All posts by h716a5.icu

There is no getting away from it: this season has been one big disappointment after another for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side crashed out of both domestic cups, couldn’t get past Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, and are so far behind Liverpool in the Premier League that it would be hard to say they were even in a title race.

However, while this has not been a campaign to remember for the North Londoners, there have at least been a few positives, such as the form of Declan Rice.

The Englishman has been one of the team’s best players and currently has a tally of 18 goal involvements in 50 games, so fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to someone who could be their next Rice.

Arsenal's hunt for a new midfielder

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth reviewing some of the other midfielders linked with a move to Arsenal in recent weeks, like Martin Zubimendi and Hugo Larsson.

Transfer Focus

The former’s proposed £51m move to the Emirates actually got the ‘here we go’ treatment from Fabrizio Romano on Saturday morning, and with Spain manager Luis de la Fuente previously describing him as one of the “best central midfielders in the world,” fans should be excited.

Interestingly, Larsson would also reportedly cost just as much this summer, but as he’s still just 20 years old, his move would likely be one for the future, and if Arteta and Co want to sign an up-and-coming central midfielder, they’d be better served acting on their supposed interest in Adam Wharton.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides keen on the Crystal Palace star.

Alongside the Gunners, the report revealed that Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle United are interested in the young Englishman.

A potential price tag is not mentioned in the story, but another report from earlier this month claimed that it would take a massive fee of around £80m to get the midfielder out of Selhurst Park this summer.

It would be an incredibly complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Wharton’s ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be their next Rice.

Why Wharton could be Arsenal's new Rice

The first thing to say is that we aren’t claiming Wharton is on the same level as Rice at the moment, but there are enough similarities to suggest he could develop into someone just as brilliant.

One of the key similarities is their position and style of play, as, just like the Arsenal star, the young Palace ace started his career and primarily still plays in defensive midfield but is now incredibly influencing things at the sharp end of the pitch while maintaining his defensive output.

For example, FBref has placed him in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for ball recoveries, the top 7% for progressive passes, shot-creating actions and dribblers challenged, the top 10% for crosses into the penalty area, the top 11% for expected assisted goals, the top 12% for goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ball Recoveries

6.73

Top 6%

Progressive Passes

7.76

Top 7%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.91

Top 7%

Dribbles Challenged

2.95

Top 7%

Crosses into Penalty Area

0.32

Top 10%

Inswinging Corner Kicks

1.22

Top 10%

Expected Assisted Goals

0.19

Top 11%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.45

Top 12%

Key Passes

1.67

Top 14%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.28

Top 14%

On top of that, just like the former West Ham United captain, the young “generational talent,” as dubbed by members of the media, would be moving to the club from a fellow London-based Premier League side in Palace.

Finally, just like the Gunners’ number 41, the up-and-coming Eagles star earned his first England cap at 20 years old and under the management of Gareth Southgate.

Ultimately, while Wharton still has a lot of developing to do, he already looks like a special player, and if Arsenal have a chance to sign him, they should take it, as they may just be getting another Rice in the making.

Their answer to Salah: Arsenal make offer for £63m CF who's outscoring Isak

The dazzling striker could be the one to lead Arsenal to glory next year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 14, 2025

With new sporting director Andrea Berta getting ruthless from the off, Arsenal are now reportedly ready to listen to offers for one particular player this summer amid interest from AC Milan.

Berta's summer plans at Arsenal

Heading into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain with a 1-0 deficit to overturn, Arsenal’s season is in danger of ending without a trophy once again. Already, Liverpool have been confirmed Premier League champions in what was a dominant run and given that the Gunners failed to win the Carabao Cup and were knocked out of the FA Cup in the early stage, they could look back on the current campaign with one full of moments to forget.

Mikel Arteta, as ever, is still full of hope, however, albeit whilst admitting that Arsenal need something special to advance next week. The Spaniard told reporters after his side’s defeat against PSG: “We have a lot of chances to be in that final. As I repeat myself, you have to do something special in the competition to have the right to be in the final. And the time to do it is going to be in Paris.”

