All posts by h79snht.top

Homegrown batter turns down offer of contract extension at Wantage Road

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2024

Emilio Gay is the third-highest run-scorer in Division Two•Getty Images

Emilio Gay will leave Northamptonshire at the end of the season after turning down the club’s offer of a new contract. It is understood he will sign for Durham.Gay, 24, a talented batter who came through the talent pathway at Wantage Road from the age of 15, made his first-class debut for the county in 2019 and went on to establish himself in Northamptonshire’s top order.The left-hander boasts a solid first-class record, averaging 35.71 from 47 red-ball matches, with 19 fifty-plus scores including six centuries. His form has stepped up a level in 2024, with 860 runs at 61.42 in Division Two of the County Championship – a tally boosted by a career-best 261 against Middlesex in April. Gay has also represented Northants in 39 white-ball matches.”After the most important, and memorable decade of my life, this season will be my last with Northamptonshire,” Gay said in a statement released on Thursday. “Northamptonshire enabled me to fulfil my childhood dream, to become a professional cricket player.”Thank you to everyone at NCCC. Hopefully I will make the club proud. Over the last decade at Northants there have been so many people who have helped me progress. I will never be able to thank all my team-mates, the coaches, staff and fans enough. Northants will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you.”Northamptonshire put on record that they were “naturally disappointed” to lose a homegrown they had nurtured, and wished Gay well for the next chapter of his career.John Sadler, the club’s head coach, said: “From early we always believed Emilio would become a high-class batsman. He has a great work ethic and this is one of the reasons his game has developed so rapidly over the last two years. It is a shame that Emilio’s future doesn’t lie with us, but he is very ambitious and believes a fresh challenge will be the best thing for him on his quest to play international cricket. We wish him well and will all enjoy watching his career unfold.”Durham’s acquisition of Gay, regarded as one of the most naturally gifted batters in the country, is a shrewd bit of business and would come alongside the signing of Will Rhodes, who will join from Warwickshire after turning down the offer of a contract extension.

كشفت تقارير صحفية أن نادي آرسنال قد يفتقد خدمات أحد نجومه البارزين في وقت هام من العام المقبل، بسبب إحدى القضايا القانونية في بلاده، الأمر الذي قد يضع المدرب ميكيل أرتيتا في ورطة.

وأبرم نادي آرسنال عدة صفقات في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي لعام 2025 الذي انتهى يوم الإثنين الماضي.

ومن ضمن تلك الصفقات كان فيكتور جيوكيريس، الذي انضم إلى آرسنال قادمًا من سبورتينج لشبونة، بعد سلسلة طويلة من المفاوضات بين الناديين.

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية، فإن جيوكيريس قد يغيب عن آرسنال في عدة مباريات العام المقبل، بعد استدعائه للإدلاء بشهادته في قضية قانونية في السويد.

وأوضحت أن صاحب الـ27 عامًا يتم تمثيله من قِبل المحامي حسن تشيتينكايا، الذي رفع دعوى قضائية بتهمة التشهير الجسيم ضد صحيفتين شهيرتين في السويد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. آرسنال يعلن تعاقده مع مدافع جديد في ميركاتو الصيف

وأشارت إلى أن القضية تتعلق بمزاعم نشرتها كل من فوتبول شتلم وإكسبرسن، تفيد بأن تشيتينكايا ووكالته، إتش سي إم سبورتس مانجمنت، على صلة بعصابات إجرامية.

يأتي هذا بعد حادث إطلاق نار في ضاحية هودينجي بستوكهولم في أغسطس الماضي، حيث أُطلقت أعيرة نارية على منزل أحد أقارب أحد ممثلي جيوكيريس.

وأفادت أن تشيتينكايا نفى كل تلك المزاعم ووصل الأمر إلى درجة التصعيد إلى محكمة ستوكهولم الجزئية، مع العلم أنه لم يُتهم جيوكيريس بأي جريمة، ولكن من المقرر أن يدلي بشهادته كشاهد.

وتظهر الأوراق التي قدمها محامي تشيتينكايا، يواكيم لوندكفيست، أن اللاعب السويدي قد وافق على الإدلاء بشهادته على منصة الشهود، إذا لزم الأمر.

