There will likely be news faces in the USMNT Gold Cup squad, as Mauricio Pochettino seeks the "right characters to be really competitive"
The Gold Cup is nearly upon us, and U.S. national team manager Mauricio Pochettino has already promised some changes for the U.S. men's national team. After falling flat in the CONCACAF Nations League, those changes are necessary as the coach looks to get back on the right track.
“The right mindset must be there, because we need to compete for our flag, our country," Pochettino said last month. "What we are trying to do as a staff is to optimize every single area of preparation, and the mentality of the players is really important. We need to be intelligent in the way that we are going to select the players and not just choose based on talent alone. We need to have the right characters to be really competitive.”
Most of those characters will be familiar faces. Christian Pulisic is one, no doubt. No one else can bring what Tyler Adams does to this team as a defensive midfielder. Diego Luna has played his way into a spot, while Chris Richards' run to the FA Cup final with Crystal Palace has more than solidified his.
There are still spots up for grabs, though, and there's a possibility Pochettino could look at players he hasn't worked with before. With that in mind, GOAL looks at seven young USMNT hopefuls that have made a case to be involved at the Gold Cup this summer.
Imago
Paxten Aaronson, FC Utrecht
While a potential return for his older brother wouldn't be a surprise either, the younger Aaronson has also played his way into contention with the senior group.
The loan to FC Utrecht has been a masterstroke for Paxten Aaronson, with the former Philadelphia Union starlet taking several leaps forward throughout this season in the Eredivisie. Just 21, Aaronson leads the club in goals with seven as they push for a European spot. After shining at the Olympics last summer, Aaronson has surely been awaiting his USMNT chance, and based on his club performances, it could be coming soon.
Capable of playing either out wide or as a No. 10, Aaronson surely faces some competition in either position, including from his older brother, Brenden. Even so, Aaronson has earned his place on merit, having improved as a player since he suited up for the U.S. U23s last summer.
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John Tolkin, Holstein Kiel
Injuries have impacted his start in the Bundesliga, but when he has been healthy, John Tolkin has been spectacular.
Playing for a team fighting against relegation, Tolkin has provided two assists in just nine matches, seven of which have been starts. During his time with the New York Red Bulls, Tolkin showed he was both a man for the big occasion and a dangerous dead-ball specialist. Those descriptions continue to apply even at a higher level in the Bundesliga.
It's unlikely Tolkin or anyone else will unseat the current starter at left back, Antonee Robinson, soon, but there is certainly an audition ongoing for the role of his backup. The fullback also has a fight on his hands for these next several weeks as he looks to keep his club in the Bundesliga, as Holstein Kiel look to battle their way into a playoff and avoid relegation.
There are big games ahead for Tolkin and, if he continues to play well in them, he'll have made a good case.
Imagn
Sebastian Berhalter, Vancouver Whitecaps
Imagine this one happening? Berhalter is the son of former USMNT boss Gregg, but the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder has gone above and beyond to make a name for himself recently.
He ran the show in the Whitecaps' two-legged CONCACAF Champions Cup takedown of Lionel Messi's Inter Miami providing two goals and two assists in the semifinal win. Sandwiched between those two wins was another goal in Vancouver's 3-1 win over Minnesota United, while the midfielder also found the back of the net in April's triumph over Pumas.
In terms of pure form, few can compare to Berhalter right now. The 23-year-old is leaping to a whole new level, and while USMNT talk may be premature, Pochettino's willingness to include MLS standouts could just open up a spot for him on the team.
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Caleb Wiley, Watford (on loan from Chelsea)
Due to injury, it took Wiley some time to find his footing Watford but, once he did, it was easy to see why he's been so coveted early on in his career.
The ex-Atlanta United starlet joined Chelsea last year and spent the first half of the season on loan with Strasbourg. Loan rules and an injury ended up requiring him to return, and he promptly joined Watford in the Championship. Once he did get healthy, he began to show his quality, proving himself more than capable in the rough-and-tumble Championship.
Wiley started eight of his 10 appearances for Watford, putting in solid shifts on that left-hand side. Part of the 20-year-old's allure is that he provides depth anywhere on the left, which makes him a valuable asset in a tournament setting. Defensively, he won more than 60 percent of his duels while, on the attacking side of the ball, he showed an ability to go forward, headlined by an assist against Hull City.