What failure could do ahead of the summer transfer window though, is push the Gunners into action. Their attacking flaws have been there for all to see this season and need addressing even with star players returning from injury.

Mega Kiwior upgrade: Arsenal initiate talks for "superb" £34m monster

The experienced international could be just what Arsenal need.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 2, 2025

Names such as Alexander Isak have threatened to steal the headlines in recent months, but whether Berta has the blessing to pursue what could be a club-record signing remains to be seen. First, it looks as though the new sporting director is set to get ruthless on the sales front.

Arsenal ready to sell Calafiori

According to Milan Live, Berta and Arsenal are now ready to listen to offers for Riccardo Calafiori this summer just one year after he arrived from Bologna. The defender has had a torrid time with injuries since arriving, but has seemingly not done enough to keep hold of his place in North London even when fully fit. Now, amid interest from AC Milan and Juventus, Arsenal have reportedly set his price tag at €35m (£30m).

Calf problems

2

Knee injury

8

Knee injury

4

Muscle injury

3

Knee injury

11

Missing 28 games in total, the defender has simply been unable to make his mark. To put into context just how much his luck has turned for the worse too, the Italian missed just two games during his time at Bologna.

That said, Calafiori’s injury struggles have not stood in the way of Arteta’s praise, with the Arsenal boss telling reporters earlier this season: “He came back, had a little glimpse, then went on international duty and got injured, so we had to manage him again. Then we threw him against Man City away for the first Premier League start and I think he was superb.

“He’s really good. He’s adapted really well to the group, his understanding is exceptional and you see he’s a player with an enormous courage and personality to play, so he’s going to give us a lot.”

Manchester City captain Kevin De Bruyne will leave the club this summer after 11 glory-laden years at the Etihad.

The Belgian has made over 400 appearances for the club, but his contract won’t be extended into the 2025/26 season.

This means Pep Guardiola will be on the lookout for a potential replacement for the 33-year-old when the summer transfer window opens in a few weeks.

There have been a few names linked, and one is starring in the Premier League already; Morgan Gibbs-White.

Manchester City make Morgan Gibbs-White a key target

According to the Daily Mail, City are now considered the frontrunners to sign the Englishman in a mega summer deal.

Any potential move will cost the club significantly, however, as Nottingham Forest value the midfielder at around the £100m mark.

They have paid this fee before, signing Jack Grealish in the summer of 2021, but will they look to splash out again? Especially given their spending spree in January.

Gibbs-White has been impressive this term. Across 31 matches, he has scored five goals and grabbed nine assists, helping Forest into the Champions League places in the table.

Do City have to spend this sort of money to find a De Bruyne replacement ahead of next season? Or do they have one lurking in the academy, waiting to be unleashed in 2025/26?

How City can forget De Bruyne and Gibbs-White

Guardiola has been brewing several young talents over the last couple of seasons. The likes of Phil Foden and Rico Lewis have made great strides under the Spaniard while Nico O’Reilly is now forging a real career for himself at the Eithad.

Yet, he’s not the only youngster looking to make a positive impression heading in the 2025/26 campaign.

Indeed, Divine Mukasa could well be the next one to make the step up and showcase his prodigious talents for the club.

U18 Premier League

20

16

15

Premier League 2

2

0

0

UEFA Youth League

8

0

3

EFL Trophy

2

0

1

FA Youth Cup

5

1

6

The 17-year-old has been in simply sublime form this term, scoring 17 times while also registering 25 assists across just 37 matches for the U18s and U21s this term, highlighting how effective he has been in the final third.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Academy scout Antonio Mango has hailed Mukasa as a “game changer” amid his wonderful contributions this season, and it looks like the time has arrived for Guardiola to unleash him at senior level.

He has even gained caps at U18 level for England, making his debut against Portugal in September last year and going on to play a further four times for his country at the time of writing.

A natural attacking midfielder, there is no doubt Mukasa could be City’s very own Gibbs-White should he make the grade at senior level. He has a keen eye for goal, but also loves creating plenty of chances for others in the final third.

