تواصل إدارة النادي الأهلي مفاوضاتها لاختيار المدير الفني الأجنبي الجديد، وسط ترقب جماهيري كبير بعد رحيل المدرب الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، حيث تسعى لجنة التخطيط لحسم الملف سريعًا قبل ازدحام جدول الفريق بالمباريات المحلية والقارية.
وارتبط اسم الإيطالي الألماني دومينيكو تيديسكو، المدير الفني لمنتخب بلجيكا السابق، بالانتقال إلى القلعة الحمراء، في ظل ما يمتلكه من خبرات أوروبية بارزة سواء على مستوى المنتخبات أو الأندية الكبرى.
اقرأ أيضًا.. خالد الجوادي: كولر تخلص من لاعب الأهلي السابق بسبب الخيانة
مصدر مقرب من المدرب كشف في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات أن مستقبل تيديسكو لم يُحسم بعد، مشيرًا إلى وجود عروض فعلية على طاولة المدرب لكن جميعها من القارة الأوروبية.
وأوضح المصدر أن تيديسكو سمع بالفعل عن وجود اهتمام من جانب الأهلي، ولكن لم يتم ترجمة ذلك عن طريق عرض رسمي والأمر متوقف على مدى قوة المشروع الرياضي.
وشدد المصدر على أن تيديسكو يرى مستقبله بشكل أكبر في أوروبا، خاصة مع استمرار العروض الجادة التي تصله من أندية مختلفة خلال الفترة الحالية.
وأكد أن المدرب البلجيكي يفضل خوض تجربة جديدة داخل القارة العجوز قبل التفكير في أي خطوة خارجها.
واختتم المصدر تصريحاته أن قرار المدرب النهائي لم يتحدد حتى الآن، وأن جميع الاحتمالات تظل قائمة، لكن فرص بقائه في أوروبا تبقى هي الأقرب في المرحلة الحالية.
الجدير بالذكر أن تيديسكو منذ رحيله عن منتخب بلجيكا في شهر يناير الماضي، لم ينتقل إلى أي تجربة أخرى قبل بداية الموسم الحالي.
New manager Russell Martin may have only been at Ibrox a matter of weeks but he will certainly be thrown in at the deep end right at the very start of his Rangers tenure.
On Wednesday lunchtime, Martin’s first competitive opponents of the new season were confirmed, Rangers drawn against Panathinaikos in the Champions League second qualifying round, the pair set to meet at Ibrox on 22/23 July, with the return leg a week later.
Should they progress, the Gers face another qualifying tie before entering the league phase of the competition.
Rangers looking to bolster their back line
Thus, with that huge tie, and others to follow, under five weeks away, Martin will want to get some signings through the door and soon, so could Rangers be about to land an experienced Premier League defender?
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to a report by Sky Sports News, Rangers ‘have approached’ Leicester City over the possibility of signing centre-back Conor Coady.
Following the Foxes’ relegation back to the EFL Championship, as outlined by Rob Tanner of the Athletic, Leicester’s budget has been ‘slashed’, thereby looking to ‘move on high earners’, and Coady very much falls into that category, especially with just one year remaining on his contract.
Coady joined Leicester from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported £8.5m fee two summers ago but, now 32 years old, could certainly be available at a cut-price.
How Conor Coady would improve Rangers
Leadership is undoubtedly Coady’s greatest quality, with Sean Dyche having previously praised his “immaculate” professionalism, something that was severely lacking at Rangers last season, hence why the England international could be an excellent addition both on and off the park.
Yet, would he be better than Harry Darling? Many outlets this summer underlined that Martin was hoping to sign centre-back Darling for a third time, having previously worked with him at both Milton Keynes and Swansea.
However, it was announced earlier this week that the 25-year-old had decided to join Norwich City as a free agent instead, meaning Martin and the Rangers hierarchy will be forced to look elsewhere.
This has seen the Gers step-up their interest in Coady, but how do these two defenders compare? Let’s find out.