Part-backup to Robinson and part-supersub winger, Wiley could be useful if he is called in now and, if he continues to develop, he could certainly grow into a bigger role.
The spectacular piece of fielding has sparked significant debate
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jan-2023Michael Neser’s spectacular boundary catch to remove Jordan Silk at a vital moment of the high-scoring BBL thriller at the Gabba has reignited the debate about whether the Law regarding such dismissals needs to be amended.Related
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As Silk lofted Mark Steketee towards long-off, Neser first held the ball inside the boundary then tossed it up when he realised he would run over the rope. What followed was the astonishing part. Neser, while outside the boundary, then timed a jump perfectly to palm the ball back inside the rope while he was not touching the ground, then returned into the field of play to hold the catch.
Glenn Maxwell on why Michael Neser's catch was legit
(via @7Cricket) pic.twitter.com/e8ql9vHKu9
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 1, 2023
“I knew [Matt] Renshaw did it a couple of years ago,” Neser told . “I didn’t know if they had changed the rules so I thought I would give it a crack. Thankfully they didn’t change the rules.”It was entirely within the Laws of the game and was correctly adjudged to be out when it went to the TV umpire, but it created much debate about whether it should be allowed. One view is that it rewards outstanding skill and awareness, as shown by Neser, but the alternative point is that the ball and the fielder have both been over the boundary.Australia quick Josh Hazlewood said he did not agree with the Law as it was written. “I didn’t like it all,” he told reporters at the SCG. “I think it should be back to the old rule where you have to be in the field of play and that’s your last step before you throw it back in. It was something different and ‘Ness’ is pretty cluey with the rules. It worked for them last night.”This is how the relevant Law reads, with the key point being that Neser’s first touch was inside the field of play and that he was not grounded beyond the boundary while touching the ball again.”19.5.2 A fielder who is not in contact with the ground is considered to be grounded beyond the boundary if his/her final contact with the ground, before his/her first contact with the ball after it has been delivered by the bowler, was not entirely within the boundary.”33.2.1 A catch will be fair only if, in every case, either the ball, at any time, or any fielder in contact with the ball, is not grounded beyond the boundary before the catch is completed.”33.2.2 Furthermore, a catch will be fair if…33.2.2.4 a fielder catches the ball after it has crossed the boundary in the air, provided that the conditions in 33.2.1 are met.”
The key points are:
1) The FIRST contact must be inside the boundary, and
2) the fielder can’t be touching the ball and the ground beyond the boundary at the same time.#MCCLaws
— Marylebone Cricket Club (@MCCOfficial) January 1, 2023
Mikel Arteta has spoken about how Arsenal's season was shaped by losing striker Gabriel Jesus to a devastating ACL injury.
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Arteta speaks to Men In Blazers podcastDiscusses Arsenal's seasonAdmits pain of Jesus injuryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Arteta explored his regrets over the 2024-25 campaign, saying that he wishes he had rotated Jesus more to prevent the Brazilian forward picking up a devastating ACL injury during the crucial winter period of the season.
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Asked what he would do differently, Arteta said: "It's very difficult now to understand that, if I could pause the game and say, Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life. You know, you are doing incredibly well. You're going to now get injured, so stop. I would stop him, bring another player in and continue to play the game. Unfortunately, we cannot do this in football."
Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Injuries to Jesus and other key forwards like Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka left the Gunners depleted up top for a key chunk of the season, and they struggled to score goals as a result. These absences ultimately allowed Liverpool to win the league at a canter, so you can see why Arteta regrets potentially overusing some of his attacking stars.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Arteta's season now hinges entirely on their Champions League performance, with a huge semi-final second-leg fixture coming up against French champions PSG on Wednesday. The atmosphere in Paris is likely to be fierce, and all the pressure is on the visitors to get a result and reach their first Champions League final in nearly two decades.
