All posts by n8rngtd.top

The American played spoiler for league-leading PSV, who has struggled since losing Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman to injury

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• Aaronson scored late equalizer against PSV
• PSV's Eredivisie lead is cut to just one point over Ajax, who have two games in-hand
• Tillman, Pepi sidelined with injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  If PSV end up relinquishing their Eredivisie title, USMNT hopeful Paxten Aaronson could part of the reason.

  The 21-year-old forward scored a 75th-minute goal to give his on-loan club FC Utrecht a 2-1 advantage over the Eredivisie-leading PSV, before a stoppage-time equalizer from Isaac Babadi secured PSV a point in a 2-2 draw. It was the former Philadelphia Union standout's sixth goal of the season and his eighth goal contribution for the club in the league.

  PSV have had an inconsistent 2025 after starting the 2024-25 season brightly, winning just once in February through five matches across all competitions. Injuries to fellow U.S. internationals Malik Tillman and ricardo Pepi haven't helped, either.

  PSV's lead in the Eredivisie is just one point over Ajax now, who have two games in-hand over the reigning champions.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Aaronson, who is the younger brother of Leeds star Brenden Aaronson, has one USMNT cap. In the midst of a strong campaign in Holland, Paxten Aaronson has an outside chance of making Mauricio Pochettino's squad for the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals in March, but he could factor in the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer if he keeps up his performances.

  He was a part of the 2024 Paris Olympics roster for the U.S. as they advanced to the quarterfinals of the competition.

  His towering header on Saturday saw him leap over fellow American Richard Ledezma, who could be a name to monitor for both the March and June camps as well.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AARONSON?

  Utrecht have a bit of break, not playing their next fixture until March 1. Time will tell if Aaronson keep his momentum going.

Tottenham are set to demand a massive fee should clubs want to take one of their star men out of north London any time soon, according to a fresh report.

Tottenham's strong run ended by Crystal Palace

A 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace ended Tottenham’s impressive recent run of form under Ange Postecoglou and brought the Lilywhites firmly back down to earth. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored what proved the decisive goal fifteen minutes before half time to hand Crystal Palace a first win of the season, and leaving Tottenham ruing missed opportunities.

It was their fourth loss of the season in the Premier League, the same number of wins they have achieved, and leaves them five points outside the top four spots as things stand back in eighth place.

“It was a game which turned into, and it didn’t surprise me, a bit of a battle. Lots of stop, starting and standing around. We didn’t deal with that really well at all. We didn’t get to grips with just the nature of what was transpiring out there. It turned into a bit of a battle. They dealt with it better than we did”, Postecoglou explained after the game.

“I just felt when we had control of things, we could have dealt with it better. We ended up doing silly things, giving away silly fouls and losing our composure, which just adds to that sort of game when you can’t get any traction. So I think we directed our frustration in the wrong way rather than dealing with like we should have”, he added.

Despite the defeat, it has been a bright start to the season for some in Tottenham colours, and that has attracted unwanted attention.

Tottenham slap hefty price tag on defender

Now, it has emerged that Spurs are ready to put off potential suitors for defender Pedro Porro by demanding a record fee to let him leave. The Spaniard has reportedly caught the eye of both Real Madrid and former club Manchester City as the two European giants look to make changes at right-back.

He has impressed in Tottenham colours, and Ange Postecoglou hailed him “outstanding” at the end of his first season in charge in north London.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Ange must drop 4/10 Spurs dud after Palace

Tottenham were defeated by Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

By
Matt Dawson

Oct 28, 2024

And Spurs are now ready to ward off suitors with a hefty price tag. That is according to reports in Spain, who claim that Spurs will not entertain offers of less than £60m to part ways with the defender, who still has three and a half years left to run on his £85,000 a week deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Should any club match that, it would be a record sale for a defender leaving north London, with the current record standing at the £45m they received to sell Kyle Walker to Manchester City.

Could Manchester City repeat the trick to try and land Walker’s replacement or will Real Madrid stump up the cash? Spurs fans will certainly hope not.

The midfielder’s two-goal performance gives Colorado the edge in their Round 1 series against LAFC

• Mihailovic scored from the penalty spot and a free kick
• Colorado takes a 2-1 lead into the second leg
• Match played in frigid conditions at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  Djordje Mihailovic scored twice to lead the Colorado Rapids to a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup Round 1 series. The match played at 6°F at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, saw Mihailovic convert a penalty in the 48th minute and score a stunning free kick in the 80th minute.

