Rio Ferdinand made a loaded “bet the ref’s gutted” quip on social media after seeing Manchester United battle past Arsenal in the FA Cup.
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Dalot sent off for the Red DevilsMaguire conceded questionable penaltyAmorim's men prevailed on spot-kicksFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
A thrilling third-round tie at Emirates Stadium went all the way to penalties before holders United put their name in the hat. Altay Bayindir was the hero for the Red Devils as wild celebrations were sparked among the visiting support in north London.
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United had to dig deep to get over the line, with Ruben Amorim’s side taking issue with some big decisions that went against them – including the second-half dismissal of Diogo Dalot and the award of a penalty after Harry Maguire tangled with Kai Havertz.
WHAT FERDINAND SAID
Andy Madley was the man in the middle, with ex-Red Devils defender Ferdinand less than impressed with his performance. The former England international posted after seeing United prevail 5-3 on spot-kicks: "Another battling performance… desire, willingness to fight as a team! Bet the ref’s gutted.”
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United appear to have bones to pick with the match officials as a collective, with their social media team also getting in on the act. As the dust settled on an absorbing encounter, the Reds Devils delivered a one-word “Justice” assessment on X.
Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood are all in line to make their 50-over debuts
ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2021Pakistan have named four uncapped players – Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood – in their 20-member squad for the three-match home ODI series against New Zealand.Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah have been recalled while Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Sohaib Maqsood, who were part of the ODI series against England in July have been dropped. Haris Sohail, who withdrew from that series having sustained a hamstring injury, has also been left out.Related
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“The series against New Zealand is extremely important for Pakistan as the matches are part of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification,” chief selector Mohammad Wasim said. “While we have tried to put together a formidable and a balanced unit, we have continued to ensure that we give opportunities to high performing players while looking into the future so that we can develop a strong bench-strength.”Wicketkeeper-batter Haris was impressive in the 50-over domestic Pakistan Cup, where he made 289 runs in nine matches playing for champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at an average of 41.28, making a century and two fifties. Fast bowler Wasim, who made his Pakistan debut in the T20I series against West Indies recently, has now earned a call-up to the ODI squad too. He was particularly impressive in the first T20I where he picked up one wicket in two overs in the rained-out encounter.”Mohammad Rizwan remains the first-choice wicketkeeper, as such, it has been decided to include 20-year-old Mohammad Haris in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed. This is not only to reward Haris for his outstanding domestic performances in the previous season, but also to give him a taste and flair of international cricket along with its rigours and demands and to ensure that we continue to groom young wicketkeepers who are fit and ready to step up when the opportunity presents itself.”ESPNcricinfo LtdLegspinner Mahmood has been outstanding in the domestic circuit for Southern Punjab over the last two seasons. In 2020-21, he picked up 52 wickets in 10 matches in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and 19 wickets in 10 matches in the Pakistan Cup. He was called up to the Pakistan squad for the T20Is against South Africa earlier this year, and in the solitary match he played, he picked up three wickets in his four overs.Dahani had a dream debut season in PSL 2021, taking 20 wickets in 11 matches. He seems to have impressed the selectors with his ability to provide breakthroughs in regular intervals, which also made him Multan Sultans’ trump card in the tournament.Meanwhile, Iftikhar returns to the ODI set-up for the first time since the Super Over encounter against Zimbabwe in November 2020 in Rawalpindi. Khushdil’s only ODI appearance was also in the same match.”Middle-order has remained our concern and, as such, after trying a few options, we have decided to give another run to Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah,” Wasim said. “The two batters have played sufficient 50-over cricket at the domestic level and boast the required firepower to utilise the slog overs. We are optimistic they will come good in home conditions.”This will be New Zealand first tour of Pakistan in 18 years. The tour starts with three ODIs in Rawalpindi scheduled on September 17, 19 and 21 and culminates with five T20Is in Lahore. Crowds up to 25% capacity will also be allowed in the stadium, which means the ODIs taking place in Rawalpindi will be open to 4500 spectators each.
Pep Guardiola has revealed that Kyle Walker has asked to leave Manchester City in order to finish his career abroad.
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Defender asks to leave CityLeft out of squad for Salford gameOut-of-form veteran wants to end career abroadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The manager made the shock revelation after leaving Walker out of the squad for City's 8-0 thrashing of Salford City in the FA Cup. Walker has been one of City's worst performers this season but still has a contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2026.
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"Well it's not easy for me to say it because he should say it but he's not here so two days ago Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad at the end his career," Guardiola told a press conference. "He asked two years ago after the Treble, Bayern Munich wanted him but the offer was not good enough and the club asked how important he was. We cannot understand the success we have had these years without Kyle, it's impossible. He gave us something we didn't have he has been amazing but now in his mind he would like to explore going to another country to play the last few years for many reasons. For that reason I prefer to play other players whose minds are here."