Shamim Hossain’s enterprising half-century gave Bangladesh a chance in the dead rubber, but they fell well short in the end
Mohammad Isam31-Mar-2023Ireland finally notched a win on their tour of Bangladesh by scoring a seven-wicket win in the final T20I in Chattogram on Friday. Mark Adair led the bowling charge with three wickets as Bangladesh were bowled out for 124, and Paul Stirling, later named Player of the Match, was at his inventive best as he struck a 41-ball 77 to headline the chase. It was Ireland’s first T20I win over Bangladesh since 2009 and their first win in any format in the country.Bangladesh had already taken the series after winning the first two games earlier in the week, and made two changes, perhaps to try out alternatives. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mustafizur Rahman went out; Rishad Hossain was handed a debut and Shoriful Islam made a comeback. It was the batting that came unstuck, though.After opting to bat, Bangladesh were 61 for 7 in nine-and-a-half overs. Shamim Hossain, however, scored his first international half-century, making 51 off 42 balls with five fours and two sixes to give them a competitive 124. One of those sixes was a particularly eye-catching shot, when he reverse-whipped Curtis Campher hit over backward point for six.But with Stirling in blistering form, and playing a few inventive shots of his own, the chase was done and dusted in 14 overs.Big hitting gone awry Bangladesh’s slide started in the second over. Litton Das’ slash towards deep point against a wide Adair delivery landed in George Dockrell’s lap. It was the first time Bangladesh had lost a wicket in the powerplay after three matches.Najmul Hossain Shanto was next to go, hitting a slog-sweep off Harry Tector straight to deep midwicket. Campher juggled the catch but clung on. In the next over, Campher himself got a wicket, when Rony Talukdar holed out at deep midwicket.Towhid Hridoy and Shakib Al Hasan, however, went for their shots in keeping with Bangladesh’s new approach, and hit a couple of big ones, but both were gone in the space of three balls. Shakib was caught at short midwicket mistiming a pull off Adair, while Hridoy holed out off Ben White in the seventh over.Humphreys starts with a bang Matthew Humphreys had two wicketless ODIs in Sylhet, but the left-arm spinner had a better start to his T20I career. He took a wicket off his first ball when he yorked Rishad for 8.That made him the first Ireland bowler to take a wicket with his first ball in T20Is. This was, however, not the first time a debutant had done this against Bangladesh. Previously, Rory Kleinveldt, Pragyan Ojha, Lockie Ferguson and Cole McConchie have all achieved the feat.Humphreys added his second off his third ball, when Taskin Ahmed was caught at deep midwicket for a duck.Shamim and Nasum Ahmed added 33 runs for the eighth wicket before Nasum was caught in the covers off Gareth Delany’s legspin. Adair took his third when he removed Shoriful, before Fionn Hand took Shamim’s wicket in the final over.Stirling turns chase into a canter Stirling didn’t get going at the start, as there were two early wickets, of Ross Adair and Lorcan Tucker, but once he was set, there was no stopping him. He cut and swept Shakib for fours to kickstart the chase, and then deposited Hasan Mahmud’s half-tracker for his first six next over. No bowler escaped his wrath, or his inventiveness, as he hit ten fours and four sixes in his 41-ball innings.Many of those came in one Shoriful over, the 11th of the innings, when he pulled a six and hit three fours to take 20 runs. Rishad put an end to the mayhem when he had Stirling caught at long-on in the 13th over – it was Stirling’s 22nd half-century in T20Is and Rishad’s first international wicket – but Campher closed out the chase with a four and a six off Taskin.
Arsenal might have broken the record for the most goals scored in an away knockout Champions League game on Tuesday, but ask their fans what they need, and most will still say a striker.
The Gunners failed to bring one in last summer and, despite losing Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus before it slammed shut, did so again in the winter window.
This need for another goalscoring forward has only been made more acute by further injuries to Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetacelebrates after the match
Worse still, one of the club’s promising youngsters, Mika Biereth, was sold for next to nothing in the summer and is now scoring for fun in Ligue 1, and there is a chance that the club might have already repeated a similar mistake with another forward.
Why selling Biereth was a big mistake by Arsenal
So, it should be said that hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it’s easy to say that Arsenal’s decision to sell Biereth for £4m plus a sell-on clause in the summer was the wrong decision, but even at the time, it didn’t look like a great deal.
For example, across two loan spells last season with Motherwell and Sturm Graz, the Danish poacher racked up an impressive haul of 15 goals and nine assists in just 37 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.54 games.
