O Botafogo corre o risco de ter mais um desfalque. O lateral-esquerdo Marçal foi denunciado pelo Supremo Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) por sua expulsão na derrota por 1 a 0 para o Corinthians, e pelos desdobramentos da partida válida pela 24ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.
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Ao deixar o campo, camisa 21 se dirigiu a uma das câmeras e gritou: “Isso aqui que é roubo, Abel”, referindo-se ao treinador do Palmeiras, Abel Ferreira. Há possibilidade do jogador pegar até 12 jogos de suspensão.
+ A sua carreira no futebol pode começar hoje. Garanta a sua vaga no curso Gestor de Futebol e capacite-se!
O capitão foi denunciado no artigo 254 do Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva (jogada violenta). A punição prevista é de um a seis jogos, por conta do cartão vermelho recebido após revisão no VAR, ainda no primeiro tempo do jogo.
Marçal ainda foi alvo de denúncia no artigo 243-F (ofensa à honra), que estabelece como pena multa de R$ 100 a R$ 100 mil e suspensão de um a seis jogos pela frase direcionada para as câmeras que transmitiam a partida.
O árbitro da partida, Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva, relatou na súmula as declarações de Marçal com base em “leitura labial”, citando a transcrição do que o jogador falou com base em uma reportagem do “ge”. A Associação de Árbitros de Futebol do Brasil (Abrafut) informou que iria ao STJD contra o atleta. De acordo com o site Fogãonet, o julgamento acontecerá na segunda-feira (16), a partir das 13h.
Newcastle United might have faced inferior opponents, but their comfortable passage through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup underlined the strength of Eddie Howe’s side.
It felt at times during the summer transfer window that the Magpies would teeter and fall, so intense was the noise around Alexander Isak’s future at St. James’ Park, so glum was the mood.
But in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, Newcastle have welcomed talented and contrasting strikers equipped to deal with the pressures of leading the line on Tyneside and into the Champions League, United having lost their opener against Barcelona and now in need of results.
However, they also have William Osula, who has gone from strength to strength under Howe’s wing and bagged himself a brace against Bradford City on Wednesday evening.
William Osula's Carabao Cup display
Osula came within a whisker of leaving Newcastle this summer, with Eintracht Frankfurt over in Germany actually tabling a formal £30m offer for the Danish forward.
Sources such as Sky Sports’ Keith Downie have confirmed that the bid had been slapped on the table and then withdrawn on deadline day. Some within the Toon hierarchy may be kicking themselves for not having accepted the offer sooner, but Howe may well be content with the 22-year-old Dane having stayed put, with three goals scored already in 2025/26.
It wasn’t a perfect display against Bradford in the Carabao Cup, but Osula certainly demonstrated a degree of improvement after languishing on the periphery last year, also netting off the bench in the Premier League during the 3-2 defeat by Liverpool in August.
Praised for his complete performance and for “slowly but surely” making the necessary improvements to his game, Osula is a valuable asset as United look to challenge across multiple fronts this term.
However, he wasn’t the only one to catch the eye on Wednesday, with Malick Thiaw putting in another statement showing after his summer transfer. The centre-back has some thick internal competition, but there might come a point when Howe marks him as one of the first names on the team sheet.
Malick Thiaw's start to life at Newcastle
Newcastle welcome Arsenal to St. James’ Park in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, and that’s going to be a tough test indeed for Howe’s side.
It was a bold call to field so many of his finest players, though that is a declaration of the manager’s respect for the Carabao Cup and his desire to successfully defend the crown that was so emphatically claimed last season.
Thiaw helped carry Newcastle through, and he may well have underscored his claim for another starting berth at the weekend, with fans taking to online circles after the win and voicing their excitement at a future Thiaw and Sven Botman partnership.
As per FBref, the German defender, who joined from AC Milan for £35m in August, ranks among the top 7% of defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90.
He is not only crisp in possession, but eager to make things happen and progress the play upfield.