If Guardiola wants to save the club around £100m, promoting the 17-year-old and giving him a few minutes here and there could be the best policy ahead of next term.

After a few years, the supporters might even forget about the exploits of De Bruyne with Mukasa himself having compared himself to the Belgian.

It’s safe to say this kid is the real deal. That much is certain.

Man City have found their own Declan Rice in "outstanding" homegrown star

Pep Guardiola might well have his own Declan Rice at Manchester City with this terrific talent.

1 ByKelan Sarson Apr 21, 2025

Despite the injury issues at Arsenal this season, Mikel Arteta has done a tremendous job, leading the side to second in the Premier League and a Champions League semi-final.

Such problems have allowed numerous players to stake their claim as a first-team regular, many of whom have grabbed their opportunity with both hands.

Left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly has emerged out of the academy setup in recent months and nailed down the position as his own despite his tender age.

The 18-year-old has made 31 appearances across all competitions since his debut back in September, going from strength to strength under the guidance of the Spaniard.

He’s been joined in the side by one player who’s managed to star, albeit in a role that he’s never previously featured in during his time in North London.

Mikel Merino’s role as a centre-forward at Arsenal

Central midfielder Mikel Merino joined Arsenal back in the summer from Real Sociedad, looking to cement his place at the heart of the side alongside Declan Rice.

Whilst he started the season in his natural position, the injury crisis at the top end of the pitch saw the Spaniard shift to a centre-forward position – a decision that has worked wonders in recent weeks.

He came off the bench against Leicester City at 0-0, scoring twice in the closing stages, securing the win for Arteta’s men, leading to his regular inclusion as the focal point.

The 28-year-old has since registered four goals and three assists in such a role, with three of his seven efforts coming over the two legs of the Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid.

Given such a successful transition for Merino, it would be a risk to change the player featuring up front, but Arteta could do just that by utilising another player out of position.

The Arsenal star who could repeat Arteta’s Merino trick

The decisions made by Arteta over the last couple of months have been complete masterstrokes, leading to the success they’ve endured on the pitch.

With such issues plaguing the side in recent times, many would expect the side to limp over the finish line, but they have exceeded all expectations – having the opportunity to end the season by claiming their first European title.

Whilst Merino has done a sensational job at the top end, the boss could repeat such a trick by utilising Ethan Nwaneri as the central striker to balance the workload.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed his own breakthrough this season, notching eight goals in his 32 appearances across all competitions – starring alongside Lewis-Skelly at the Emirates.

Whilst the teenager is primarily a wide player, he has all the tools to star in a central position, potentially taking his career to another level in such a role.

Nwaneri, who’s been labelled “superb” by Jeorge Bird, has registered 2.3 shots per 90 in the Premier League this season, having the skillset to thrive in the final third.

He’s also completed 3.6 dribbles per 90, at a completion rate of 65%, able to drive at the opposition backline when dropping deep, allowing Bukayo Saka to run in behind.

Games played

22

Goals & assists

5

Pass accuracy

89%

Shots taken

2.3

Successful dribbles

3.6

Dribble success rate

65%

Duels won

5.8

Despite his small frame, he’s managed to win 5.8 duels per 90 this season, subsequently being able to put himself about and make the defender’s job even tougher than it would’ve been by Merino.

Whilst the Spaniard has done an impressive job in the role, the return of Saka has undoubtedly restricted the first-team minutes for Nwaneri, with Arteta needing an alternative to further his development.

A switch to a central position could work for the side, offering another dimension to their attack in their quest for European glory in the next couple of months.

Not just Rice: Arsenal's 8/10 star showed why he'd walk into Madrid's XI

Arsenal secured a place in the Champions League semi-final after a 5-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 17, 2025

The wait to clinch the Scottish Premiership title will have to drag on even longer, with league leaders Celtic missing the chance to close in on that crown following Sunday’s shock defeat to bottom side St Johnstone.

A victory for the visitors would have ensured that a further win against Kilmarnock next week at Parkhead would have been enough to seal the deal, yet a rare off day for those in green and white has now delayed that title party.