وبناءً على ذلك، سيضطر جيوكيريس في تلك الحالة مغادرة إنجلترا والتوجه إلى السويد، مما يعني غيابه عن عدة مباريات لـ آرسنال حسب مدة إقامته في بلاده.

There’s no rest for the wicked, at least not at Chelsea.

The West Londoners appear to be on something of a warpath this summer, as they put together a squad capable of genuinely competing on all fronts again next season, from the Champions League to the Premier League.

For example, the likes of Liam Delap and Mamadou Sarr were signed prior to the Club World Cup, and then just this afternoon, Joao Pedro’s £60m move from Brighton & Hove Albion was confirmed.

It’s not just incomings, though, as the Blues could be set to cash in on Noni Madueke, and if reports are to be believed, they’ve already identified the ideal player to replace him, someone who could be unreal alongside Pedro.

Chelsea target brilliant Madueke upgrade

Chelsea completed the £29m signing of Madueke from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, and since then, the talented winger has been a useful player to have in and around the first team.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

However, it now appears that the Englishman could be on the move this summer, with reports in recent days linking him to London rivals Arsenal.

In fact, Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has claimed that the Gunners have already made an offer to the player, while other stories have claimed that the West Londoners could let him go for around £50m.

Interestingly, this could be a brilliant move from the club, as it now looks like they identified another young winger, someone who’d be even better than Madueke: Malick Fofana.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Independent, Chelsea are one of several sides incredibly interested in the Lyon winger.

The report has revealed that, alongside the likes of Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Arsenal, the Blues have already made contact with the French outfit over the exciting prospect.

Unfortunately, it won’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, as Lyon have reportedly set an asking price of around £52m.

However, as he’d be an upgrade on Madueke and could be incredible alongside Pedro, that might be a fee worth paying for Chelsea.

How Fofana compares to Madueke

So the first thing to address is why we think Fofana could be an upgrade on Madueke, as he’s not exactly a household name among most Premier League fans, at least not yet anyway.

The first is his output, as in 41 appearances, totalling just 2280 minutes last season, the “frightening” French phenom, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored 11 goals and provided six assists.

That comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.41 games, or every 134.11 minutes.

In contrast, the Blues’ exciting wide man scored as many goals but provided five assists, and did so in 44 games, totalling 2589 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.75 games, or every 161.81 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Englishman, the one-sided nature of this comparison persists when we examine their underlying numbers from last season, as the Lyon ace comes out on top in the majority of relevant metrics.

That includes things like non-penalty goals plus assists, passes into the final third and penalty area, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Fofana vs Madueke

Statistics per 90

Fofana

Madueke

Non-Penalty G+As

0.51

0.44

Progressive Passes

2.54

3.05

Progressive Passes Received

11.6

10.0

Progressive Carries

6.33

6.81

Expected Assists

0.25

0.14

Key Passes

1.41

1.42

Passes into the Final Third

1.13

0.71

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.81

1.55

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.73

0.35

Live Passes

35.2

29.2

Goal-Creating Actions

0.62

0.35

Carries into the Final Third

3.22

2.21

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

It’s these metrics combined with his output that suggest he’d be so effective alongside Pedro as well.

Just imagine how the Brazilian would fare with such a creative and dangerous winger to his left or right, and it wouldn’t be one way either.

The fact that the former Brighton star was able to score ten goals and provide seven assists in just 30 games last season suggests he, too, could help the Frenchman’s output soar.

Ultimately, Madueke has been a useful player for Chelsea over the years, but as things stand, Fofana looks to be the superior winger and someone who could help the Blues’ new centre-forward hit the ground running next season.

Related A better signing than Pedro: Chelsea eyeing £85m move for the "next Mbappe"

The dangerous goalscorer could be incredible for Chelsea.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 2, 2025

Seamer lets the pitch do the work, as New York venue continues to draw mixed reviews

Danyal Rasool07-Jun-20243:24

Niall O’Brien: Ireland should have restricted Canada to 115-120

A week ago, Canada fast bowler Jeremy Gordon was thrown the ball to rein in a surging USA side. The previous over had leaked 20, but Gordon had bowled a tight couple of overs, and with USA still needing just under ten an over, Canada entrusted him to tighten the screws.Instead, in a nightmarish sequence of events, Gordon sent down an 11-ball over that saw 33 plundered off it – the second-most expensive over in T20I history. The US target was down to a run-a-ball, and they cruised to victory.Little wonder, then, that Gordon felt he had amends to make against Ireland. “I personally felt my over is what gave away the last game,” he said. “To make a comeback and help the team get over the line makes me feel I’ve done a good job and makes me quite happy. It’s very emotional.”Related