Coady vs Darling player comparison
Statistics (per 90)
Coady (23/24 & 24/25)
Darling 24/25
Appearances
43
39
Minutes
3,103
3,337
Pass completion %
92%
87.4%
Interceptions
0.6
0.6
Tackles
0.6
0.8
Clearances
3.2
5
% of ground duels won
57.2%
66%
Ball Recoveries
3.5
4.1
Touches
80.5
78.5
Stats via FBref, SofaScore & Squawka.
Statistics from the last two seasons were used for Coady for two reasons, to give him a bigger sample size, but also because this year’s data was massively skewed by the fact that he was playing for a historically terrible Leicester team.
Also, the EFL Championship, ranked 11th in the world by Global Football Rankings, is more comparable to the Scottish Premiership (43rd) than the Premier League.
Wolves defender Conor Coady.
That preamble aside, the table shows that Coady and Darling’s statistics are broadly similar, with the Leicester defender coming out on top for in-possession statistics, namely pass completion percentage and touches.
Then-Wolves teammate Fábio Silva has described the defender as “amazing” and “the best captain” he’s ever had, while Adam McNulty of Breaking the Lines praised his reading of the game and ability ‘to pick out a runner’ with his excellent distribution.
In the 2019/20 Premier League season, Coady completed more accurate long passes than anyone else in the division, hence why his outstanding on-ball skill-set would fit into a Martin team perfectly, given that the new Rangers boss’ style prioritises possession and control, underlining that this is a signing the Light Blues need to do everything in their power to finalise.
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Teenage batter following in footsteps of father Andrew, who spent his career at Lancs
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2024
Rocky Flintoff gets a handshake from Mark Chilton•Getty Images
Rocky Flintoff, son of former England allrounder Andrew Flintoff, has signed his first professional contract with Lancashire at the age of 16.Flinfoff, who was earlier this week named in the England Under-19s squad to face Sri Lanka, joined the Lancashire academy last year. He has featured four times for the 2nd XI this season, hitting a half-century against Durham and a hundred against Warwickshire.Clips of him batting went viral on social media due to the similarity of his technique to that of his father.”I’m very happy and excited to have signed my first professional contract with Lancashire,” Rocky Flintoff said. “It’s something that I’ve been working towards since I started playing cricket, so to sign for my home county is a dream come true.”I’ve been with the club since I was 8 years old, so to have the opportunity to keep representing the Red Rose is a big honour. I have loved playing for the Second XI so far this season and I’m looking forward to continuing to work hard on all aspects of my game.”Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “I would like to congratulate Rocky, his family and everybody who has been with him on his journey in cricket so far.”He has impressed the coaching staff with his performances and determined attitude for the Second XI already this season. He is a grounded individual and knows the work starts now for him to fulfil his potential in the years ahead.”Rocky will be away with the England U19s for the next couple of weeks, and we look forward to welcoming him into the professional squad after that.”Andrew Flintoff made his Lancashire debut in 1995 before going on to become one of England’s most-pivotal allrounders, playing more than 200 times across formats and famous for his role in helping to regain the Ashes in 2005, after 16 years in Australian hands.
