All posts by h79snht.top

There have been plenty of disappointing aspects to Arsenal’s season this year.

One of the most significant – outside the lack of trophies, of course – has been the pretty dismal form of Martin Odegaard.

This time last year, the Norwegian international was named the club’s Player of the Year for the second campaign on the bounce, and now there are genuine discussions about his place in the team.

It might sound hyperbolic, but the team’s captain and chief creator amassing a tally of six goals and 12 assists in 45 games isn’t great, especially when there are several ways Mikel Arteta and Co could replace him.

With that said, there is one player, someone once compared to the former Real Madrid star, who certainly shouldn’t be looked at as his replacement and instead should be sold as soon as possible.

How Arsenal could replace Odegaard

Okay, so we don’t think the captain is in any real danger of fully losing his place in the team at the moment, but should his poor form continue into next season, it shouldn’t be off the table.

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So, aside from making an expensive signing, what could Arteta and Co do to replace him in the team?

Well, the first option, which seems to be quite popular among sections of the fanbase, is giving Ethan Nwaneri the chance to make the position his own.

Now, the Hale Ender has primarily played out on the right this season, but across his time in the academy, his most played role was that of a number ten or the most attacking midfield player.

Moreover, if this year has shown us anything, the 18-year-old phenom knows where the goal is and how to play a dangerous pass in behind.

For example, in just 1378 minutes of first-team football, he scored nine goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 125.27 minutes.

A longer-term option, and one that might seem a little foolhardy at the moment, could be unleashing Max Dowman there once he’s acclimated to senior football next season.

Now, it would be utterly absurd to even suggest such a thing for most players his age, but the 15-year-old is evidently not like most players, with respected talent scout Jacek Kulig even going as far as calling him “the most exciting” prospect “since Lamine Yamal.”

It’s not hard to understand why he would say such a thing either, as in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, this season, the “ridiculous player,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 19 goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an unreal average of 1.04 goal involvements every game, or one every 81.04 minutes.

So, in short, there are a couple of great in-house solutions should Odegaard not improve his form next year, but another player was once compared to the Norwegian and should be nowhere near the team next season.

The Arsenal star who must be sold

Some Arsenal players, like Jorginho and Kieran Tierney, are already confirmed to be leaving this summer, or they look like they might, like Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Someone who must join the departing players is Fabio Vieira.

The Portuguese midfielder joined the Gunners for around £34m in the summer of 2022, and while it was somewhat of a surprise signing, there was still some genuine excitement at the time, as he’d just produced 23 goal involvements in 39 games for Porto the season prior, and was even described as being similar to Odegaard by Gunners’ legend Gilberto Silva.

Unfortunately, things just did not work out for the 24-year-old, and across his two campaigns at the club, the “phenomenal” midfielder, as once dubbed by Kulig, produced just 13 goal involvements in 49 appearances.

After struggling to make any sort of impact for two seasons on the bounce, the decision was made to send him back to Porto for a season-long loan last summer, and while he’s looked better, it would be overdoing it to go any further.

Vieira’s recent seasons

Season

21/22

22/23

23/24

24/25

Appearances

39

33

16

39

Goals

7

2

1

5

Assists

16

6

3

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.24

0.25

0.25

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, in 39 appearances, totalling 2457 minutes, he has scored five goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.9 games or every 245.7 minutes, which is significantly worse than Odegaard’s output this year.

So, if he’s doing better than he was but still isn’t at the level required to play for the club, the only logical answer is to try and sell him as soon as possible while he still has some value.

Therefore, while it might sound harsh, Vieira should never play for Arsenal again, for his own sake and the sake of the club.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 28, 2025

Leeds United supporters are surely still in a celebratory mood after their side brushed off any playoff final agony to lift the Championship title on a colossal 100 points.

There will be some anxiety seeping in as to how the Whites will cope with the Premier League. However, the summer transfer window is also a time for those at Elland Road to become even more excited about who could possibly don the famous Leeds white in the top division.

Daniel Farke could well be about to flex his past Norwich City connections to finally bring Emiliano Buendia into the building, with the addition of Buendia to the Whites ranks somewhat of a coup, considering his previous excellent performances for Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Why Buendia signing would be a coup

Buendia and the German used to be a match made in heaven in Norfolk, before the Argentine ace spread his wings for pastures new at Villa.

Indeed, the exciting ex-Canaries midfielder made the Championship his playground under Farke’s watchful eye, as seen in his terrific tally of 24 goals and 41 assists pulling on Norwich yellow and green.

