Monday's spring training game was an eventful one for New York Mets pitcher Griffin Canning. Not only did the new Mets starter put together a solid outing, but also he showed off his catlike reflexes during an interview with SNY.

Canning, who had been a middling starter with the Los Angeles Angels since 2019, impressed on the mound, striking out five and surrendering just one hit in 3 2/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.

While doing an interview with the Mets' booth during the eighth inning, with his teammate Huascar Brazobán facing the Cardinals' Michael Helman, he was nearly hit by a line drive into the dugout. Luckily, he had his eye on the ball and was able to evade the scorcher with his headset on.

"Oh s—," Canning said during the interview, as he dodged the ball as he was asked a question about New York's use of technology to develop their pitchers. SNY's cameras caught the moment in slow motion.

Canning won the American League Gold Glove award in 2020, and with reflexes like that, it's no surprise that he's strong in the field.

The torpedo bat won't be going away anytime soon based on MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's latest comments on the craze.

Baseball's specialized bats which took over the league at the start of the season are perfectly legal per the rulebook but have still stirred up controversy over their unorthodox bowling-pin bat structure.

Manfred spoke in a Q&A with the about the future of torpedo bats and explained why he thought they were "good for baseball."

"They’re absolutely good for baseball," Manfred said. "I believe that issues like the torpedo bat and the debate around it demonstrate the fact that baseball still occupies a unique place in our culture, because people get into a complete frenzy over something that’s really nothing at the end of the day.

"The bats comply with the rules. Players have actually been moving the sweet spot around in bats for years. But it just demonstrates that something about the game is more important than is captured by television ratings or revenue or any of those things, when you have the discussions and debates about it."

Fans are certainly having discussions about it this season after the New York Yankees—who were the first to debut the torpedo bat—unleashed a barrage of homers during opening weekend and went on to make MLB history in their sizzling-hot start.

Baseball bat engineers have even weighed in on the topic and explained the "fallacies" surrounding the literal impact torpedo bats are having on the game.

With every single MLB team interested in getting their hands on the torpedo bat, and with Manfred's latest positive endorsement, the bat seems like it's going to be an intriguing and potentially permanent fixture of the sport moving forward.

West Ham have emerged as favourites to sign a highly-rated striker in January as manager Nuno Espírito Santo scours the market for more firepower.

West Ham begin striker search ahead of January

The east Londoners, according to widespread reports, are intensifying their search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the winter transfer window, with Niclas Fullkrug’s impending departure forcing Nuno to prioritize forward additions during the crucial mid-season period.

The German international has made his intentions clear, informing the club he wishes to leave when the window reopens in a bid to revive his career, not to mention boost his chances of making Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Fullkrug’s disastrous spell at the London Stadium has yielded zero goals this season across seven appearances, with persistent injury problems severely limiting his availability ever since his £27 million move from Borussia Dortmund last year.

In terms of the 32-year-old’s possible replacements, a few intriguing targets have been mooted already.

AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez has emerged as a reported target for West Ham, with Nuno learning the Mexican international would cost approximately £30 million.

Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee represents another option being explored by the Hammers. The Dutchman has reportedly grown frustrated with his limited playing time under Ruben Amorim, and is seeking regular minutes to maintain his own international prospects ahead of the World Cup.

Related West Ham 'sound out' £30m striker with Fullkrug 'determined' to leave in January

The Irons are making plans to replace him.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2025

Real Madrid youngster Endrick has also been mentioned as a possible loan target, but the Brazilian now looks set to join Lyon instead.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

Meanwhile, former Brentford striker Ivan Toney could be tempted to return to England from Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli on a temporary basis, with West Ham said to be in the mix for his signature.

They’ve also been linked with Juventus’ Jonathan David, FC Midtjylland forward Franculino Dju and even former Tottenham striker Troy Parrott recently, as chairman David Sullivan casts his net far and wide in pursuit of solutions.

West Ham now in pole position to sign Promise David

Now, as per TEAMtalk, West Ham are emerging in pole position to sign Union Saint-Gilloise forward Promise David after already making contact.

USG are apparently ready to entertain offers of around £17.5 million for the Canadian international, and West Ham are fully aware of this.

The towering 24-year-old has captured attention following his impressive performances in Belgium, where he netted 24 goals in his debut campaign last season to help USG end a remarkable 90-year wait for a Jupiler Pro League title.

