Arsenal are primed to go again next season, sights set on the biggest prizes. Mikel Arteta’s transfer efforts this summer certainly speak of ambition.

And there’s more still to come, even after deals for free-scoring striker Viktor Gyokeres and up-and-coming defender Cristian Mosquera are wrapped up, as is expected.

There’s space for a few more forwards, and the depth of such plans will become clearer upon the resolutions to the futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, both wide forwards rumoured to be expendable.

A playmaker would also go down well in north London. Arsenal had registered their interest in RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, but the Dutchman has instead been at the centre of Chelsea’s advancements, with that one now in the pipeline.

However, with Martin Odegaard settled in his senior role, Arteta will want to consider the ramifications a big-money signing might have on some of the exciting up-and-coming prospects.

Arsenal's teenage talents

Arsenal commenced their pre-season tour in Asia with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan. A familiar scoreline, but also new parts which demonstrate Arteta’s vision advancing to the next stage.

Bukayo Saka being the goalscorer is nothing new, but the likes of Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri’s starring roles highlight the next batch of elite Hale End prospects arriving at Arteta’s door.

We, of course, know all about Nwaneri, he who emerged onto the scene as a youngster and settled into a role of seniority last year, scoring nine goals and supplying two assists across 37 matches in all competitions.

Against Milan this week, the 18-year-old operated from a central playmaking berth, and it made an interesting comment on his positional value away from the right wing.

However, Dowman made his senior debut against the Italians, emerging from the bench and replacing Saka beyond the hour mark. A symbolic switch if ever there was one.

Where Dowman, 15, is best suited positionally remains to be seen, but after Arteta hailed the attacking midfielder’s “incredible” first taste of action, the outfit will want to be wary of hampering his development.

Arsenal lining up another attacking midfielder

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal chiefs are locked in talks with the entourage of Eberechi Eze, who has immortalised himself at Crystal Palace after scoring the winning goal in last season’s FA Cup final.

The 27-year-old has a £60m release clause in his contract and the Gunners are the firm favourites to complete a deal, should he be on the move this summer.

Eze, an England international of growing importance, could find himself at the centre of a concrete bid from Arsenal in short time, now that a move for Gyokeres has been wrapped up.

Why Arsenal want Eberechi Eze

In 2020, Eze joined Crystal Palace from Queens Park Rangers in the Championship for a £20m fee. He has since become “one of the best players in the Premier League”, in the words of teammate Tyrick Mitchell, posting 40 goals and 28 assists across 148 matches for the Eagles.

24/25

43 (40)

14

11

23/24

31 (26)

11

6

22/23

40 (30)

10

4

21/22

19 (7)

1

1

20/21

36 (31)

3

6

The Three Lions star is something special, all right, with his strong athletic build and winged feet making him a dangerous opponent for even the sternest defenders.

As per FBref, Eze ranked among the top 20% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for assists and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90.

His average of 1.7 key passes, two dribbles and 4.8 successful duels per Premier League game last season, as per Sofascore, furthers the argument that he’s exactly what Arteta needs to add a dimension and ensure that the biggest prizes across multiple fronts can be chased next term.

The problem is that Eze’s arrival would spark congestion in the creative midfield position for Arsenal, and this could lead to the stunting of Dowman’s growth. Nwaneri’s midfield role against Milan suggests his future lies in the middle, while the acquisition of Noni Madueke will surely see him play on the right, Dowman’s other preferred role.

And given the prodigious potential that Arteta has in the teenage superstar, is this really the course of action that the club wants to head down?

Of course, some would argue that Dowman must be eased onto the major stage over the next few years, allowed to grow into his skin without the weight of responsibility that could foil so many youngsters.

But Odegaard is set to continue as the Emirates creator-in-chief over the coming years, and Nwaneri could be his deputy for an age.

Given that Dowman is so ilky and fleet-footed on the ball, bearing an age-belying confidence, you could make the comparison between him and Eze, so there is the fact that he would emerge onto the scene and be impeded by a more accomplished and complete positional rival who has a similar style of play.