Rashid, Farooqi and Gurbaz the stars as Afghanistan crush NZ

ICC working to improve quality of pitches at New York venue

Kirton, Gordon and Heyliger sparkle in landmark Canada win

Gordon has reason to be proud. Opening the bowling in defence of 137, he homed in on the back-of-a-length area. The New York strip came in for heavy criticism following India’s match against Ireland, including from the ICC itself. While the wicket was much truer on this occasion, Gordon still understood how to exploit the conditions.”I realised when Ireland bowled first that when they hit the back of a length, it was sometimes over the batter’s shoulder and sometimes kept a bit low. So I thought ‘why should I change that?'”I was overthinking in the first game. Here, I realised the pitch was in my favour because of the variable bounce. So if I hit that 7-8m length and target a line on the body or just towards the off stump I figured I’d give myself a good chance to defend the total.”It was precisely how Ireland’s first wicket fell. Canada were keeping things tight, and Gordon banged another one in back of a length. Paul Stirling, Ireland’s captain, had scored just 9 off 16, and the pressure told as he attempted a swipe across the line that was never truly on. The ball reared up and drew the top edge.Jeremy Gordon picked up impressive figures of 2 for 16•Getty Images

But having seen the game slip away at the death against USA, it was more satisfying for Gordon to return and finish Ireland off in the final over. Ireland needed 17 to win, and he followed up the trademark short-of-a-length ball with another. Mark Adair, Ireland’s last remaining hope of victory, tried to slap it towards midwicket but only ballooned it back up to Gordon, who took a straightforward catch. He would concede just four, and finish with figures of 4-0-16-2.”There’s definitely a lot of confidence now,” he said. “For us it’s about doing the basics right and to be disciplined. It’s about not getting ahead of ourselves. We’ll appreciate the win and then go back to the drawing board. It’s going to be Pakistan and India next, two of the better teams in the world currently. If we’re disciplined in all three areas, we might give a good account for ourselves on the day and then who knows what could happen.”Part of the intrigue of the game, though, concerned the pitch and ground conditions, particularly as the stadium gears up for it’s biggest clash on Sunday. India will take on Pakistan, so it wasn’t just the Canadians and the Irish interested to see how the surface held up after the tournament organisers were left scrambling to ensure their biggest game would not be played in subpar conditions.Though the improvement from the Ireland-India game was noticeable, Player of the Match, Nicholas Kirton, who scored 49 off 35 for Canada, felt it was far from ideal.”It wasn’t that easy to bat on this wicket, trust me,” he said at the post-match presentations. “I just tried to get in and get to grips with the pace of the wicket. There was an area in the middle of the wicket that played a bit up and down. I tried to stay as still as possible and get a good base. The outfield is a bit slow and I focused on running hard, but other than that it was a pretty good wicket to bat on.”

Amid rumours that they’ve already had to reject a bid worth £45m to sell Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign a possible replacement.

Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's Elanga bid

After securing a shock place in the Europa Conference League in an excellent season last time out, Nottingham Forest are in no position to sell key players. But that hasn’t stopped certain clubs from testing the waters. Among them, Newcastle United reportedly formalised their interest in Elanga with an offer worth £45m earlier this week, only to see that bid rejected by those at the City Ground.

There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and Forest will be well aware that Newcastle could yet come calling a second time.

If that does happen, then preparing for Elanga’s exit in a worst-case scenario would not be a bad idea for all involved at the City Ground. Already, on that front, Forest have attempted and failed to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus and have also been linked with versatile AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.

Whether either of those options possess the quality to replace Elanga is the big question. One man who is unlikely to face problems in that regard is Igor Jesus. The Botafogo forward is reportedly on his way to the Midlands alongside teammate Jair Cunha following their Club World Cup campaign.

The former has already stolen plenty of headlines with his winning goal against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and is seemingly about to take the Premier League by storm.