Standing at 6 ft 4, David offers the physical presence and aerial threat that West Ham desperately require up front, with Nuno potentially targeting his own version of Chris Wood in east London.

Nuno helped to transform the colossal Wood into a clinical marksman at Nottingham Forest, and while that is an obvious comparison to make with David, there are gaping similarities.

However, West Ham face competition from fellow relegation battlers Leeds and Wolves, who both recognize David’s potential value as well.

The striker’s Champions League experience adds further appeal, having recently scored a winner against Galatasaray to announce himself on Europe’s biggest stage — ending the Turkish champions’ 33-game unbeaten run in the process.

For just under £18m, he could be a fine candidate to strengthen West Ham’s forward line, especially considering how teammates have described him as “the monster”.

This season is shaping up very nicely for Chelsea at the moment.

Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut Arsenal’s lead to just three points on Sunday.

Then in Europe, they sent a warning out to the rest of the sides in the Champions League with their thumping 3-0 win over Barcelona, a game in which Estevao shone once again.

Maresca and Co will have a chance to make Chelsea’s season even better once the transfer window reopens in just over a month, not just by signing players, but by selling one who once looked like Estevao when he was a youngster.

Estevao's sensational start to life at Chelsea

The expectations placed upon Estevao have been monumental for quite some time now, to the point that respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner” months before Chelsea even signed him.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Since then, the hype surrounding him has only grown, thanks in large part to his fine form in Brazil, where he produced 17 goal involvements in 37 games last season.

Even so, few would have expected the start to this season he has had.

The youngster is not only playing a decent number of minutes, but he’s chipping in with important goals and has already shown a hugely impressive ability to get the fans on their feet.

So far, the 18-year-old has scored five goals and provided one assist for the Blues in 17 appearances, totalling 740 minutes.

That comes out to an excellent average of a goal involvement every 2.83 games, or every 123.33 minutes, which would be commendable for a seasoned veteran, let alone a teenager.

The Franca-born wonderkid has been so effective this year that fans and pundits have actually spoken about him being a particular threat to league-leading Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s game.

However, while Chelsea should be delighted with their new wonderkid, they also need to find a way to sell one of their biggest duds, who once looked like Estevao when he was first breaking through.

The Chelsea flop who needs to be sold

Chelsea have become quite good at moving on players they don’t want in recent years, but even then, a couple remain in the bomb squad who are proving tricky to sell, like Raheem Sterling.

The former Manchester City star joined the club in 2022, and while he’s had moments for the club in which he’s looked excellent, they’ve only ever been that, moments.

Moreover, while his tally of 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games isn’t terrible, he’s never really put together a string of impressive performances, which is why he was allowed to join Arsenal on loan last year.

Unfortunately, that move only made the situation worse, as he ended up scoring just a single goal and providing five assists in 28 games for the Gunners, and was labelled a “passenger” by journalist Charles Watts.

Since returning to Stamford Bridge, the 30-year-old has been left to train separately from the first team, and with a weekly wage of £325k, that is far from ideal.

It is a serious shame that things have not worked out for the former England international, as before his move south, he was one of the best players in the league.

For example, during his time at the Etihad, he scored 131 goals and provided 86 assists in 339 appearances and won four league titles.

He was even a brilliant player for Liverpool, making his debut in the 11/12 season, but making his name in the 13/14 season, when, like Estevao now, he was just 18 years old.

In that season, the Kingston-born phenom managed to rack up an incredible tally of ten goals and seven assists in 38 appearances, totalling 2535 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 149.11 minutes.

Appearances

38

17

Minutes

2535′

740′

Goals

10

5

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.11′

123.33′

It wasn’t just the goals, though, as, like the Brazilian, he was a serious threat with the ball at his feet, thanks in part to his speed and close control.

Ultimately, Sterling will go down as a legend of the Premier League, but for the sake of all parties, Chelsea need to sell him in January, even if they barely get anything.

The original Estevao: Chelsea lead race to sign "best player in the world"

Chelsea could sign the original Estevao for a mega-money fee.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

أعلنت رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هوية الحكم الذي سيتولى إدارة مباراة فريقي ليفربول ووست هام، في إطار منافسات البطولة، يوم الأحد المقبل.