And if Arsenal do push ahead with the signing of an out-and-out winger, which is a separate focus to that of Eze, then it would make sense for the Palace man to operate chiefly within a central berth. Thus, Dowman would indeed find himself further down the pecking order than he might hope for.

There’s no question that Eze is a “superstar”, as has been said by analyst Ben Mattinson, but is his signature really needed? It might feel like this is so, but Dowman is one of the most talented teenagers in world football, and he could break through to the Arsenal first team sooner rather than later.

More exciting than Gyokeres: Romano reveals Arsenal's new "top target"

The sensational game-changer would be an incredible signing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 24, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras vive grande fase dentro e fora de campo, dessa forma pensa também no futuro e, por isso, está tratando da renovação de contrato com Gabriel Menino. Segundo informação revelada pelo GE e confirmada pelo LANCE!, as partes devem acertar um novo vínculo até o fim de 2027. Seriam mais dois anos além do que está registrado no vínculo atual.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

De acordo com o apurado pela reportagem, a renovação está encaminhada neste momento e deve ser oficializada em breve. Atualmente, Menino tem contrato até o fim de 2025 e tem se valorizado ainda mais neste ano depois de virar titular do meio-campo ao lado de Zé Rafael.

Apesar de as partes ainda alinharem detalhes para sacramentar a prorrogação do vínculo, elas acreditam que tudo deve ser definido nos próximos dias. O jogador vai ter um aumento salarial, além da extensão até o fim de 2027. Vale lembrar que Menino foi pretendido por outros clubes no início desta temporada, mas o Palmeiras recusou a possibilidade de saída e manteve o jovem em seu elenco.

continua após a publicidade

+ OLHAR DO PORCO: Em lua de mel com o time, torcida do Palmeiras vive o maior jogo do ano no Allianz

Desde 2020 no profissional do Verdão, Gabriel Menino é Cria da Academia e já tem 166 jogos pelo clube, além de 14 gols marcados no período (sendo seis deles apenas em 2023). Isso sem contar os títulos conquistados: três Paulistas (2020, 2022 e 2023), duas Libertadores (2020 e 2021), uma Copa do Brasil (2020), um Brasileirão (2022), uma Supercopa do Brasil (2023) e uma Recopa Sul-Americana (2022)

يستعد فريق ريال مدريد، بقيادة المدرب تشابي ألونسو، لخوض مباراته الثانية في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26، مساء يوم الثلاثاء وذلك ضد نظيره فريق كيرات.

ويستضيف ملعب “ألماتي المركزي” مباراة فريقي ريال مدريد وكيرات، في خضم منافسات الجولة الثانية من مرحلة الدوري، من دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويمتلك ريال مدريد 3 نقاط بعدما فاز بصعوبة على مارسيليا في الجولة الأولى من مرحلة الدوري بهدفين لهدف، بينما خسر كيرات على يد سبورتينج لشبونة بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف.

ويسعى ريال مدريد إلى مصالحة جماهيره بعدما خسر يوم السبت الماضي في لقاء الديربي أمام أتلتيكو مدريد بخمسة أهداف لهدفين، في الدوري الإسباني، وفقد الصدارة إثر فوز برشلونة في اليوم التالي على ريال سوسيداد بهدفين لهدف. موعد مباراة ريال مدريد وكيرات اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 7:45 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ريال مدريد وكيرات اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1. معلق مباراة ريال مدريد وكيرات اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

سيعلق أحمد البلوشي على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا. 