And, against Bradford, the 24-year-old proved himself worthy of a place in Howe’s starting line-up for the biggest occasions, energetic and secure in the defensive phases and crisp and creative on the ball.
Minutes played
90′
Touches
82
Accurate passes
67/70 (96%)
Chances created
0
Long balls
5/6
Tackles
1
Interceptions
3
Clearances
4
Ground duels
1/2
Aerial duels
2/2
There’s a certain no-nonsense style to the right-footed defender, who also carries a technical command that stretches above the capacity of most other positional peers competing in the Premier League and across Europe.
Thiaw, while still integrating into Howe’s squad and indeed the Premier League,
He’s been hailed as a “monster in the air” by journalist Martino Puccio for his efforts in Italy with AC Milan, but also “one of the most talented centre-backs in Germany” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
While Fabian Schar and Dan Burn have been pillars of strength for Newcastle over the past several Howe-led years, it’s clear that in Botman and Thiaw, the tactician has a more dynamic and stable central partnership, and that’s something which could bear dividends in the long run as Newcastle look to build on their recent successes and reach even loftier heights in the coming years.
It would be premature to label Thiaw as undroppable already, but he’s certainly on his way to nailing down a starting spot on the big occasion, and it’s unlikely that many of a Toon persuasion would be dismayed if he were to be named in the rearguard when Arsenal come calling at the weekend.
Reared in Germany and then developed in Serie A, Thiaw has only started once in the top flight thus far, playing most of the recent goalless draw against Bournemouth and receiving a 7/10 match rating from the Chronicle Live after winning four duels, making six clearances and four interceptions, data sourced via Sofascore.
It might have been an even more generous rating, but for a yellow card which prompted Howe to make a change in the dying embers.
In any case, Thiaw is the real deal, and fans can start to get excited about his potential in the Premier League.
Osula did himself no harm in his quest for success at Newcastle, scoring twice against Bradford, but Thiaw’s display was more telling: this is a player tailor-made for a star role in Howe’s team.
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Derbyshire facing significant deficit as Keaton Jennings adds another half-century in second innings
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jun-2025Lancashire 367 and 114 for 1 (Jennings 51*) lead Derbyshire 261 (Andersson 79, Madsen 70, Balderson 4-71) by 220 runsJames Anderson gave another impressive demonstration of the fast bowler’s art as Lancashire took control of the Rothesay County Championship match on day two against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.The former England great struck twice in his opening burst and bowled two more spells in sweltering heat to finish with 2 for 45 from 13 overs. George Balderson was the visitors’ most-successful bowler claiming 4 for 71 with wicketkeeper Matty Hurst taking five catches.Martin Andersson made 79 and Wayne Madsen 70 but Derbyshire were bowled out for 261 to trail by 106 and at the close, Lancashire were 114 for 1, a lead of 220.Anderson with the new ball was always going to be key to Lancashire’s hopes and he duly delivered, removing both openers in his first three overs. Running in from the Lake End at Queen’s Park for the first time in his career, the 42-year-old’s control and movement was too much for Mitch Wagstaff and Caleb Jewell.After leaving several deliveries, Wagstaff shouldered arms to one that came back and was struck in front with only two on the board. Jewell was similarly deceived in Anderson’s next over, playing no stroke to a ball that knocked out his off stump.Despite the conditions, Lancashire’s captain bowled a seven-over spell, his longest of the season, no doubt in the hope of removing another evergreen but Madsen survived.Harry Came did not, caught behind down the leg side off Balderson to reduce Derbyshire to 35 for 3 but that was Lancashire’s last success of the morning.Madsen imposed himself on the bowlers and with Brooke Guest adopting a more circumspect approach, the hosts recovered well to reach 109 for 3 at lunch. But as on the first day, wickets fell after an interval with Guest another victim of a leg-side strangle before Balderson got the big wicket of Madsen.The Derbyshire captain was beaten by a ball that cut back to trap him in front and Lancashire should have removed Andersson in the next over. Anderson was the frustrated bowler, seeing an edge fly to second slip where Keaton Jennings could not hold on.It proved an expensive drop as Andersson played positively, reaching his 50 with his eighth four, a cover drive off Chris Green, but Lancashire plugged away in the sauna-like heat to chip away the lower order.Anuj Dal became the third batter to fall offering no shot and, after Andersson was dropped in the gully on 57, Zak Chappell was run out in a mix-upBen Aitchison lasted only three balls and Andersson was caught behind cutting at Green. Blair Tickner swung Balderson for a big six before Hurst took his fifth catch.Luke Wells and Jennings drove home Lancashire’s advantage and although Dal straightened one to bowl Wells, Jennings followed his first-innings century with an unbeaten 51 to put his side on course for a substantial lead.