ويستضيف ملعب “لندن الأولمبي” مباراة فريقي ليفربول ووست هام، والتي تأتي في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل ليفربول في الوقت الحالي، المركز الثاني عشر، في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 18 نقطة حيث يعاني من فترة سيئة للغاية تحت قيادة المدرب آرني سلوت.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول ينتظر ردًا حاسمًا من فيفا قبل اتخاذ قرار مهم بشأن محمد صلاح

وحسبما أعلنت رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي، فإن الحكم دارين إنجلاند سيكون مسؤولًا عن مباراة ليفربول ووست هام يوم الأحد القادم، في إطار منافسات الجولة المقبلة من البطولة.

وسيمثل ذلك دفعة قوية لـ ليفربول حيث حقق نتائج جيدة في المباريات التي أدارها دارين إنجلاند لصالحه، ولم يخسر إلا لقاء واحد فقط تحت قيادته.

وأدار دارين إنجلاند 7 مباريات لصالح ليفربول في مختلف المسابقات، حيث حقق الريدز فوزًا في 3، وتعادل في 3، وخسر واحدة فقط، مع العلم أنه كان مسؤولًا عن مباراة الفريق ضد إيفرتون في الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي ذلك الموسم وحقق حامل اللقب فوزًا بهدفين لهدف.

Sometimes a press conference comes around and you just need to fly under the radar; that’s never been more apparent than at Tottenham Hotspur in the last six months.

As Spurs celebrated the Europa League, Ange Postecoglou triumphantly declared that season three is always better than season two. He was sacked just weeks later.

For Thomas Frank, he’s also found out that perhaps just staying quiet is the best form of approach in the media. Last week, he was asked about the club’s failed move for Eberechi Eze.

“Who’s Eze?” That was Frank’s reply, and although he said it with a wry smile and to make a joke, it’s come back to bite him.

He found out just who Eze is on Sunday as the boyhood Gooner scored a devastating hat-trick to seal a 4-1 win for Arsenal over their distraught neighbours.

Spurs came to frustrate but in doing so, failed to come up with any inventive attacking play. Their creativity was abysmal, and if it wasn’t for a brilliant yet flukey Richarlison strike, they’d have left the Emirates Stadium without a goal.

What went wrong for Spurs at the Emirates

On paper, Frank’s game plan in north London on Sunday made sense. They were the only team in the Premier League this season not to lose on the road. The Dane clearly knows what he’s doing when Spurs play away.

Yet, against Arsenal, if you’re putting all 11 men behind the ball, then it does rely on you frustrating your opponents for longer than the 36 minutes it took for Leandro Trossard to score the opener.

To Frank’s credit, Spurs had sucked the life out of the Emirates during the opening half an hour. Arsenal created openings, notably when Declan Rice was played in by Eze, but the visitors frustrated and made it difficult to play between the lines.

Yet, once the floodgates opened, there was no stopping Arsenal, particularly as Spurs had a total lack of creativity once again.

Despite scoring courtesy of Richarlison, they failed to create a single big chance, had just three shots and provoked only a solitary save from David Raya. Arsenal, by contrast, had 17 shots. Worryingly for Spurs, the home side simply wanted it more.

There were several folks in white to blame. In attack, Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus were completely marked out of the game by Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori. Richarlison, for the most part, was bullied by William Saliba and Piero Hincapie. The Brazilian only completed five passes all evening and won just one of his five aerial duels.

In defence, Bukayo Saka regularly had the beating of Destiny Udogie down Arsenal’s right flank while Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were uncharacteristically poor. Van ve Ven notably completed just 71% of his passes and won only six of his 13 duels.

But, the biggest culprit of all was a man who, ironically, was sent off during the international break. He’s becoming something of a Serge Aurier to Frank.

Spurs' new Serge Aurier

Mention Aurier’s name around those at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and it’s likely to send a shiver down spines.

Signed for £23m in August of 2017, he arrived at White Hart Lane from PSG after a rough time in France, where he was handed a suspended prison sentence for assaulting a police officer.

“You will see the real me,” he declared upon arrival. Well, if the real Aurier was a gluttony of mistakes, we certainly did.

The Ivory Coast international had another tricky stint at Spurs, but this time it was all unravelling on the pitch, rather than off it.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Where to even begin with the mistakes? The right-back committed a hat-trick of foul throws against Crystal Palace in 2018. While that may not have cost Spurs greatly, his clumsiness meant that he always had a moment of madness in him.

He notably gave away a penalty against Leicester City in December 2020 from which Jamie Vardy scored, but his most costly blunder came against Manchester City in the 2021 Carabao Cup final when he committed a needless foul on Raheem Sterling. The end result was a free-kick from which Pep Guardiola’s side scored the winner.