  The free-kick had the fans, who braved the freezing conditions, in awe especially as it was at least 27 yards from goal. But despite that, Mihailovic gave LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris no chance at stopping the strike, as he sent it into the top right corner of the goal.

  “I kicked it as hard as I could. Hoped for the best. It was impossible to play on this field. It’s frozen.” Mihailović said.

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• WHAT THE CAMERA CAPTURED

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite the scoreline finishing at 2-1, both sides struggled to get into their groove in the first half with the weather playing some part as, officially, the temperature was reported as 6°F. That would make it the second coldest game between two MLS teams although things opened up in the second half. Colorado Rapids’ forward Kevin Cabral won his side a penalty in the opening minute of the second half which Mihailovic converted.

  Cabral was at it again 10 minutes later but failed to convert his chance although that didn’t matter thanks to Mihailovic’s stunning free-kick after he sent the ball past Hugo Lloris. LAFC did manage to get one back just before the full-time whistle and go into the second leg with an away goal in hand.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  With the first leg of their Round 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup clash against LAFC over, the Colorado Rapids’ attention will now turn attention to their MLS season. The Rapids open against St. Louis on Feb. 22 before their second leg Champions Cup clash four days later.

The Cityzens were dominant in an all-action first half, but were put to work after the break as they kept Ange Postecoglou's side at bay

Manchester City moved back into the Premier League's top four with a 1-0 win away at Tottenham on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola's men showed a stubbornness and resilience not seen for much of this season to grind out the victory having failed to put the game beyond their dogged hosts.

With only 12 minutes on the clock, City went in front. A sweeping move saw play shifted to Jeremy Doku on the left, and his deflected cutback found Erling Haaland totally unmarked to tap in from close range.

Doku nearly had a goal for himself soon after when he beat several Spurs defenders before letting fly from 20 yards, only for the long arms of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to deny him. City ought to have gone two up when Doku's next teasing cross found Savinho free at the far post, but he bounced his shot over the crossbar, while Haaland had an effort stopped by Vicario seconds later.

Just after the break, Tottenham should have been level. Pedro Porro's cross evaded every City defender to find Wilson Odobert at the far post, but the Frenchman was stretching and unable to turn the ball home. City should then have been punished when Savinho lost the ball cheaply on the wing and Spurs broke at pace, only for Matheus Nunes to recover and stop Mathys Tel from tapping in deep inside the box.

Ederson was continually proving to be the man between Tottenham and an equaliser, with a low save to keep out Son Heung-min late on the pick of his showreel for the evening. The visitors, meanwhile, were convinced they had added a second deep into added time, but Haaland's strike was initially ruled out for handball in the build-up when he was trying to shield the ball away from Archie Gray and Kevin Danso.

With one final chance, Spurs thought they had equalised. Porro's cross was nodded on by Son and into Pape Matar Sarr, whose header ballooned over the bar as City held on for a narrow win.

GOAL rates City's players from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (8/10):

  One of his better performances of the season, making some fine stops to keep Spurs at bay.

  Matheus Nunes (6/10):

  Didn't particularly enjoy his battles with the tricky Odobert, though made up for those misgivings by denying Tel an almost certain goal just after the hour mark.

  Abdukodir Khusanov (7/10):

  A strong and stable showing at a ground where many a City defender has crumbled in the spotlight. An encouraging display from the young Uzbek.

  Ruben Dias (7/10):

  Proved the perfect senior partner for Khusanov, with both knowing their roles and limits.

  Josko Gvardiol (6/10):

  Imperious early on before Johnson and Porro drew him into higher areas and forced several attacks down his flank.

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  Midfield

  Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

  Kept things ticking in midfield in a tidy showing without being too extravagant. Replaced by Bernardo for the last 25 or so minutes.

  Mateo Kovacic (6/10):

  The composed head who broke up play by way of tackle or cynical foul. Like Gonzalez wasn't outstanding, but he didn't really need to be.

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  Attack

  Savinho (6/10):

  Clearly has magic in his boots and was feeling himself, but ultimately didn't have much of a tangible say on proceedings. His most notable contribution was a woeful miss midway through the first half which should have given City some deserved breathing space. Given a breather for McAtee in the dying embers.

  Omar Marmoush (6/10):

  Popped up all over the place asking questions of Tottenham when City were in the ascendancy. Influence was greatly diminished in the second half and he was replaced by Foden.