Related Nottingham Forest open talks to sign "elite" new star after Weah rejection

They’ve instantly turned towards another option.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

Jesus and Cuiabano may not be the only Club World Cup stars to arrive, either, amid reports that Forest have opened talks to sign another attacking target.

Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Pepe

According to ESPN Brazil, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto, who are demanding over €15m (£12m) to sell their 28-year-old winger this summer.

An experienced winger who scored at the Club World Cup for Porto in a 4-4 draw against Al-Ahly this summer, Pepe would offer Forest instant depth and may even be asked to replace Elanga if the Swede joins Newcastle.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Pepe

Elanga

Minutes

1,991

2,501

Goals

3

6

Assists

2

11

Key Passes

31

50

The pressure would instantly be on Pepe if he did step in for Elanga and although his experience could prove to be invaluable, questions will be asked about his ability to match the 22-year-old’s output.

As a versatile backup who can play all across the frontline, however, the Porto man represents an ideal choice as Forest step into European football. At just over £12m too, it’s not a deal that Evangelos Marinakis will need to splash out on for Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming months.

Back in the Premier League and on the hunt for reinforcements, Leeds United have reportedly made contact to sign a young Manchester City defender on loan for the season.

Leeds vying to commence summer business

Although it’s still very early days and July is yet to even arrive, Leeds have already reportedly set their sights on a number of potential reinforcements. The Whites will be well aware of the importance of getting the transfer window right. After all, none of the last six promoted sides have survived the following season in the Premier League. With the 49ers’ backing, however, Leeds could be well positioned to put an end to that worrying trend.

Related Better than Bijol: Leeds targeting "best CB outside the top five leagues"

Leeds United can forget about Jaka Bijol with a move for another star defender.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Jun 14, 2025

49ers chairman Paraag Marathe spoke about Leeds’ summer plans last month, reiterating that they will spend as much as they can in the coming months. He told reporters: “Whatever they will let us spend, we’ll spend. I can comfortably say that we are going to spend the very last penny that we can. I’m under no illusions that it’s going to be easy, there’s a widening gap.”

Just who arrives with that said is the big question. Names such as Japhet Tanganga and even Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz have threatened to grab the headlines in recent weeks and there’s no doubt that signing the latter would make quite the statement.

Since leaving Aston Villa last summer, Luiz has struggled to establish himself at Juventus and has looked destined to depart for some time. A return to the Premier League would certainly be one way to revive his career, with Leeds now reportedly an option ahead of next season.

It’s not just experience that Leeds are after, however. Those at Elland Road have also been linked with some emerging stars who could discover their potential in Yorkshire and keep Daniel Farke’s side afloat in the Premier League in the process.

Leeds express interest in Juma Bah loan move

As reported by Africa Foot, the 49ers have now expressed interest in signing Juma Bah on loan from Manchester City in January. The 19-year-old defender arrived in January before heading straight out on loan to RC Lens. Now, six months on, he’ll reportedly be granted the chance to complete another loan move amid interest from Leeds and relegated Southampton.

Described as a “powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Sierra Leone centre-back could find himself wearing the white of Leeds before he even has the chance to represent Manchester City for the first time.

Having impressed on loan at Lens though, the natural next step for Bah should be a Premier League loan move, be it to Elland Road or elsewhere this summer. A player full of potential, the 49ers would be wise to snap up the defender if only for the season.

Celtic’s pre-season plans are starting to take shape, but will they get any new signings over the line before then?

On Monday, the club announced a green and white hoops Clásico, facing Portuguese champions Sporting at Estádio Algarve on 16 July, before confirming they’ll also take on Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden 12 days earlier.

With trips to Cork, Como and now the Algarve already in the calendar for July, from a destination perspective, this is poised to be an exciting pre-season schedule for the Celtic support, but will they have a new midfielder to assess by then?

Celtic's continued interest in Lennon Miller

As has been widely reported, Celtic remain interested in midfielder Lennon Miller, with French outlet L’Équipe reporting that the 18 year old is valued at around £7.5m by Motherwell, amid interest from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

On Monday evening, Miller made his full-senior debut for Scotland, assisting Ché Adams’ second goal during the 4-0 demolition of Liechtenstein at Rheinpark Stadion, with his performance earning rave reviews.