He’s done even better this year, as in 35 games for Sturm Graz and AS Monaco, the 22-year-old has scored 24 goals and provided seven assists, which works out to a goal involvement every 1.12 games.
On top of having the raw output, the London-born marksman’s underlying numbers are also excellent.
According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for non-penalty goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals, goals per shot and shot on target, average shot distance and more, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.86
Top 1%
Actual Non-Penalty Goals
0.89
Top 1%
Goals per Shot
0.34
Top 1%
Goals per Shot on Target
0.69
Top 1%
Average Shot Distance
10.40
Top 1%
Goals
0.97
Top 2%
Interceptions
0.41
Top 5%
Penalties Won
0.08
Top 13%
In short, while it might have seemed like a decent fee for someone who hadn’t played for the first team at the time, it now looks like a massive underpay for a youngster who could be a superstar in the making, and it would appear as if a similar mistake was made last year regarding another promising forward.
Arsenal's Biereth repeat
Arsenal have let many young stars leave too early in the past, from Michael Olise to Eberechi Eze and even Harry Kane.
Arteta and Co will be hoping that Chido Obi-Martin is not the latest youngster to leave the club and become a world-class international, but as things stand, that feels like a distinct possibility.
Now, it should be said that while it was a mistake to happily sell Biereth to Sturm Graz, the club actually reportedly tried to keep Obi-Martin on the books but were unable to do so.
Therefore, it’s not the same mistake in the sense that they got rid of him, but it was perhaps a mistake that they weren’t able to prove staying at Hale End was the best for his development. Why? Well, the youngster’s record in junior football is simply staggering.
For example, in just 24 appearances last season, totalling 1616 minutes, the “goalscoring machine,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, put the ball in the back of the net 32 times and provided three assists for good measure.
Appearances
24
Minutes
1616′
Goals
32
Assists
3
Goal Involvements per Match
1.45
Minutes per Goal Involvement
46.05′
That means he averaged 1.45 goal involvements per game or one every 46.17 minutes.
Having moved away for a small compensation fee, he’s also scoring for fun at Carrington this season, racking up a tally of 12 goals and two assists in 12 appearances for the Red Devils’ youth sides.
Moreover, he’s now made three first-team appearances, and while he’s yet to score, he’s looked lively in them.
That was particularly the case against Fulham in the FA Cup last weekend where Obi fashioned a number of chances for himself, notably being denied late on courtesy of a wonderful save by ex-Gunner Bernd Leno.
Ultimately, Arsenal have been blessed with some incredible youth players in recent years, but given their dire need for more goalscorers, we can’t help but think selling Biereth and not being able to keep hold of Obi-Martin could come back to haunt them in a big way.
Arsenal have found their new Saka & Smith Rowe in "special" Hale End duo
Wolverhampton Wanderers head into their next Premier League contest confident they can upset the AFC Bournemouth apple cart on the road, having been very unlucky to come away from their last clash at Anfield empty-handed.
Indeed, Vitor Pereira’s Old Gold ended up accumulating a mightily impressive 16 shots on goal against Arne Slot’s complacent Reds, with Matheus Cunha unfortunately the only goalscorer in the narrow 2-1 loss.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' MatheusCunhain action with Liverpool's Wataru Endo
When Cunha isn’t sparkling for his still relegation-threatened outfit, there isn’t too much firepower in the rest of the striker spots, with both Jorgen Strand Larsen and Hwang Hee-Chan currently out injured.
Even when the latter of those two names is fit, he isn’t always firing on all cylinders, as the South Korean suffers from a lack of confidence in front of goal whilst the Brazilian seemingly always has that midas touch.
Hwang's woes in front of goal
It has been another stop-start season for the 29-year-old at Molineux so far, with 55 days of action missed by the injury-prone number 11 to date due to stays in the Wolves treatment room.
Whilst Pereira has confirmed he could be back to full fitness soon, his drab goalscoring form when he has been available means he is unlikely to break back into the starting lineup anyway.
Hee-chan Hwang.
Across 17 Premier League appearances to date, Hwang has only managed to bag a lacklustre two strikes, which will be a disappointing return for the ex-RB Leipzig man, when you consider his standout output during the 2023/24 campaign saw him fire home an impressive 13 goals.