Right from the off, Brendan Rodgers’ side didn’t appear to be at the races, with the hosts grabbing what was a deserved lead following a fine flicked header from centre-back, Daniel Balodis.

Typically, the Hoops tend to find a way in such fixtures, even when falling behind, yet up against an inspired Andrew Fisher in the home goal, the Old Firm side were unable to break down their stubborn opponents, with the Englishman notably keeping out James Forrest and Luke McCowan in expert fashion late on.

While that result matters little in the grand scheme of things, not least with title ‘rivals’ Rangers losing at home to Hibernian, there are some worrying signs creeping in among the high profile stars in Rodgers’ ranks.

Celtic's worst performers vs St Johnstone

The dismal nature of Celtic’s display was epitomised by the Northern Irishman’s decision to hook both Jeffrey Schlupp and Nicolas Kuhn at the break, with the latter man having been particularly poor once again amid his ongoing woes in 2025.

While the German winger still boasts 32 goals and assists in all competitions in 2024/25,he has now gone seven Premiership games without scoring for the champions elect.

Against the Saints, the former Rapid Vienna star was notably denied in the first half with the goal gaping, while also at one stage producing what Sky Sports commentator Ian Crocker described as an “awful” wayward attempt after cutting in onto his favoured left foot.

It would be unfair to suggest that the 25-year-old was the only villain on the day, however, with 30-goal man Daizen Maeda also rather muted after registering just 19 touches in total, as per Sofascore, while fellow forward, Jota, was far from at his brilliant best after completing just one of his six attempted crosses, and completing just two of his five attempted dribbles.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, club-record signing Arne Engels also failed to grab a foothold in the game prior to his withdrawal just after the hour mark, while the returning Auston Trusty endured a difficult afternoon after winning just seven of his 12 total duels.

Touches

Trusty (144)

Accurate passes

Carter-Vickers (119)

Key passes

Hatate (4)

Duels won

Carter-Vickers (11)

Aerial duels won

Carter-Vickers (9)

Possession lost

Fisher (27)

Defensive actions

Balodis (15)

Dribbled past

Kuhn (4)

The American centre-back may find himself ousted by the resurgent Maik Nawrocki next time out, with Reo Hatate another figure who should finally find himself on the substitutes bench.

The Celtic star who now needs to be dropped

It’s fair to say that Hatate looked like a player who has only scored once in his last 11 league outings, with the Japanese playmaker having been particularly profligate in front of goal at McDiarmid Park.

While the 27-year-old did pose a threat at times for the Hoops, he was simply far too wasteful, having fired three shots off target in total as the away side went in search of an equaliser.

In truth, the midfield maestro may have been somewhat fortunate not to be among those replaced by Rodgers in the second half, with Hatate’s woes particularly laid bare as he lost the ball on 20 occasions from his 82 touches – effectively losing the ball once every four touches.

That erratic display on the ball did yield four key passes for the diminutive playmaker, although little came of those openings, as he also failed to attempt a single dribble during his 90-minute outing.

With young Paulo Bernardo now waiting in the wings, it does beg the question as to why Rodgers continues to put faith in Hatate instead, with this stage of the season perhaps offering the ideal chance to shuffle the pack and experiment.

With the aforementioned McCowan – who replaced Engels in the centre of the park – putting in another lively cameo, including his late prod towards goal, it could well be that both the Scotland star and Bernardo come into the side next weekend.

As for Hatate, if the £16k-per-week star continues to blow hot and cold, he could find himself on borrowed time at Celtic Park, having showcased a real lack of urgency and athleticism on Sunday afternoon.

Chalkboard

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

Kuhn, it must be said, is the obvious figure in decline at present, yet it could be argued that Hatate is quietly proving even more disappointing in the engine room.

Celtic could now sell £16k-p/w ace who doesn't want to play under Rodgers

Celtic are prepared to offload several players this summer.

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 5, 2025

Leicester City appear to have their eyes on a new 4-2-3-1 manager who could come in to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium.

Update on Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester City after unwanted record

It has been a hugely disappointing campaign for the Foxes, who are on course for an immediate return to the Championship from the Premier League.