Speaking at full-time, Jamie Redknapp commented: “Aurier does well to start with – he follows the one-two and then just makes the most ridiculous and rash decision, which we see him do so often. Just stand up, don’t dive in, don’t give the foul away – elementary mistake.”

It wasn’t the first time the Ivorian had attracted criticism during his time in England. Two years prior to that moment, Rio Ferdinand stated: “As a defender I have never really rated Aurier. He’s rash and he’s let his team down far too often.”

Simply a giant liability in that Spurs team of back then, unfortunately, Frank has found another rash and unreliable figure in his team; Rodrigo Bentancur.

The Uruguayan was signed for £22m from Juventus in January 2022 and has featured 131 times for the Lilywhites since.

However, while he’s flirted with some impressive performances here and there, for the most part, he’s been a letdown.

He has become a symbol not only for Spurs’ lack of creativity but their lack of robustness and dynamism from the middle of the park. Despite that, he has started nine times of the 12 Premier League games Spurs have competed in this term.

The fact of the matter is that he shouldn’t be starting with that regularity.

Tottenham presenter Hollie Agombar called him “a lucky boy” after a studs-up challenge on Chelsea’s Reece James at the beginning of the month saw him avoid a red card. In the words of the Daily Mail’s Kieran Gill, it was a “terrible” challenge.

Things went from bad to worse when Spurs visited Arsenal on Sunday. The tone was set when he brought down Saka on the edge of the box in the first half and was brandished with a yellow card as a result.

While he was nowhere to be seen as Mikel Merino clipped a delightful ball into the box for Trossard’s opener, he was particularly poor for Eze’s first.

Minutes played

66

Touches

27

Accurate passes

16/17 (94%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Dribbles

0

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

2

Duels won

0

The attacking midfielder skipped beyond Bentancur all too easily as the Uruguay international went to ground inside the area.

He was handed a 3/10 match rating by The Standard as a consequence, with the publication writing he was ‘doing nothing to give Spurs some much-needed control’. The very fact that Guglielmo Vicario received 15 passes – six more than Palhinha and Bentancur combined (9) – in the first half said it all.

All that said, it’s perhaps no surprise that analyst Raj Chohan has described him as a “candidate for worst centre-midfielder at a big six club”.

Like Aurier, he’s a major underperformer. He’s a liability and a player that Frank cannot trust. He shouldn’t be starting regular games for Spurs any more.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must drop 3/10 Spurs dud after Arsenal

Thomas Frank has numerous glaring errors he needs to address at Tottenham Hotspur after the Arsenal defeat.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 24, 2025

Liverpool face stiff competition from Atletico Madrid if they are to finally complete the signing of Crystal Place captain Marc Guehi after narrowly missing out on landing him in the summer. The Reds’ couldn’t complete one of their top transfer targets because the Eagles failed to find a replacement on deadline day and now Arne Slot’s side have another massive name to capture Guehi, who has declined the offer of a new contract at Selhurst Park.

• Transfer saga left Liverpool high and dry

  Liverpool missed out on Guehi when a £35 million deal collapsed with the deal close to completion, as Guehi had even undergone a medical for Liverpool before the move was dramatically cancelled by Palace chairman Steve Parish, a decision driven by manager Oliver Glasner's insistence on having a replacement lined-up. 

  The failed transfer has since been described as a missed opportunity for Liverpool, particularly as they have faced defensive struggles and an injury to young defender Giovanni Leoni this season. The situation has become more complex because Guehi's contract with Palace expires at the end of the current season, meaning he is now free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club from January 1 – which gives Atelti a distinct head start. Liverpool remain interested in reviving their pursuit, potentially with a bid in the January window. 

  However, they now face competition from other top European clubs, who are all keen to sign the England international, possibly on a free transfer next summer. Some pundits believe Liverpool have "blown their chances" to agree to a move. 

  In recent seasons the Reds have missed out on a number of high-profile signings, including Martin Zubimedi, who eventually joined Arsenal and Leny Yoro, who opted to join Manchester United. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Atleti circle as Guehi contract runs down

  Italian journalist Matteo Moretto told Marca: "The latest news is that Atletico Madrid has also contacted his representatives. There are English teams, Bayern Munich, Barcelona… but also Atletico, who are very attentive and very interested."