Leeds United have now been provided with an injury update on a key player, who manager Daniel Farke has previously described as “unbelievable”.
Leeds already struggling on the injury front
With three games played of the new Premier League season, Leeds are likely to be happy with the start they’ve made, having collected four points and kept clean sheets in both of their games at Elland Road.
That is despite the fact two first-team players have already suffered injury setbacks, namely Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu, who are set to spend a little while longer on the treatment table due to MCL issues.
Losing Tanaka will be particularly frustrating for the manager, as the midfielder made a fantastic start to the campaign, being voted Player of the Match for his performance in the 1-0 victory against Everton.
With the international break now upon us, the most important thing for Farke will be all his players returning to Elland Road unscathed, but there has already been a cause for concern.
As reported by the BBC’s Adam Pope, Joe Rodon has withdrawn from the Wales squad ahead of their matches against Kazakhstan and Canada, but thankfully it is not thought to be a major issue.
Leeds United's JoeRodonreacts
Pope added: “I’m told it’s not serious & he should be ok to face Fulham.”
It has since been widely reported that concussion protocols meant Rodon couldn’t be called up for his national side, which will no doubt be frustrating for the 54-time international, but it is a boost for Leeds that he should be fit for the trip to Fulham on September 13th.
"Unbelievable" Rodon has made impressive start to the campaign
Getting a positive result at the Emirates Stadium was always going to be a tall order, and the Whites struggled as expected, but otherwise they have made a promising start to the new campaign, and the Welsh defender has looked impressive.
The 27-year-old has started all three games, most recently putting in a solid display to keep Newcastle United at bay, with a point against a Champions League side certainly not to be sniffed at.
Statistic
Number completed
Duels won
4
Clearances
3
Interceptions
2
Passes completed
44/49 (90%)
Farke has also made it clear just how highly he rates the defender, who is widely reported to pocket £40k-a-week, saying: “He has unbelievable pace and it is good when we have to defend that high in the field, it helps.
“He brings also aerial threat into our game, we have many smaller, not the tallest players, (it’s) also important for us in terms of set-pieces he is strong in duals and build up passes in his technique.”
As such, the Leeds boss will be grateful Rodon’s injury is likely nothing to be worried about, ahead of their trip to Craven Cottage in just over one week.
Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad produced big hits towards the end
ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2025Late blows from Abdul Samad and Ayush Badoni dragged Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to 171 for 7 on a two-paced, red-soil pitch after Punjab Kings (PBKS) had opted to bowl in IPL 2025.Such a competitive total seemed beyond LSG’s reach after Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, who had replaced Azmatullah Omarzai, and Glenn Maxwell had carved up their top order. At the end of the powerplay, LSG were 39 for 3. Maxwell had just dismissed LSG captain Rishabh Pant for 2 off 5 balls with an innocuous delivery. LSG, however, offset the early slide by taking 63 off the last six overs of their innings.While Badoni anchored their innings with 41 off 33 balls, Samad kicked into top gear right away, smacking 27 off 12 balls, including two sixes and two fours. Samad left jaws on the door when he reverse-scooped Arshdeep over the keeper for four in the 18th over, which cost PBKS 20 runs. Arshdeep bounced back to dismiss both Badoni and Samad in the final over, but the pair had done enough to repair the innings.Arshdeep had also started well earlier in the evening, snaring Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck. His opening partner Aiden Markram moved to 28 off 18 balls before Ferguson bowled him via an inside edge. PBKS then matched Maxwell up with Pant and got him cheaply too.A cat-and-mouse game then ensued between Nicholas Pooran and Yuzvendra Chahal. When the wristspinner looped a couple of wrong’uns away from Pooran’s reach in his first over, the batter carved those away for fours. In his next over, though, Chahal cut Pooran’s innings short at 44 off 30 balls with a loopier googly. LSG were 89 for 4 in the 12th over at that point. Samad and Badnoni then got together in the end overs to help push that total past 170.