He would initially kick on when given first-team opportunities in the West Midlands, with this goal even breaking Leeds hearts back in early 2023, but injury troubles have since hindered his chances at progressing further at Villa Park.

But, even with Buendia being missing for a hefty 56 games during the 2023/24 season due to a devastating cruciate ligament tear, he does still boast ten goals and 15 assists up a level, which will be of great use to Leeds as they carefully navigate back up.

Yet, whilst the opportunity to pick up a former £33m-rated star on loan shouldn’t be passed up on, another move would go down as a bigger coup than Buendia’s temporary signature being won if it were successfully pulled off.

Leeds could re-sign Bielsa favourite

Leeds will be aiming to leave the past in the past for the most part, especially when it comes to the sinking feeling of being relegated back down to the Championship.

But, Farke and Co. would surely be tempted by the prospect of adding Kalvin Phillips back to their roster.

Indeed, the Mail on Sunday – as has been relayed by MOT Leeds News – stated in their recent print copy that the newly promoted Whites want to bring Phillips back to his old boyhood home after his shoulder surgery at Manchester City.

It has even been further speculated that Leeds could win back their former fans’ favourite for a cut-price – valued at £10m by Transfermarkt – which would be a deal that’s hard to refuse, particularly when you remember Phillips’ heroics at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa saw him join Pep Guardiola’s men for a bumper £45m.

This would surely go down as a stroke of genius on Leeds’ end if Phillips were to return and get back to his previous West Yorkshire best.

Indeed, his last spell at the club resulted in many an England call-up under Gareth Southgate, alongside the 29-year-old looking assured at the daunting level, instead of now being known as a waste of City’s flashy millions.

Phillips’ PL numbers for Leeds

Stat

Phillips (20/21)

Phillips (21/22)

Matches played

29

20

Goals scored

1

0

Assists

2

1

Touches per game

65

62.1

Accurate passes per game

41 (85%)

38.9 (82%)

Big chances created

5

1

Total duels won

5.3

4.9

Stats by Sofascore

When playing in the top-flight previously for Leeds, Phillips had shown himself to be a competent battler who was also keen at creating chances for his attacking teammates, with the table above showing off both his grit to win duels galore, but also his ability to fashion openings.

It would even lead to the 29-year-old being labelled as “exceptional” by football talent scout Antonio Mango, with nobody more desperate than Phillips himself to try and recapture these lofty heights.

Of course, this might well go down as a misfire if the beloved ex-number 23 returns and buckles under all the intense pressure.

But, on the contrary, it could well be viewed as an unbelievable coup, especially if he rolls back the years in the heart of Leeds’ midfield for far less than his steep £45m valuation.

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Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson May 31, 2025

Birmingham City showed this time last summer that they are content with punching above their weight when a dramatic transfer window is open.

Indeed, it was somewhat of a shock to see Chris Davies’ men win the services of Jay Stansfield, considering the Blues had just been relegated all the way down to League One. Still, at a price tag of £15m, Birmingham sent shockwaves through the third tier with this statement purchase.

Birmingham will likely try to operate in a similarly flashy fashion moving up a division, with that approach clear for all to see again as Demarai Gray is now tipped to make a dramatic return to St. Andrew’s.

Gray's potential return to Birmingham

Gray isn’t the only former Birmingham player on the club’s radar this summer with Che Adams’ name having also been thrown out as another high-profile face who could soon return to their boyhood employers as Birmingham aim to take their new league by storm.

Gray is the latest rumour in this regard, with journalist Ben Jacobs taking to social media earlier this month to confirm the Blues’ interest and even reveal an enquiry had been made.

It would take around a fee of £8m for Birmingham to win back their former homegrown product, which is a steep amount to fork out, irrespective of his previous blistering eight-goal stint in the West Midlands.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has only tallied up a meagre nine goal contributions from 50 games for current employers Al-Ettifaq.

Off the back of this, Davies and Co might set their sights elsewhere.

The "special" target who is more exciting than Gray

The concern would be that the 28-year-old flounders back on the St. Andrew’s stage and tarnishes his reputation in the process.

On the other hand, an alternate target in attack in the form of NEC Nijimegen ace Sontje Hansen would have nothing to lose on his arrival in Birmingham.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph recently revealed that the newly promoted outfit has expressed an interest in landing the entertaining Dutchman.

Much like Gray, Hansen has been under an intense spotlight most of his senior career, having initially exploded onto the scene as a promising young starlet at Eredivisie behemoth Ajax.

He would only go on to make two first-team appearances in Amsterdam, but he has more than made a name for himself at Nijimegen in the here and now, as seen in the breathtaking solo goal above and when further assessing his standout numbers in the table below.