Ghosh struck a quick 86 as India declared their first innings on 603 for 6
Srinidhi Ramanujam29-Jun-2024
Marizanne Kapp scored a fighting half-century•BCCI
South Africa showed great fight to reach 236 for 4 on the second day of the one-off Test in Chennai after India declared their first innings at a record 603 for 6. At stumps, the visitors were still 367 runs behind. But on a pitch where Indians bowlers were able to extract sharp turn and bounce from the second session of the day, Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp, with their half-centuries and a 93-run stand for the third wicket, displayed commendable resilience and technique.After a 3-0 defeat in the ODI series and conceding 525 on the first day of the Test, South Africa did not let India dent their confidence on Saturday.Related
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After India declared their innings in the morning, Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch looked composed in the six overs before lunch, with the captain punishing a half-tracker from Sneh Rana and an overpitched delivery from Pooja Vastrakar for four. This was before Wolvaardt struck a confident drive through mid-off in the first over of the innings by Renuka Singh.However, Rana – who got the ball to spin more than any other spinner – got the first breakthrough in the eighth over when she bowled one rare short ball. But it kept low and Wolvaardt completely missed her pull to be trapped lbw. Bosch and Luus stayed on for the next 23 overs, stitching 63 runs. However, Bosch, who hit four fours and a six, fell a few overs before tea. Rana was at it once again. After the previous ball spun sharply, Rana bowled one full outside off. Anticipating the turn, Bosch leaned forward and nicked it to Deepti Sharma at slip.Richa Ghosh took just 54 balls to bring up her half-century•BCCI
At 96 for 2, South Africa found stability via Kapp and Luus who blended caution with aggression. Luus respected the good deliveries, scoring almost equally on the off and leg side. In all, she scored 65 off 164 balls that included six fours and one six over long-on against Rana.The duo put on 93 before Deepti broke the stand when she beat Luus’ inside edge and trapped her lbw. Luus reviewed the on-field decision but it was in vain. Delmi Tucker became Rana’s third victim when Richa Ghosh took a sharp catch to dismiss her for an eight-ball duck.Kapp, like Luus, played more off the back foot and scored predominantly on the off side, with seven of her eight fours coming in that area. She reached 50 off 87 balls and remained unbeaten on 69 off 125 at stumps. She fought cramps and a stiff back towards the end of the final session, but didn’t throw her wicket away.Once Tucker departed, Nadine de Klerk joined Kapp with the pair stitching an unbroken 38-run stand off 56 balls. De Klerk showed good intent in the final hour and hit five fours in her unbeaten 27 off 28 balls.Earlier, Ghosh and Harmanpreet Kaur started sedately but soon converted their starts into half-centuries. The pair stretched their stand to 143 runs. Harmanpreet made 69 off 115 balls before being dismissed in the 15th over of the day when fast bowler Tumi Sekhukhune trapped her in front to leave India at 593 for 5.Ghosh hit seven more boundaries on Saturday, 16 in all, her 90-ball innings, using her strong wrists to good use to play powerful cut shots. She fell for her career-best 86 when she missed a sweep off left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba and was lbw.
We’re now just a week away from the start of Celtic’s pre-season fixtures.
Next Friday night, Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops will make the short three-mile journey to Glasgow’s south side to take on Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden, having demolished the Spiders 6-4 in a friendly almost exactly 12 months ago.
After that, Celtic to Cork, Lisbon, the north of England and then face Ajax and either Al-Ahli or the hosts at the Como Cup.
So, just how many new signings will the Parkhead masses have the opportunity to cast their gaze at during these fixtures?
Celtic's star attacker set to depart
Both returning hero Kieran Tierney and new third-choice goalkeeper Ross Doohan have already signed for Celtic this summer, with deals for Callum Osmand and Benjamin Nygren close to being finalised too.
However, due to Celtic’s position in the global football food chain, they’re always in danger of losing a star player, and this summer is no different.
As has been widely reported by Josh McCafferty of the National and elsewhere, RB Leipzig have ‘intensified their interest’ in Nicolas Kühn, who is supposedly available for around £15m.
Well, now, according to Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News, Como have ‘made an approach’ as they target a move for Kühn.
I Lariani finished tenth in Serie A last season under Cesc Fàbregas, their first top-flight campaign since 2002/03, but are not your ordinary newly-promoted club, given that they are owned by the Djarum Group, making them the wealthiest club in Italy, as noted by James Horncastle of the Athletic.
So, potentially creating a bidding war could be good news for Celtic, as they seek to drive up the price for, what is set to be, one of their biggest sales of all-time.
Regardless, it appears very likely that Kühn will be sold in the coming weeks, so has Rodgers identified a potential replacement?
Who Celtic should sign to replace Kühn
As reported by Glasgow World, Aston Villa are open to selling youngster Louie Barry, to ease their ongoing concerns about breaching the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.
Thus, they add that Celtic are ‘weighing up a potential offer’ for the 22-year-old, given their long-standing interest in Barry, who they have been ‘keeping close tabs on’. Previous reports have suggested he could be available in and around the £12m mark.
Barry first made headlines by joining Barcelona’s fabled la Masia academy in 2019, before returning to England a year later, signing for Aston Villa for a reported £880,000.