Van Nistelrooy’s side fell to a 3-0 defeat last time out, a record eighth successive top-flight loss at home where Leicester have failed to score a goal.

That is an unwanted record, and there has been plenty of speculation regarding Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester.

Talking to Leicester City news, Graeme Bailey said that it is “highly unlikely” Van Nistelrooy remains in charge following Leicester’s pending relegation.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy’s future has not officially been decided, but I am told at this point it is highly unlikely he continues, not impossible, but unlikely.

“He was not backed in January, and some would argue his position has been almost untenable since that failure from those above him, although there is also a feeling in the squad that they did not perform at their best.”

Offer ready: Arsenal keen to bid £30m for "special" Premier League forward

The Gunners are set to move for an attacking midfielder, who plays for one of their Premier League rivals.

ByDominic Lund Apr 6, 2025

And the reporter has also shared a potential managerial target for the Foxes.

Leicester eyeing up Rosenior as replacement for Van Nistelrooy

Bailey added that Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior could be a potential candidate to replace Van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium ahead of the 2025/26 season.

“There is no denying that work is already being done on possible candidates to replace him. I would keep an eye on Liam Rosenior for sure, his stock is massively high. We know Southampton like him, and so no shock that Leicester would be looking, but don’t rule out Chelsea/BlueCo from tying him down to a new long-term deal too.”

The 40-year-old, formerly of Derby County and Hull City, has been impressing in France with Strasbourg and actually shares the same Wasserman agency as Leicester legend Jamie Vardy.

Rosenior, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, as per Transfermarkt, has Strasbourg occupying a Champions League spot in Ligue 1 with just six games remaining.

He has been linked with Southampton and previously came in for praise from Clinton Morrison, who said: “I actually think he’s a top manager. I spoke to a few people at Derby. He was unlucky to lose his job, the players respected him. He’s one of the best coaches ever.”

However, with Rosenior potentially in charge of a Champions League team next season, a drop down to the Championship could be a hard sell for Leicester.

LOS ANGELES — Like a Battle of Gettysburg reenactment, the visiting clubhouse of Dodger Stadium in the first hour of Tuesday morning reeked of equal parts loss, pride and discarded bandages. Just as Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora did in the same room seven years ago, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider poured salve on wounds 18 innings in the making.

“This game,” he told his players, “is not going to beat us twice.”

Said ace pitcher Kevin Gausman, “He was pretty adamant.”

The Red Sox in 2018 Game 3 lost in 18 innings on a walk-off home run. The Blue Jays lost Game 3 Monday in 18 innings on a walk-off home run. Cora in his 2018 postgame address made sure his troops honored the losing pitcher, Nathan Eovaldi, who threw 97 pitches in emergency relief work. Cora believes the Red Sox won the World Series that night because of not just how Eovaldi saved the bullpen from overuse but also the way he personified the grit of the team.

Carlos Febles, a coach with those Red Sox and these Jays, was the one person in the room on both nights of the two most grueling losses in World Series history.

“Erik Lauer,” he said to Schneider, “is our Nathan Eovaldi.”

Lauer threw 4 2/3 innings in the defeat, his longest outing in two months.

At least for one game, the Blue Jays reenacted the postscript to the original Battle of 18 Innings. They had no business winning Game 4, at least if you buy into narratives, what with Jays DH George Springer, an all-time great World Series slugger, out with an oblique injury suffered in Game 3 and the Dodgers giving the ball to Shohei Ohtani, who was unbeaten with a 1.33 ERA at Dodger Stadium in his career. The Blue Jays did not care and won 6–2.

“Really, it just started last night,” Gausman said. “It was just flushing it and moving on to the next one. Maybe that’s a little naïve, but we just kind of believe that the next guy up mentality. We’re good whatever happens, going up against anybody, whoever’s pitching on the other side.

“So, it was really just kind of hurry up and go to sleep and get ready for tomorrow and today. Yeah, I mean, it's pretty loose in here. This is the loosest team I’ve ever been on. Nothing changed today.”