His first assignment will be the ODI and Test legs of South Africa’s ongoing home series against England

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2024Mandla Mashimbyi has been appointed as South Africa Women’s full-time head coach, ending the vacuum that had existed in the role since Hilton Moreeng brought his 11-year stint to an end in May.Dillon du Preez, who had been Moreeng’s assistant, had taken over in an interim capacity and been in charge during South Africa’s run to a runners-up finish in the T20 World Cup in the UAE last month. He had expressed uncertainty about continuing in the role, however, suggesting that “the team needs a little bit more”.Related

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Mashimbyi’s first assignment will be the three-match home ODI series against England, which begins in Kimberley on December 4. That will be followed by a one-off Test in Bloemfontein from December 15-18. England are currently leading 2-0 in the T20I leg of their tour, with the third and final match of that series to be played in Centurion on Saturday.”It is with a profound sense of honour and humility that I accept the appointment as the Proteas Women’s Coach,” Mashimbyi said. “I am fully cognizant of the significant responsibilities and expectations associated with this esteemed position.Mashimbyi, a fast bowler who played 48 first-class games, 49 List A games and one T20 in a South Africa domestic career that stretched from 2003-10, has extensive coaching experience, particularly with the highly successful Titans franchise. He has also enjoyed stints as bowling coach and assistant coach with South Africa Men, and was recently fast-bowling coach at Paarl Royals in the SA20.”I am profoundly grateful for the exceptional opportunity bestowed upon me by Titans Cricket throughout my tenure as a coach,” he said. “Their unwavering support and unwavering backing over the past eleven years have been instrumental in my professional growth and development.”At this juncture, I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity to contribute my expertise and knowledge to the Proteas Women continued success and to elevate their standing as a formidable force in world cricket.”

“There’s definitely not panic stations in our change rooms,” Boland says of the mood in the camp after the Perth reversal

Alagappan Muthu30-Nov-2024

Even as the Perth Test was coming to a close, some of Australia’s reserves had begun training for the day-night Test in Adelaide. That might come in handy now, especially for Scott Boland, as he contended with the first day of the practice game between the Prime Minister’s XI and the Indians struggling to get underway. Boland, who got the call about Josh Hazlewood’s side strain “a couple of days ago”, is favourite to make the XI in Adelaide next Friday and play his first Test since the early part of the Ashes in July 2023.”Obviously I haven’t played a heap of cricket in the start of this season, but I feel like I’ve played enough cricket to feel like I’m in a really good spot,” he said on Saturday afternoon. “My body’s feeling really good now. I had a couple of niggles that were a little bit sore, but knee and foot are feeling really good and I’m confident how the ball’s coming out.”Our last net session in Perth was for me and Josh Inglis, we went pink ball for quite a few overs. So getting it in the hand then and then obviously the overs we can get in probably tomorrow by the look of this weather will be valuable as well. Then Adelaide on Monday, then just a normal prep before a game. So have a good bowl two days before the game and then just prepare to play.”Related

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Undercooked Australia lose the plot in Perth