• Simeone has previous for signing English stars

  Atletico boss Diego Simeone has shown an appreciation for the mentality of English football, valuing the passion, aggression, and commitment and has noted that playing against Premier League teams is always a "proper contest". In his time at Atletico, Simeone has signed a few English players, most notably England internationals Kieran Trippier and currently Conor Gallagher. Trippier thrived under Simeone, calling him the "best in the world" and praising his man-management. Despite this, he has publicly stated that he thinks Premier League teams often do not defend well, contrasting their high-scoring games with his own defensively solid philosophy. He said: "I like to defend well. You watch English football and there is 4-4, 6-3 games… but no one defends?! I see it and I think that no-one defends. I think that if I can defend well and I can approach them in attack, I can become a champion." 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Guehi will be massive loss for Eagles

   Palace could move into the top four with victory over Man Utd at Selhurst Park today and recent history is on their side as the Eagles have won three of their last four league games against Ruben Amorim's side.

Arsenal are set to be minus an “underrated” star for their looming North London derby against Tottenham and far beyond that, following some injury news out of the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta’s side host Spurs on Sunday in imperious form, but the manager is being made to sweat over several key players. The Gunners remain in pole position at the top of the Premier League table after a fantastic start to the campaign, which is made all the more impressive by the absences of numerous big-name attackers lately.

Arsenal currently sit top with eight wins, two draws and one loss from their opening 11 matches, boasting a phenomenal defensive record. They’ve conceded just five goals all season, the best of any team in Europe’s top five leagues, which has formed the backbone of their title challenge.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

However, the international break has brought fresh concerns.

Left-back Riccardo Calafiori returned early from Italy duty due to hip pain, but encouragingly, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Arsenal’s medical checks confirmed that Calafiori will be available for the derby with no injury issues, just overload.

Calafiori has become an undisputed starter this term, chipping in with one goal and two assists from 11 games, even thwarting Myles Lewis-Skelly for a consistent place in the starting eleven.

Meanwhile, captain Martin Odegaard is continuing his recovery from a knee injury that has plagued him since October. The Norwegian, before his country’s 4-1 win over Italy, told TV2 that his recovery is progressing and he “will hopefully be back soon” — though it remains to be seen whether that could be against Tottenham.

His creativity has been sorely missed in Arsenal’s midfield, and elsewhere in the squad, Viktor Gyokeres has been struggling with a hamstring injury sustained at Burnley. He’s missed their last two matches against Slavia Prague and Sunderland, as a result, with Gyokeres believed to remain a doubt ahead of Spurs.

Noni Madueke is approaching a comeback after being sidelined for almost two months due to a knee problem, while Kai Havertz continues his recovery from knee surgery with a potential return on the cards “towards the end of the year”, according to Julian Nagelsmann.

Gabriel Martinelli is racing to be fit for this weekend, but the game comes too soon for his compatriot, Gabriel Jesus, who’s expected to be the last to return after his ACL injury at the start of 2025 (Simon Collings).

Amid this wave of Arsenal team news, it is another Gabriel who’s been making the headlines recently.

Indeed, star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who’s been equally vital going forward as well as at the back, was taken off with a thigh problem during Brazil’s 2-0 friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates, and the early signs aren’t exactly cause for celebration.

Arsenal star Gabriel to miss "minimum four weeks" after thigh injury

According to journalist Sami Mokbel of The BBC, Gabriel could now miss a “minimum four weeks”, and some sources suggest that he could be out until January as the club wait for further scan results.

Gabriel has been the linchpin of Europe’s most water-tight defence, partnering both William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera to devastating effect and making him irreplaceable in Arteta’s system.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Arsenal face a crucial run of fixtures beyond just Tottenham, with Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Chelsea awaiting them right afterwards.

Beyond defensive stability, Gabriel already boasts five goal involvements in all competitions this season, including a vital late winner away to Newcastle in September, highlighting his importance at both ends of the pitch. The 27-year-old gifts Arsenal a major outlet, and has been a significant part of their outstanding set piece record this season.

With Gabriel set to miss this weekend, Mosquera or Piero Hincapie will likely come in to replace him, with the summer signings now given a baptism of fire.

Arsenal have now reportedly joined Liverpool in the race to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace, as contract talks continue to drag on between the striker and the South London club.

The Gunners return from the international break looking to get back to winning ways after entering it off the back of a dramatic 2-2 draw against Sunderland and it doesn’t get much bigger than the North London derby. Up against rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Mikel Arteta’s side will be aiming to prove their title credentials once again and at least maintain their four-point lead at the top.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the derby, Arteta reiterated just how big a rivalry it is, saying: “It’s just different. it’s a big city, but it’s a big rivalry; it’s a part of London that we want to conquer, and they want to do the same.