Thomas Duncan of BBC Sport noted how the teenager exuded calmness while, speaking during the BBC’s coverage, Celtic legend Scott Brown said that “Lennon is really special…nothing fazes him”, adding that he undoubtedly has the quality to break into the Celts’ first team.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

However, with countless other clubs courting Miller this summer, should Celtic turn their attention to another midfield target instead?

Celtic's dream Miller alternative

As previously reported last week, Celtic have ‘already initiated’ talks to sign midfielder Demir Ege Tıknaz.

Demir Ege Tıknaz (Tiknaz)

As Mustafa Akgün of Karabük Postası outlines, Tıknaz spent last season on loan at Rio Ave from Beşiktaş, but the Portuguese club have an obligation to buy for around £4.2m, planning to do just that before selling him for roughly double that amount.

The 20-year-old, who is currently with the Türkiye national team squad in America for friendlies against the United States and Mexico, is reportedly being courted by many big European clubs, including Celtic and Sporting CP, so the Scottish champions will need to act fast.

In an interview with the Athletic, Tıknaz compared himself stylistically to Sergio Busquets, stating “I always want to have possession… I’m kind of a playmaker”.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout compares him to another Spaniard, namely Rodri, labelling him a midfield “anchor”, praising his “passing, vision and football IQ”.

Analyst Ben Mattinson agrees, stating that Tıknaz ‘reads the game well’, praising his ‘timing of tackles​​​​​​​’ and ability to ‘steal the ball’.

As a result, according to Aryan Suraj Chadha of Goal, he has become one of the most ‘sought-after talents across Europe’, making 33 appearances for Rio Ave of the Primeira Liga this season, scoring four goals and registering two assists.

Nevertheless, the key question remains. How does he compare to Miller? Well, let’s find out.

Demir Ege Tıknaz vs Lennon Miller 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

Tıknaz

Miller

Appearances

33

39

Minutes

2,340

3,398

Goals

4

4

Assists

2

8

Big chances created

2

12

Tackles won (per 90)

2.1

1.8

Interceptions (per 90)

1.7

1.3

% of ground duels won

51.1%

57.9%

% of aerial diels won

53.1%

41.2%

Possession lost (per 90)

7.3

17.4

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and SofaScore

As the table outlines, while Miller is more of an all-rounder and an attacking threat, Tıknaz does come out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics, namely tackles, interceptions and aerial duels, giving away possession significantly less frequently too.

So, while Miller is unquestionably a big talent, possibly to such an extent that Celtic will ultimately miss out on him, the Hoops should therefore make signing Tıknaz a priority.

Related Celtic set to sign 14-goal star who'd be Moussa Dembele 2.0 for Rodgers

Celtic are set to complete a deal for a young star who could be a repeat of Moussa Dembele.

Posts ByDan Emery Jun 9, 2025

Arsenal need a striker. Andrea Berta knows it, Mikel Arteta knows it, the fanbase knows it, the whole world knows it.

So, who will that man be? Well, with dream target Alexander Isak out of the running, it looks like it has come down to two candidates.

The first of which is Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede ended the 2024/25 campaign as the most goal-laden striker in Europe but there are doubts. Strange doubts at that considering how many goals he’s scored.

He is a beast, a physical player who can throw a defender to the floor and most importantly, he certainly knows where the back of the net.

Gyokeres is the finished article but clearly, Arsenal are thinking about the bigger picture too. That’s where Slovenian powerhouse Benjamin Sesko comes into the equation.

The latest on Arsenal's pursuit of Benjamin Sesko

A year ago, Arsenal were incredibly interested in bringing the RB Leipzig centre forward to the Emirates Stadium.

However, the striker decided to pen a new contract in the Bundesliga, which has seen him stay for another year.

Now, it would appear as though he’s ready to move on. Reports revealed nearly a week and a half ago that initial talks had begun and a deal has begun to accelerate in recent days.

Indeed, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, the player is now ‘keen’ on signing for Arsenal this summer with advanced talks concerning personal terms in motion.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

That said, actually agreeing on a transfer fee is where the deal could get challenging. Plettenberg reveals that Sesko has a €80m (£67m) release clause but the Gunners cannot ‘simply trigger’ it.

That’s because the structure of a deal is said to be ‘complicated’, meaning a fee is now being negotiated freely.

