The transfer window might have slammed shut earlier this month, but that hasn’t stopped players being touted for a move to Arsenal.

The latest ace being linked with a potential move to the Gunners is Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich.

The German international’s £311k-per-week contract expires in the summer, representing an incredible market opportunity for the North Londoners.

That said, Mikel Arteta has already signed someone who’d provide plenty of competition for Kimmich and is currently worth significantly more money than him.

Why Kimmich would be an excellent signing for Arsenal

So, aside from the excitement that would come with bringing such a big name to the Emirates, why would signing Kimmich be a brilliant move for Arsenal?

Well, the first reason is that the Rottweil-born superstar has bags and bags of experience.

In all, he’s made 426 appearances for Bayern Munich, in which he’s scored 43 goals, provided 114 assists and won everything there is to win in the club game, like eight Bundesliga titles, three DFB Pokals, the Champions League and more.

On top of that, the “world-class” talent, as dubbed by former manager Julian Nagelsmann, has won 97 caps for the German national team and helped them win the Confederations Cup.

The second reason Arteta and Co should bring him to North London is that he’s positionally versatile but is exceptionally proficient in two positions: right-back and defensive midfield.

Defensive Midfield

271

27

65

Right-Back

129

11

45

Centre-Midfield

62

7

8

Centre-Back

23

2

1

Right Midfield

7

1

0

For example, he’s made 129 appearances in the former and 271 in the latter across his career, meaning he could help solve a lot of problems.

Impressively, despite being 30 and his contract expiring in the summer, Football Transfers rate Kimmich so highly that they still value him at up to €38m, which is about £31m – although one of Arteta’s star players is worth even more than that.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Kimmich

Fortunately, Arsenal have come quite a long way under Arteta and have more than a handful of players worth more than Kimmich.

However, in this case, we are talking about an Arteta signing who could directly compete with the German: Declan Rice.

The Englishman joined the Gunners in the summer of 2023 for £105m, which remains the record transfer fee paid by the club to this day.

Impressively, his valuation has risen even beyond that monumental sum in the years since, with Football Transfers now pricing him at up to €132m, which comes out to around £109m, or £78m more than the Bayern ace is worth.

That is certainly a lot of money for a non-forward, but since he moved to North London, it would be hard to argue that he’s not more than lived up to his price tag.

Appearances

87

Starts

80

Minutes

7046′

Goals

10

Assists

17

Goal Involvements per Match

0.31

Minutes per Goal Involvement

260.96′

For example, the former West Ham United captain, who has also been described as “world-class”, this time by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, has made 87 appearances for the Gunners, in which he’s scored ten goals and provided 17 assists.

That means the 26-year-old titan has averaged a goal involvement every 3.22 games, despite primarily playing as a left-eight or six.

Moreover, he’s not just been lucky with his attacking output either, as FBref places him in the top 5% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League for progressive carries, the top 7% for assists and the top 10% for expected assisted goals, all per 90.

Ultimately, Rice may have cost the club an arm and a leg in 2023, but he has since more than proven his worth, and while he wouldn’t cost nearly as much – or anything at all – Kimmich could prove to be just as game-changing an addition for Arsenal.

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GOAL US writers discuss PSG's absolutely mauling of Inter in the Champions League final, and whether it was good for the game

So, PSG won the Champions League. And it wasn't even close. They absolutely mauled Inter, delivering an at-times-hard-to-watch 5-0 pummeling of a team that the world quietly hoped might spring an upset. PSG looked full of youthful verve and energy, every bit a well-coached, hardworking side that they perhaps should have been for years given their resources.

Inter, meanwhile, which have squeezed every last ounce of energy out of an aging side, looked like they were all in their mid-40s.

It was beautiful football from PSG. But it also came with its problems. PSG's wage budget blows Inter's out of the water. Their ability to spend on talent is unparalleled. Of course they should win this thing – even if they deserve plenty of credit for doing so in such a dominant manner.

But is this just the start of an era? Or did PSG just find fleeting success? On the Inter side, what happens now? Have they reached the end, old legs in midfield and defense finally staggering to a stop? It's fair to question how much they have left – especially with their excellent manager linked to a move to the Saudi Pro League.