  Jeremy Doku (8/10):

  The Belgian winger was energetically wasteful in his demolition of Trent Alexander-Arnold on Sunday, but was of far more use here, beating Porro before consistently finding his man and causing panic.

  Erling Haaland (8/10):

  Look who's back! City desperately missed their star striker in Sunday's defeat to Liverpool, and he returned in style with the all-important goal. Just the second player to score 10-plus home goals & 10-plus away goals in three consecutive Premier League seasons after, ironically, Harry Kane.

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  Subs & Manager

  Bernardo Silva (6/10):

  Came on for Gonzalez.

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  Replaced Marmoush.

  James McAtee (N/A):

  Given a late runaround in place of Savinho.

  Ilkay Gundogan (N/A):

  Played about two minutes at the very end on for Kovacic.

  Jack Grealish (N/A):

  Likewise afforded the scarcest of run-outs for a cramped-up Doku.

  Pep Guardiola (7/10):

  City's first-half performance was nearly perfect, though there drop-off in the second was almost inexplicable. Will be happy to simply take the points.

Everton’s five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League unwound sharply at St. Mary’s last weekend, Southampton claiming their first top-flight win of the season.

Do not be fooled: Sean Dyche’s outfit are not in a convincing position, lacking in balance and fluency. It’s a costly combination (or lack thereof) that threatens to keep the club mired at the pit of the table, geared for another season of scraping against the pull of the drop zone.

There are some significant fault lines stripped across Goodison Park’s senior squad, and though glimmers of hope have started to appear, slanting onto Merseyside like sunlight, many supporters will feel that more misery is lined up ahead – Sod’s Law, right?

But actually, there’s just cause for hope. Everton are going to be headed by The Friedkin Group in the not-too-distant future, and there are some talented first-teamers in the mix who could raise their game even higher with some impactful transfer moves across the coming markets.

But let’s look inward for a second. The Toffees also have some stars sat on the margins who will be gunning for a resurgence, and with the turning of the wheel, a new era could mark a new hope for players such as Dele Alli.

Why Dele Alli could make a comeback

Dele is a fallen star, but he was one of the brightest on the continent before he was struck by a saddening decline.

Tottenham Hotspur’s talent crackled into life in the Premier League, arriving from MK Dons in a deal worth about £5m in 2015. A bona fide prodigy, Dele marked his first three seasons in the top division with 97 goal contributions, bestowed with the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year award in both of his opening terms.

The England international has since been on a downward spiral, losing his way with Spurs before moving to Everton and fading into the shadows, struggling with personal issues.

Hope remains that Dele, who last featured for Everton in August 2022, before a disappointing loan spell in Turkey, can revive himself to a place on the Premier League pitch, with the 28-year-old currently fighting for fitness after his interminable troubles.

Should Dele succeed, he would be offered a short-term contract and a chance to fight for a place in Dyche’s outfit. It is understood that he is approaching a level in which he could feature for the U21s.

Dele was once considered among the finest prospects in football, proving his pedigree with stunning performances at the highest level. With TFG looking to change things at the club, Dele could find that he is in good condition to rise with the tide.

He’s not the only one, however, with several further Everton stars currently languishing away from the limelight. Football fans across the globe would love to see Dele return to form, but Armando Broja could also be in line for an exciting comeback after some testing years.

Why Everton signed Armando Broja

Broja joined the Blues cause this summer, arriving from Chelsea on a one-year loan deal that can be made permanent at the end of the campaign, with a £30m purchase option.

An exciting young striker, Broja rose through the ranks with Chelsea and has enjoyed several loan moves already, but has been pulled back throughout his maiden years as a pro due to injuries.

Last season, he could only play a peripheral role at Stamford Bridge under the wing of Mauricio Pochettino before moving to Fulham from January until the summer, where he failed to make his mark, neither starting nor scoring in the Premier League in the Premier League.

Lacking in output, sure, but Broja’s got some nifty underlying pointers that speak of his quality and the impact that he could have at Everton, where he has still not made his debut as he recovers from a knee injury, working toward regaining match fitness.

Described as an “animal” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, the 6 foot 3 forward is technical and tenacious, with a muscular physique that demands authority in the final third.

The Albania international has what it takes to make a marked impact on Dyche’s team in 2025.

Everton’s recent purple patch has at least lifted them away from the sharpest danger, eliminating that lowermost rank in the Premier League and taking them above the dotted line and into 16th place, where they currently reside, four points above Ipswich Town in 18th.