Australia’s defeat in Perth has set off alarms on the outside – their top-order batters folded pretty quickly in both innings and the bowling was unable to stop India from piling on the runs the second time around. While Boland admitted a need to go back to the drawing board, he said they wouldn’t be making wholesale changes.”There’s definitely not panic stations in our change rooms,” he said. “There’s obviously going to be some chats around individual performances and everyone wants to perform really well every game they play. But yeah, it’s like, we’ve lost one game. It’s not toys out of the cot, I don’t think.”We’ve spoken as a team about our plans for all the different Indian batters. I won’t tell you those, but we’ve got pretty set plans. They might have a little bit of a tweak after the guys have seen them again from Perth, because obviously [Yashasvi] Jaiswal batted really well there. KL Rahul batted well in the second dig as well and really digged in. So we’ll probably have a chat over the next week and our plans might slightly change, but I’m pretty confident what we did in the first games was good.”There was also a suggestion that the workload Australia’s bowlers had to get through made a difference in the outcome of the Perth Test. “I think our bowlers bowled really well as well,” Boland said. “Maybe the only difference was that the Indian bowlers got a really nice long break between their first innings and second innings where our break wasn’t as long.”‘Probably thought maybe the opportunity had passed’The last 15 months have been frustrating for Boland, kept on standby for Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood all through the summer, and then suffering an injury in the winter, which cut his county cricket stint at Durham down from four months to just one day.There aren’t many teams that are unable to fit in a fast bowler capable of holding a line and length all day long. Boland averages 20.34 from ten Test matches – but those ten Test matches are only a fraction of what Australia have played (31) in the time since his debut in December 2021.”Obviously those guys [the big three Australia quicks] have been so resilient, they don’t miss too many and no one must give up their spot at any stage,” Boland said. “And they’re so dominant, so last summer they weren’t bowling a heap of overs, but we’re still able to win most of those games.”So yeah, I probably thought maybe the opportunity had passed, but I’ve worked really hard in the off-season to get my body in a spot where I’m confident that if I get another chance I’ll be able to perform it for Australia again.”I just knew if I put the conversations I had with Ron [Andrew McDonald, the head coach] and George [Bailey, the chief selector] over the pre-season – when I was rehabbing a lot was to try and get my body in the right spot – that I didn’t want to rush anything and then re-injure something and then push my return to play back date a while. So we took it pretty slow with my rehab.”Boland’s run-in to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy included a Sheffield Shield game, where he took 3 for 104, and the Australia A vs India A game, where he took 1 for 87 across two innings.”Played the second game for Victoria and then I’ve missed a couple and then played the ‘A’ game. So I’ve had a pretty good prep and then now it’s just about building up, getting the intensity up in this game here and then in the night sessions as well before Adelaide.”Pink-ball rhythmsBoland’s primary skill – getting the ball to nip off the seam – lends itself to pink-ball cricket, especially when conditions start to turn really helpful as day goes to night. He averages 13.71 from two day-night Tests.”Usually there can be two different games in the one game,” he said. “You can bowl during the day when the sun’s out and it doesn’t do a whole lot, and then you get to the night session and the ball starts moving around a bit. So I think it’s just for the bowlers, we just communicate really well together about what the ball is doing and how the pitch is playing and then just sort of flicking between those modes as quick as you can.”Strategy can sometimes be shaped by the pink ball as well. “I feel like the teams that bat first can sort of time when they want to bowl, if they bat really well on their first day, because if you get a newish ball at night, it can be pretty lethal,” Boland said. “If batters are coming in, they’ve batted through the daytime, they get through to the night session. I think it’s been a couple of instances where the ball hasn’t dominated the bat. I think maybe last year at the Gabba [against West Indies] we took the new ball and didn’t get as many wickets as what we would have hoped in that night session.”But now back to Adelaide, I think they produce a really good cricket wicket that really suits the pink ball and helps it last a bit longer because it does get a little bit softer after 30, 40 overs compared to a red ball.”

It’s finally time, after a long summer, West Ham United are back in competitive action this afternoon.

Graham Potter’s side kickstart their Premier League campaign with a game away to the recently promoted Sunderland.

On paper, it’s a game that the Hammers should be winning comfortably, but as we all know, it’s never that simple, and the Black Cats have made some brilliant additions to their team this summer, most notably in former Arsenal star Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss international is still a top player, and in an interesting development, the Irons are now being linked with someone who’d be their own version of him.

West Ham target their own Xhaka

While it has not necessarily been an exciting window this summer, West Ham have made a few smart additions to the team.

Transfer Focus

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

Mads Hermanses impressed for Leicester City last season, Kyle Walker-Peters is a proven Premier League performer, and El Hadji Malick Diouf impressed in pre-season.

Moreover, it looks like the Hammers want to do more business before the window closes and are now targeting someone who could be their own Xhaka.

At least that’s according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, who has revealed that West Ham are interested in Aleix García.

The journalist claims that the Bayer Leverkusen star is someone “they quite like” and that, in good news, no other teams seem to be in for him at the moment.

It’s not clear just how much Garcia would cost the Hammers, but he joined the German side for around £15m.

If he’s available for around that much today, it would represent some incredible business, especially as he could be their own Xhaka.

How Garcia compares to Xhaka

In this instance, the comparison stems primarily from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League before concluding that Xhaka has been the eighth most similar midfielder to Garcia over the last 365 days.

The best way to gain a better understanding of how such a conclusion was reached is by taking a look under the hood, at the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked closest.

In this case, these include metrics such as progressive carries, passing accuracy, shot and goal-creating actions, blocks, live passes and more, all per 90.