Hansen’s Eredivisie numbers (23/24) + (24/25)

Stat

Hansen (23/24)

Hansen (24/25)

Games played

33

32

Goals scored

6

6

Assists

4

4

Big chances missed

4

2

Big chances created

7

7

Stats by Sofascore

Hansen has been very consistent for his Dutch top division employers over the last two seasons, with a hefty 20 goal contributions picked up across his last two league campaigns.

To add context, despite Gray being able to boast Premier League experience with Everton, he has only been able to collect a flat seven goal contributions over the same period, even whilst plying his trade out in the weaker Saudi Pro League.

Hansen has even been branded as a “special” talent in the past by his former U17 coach in Peter van der Veen, with plenty more to come from the 23-year-old potentially if he uproots to the Blues shortly.

Whereas Gray has arguably had his moment in the sun at St. Andrew’s, with more exciting, up-and-coming stars now needing to be prioritised.

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Posts 2 ByKelan Sarson Jun 6, 2025

Chelsea know exactly what they need to do to secure qualification for the knockout stages of the Club World Cup.

A win and a defeat in their first two games means the Blues must defeat African side ES Tunis in their final group stage match.

With around $125m awaiting the winner of the competition, Enzo Maresca won’t be settling for an early exit. That much is certain.

Several players have impressed stateside for the Stamford Bridge outfit across their opening two matches.

Liam Delap recorded an assist on his debut against LAFC last week, delivering an inch-perfect cross into the path of Enzo Fernández, who slotted home the club’s second goal.

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

Elsewhere, Pedro Neto is enjoying a stunning tournament so far. Not only has the Portuguese winger scored in both games thus far, but he has also succeeded with four dribbles per game, and has created two big chances while averaging 2.5 key passes per match.

If he can deliver another wonderful display on Wednesday, the Blues will seal a place in the last 16 without much fuss.

Not everyone has shone in America, however, with Nicolas Jackson enduring a tournament to forget so far.

Why Nicolas Jackson's future is uncertain at Chelsea

Jackson was chosen by Maresca to start the first match against LAFC, where he did manage to grab an assist and make three key passes, although the striker did miss a big chance, something he’s become famed for since moving to London.

It was a solid, if unspectacular, start to the Club World Cup, but Liam Delap’s impressive cameo in the same game meant he would be tasked with leading the line from the start against Flamengo.

The Englishman performed admirably, but was substituted off with just under 30 minutes left, replaced by Jackson.

The former Villarreal star didn’t have long to make an impression, but just four minutes after coming on, he committed a dreadful challenge on Lucas Ayrton, which saw him receive a straight red card.

He can have no complaints, especially given the studs-up nature of the challenge. Jackson will now miss the final group stage match for the Blues.

Jackson’s PL stats for Chelsea last season

Goals

10

Assists

5

Shots per game

2.5

Goal conversion percentage

13%

Key passes per game

0.9

Big chances missed

19

Via Sofascore

Both Juventus and Napoli have reportedly shown interest in signing the Blues centre-forward this summer amid his poor displays and now recent sending-off.

However, an update from Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol quashed the rumours of a potential departure, stating that “Chelsea are planning to have at least two frontline strikers in their squad next season which means Nicolas Jackson is not for sale at the moment.”

It appears as though Jackson will still be a player that Maresca needs in his squad next season, but things have to change if he wishes to contribute effectively.

Could signing a new attacking midfielder perhaps help in this regard?

Chelsea target move for Bundesliga sensation

Maresca has been searching for a new winger over the previous few weeks and players such as Mohammed Kudus, Tyler Dibling and Jamie Gittens are among the main targets.

Transfer Focus

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

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There are other positions which need bolstering too, including the defence and midfield. This has led Maresca to search far and wide for potential new signings.

One player who is on their radar is RB Leipzig starlet Xavi Simons. That is according to football.london, who also state that the likes of Joao Pedro, Kudus and Ekitike are those on the club’s wish list this summer.

No transfer fee has been mentioned regarding a move for the Dutchman, but considering he has a contract until 2027 with the club and is valued at €70m (£60m) by Transfermarkt, the Blues could be forced to splash the cash.

This is, of course, nothing new to the Blues, and if Simons does make the move to London, he could be the man to revive Jackson. That’s for sure.

Why Xavi Simons could revive Nicolas Jackson

Last season for Leipzig, Simons demonstrated why, in the words of one data analyst, he is “one of the best 10s in the world,” not only scoring 11 goals, but also registering eight assists in all competitions.