Coincidentally, their 5-0 thrashing wasn't the only one over the weekend. The Vancouver Whitecaps, fairytale underdogs of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, turned in a remarkably similar performance, a naive setup battered by a superior opponent. They, too, were a bit of a darling tale, swept away by something richer and more powerful.

GOAL US writers debate the fallout of the Champions League and what it all means in the latest edition of … The Rondo.

• AFP
  

  Were you surprised by how PSG's dominance?

  Tom Hindle: Yes, 100 percent. Made the mistake of saying in this very space that Inter were favorites to win, and that prediction aged like milk. It was always going to be tough for them, but throughout the knockout stage they'd had a certain resilience. This team didn't like playing with the ball, and PSG loved to have it. In many ways, it all looked a lot like their matchup with Barca – which Inter, ya know, won. Even if they lost, you'd figured it would be a tight, almost unpleasant encounter. So much for that. Inter got battered. Didn't see that coming.

  Jacob Schneider: Not at all. They were the best team throughout the UCL, and in France, all season. From Desire Doue to Vitinha and Joao Neves alongside Fabian Ruiz, they were remarkable all along. So, so impressed.

  Ryan Tolmich: Surprised by PSG winning? No. The five-goal margin? Hell yeah. PSG are a great team, but so are Inter, so to see them capitulate like that was stunning. It was the perfect storm of bad for the Italian side, who put together the worst possible performance imaginable, from top to bottom. Meanwhile, Doue played the game of his life, and PSG’s other stars weren’t far behind. There isn’t a five-goal gap between these two teams but on Saturday there was – and that’s all that matters.

  Alex Labidou: PSG were expected to win, but the scoreline was certainly unexpected. Manager Luis Enrique deserves full credit. This was clearly an emotional match for the Spaniard, and he instilled his intensity onto the club's players. They were relentless on all fronts, and it showed in the final result.

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• AFP
  

  Do Inter have any chance of returning to the top?

  TH: This might be a fallow period – which is a real shame. This seemed the end of a cycle for a really good, but really old team. Inter, remember, are on a shoestring budget relative to the rest of the top teams in Europe, and get routinely outspent in their own league. If reports are to be believed, they might lose their manager, too. Sure, you'd back them to make a few good signings here and there, but Champions League success seems unlikely.

  JS: The run feels over. But as long as SimoneInzaghi is on the touchline, nothing can be doubted. He is a top manager and knows how to maximize a roster.

  RT: They’ll be fine. This is a well-run club, one that has been at this level for several years. Generally, well-run clubs tend to sustain success, so no worries. The big question is if they can go from well-run to elite and, right now, they’re missing the special sauce needed to get them there. Let’s see how they reinvest. But regardless, this is a team that stays one of the top 10 in Europe, no doubt.

  AL: Bye Inter, it was nice knowing you. Jokes aside, it's difficult to see how this team can put together another deep run like the one they did this season for several reasons. One, this team is a bit long in the tooth, with several players in its starting XI either approaching 30 or older. Second, this was an underdog run to begin with, and teams are going to be more prepared for the Nerazzurri next season. Lastly, there are questions about potential moves for some of the team's younger stars, such as Alessandro Bastoni.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Is PSG’s win good for football?

  TH: No. No nation-state trophy is good for football. We shouldn't applaud PSG for figuring out how to assemble a squad like normal humans. Anyone who knows anything about this sport could have told you years ago that collecting stars is a really stupid way to try to win things. Also, let's be honest, this never really was about the football. PSG maxed out on the star player name branding cred. Now they decided not to be idiotic. That's not worthy of applause. It's just common sense.

  JS: It absolutely is. Luis Enrique deserved this moment and this squad did, too. They locked in under an ideal and stuck to it all season long. They play beautifully, and with one of the most likeable managers on the touchline, lifted the UCL trophy. It's a stupendous storyline for everything that happens on the pitch.

  RT: There’s all sorts of nuance to this question when looking at the off-field finances, so we won’t get into those. On-field, though? Oh yeah. This shows what investing in young talent can do, and it’s a model that won out this year. Gone are the days of stupid spending on stars. This era is about growing new legends, and that occurred before our eyes.