Leeds United are now set to bring a new striker to the Premier League after agreeing a move with both the player and club, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.
Marathe expects more arrivals at Elland Road
With chairman Paraag Marathe looking to give Leeds the best possible chance of avoiding the drop, there have already been a plethora of new signings this summer, and Lukas Nmecha got off to a perfect start against Everton on Monday evening.
Nmecha scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot, with the Whites triumphing over the Toffees 1-0 in front of a raucous Elland Road crowd.
However, it is important not to get carried away, with 37 games left to play, and Marathe is still planning to make more additions to the squad ahead of the September 1st deadline.
One area in which Daniel Farke is particularly keen to strengthen is attack, with it recently being revealed that a deal for AC Milan’s Okafor is now edging closer to completion, and there has now been a new update on the pursuit of the winger.
Taking to X, Plettenberg revealed that Leeds are now set to sign Okafor, with the 25-year-old agreeing to join and the “deal to be finalised soon”. The Milan forward, who won Serie A during his time with Napoli, will undergo a medical on Wednesday this week and join for around €20m (£17m).
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The Whites have already signed his replacement.
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"Magnificent" Okafor needs to leave Milan this summer
The Switzerland international was held back by a number of injury setbacks in the 2024-25 campaign, and struggled to make an impact on loan at Napoli, featuring for just 36 minutes across four Serie A appearances.
Noah Okafor with the Serie A title.
As such, the Binningen-born winger needs to move on this summer, and his previous exploits suggest he could make a real impact at Elland Road, performing particularly well for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Season
Bundesliga appearances
Goal contributions
2020-21
18
10
2021-22
21
18
2022-23
21
10
Former coach Mauro Lustrinelli has also praised the Swiss forward in the past, saying: “We already knew that he had magnificent technical qualities, speed, and power. Over the past few months, he has also grown mentally, even though he is a very sensitive player, and it shows on the pitch.”
Consequently, it would be fantastic if Leeds were able to get a deal over the line, and a move to Elland Road may now be a more attractive proposition after the victory over Everton.
Newcastle United are in the market to bring a new centre-forward to St. James’ Park before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.
It has been well publicised that Liverpool are interested in a deal to sign Alexander Isak from the Magpies, as they have had a £110m bid turned down for the Sweden international.
Isak
Eddie Howe’s side are on the lookout for a centre-forward irrespective of Isak’s future at the club, though, because they have already lost Callum Wilson, who left upon the expiry of his contract this summer.
This means that Newcastle are in the market to bring in a new number nine to potentially play alongside or as competition for the Swedish forward, and Benjamin Sesko is one of their top targets.
Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has revealed that the club have made an offer for the RB Leipzig star, and it matches their valuation of the towering attacker.
What Benjamin Sesko could bring to Newcastle
The 6 foot 5 marksman would be a fantastic signing for Newcastle because he is a well-rounded centre-forward who could be a dynamic option for Howe in the number nine position.
Despite his height, Sesko is an incredibly mobile forward who likes to get involved in build-up play with dribbles and assists, to go along with being a threat in the box.
The clips in the video above showcase his athletic qualities. He has an enormous leap on him, which helps him to score from crosses, but the forward can also run in behind and turn away from defenders with his speed and agility.
Sesko is a centre-forward, therefore, who can score in a host of different ways, whether that is from crosses, from through balls, from inside the box, or from outside of the box, which is why he is a complete number nine.