In the Bundesliga, the Dutch starlet created 12 big chances while also averaging two key passes per game and these sorts of numbers could be music to Jackson’s ears.

If deployed directly behind the Senegal international, Simons would surely create chance upon chance for the player, hopefully helping him hit that magic 20-goal-a-season mark next term.

Furthermore, he displayed his creative abilities in the Champions League last season. When compared to his peers in the competition, Simons ranked highly on a range of metrics.

Indeed, he ranked in the top 9% for successful ons (1.88) per 90, in the top 2% for shot-creating actions (5.91) and also in the top 89% for progressive carries (3.22) per 90 in the competition.

Yet more evidence of how Simons could revive Jackson. He can beat his man consistently while bringing the ball into the final third with ease.

All Jackson has to do is get into the correct positions, and he will have a plethora of chances to score next term.

Further hailed by journalist Alex Barker as “one of the best youngsters in Europe” towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign, it won’t be long before he hits the very top and he could do just that at Stamford Bridge.

Will Chelsea ramp up their interest in the player as the transfer window goes on? While a winger remains the priority for Maresca, signing someone like Simons is a must.

Jackson could turn into a new man next season by having Simons operating just behind him. As evidenced, the Dutchman can generate chances galore and regularly bursts into the opposition penalty box.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Jun 22, 2025

Head coach at risk despite insisting he is right man to take team forward after T20 World Cup exit

Matt Roller28-Jun-20241:35

What next for Jos Buttler?

England’s exit from the T20 World Cup leaves Rob Key facing the biggest call of his tenure as managing director. Reaching the semi-finals was seen as the minimum expectation for Matthew Mott but the manner of his side’s 68-run drubbing by India in Guyana leaves his position as white-ball head coach at risk during a rare break in the World Cup cycle.Mott is two years into a four-year contract and insisted on Thursday that he is the right man to take England forwards. His team won the last T20 World Cup six months into his tenure but bombed at the 50-over World Cup in India last year. And while they reached the last four in the Caribbean, they only beat one Test-playing opponent across the tournament.ICC events are now annual occurrences but next year is the first in five without a men’s white-ball World Cup: there is a Champions Trophy scheduled for February but that is the least important tournament in the calendar. After Thursday’s semi-final defeat, England now have a 10-week break until their next limited-overs series against Australia in September.Related

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It leaves Key with a series of questions to answer when he reviews this World Cup. Can Mott reinvigorate a side which appears to have stagnated? Are England making genuine progress under Mott’s leadership? If not, is there an obvious replacement? And would they want to take on the scrutiny of a job where a semi-final World Cup exit is a sackable offence?Key has made a number of big decisions across his two-year tenure: appointing Ben Stokes as Test captain, gambling on Brendon McCullum, taking the blame for last year’s World Cup debacle and, most recently, telling James Anderson that his time as an England player was finally up. But working out how to revitalise this white-ball set-up looms as the biggest of them all.Jos Buttler’s position as captain will come under similar scrutiny but the decision may be his rather than Key’s. Buttler has achieved so much that he could happily give up international cricket and earn handsomely on the franchise circuit for the next five years if he wishes. As Key doubtless knows, England need Buttler far more than Buttler needs England.This was a strange campaign. England’s warm-up series against Pakistan was blighted by weather and after their first match against Scotland, featuring an uninspiring bowling effort, was washed out a heavy defeat to Australia left them on the brink of a first-round exit. Another hour of rain in Antigua during their game against Namibia would have sent them home.Then, in St Lucia, they put together a complete performance to end West Indies’ winning streak by chasing down 181 with 15 balls to spare, before losing a tight game to South Africa. They secured their spot in the semi-finals by thrashing USA in Barbados, but conditions in Guyana were never likely to suit them and on a pitch characterised by low bounce, India asserted their authority.”I think we were good without being great,” Mott said at Providence Stadium, assessing England’s tournament. “If we’re being honest, we weren’t quite at our best. We were hoping to peak at the right time and certainly coming up against India today, we needed to peak and we knew that. This was possibly going to be the toughest test we had and we weren’t quite good enough.”England white-ball coach Matthew Mott after the semi-final loss to India•Getty Images