  AL: Yes. PSG have tried for more than a decade to capture Europe's biggest trophy and failed through a variety of approaches. They tried the tested veteran approach with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva leading the way. Les Parisiens then tried to go the Galacticos route with Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar and failed that way too. What made this win so significant is PSG finally built a squad in an organic way, making shrewd moves to revamp the team and better fit Enrique's style of play after a bitter exit by Mbappe. Yes, PSG still spends a ton of money, but they do so intelligently now. They very well could be the favorites again next season, if they continue to follow this blueprint.

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• Getty Images
  

  Who’s the Ballon d’Or front runner now?

  TH: It's very, very close right now. Mo Salah was the frontrunner, and if Inter had won the other day, he might have claimed the thing. But PSG's victory probably means Ousmane Dembele has it wrapped up, even if Salah's numbers were better and Lamine Yamal is more fun to watch.

  JS: Dembele is the frontrunner, and rightfully so. He's been remarkable all campaign. Deserved, and not unexpected. Say what you want about his Barca career, but none of that matters in this context. He has been utterly brilliant.

  RT: The actual front unner is probably Dembele, but it should be closer than it probably is. Salah and Raphinha were just as good if not better, but we all know how this voting goes. It’s Dembele’s to lose now.

  AL: It has to be Dembele, right? Forty-one goal contributions in Ligue 1 and the UCL combined and embracing a new role as a striker this season, the Frenchman finally lived up to the outsized expectations placed on him while climbing up the ranks at Dortmund. Naysayers will say Yamal deserves this, but this feels too fast, too soon for the 17-year-old. As unfair as it sounds, winning La Liga alone isn't enough for the Barca star to get the Ballon D'Or.

تلقى فريق ريال مدريد الإسباني، ضربة مبكرة في بداية مباراته أمام باتشوكا المكسيكي، ببطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

ويلاقي ريال مدريد خصمه باتشوكا، ضمن مباريات الجولة الثانية من دور مجموعات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية.

وتقام مباراة ريال مدريد وباتشوكا على ملعب “بانك أوف أمريكا”، وتستضيف الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية منافسات مونديال الأندية.

وتلقى راؤول أسينسيو مدافع ريال مدريد، بطاقة حمراء مباشرة خلال المباراة أمام باتشوكا، في الدقيقة السابعة من المباراة.

وجاء قرار الحكم بطرد أسينسيو، إثر تدخله القوي على روندون لاعب باتشوكا، ليشهر الحكم بطاقة حمراء لمدافع ريال مدريد.

وكان ريال مدريد تعادل إيجابيًا في مباراته الأولى أمام الهلال السعودي بهدف لمثله، وسيواجه سالزبورج في الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات. طرد راؤول أسينسيو في مباراة ريال مدريد وباتشوكا

7′ RED CARD ALERT!

Asencio takes down Rondon and is given a straight red card!

Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #RMAPAC pic.twitter.com/MrhAVGCpKR — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 22, 2025

Leeds United are currently deep in the race to win automatic promotion up to the Premier League with only eight games left before the regular Championship campaign is up.

Therefore, any speculative talk about transfers has rightly taken a back-seat, with the level of incoming Leeds could afford to go after heavily dependant on whether they leap back up to the top-flight or disastrously stay put in the second tier.

Farke triumphantly pulling off the first outcome may well result in a whole host of statement signings entering the door, which could include bringing back one of their former promotion heroes.

"Formidable" star pushing for Leeds switch

Last week, it was reported that Leeds already have a verbal agreement with Kalvin Phillips, to return to Elland Road if Farke’s side secures promotion.

Now, as per a report by Football Insider this week, Phillips is amazingly pushing for a return to the club where he learnt his trade.

It clarifies that Manchester City want to get rid of the £45m flop straight after his Ipswich Town loan deal expires.

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Consequently, Pep Guardiola’s men would be prepared to take a hit financially to get rid, meaning the promotion-chasing Whites could win the ex-England international for a cut-price way below that mammoth £45m price tag, although it won’t be completely straightforward to get done.

Indeed, Farke and Co will have to get to the top flight before any move is then potentially sanctioned, upping the pressure on Leeds’ shoulders even more to get over the line.

