After Isak: Liverpool's "next Michael Owen" is destined to be the club's #9

Just when you think Liverpool have turned a corner, Arne Slot’s Reds ended up falling apart on their Premier League travels to Manchester City.

In the build-up to this showdown between two top-flight heavyweights, Liverpool had managed to collect two wins from their last two games in all competitions to ease concerns of a crisis occurring at Anfield.

However, football is a fickle old game, with the alarm bells ringing once more now, as City strolled to a 3-0 victory on their own patch.

Unfortunately, that demoralising defeat means Liverpool are already eight points behind Arsenal at the summit, as the likes of Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike continue to underwhelm in attack.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt marksman was branded an “anonymous” figure by Statman Dave after failing to fire a single effort on the City goal.

Still, it’s not as if Alexander Isak is banging down the door to replace the misfiring attacker…

Inside Isak's disappointing start at Liverpool

Isak remain rooted to the substitutes bench throughout the 3-0 defeat, with the Swede hoping he can get his Liverpool career up and running after the international break.

So far, the £125m summer recruit has been sparingly used, owing to a lack of pre-season being handed to him at former employers Newcastle United, with the expensive striker yet to break his Premier League duck for Slot and Co.

It’s way too early in his Anfield career to dismiss him as an extortionate flop, though, with Isak undoubtedly a Premier League goal machine when playing at his razor-sharp best, as seen when watching his 54-goal tally for the Toon.

But, he will need to start living up to his previous billing of being the “best striker in the Premier League”, a tag handed to him by ex-Liverpool great Jamie Carragher, particularly if Ekitike continues to also fail to recapture his own goal-scoring groove.

Slot does have other options up his sleeve in this frustrating lone striker spot if needs be, with an emerging 17-year-old talent at Anfield potentially in line to be the number 9 of the future.

Liverpool are brewing a mini Alexander Isak

The number 9 jersey at Liverpool is a shirt steeped in significant history, with Ian Rush becoming synonymous with that number when scoring an all-time best on Merseyside of 346 goals.

Moreover, in more recent times, Fernando Torres took on the weighty shirt and thrived, bagging 81 strikes from 142 games.

Fernando Torres celebrates for Liverpool

Unfortunately, Isak is going down the route of being remembered more as a Darwin Nunez-style figure now donning the number nine, who mustered up a weak 40 goals in total in England.

Who will be the next legendary 9? Well, a teenager by the name of Will Wright – a young individual being heralded as the “next Michael Owen” in some circles – will be praying it could be him.

Ian Rush

654

346

Robbie Fowler

369

183

Ian St. John

424

118

Fernando Torres

142

81

Darwin Nunez

143

40

Indeed, the young striker sensation has already been branded as a “great finisher” by Reds journalist Bence Boscak when plying his trade for League Two outfit Salford City while Total Football Analysis have suggested that he has ‘many of the characteristics to be a top-level centre-forward’.

In the academy ranks last season at the Ammies, Wright fired home a stunning 40 goals, which certainly shows off a striker capable of one day reaching Isak’s Newcastle heights in the senior set-up. It’s for that reason that the aforementioned Bocask believes he is a “brilliant signing.”

He even featured in pre-season under Slot when Athletic Club travelled to Anfield, with one big chance spurned when thrust into the thick of the action.

Arsenal reportedly had their eyes on the clinical youngster before Wright decided to move to Merseyside over North London, with the hope that he could live up to his early promise and become Liverpool’s next free-flowing number nine.

Injuries have curtailed his U21 minutes as of late, with the 17-year-old now out of action until December with a knee problem.

But, when he’s back, don’t write off a sudden rise into the first team scene that’s similar to Rio Ngumoha’s explosion, with the misfiring duo of Ekitike and Isak, also kept on their toes by some fresh blood.