Why Sesko would be a dream signing for Martin Odegaard

The 2024/25 campaign was undoubtedly the nadir of the club captain’s time at the Emirates to date.

After suffering an ankle injury early in the season, Martin Odegaard missed the best part of two months and simply wasn’t the same since.

Odegaard scored just six times in 45 games and only three of those goals came in the Premier League. It’s a far cry from the 15-goal term he enjoyed in 2022/23, where no midfielder scored more top-flight goals in England than him.

While the Norwegian still provided 12 assists, that number could soar to dizzy heights with a proper out-and-out centre-forward leading the line, not a Mikel Merino or Kai Havertz.

With Sesko described as “the new Erling Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, perhaps Odegaard could strike up a relationship akin to the one he enjoys with his fellow countryman at international level.

Indeed, it was only this weekend that we got to see the very best of the Arsenal playmaker, who enjoyed a fabulous game for Norway as they beat Italy 3-0.

Odegaard was the one who supplied Haaland’s goal in the tie, sliding a lovely ball in behind for the Manchester City forward to run onto.

It’s safe to say we’ve not seen enough of this in an Arsenal shirt. Why? Two reasons, really. Odegaard’s injury has undoubtedly hampered him but the biggest reason is that Arteta’s system hasn’t relied on a striker getting in behind.

Havertz and Merino are cut from a similar cloth in this regard. They come short to bring others into the game and it largely works. Yet, the Gunners need someone playing on the shoulder of the last man.

Odegaard alongside Haaland (for Norway)

Matches

36

Wins

21

Draws

5

Defeats

10

Times Odegaard assisted Haaland

6

Minutes played

2,831

Stats via Transfermarkt.

That’s where Sesko comes into the equation. Possessing a similar build to Haaland, the Slovenia international combines pace with brute force to burst past defenders.

He’s far from the finished article, scoring 21 goals last season, but that’s a great deal better than anyone at Arsenal; no one in red and white even found the net in double figures this season.

Odegaard is one of the most creative players in the division, ranking in the top 5% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues for assists per 90 minutes and the best 4% for progressive passes. Thus, he needs someone he can actually feed.

As the captain showcased with Haaland in front of him just a few days ago, he can thrive when he’s got someone willing to make runs beyond the defence. Sesko is definitely that man. This could be a match made in heaven for Arsenal.

Related Saka & Nwaneri hybrid: Arsenal make contact for "generational" £120m PL ace

The international ace would be incredible for Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 7, 2025

With rumours continuing to surround Morgan Gibbs-White over his future at the City Ground, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly ready to take formal steps in the race to sign a potential replacement.

Man City plotting Gibbs-White swoop

Gibbs-White undoubtedly plays a huge role in everything positive Nuno Espirito Santo’s side do at the City Ground, meaning that clubs above them were always likely to keep a keen eye on his talents. Such is the ruthlessness of Premier League football, not even European football could stand in the way of Manchester City making their move successfully this summer.

The midfielder was once again at the centre of the action against West Ham United last time out, scoring a crucial opening goal to send Forest on their way to a crucial 2-1 victory at the London Stadium.

His seventh Premier League goal of the season to go alongside his eight assists, replacing Gibbs-White will be one of the toughest tasks that Nottingham Forest face this summer if he chooses to join Manchester City.

On that front, however, those at the City Ground have already reportedly been lining up a number of targets, including City’s own James McAtee. The young midfielder has struggled for game time at The Etihad and if Gibbs-White heads to Manchester, he could yet head in the opposite direction towards the Midlands this summer.

Unlike in recent years, it’s worth reiterating that Forest are now a European club again and should be in a far stronger position to attract top talent as a result. So, if it’s not McAtee who replaces Gibbs-White, it may well be a talented option from outside of English football.

Nottingham Forest readying Akliouche move

According to L’Equipe, Nottingham Forest are now ready to take formal steps in the race to sign Maghnes Akliouche from AS Monaco this summer in a deal worth as much as €60m (£51m). Battling against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain for the winger’s signature, Evangelos Marinakis should consider making his official move as soon as possible.