England were a tense, downbeat team in India last winter but seemed to have learned from their mistakes, hiring Kieron Pollard as a consultant for his local knowledge and bringing back the psychologist David Young, who was a popular presence. On the eve of the semi-final, Mott insisted that England were making progress under him and reiterated that position after their exit.”You always feel like you’ve made progress when you get to the semi-finals,” he said. “It’s disappointing to finish in that way: whether we lost by one run or the margin we did, we’d be going home very disappointed… [but] there’s not many teams who’d have turned up today and taken that game away from India, given the conditions we faced.”Yet the sense remains that England have lost their aura. Mott has not been helped by a disjointed schedule which sees him go months without access to his players but after two years in the job, their identity under him is still not clear. They are now in a transitional phase and Key must decide whether Mott has a clear vision for what comes next.Mott believes his backroom staff are fully behind him. “Jos and I as a partnership have been galvanised in the last six months,” he said. “You learn more about leadership in times of adversity. If you ask around the dressing room, we’ve got a lot of people in the support staff that have given credit to the leadership group for the way we’ve stuck together in tricky circumstances.”Sometimes it’s not all about results. Obviously we’re in a results-driven business, and you guys [the written press] will have your fun at our expense, I’m sure. But when you wake up in the morning and have a crack and do your best, you can sleep at night knowing that sometimes, results are out of your control.”Some senior players need to be phased out: Moeen Ali and Chris Jordan have been fine servants to England’s T20 set-up but their time is up, while Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood are highly unlikely to make the next T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in early 2026. Their batting line-up must be rebuilt around Harry Brook, who should bat at No. 3 or 4.Unlike the team of 30-somethings that crashed out in India, this is not an old England squad: seven out of 15 players are in their 20s and in Brook and Phil Salt, there are batters to build around. The English domestic system continues to produce talented young players and further candidates for selection will emerge in the Hundred next month.Buttler is planning a short break before that tournament starts, and will use the time off to take stock. “You take some time to review tournaments and try to plan ahead for the next [one],” he said. “What we need to do better as a team, if that is the way we play, personnel, style of cricket… we will review everything and come up with a plan.”It is Key who will ultimately sign off on what that plan looks like – and English cricket needs him to get it right.

Bangladesh vice-captain says he was left out on the day for reasons of team combination

Mohammad Isam02-Jul-2024

Taskin Ahmed picked up eight wickets in six games at the 2024 T20 World Cup•Getty Images

Bangladesh vice-captain Taskin Ahmed has admitted that he missed the team bus on the morning of their Super Eight game against India in the T20 World Cup 2024 in North Sound, but said that was not the reason he did not play the game. He was left out for team combination reasons, Taskin said.”I was a little late, but I reached at the ground before the toss,” Taskin told Dhaka-based newspaper . “I arrived at the ground around 30-40 minutes before the toss. I missed the team bus. The bus left the hotel at 8.35am. I left for the ground at 8.43am. I almost reached the ground with the bus. It is not as if they didn’t pick me because I arrived late. I wasn’t going to play anyway.”Bangladesh had replaced Taskin with Jaker Ali for the game, with Mahedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan opening the bowling. Tamim Iqbal, in his capacity as expert on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut, had said then he was “very surprised” by the move to leave Taskin out. Taskin returned to the line-up for Bangladesh’s next game, against Afghanistan on June 24.Related

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ESPNcricinfo has learned that there was no fine levied on Taskin for the incident. Shakib said on Tuesday that the matter ended after Taskin apologised, though he did say the incident made it “difficult” to select him for the India game.”The bus usually leaves at a certain time. It is the rule that the team bus doesn’t wait for anyone,” Shakib told reporters on Tuesday. “If by chance someone misses the bus, they can arrive in the managers’ car or a taxi.”West Indies is a difficult place for transport. He arrived 5-10 minutes before the toss, so naturally it was difficult for the team management to select him. It was also a difficult situation for the player. Taskin apologised to the team, and everyone took it very normally. It was an unintentional mistake. It ended there.”The incident also came up when BCB president Nazmul Hassan addressed a press conference following a board meeting on Tuesday. “When I saw that Taskin wasn’t in the XI, I called [team manager] Rabeed [Imam], who told me that Taskin missed the team bus,” Hassan said. “But [Rabeed said that] he is now in the field, he arrived a bit late.”I will read the report from the concerned department.”

Thomas Frank will be the next Tottenham Hotspur manager to try and catapult the club back into a Premier League title battle over the next couple of seasons.

The Dane will certainly come under scrutiny if he’s unable to push the Lilywhites up the league table, needing to right the wrongs endured under former boss Ange Postecoglou.

However, the Aussie did secure the Europa League title, handing his successor the chance to build on the triumph and be competitive in the Champions League throughout 2025/26.

A balance will need to be struck if the club are to be a success in various competitions, subsequently allowing the new manager to be an instant hit with the supporters in the coming months.