24/25 Bundesliga
Benjamin Sesko
Appearances
33
xG
9.89
Goals
13
Headed goals
3
Left-footed goals
1
Right-footed goals
9
Goals from inside the box
10
Goals from outside the box
3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Newcastle target provided a clinical presence up front for Leipzig last season, outperforming his xG, whilst scoring in a variety of ways for the German outfit.
Sesko also delivered five assists and 1.2 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he can provide creativity and drive in possession to go along with his goals.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskocelebrates
The 22-year-old number nine is not the only striker on the club’s radar, though, and the Magpies are eyeing another star from Germany who could be even better than the Leipzig man.
Newcastle eyeing deal for Germany international
According to The Boot Room, Newcastle United are looking to bring in two new strikers before the end of the summer transfer window, possibly with a view to Isak moving on.
The report claims that the Premier League side would like to sign Sesko and another number nine, with Stuttgart’s Nick Woltemade one of the potential options on their radar.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It reveals that Yoane Wissa, Ollie Watkins, Nicolas Jackson, Evanilson, Lois Openda, and Woltemade have all emerged as possible signings for Newcastle to complement the hopeful addition of Sesko.
Woltemade is an interesting target for the Magpies because he reportedly wants to sign for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, who are waiting for Stuttgart to lower their valuation of the forward before they make a move.
Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade
The Germany international is reportedly valued at a fee of £40m by the Bundesliga side, and Newcastle may sense an opportunity to swoop in for his services if Bayern are unwilling to pay the asking price.
Why Newcastle should sign Nick Woltemade
The Magpies should push to sign Woltemade this summer because he has the potential to be an even better signing than Sesko for Howe ahead of next season, even if the Slovenian ace would be a fantastic addition in his own right.
Like the Leipzig star, the German forward is another well-rounded and young, at the age of 23, number nine who could be a fantastic addition to the squad to ease the potential blow of losing Isak.
The 23-year-old whiz is coming off the back of an exceptional U21 tournament with Germany at the Euros this summer, as he racked up six goals and three assists in just five matches.
U23 scout Antonio Mango, who also dubbed the striker “exceptional”, claimed that the forward was “turning heads” at the tournament, and it is easy to see why with the highlights in the clips above.
His form in the Bundesliga last season, though, is what suggests that Woltemade could come in as an even better centre-forward option than Sesko if Howe provides him with opportunities to shine as the main number nine.
24/25 Bundesliga
Sesko
Woltemade
Appearances
33
28
Minutes
2,407
1,636
Goals
13
12
Minutes per goal
185
136
Big chances created
5
8
xA
1.73
3.44
Key passes per game
0.6
1.3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Stuttgart star had a superior minutes per goal ratio and created far more xA for his teammates, and key passes per game, despite playing around 800 fewer minutes in the division.
These statistics suggest that the potential is there for him to offer even more to the team in the centre-forward position than Sesko, as the German attacker is more prolific and more creative, at least based on their form in the Bundesliga last term.
Benjamin Sesko
Woltemade could, therefore, make a bigger impact in the final third in the Premier League as a striker who is more likely to score goals and create high-quality chances for his teammates, which is further backed up by his sensational output at the U21 Euros this summer.
Of course, the great part of this latest report is that Newcastle are interested in Sesko and Woltemade, which means that they could both arrive at St. James’ Park to compete with each other for a starting berth.
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Based on their Bundesliga form in the 2024/25 campaign, though, the Stuttgart man may be the best option to start, at least in the short term.
Manchester United have now made an approach to sign a “world-class” player, according to journalist Sebastien Vidal, and he is thought to be keen on a move to Old Trafford.
Man Utd still looking to strengthen despite signing Sesko
The Red Devils set out to strengthen their attack as a priority this summer, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and now striker Benjamin Sesko, in a deal that amounted to £74m, and Ruben Amorim is very happy with the addition of the Slovenian.