There’s plenty to be desired up top. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness levels have strapped in for the ride and have held up thus far, with the England star starting each of Everton’s ten Premier League matches in 2024/25 – he has, however, struggled for fluency, with the defeat against Saints marking the sixth successive match without a goal or an assist.

Calvert-Lewin, 27, is an aerial focal point to be admired, but he’s lacking in dimensions and dynamism, ranking among the bottom 39% of Premier League strikers this season for shots taken, the bottom 8% for pass completion and the bottom 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

He’s also out of contract at the end of the term, and looking at his rather chunky £100k-per-week wages, it’s hard to imagine TFG renewing his deal, which will not likely be diminished financially.

Especially if Broja finds his feet and fitness. It’s his time to shine. A young buck with it all to prove, Everton’s fortunes might just be changing. It’s a brand new world, one that the likes of Broja and Dele could step into with a sanguine sense and fresh vigour, ready to lead the charge.

Everton hit gold selling £14m ace who's now worth less than 50% of the squad

Everton sold a player for a profit in 2019 who is now worth much less

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 5, 2024

Chelsea are now prepared to meet the asking price to sign a Premier League star, who their manager Enzo Maresca is believed to be a real admirer of.

Chelsea face Leicester City after consecutive draws

Maresca’s side are looking to return to winning ways against newly-promoted Leicester City, the Italian’s former team, on 23 November after two consecutive Premier League draws against rivals Man United and Arsenal.

London club approach Chelsea to sign £62m ace in "transformative deal"

He could be handed a new lease of life across London.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 15, 2024

The Blues are sure-fire favourites to put Leicester away at the King Power Stadium after what has been a very promising start to life under Maresca overall, with Chelsea implementing a brand of open, expansive and attacking football since the former Man City employee’s arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The west Londoners are also favourites to seal a place in the top four and make a return to the Champions League next season, and many expect them to lift the UEFA Europa Conference League as well.

An underrated part of their early success under Maresca has been the solid centre-back partnership of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana, who have both impressed at the heart of Chelsea’s new-look defence thus far.

Colwill has attracted praise from Chelsea chiefs behind-the-scenes, according to some reports, but that hasn’t stopped them from looking at the transfer market for alternatives to the pair.

Benoit Badiashile is highly-rated by Chelsea as well, but despite Maresca having the Frenchman, Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi as back-up options, it is believed that they’re drawing up a list of central defensive targets for the upcoming transfer windows.

Reliable journalist Simon Phillips recently stated that Chelsea are expected to sign another centre-back “very soon”, which could spell trouble for Disasi, and there are a few interesting names in their thinking.

One of them is Nottingham Forest star Murillo, amid his exceptional start to the campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo at the City Ground.

Some reports even suggest that Chelsea could offer Trevoh Chalobah in talks for Murillo, but the Brazilian isn’t the only Premier League star being considered at Cobham.

Chelsea prepared to meet the £50 million asking price for Illia Zabarnyi

Maresca is said to be a fan of Bournemouth and Ukraine star Illia Zabarnyi, according to multiple media sources, and this is echoed by CaughtOffside.

According to their information, Chelsea are prepared to meet Zabarnyi’s £50 million asking price, which shows just how highly they rate the 22-year-old who is pretty close to half a century of international caps for his country already.

Both the former Dynamo Kyiv ace and Marcos Senesi have formed an impressive partnership so far, and they particularly impressed during a 2-1 win over English champions Man City recently.

“I think they’ve been very brave because it’s difficult to play with the spaces we’ve had behind all the game, against Haaland, because he’s always a threat,” said Cherries boss Andoni Iraola.

“At the end of the game, it was a different game where they were pushing us and we had to defend crosses, deal with difficult [situations], not only Erling, they put the centre backs, everyone, was pushing there.”

David Beckham has revealed the fun request that he receives from Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets on a regular basis at Inter Miami.

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• Ex-England captain is Herons co-owner
• Star signings want to see him in action
• Becks fast approaching 50th birthday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United legend Beckham is co-owner of the Herons, with his presence helping to lure a collection of former Barcelona superstars to the United States. He is hoping to see them deliver MLS Cup glory in South Florida.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Beckham tries to be as hands-on as possible in his current role, his duties do not extend to lacing up a pair of boots – much to the disappointment of those that would like to see the ex-England captain showcase his talent in training.