With Joe Rothwell set to leave the club this approaching summer too when his own loan stint runs out, adding in a new fresh midfielder will be a priority.

A deal on the table to bring back the “formidable” ace – as he was once labelled by Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain – could well also go down as one of the best purchases the club has made since Raphinha graced the Elland Road turf, if everything runs smoothly.

Why Phillips could be the best signing since Raphinha

Leeds fans must have been taken aback by the sheer quality of the Brazilian attacker when he first pulled on a Whites jersey, with Marcelo Bielsa even lauding Raphinha as a “special” talent when the pair were both amazingly situated at the club.

29 total goal contributions from 67 games certainly made the £17m they once forked out on his services look worthwhile, with the Elland Road outfit arguably struggling to replicate such a successful move since.

While the likes of Ao Tanaka have settled into his new environment with ease and Joel Piroe is now the Championship’s second-top scorer on 15 goals, no one has dazzled the Leeds masses quite like the signing of Raphinha.

Well, enter, or re-enter Phillips. The Leeds academy graduate has had a tough time of things since departing Yorkshire but with an England re-call now the aim, perhaps he is ready to get back to his best at his hometown club if a deal is soon signed.

Importantly, Phillips has shown flashes of his brilliance from the middle of the park for Ipswich this season, with the effort above gifting him his first-ever Tractor Boys goal back in January.

Moreover, in the bread and butter of the Premier League, the Leeds-born midfielder hasn’t looked completely out of his depth, winning 3.8 duels per game when lining up for Kieran McKenna’s lowly side.

Matches played

20

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches*

62.1

Accurate passes*

38.9 (82%)

Tackles*

2.7

Total duels won*

4.9

It would all be resting on Farke being able to restore Phillips back to the shiny model he once was at Elland Road, with the 29-year-old’s final campaign at the club seeing him win far more duels on average at 4.9. To add context, Ilia Gruev in the second tier this campaign has won just three.

With Josuha Guilavogui also only a short-term body centrally, Farke will be crying out for more midfield options very soon, with the potential here for Phillips to strike up a fantastic working relationship with Tanaka.

After all, if this signing was a rip-roaring success, Phillips would be able to finally break free of his tag of being an expensive flop at the Etihad, with the 29-year-old’s presence – much like Raphinha gifted to the Whites – helping Leeds to succeed in the top-flight again.

What a signing this would be. What a story it would be for Leeds supporters.

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Rob Yates hit his highest T20 score as Birmingham Bears posted an imposing 202 for six against Northamptonshire Steelbacks to set up their fourth straight win in this year’s Vitality Blast by 21 runs.Yates scored 71 off 53 balls (eight fours, one six) and shared a 100-run opening partnership with Alex Davis (46 off 29 balls) a record for the Bears against the Steelbacks.Freddie Heldreich stemmed the flow of runs by removing Davies and Australian dangerman Glenn Maxwell for 0 in the space of two balls, but while AJ Tye picked up two wickets in the closing overs, Sam Hain blasted 48 off just 27 balls to push the Bears past 200.Northamptonshire’s chase got off to a flying start with Ricardo Vasconcelos hitting 65 off 39 balls (13 fours) but despite enterprising innings from captain David Willey (33) and Lewis McManus (29), wickets fell at regular intervals with Craig Miles returning career best T20 bowling figures of four for 29.Willey conceded just a single off a tight opening over before Yates and Davies went on the offensive. Davies (five fours, one six) rode his luck amid a flurry of aggressive shots as the Bears reached 55 at the end of the Powerplay.Davies offered a difficult chance on 23 which Tye couldn’t hold onto running back. He then miscued Tom Taylor over the keeper’s head before Taylor himself put down a straightforward chance off Heldreich.In between those moments of fortune he mixed some classic drives and late cuts with huge shots over the infield, swinging James Sales high over deep square leg for the first six of the innings.Yates who had capitalised early on with consecutive boundaries off stray legside balls from Taylor, duly reached his half-century off 38 balls. He brought up the Bears’ 100 at the halfway mark by striking Tye for four and then swinging him high over fine leg for an big six.But Heldreich held his nerve to strike with the first two balls of the eleventh over. First Davies was sharply stumped by McManus before Maxwell was well caught by Tye on the boundary as he aimed a big six down the ground.Yates was joined by Hain in a stand of 49, the former disdainfully smashing Taylor straight down the ground and smacking him through the covers for consecutive boundaries before meting out similar treatment to Heldreich. Yates’ innings finally ended when he pulled Willey high to deep midwicket where Cobb took a stunning leaping catch.Dan Mousley celebrates the wicket of Josh Cobb•Getty Images