Liverpool and Arsenal scouting new right-back who pocketed Gakpo

The Reds have set their sights on a new right-back.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 12, 2025

Rahul Chahar joins Surrey for final Championship match of the season

India legspinner steps in for contest against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2025 Rahul Chahar, the India spinner, has joined Surrey for their season-ending fixture against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl this week, as the club bids for their fourth County Championship title in a row.Chahar, 26, was registered to play for Surrey at the start of September, in line with ECB regulations, but was not required to play in the club’s home matches against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. That latter fixture ended in a thrilling 20-run loss that has handed Notts control of the title race going into the final week.Chahar has regularly featured for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy, and also made a one-off appearance in this season’s IPL, as an impact substitute for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Overall, he has taken 87 wickets in 24 first-class matches at 26.12, with best match figures of 9 for 148.He also played one ODI and six T20Is for India between 2019 and 2021, around the same time that he played a key role in Mumbai Indians’ twin IPL titles in 2019 and 2020.”I’m excited to join Surrey for this week’s match,” Chahar said. “I’m coming here to have an impact and help the team in their final match of the season.”His call-up comes after Surrey lost both of their current spinning options, Will Jacks and Cam Steel, to injury. Alec Stewart, the club’s high-performance advisor, said: “Adding Rahul to the squad gives us another spin option at the Utilita Bowl.”We always knew that we would be missing players for the final period of the season and try to plan accordingly given the potential surfaces and the opposition we’re playing.”We had originally earmarked for Sai Kishore to return for the latter stages of the season but he unfortunately has a finger injury resulting in an operation has meant he was unavailable.”Surrey trail Nottinghamshire by 14 points going into the final round of matches, meaning that they must win their fixture, and hope that Notts accrue fewer than 11 points in their own final match against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.

ANÁLISE: Jeffinho se destaca num Botafogo em ritmo de pré-temporada

MatériaMais Notícias

De volta aos gramados, o Botafogo ainda junta os cacos de um 2023 que parecia com um sonho e terminou como um pesadelo. Nesta quarta-feira (17), o Glorioso entrou em campo para enfrentar o Madureira no Nilton Santos e ganhou por 1 a 0, com gol de Jeffinho. Com essa vitória, o clube voltou finalmente a vencer no estádio, jejum que vivia desde o dia 27 de agosto.

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Destaque do jogo, Jeffinho retorna ao clube no qual viveu seu melhor momento na carreira. Além de marcar o gol da vitória, o atacante participou da maioria das jogadas promissoras do Botafogo, oferecendo perigo ao gol do Madureira.

Porém, mesmo com quase 20 finalizações no jogo, o sistema defensivo do Botafogo sofreu no jogo. Graças as ótimas atuações de Gatito Fernández e o estreante da noite, o zagueiro Alexander Barboza, o Glorioso saiu com a vitória, mas ficou evidente que o time ainda segue em ritmo de pré-temporada.

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➡️ Torcedores do Botafogo se surpreendem com atuação de Barboza: ‘Psicopata da zaga’

Outro ponto a ser destacado na partida, foi a onda de protestos aos jogadores e ao John Textor, dono da SAF do Botafogo. Marçal e Marlon Freitas foram os mais vaiados pela torcida. Marlon começou jogando e ao ser substituído, foi vaiado pelos mais de 7 mil botafoguenses que estavam no Nilton Santos. Marçal, capitão do time, entrou no segundo tempo, e a cada toque na bola, o coro de vaias reverberava pelo estádio.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

Apesar de ser início de temporada, o Botafogo vai ter que se provar e conquistar a confiança da torcida ferida de 2023. O jogo contra o Madureira, mostra que o elenco não está em 100%, mas ainda tem muito potencial a ser tirado da equipe.

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Tudo sobre

AnáliseBotafogoGatito FernandezJeffinho

Zubimendi upgrade: Arsenal chasing "the best CM in the world" for £114m

Manchester City might have closed the gap on Sunday, but this season feels different for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been almost faultless over the last couple of months, so much so that a point away to the high-flying Sunderland feels like a defeat.

Moreover, while the Gunners finally conceded against the Black Cats, they remain unbeaten in 14 games across all competitions and are still top of the Premier League.

One of the reasons why Arsenal have been so successful is how quickly their summer signings have adapted. However, there are now reports that they could be interested in someone who could be an upgrade on Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal target world-class midfielder

Since arriving in North London for around £58m, Zubimendi has been an ever-present figure in Arsenal’s midfield.