“There’s been a lot of shifts as well over the years, we’ve been more dominant and it’s just beautiful, especially when we play at home in front of our people, we know what it means to them.

“The energy that they’re going to bring, the energy that the team is going to bring in every single action, it’s just a privilege to play those kind of games. We cannot wait to get to Sunday.”

Arteta must axe Eze & unleash Arsenal star who's "very similar" to Bergkamp

With Eberechi Eze failing to catch fire at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta could seek a replacement against Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 22, 2025

It marks the beginning of a crucial week for Arsenal, who have the small task of playing host to Bayern Munich just days after the Tottenham clash before then travelling to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. Three points from three in such a run would highlight just how serious the Gunners are about winning major honours.

In their current run, it would also be difficult for many players to turn Arsenal down and that may even be the case for Palace star Mateta.

Arsenal join race to sign Mateta

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal have now joined the race to sign Mateta from Crystal Palace in what could be their second major signing from the Eagles following their recent move for Eberechi Eze.

The Frenchman is set to become a free agent in 2027 and with contract talks yet to reach a resolution, the South London club may be forced to cash in sooner or later – allowing the Gunners to make their move.

A player who’s already been on the scoresheet at the Emirates in the past, Mateta could yet get the chance to wheel away in celebration every week in North London. Such a move would certainly be well-earned, too. From initial struggles, the 28-year-old has become one of the best strikers in the Premier League.

There’s a reason why Palace boss Oliver Glasner has dubbed his star striker “excellent” in the past and the comparison with Gyokeres shows the level that he’s operating at. If Arsenal want to ensure that their goalscoring problems are ended for good, then they should sign the Palace star.

Arsenal hold talks with £71m ex-Man Utd star after post-Old Trafford transformation

On an Adelaide pitch with extra bounce, he scored 61 off 77 balls using a more upright stance at the crease

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-20252:31

Iyer: ‘Definitely hurts losing in this manner’

Shreyas Iyer believes that going back to a more upright stance has helped him counter extra bounce. He has used this “new” stance – adapted from one he used in the past – in domestic cricket, against Australia A, and now, in the ODI series in Australia. While India scratched around on a seaming pitch in the second ODI in Adelaide, Iyer negotiated the tough spells, scoring 61 off 77.Iyer’s game against short-pitched bowling at high pace has always been a talking point. Not part of India’s Test or T20I sides, Iyer spent the time off working on his game to counter extra bounce. “Since last year, I wanted to have an upright stance [for conditions] where the bounce is a little bit more than expected,” he said.”And based on that, I worked with my coach and we developed this new technique, and it was kind of suiting me pretty well. And the way I grew up playing, it was very much that I predominantly had an upright stance, and I just was like, ‘Let’s go back to my old technique and see how it, you know, [holds] up.'”So, yeah, I backed myself and then, from there on, I started [trying the technique] in the domestic [games]… Till now, I’ve been continuing with the same stance.”Related

Australia aim for historic ODI sweep against India

Calm and composed Connolly showcases his worth

Power, stance and backlift: how Iyer took his ball-striking to new heights

Short, Connolly, Zampa guide Australia to series victory in Adelaide

Iyer grew up batting with this upright stance, but perhaps the back injuries he has battled made him make changes. “Even in Mumbai, when we play on red-soil wickets – where the bounce is a little bit extra than expected – I think it helps with the upright stance,” Iyer said.”And yeah, you’ve got to keep chopping and changing every now and then, because you don’t play on the same wickets [all the time]. Whatever the wicket demands, you’ve got to change your stance accordingly, and I think I’ve changed so many stances [that] I’m able to adapt anywhere at the moment.”Iyer last played for India during their undefeated Champions Trophy campaign in the UAE in March. Since then, he has played the IPL, two first-class matches, and then captained India A in the three one-day matches against Australia A. At some point during this break, he reached the conclusion that his body, at the moment, is not supporting his first-class cricket, prompting him to request the BCCI for a six-month break from red-ball cricket.”When I played red-ball cricket after the IPL, I realised that if I field for long spells on the ground, my intensity starts to go down. And the intensity that you need to maintain in international cricket, I wasn’t able to match up to it. In ODIs, you know you will get rest after one day and be able to recover. Not in Tests. That is why I made that call, and conveyed that message.”