With the ability to play as both a winger and attacking midfielder, it should come as no surprise that Akliouche is on Forest’s shortlist to potentially replace Gibbs-White this summer. Even on the numbers front, the 23-year-old has almost mirrored the Forest star.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Maghnes Akliouche

Morgan Gibbs-White

Starts

27

33

Goals

5

7

Assists

10

8

Key Passes

49

51

All signs point towards a player who’d be ready to step into the Premier League next season and step into European football with Nottingham Forest. Whether those at the City Ground win the competitive race to sign Akliouche remains to be seen, however.

Related Nottingham Forest ready bid for £70m England star with interest advanced

He produced a season-defining moment recently.

Posts ByHenry Jackson May 20, 2025

Described as “elegant” by Jacek Kulig, Akliouche is undeniably one to watch when the summer transfer window arrives. If Forest are looking to instantly ease their potential Gibbs-White problem, then the Frenchman should be a serious option.

After crashing out of the Champions League on Wednesday night, it looked like Arsenal were set to end the week with a humbling at the hands of Liverpool at half-time on Sunday afternoon.

Fortunately, Mikel Arteta’s team talk seemed to do the trick, and his side came out, fought back to parity and ensured the travelling fans at least had something to celebrate.

While a fair few of the Gunners’ starters put in a good showing in the second 45, Gabriel Martinelli was the most impressive, and thanks to his goal and general centre-forward play, he was awarded the man of the match award.

However, even though the 23-year-old looked bright, his time in the starting lineup could be coming to an end, as recent reports have linked the club with another Premier League star who’d be a significant upgrade on the Brazilian.

Arsenal's winger search

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other wide players who have been linked with moves to Arsenal this summer, such as Nico Williams and Rodrygo.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

The former is set to be available for just £48m thanks to a release clause in his contract, and, just like last year, has enjoyed a stellar campaign in which he’s scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 44 games.

Likewise, Rodrygo has been relatively effective for Real Madrid this season, scoring 13 goals and providing ten assists in 50 appearances, although with a reported price tag of £85m, he might be a little out of range if Andrea Berta and Co also plan to invest heavily in a striker.

Moreover, the Gunners might want a Premier League-proven winger to come in and bolster the team, which is where Antoine Semenyo comes in.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their interest in the Bournemouth star.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that due to growing problems in the North Londoners’ attack, their pursuit of the 25-year-old, who is valued at €50m – £42m – has now gained momentum.

While he might not be the big name some fans are after, Semenyo is a sensational footballer and one Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign, even if his arrival could spell trouble for Martinelli.

How Semenyo compares to Martinelli

Now, one of the really significant advantages of signing Semenyo is that, thanks to him being so strong with both feet, he’s able to play in a multitude of positions on both sides of the pitch.

However, while this would certainly allow Arteta to rest Bukayo Saka more often, there is no way that the Bournemouth star would replace the Englishman on the right on a permanent basis.

Therefore, to get regular game time, the Ghanaian international would have to start on the left, putting him in direct competition with Martinelli, but how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes to the most important metric of all, raw output, it’s the Cherries ace who comes out ahead.

For example, in 40 appearances this season, totalling 3382 minutes, he’s scored 11 goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.22 games, or every 187.88 minutes.

In contrast, the former Ituano gem has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 49 appearances, totalling 3403 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.06 games or every 212.68 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Gunners’ ace, the one-sided nature of this comparison only continues when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Semenyo vs Martinelli

Statistics

Semenyo

Martinelli

Non-Penalty G+As

0.43

0.40

Progressive Passes

3.18

1.88

Progressive Carries

4.08

4.71

Shots

3.60

2.07

Shots on Target

1.15

0.93

Passing Accuracy

73.1%

71.0%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.78

2.82

Goal-Creating Actions

0.39

0.23

Tackles Won

0.99

0.53

Successful Take-Ons

1.99

1.53

Ball Recoveries

4.52

3.15

Aerial Duels Won

1.85

0.65

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

For example, in almost every relevant metric, the “unplayable” 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Ed Aarons, comes out top; metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, passing accuracy, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, aerial duels won, tackles won and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Martinelli could certainly still be an incredibly valuable squad player next season, it’s evident that Semenyo is the superior winger in practically every way. Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him this summer.

Related Shades of Aubameyang: Arsenal lead race to sign "mind-blowing" goal machine

The prolific marksman could be the difference-maker for Arsenal next season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 12, 2025