Stop me if you heard this before: Vlad Guerrero Jr. hit a home run (off a hanging sweeper from Ohtani, who had allowed one homer on the pitch all year), the Jays’ fast-break offense put up four runs in a 19-pitch eyeblink in the seventh inning (without benefit of a home run), and the pitching staff worked its pitching backward postseason philosophy to exquisite results.

Toronto has been playing such grinding baseball all postseason. Now it is the Dodgers who are feeling its wrath. Shane Bieber flummoxed a flat Los Angeles lineup with a buffet of darting pitches, including only 27% fastballs. The Dodgers swung and missed only five times against him but appeared to be swinging wet newspapers against the floaters and spinners he kept serving.

Toronto threw the fewest fastballs in the postseason of any staff in the pitch tracking era (since 2008) to reach the World Series: 37.9%. They have boosted that percentage slightly in the World Series, to 44%, but that’s still lower than all 36 teams in the World Series since 2008 except the 2022 Phillies.

“I think that was maybe Shane’s plan going in—to mix it up and not necessarily throw too many pitches back-to-back,” Gausman said. “He has the luxury of having a lot of pitches. They can go away from a righthand hitter and go in on the lefties.”

Bieber offered a delicious sampler of goodies. He threw five pitch types, all at least 14% of the time and none more than 27%.

The biggest concern for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts entering the World Series was that the back half of his lineup would not provide enough resistance. He was wary of giving Toronto starters “catch your breath” innings. That is exactly how it is playing out. The 7-8-9 sports in the Los Angeles lineup are hitting .143.

Things have become so desperate Roberts mused after Game 4 about lineup changes involving bench players Miguel Rojas and Alex Call.

“We haven't found our rhythm. We haven’t,” Roberts said. “It sort of draws dead at certain parts of the lineup and different parts, different innings, different games. Guys are competing. Certainly, in the postseason, you're seeing everyone's best.

“But, yeah, my hope is we regroup tomorrow, gather the information that we had from [Game 1 starter Trey] Yesavage, and keep him in the hitting zone, and understand what that split does, which is certainly helpful, and when we get the fastball, really get on it.”

Ohtani gave a brave effort after exhausting himself in Game 3 with body cramps so bad Roberts visited him at second base in the 11th inning to see if he needed to come out of the game to prepare for his Game 4 start.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Roberts asked him. “Cramps,” Ohtani said.

“Give me a run. Let me see what you can do,” Roberts said. “Can you score from second base?” Ohtani gave a brief jog. He flashed a thumbs up to Roberts.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Roberts said. “Thing is, he was dealing with cramps all night.”

The night extracted its toll. Ohtani did not have his best top-line fastball. His velocity was down a tick, and then down another tick in the seventh when the Jays peppered two of his heaters for hits to start the four-run fast break.

Toronto hung the first Dodger Stadium loss on Ohtani. The Jays guaranteed the series will get back to Toronto for at least a Game 6. Just like the 2018 Red Sox, they won a game the very next day after taking longer than any other team to lose a World Series game.

“The way we played tonight,” said Toronto pitcher Max Scherzer, “is a result of how we just play ball all year. We’ve had our backs against the wall the whole year. You can probably go around the whole room at some point in time and everybody’s had their back against the wall. And yet we've come back and we find a way to go get outs again or go get hits again.

“We find a way to win ballgames. This kind of speaks to our season. Yes, we were disappointed after Game 3, but we knew we put our hearts into that game. What we saw from everybody in this clubhouse just gave us the reason to even believe in each other even more.”

Chelsea star Raheem Sterling has been urged to push for a sensational transfer to Wrexham and end his struggles at Stamford Bridge. The winger is part of the club's infamous 'bomb squad' and is training away from the first team in west London. Former Wales and Liverpool striker Dean Saunders says a transfer to Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's side would be a great bit of business.

