled out of the Premier League defeat at Brentford earlier this month, before Yoro was taken off during Sunday's 2-0 home defeat to West Ham. They are both still absent seven days before the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.
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Two key defensive injuries will cause manager Ruben Amorim plenty of headaches ahead of the showdown in Bilbao. Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Noussair Mazraoui and Luke Shaw would likely be competing for spots in the back three should the injured pair still be out.
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Amorim's side take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Friday before preparations for next week's final fully begin.
Roy Keane has fired shots at Eni Aluko with a quick-witted Ian Wright joke after her claims of the Arsenal legend 'blocking' female pundits.
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Aluko blamed Wright for 'blocking' female pundits
Keane makes a quick-witted joke about Aluko
Leaves Scott, Wright, Neville and Scholes in hysterics
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Last month, Aluko claimed that Wright 'blocked' female pundits as she blamed the Arsenal legend of 'dominating' the coverage of women's football. The former Lionesses star later apologised for her comments towards Wright after reports of a potential sack from her punditry role with ITV. However, her claims have continued to irk those in the footballing world.
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Keane has now fired shots at Aluko with a quick-witted joke on Sky Sports' Stick to Football podcast as Jill Scott explained why she does not work too much in the women's side of the game. The United legend quipped: "Because of Ian?" The whole cast, including Scott, Wright, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, were left in hysterics while Keane remained straight-faced.
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DID YOU KNOW?
After the controversy, Aluko resigned from hosting the Women's Football Awards last week. The public has been advised by Wright to "move on" from the incident. ITV has also backed him, issuing a forceful statement in favour of the Arsenal icon.
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WHAT NEXT FOR ALUKO?
The former Lionesses star is set to stay on with ITV for the rest of the season at least, following her apology to Wright. However, her continuation with the broadcaster through the summer remains in doubt.
Didier Drogba’s legacy at Chelsea is the stuff of legend.
The Ivorian striker was the beating heart of the Blues’ golden era, a colossus who combined power, skill and an unparalleled ability to rise to the occasion when it mattered most, most notably in the 2012 Champions League final, where his unforgettable performance helped the Blues lift the trophy for the first time.
A decade after his departure, Chelsea are still yearning for a successor capable of replicating his impact on and off the pitch.
The club has seen a revolving door of strikers in the post-Drogba era, and while some such as Diego Costa enjoyed solid careers at Stamford Bridge, no one has been able to fully step into the legendary striker’s shoes.
From young prodigies already making their mark in west London to established European stars, we look at five players we think have the potential to take up Drogba’s mantle at Stamford Bridge.
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ByBarney Lane Feb 4, 2025 1 Nicolas Jackson Chelsea
Nicolas Jackson, who Chelsea signed from Villarreal in the summer of 2023, has plenty in common with Drogba. His physical presence and work rate mirror that of Drogba’s, while his ability to link up the play is perhaps even better than the Ivorian’s. He also has great pace and clever movement.
However, where he comes up short when compared to Drogba is his finishing. Though he’s far improved this term under Enzo Maresca, he still wastes too many big chances, often needing two or three clear opportunities to get his name on the scoresheet.
Since moving to Chelsea, Jackson has scored 23 Premier League goals, but also missed a whopping 39 big chances in his short Blues career so far – exactly triple the amount Drogba missed since this was recorded by the Premier League.
That being said, Jackson is still just 23 years old, and minus his hit-and-miss finishing, his impressive performances at his peak suggest he’s capable of leading the line at Stamford Bridge for years to come. However, consistency and improved displays in front of goal will determine if he reaches Drogba’s heights.
2 Shim Mheuka Chelsea
Shim Mheuka has rapidly ascended through Chelsea’s academy ranks since joining the club from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022.
During the 2023/24 season, he regularly featured for the Under-18s despite still being a schoolboy, netting an impressive 12 goals in 20 appearances across all competitions, including a memorable outing at Stamford Bridge in the Under-18 Premier League national final against Manchester United.
Mheuka also played a pivotal role for England in the European Under-17 Championship last summer, scoring in their opening match against Spain. More recently, he marked his first call-up to the Under-19s in style, scoring against France and the Netherlands.
Now 17, Mheuka’s powerful frame, intelligent movement, and superb finishing abilities – all qualities Drogba showcased – have already caught the attention of Maresca, with the Italian handing him his first-team debut in a 3-1 win over Astana in the Conference League back in December.