He’s since been loaned out no less than seven times, making the biggest impression at Stockport County, scoring 24 goals in 43 league appearances for the club, with Sam Byrne of the Manchester Evening News describing his performances for the Hatters as “absolutely electric”, adding he “captured the imagination” of all supporters.
So, let’s assess his senior career statistics so far.
Louie Barry season-by-season statistics
Season
Tier
Games
Goals
Assists
2024/25*
Championship
4
0
0
2024/25*
League One
24
16
3
2023/24
League Two
22
9
4
2022/23**
League Two
21
2
1
2022/23**
League One
32
1
3
2021/22
League Two
16
6
1
*moved to Hull City in January 2025.
**moved to Salford City in January 2023.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt
As the table outlines, Barry very much burst onto the scene at Stockport this season, scoring 16 goals in just half a campaign, before moving to Hull in the EFL Championship, featuring just four times for the Tigers before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Jack Manship of Total Football Analysis labels him a ‘highly-rated prospect’, while Mick Brown of Football Insider believes that Barry is ready to take the next step in his career and make a permanent move away from Villa.
Barry can be deployed centrally or on either flank, a position that Celtic might have vacancy to fill in the coming weeks, thus making him an ideal replacement for Kuhn.
The young attacker is certainly an extremely talented player, so the Hoops should do all they can to secure his signature, especially if they can do so at a reduced rate, with Villa needing to raise funds and fast.
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Manchester United will quickly want to forget the 2024/25 campaign with the club registering their worst ever Premier League finish and points tally – ending the year on a measly 42 points.
Ruben Amorim took the reins back in November, but he was unable to transform their fortunes, with this summer vital if he is to be a success at Old Trafford.
The January window was his first opportunity to make the changes he desired to the squad, but ultimately it wasn’t long enough to make the wholesale transfers needed.
However, work has already commenced this summer to make key additions, with attacker Matheus Cunha the first player to make the move, joining in a £62.5m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
If they are to push up the table and return to any form of European football at the end of 2025/26, more signings are needed across the board, with work already being conducted behind the scenes.
The latest on Man Utd’s hunt for a new striker
Over recent days, United have been pushing hard to try and land the signature of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, looking to secure a reunion between the forward and the Red Devils boss.
However, it was confirmed that the Swede is only interested in a move to Arsenal this summer, with the hierarchy desperately needing to pursue other options before the end of the summer.
It appears as though Jason Wilcox has wasted no time, already making a move to land Eintracht Frankfurt’s talisman, Hugo Ekitiké, according to Foot Mercato.
The report claims that United are leading the race for the 22-year-old striker, who also has interest from Liverpool and Chelsea after netting 22 goals across all competitions in 2024/25.
It also states that they have commenced talks, overtaking the other English sides in the race for his signature, but any deal could set the hierarchy back €100m (£84m) during the off-season.
Why Ekitike could be United’s answer to Kane
Harry Kane has been a striker who has been a thorn in United’s side over the years, often producing the goods against them and stopping them from success.
The England international has scored 213 goals in England’s top flight throughout his career, before making the switch to Bayern Munich back in the summer of 2023.
Despite departing for Germany, the 31-year-old has still managed to haunt the Red Devils, scoring against them in the Champions League, registering 11 combined goals and assists in his 21 outings against the club.
It’s safe to say United have been lacking such a goalscoring presence over the last couple of seasons, but that could be about to change with the signing of Ekitike this summer.
The Frenchman has been labelled as a similar player to Kane by FBref, with the Frankfurt star matching or bettering him in numerous key areas – showcasing why he would be an excellent addition despite the mammoth price tag.
Ekitike, who’s been labelled “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but he’s managed to post a higher goal per shot on target rate – subsequently demonstrating his edge in front of goal.
He’s also managed to complete more take-ons and carries into the final third, highlighting the threat he poses when getting at the opposition with the ball at his feet.