Transfer Focus

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

The Spaniard has already made 14 competitive appearances for the side, in which he has scored two goals and provided one assist.

However, his place in the side might not be as secure as it seems, with the Gunners now interested in another world-class midfielder.

At least that is according to a report from Caught Offside, which claims that Arsenal are interested in Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha.

The report has revealed that, alongside Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus, the Gunners are monitoring the midfielder’s situation.

However, in addition to convincing him to leave the reigning European Champions, the North Londoners would have to stump up an enormous fee of around €130m, equivalent to approximately £114m.

With that said, if this is a deal that can be done, it’s one Arsenal should pursue, even if that’s bad news for Zubimendi.

How Vitinha compares to Zubimendi

The first thing to note is that Zubimendi is doing a brilliant job for Arsenal so far this season and could be a key reason why they finally win the Premier League.

However, just because a player is performing well for a side, it does not mean they cannot be upgraded upon, so would Vitinha be that upgrade?

Well, both midfielders are capable of playing in central and defensive areas, so neither one takes the lead when it comes to versatility.

However, when it comes to their output, it’s a different story entirely.

For example, while the Gunners’ ace has two goals and one assist to his name this year, the PSG star already has a staggering tally of two goals and eight assists in just 16 appearances, totalling 1237 minutes.

In other words, he’s averaging a goal involvement every 1.6 games, or every 123.7 minutes, which goes some way to justifying respected analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s “the Xavi of this generation.”

Unfortunately for the former Real Sociedad star, he also comes out second best when it comes to major honours, as while he has a Copa del Rey and Euros to his name, the Portuguese star has won the Champions League, the Nations League, three Ligue 1 titles, two Portuguese League titles and a plethora of French Cups.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.24

0.13

Progressive Passes

14.7

6.25

Progressive Carries

4.02

1.06

Shots

2.29

0.86

Shots on Target

0.80

0.29

Passing Accuracy

93.6%

88.7%

Key Passes

1.84

0.87

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.84

0.87

Shot-Creating Actions

4.92

2.21

Goal-Creating Actions

0.91

0.29

Tackles Won

0.92

1.06

Shots Blocked

0.23

0.10

Clearances

0.80

1.83

Carries

103.8

42.9

Finally, it is once again the former Porto star who comes out on top when comparing their underlying numbers.

For example, “the best midfielder in the world,” as dubbed by Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, comes out way ahead in crucial metrics such as progressive passes and carries, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions and shots blocked, all per 90.

In fact, the only metrics in which the Spaniard does better are some of the defensive ones, and even then, it’s not by a significant amount.

Ultimately, Zubimendi has been unreal for Arsenal so far this year, but if Vitinha is attainable, the club should do everything possible to bring him in.

Arsenal star set to miss North London Derby and will be last to return from injury

The Gunners have a long list of unavailable attackers.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 11, 2025

Howe must cash in on Newcastle flop who had achieved "legendary status"

Newcastle United have a tough run of fixtures to contend with for the rest of November, before the bumper Christmas schedule weighs heavily on the calendar.

Indeed, the up-and-down Magpies have a tricky home clash with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City up next, as Eddie Howe no doubt worries already as to how his porous defence will deal with a free-flowing Erling Haaland.

Then, it’s back-to-back away fixtures at Marseille and Everton in the Champions League and Premier League, with Howe, presumably, under even more intense pressure if he fails to pick up a win or two across this stretch of contests.

Far too many players Howe has relied on over the years have failed to deliver the goods across recent matches, with many of those underperformers also falling into the high earners bracket at St James’ Park.

Assessing Newcastle's current wage bill

Newcastle’s highest earner currently continues to lead by example for the most part in club captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Understandably, during losses on the road against West Ham United and Brentford, the Brazilian wasn’t at his liveliest.

But, the £160k-per-week “talisman” – as he has been recently labelled by Michael Carrick – does still have three goals next to his name this season, when bailing his topsy-turvy side out of some sticky situations, which included this wonderfully taken strike breaking the deadlock against Nottingham Forest last month in a much-needed 2-0 win.