There is no doubting that he has a bright future in west London, and given Drogba was 26 when he signed for Chelsea, there is plenty of time for Mheuka to prove he has what it takes to grow into a Drogba-esque talent.
3 Liam Delap Ipswich Town
Liam Delap has been one of the Premier League’s best strikers this season. Big, strong and with a lethal eye for goal, the forward has scored 10 goals in the top flight for newly promoted Ipswich Town and has proven to be a real handful for some of the top flight’s best defenders.
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Already linked with a move to Chelsea, Maresca, who coached him as a youngster during his time in Manchester City’s youth ranks, is a big admirer.
“Liam is a fantastic player, and also for his age,” said Maresca back in December before Chelsea were beaten 2-0 by Ipswich, a game in which Delap scored the opening goal. “I think we spent one year together, and he scored 22 to 24 goals. He is a very good striker.
“England have many good players, many good strikers,” he added. “He’s working hard off the ball and on the ball, understands the game and can score goals. I think he can be an important player for England.” For Chelsea too, maybe?
4 Victor Osimhen Galatasaray/Napoli
Victor Osimhen is perhaps the closest current player to Drogba in terms of style and impact.
The Nigerian forward’s scoring record at Napoli is certainly reminiscent of Drogba, not to mention continuing his streak in front of goal in a Galatasaray shirt, which is something the Ivorian did himself in between his Chelsea spells.
Osimhen came close to joining Chelsea in the summer, but the deal fell through prior to his loan switch to Istanbul.
Whilst there, he has again shown why he’s one of the deadliest strikers in world football, scoring 20 goals in 27 games, including two against Tottenham in the Europa League, which would already make him something of a Chelsea hero to some.
5 Benjamin Sesko RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is one of Europe’s most exciting young strikers and has often been compared to Erling Haaland due to his physical attributes and playing style. Rather crucially, he has also been mentioned in the same breath as Chelsea star Drogba.
The Slovenian forward stands at 6 foot 4, making him a real handful for defenders when the ball is crossed into the box. Not only is he big, but he’s also a terrific header of the ball. Since moving to Leipzig in 2023, the 21-year-old has scored seven headed goals.
Drogba, meanwhile, found the net with his noggin 17 times for Chelsea in the Premier League.
Like Drogba, Sesko has the ability to score from long range, best showcased by his stunning strike against Werder Bremen in January, where he unleashed a powerful drive that nearly shattered the net from 25 yards out.
Reportedly already on Chelsea’s radar, a move to Stamford Bridge could give him the chance to develop into Chelsea’s next dominant striker, potentially following in Drogba’s footsteps.
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أثنى لويس دي لافوينتي، مدرب منتخب إسبانيا الأول لكرة القدم، على إشادة كريستيانو رونالدو، بـ لامين يامال، خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص بمباراة نهائي دوري الأمم الأوروبية.
ومن المقرر أن يواجه منتخب إسبانيا نظيره البرتغال مساء غدٍ الأحد، في إطار منافسات نهائي دوري الأمم الأوروبية، على ملعب “أليانز أرينا”.
وقال دي لا فوينتي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “دائمًا أشعر بالتقدير من خلال كلمات رونالدو، أنا معجب به أيضًا، فهو أسطورة، ومثال يحتذى به”.
اقرأ أيضًا | مبابي: صوتي لمرشح الكرة الذهبية محسوم.. وما حدث مع باريس سان جيرمان قدري
وأضاف: “رونالدو صنع حقبة وإرثًا عظيمًا، إنه قدوة لكثير من اللاعبين، من حسن حظي مواجهة البرتغال غدًا”.
وبسؤاله عن لامين يامال قال: “لقد ساعدناه على التطور فترة طويلة، إنه شاب صغير جدًا، لكنه يتمتع بنضج غير عادي، هو يستقبل الأمور بشكل طبيعي، سيمر ببعض الأوقات الصعبة، وعلينا أن نكون بجانبه أيضًا”.
وعن خوضه النهائي الثاني له بعد يورو 2024 قال: “هدوئه سيكون مفاجأة، إنه من هؤلاء الأشخاص المميزين في التعامل تحت ضغط، لكنه يتعامل مع الأمور بسهولة، هذا ما يميزه، وزملاؤه الرائعون يُساعدونه أيضًا”.
Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup on Sunday after they were beaten by Premier League rivals Fulham on penalties at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils found themselves 1-0 down to a Calvin Bassey header but battled back to draw level through Bruno Fernandes, taking the game to extra time.
Ruben Amorim’s side were unable to find a winner in the additional 30 minutes and the tie went down to spot kicks, with two misses for United sealing their fate and denying them a quarter-final clash in the competition they won under Erik ten Hag last season.
It was a disappointing performance and result for United, in a season that feels full of them for the club, and Amorim’s last realistic chance at a trophy this term is now the Europa League.
The Portuguese head coach, who joined from Sporting to replace Ten Hag, may already have one eye on the summer transfer window and the decisions that he will have to take over several players.
Amorim
One player who could be on the chopping block is Swedish central defender Victor Lindelof, who was one of the players to miss from the spot on Sunday.
Victor Lindelof's performance against Fulham
The 30-year-old centre-back came off the bench to replace Leny Yoro in the 54th minute and may not have expected to rack up 67 minutes of action, including extra-time.
As part of a back three, Lindelof was fairly protected and put in a decent enough showing against the Cottagers, winning all three of his duels and completing 96% of his attempted passes.
The Sweden international made four clearances and two tackles, without being dribbled past a single time, and seemed to be on course for a solid outing at the heart of the defence.
Unfortunately, however, Lindelof’s own bravery let him down in the end. The centre-back stepped up to take one of the penalties, before the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Chido Obi-Martin, and saw his fairly weak effort saved by Bernd Leno.
As you can see in the clip above, the Swedish titan has proven in the past that he can stick away penalties in pressurised moments in the FA Cup, scoring at Wembley to book a place in the final in 2023.
Despite a decent performance outside of his penalty miss, Lindelof is one of the players who should be moved on by Amorim in the summer window.
Why Victor Lindelof should be let go
The former Benfica star is out of contract at the end of June and he has not done enough on the pitch to suggest that the Portuguese head coach should be looking to extend his deal at Old Trafford.
With only a couple of months left to go in the season, Lindelof has yet to start a Premier League game for United. All six of his appearances in the top-flight have been as a substitute, which speaks to where he is in the pecking order of centre-backs.
Chalkboard
This shows that he is not a frontline option for United, as he was rarely selected by ten Hag or Amorim, although part of that has been down to his recent struggles with injuries.
As you can see in the table below, Lindelof remained relatively injury-free, with no long-term absences, in his first years at the club, but he has missed a whopping 37 matches since the start of last term.
24/25
2
15
23/24
2
22
22/23
1
4
21/22
3
5
20/21
1
3
19/20
3
2
18/19
1
5
17/18
0
0
Lindelof, who has made 270 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, has not been reliable enough in terms of his availability in the last two seasons, which has also led to him being on the fringes of the squad.
Therefore, Amorim must allow the experienced central defender to move on from Old Trafford in the summer when his contract expires, but he is not the only player who must be ruthlessly let go.
Argentina international Alejandro Garnacho is another dud who the former Sporting manager must cash in on when the summer transfer window opens for business.
Why Alejandro Garnacho should be sold
Firstly, there was reported interest from several clubs in the January transfer window, including Napoli, Chelsea, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid.
This suggests that there are plenty of teams who would be willing to do business with United if they decided to sell Garnacho when the next window opens up, rather than it being a case of the Red Devils needing to find a team to take the player off their hands.
The 20-year-old dynamo has had some terrific moments in a United shirt, as shown in the clips above, but his regression in the current campaign is a cause for concern with his decision to walk down the tunnel after being substituted against Ipswich last week undoubtedly the nadir of his career so far.
It was a moment that displeased some, including Man United writer Alex Turk, who suggested that the youngster needed to “grow up a little.”
So, with Garnacho (£50k-per-week) reportedly earning more than teammates Patrick Dorgu (£40k-per-week) and Kobbie Mainoo (£20k-per-week) his declining performances on the pitch suggest that the club should certinaly look to cash in on him before they look to increase his wages.
Appearances
36
26
Goals
7
3
Big chances missed per 90
0.2
0.7
Big chances created
6
3
Assists
4
1
Key passes per 90
1.6
1.3
As you can see in the table above, the academy graduate’s output in the final third in the Premier League has decreased this season, with more ‘big chances’ missed per 90, fewer goals, and fewer assists and key passes per 90.