• WHAT DAVID BECKHAM SAID

  Beckham has told : “Do you know what, they’re always on at me, Leo, Luis, Jordi [Alba], Sergio. They will turn around and say, ‘Come on, come on, join in!’” Said requests continue to be knocked back, with head coach Javier Mascherano being left to work without any unnecessary distractions.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Beckham is not convinced that he could handle the demands of training any more, adding ahead of his 50th birthday on May 2: “The funny thing was, the other day I was kicking a ball around for Adidas, doing some filming for my new Predator boots. I was doing some free kicks, pinging some long passes and I got overly excited. I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I grew up in an era where I didn’t really do much warming up or stretching. So, it wasn’t unusual just taking some balls on the halfway line and pinging them into the goal or on to the crossbar.

  “I got to the fifth, six and seventh – on the eighth one, I pinged it, and I was like, ‘Oh sh*t, my quad!’ The guy filming asked if I could do a couple more. I was like, ‘No, I think we got it!’”

Chelsea’s increased transfer output since the takeover by Todd Boehly in 2022 has been a huge turnover of players to allow various managers the opportunity to end the club’s wait for a league title.

The Blues haven’t claimed a Premier League title since the 2016/17 season under former boss Antonio Conte, with the American owner desperate to return success to Stamford Bridge.

It may be a controversial way to assemble at title challenging squad, but current boss Enzo Maresca is certainly reaping the rewards at present, leading his side to third place just nine points off the summit going into the third international break.

Their recent outing saw them claim a valuable point against London rivals Arsenal, denting their ambitions of dislodging Manchester City from their recent glory in England’s top flight.

Pedro Neto starred scoring the vital equaliser after Gabriel Martinelli’s opener, looking way more comfortable off the right-hand side following Noni Madueke’s withdrawal.

However, it was another one of Boehly’s big-money additions that caught the eye, playing a crucial role in keeping one player quiet throughout.

Marc Cucurella’s stats against Arsenal

After joining in a whopping £62m deal from Brighton back in 2022, the deal for left-back Marc Cucurella certainly raised eyebrows around the footballing world.

His move wasn’t helped by his lack of immediate impact in West London, often looking off the pace and being dominated by the opposition’s attackers.

However, he played a crucial role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph during the off-season, returning to the Bridge with a newfound sense of confidence – allowing him to become a regular starter in the early days of the Maresca era.

His best display to date undoubtedly came against Mikel Arteta’s side at the weekend, preventing dangerman Bukayo Saka from creating any clear-cut chances in front of goal.

The 26-year-old featured for the entirety of the contest, winning two tackles and making three interceptions as he neutralised the threat posed by the England international.

However, despite his admirable display, it wasn’t as good as one former Blue who produced an even better showing against the Arsenal ace earlier on in the campaign.

The player Chelsea may regret offloading

Fellow left-back Lewis Hall emerged through the Cobham academy during the 2022/23 campaign, making 11 first-team appearances – staking his claim for a regular starting role despite his tender age of 18.

However, he was shipped out on loan to fellow Premier League side Newcastle United last season, before joining the Magpies on a permanent basis this summer for a fee in the region of £35m.

Whilst on the face of it, £35m may seem like an excellent deal for an academy graduate with just a handful of professional games under his belt, it’s turned out to be a shocking decision with Hall rapidly developing under Eddie Howe’s guidance.

He’s since featured in all 11 league outings this season, even featuring against Saka in their 1-0 win over the Gunners a couple of weeks ago at St James’ Park.

The youngster was handed the Man of the Match award for his display, which saw him win ten of the 14 duels he contested, winning three tackles in the process in what was a dominant display against an elite-level talent.

Hall’s subsequent performance led to The Athletic’s George Caulkin claiming that he was “exceptional vs Saka” – ultimately playing a huge part in the win for the Toon.

To rub salt into the wounds for the Blues, the now 20-year-old was recently included in Lee Carsley’s England side for the upcoming Nations League fixtures – further highlighting his rapid progression since his Stamford Bridge departure.

Undoubtedly, Boehly’s investment since his takeover has allowed for a huge turnaround and given Maresca the opportunity to be a success in his first year at the helm.

However, such spending has seen them have to balance the books, with Hall just one player suffering as a result.

Their loss is most certainly Newcastle’s gain, with the Magpies now the home to one of if not the best English left-back in world football based on current form.

Chelsea could sign their biggest talent since Palmer in £25m Caicedo clone

Chelsea are looking to sign another young talent and he’s just like Moises Caicedo.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 12, 2024

A Sky Sports presenter has revealed she is recovering from a brain infection after fighting cancer.