The next two wickets both fell to boundary catches by Taylor off Tye removing Dan Mousley, and Chris Benjamin. Ed Barnard fell to a boundary catch off Willey in the penultimate over before Hain struck Tye for four and a six in the final over to take the Bears past 200.Vasconcelos motored through his innings. He punched dismissively down the ground and cut powerfully as he reached his half-century off 30 balls. He was particularly severe on Mousley, hitting him for three consecutive boundaries in his first over and two in his second.Such was Vasconcelos’ dominance that Chris Lynn only made 7 out of their opening stand of 41 in 4.2 overs before the Australian was caught off Miles before Josh Cobb also fell cheaply to Mousley.Vasconcelos looked well set before he sliced one from Miles straight to point with the hosts 81 for three in the tenth over. Saif Zaib played a cameo of 14 but was caught off Miles.Willey and McManus put on 35 in 3.3 overs before the skipper was caught off Briggs at backward point. McManus picked up the mantle, carving Maxwell away for six and a four before he was caught on the boundary attempting another big shot. When Graeme White became Miles’ fourth victim, the game was almost over.

The former captain is looking forward to the contest between India’s top order and Australia’s fast-bowling attack

Shashank Kishore19-May-20235:28

Moody: It’s going to be a challenge for Warner, others to deal with the Duke ball

India vs Australia in a World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval will “bring both teams a little closer together” but conditions at the venue will give Australia a “slight” edge. That’s the assessment of Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain who is currently involved in the IPL as head coach of Delhi Capitals.”I think it will be a bit more similar to an Australian wicket than it will be to an Indian wicket, therefore I’m giving a slight advantage to Australia,” Ponting said at an event in New Delhi. “If this game was being played in India, I would’ve said it’s really going to be hard for Australia to win. If this game was played in Australia, I’d say Australia are the heavy favourites. The fact that this final is being played in England, it probably brings both teams a little closer together.”Ponting is excited at the prospect of watching a gun Australian attack square off against a blockbuster Indian top order. The match will be played with the Dukes ball, and not the Kookaburra.”The one thing India have been able to change through that period from late 1990s until now or even the early 2000s until now is their ability to compete outside of India,” Ponting said. “Yes, their batting skills have gotten better but the fact that they’ve been able to produce some very good fast bowlers over the 10-15-year period that they’ve been able to have success away.”Obviously they will miss [Jasprit] Bumrah, he’s going to be a huge loss for them, but they still have the likes of [Mohammed] Shami, who will actually bowl well in English conditions. When it comes to the big match-ups, Virat [Kohli] against anyone is going to be a big match-up. I caught up with him when we were there in Bangalore, and I had a good chat with him about his batting and where he’s at in his career and he said to be that he’s back to his absolute best and I think we saw that last night [Kohli made his sixth IPL century on Thursday night], he’s had a very good IPL.”He’ll be the prized wicket all the Australians will be looking forward to. Last few series they’ve played, [Cheteshwar] Pujara has been really hard to dismiss. He’s over there [in England] playing now [for Sussex]. Steve Smith is also there playing along with Marnus Labuschagne, trying to get a bit of a feel for the conditions before this big Test match comes around. So, look, I think it’ll be India India’s top order against Australia’s fast bowling. I think it is a bit of a mouthwatering sort of thought going forward.”Ricky Ponting on Virat Kohli: “I caught up with him when we were there in Bangalore, and I had a good chat with him about his batting”•Associated Press