This, essentially, means that the United youngster is not offering as much as he did in the 2023/24 campaign as a difference-maker in front of goal, which has made him less and less effective on the pitch.
These statistics show that Garnacho, who missed two ‘big chances’ in the loss to Fulham on penalties, is trending downwards and United should look to extract the maximum out of his current value, amid interest from a host of teams.
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Selling him now could result in United hitting the jackpot if his form continues to plummet in the years to come and his value falls along with it, which is why Amorim must finally ditch him, after opting against it in January, as well as Lindelof in the summer.
BBL reduced to a 43-game season while Australia men’s home ODI and T20Is remain behind a paywall until 2031
ESPNcricinfo staff and AAP02-Jan-2023
CA have extended their partnership with Seven and Foxtel to broadcast cricket in Australia until 2031•Getty Images
The BBL will be reduced to a 43-game season under a new $AUS1.512 billion broadcast deal Cricket Australia has secured with existing partners Channel Seven and Foxtel, on a new seven-year term.As part of the deal, confirmed on Tuesday, Seven will end their legal battle which they brought over a perceived lack of quality in the BBL over the last couple of seasons.”There’s no doubt our relationship has been tested and there’s nothing left unsaid I can assure you,” Seven’s head of network sport, Lewis Martin, said. “We’ve had our issues with Cricket Australia and we’ve reset. They were challenging times, no doubt about it. One of the key things that kept us constant was that we were united in both the love and for the ambition to grow the game. That was critical and that’s why we are all standing here today.”Confirmation of the new broadcast package is a significant milestone for the board, including chief executive Nick Hockley and outgoing chair Lachlan Henderson, in terms of securing a solid financial footing for the game in Australia.The reduction in the BBL from its current 61-game season will cut the length of the tournament with the aim of having it completed within the school holidays and it is hoped will improve availability of Australian and overseas players.”We’ve been listening to the fans, listening to the players, we are seeing it this season with the BBL, it’s primetime nights in the heart of the summer holidays and what this allows us to do is tighten things up,” Nick Hockley, the CA CEO said. “It allows us to get the best players in, it sits really nicely next to our new future tours programme.”All Australia home men’s Test matches and Australia women’s internationals between 2024 and 2031 will be broadcast on Seven and Foxtel as has been the case since 2018. Foxtel’s streaming partner Kayo Sports and Seven’s streaming platform 7plus will also carry all of those matches.Related
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Significantly, the white-ball internationals of Australia’s men’s team will remain behind a paywall on Foxtel and Kayo and with Tests the majority of the BBL being available free-to-air on Seven and 7plus.All 43 matches of the new streamlined BBL and WBBL will be broadcast on Foxtel and Kayo, which includes 10 home and away matches for each team plus three finals. Foxtel will carry 10 of those games exclusively behind their paywall and intend to show them on a Super Saturday series. Seven will broadcast 33 of the 43 BBL matches each year including finals and 23 of the WBBL matches including finals.”We are delighted to be continuing our broadcast partnership with the Foxtel Group and Seven under an improved deal,” Hockley said. “The quality and reach of the Foxtel Group and Seven’s cricket production is first class and the outstanding service they provide cricket fans was a strong consideration in our decision to continue with this successful partnership.”The bidding process had also attracted interest from US company Paramount, which owns Channel 10, and former cricket broadcaster Nine.Paramount’s streaming service Paramount Plus rolled out to Australia in August 2021 and is already in the local sporting market as broadcaster of the A-Leagues and Australian soccer internationals.But it is understood CA felt neither Paramount Plus nor its struggling free-to-air affiliate Network 10 could match the reach of the current broadcast hosts.Foxtel has a base of 4.6 million subscribers, nearly 1.3 million of whom are signed up to streaming platform Kayo, while Seven’s Test coverage has continued to rate among the highest programs on free-to-air television this summer.Paramount Plus has yet to disclose its own figures but August estimates from market research specialist Roy Morgan placed the platform’s local subscriber base at around 400,000.CA’s decision to overlook Paramount comes after the AFL opted to reject the American company’s advances last year, despite it being the highest bidder.
Paul Mullin has been told how to score goals in the Championship after facing questions of his Wrexham future heading towards another transfer window.