But, the 5 foot 10 ace – away from this sterling individual season in isolation – has regularly struggled to be a consistent source of strikes for the Old Gold, with only ten more goals coming his way across his other two forgettable campaigns.
Season
Games played
Games missed through injury
Goals scored
24/25
21
7
2
23/24
31
16
13
22/23
32
6
5
21/22
31
10
5
To help boost his overly reliant side, Pereira could be tempted to gift this raw starlet some unexpected first-team minutes, hopeful that he might be the best long-term replacement for Hwang.
The Wolves teen who could now replace Hwang
The Premier League side have unearthed some real gems through their academy structure in recent years, with Morgan Gibbs-White’s name sticking out as one notable Molineux alumni.
Whilst Gibbs-White would have to depart the West Midlands to kickstart his senior career, 18-year-old ace Dani Ángel will hope he can explode into life in the senior set-up at Wolves soon without having to seek out pastures new.
After all, Angel won’t be fearful of a bout in the main men’s team having already experienced a “meteoric rise” to be at Wolves today – as football analyst Tom Williams labelled it – with the Spanish hotshot on the books of London-based non-league outfit Clapton FC in 2023.
He hasn’t looked back since, with the teenager finding himself in a rich vain of goalscoring form for both the U18s and U21s in the Midlands, alongside also winning himself an U18 international call-up.
Age bracket
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
U21s
17
5
1
U18s
19
10
1
Senior team
0
0
0
Angel has picked up a healthy 15 strikes from 36 appearances to date, meaning his time to shine in the first-team picture could soon be on the horizon if Pereira is prepared to be brave in the striker department.
Whilst it’s unlikely that he would make an instant impact if he was gifted this chance, the 18-year-old is definitely one to keep an eye on from a Wolves persuasion, especially if Pereira’s patience with the stricken Hwang becomes thinner.
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This major Wolverhampton Wanderers flop has now found his shooting boots.
O Internacional venceu o América-MG por 1a 0, nestasegunda-feira, em jogo válido pela 16ª rodada do Brasileirão. Moisés marcou para o Colorado aos 49 minutos do segundo tempo após cruzamento de Johnny.
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O primeiro tempo do jogo foi de poucas chances reais de gol para ambas as equipes. Com 20 minutos de partida, o Inter havia chegado duas vezes com perigo ao gol do goleiro Matheus Cavichioli, mas desperdiçou as chances com finalizações erradas de David.
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Aos 44 minutos da primeira etapa, o América-MG teve a sua primeira chance de perigo. Após desvio de Rodrigo Modelo em cruzamento de Patric, a bola sobrou para Pedrinho, que chutou com força. A bola passou perto da trave do goleiro Gabriel.
No segundo tempo, os times aumentaram o ritmo do jogo. Aos 33 minutos, o América-MG teve a sua melhor chance do jogo em bola mal recuada por Johnny. O atacante Carlos Alberto antecipou e driblou Gabriel, mas perdeu a passada e deu chance do goleiro colorado se recuperar.
O gol do Internacional saiu apenas aos 49 minutos da partida. Após escanteio cobrado por Boschilia, Cavichioli tirou de soco. A bola sobrou para Johnny, que colocou na área. Moisés chegou sozinho e finalizou para dar a vitória para o colorado.
Com o resultado, o América-MG terminou a rodada na 15ª posição do Campeonato Brasileiro com os mesmos 18 pontos do Ceará, primeiro time do Z4. Já o Inter alcançou a terceira colocação na tabela, com 28 pontos.
PRÓXIMOS COMPROMISSOS
O América-MG volta a campo na próxima quinta-feira para o jogo da volta das oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, contra o Botafogo. Já o Inter jogará contra o Athletico-PR, no próximo sábado, em Curitiba pela 17ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.