Ponting was hopeful the spinners would have as much say on the outcome as the pacers, at least as the Test progresses. In the first WTC final in June 2021, India played both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, but have usually preferred Jadeja when it has boiled down to picking just one of them. Australia will likely play only Nathan Lyon, although they could also bring in Todd Murphy as another option.”Normally the wickets that I played on at The Oval have started as really, really good batting wickets and actually have offered a little bit to the spinners as the game’s gone on. So that’s what I’d like to see in this wicket; a really good contest day four, day five.”How much of a say will the toss have? Not much, as far as Ponting is concerned.”Oh look, I think it’ll be important, but, to be honest, I’m not a huge believer in the toss unless the conditions are really skewed one way, unless you really turn up in New Zealand or South Africa and there’s an absolute green wicket,” he said. “Actually, you can say that Australia and South Africa in Brisbane this year with a wicket up there had a lot of grass on it and that was probably a little bit unfair. So, you want to win those tosses. But I think if we turn up at The Oval and the wicket looks like a normal Oval pitch that as you say will probably give some assistance to the batterers in the first few days and give some assistance to the spinners as the game goes on, I don’t think it really matters.”You can still win if you lose the toss, you can still win if you win the toss, you get the chance to do what you want first and obviously try and control the game. But as we know, winning the toss doesn’t mean winning the game. Whatever you do first in the Test match, you still have to do that really well to give yourself the chance to win. So, I’m expecting it for the spectacle itself. I’m expecting that it’ll be a really good wicket and it’ll be five days of really good solid, hard Test match.”

Celtic are closing in on another title triumph and moves will already be accelerating behind the scenes as the foundations are laid for summer arrivals to sign on the dotted line at Parkhead.

Celtic plot strong domestic finish ahead of summer business

Brendan Rodgers has had things mostly his own way in the Scottish Premiership amid the absence of a prolonged title challenge from Rangers this campaign.

The Bhoys retain a 13-point lead over their rivals heading into the latest round of league fixtures. At the same time, they only need a minimum of five more victories in the top-flight to mathematically secure a fourth crown on the trot.

Following a convincing 5-1 victory over Aberdeen in midweek, Celtic travel to face St Mirren in Saturday’s late kick-off at the SMiSA Stadium carrying the omen that they have only lost out once in their last 20 visits to Paisley across all competitions.

While their Scottish Cup involvement could offer the chance for a domestic clean sweep, Rodgers will likely be plotting summer moves to equip his side for another crack at the Champions League if they can progress through qualifying later in the year.

Recently, Celtic’s interest in Norwich City forward Borja Sainz has come to light after the Spaniard’s run of 16 goals and four assists in 31 appearances this term.

Celtic now interested in signing "fantastic" 16-goal forward this summer

Brendan Rodgers is looking to add more firepower at Celtic.

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Sean Markus Clifford

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Statement arrivals will be on the agenda, and Rodgers has now confirmed the club are set for talks with another potential recruit as the wheels begin to turn on what is expected to be a busy summer window.

Brendan Rodgers confirms Jeffrey Schlupp Celtic talks

Speaking ahead of his side’s trip to face St Mirren, Rodgers confirmed he will consult January loan signing Jeffrey Schlupp over a permanent Celtic move after his blistering start to life in Glasgow’s east end.

He explained: “I’ll have a chat with Jeffrey towards the latter part of the season. It was the case of him coming in and settling and getting to understand how he plays. I think we can all see he has that Premier League physicality and quality.

“He’s a guy that’s a top professional. That’s why he’s been over a decade in the Premier League, because you have to look after yourself. You’ve got to have the right qualities, not only as a player but as a person. We knew what we were bringing in. I’m really happy for him, because he’s settled into the group really well now.”

Dovetailing with Greg Taylor in the left-back position, Schlupp has made seven appearances since arriving from Crystal Palace last month on a temporary basis, when the boss hailed his “incredible pace and power”.

Earning 20 caps for Ghana, the 32-year-old is set to be a free agent in the summer and may be a cost efficient option to compete with Kieran Tierney after the Scotland international signed a pre-contract with Celtic.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if the experienced full-back would be open to staying in Scotland long-term in spite of his initial impact in Glasgow.

Manchester United have a huge summer ahead of them under Ruben Amorim, with the manager having the opportunity to make his own mark on the first-team squad.