Progressive Carries

1.67

1.31

Progressive Passes Received

2.90

2.24

Passing Accuracy

87.2%

89.7%

Expected Assists

0.23

0.16

Live Passes

78.4

83.9

Shot-Creating Actions

3.71

3.74

Goal-Creating Actions

0.62

0.56

Blocks

0.74

0.93

Clearances

1.48

1.62

Successful Take-Ons

0.25

0.22

In other words, like the Swiss international, Garcia is an all-action midfielder who can more than help out when it comes to the attacking side of the game, but is also more than happy to dig in and do the dirty work when his team need him to.

However, the pair don’t just share statistical similarities, as they actually played with one another at Leverkusen, and if the former Girona star does move this summer, then he’d likely be following his former teammate to the Premier League.

Finally, another strength that the “technically gifted” Spaniard, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, shares with the former Gunners ace is his ability to play in multiple midfield roles, from the six to a box-crashing eight and, on occasion, further up the pitch than that.

Ultimately, while this would be a surprising move, it’s one West Ham should be all over, as Garcia looks like just the player to come in and improve their midfield, just like Xhaka will for Sunderland.

Their new Bowen: West Ham submit bid to sign "dangerous" forward for £34m

West Ham are targeting a former Real Madrid star to provide competition for Jarrod Bowen.

ByWill Miller Aug 14, 2025

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav will be back in action for Mumbai’s next Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) game, against Andhra on December 3 after taking a two-week break to attend a family function. He is expected to play the remainder of the tournament and also feature in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy starting December 21.It’s likely Suryakumar will not lead Mumbai in SMAT with Shreyas Iyer in charge till now and expected to continue in that position. It is understood that Suryakumar is fine with Iyer continuing as the captain and is ready to bat at any position that the team management feels is suitable for him.Suryakumar, who led India to an emphatic 3-1 series win over South Africa recently, will link up with the Mumbai squad in Hyderabad on Monday and is expected to turn up for the next game. Placed fourth in Group E, Mumbai have won two of their three games so far and have two league games left after Sunday, when they play against Nagaland.The ongoing SMAT has seen a number of high-profile names participate after the T20I tour of South Africa, such as Hardik Pandya, Iyer, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, and others. Suryakumar had also played one round of the Ranji Trophy in October before leaving for South Africa.

From their worst-ever Premier League finish, to managerial changes and a Europa League final defeat, it certainly was a year to forget for Manchester United in 2024/25.

Ruben Amorim was chosen as the man to try and save the sinking ship after Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, aiming to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford during his tenure.

He alluded to their struggles when taking the reins, but promised that ‘better days are coming’ – still, as everyone knows, actions speak louder than words at the top-level of professional football.

Judgement on whether his ambitions come to fruition will be seen in due course, as England’s top-flight once again gears up for another year of promise, disappointment and expectations.

A mammoth reaction is needed from everyone associated with the Red Devils in the coming months, especially after the backing provided by the board during the off-season.

Man Utd’s hunt to land a new midfield star

Their failures on the pitch in recent times are there for all to see, but there’s no question the United board are showcasing their attempts to prevent such an embarrassing year from reoccurring down the line.

Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have all been recruited to improve the frontline, resulting in a whopping £200m already being splashed in the summer window.

After such moves, reports of landing a new midfielder have intensified, with such a hunt leading them to Brighton star Carlos Baleba – albeit being a complex move given his £100m price tag.

The Cameroonian isn’t alone on their shortlist, as Amorim seemingly wants a reunion with Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand – leading to The Sun reporting a potential £50m bid is currently being lined up.

Within the piece, it’s claimed that the player himself would be open to switching to England, but any move could hinge on any development in the move for Baleba.

With the trasfer deadline now rapidly approaching in the rearview mirror, it’s vital the right move is made to allow the players currently on the books to thrive alongside any new addition.

How United’s £50m target would impact United’s midfield

United’s failures in recent times have largely been down to poor recruitment, forking out mammoth sums for talents who’ve been unable to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

However, the same can’t be said for one man – Bruno Fernandes, who may well end his career at Old Trafford as one of their greatest ever purchases.