FICHA TÉCNICA
INTERNACIONAL 1 X 0 AMÉRICA-MG
Data: 11 de julho de 2022 Horário: 20h (de Brasília) Local: Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre (RS) Árbitro: Flávio Rodrigues de Souza (SP) Assistentes: Marcelo Carvalho Van Gasse e Daniel Paulo Ziolli (ambos de SP) Árbitro de vídeo – VAR: Rodrigo Guarizo Ferreira do Amaral (SP) Cartões amarelos: Conti (AME), Lucas Kal (AME), Luan Patrick (AME), Juninho (AME) Gol: Moisés, aos 49’/2ºT
INTERNACIONAL (Técnico: Mano Menezes)
Daniel; Heitor (Johnny, aos 29’/2ºT), Moledo, Mercado e Moisés; Gabriel, Edenilson, Carlos de Pena (Boschilia, aos 38’/2ºT), Pedro Henrique (Caio Vidal, aos 29’/2ºT) e Taison (Maurício, aos 17’/2ºT); David (Wesley Moraes, aos 17’/2ºT)
AMÉRICA-MG (Técnico: Vagner Mancini)
Matheus Cavichioli; Patric, Luan Patrick, Germán Conti e Marlon (Danilo Avelar, aos 28’/2ºT); Lucas Kal, Juninho, Índio Ramírez (Matheusinho, aos 17’/2ºT) e Alê (Carlos Alberto, aos 33’/2ºT); Felipe Azevedo (Aloísio, aos 28’/2ºT) e Pedrinho (Iago Maidana, aos 28’/2ºT).
Mikel Arteta’s side might still be in the Champions League, but their hopes of finally winning the Premier League are all but over.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as it’s unlikely that they’ll have to deal with as many major injuries next season, and it now looks as if former Atlético Madrid Sporting Director Andrea Berta will be joining the club to help get some big-money moves over the line in the summer.
In fact, recent reports have identified one of the most exciting attackers in England as the Italian’s primary target, someone who could be the Gunners’ own Antoine Griezmann.
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Arsenal have been linked with a plethora of strikers in recent windows. Last summer it was Benjamin Sesko but he decided to remain at RB Leipzig, penning a new contract.
Then, in January, there were regular rumours involving Newcastle forward Alexander Isak but his £150m asking price is a major deterrent. So, who will they turn to next?
Well, according to a recent report from Spain, Berta has already identified his primary target for the summer transfer window: Matheus Cunha.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The report has revealed that while the Brazilian star remains a name on the radar for plenty of Premier League clubs, Arsenal are favourites for his signature given that the Italian has a prior relationship with him, forged when he signed for Atlético.
The story does not mention a potential transfer fee, but according to Sky Sports, the Wolverhampton Wanderers ace has a release clause of around £62m in his new contract.
It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but given Cunha’s immense ability, one well worth pursuing, especially as he could be Arsenal’s Griezmann.
Why Cunha would be Arsenal's own Griezmann
So, before we get into why Cunha would be a great signing in his own right, let’s examine why he could also be seen as Arsenal’s own Griezmann.
Atletico Madrid's AntoineGriezmannduring the warm up before the match
The comparison primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Frenchman is the most similar forward to the Brazilian.
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, expected goals plus assists, goals per shot, key passes, crosses into the penalty area, clearances, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.
Cunha & Griezmann
Statistics per 90
Cunha
Griezmann
Expected G+As
0.56
0.53
Goals per Shot
0.15
0.21
Key Passes
1.81
1.77
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.38
0.37
Goal-Creating Actions
0.38
0.47
Switches
0.46
0.42
Clearances
0.92
0.88
Carries
30.0
32.7
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season
However, it’s not just the statistical similarities or the fact that they have both been signed by Berta before that would make the “unbelievable” ace, as dubbed by journalist Alex Richards, the Gunners version of the Frenchman.
The other key characteristic he shares with the Atleti star is his positional versatility.
For example, since moving to Wolves, the 25-year-old has played 39 games as a centre-forward, 21 in attacking midfield, 12 as a second striker, three at left wing and one at right wing.
Moreover, as he’s shown in games against Manchester United, Fulham and Liverpool this season, he’s more than capable of making things happen all on his own.
Wataru Endo against Matheus Cunha
Finally, away from any comparisons to the elite of European football, the Old Gold’s talisman has also been able to rack up a healthy tally of 15 goals and four assists in just 29 appearances.
That means the former Hertha Berlin star is averaging a goal involvement every 1.52 games for a relegation-threatened side.