Sterling out in the cold at Chelsea

Sterling has been deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea which has led to speculation over his future, and talk of a sensational transfer to Wrexham. The winger's last competitive appearance came back in May, at the end of his loan spell with Arsenal, and it remains to be seen when he will return to action. With the January transfer window now just weeks away, Sterling's future is likely to come under the spotlight once again. Saunders has been left baffled by Sterling's situation at Chelsea and feels a shock move to Wrexham is not out of the question.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWrexham told Sterling 'not over the hill'

Saunders told BOYLE Sports who offer the latest football betting: "Raheem Sterling to Wrexham? Why not? You might see some big players that have watched the documentary and they think, ‘I'll have a bit of that. I'd love to play for them, Wrexham.’ You might get somebody like Raheem Sterling saying that. I can't get my head around his situation. What's going on? He’s not over the hill. He's a very good player. Having said that, the Championship's not easy to play in. I've managed in the Championship and sometimes Premier League players come down and play in it and they can't believe what's going on. We're playing all the time and every game's a battle. Millwall away on a Tuesday night. When the ball's up in the air all night, some of them find it difficult."

'Everybody wants to play for Wrexham'

Saunders also feels that Wrexham is an attractive club to join following their rapid rise up the leagues under Reynolds and Mac, and the Hollywood duo's subsequent heavy investment in the first team.

"I always thought that if we could get Wrexham back in the league, I thought our team would be better than most of the League Two teams. If you get in League Two, you can go up again to League One.  Now, when you get to League One, the budgets can be five million, then you get teams like Sunderland who are in there with twenty million," he added.

"You get a few big clubs trying to go up. To get into the Championship, once you get into the Championship, I thought we could get to the Championship, but then you're competing with three Premier League teams who've just got relegated. A couple who tried to go back up but never made it, with massive playing budgets and Premier League players in it. And I thought that might be the difficult bit because you have got to put your hand in your pocket then to try and compete in the Championship. And to be fair, they have.

"I mean, I'm hearing what some of the players are earning now. You know, they've signed Josh Windass, they've signed Nathan Broadhead, Kieffer Moore. They can play at that level every day of the week and all day long and have an impact most weeks. Fair play to the manager because they've turned the players over ruthlessly so they've kept momentum.

"If Wrexham get to the Premier League I'll be delighted because it's a great club. They've got great, great supporters. And there is a massive catchment area around Wrexham, in between Wrexham and Cardiff, there's a catchment area which they're getting players through now into the academy. 

"Obviously not far the other way is Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Everton. So they normally nick the best young kids. Then you've got Stoke not far away. So they have had all the best players nicked off them, but now everybody wants to play for Wrexham, don't they? Famous all around the world. It's an incredible story."

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Getty Images SportSterling to move on in January?

Wrexham have been tipped to spend again in January as they bid to secure promotion to the Premier League. Phil Parkinson's side currently sit 10th in the table but are only three points off the final play-off place. It's not clear yet if Sterling could be tempted to head to Wales, but it certainly would be no surprise to see the 30-year-old move on in a bid to try and resurrect his career after losing his place at Chelsea.

Phil Foden was in disbelief after he rescued all three points for Manchester City after a totally unexpected fightback from Leeds United. Foden, who had got the ball rolling by scoring in the first minute, fired in the winner in added time to grab a 3-2 victory for Pep Guardiola's side after the struggling visitors had come back from two goals down at the break to level the score.

Foden the hero for Man City

Foden's first goal in the first minute of the game saw him become only the second City player along with Erling Haaland to score more than once in the Premier League this season. And after an unusually quiet performance from his usually insatiable team-mate, Foden stepped up again and hit a brilliant winner from outside the area. Josko Gvardiol had doubled City's lead after Foden's goal in a totally dominant first-half performance from Guardiola's side.

But the game took a dramatic turn in the second half as Leeds came out with renewed hunger and energy, hitting back through a Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal and then levelling when Lukas Nmecha scored on the rebound after seeing his penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma. Foden, though, had the final say.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFoden: One of the wildest games I've played

Foden said: "It's up there as one of the wildest games. We had full control in the first half. They changed their system in the second half and we couldn't get going. It was a frustrating half. But when there was a short break the manager got us together and we adapted to their formation. We had a few half chances and finally I've found a bit of space and found the bottom of the net. We're delighted with the result."