If the Dane is to thrive in North London, he will need quality and depth in certain key areas to help balance the quest for success in Europe and domestically.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Mohammed Kudus has been a player who’s been firmly on Spurs’ radar over recent days, with the Lilywhites submitting a £50m offer, but it was swiftly rejected with the Hammers demanding a hefty fee for his signature.

He currently has an £85m release clause in his contract, but it’s been reported that he could be available for a lower fee, but it remains to be seen if the player himself would be keen on a move across London.

However, they could be about to make a move for another Premier League star in the form of Fulham full-back Antonee Robinson, according to journalist Paul O’Keefe.

He confirmed earlier this week that the Lilywhites are closely monitoring the American international, who featured in all but two league games last season.

O’Keefe also confirmed that the 27-year-old is seen as a key option for Frank this summer, after he registered ten assists in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

Reports earlier this year suggested Fulham would be open to letting him leave if they received a £40m bid.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be a more important signing than Kudus

There’s no denying that a move for Kudus would bring added excitement to the fanbase, ahead of what’s set to be a new era under the guidance of Frank in North London.

Given the other targets this summer, it’s evident that the Dane is targeting attacking reinforcements, with the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Bryan Mbeumo also being linked with a move to the club.

However, given the side’s tally of 64 league goals last season, they clearly have the firepower to cause problems for multiple sides in the division, potentially leading them to future success.

As a result, the new boss should look to prioritise a move for new defenders, with Robinson just one player who would be a more important addition than Kudus this summer.

Spurs currently only have one senior left-back in the form of Destiny Udogie, but the Italian has also had his injury struggles, missing 13 league games in the 2024/25 season.

Right-back Djed Spence has subsequently had to operate out of position at times to cover for the Italian, highlighting the need for depth in such a department this summer.

When delving into Robinson’s stats from last season, he’s managed to star at both ends of the pitch, handing Frank the talent that he craves during his first season at the helm.

Antonee Robinson’s stats for Fulham in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

36

Goals & assists

10

Pass accuracy

81%

Chances created

1.3

Dribble success

53%

Tackles won

1.7

Duels won

5.8

Stats via FotMob

The full-back, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by journalist Toby Bryant, created 1.3 chances per 90, along with a 53% dribbling success rate – having the tools to get forward areas in North London.

Out of possession, he was just as impressive last campaign, winning 1.7 tackles per 90, whilst winning 5.8 duels per 90 – handing the side the added defensive quality it needs in 2025/26.

It’s unclear how much a deal would set the hierarchy back this summer, but from the stats produced in recent months, it’s evident that he’s coming into the prime years of his career.

He would be a phenomenal pick-up, undoubtedly handing Frank an excellent star in a position that has undoubtedly been one of the hardest to fill over the last couple of years in North London.

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Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Jul 3, 2025

Leeds United have already made several moves in an attempt to bolster their playing squad ahead of their return to the Premier League next season.

The summer transfer window has been open for many weeks now, and the Championship champions have added Jaka Bijol, Lukas Nmecha, and Sebastiaan Bornauw to the group.

The Whites reportedly agreed a fee of around £5m with Wolfsburg to bring Bornauw to Elland Road as their most recent addition to the squad, to bolster their centre-back ranks.

Daniel Farke now has a plethora of central defensive options to choose from, including Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Ethan Ampadu, Bijol, and Bornauw, although he recently lost one when Max Wober completed a loan move to Werder Bremen.

The German head coach will be hoping that he now has enough quality in that position to form the core of a strong defensive unit that will lead the team to Premier League survival.

It does remain to be seen, though, exactly what sort of role Bornauw will play for Leeds next term, having been signed after Bijol, with Rodon and Struijk also already at the club.

Why Sebastiaan Bornauw may not be a starter for Leeds

The competition that he has ahead of him in the centre-back position suggests that the Belgian central defender has been brought in to provide depth at the back.

That is not to say that it is impossible for him to emerge as a starting calibre-option for Farke if his performances are good enough, but it currently looks like Rodon and Struijk, who were regular starters in the Championship, and Bijol, who has been signed for £15m, are ahead of him in the pecking order.

Another reason why Bornauw may be viewed as a back-up option by Farke initially is because of his lengthy career injury history in Germany.

During his time with Koln and Wolfsburg, the Belgium international has missed a lot of matches through injury in his career, which is a slight concern.

Sebastiaan Bornauw’s injury history

Season

Injuries

Games missed

24/25

4

18

23/24

1

2

21/22

1

2

20/21

1

13

19/20

1

2

18/19

3

19

16/17

1

12

Stats via Transfermarkt

However, as you can see in the table above, Bornauw missed 18 games through injury, with four separate issues, in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he has a recent track record of being consistently unavailable.