No supporter could’ve foreseen the impact he would make, after the board forked out an initial £47m to prise him away from Sporting in January 2020.

The Portuguese international – who’s since been made club captain – has amassed a staggering 98 goals from his deep-lying position, often being the club’s go-to in terms of goal contributions.

However, the arrival of the attacking trio will likely take such responsibility off his shoulders, able to form a partnership with Hjulmand – solving the massive issue which has been apparent at the heart of the side.

Like Fernandes, the Dane may be an unknown quantity to many at present, but any move to the Theatre of Dreams could catapult himself to stardom, whilst aiding Amorim’s ambitions of bringing the glory days back to the club.

According to FBref, Hjulmand ranked in the 99th percentile for passes completed (90%), offering a needed composed figure to the side – who sat sixth in average possession in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

Morten Hjulmand’s stats for Sporting (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

28

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

90%

Progressive passes

6.4

Take-on success

62%

Passes into final third

6.7

Tackles won

2.2

Interceptions made

1.1

Aerial success

56%

Stats via FBref

Being comfortable on the ball is always important in a system that demands intricate play, but the 26-year-old has also demonstrated his ability to break the lines in Portugal.

He made 6.7 passes into the final third per 90, ranking him in the top 8% of all players in Europe – ultimately leading to analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him a “complete midfielder”.

Such comments also take his ball-winning ability into account, notching 2.2 tackles won and 1.1 interceptions made per 90 – numbers which could put an end to the club’s hunt for a new midfielder.

Hjulmand’s all-round quality would allow him to operate slightly deeper, seeing Bruno take up a free role ahead of him, enabling him to continue his phenomenal levels of output in attacking areas.

Now, the question becomes whether Amorim pursues a move for his former player, or breaks the bank and makes a club-record move to prise Baleba away from the Seagulls’ clutches.

A move for Hjulmand would make perfect sense, already knowing the demands of the manager, but also offering a much cheaper alternative for the hierarchy.

The new additions are undoubtedly providing excitement within the fanbase, but it remains vital they don’t neutralise players like Bruno as a result – with the Sporting star able to aid the captain in taking the Red Devils up the table in 2025/26.

Related New Pogba: INEOS chasing "extraordinary" Baleba alternative for Man Utd

Manchester United are preparing a move for a new midfielder and it’s not Carlos Baleba.

Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Aug 15, 2025

Birmingham City were mere minutes away from sealing an impressive 1-0 opening day win over Ipswich Town on their arrival back into the Championship.

Unfortunately, controversy ensued at St. Andrew’s during the dying moments of the Friday night clash, resulting in George Hirst firing home a last-gasp penalty to rid Chris Davies’ men of a dream victory.

Still, that shouldn’t take away from the exciting attacking display that was on show, with Kyogo Furuhashi proving himself to be an instant hit, on top of Jay Stansfield already finding himself off the mark in the second tier this season by firing home the opener.

That’s before you even throw new recruit Marvin Ducksch into the equation, too, as Davies licks his lips at the attacking arsenal he has at his disposal.

Why Ducksch is a great signing for Birmingham

The reigning League One champions have routinely splashed the cash in recent years to land some thrilling talents, with the aforementioned Kyogo costing £10m just this summer to bring in to further improve Birmingham’s attacking options.

Ducksch, on the other hand, has cost far less at around the £1.7m mark. Yet, his career numbers in his native Germany – before moving on to England – would suggest he’s another stunning pick-up by the Blues.

Bundesliga

130

34

28

2. Bundesliga

138

71

34

3. Liga

54

19

14

Indeed, just one glance at the table above is enough to gain an insight into the prolific nature of the 6-foot-2 marksman, with a bumper 124 career goals coming his way when rising up the German divisions all the way up to the top with Werder Bremen.

The hope will be that Ducksch acclimatises to his new Championship environment well, with his red-hot ability to put away chances a dangerous weapon for Davies to have by his side in crucial games to follow.

The Blues might well dip their toes into the European market once more with this next potential summer buy, hopeful that he can be as intimidating to Championship defences as their new German centre-forward.