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• Sky Sports presenter battles cancer
• Then gets brain infection as well
• Sends message on social media

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Emma Saunders posted on social media that she was treated for thyroid cancer at the start of the 2024/25 season. Now, she has said "life took a bit of an unexpected turn" as she recovers from a brain infection called encephalitis.

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• WHAT EMMA SAUNDERS SAID

  She wrote on Instagram from her hospital bed: "Hi folks unfortunately life took a bit of an unexpected turn a couple of weeks ago and I’m now off work while I recover from Encephalitis – an infection of the brain. I hope it wont be long until I’m back to see out the end of 2024/25 – especially after missing part of the start of the season before this when I was treated for Thyroid cancer.

  "So, as I spend time now recovering and rebuilding again – I just wanted to thank my family & friends for their rock solid support, my colleagues at Sky for their patience allowing me the time to heal, and our wonderful NHS for their extraordinary kindness and care. And of course you @wrstill just for being you & being there for me."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saunders also thanked boyfriend and Lens manager Will Still for his support during this difficult time. She and Still are sure to hope the presenter is back fit and healthy as soon as possible.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Saunders, who is a lifelong Watford fan, will likely be keeping a keen eye on how the Hornets get on against Millwall in the Championship on Saturday.

It might not be what fans want to hear, but as things stand, Arsenal’s season is already starting to fall apart.

Mikel Arteta’s side have won just one of their last five games – an EFL Cup tie against Championship opposition – and they are currently fourth in the Premier League and down in 12th in the Champions League.

It’s too early to declare the Gunners’ season over, but they need something significant to change in the coming months to get them back on track.

So, it’s good news that the transfer window is right around the corner, especially since they’ve been linked with a supremely gifted youngster who could well be their next Mesut Özil.

Arsenal transfer news

According to recent reports from Spain, Arsenal are incredibly keen on signing Real Madrid’s tremendously exciting youngster, Arda Güler.

The report claims that the Turkish international is not happy in the Spanish capital over his lack of game time and that, in a move similar to Martin Odegaard’s in January 2021, the Gunners are looking to exploit this unhappiness.

Now, the report has revealed that any transfer in January would likely be a loan, but once again, there is hope at the Emirates that Arteta could convince the youngster that North London is where he should stay permanently, just as he was able to convince the Norwegian three years ago.

There are a lot of moving parts in this potential deal, but given Guler’s ability and incredible potential, Arsenal must try and bring him to N5 in the new year and then see if they can get him to stay for the long term, as he could be the potential long-term heir to their former number ten, Özil.

Why Güler could be Arsenal's new Özil

So, while Güler can play as both a right-winger and attacking midfielder, it seems incredibly unlikely that he’d replace Bukayo Saka, meaning that were he to join Arsenal, he’d almost certainly do so to play in the middle of the park.

This would, in turn, see him follow in the footsteps of Odegaard and Özil, who both swapped Madrid for Islington and while they did so in different eras for the club, they both more than made their mark.

For example, the German became the Gunners’ record signing when he joined on transfer deadline day in September 2013.

Over the following seven and a half years, he made 254 appearances, scored 44 goals, provided 75 assists and won three FA Cups.

Whereas, in his three and a half years at the club, Arteta’s current captain has made 158 appearances, in which he’s scored 35 goals and provided 26 assists, although he’s yet to win anything.

So, if Güler, whom analyst Ben Mattinson claims could become “Ballon D’Or level,” does follow in their footsteps, why is he more likely to become the next Özil and not the next Odegaard?

The first reason is that, like the 2014 World Cup winner, the 19-year-old “generational talent,” as dubbed by journalist Dean Jones, is far more accustomed to playing in a more attacking midfield role when in the middle of the park.

In contrast, the Drammen-born star has played just under a third of his Arsenal games in central midfield, and as the number on the back of his shirt suggests, he tends to drop a little deeper in build-up and often moves out to the right in attack.

On top of that, while the 36-year-old ex-pro was born in Gelsenkirchen, he never hid his love for his Turkish roots and even spent a good amount of time playing in the country before retiring, including for Fenerbahce, which is where Los Blancos’ Turkish gem played before joining them.

Ultimately, Arsenal have enjoyed great success when it comes to signing talented midfielders from Real in the past. So they should do all they can to secure Güler’s services, especially as his positional preferences and unbelievable raw talent suggest he could become the club’s next Özil.

Arsenal target £100m star who could be their best CF since Aubameyang

The incredible striker would take Arsenal to the next level.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 21, 2024