Amorim believes Sesko has the mentality to succeed at Old Trafford, saying: “He has the characteristics that we needed. Ben is a player that, with all the information that we have, we need to stop the guy from working – it is not the opposite! That is also important.
Having now signed a striker, however, the Red Devils have started work on strengthening other areas of the squad, with their summer of heavy spending perhaps reliant on getting the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho off the books.
Man Utd enter new talks to sign £100m+ star as imminent bid now expected
The Red Devils are trying to conclude more deals.
BySean Markus Clifford Aug 11, 2025
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba has emerged as a major target in central midfield, while United also remain interested in bringing in a replacement for Andre Onana, who received a lot of criticism for his performances last season.
According to a new update from Vidal on X, Man United have now made an approach to sign Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who “could be sold” this summer, as his contract is set to expire next year.
The journalist adds that Donnarumma has lost his number one spot at PSG following Lucas Chevalier’s arrival, and a deal could be possible for a “reasonable” price, with Premier League rivals Chelsea also in the race.
Gianluigi Donnarumma at Club World Cup final.
A price tag of £26m for the goalkeeper has previously been touted, with the French champions now willing to cash-in.
"World-class" Donnarumma keen on Old Trafford move
TalkSPORT reporter Anil Kandola has recently dropped an exciting new update, suggesting the Italian shot-stopper would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer.
“Received a text late last night that Gianluigi Donnarumma WANTS a move to Man Utd. After PSG put a £26m price tag on the goalkeeper, the player is attracted to the Premier League and more specifically, Manchester United. Still no sign as of yet that United are looking to bring him in, but it seems a similar situation to the Benjamin Sesko deal… if United want him, they get him.”
As such, United cannot afford to pass up the opportunity to bring in the 26-year-old for such a low fee, given that he could be a massive upgrade on Onana, having been lauded as “world-class” by members of the media in the past.
Donnarumma is proven at the top level, making 15 appearances en-route to PSG winning the Champions League last season, and given his age, he could be a fantastic option for Man United between the sticks for many years to come.
Arsenal are believed to be intensifying their plans to sign another target after sealing deals for both Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres and Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, according to a new report.
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Mosquera jetted out to Singapore earlier this week to link up with the Arsenal squad for their pre-season tour of Asia, and reports suggest that the centre-back will soon be joined on the journey by Gyokeres.
The prolific striker, who racked up an incredible 97 goals in 102 appearances during his time at Sporting, scored 54 of them last season and played a pivotal role as the Primeira Liga champions secured their first domestic double in around two decades.
Arsenal estimated transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£140m
Gyokeres is arguably the proven goalscoring centre-forward who Mikel Arteta has been crying out for, and he could be a truly season-defining capture following Arsenal’s struggles against the low-block last term.
The Gunners drew more Premier League matches than any other side in the top 10 by the end of 2024/2025, scoring just 69 goals, which pales in comparison to their 91 and 88-goal hauls in the two previous seasons.
Arsenal are set to sign Gyokeres to help fix this problem, with the north Londoners fully agreeing a deal worth up to £64 million for the 27-year-old, including add-ons (Fabrizio Romano).
“[Signing Gyokeres] would be the icing on the cake for Arsenal,” said club legend Alan Smith.
“The missing piece of the jigsaw. This is the signing every Arsenal fan has been craving. An out-and-out number 9 and someone who can get Arsenal over the line for the title.
“You saw last season when Arsenal had a striker crisis, that they struggled to score goals and dropped well behind Liverpool. Gyokeres, if he signs, will mean Arsenal can play a different style at times and get the ball forward quickly, rather than the build-up they have been doing.”
According to recent reports, sporting director Andrea Berta isn’t finished after completing the Gyokeres deal. Indeed, Arsenal’s next order of business is the potential signing of a central attacking midfielder to complement Martin Odegaard (Ben Jacobs).
Right now, Chelsea are making serious progress in the race for Xavi Simons, who’s also a rumoured target for Berta, so perhaps Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is the more likely option.