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Prolific presence in lower leaguesTumbled down the striking pecking orderBacked to prove worth in second tierFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 30-year-old frontman has been a prolific presence for the Red Dragons since joining them as a National League outfit in 2021. He has registered 110 goals through 172 appearances.
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Only five of those efforts came in the 2024-25 campaign, as Wrexham made history by finishing as runners-up in League One and securing a third successive promotion. He now faces fierce competition for places in Phil Parkinson’s squad.
DID YOU KNOW?
There is the promise of more recruitment to come, potentially in the final third of the field, and that would nudge Mullin – who has been struggling to make matchday squads – even further down the pecking order.
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GettyWHAT DEAN SAUNDERS SAID
While a move elsewhere is being mooted, ex-Wrexham boss Dean Saunders has told of how Mullin can earn favour once more: “I absolutely think Paul Mullin could score goals in the Championship. It wasn't long ago that we were talking about him playing for Wales.
“He has always scored goals in every league he's played in, so he is capable of scoring goals in the Championship. But the defenders get better as you go up the leagues, so he will have to be smarter and work harder for every goal.
“It's all about speed of thought, so if he is aware of that and works hard, I'm sure he can score plenty next year for Wrexham, but it will be tough for him to adapt.”
It’s the third year on the bounce that Mikel Arteta’s side have fought for the Premier League, but instead of Manchester City, it’s Liverpool who, as things stand, look set to pip them to the crown.
The North Londoners haven’t been at their scintillating best for much of the campaign, but they have also been incredibly unlucky with injuries, with their two best attackers, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, out injured.
Worse still, a player the club released as a youngster continues to thrive at the very highest level and has already scored more goals than Saka and Havertz combined.
Havertz and Saka's seasons
So, it would be fair to say that since he moved to Arsenal for £65m in June 2023, Havterz has been a player who has split opinions among fans and pundits alike.
The German international initially joined the club as a midfield option, but halfway through last season, when he was struggling to adapt, Arteta opted to move him up and make him the team’s starting number nine, which was a decision that more than paid off.
By the end of the campaign, the former Chelsea ace had scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 51 games, but eight of those goals and seven of those assists came in just 18 appearances up top, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.2 games.
He hasn’t been quite as clinical this season and has received flak for it, but we’d argue that the Aachen-born marksman has been more effective than people have given him credit for, as in 34 appearances, he’s scored 15 goals and provided five assists, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.7 games, and also makes him the club’s top scorer.
From one player who sometimes has as many critics as fans to one who was in simply sensational form prior to his unfortunate hamstring injury: Saka.
In just 24 appearances, totalling 1828 minutes, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.09 games, or every 83.09 minutes.
In short, Arsenal are in for a serious uphill battle if they are going to overtake Liverpool without these two in the team, which makes the club’s distant decision to release a prolific goalscorer, who has more goals than he pair combined this season, as a child even harder to take today.
The former Arsenal prospect outscoring Saka and Havertz
With a club the size of Arsenal, there will always be incredible youngsters who slip through the gaps, such as Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Donyell Malen.
Crystal Palace player Michael Olise
However, we aren’t sure many teams have made the decision to release a player who would end up being as unbelievably talented as Harry Kane.
The England captain was a part of Hale End until he was around 12 years old, when then-academy manager Roy Massey decided to release him, as he didn’t believe the youngster had what was needed to make it in the game.
Harry Kane for England
Now, while the club have since come to regret that decision in a big, big way, it did take about three years for Tottenham Hotspur to swoop in and pick him up after he spent a few weeks on trial with Watford, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Following a number of loans around the Football League, the Walthamstow-born star finally made it into the Lilywhites’ first team and went on to become their all-time top goalscorer, racking up an incredible haul of 280 goals and 61 assists in 435 games before securing a mega-money move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.
The “world-class” centre forward, as dubbed by Harry Maguire, has been just as devastating in Germany, and this season, he has already scored 29 goals and provided ten assists in just 31 appearances, totalling 2459 minutes.
That means he is not only outscoring Havertz and Saka combined, but he’s also averaging 1.25 goal involvements every game, or one every 63.05 minutes, which is utterly outrageous and the sort of output that would surely fire Arteta’s men to the title.