Since arriving in November last year, he’s only had one window to try and make the additions he wants, to help the side get out of their current slump in the Premier League.

However, it still remains unclear as to how much funds he will be given to spend, with the club’s current cost-cutting operation under Sir Jim Ratcliffe still in place.

One thing is for sure, an overhaul is desperately needed to prevent a repeat of this season, which has seen the Red Devils occupy a place in the bottom half of the table for the vast majority of the campaign.

The hierarchy have wasted no time in identifying targets to help bolster the first-team squad, with a move already being pursued for one of the biggest young talents around.

Man Utd working on deal for £20m wonderkid

According to CaughtOffside, United are already working on a deal to land Sunderland sensation Chris Rigg this summer, but aren’t alone in their pursuit of the teenager.

The 17-year-old also has admirers from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, which is no surprise given his rapid rise to stardom at the Stadium of Light.

Despite his tender age, he’s already made 61 senior appearances for the Black Cats’ first-team, becoming the second-youngest player in the Championship to feature in 50 matches.

The report claims that Rigg is the number one priority for the hierarchy, seeing the youngster as a “must-have”, with Spurs having already placed a £38m bid according to other reports.

Such a deal would be a bargain for the aforementioned fee, having the potential to cement his place in the side for years to come, while also becoming a bigger talent than another youngster already at Old Trafford.

Why Rigg could become a talent bigger than Mainoo for United

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo caught the eye last year after breaking into the United first-team, with his most notable moment undoubtedly coming in the FA Cup final, scoring the winner against local rivals Manchester City.

His time in the North West since Amorim’s has been nothing but plain sailing, with injuries derailing the progress he made at the Theatre of Dreams last campaign.

However, even when he has been fully fit, the 19-year-old has also struggled, even being utilised as a centre forward in the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace – often having to rely on substitute appearances to make an impact in his preferred role.

Given his tender age, Mainoo still needs time before he reaches his full potential, with the boss needing to give him valuable minutes in his natural role upon his return from his latest injury setback.

However, should Rigg complete a move to United in the summer window, he could further restrict Mainoo’s minutes in the side, potentially continuing his own impressive form in the professional game despite being just 17.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from the ongoing season, the Sunderland star has managed to match or better the Red Devils academy graduate in numerous key areas, showcasing the talent he possesses.

The Black Cats ace has registered more combined goals and assists in 2024/25, whilst also notching a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing the threat he possesses in the final third.

Games played

34

18

Goals & assists

5

0

Progressive passes

3.9

3.6

Shot-on-target accuracy

30%

10%

Carries into final third

1

0.8

Shots taken

1.6

0.7

Fouls won

1.7

1.3

He’s also completed more progressive passes per 90, whilst winning more fouls per game, having the all-round quality to battle Mainoo for a starting role should he move to Old Trafford.

Given Rigg’s tender age, he has the potential to develop into one of the world’s leading talents, that is if he continues on his current trajectory that has seen him take England’s second division by storm.

He certainly has all of the attributes to be a top talent, with a move needing to be completed, handing Amorim the opportunity to transform the teenager and massively bolster his first-team side.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Gabriel Neves e Miranda têm futuro incerto no São Paulo. Ambos têm vínculo somente até dezembro deste ano, mas o diretor de futebol Carlos Belmonte tem interesse em manter os dois jogadores no clube.

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>ATUAÇÕES: Nestor e Reinaldo comandam a vitória do São Paulo sobre o Red Bull Bragantino

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Em entrevista ao “Canal do Hernan”, Belmonte revisitou a situação envolvendo os atletas.

Gabriel Neves chegou como um empréstimo pelo Nacional-URU para o Tricolor. Com a opção de compra, o uruguaio já fica livre do vínculo a partir do final deste ano.

Com mais minutos em campo nos últimos meses, a atuação do meia chamou atenção. Neves passou a ocupar o lugar de Luan, que se recupera de uma cirurgia no adutor da coxa esquerda.

Em entrevista à Radio Sport, do Uruguai, o atleta revelou que foi procurado recentemente por clubes argentinos e de outros países também.