Arsenal "accelerating plans" to sign Eberechi Eze after Viktor Gyokeres
The England international has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium for weeks, and journalist Pete O’Rourke has now told Football Insider that Arsenal are “accelerating plans” to sign Eze after finally sealing Gyokeres.
Berta apparently has “more than enough funds available” to bring in another major attacking signing, and Eze could well be that man.
The 27-year-old, who scored 14 goals and bagged a further 11 assists in all competitions last term, could leave Selhurst Park if someone triggers his estimated £60 million release clause, which could rise to £68m if all bonuses are achieved (Sky Sports).
Arsenal will need the player buy-in first, and according to some reports, Eze has loosely agreed broad personal terms already. Among his many admirers is Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, who heaped praise on the attacker during his time as Palace boss.
“Ebs is a fantastic player,” said Vieira.
“He creates chances and scores goals – things happen with him on the field.”
Underestimate Birmingham City at your own peril next season.
Already, the ultra-ambitious Blues have welcomed in seven new faces to the St. Andrew’s camp with more surely expected as they go about continuing to construct a side ready to compete, and potentially soar, at Championship level.
The most high-profile signing of Birmingham’s hectic summer so far has come in the form of £10m attacker Kyogo Furuhashi leaving Rennes behind for pastures new in the West Midlands, with lots expected of the Japanese forward in his fresh second-tier surroundings.
Why Kyogo Furuhashi is an exciting signing
Whilst he has never got going in France with zero goals or assists next to his name from six Rennes appearances, Birmingham will feel they’ve made a worthwhile investment in the 30-year-old striker based on his blistering output at Celtic alone.
From 165 clashes donning the famous green and white jersey, Kyogo would tally up a stunning 85 strikes in total, alongside also chipping in with a healthy 19 assists for his troubles.
Everyone at St. Andrew’s will be praying he can get back to the clinical best he managed in Scotland when now plying his trade in nearby England, with his former Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou once even labelling the four-time Scottish Premiership winner as “outstanding” for his constant magic in Glasgow.
Kyogo will surely give the likes of Jay Stansfield and Alfie May a run for their money in the forward areas, but another exciting signing up top would be seen as even more of a coup than the 23-time Japan international’s arrival onto the scene.
Birmingham could sign an even bigger talent than Kyogo
Birmingham fans might well feel let down by the millions splashed out on Kyogo if he doesn’t instantly hit the ground running, fearful that another Rennes crisis of confidence has enveloped him.
Whilst it could take time for Kyogo to warm up to the challenges of the Championship, Danny Ings would surely feel instantly more comfortable dropping back down to the EFL, after finding his recent Premier League stints to be full of injuries.
Danny Ings for West Ham
As per a report earlier this summer from journalist Graeme Bailey, Birmingham have considered a move for Ings, knowing full well what he’s capable of in front of goal when injuries aren’t dominating his playing time.
All this talk might well have died down now – with Bailey further revealing that Wrexham and Burnley were even eyeing up the goalscoring veteran – but if Birmingham want another top-quality attacker to add to their glittering striker options, and a star who is an even bigger talent than Furuhashi for free, this is a move they should try to get back into motion.
After all, it’s clear from the table above – unlike Kyogo, who fired blanks in Ligue 1 – that Ings has shown off his goalscoring prowess all across his career, even when issues have arisen, with a hefty 120 career goals next to his name from 406 clashes. It was only four years ago that Aston Villa forked out £30m for his services.
43 of those strikes would come about on the books of Burnley, with the three-time England international chomping at the bit to return to the Championship where he first honed his potent craft, as seen in him bagging a healthy 21 strikes during the 2013/14 season to seal promotion for the Clarets.
From then on, it’s been a career mainly played at the pinnacle of English football, with Ings dropping back down to the Championship with Birmingham seen as a statement of intent on Davies and Co’s end of where they want to be in the very near future.
Once labelled as “clinical” by football journalist Leanne Prescott, Ings would be raring to go donning Birmingham blue if a move was sealed, with the experienced attacker perhaps pipping Kyogo to a starting spot in the process.
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