Most combined goals & assists in the Bundesliga (2024/25)
Player
Team
Games
G&A
Harry Kane
Bayern Munich
31
34
Michael Olise
Bayern Munich
34
27
Omar Marmoush
Eintracht Frankfurt
17
24
Hugo Ekitiké
Eintracht Frankfurt
33
23
Serhou Guirassy
Borussia Dortmund
30
23
Tim Kleindienst
Borussia Mönchengladbach
31
23
Florian Wirtz
Bayer Leverkusen
31
22
Stats via FotMob
The former PSG star has also come out on top in more aerial battles this campaign, offering Amorim the focal point that he’s craved since taking the reins back in the winter.
Whilst £84m may appear to be a small fortune for a player who’s never played in the Premier League, it presents a fresh opportunity to land a star that could take them to the next level.
Should he get close to the levels produced by Kane in England’s top flight, it would be an excellent pick-up, with his skillset certainly pushing the club back in the right direction.
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Leeds United are tooling up for a return to the Premier League and could now be closer to making their first signing of the summer window, according to reports.
Leeds United look towards Premier League comeback
Following playoff heartbreak against Southampton, Daniel Farke finally led his side to the Championship title this time around and will now focus on navigating the challenges top-flight football has to offer.
The Whites could have a transfer budget of over £100 million to play with this summer, which may go a long way to securing the survival that the 48-year-old craves in charge at Elland Road.
Ipswich Town act as an example that capital spent doesn’t necessarily guarantee a sustained place among England’s footballing elite, but there are valuable lessons to learn from promoted sides’ ill-fortune over the past few years.
Looking to buck that trend, Leeds are eyeing a statement move for former star Kalvin Phillips and have held internal talks to hatch a plan that could tempt him back to Yorkshire from Manchester City.
Evan Ferguson is another potential Whites signing with Premier League credentials that could thrive in the correct surroundings. Admittedly, he has stalled since his injury troubles, though his age may work in his favour if a deal were to be agreed.
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Callum Wilson and Jamie Vardy have been mentioned as free agent options to bolster Farke’s frontline. Again, any possibility of a swoop would depend on whether they would fit the wage bracket at Elland Road.
Focusing on the foil behind the main men, Leeds and the 49ers have now stepped up their pursuit of a talented attacking midfielder to support their pool of centre-forward options.
Leeds United hold talks over Emiliano Buendia move
According to TBR’s Graeme Bailey, Leeds have now held talks to sign Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia. Having spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, the former Norwich City man is “open” to a move to Yorkshire and is someone who Farke trusts as his side look to retain their Premier League status.
Five most similar players to Emiliano Buendia (FBRef)
Eliesse Ben Seghir
Monaco
Enzo Millot
Stuttgart
Facundo Buonanotte
Leicester City
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
Xavi Simons
RB Leipzig
Labelled “delightful” by Dean Smith, Buendia registered five goals in 34 appearances across all competitions at his parent club and in Germany, though it is clear he needs to find a platform to gain regular minutes after a series of injury troubles.
Now, it remains to be seen if Leeds can pull off what would be regarded as a bit of a coup should they come to an agreement on a deal with the 28-year-old.
Buendia was regarded as one of the Premier League’s most talented stars outside the ‘Big Six’ not too long ago, so there is every chance Farke could reignite the Mar del Plata-born man.
Earlier this week, the Whites were said to be preparing a £16.8 million offer for the man in question, indicating there could be something in the water.
Sheffield United’s automatic promotion dream is now over with Burnley and Leeds United confirmed as Premier League-bound on a disappointing Easter Monday for the Blades.
Earlier in the day, before United’s pivotal showdown with the Clarets, Leeds resoundingly thumped Stoke City 6-0 in the Championship, with Daniel Farke and Co then needing Chris Wilder’s men to slip up and lose to seal a return to the top-flight.
Their wish would come true to the dismay of the away side at Turf Moor, with their pain only intensified when you consider the hosts also clinched a dramatic passage back up to the top-flight when beating the visitors 2-1.
Anel Ahmedhodzic suffered from a rare off-day in Lancashire, with his clumsiness right before the half-time whistle gifting Josh Brownhill the decisive spot-kick that sent the Clarets up a league.
Ahmedhodzic's off-day at Turf Moor
Ultimately, United’s dismal run of four losses from their last five Championship outings has cost them the glory of automatic promotion, but the Bosnian brute certainly didn’t help matters when putting in a rare bad performance.