Kane vs Saka vs Havertz 24/25
Player
Kane
Saka
Havertz
Appearances
31
24
34
Minutes
2459′
1828′
2776′
Goals
29
9
15
Assists
10
13
5
Goal Involvements per Match
1.25
0.91
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
63.05′
83.09′
138.8′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Ultimately, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Arsenal are blessed with a plethora of incredibly talented players of their own, but a world in which they kept hold of Kane is one that might’ve seen them win a lot more silverware.
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The sensational talent is already a game-changer for Arsenal.
Arsenal are expecting to strike another summer deal after their rumoured attempts to reach a pre-agreement over signing Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, with the Gunners seemingly trying to back Mikel Arteta ahead of time.
Arsenal hope to have Zubimendi deal pre-agreed before summer
During the January window, a report by The Daily Mail broke news that Arsenal were advancing in talks over a pre-summer deal for Zubimendi, as they plan to trigger the £50 million release clause in his Sociedad contract.
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This was later reinforced by other reliable media sources, like renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, who shared news of “positive talks” between Zubimendi’s entourage and Arsenal ahead of the summer window.
Since then, The Athletic have reiterated that Arsenal hope to have a deal for Zubimendi agreed before the summer window opens, so this transfer is very much alive as Arteta’s side hunt for a world-class heir to the likes of Jorginho and Thomas Partey – who are both nearing the end of their contracts.
Leicester City (away)
February 15th
West Ham (home)
February 22nd
Nottingham Forest (away)
February 26th
Man United (away)
March 9th
Chelsea (home)
March 16th
While other clubs could still come into the mix and present tempting of proposals of their own for the Spain international, it appears Arsenal have laid the most groundwork and are looking to win the race very early doors.
Zubimendi, a boyhood Sociedad supporter, has been pivotal for the La Liga side – and his affection for the club means that negotiations on his side may not be as straightforward as triggering his exit clause.
Nevertheless, Arsenal are looking to Spain for reinforcements, with Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia still firmly on their radar.
RCDEspanyol'sJoanGarciain action with FC Barcelona's Hector Fort
The shot-stopper played a starring role in their push for promotion from the Segunda División last season, and has continued to impress in La Liga, with members of the Spanish press believing he looks “world-class” already.
Garcia agreed personal terms with Arsenal last summer, but they couldn’t find a club-to-club agreement via Espanyol, forcing them to settle on a season-long loan deal for another David Raya back-up option in Neto.
Arsenal expecting to sign Joan Garcia after Martin Zubimendi
Now, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, writing for Football Insider, the north Londoners are very confident they’ll seal their second summer deal after Zubimendi with a swoop for Garcia.
Arsenal expect to finally land Garcia in the summer, once they’ve put pen to paper on Zubimendi’s signing, and the 23-year-old’s contract is also thought to include a release clause set at around £21 million.
There is apparently real optimism at the Emirates they’ll shake hands with Espanyol on an agreement for Garcia, and it is clear why they’re so keen on the young keeper.
He’s played every La Liga minute for the newly-promoted Spaniards this season, keeping three clean sheets, with Garcia standing out as an option for both now and for the very long-term.
The time for talking is over. We’ve been through the context and the controversies and now, we can get to the cricket. Come 10.20am on Saturday in Queensland, all eyes will be on bat versus ball, or if we’re honest, maybe just ball.In stark contrast to all the Bazballing our Test-cricket-loving eyes have been subjected to, the tone for this series is expected to be set by the fast bowlers. There are a total of 12 across both squads with a collective skill set that includes speed, swing, slower-ball variations and the ability to suffocate run-scoring with strangling lines and lengths. Pound-for-pound, the Australian and South African attacks are evenly matched which only means the most likely place for the series to be won or lost, is in the performance of the batters.Related
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Australia’s are in fine form: they have not been bowled out in their last four Test innings (all against West Indies) and have totalled over 300 nine times in 17 innings this year. While there is some concern about David Warner’s dry spell, there are enough other big names scoring big runs for that to matter too much. South Africa can only dream of the same. They were bowled out for under 200 in their last four Test innings and their 300-plus scores number just five in 17 innings. Their run-scoring woes are well-documented (only two centuries among them in this edition of the World Test Championship, for example) but every member of the squad who’s been asked about it has explained their low numbers away by citing tough conditions and tougher attacks.If they are correct, and those are the only reasons for averages that hover under 40, Australia could be the place to prove it. The bounce will be true and there won’t be much sideways movement to contend with, which is what South Africa struggled with in England. Although the home attack will be as, if not more, difficult to face than the bowlers they have already been up against, they’re similar in pace and threat to South Africa’s own pack. If some of the top six don’t rack up good numbers in this series, places must be at risk and a personnel shift could be in offing. Similarly, the series is important for South Africa’s team management, as Malibongwe Maketa, currently installed as interim head coach, is learnt to be interested in the permanent role.The task Maketa faces is not quite as daunting as it looks. South Africa only need to win one Test (and therefore can afford to lose the series) and still remain in contention for the WTC final. But nobody thinks like that. Given how dominant South Africa have been in Australia for the last decade and a half, a series win is not too much to expect. Equally, Australia will want to reclaim their home fortresses and re-establish the dominance they had over South Africa pre-2008. They have not lost a home Test in almost two years, since January 2021, and have won six out of seven since then.