Cunha’s 24/25
Appearances
29
Minutes
2376′
Goals
15
Assists
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.65
Minutes per Goal Involvement
125.05′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Ultimately, it might cost them a pretty penny, but Arsenal should do what they can to bring Cunha to the Emirates this summer.
Not only would they be getting a Greizmann-esque star, but also a Premier League-proven game-changer to boot.
Better than Zubimendi: Arsenal must regret "losing" incredible star in 2021
Arsenal may have made a mistake in not keeping hold lf the star after his time away from the Emirates.
Newcastle United face a pivotal few weeks that will define their season, but Eddie Howe also has one eye on potential reinforcements once the window opens.
Newcastle injuries show need for transfer activity
The Carabao Cup final is the talk of the town in Newcastle ahead of next week’s showdown against Liverpool at Wembley. Still, the Magpies first have to focus on the challenge of taking three points away to West Ham United on Monday evening.
Injuries and suspensions have limited the options Eddie Howe has at his disposal for both fixtures. The former Bournemouth boss confirmed Sven Botman will undergo an operation that is set to rule him out for eight weeks.
Newcastle defender Sven Botman.
Saying that, Alexander Isak is available after a bout of fatigue: “Alex is fine. Sunday, when he came off, he was feeling a bit fatigued towards the end of the game, some tightness in his body. He has trained every day and he’s good.”
Anthony Gordon is to serve a three match ban for violent conduct, while Jamaal Lascelles and Lewis Hall are also sidelined for the foreseeable future. Evaluating recent events, it feels only right that Newcastle boss Howe will look to strengthen this summer ahead of another loaded Premier League campaign.
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Swedish superstar Isak has been linked with a move away from Tyneside, paving the way for the Geordies’ interest in Fiorentina striker Moise Kean to generate widespread attention. West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur are also believed to be monitoring his situation and could trigger his £44 million release clause.
Casting an eye over Newcastle’s alternative transfer priorities, reports suggest they could also be set to solidify their goalkeeping ranks during the close season.
Magpies confident they will sign Burnley's James Trafford
According to GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle United retain confidence that they can sign James Trafford from Burnley this summer despite his asking price rising to £30 million inclusive of add-ons.
The England Under-21 international is viewed as Nick Pope’s long-term replacement and would be open to a move to Tyneside, having been made aware of the Magpies’ interest.
James Trafford’s Burnley statistics 2024/25 – EFL Championship
Appearances
34
Clean sheets
24
Save percentage rate
87%
Goals prevented (Expected Goals value)
10.32
High claims
18
Labelled “brilliant” by Ian Wright, the former Manchester City youth has also been on the radar of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in past windows.
Thomas Tuchel has spoken to the Burnley stopper about his future aspirations with England, so he may also be in line for senior honours in one of their upcoming camps. Likely to want a guarantee of minutes at Newcastle, the 22-year-old’s prospective arrival in the North East could spell the end for Martin Dubravka at St James’ Park.
With the long-term security of his backline paramount, the onus is now on Howe and PIF to push through a deal once the summer window catches fire.
GOAL takes a look at the ideal transfer targets for the three MLS clubs that may be participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
U.S. Soccer has reportedly authorized the opening of a transfer window from June 1-10 for the MLS teams who will be playing in the 2025 FIFA World Cup – Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders, and potentially, LAFC.
The will face Liga MX side Club America in a one-game playoff on May 31 for a berth in the competition, joining Group D with the likes of Flamengo, Chelsea and Esperance de Tunis.
With the USSF sanctioning this window, it aligns with the FIFA decision to open a breif window in Europe during the same time period, that will allow teams to bolster their rosters ahead of the tournament. Liverpool defender Trent Alexander Arnold is the perfect example, as the England international is reportedly expected to join Real Madrid during this time period to join as a free agent ahead of the competition.
For the three MLS teams in question, it now presents them with opportunity.
Miami manager Javier Mascherano has already said he has his sights set on bringing in two players, both of whom are rumored to be attacking reinforcements. It's a a window that will allow each team to make one final push to bolster their roster, but with limitations through MLS roster building, what's realistically possible – and what's needed? GOAL takes a look at some of the best options available.