The number 15 was definitely fired up for the crunch contest, but it resulted in his overall game looking rash and hot-headed rather than focused, culminating in him clattering into Hannibal Mejbri to gift the home side a golden penalty.
Brownhill would calmly tuck away the opportunity to juxtapose Ahmedhodzic’s reckless approach, with the out-of-sorts 26-year-old going on to commit four fouls in total, on top of uncharacteristically winning just 33% of his duels.
Wilder will need his usually reliable colossus to be more switched on ahead of some huge playoff clashes to come, but whilst Ahmedhodzic did cost his team dear, there was one underperformer for the Blades who was just as bad as the defender in offering very little throughout.
The Blades dud who was just as bad as Ahmedhodzic
It was always going to be a tough ask for the Blades to get the better of a dogged Burnley side, considering the stern hosts have only shipped 15 strikes all season long.
Tom Cannon did manage to break his goalscoring duck at Turf Moor to raise a smile, but it was the efforts of Ben Brereton Diaz down the right wing that would have worried away spectators, irrespective of the ex-Leicester City man managing to salvage some personal pride.
Brereton Diaz’s performance in numbers
Stat
Ben Brereton Diaz
Minutes played
60
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
16
Shots on target
0
Accurate passes
5/9 (56%)
Total duels won
0/4
Stats by Sofascore
The numbers from the table above do make for some dire reading, with the Chilean only managing a meagre 15 touches of the ball from his forgettable 60-minute stint.
On top of that, Brereton Diaz also failed to register a single on-target effort at James Trafford’s formidable goal, alongside only managing to muster up a weak five passes of the ball that found their intended target.
Whilst Ahmedhodzic was notably poor, he did manage to at least win three of his duels during the contest, with Brereton Diaz then unsurprisingly hooked off by Wilder for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to gain a run-out.
After all, Rak-Sakyi had at least bagged in United’s last away contest before this miserable outing to Lancashire, with his late efforts at Turf Moor seeing him conjure up one successful dribble among other promising moments.
If the Blades are to bounce back from this agonising promotion near-miss, Wilder could now have to axe Brereton Diaz from his forthcoming lineups, knowing full well that lethal displays are needed in the lottery of the playoffs.
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Under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have built a talented first-team squad, with many of the stars being young stars who have the chance to develop at the Emirates.
In their 3-0 triumph over European giants Real Madrid last week, the Gunners’ starting eleven had an average age of just 25, with the hierarchy placing a real impetus on developing young stars.
Bukayo Saka is arguably the club’s most high-profile talent, but even the England international is still classed as a youngster at the tender age of just 23.
The winger has already racked up over 250 appearances for his boyhood side, highlighting the rapid progress the academy graduate has made since emerging through the ranks in North London.
He could be joined by several other young talents this summer, as Arteta looks to strengthen his side ahead of a Premier League title challenge once again in 2025/26.
Arsenal’s pursuit to land young stars this summer
Over the last few weeks, new sporting director Andrea Berta has wasted no time in targeting reinforcements to bolster the Arsenal squad next season.
He’s immediately sought-after Athletic Club winger Nico Williams, with the Spaniard reemerging on the club’s shortlist after being a prime target in previous transfer windows.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
The 22-year-old has a £50m release clause in his current deal with the LaLiga outfit, but could face stiff competition from Barcelona for his signature in the coming months.
Other young talents such as Benjamin Sesko and Jules Koundé have also been largely linked with a transfer to the Emirates, but another name has emerged on the club’s shortlist over the last few days.
Brazilian journalist Lucas Tanaka confirmed that the Gunners are preparing an offer in the region of £12m for Atlético Mineiro’s 15-year-old star Gabriel Veneno ahead of the summer window.
He reported that Arteta’s side have been monitoring his progress in recent months and are interested in landing the gem who could become a bigger star than two youngsters already plying their trade in North London.
Why Veneno could become a bigger talent than MLS & Nwaneri
Whilst the injury situation at Arsenal has derailed their title ambitions in 2024/25, it has allowed for the emergence of youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri in recent months.