The title race is never straightforward. There's always ups and downs and periods where you can't seem to get going and we've had that. The belief and togetherness came through at the end. Hopefully that's the case today that we can kick on from here. But you never know what to expect. I was so hungry today to play and prove to myself I could still score goals. I missed a few chances against Newcastle and wanted to put it right."

Dias furious with second half display

City defender Ruben Dias was livid with how his side wilted in the second half and let Leeds back into the game. He said: "The mistakes that happened cannot happen. It was just not good enough. We're not happy with the beginning of the second-half especially. Maybe 10, 15 minutes in we finally adjusted, started to play more comfortably but by then I think it was already 2-1.

"At the end of the day, I feel we need to leave this on a positive note because mistakes happen and are part of football. Obviously we're challenging for everything in every season we play, and these kind of mistakes can cost us heavily. But still, we faced the situation, kept fighting, had the chance for Phil , a clear chance for Omar just before and I'm proud of the way the team kept fighting."

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Getty Images SportFoden: Title race 'never straightforward'

Foden's winner averted a third consecutive disappointing result for City after their 2-1 defeat at Newcastle last week and their 2-0 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. The match-winner explained: "I was so hungry today to play and prove to myself I could still score goals. I missed a few chances against Newcastle and wanted to put it right.

Instead of trailing leaders Arsenal by six points in third place, City climbed into second in the Premier League table, four points behind the Gunners before they play Chelsea on Sunday. City visit Fulham on Tuesday and then have another home game, against Sunderland next Saturday.

"The title race is never straightforward," Foden added. "There's always ups and downs and periods where you can't seem to get going and we've had that. The belief and togetherness came through at the end. Hopefully that's the case today that we can kick on from here. But you never know what to expect. I was so hungry today to play and prove to myself I could still score goals. I missed a few chances against Newcastle and wanted to put it right."

Mikel Arteta is now driving Arsenal’s move to sign Scott McTominay, with the manager of the belief the Scot would be the perfect addition to his midfield, and Napoli’s asking price has been revealed.

Arteta is already blessed with a wide array of options in central midfield, having signed Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi in the summer, while Declan Rice also continues to impress, receiving plaudits from Gary Neville after the recent 4-1 North London derby victory.

Neville said: “The only player you would be worried about losing for a period of time would be Declan Rice because you cannot replace that,”

“That is your Roy Keane, that is your Rodri, the player that holds you together. There is only one of them.”

However, despite strengthening considerably in the summer, the Gunners have struggled injury-wise this season, with Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus being ruled out against Tottenham Hotspur, meaning Mikel Merino had to lead the line.

As such, it could be a wise idea to bring in another central midfielder in the transfer window, and Arteta is personally a fan of a Serie A star…

Arteta driving Arsenal move for Scott McTominay

According to a report from Spain, Arteta believes McTominay could be the ideal addition to his midfield, with Arsenal closely monitoring the Napoli star’s performances over the past few months.

The Spanish manager rates the Scotland international highly due to his ability and press forward, and there are signs that a deal could be possible, though Andrea Berta will have to stump up £60m.

The 28-year-old is under contract until 2029, meaning Napoli are in a strong negotiating position at present, but interest from elsewhere is growing, with Manchester United also joining the race to re-sign their former player.

The Napoli star has certainly taken his career to new heights since leaving Old Trafford, with football writer Mark Carruthers praising him for the part he played in the Serie A side winning the title last season.

The former Man United man displayed his attacking quality as Napoli went on to win the league, picking up 12 goals and six assists in 34 Serie A outings, and he recently scored a remarkable bicycle kick as Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 to qualify for the World Cup.

It may be difficult for McTominay to force his way into the Arsenal starting XI ahead of Rice and Zubimendi, but he would certainly provide Arteta with fantastic depth in the middle of the park.

Scott McTominay has been named as one of the best midfielders in the world The Best 15 Midfielders in World Football Ranked (2025)

Some of the best players in the world do their stuff in the middle of the park, but who’s number one?

5 ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025