Birmingham line up move for £1.3m star

Davies and Co are already ten signings down this summer, but don’t expect that to deter them from making even more moves before September’s deadline.

French journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter has taken to X in recent days to reveal that Birmingham are showing strong interest in Montpellier winger Tanguy Coulibaly, with Coulibaly reportedly worth around the £1.3m mark, when assessing his value via Transfermarkt.

Much like Ducksch, the 24-year-old attacker has proven himself at a top level for a considerable amount of time now, having skilfully plied his trade at both Montpellier and Stuttgart for a hefty 119 games.

His spell at Stuttgart even resulted in sporting director Sven Mislintat hailing him as “very gifted”, on top of being described as possessing “plenty of tricks in his locker” by academy coach Peter Reichert.

Stuttgart

74

6

3

Montpellier

45

4

1

While his numbers for both clubs in question might not be as instantly as jaw-dropping as Ducksch’s in Germany, Coulibaly would, no doubt, be a valuable asset to Birmingham this season if he were to join, having accumulated 14 goal contributions in total out in Germany and France.

Capable of also lining up as a centre-forward and as a number ten, Coulibaly should be able to offer himself up to Birmingham as a worthwhile utility body, particularly when the Blues are suffering deep into the 46-game marathon.

Ducksch could also have to make do with being an impact option for Davies, with the task of displacing the likes of Stansfield from the main team a tricky one to pull off.

Still, both players in question will feel they can offer their all to the Birmingham mission this coming season – having been in and around elite leagues for some time now – with the Blues dreaming of another fairytale promotion story if everything slots into place.

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The summer transfer window has been open for the best part of two months and Celtic are yet to add a natural winger to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ squad.

Benjamin Nygren, who has played on the right flank, was brought in on a permanent deal, but the versatile star has been playing in central midfield throughout pre-season.

This means that the Hoops still have not replaced Portuguese forward Jota, who may not return to action until January or February of next year.

The former Rennes winger suffered an ACL injury at the start of May against Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership and has been ruled out for up to nine months.

Why losing Jota is a blow for Celtic

That injury came as a big blow for Celtic because they had only brought him back to Parkhead in the January transfer window, signing him from Rennes 18 months after they sold him to Al Ittihad.

The 26-year-old forward scored four goals and provided two assists in seven starts in the Premiership after returning to the club, hitting the ground running in his second spell.

Jota’s form on the left flank also freed up Daizen Maeda to play through the middle as a number nine, which is another reason why losing him to a long-term injury is a blow for the Hoops.

The Premiership champions and Rodgers can finally replace the Portuguese star, who has been out injured for almost three months now, by signing reported transfer target Jakob Breum, who is another right-footed left winger.

Why Celtic should sign Jakob Breum

Celtic should continue to pursue the Danish star, who is valued at around £7m, after having a bid rejected for him because he could be a fantastic replacement in the short-to-medium term for Jota.

The Go Ahead Eagles star was described as an “underrated creative winger” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and his statistics in the Eredivisie last season suggest that he could be even more of a creative threat than Jota for the Hoops.

Breum, who scored against Al Duhail in a friendly on Saturday, averaged 1.7 key passes per game and delivered five assists in 26 league games for the Dutch, which shows that he likes to create chances for his teammates on a regular basis.

As you can see in the table above, he averaged more key passes per match than Jota did in the Premiership, despite playing for a team that only finished seventh in the league.

Playing in a dominant Celtic team that is constantly winning, as they have won the league title in each of the last four years, could help to get the best out of Breum and his attacking qualities, as he would have more opportunities to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

That is what makes his statistics for Go Ahead Eagles really stand out in comparison to Jota’s, as he made a similar impact whilst having less to work with from his team’s play, given their standing in the division.

At the age of 21, he also has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, and could be a long-term option for the Hoops even after Jota returns at the start of next year.

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However, his form last season suggests that the winger would come in as a fantastic short and medium term signing first and foremost so that Celtic can finally replace Jota with another left-wing option.