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Alexandre Lacazette
Out of contract with Olympique Lyon, the former Arsenal star is still just 33, and would be the perfect target for an LAFC team in desperate need of a striker.
One issue, though: he would require a Designated Player contract, and LAFC do not have an open spot.
There's a solution, though. They currently have Turkish winger Cengiz Under occupying a slot on loan from Fenerbahce, but his deal expires June 30, and his time in MLS so far has been rather lackluster. If the Western Conference side were to terminate the loan deal early, it would open a slot ahead of the tournament and allow them to engage in negotiations with a striker of Lacazette's caliber. They could do so knowing that the DP contract of Olivier Giroud runs out at the end of the season, too, with the former Chelsea and Arsenal ace likely to not see his deal renewed after a rather poor start to his MLS career.
Lacazette is coming off a season where he helped Lyon to the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals, and a standout Ligue 1 campaign where he bagged 15 goals as Lyon finished sixth in the league standings.
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Paul Pogba
Pogba has been linked with a move to MLS for months now. The France international recently bought a house in Miami and has been training there as he looks to make his return to the professional game following an 18-month doping suspension. D.C. United reportedly own his MLS rights, but all Miami would need to do to offer him a contract would be to acquire them for a fee from their Eastern Conference opponent.
Similar to Lacazette, though, it's expected that he would require a DP spot – and Miami does not have one open. There is a loophole, though, and it's the one that the LA Galaxy used to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The would have to sign Pogba on a max TAM deal at a $1.5M salary for six months, before restructuring his deal in the offseason by opening a DP slot and offering him a higher salary once he renews his deal. It just comes down to the Frenchman agreeing to a deal of that nature.
It's a move that makes sense for both parties. Pogba wants to play regular first-team soccer and play at a high level, and by joining the South Beach club, he'd feature in the Club World Cup and play alongside three world-class footballers in Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets, as well as Luis Suarez.
Perhaps he would offer the a bit of midfield stability, too. The South Beach club is winless in six of their last seven across all competitions, and have conceded three goals in two-straight MLS matches. In both matches, they were outpossessed by their opponent and struggled with transitions into the final-third – an area where Pogba previously excelled in his career.
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Marco Verratti
Verratti, another player who is a free agent after his contract in Qatar with Al-Arabi expired at the end of the 2024-25 season, is a player who would bolster all three sides in this summer's tournament. However, it would not be a feasible move for Seattle given its roster construction and unlikely for Miami unless Verratti would be open to a max TAM deal, meaning this is a move where all eyes are on LAFC.
Just like Lacazette, they'd have to open a DP slot by terminating their loan deal with Unger or, potentially, with Giroud in a surprise move. However, with the current form of both players, it would come as no surprise to anyone if that happens.
Verratti, a playmaker who primarily crafted his trade in Ligue 1 with PSG throughout his career, is still just 32 and, at his best, was one of the best midfielders in the world. What he lacks in size at 5-foot-5, he makes up for with skillful playmaking in a deep-lying role. A proper "destroyer" in the midfield, he is a physical presence who, throughout his career, brought a certain calmness to the center of the pitch.
For LAFC, he would be an instant upgrade in an area where they've fallen short in 2025. It is a club that has struggled with possession all season, though their tides have shifted more positively in recent weeks.
Verratti would be the second former Italy international to play for the club, following in the footsteps of legendary defender Giorgio Chiellini.
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Cesar Azpilicueta
Journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the legendary Chelsea defender will not see his contract picked up by Atletico Madrid this offseason, meaning he will become a free agent after the final La Liga match of the 2025 campaign this weekend. Romano added that he will not return to the Premier League, but could either stay in Europe or go abroad.
For Inter Miami, this is a no-brainer move.
As it stands, their biggest hole is in the defense, and primarily, the right side of it. Marcelo Weigandt is the biggest liability in the squad, and Ian Fray has shown he's not a suitable right back, either. Azpilicueta, even at 35, has shown he can play right fullback and right centerback in La Liga with a top-3 club competitively. He featured in European and domestic competition, and has a decorated resume both for club and country.
He also wouldn't require a DP spot. He's a player you could sign on a max TAM deal; all Inter Miami need in addition to that is an international slot.
David Beckham has to at least make the call. It makes far too much sense.