The same adoration isn’t being extended to Joelinton and Anthony Gordon – who both take home a hefty £150k-per-week pay packet – with the pair notably struggling in league action this season. Neither player has scored a single goal or registered an assist from a combined 16 Premier League outings.

Thankfully, Nick Woltemade has lived up to his club-record £69m price tag, and his high £132.5k-per-week wage, on the contrary, with four league goals already next to his name.

There will be some grumbles about Anthony Elanga’s £55m fee and £100k-per-week wage, though, with the ex-Manchester United attacker dubbed a “massive overpay” by analyst Raj Chohan, with the Swede yet to show off his exhilarating best on the wings. He remains goalless so far on Tyneside.

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The likes of Elanga and Gordon are not the only players being hounded.

A "legendary" star must be ditched by Newcastle

Elanga will also surely have the benefit of patience on his side, with the 23-year-old only 17 games down for his new employers. In time, the hope will be that the expensive £55m purchase does come good.

Whereas, in the case of Joe Willock, the peak of his Newcastle career looks to be very firmly behind him now, with his drop-off in form on Tyneside a very concerning tale.

Towards the start of his Newcastle playing days, Willock perform the role of a bright spark in front of goal from the midfield ranks expertly, much like Guimaraes now provides Howe and Co.

Staggeringly, he scored in seven straight Premier League matches during his initial loan spell from Arsenal during the 2020/21 season, as Willock lived up to Mikel Arteta’s words of being a “special” talent.

Ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell even went as far as to state that Willock had achieved “legendary stats” at St James’ Park with this unbelievable goalscoring run, further hailing the number 28 as “god-like” to the Tyneside masses.

Willock after his permanent move

Stat

Willock

Games played

133

Goals scored

10

Assists

9

Transfer fee

£25m

Wage per week

£80k-per-week

Willock has, arguably, become a victim of his own successes at Newcastle, with the former Arsenal midfielder only managing to cough up two more goals across 133 games, away from exploding onto the scene with a breakneck eight goals during his first 14 outings.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has simply labelled the 26-year-old as a major “disappointment” over the past couple of seasons, with only 100 minutes of Premier League action handed his way this campaign, really bringing into view his lavish £80k-per-week wage.

Wildly, that means summer arrival Malick Thiaw earns less than Willock, despite being an ever-present part of Howe’s defensive unit in the Premier League so far this season, with the German only banking a £70k-per-week salary.

It’s far from the most uplifting story seeing the decline of Willock in real time, but if Howe is to turn around his side’s fortunes right now, he will have to consider shelving the EFL Cup-winning midfielder for good very soon, alongside other previous regulars who have now fallen off the horse.

Everton enter race to sign £88m South American "machine" with Newcastle

The Toffees need a creative spark.

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 16, 2025

Atlanta Braves Signing Former Red Sox, Yankees Outfielder Alex Verdugo

On Thursday, the Atlanta Braves signed one of the bigger names remaining on the MLB free agent market.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network was first to report the Braves were signing Alex Verdugo to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Verdugo is coming off an inconsisent campaign with the New York Yankees in which he appeared in 149 games and played left field for the pinstripes' World Series run. He hit .233 from the plate and recorded 13 home runs along with 61 RBI.

Verdugo, 28, is no stranger to bouncing around the league. He was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers as one of the centerpieces of the Mookie Betts trade and spent a few years with the Boston Red Sox. Then the Sox sent him to the Yankees last offseason.

Now Verdugo will suit up in the NL once more, this time for the Braves.

Diamondbacks Manager Tossed After Brutal Call Made by One of MLB’s Worst Umpires

With Angel Hernandez no longer calling games, the honor of being the worst umpire in MLB belongs to Laz Diaz. The veteran ump has been infuriating players, managers and fans for years and that continued Tuesday night in Phoenix.

In the top of the seventh inning it seemed Orioles hitter Tyler O'Neill didn't check his swing on a ball that was outside the zone. Diaz, who was the first base ump, ruled that he didn't swing and a pitch later O'Neill drew a walk in a two-run game.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo didn't like that one bit and let Diaz know about it in one of the most heated ejections of the young season.