This does not suggest that Bornauw is the sort of player who Farke can reasonably rely on to be available to start week-in-week-out in the Premier League, which is why he may not be viewed as a starter, at least at this moment in time.

Leeds, however, are now reportedly interested in signing another defender who would come in as an even better signing than the former Wolfsburg man, as he could be a starter for the Premier League new boys.

Leeds closing in on new defender

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are close to securing a deal to sign Lille left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson to bolster their squad.

The report claims that the Whites are closing in on a swoop for the Sweden international, as they look to make him their fourth signing of the summer transfer window.

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It adds that talks are continuing over a potential move for the 26-year-old full-back, but it remains to be seen how much money it will take to strike an agreement with Lille, as he is valued at around £6m by Transfermarkt.

The Yorkshire Evening Post also reveals that Gudmundsson could fly to England on Sunday to finalise a switch to West Yorkshire if all goes well in negotiations, possibly to complete a medical and agree personal terms.

This latest update suggests that the Whites could have their fourth signing in the building in short order, and he could be an even better signing than their third one.

Why Gudmundsson could be a better signing than Bornauw

Leeds could secure an even better signing than Bornauw by getting a deal over the line to bring Gudmundsson to Elland Road in the coming days, because he has the potential to be a regular starter in the defence.

Whilst the Belgian colossus may be a back-up option initially, for the aforementioned reasons, the Swedish star would arrive as the only senior left-back at the club.

Junior Firpo has already moved on from West Yorkshire and Sam Byram’s future remains a mystery, as his deal expired at the end of last month, which means that Farke does not have any senior options in that position.

Gudmundsson, who started 20 matches in Ligue 1 for Lille last season, would be in pole position to be the starting left-back for Leeds next term, because there are currently no players in the building who could challenge him for that role.

This means that the left-footed whiz could join the club as an immediate starting-calibre option for Farke, whilst Bornauw may begin the season as a back-up centre-back initially.

Stats *per 90

Gudmundsson (24/25 Ligue 1)

Percentile rank vs full-backs

Pass accuracy

82%

Top 31%

Progressive passes*

4.59

Top 34%

Progressive carries*

3.58

Top 5%

Successful take-ons*

1.01

Top 30%

Non-penalty goals*

0.10

Top 20%

Crosses into penalty area

0.50

Top 36%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Gudmundsson showcased a lot of quality in possession for Lille in his appearances in the French top-flight last season, ranking highly as a progressive left-back, who can get his team up the pitch with both passes and carries.

These statistics suggest that the left-footed star, who was described as a “fun” player and a “risk-taker” by reporter Joe Donnohue, could suit Farke’s ball-dominant style of play, as he is comfortable in possession and has shown he can consistently progress play down the left whilst playing in a major European league.

Overall, Gudmundsson appears to have the quality to step in as an immediate starter for Leeds, as a direct replacement for Firpo, which suggests that he will come in as a key operator in the Premier League next season.

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Bornauw, however, may have to settle for a back-up role, at least at first, and that is why the Lille star would come in as an even better signing for the club in the here and now.

Partnership between Paige Scholfield and Alice Capsey underpins convincing win over Phoenix

ECB Media23-Jul-2024

Paige Scholfield helped get Oval up and running•PA Photos/Getty Images

A sparkling 71 from Paige Scholfield took Oval Invincibles to a domineering 45-run victory against Birmingham Phoenix in the first game of the fourth year of the Hundred.In front of 10,249 fans, the two-time champions Oval Invincibles batted first and the 28-year-old Scholfield – enjoying a new role at the top of the order in the absence of Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu – found admirable company in England’s young superstar Alice Capsey, who herself made 52.Perhaps in tribute to the opening game’s firework display, the pair put on 90 for the second wicket – sharing 17 boundaries – and looked at times to be threatening a record score in the Hundred women’s competition before a flurry of late wickets pegged back their progress.Nevertheless, defending 150, the odds were in the home team’s favour at the interval and when Birmingham Phoenix lost three wickets with the score on 32, their fate was effectively secured.New Zealand captain Sophie Devine and Birmingham local Amy Jones put up an element of resistance for the visitors, but Oval Invincibles’ bowling attack – and in particular Australian legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington – proved too strong and got the home team off to the perfect start with a 45-run win.Meerkat Match Hero Scholfield said: “I’m absolutely buzzing. It’s the first time I’ve opened so I was a bit nervous but I had Lozzy [Lauren Winfield-Hill] there helping me through those first 10 balls and I got a nice feel for the pitch. I haven’t done a lot of opening, I usually come in at the end and try and hit as many boundaries as I can in as few balls as possible! But I enjoyed it.”I feel like there was a bit of tennis ball bounce in the pitch so you had to either move well back or forward, so I trusted my shots and I played them. We bat down to No.11 so I trusted myself and I went for it – and I’ve always got them in the dug-out if it doesn’t go quite as well. Chamari can have it [the opening role when she returns from the Asia Cup], I’m going to do what head coach Jon Batty tells me to do!”

Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam gave Bangladesh the early advantage, but the fourth-wicket pair from the hosts dragged Pakistan back

Karthik Krishnaswamy21-Aug-2024

Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel both hit half-centuries•PCB

Stumps Bangladesh won what could be an important toss and made excellent use of the new ball in favourable conditions to take out three early wickets, but half-centuries from Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel ensured Pakistan ended a truncated first day on an even keel.The fourth-wicket pair put on an enterprising 98 to rescue Pakistan from 16 for 3, and when bad light brought play to a close, the home side were breathing a lot better at 158 for 4. Ayub, playing just his second Test, rode out a difficult early period against the new ball before blossoming to score his maiden half-century. Shakeel, promoted to vice-captaincy, continued his impressive rise in the Pakistan cap by becoming their joint-quickest batter to 1000 Test runs, getting there in his 20th innings to match Saeed Ahmed, who got there in 1959.Both Ayub and, in particular, Shakeel, brought a proactive approach to handling Bangladesh’s seamers, often shuffling out of their crease to disturb their lengths and narrow the extent of movement they were able to generate.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

By stumps, Bangladesh had broken the partnership between the two left-handers, with Hasan Mahmud coaxing Ayub to drive at a ball angled across him that wasn’t quite full enough for the shot. It was his second wicket and similar in conception to his first: relentless good lengths forcing the batter into a risk against a rare, seemingly driveable ball.This was Bangladesh’s only success of a 20-over post-tea session, as Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan steered Pakistan to stumps with an unbroken partnership of 44 for the fifth wicket.With their partnerships, Ayub, Shakeel and Rizwan may have exposed one structural shortcoming in Bangladesh’s attack. Unlike Pakistan, who went into this Test match with four frontline seamers, Bangladesh picked three seamers and two spin-bowling allrounders.The offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, introduced at the start of the 14th over with two left-handers at the crease, bore the brunt of a calculated counterattack, conceding 24 in four overs. He didn’t bowl badly, but with no real help for the spinners this early in the contest, Ayub and Shakeel went after him, using their full reach to sweep him clinically off a good length.It took until the 39th over for Bangladesh to call on their second spinner, and Pakistan were just as ruthless against Shakib Al Hasan, with Rizwan sweeping him for back-to-back fours in his first over. Together, the two spinners conceded 36 in six overs.The express quick Nahid Rana, picked ahead of the more experienced Khaled Ahmed, was expensive too; on a pitch that rewarded old-fashioned line and length, Bangladesh used him as an enforcer, and it didn’t quite come off on the day, as he went for 48 in 10 overs.Shoriful Islam celebrates with Hasan Mahmud after getting rid of Babar Azam•PCB

The other two quicks, however, enjoyed a productive day, particularly with the new ball. Shoriful Islam and Mahmud hammered away on a good length in conditions where the ball swung, seamed and occasionally lifted off damp areas on the pitch. Both beat the bat regularly in the early overs, and Bangladesh didn’t have to wait long before the breakthrough came.It came via a wide outswinger from Mahmud, not quite a half-volley, that Abdullah Shafique chased after being kept to just two runs off his first 13 balls. His drive turned into an aerial slice, and Zakir Hasan grabbed it spectacularly, throwing himself full-length to his right at gully.The left-armer Shoriful tested both Ayub and Pakistan captain Shan Masood with his line in the fifth-stump channel, mostly swinging the ball away from the left-handers but getting the odd one to nip in off the pitch. One of these nip-backers sent back Masood, though in contentious circumstances. Masood pushed forward to defend – bat and pad fairly close together – and the ball kissed one or both on its way to keeper Litton Das, who appealed vociferously for caught-behind. Though he wasn’t given out on the field, Bangladesh had their man ruled out on review, with TV umpire Michael Gough ruling that a spike on Ultra-Edge was evidence of ball on bat, though there seemed to be a chance that it had missed the inside edge and brushed the flap of the pad instead.Having had that bit of fortune going their way, Bangladesh had another soon after, when Babar Azam fell for a duck to an innocuous delivery, tickling an off-target inswinger from Shoriful down the leg side, into the left glove of an acrobatically diving Litton.