Em junho deste ano, o LANCE! já havia adiantado uma proposta do San Lorenzo ao atleta.Carlos Belmonte aproveitou e destacou que tem interesse em manter o camisa 15 na equipe por mais tempo. Porém, o diretor de futebol alegou que a decisão final fica sobre encargo do atleta.

-Nossa decisão é para fazer o esforço possível para que tenhamos o Gabriel Neves definitivamente na próxima temporada. Mas também temos que ver a vontade do atleta. Ele é um profissional exemplar, uma figura, se dá bem com todo o elenco – disse Belmonte.

Sobre Miranda, a situação é um pouco diferente. Se por um lado Gabriel Neves chegou como um empréstimo e demorou um pouco para conquistar confiança, do outro, Miranda chegou como um veterano.

O zagueiro já atuou no São Paulo no passado – inclusive, junto a Rogério Ceni. Em março do último ano, retornou. Em ocasiões recentes, o defensor afirmou que não via aposentadoria como algo próximo, mas desconversou diversas vezes quando o assunto se tornava algo referente a renovação.

– No momento, é estar representando os torcedores em campo, correndo bastante, me dedicando junto aos meus companheiros. Meu momento agora é jogar, estou feliz aqui. Quero chegar no final do ano com a consciência que fiz o meu melhor e no final do ano a gente vê o que vai acontecer – disse após a vitória do São Paulo contra o América-MG.

Carlos Belmonte demonstrou otimismo. De acordo com suas palavras, Miranda só não permanecerá no Tricolor se não for de sua vontade. A decisão final estaria nas mãos do zagueiro, que ainda não teria decidido sobre seu futuro.

-Miranda só não jogará a próxima temporada no São Paulo se não quiser. É ídolo e titular do Rogério. Vamos aguardar o final do ano por vontade dele. Ele quer esperar, ainda não tem convicção se vai jogar mais uma temporada – completou Belmonte.

Newcastle United have the chance to end 70 years of domestic hurt at Wembley this afternoon when they take on Liverpool in the League Cup final.

Not since victory over Manchester City in the 1955 FA Cup final have the Magpies claimed silverware in England, a drought that is too staggering to believe.

Eddie Howe led the Toon to the same stage of this competition two seasons ago, but lost the showpiece event to Manchester United.

Can he put these demons to bed today? Or will Liverpool look to get back to winning ways after being bundled out of the Champions League midweek to Paris Saint-Germain?

It promises to be an exciting match, that’s for sure.

Newcastle United team news vs Liverpool

Defenders Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles will miss the trip to Wembley, while Lewis Hall won’t be available for selection now until next season after suffering an injury against Liverpool a few weeks ago.

Thankfully for Howe, Alexander Isak is fit and ready to shine for the Magpies against the Anfield side. It looked as though he was struggling for fitness a few weeks ago, but he could be key if the club want to end their seven-decade hoodoo today.

One player who is missing for the final is Anthony Gordon. During the FA Cup defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion a couple of weeks ago, the Englishman was sent off after pushing Jan Paul van Hecke in the head during the match.

This suspension could hurt Howe, but he does have a few options regarding a replacement for the talented winger.

While Harvey Barnes – who started against West Ham on Monday night – might be the obvious solution, Joe Willock could drop back into the heart of the midfield, which would allow Joelinton the chance to replace Gordon on the left wing instead.

Why Howe must unleash Joelinton for Newcastle

The Brazilian has played 31 games for the club this season, scoring four goals and grabbing an assist.

All of his goals have come in the Premier League, where the midfielder has also created a big chance, averages 0.8 key passes per game and won 5.7 total duels per match.

Howe has praised the player heavily in the past, none more so than after Newcastle’s comeback against Nottingham Forest earlier this season, saying: “He’s like gold dust because you know wherever you put him he’ll do a good job.”

When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Joelinton ranks in the top 10% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.1), progressive passes received (4.14), total shots (1.84) and for through balls (0.38) per 90.

These statistics indicate that he could be a more than worthy replacement for Gordon this afternoon, even ahead of the previously peripheral Barnes, as the club chase a long-awaited trophy.

If the club perform to their best, they have a chance of defeating Liverpool, but every member of the starting XI will need to be up to the task of stopping Arne Slot’s side.

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