Here's how that all played out:

The Diamondbacks were able to hang on and win the game, 4-3.

Ministro do Esporte pede paralisação do Brasileirão por conta de tragédia no Rio Grande do Sul

MatériaMais Notícias

Ministro do Esporte, André Fufuca pediu a paralisação do Brasileirão devido a tragédia que atinge o Rio Grande do Sul. Em entrevista à “ESPN”, o político afirmou que trata do assunto com a CBF.

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➡ O Lance! Betting tem apostas a longo prazo para a Seleção Brasileira em 2024! Vem conferir!

Nos últimos dias, a entidade que comanda o futebol nacional havia apenas adiado os jogos envolvendo os clubes gaúchos até o fim do mês. Com isso, as equipes estariam com partidas atrasadas do Campeonato Brasileiro e Copa do Brasil.

– Diante do cenário de calamidade pública e das severas consequências das enchentes para a população do Rio Grande do Sul, defenderemos junto à CBF a suspensão temporária Campeonatos Brasileiros de Futebol masculino e feminino.

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Internacional, Grêmio e Juventude estão sem treinar, uma vez que as dependências dos clubes foram afetadas por conta das enchentes. Além disso, o Aeroporto Salgado Filho não receberá voos até o fim de maio.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCBF

Brazil's Neymar defies medical advice and plays through the pain to score and assist in crucial Santos win as club fights relegation

Neymar went against advice from doctors to play through on for Santos as they secured a crucial win in their bid to beat the drop from Brazil's top flight. Santos hosted Brasileirao footers Sport Recife and secured what could prove to be a vital three points as they look to stave off the threat of relegation. And Neymar was key in a 3-0 victory that may have ended the forward's season.

Neymar influential as Santos down Sport Recife

Neymar fired Santos ahead midway through the first half and the hosts were two goals to the good 10 minutes later after a Lucas Kal own goal doubled Santos' advantage. And the three points were sewn up midway through the second half as Neymar turned provider for Joao Schmidt to confirm a 3-0 victory.

The win extended Santos' unbeaten run to four matches as they secured just their 10th league victory of the season. Santos now sit two points above the relegation zone ahead of their final two games of the campaign as they look to beat the drop.

Relegation rivals Vitoria host high-flying Mirassol, while Fortaleza host Atletico MG on Sunday evening as the battle to beat the drop goes to the wire. Neymar, though, has done all he can at the risk of aggravating a knee injury that could now rule him out for the final two games of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSantos had a 'plan' for their talisman

Neymar has endured an injury-hit campaign, meaning he has been restricted to just 15 league starts this season. The Brazilian missed the recent 1-1 draw with Internacional with a knee issue, though the plan had always been for Neymar to play some part against Sport Recife over the weekend.

Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Internacional, Santos manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda revealed what he had in mind for Neymar, stating: "The plan is for him to be in the match against Sport. I have to talk to him, I'm not in his physical presence and I will respect Neymar's decisions.

"But his commitment is to be there, he always wants to be there. Before the Mirassol game, he felt discomfort in his knee. He also felt it during the game. The following day he was experiencing significant discomfort in that knee. We know we have games every three days. With travel, we'll arrive in Santos tomorrow afternoon… He's a player we need for all three rounds and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there. He felt he wouldn't be able to meet the demands of today's game."

Neymar to miss the final two games

Neymar trained ahead of the game against Sport Recife even after it was recommended that he undergo an arthroscopy in order to repair a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee. The issue is said to be causing Neymar persistent pain, but he was willing to play through the pain in order to boost Santos' survival chances.

And while he defied medical advice to play a vital role in Santos' win over Sport Recife, earning a standing ovation has he exited the field, Neymar will miss the final two games of the Brasileirao season due to the meniscus injury.

Santos see out the campaign with a trip to relegated Juventude next week before the welcome of Cruzeiro in a potential relegation decider in the final round of Brasileirao fixtures. Rivals Vitora follow up their welcome of Mirassol with games against Red Bull Bragantino and Sao Paulo, while Fortaleza take on Corinthians and Botafogo following Sunday's game against Atletico MG.