Form guide
AustraliaWWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first) South Africa LLWWW
In the spotlight
Irrespective of how you pronounce his name, Marnus Labuschagne is going to be the talk of the series and not just because he is playing against the country of his birth for the first time in Tests. Labuschagne is in a purple patch most players can only dream of, with three hundreds from his last four Test innings, including a double-hundred. He is the fourth leading run-scorer in Tests this year, just 171 runs off the leader, Joe Root, and with four Test innings to play before 2022 is out, he may well end up at the top of the list. He credits his obsession with becoming a better batter as the key to success and there’s no better country to show that off against than the one he used to call home.Marnus Labuschagne has been in fine form•Getty Images
Who better to challenge than Labuschagne than South Africa’s best – Kagiso Rabada? Although he had a poor T20 World Cup, Rabada is South Africa’s leading Test wicket-taker this year and, like Labuschagne, is fourth on the overall charts. There’s also just something about Australia that tends to bring out the best in him. Rabada is a bowler for the big occasion and after a disappointing limited-overs year and a Test defeat in England. This is the last chance to make a compelling statement in 2022.
Team news
Australian captain Pat Cummins has recovered from the quadriceps injury that kept him out of the second Test against West Indies and will take back the captaincy from Steven Smith with Michael Neser sitting out. Scott Boland retains his place for the injured Josh Hazlewood.Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott BolandRassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma come back into the batting line-up after missing the last Test and the entire tour in England respectively. Their experience will come in handy as Keegan Petersen is out of the tour with a torn hamstring. That leaves a gap at No. 5, which is likely to be filled by one of Khaya Zondo or Theunis de Bruyn, with Heinrich Klaasen in reserve. South Africa have been considering seven specialist batters but with bowling allrounder Marco Jansen at No. 7, they can afford to field four other bowlers: three frontline quicks and Keshav Maharaj as the sole spinner.South Africa (possible) 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Khaya Zondo/Theunis de Bruyn, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi
Pitch and conditions
Known as one of the quickest surfaces in Test cricket, the Gabba should have plenty of bite for the fast bowlers and it’s not shying away from showing off its true colours. It was still very green 24 hours out from the toss although remained a chance a little could be shaved off. “The green colour doesn’t scare us,” Elgar said. However, it can also be deceptive. The last time South Africa played at this venue, they were sucked into the mythology and went in all-pace only to find the pitch was so placid, even Hashim Amla got a few overs. That was a decade ago and the second day was lost to rain. There’s none of that expected this time with sunny weather forecast throughout the Test.
Stats and trivia
South Africa have won their last three series in Australia in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Between them, South Africa’s squad has 1675 first-class caps, more than Australia’s 1533. However, South Africa only boast 329 Test caps compared with Australia’s 577.
Mitchell Starc needs four wickets for 300 in Tests; Usman Khawaja needs 47 runs for 4000
Australia have four batters – Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja – and two bowlers – Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc – in the top ten on the ICC’s Test rankings. South Africa have no batters and only one bowler: Kagiso Rabada. Their highest-ranked batter is Dean Elgar, at No.16.
Quotes
“It looks like they’ve got a pretty well-rounded attack. Whether they play four of five bowlers, they’ve got a good spinner, and a left-armer. They’re going to be a challenge.” “We’ve always fought fire with fire. It doesn’t take much for our guys to step up when needs be. We can’t control what Australia does. The only thing we can control is how we go about our business.”