Arsenal'sEthanNwaneriand MylesLewis-Skellyduring training
The former has managed to notch 30 appearances across all competitions during his breakthrough year, scoring his only effort against rivals Manchester City back in February.
His subsequent form led to a maiden England call-up during the last international break, scoring on his debut against Albania, topping off his remarkable rise since his senior debut.
As for Nwaneri, he’s made 32 appearances for Arteta’s side, scoring eight times and registering two assists – a truly incredible feat for an 18-year-old during his first full season as a professional.
Both have worked their way into the manager’s plans, undoubtedly having a huge part to play in any future success in the years ahead at the Emirates.
They could be joined in such a quest by right-winger Veneno, who’s managed to capture huge attention in his homeland, being a regular in the Brazil U16 setup in recent months.
Many analysts have delivered their opinion on the talented teenager, with Ben Mattinson singing his praises, comparing the star to Manchester City’s Savinho.
Over the years, countless Brazilian stars have succeeded, none more so than Neymar and Vinícius Júnior – who have both won everything in Europe with Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively.
If the “skilful” Veneno – as noted above – gets anywhere close to the levels produced by the aforementioned pair, he would be an absolute bargain, having a huge part to play in any success at the Emirates for many years to come.
Who is Arsenal target Gabriel Veneno?
Category
Stats
Full name:
John Gabriel Castro Santos
Date of Birth:
16/07/2009 (15)
Nationality:
Brazilian
Position:
RW/CAM
Preferred foot:
Left
Professional appearances:
1
Minutes played:
35
Current club:
Atlético Mineiro
Stats via ZeroZero
He’s caught the eye back in South America with his 1v1 ability, leading to Matttinson claiming he “plays like it’s FIFA Street”, having the pace and agility to glide past the opposition, adding another dimension to the club’s already star-studded attack.
Veneno will need time to develop and reach his full potential given his tender age, but should he move, he could learn from Saka – arguably one of the best right-wingers in Europe – which could see him surpass the levels achieved by Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri.
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Arsenal could be about to pull off a deal that could see them forget about Alexander Isak.
Chelsea have now made contact to ask for information about a “world-class” player, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a report.
Blues pushing for Champions League
Despite the drab 0-0 draw against Brentford at the weekend, the Blues remain in a strong position to end their two-year hiatus from the Champions League, sitting fourth in the Premier League table with just seven games left to play.
Should Enzo Maresca achieve his aim of Champions League qualification, the campaign will probably go down as a success, but there are still issues the manager will need to address in the summer transfer window.
One problem position has been goalkeeper, with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen being used interchangeably, and there have been suggestions Maresca could bring Djordje Petrovic back into the fold next season.
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Petrovic has impressed on loan at Strasbourg, meaning he could also be given another chance at Stamford Bridge. Nonetheless, the option of bringing in a new goalkeeper from elsewhere remains on the table.
According to a report from Italy (via Chelsea Chronicle), Chelsea have now asked for information about AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop.
AC Milan's MikeMaignanreacts
Aston Villa and Manchester United have also been named as potential suitors for Maignan, whose future at the San Siro remains up in the air, given that he is yet to sign a new deal to extend his stay with the Italian club.
Reports have valued the goalkeeper at £67m, but there is a feeling he could be available for half that price, should he refuse to put pen to paper on a new deal, with his contract currently set to expire in 2026.
"World-class" Maignan could be real upgrade on Sanchez
Sanchez has been extremely error-prone for the Blues this season, making five mistakes which have directly led to goals in the Premier League, the joint-highest number of any player in the top flight.
As such, it is little wonder Chelsea are thinking about signing a replacement in the summer window, and there are indications Maignan could be a real upgrade on the Spaniard, considering he has been lauded as “world-class” by members of the Italian media.
Not only that, but the Frenchman could be well-suited to Maresca’s passing style of play, given that he has expressed a willingness to get on the ball over the past year, ranking in the 80th percentile for touches, when compared to his positional peers.
It is clear that Sanchez will need to be replaced this summer, and Maignan has proven he could be a solid replacement, although it may make more financial sense to give the nod to Petrovic, who has put in some very impressive displays in Ligue 1 this season.