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Getty Images SportInjury will impact 2026 World Cup spot

Neymar's latest setback may impact his Brazil chances with head coach Carlo Ancelotti previously stating what is required for the 33-year-old to secure his Selecao spot in North America next summer.

"Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list," Ancelotti said earlier this month. "Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends he'll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again," the Italian stated elsewhere.

The former Barcelona and PSG forward's current Santos deal expires at the end of the year, and the club is in a dilemma over the player's future.

"Neymar’s project is the 2026 World Cup," Santos club President Marcelo Teixeira said recently. "If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed. As long as Santos and Neymar, who have a strong and positive understanding of trust, reach a common ground. I believe we will resolve this situation at the right time."

A dream for Eze: Arsenal enter race to sign "one of the best STs in Europe"

Arsenal are flying at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s thumping 4-1 win in the North London Derby on Sunday has seen them go six points clear of second-place Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table and seven points clear of Manchester City.

It was an incredible team performance from the North Londoners, but even so, Eberechi Eze stood out, scoring the first hat-trick in the competition since Alan Sunderland in 1978.

The former Crystal Palace star has been an excellent signing for Arsenal, and now the club are being linked with someone who’d be a dream teammate for him.

Arsenal target dream teammate for Eze

Arsenal may have spent big in the summer, but perhaps due to them being in a great position domestically and in Europe, they are already being linked with some huge players ahead of the winter window.

Transfer Focus

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

Juventus’ sensationally talented Kenan Yıldız, for example, has been touted for an £88m move to the Emirates, as has the £120m Elliot Anderson.

However, the North Londoners are also looking at another goalscoring centre-forward, someone who’d be a dream signing for Eze.

At least, that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Arsenal are one of several teams interested in Samu Aghehowa.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that the Gunners are among the sides leading the race for his signature, even if Tottenham Hotspur are just marginally ahead.

However, on top of the competition, one of the hurdles the Premier League leaders will have to overcome to secure the Spaniard’s signature is the fact that it could take around €90m – £79m – to convince Porto to let him go.

Even so, given Samu’s ability, potential and goal record, this is a deal Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he could be a dream signing for Eze.

Why Samu would be a dream signing for Eze

Now, while it is most certainly simplistic, it is also true that the primary reason Samu would be a dream signing for Eze, and by extension Arsenal, is the fact that he’s an output machine.

After all, whether he’s playing on the wing or in the ten, the former Crystal Palace star will want whoever is playing down the middle to be someone who can reliably score goals and even provide assists for him at times.

Fortunately, that sounds a lot like the Spaniard.

For example, in 44 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 3,370 minutes, the 21-year-old racked up an impressive tally of 27 goals and three assists.

That comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or every 112.33 minutes.

Appearances

44

16

Minutes

3,370′

809′

Goals

27

6

Assists

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.68

0.43

Minutes per Goal Involvement

112.33′

115.57′

He’s showing no signs of that being a hot streak either, as so far this season, the monstrous forward has chalked up six goals and one assist in 16 appearances, totalling 809 minutes.

In other words, he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.28 games, or more crucially, every 115.57 minutes.

On top of being a forward who’d be able to reliably finish the chances created for him, the former Atletico Madrid gem is also a battering ram of a player.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the four-capped international, whom journalist Zach Lowy described as “one of the best STs in Europe,” is not someone who’d struggle with the physical nature of the Premier League.

If anything, he’d thrive in it and be able to use his impressive stature to bully opposition defenders and create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Finally, despite being such an imposing figure, he has demonstrated an impressive level of agility and movement through a few seriously impressive strikes.

Ultimately, while the fee is high, Samu is a goalscoring machine who would not only improve Arteta’s squad but also potentially help Eze’s goal and assist tallies explode.

Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him in January, before another side, like Spurs, gets to him first.

Forget Eze: Arsenal's "cult hero" is becoming Arteta's new Odegaard instead

The incredible Arsenal ace has been in fine form this season and is starting to become Arteta’s new Odegaard.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

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