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Walker looked to be on the verge of leaving City two years ago when he was left out of the team for several matches and Guardiola questioned his ability to fit into his new vision for the team's defence. He staged a stunning comeback, playing a crucial role as City won the treble including shutting down Vinicius Jr. in a rampant 4-0 win in the Champions League semi-final second leg. He was strongly linked with a move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023 but instead signed a new City contract after holding showdown talks with Guardiola in a Japanese restaurant in Manchester. Walker was named captain at the start of last season and was a regular as City won a record fourth consecutive Premier League title but his form has fallen off a cliff this campaign and he has been the main culprit for Guardiola's side's miserable title defence. He has lacked the physical sharpness which made him so hard to beat and has displayed numerous lapses of concentration. And in the background there have been countless stories about his chaotic private life.
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Walker did not directly consult Guardiola about leaving City but the manager respected his decision to look for a move, while also explaining it would not be right to play him while his mind is elsewhere. The coach said: "He went to the club, he went to Txiki [Begiristain, sporting director], he didn't speak with me. I'm pretty convinced that there is not one person who can perform exactly as they want if they don't want to be where they are. I respect [him] a lot because I'm more than grateful for what he has done in these many years with us, we started to win win win, he has been important with the national team, important with our team but he said he wants to explore his mind, his heart, be at another [club] and explore it but I don't know what's going to happen."
This summer could go down in history for West Ham United. Well, at least that’s what many fans thought, no doubt praising Tim Steidten’s strategic window which brought Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Füllkrug to the club, among others.
West Ham’s summer spending came to around £123m, bringing ten players through the door, with eight players leaving the club on a permanent transfer, and five going out on loan, to free up space and funds for the squad.
Crysencio Summerville for West Ham
But their summer window could have been even better, had they managed to get a few fringe players out the door, especially those earning more than their squad role would suggest.
Kudus & Summerville's start to the season
Mohammed Kudus has had a slower start to the campaign in regard to his goal involvements, providing just one single assist in his seven matches played so far this season. However, his importance in games is still extremely prevalent, often looking like the Hammers’ most dangerous player on the pitch.
Summerville, who joined West Ham this summer from Leeds United, is yet to get off the mark with any goals or assists for the Hammers, making six appearances for the club so far, and totalling 284 minutes played.
Stats (per 90 mins)
Kudus
Summerville
Goals + Assists
0.19
0.00
xG
0.10
0.08
xAG
0.14
0.23
Progressive Carries
5.60
3.85
Progressive Passes
2.00
0.00
Shots Total
2.45
1.56
Key Passes
0.80
1.54
Passes into Pen Area
0.60
1.54
Shot-Creating Actions
3.00
4.62
Successful Take-Ons
4.20
0.77
Summerville has only just joined the club, and is settling in, getting to know his new teammates and building relationships on the pitch. He is already averaging 0.23 xAG, playing 1.54 key passes per 90, and 1.54 passes into the penalty area, showing his creativity in the final third, just without the final touches so far.
Kudus, on the other hand, everyone knows what he can do. He is a goal threat from anywhere on the pitch, can carry the ball progressively upfield with his bursting pace, and isn’t afraid to get a shot away (2.45 shots per 90). Once that first goal goes in, expect more to follow.
That youthful duo look to be the present and future of the Irons, although one man who likely should have been resigned to the past is Danny Ings…
Danny Ings' West Ham wage
Remarkably, the former Southampton striker is earning more than Kudus (£90k-per-week) and Summerville (£30k-per-week) combined, as he reportedly rakes in around £125k-per-week at present.
His performances on the pitch, and role in the squad do not warrant this wage outlay though, as he is technically the third-choice striker (even fourth-choice if you include Bowen upfront as an option).
Despite coming from the bench and scoring a late equaliser against Fulham a few weeks ago, it is tough to justify the wages of the 32-year-old striker, after he made 30 appearances last season, totalling just 766 minutes, and scoring once.
Year
Goals
Assists
13/14
26
8
14/15
11
4
15/16
3
0
16/17
4
0
17/18
2
2
18/19
8
3
19/20
25
3
20/21
13
4
21/22
7
6
22/23
10
4
23/24
1
0
Ings has always scored goals wherever he has been, notably earning himself a move to Liverpool in 2015 due to his excellent 2013/14 campaign with Burnley in the Championship, and his 11-goal Premier League season the year after.
Wage Burners
Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
However, with the striker now 32, earning £125k-per-week, and rarely managing to get on the pitch, it is time West Ham moved the forward on, in order to reinvest those wages elsewhere in the squad more effectively.
Lopetegui even admitted that an exit was on the cards for Ings over the summer, with it yet to be seen whether a January departure will arise in the New Year.
Perfect for Bowen: West Ham could replace Lopetegui with 3-4-3 "genius"
The Spaniard is already under fire at the London Stadium.
Nine-wicket match haul leaves Scarborough faithful with a midweek to kill
David Hopps06-Sep-2021Yorkshire 308 (Brook 118, Thompson 57, Davey 4-72, de Lange 4-55) beat Somerset 134 (Fisher 5-41) and 141 (Fisher 4-23, Thompson 3-32) by an innings and 33 runsYorkshire are top of the Championship, albeit only briefly, Somerset dispensed with in two days at Scarborough. Victory was secured with the penultimate ball of the day with the pavilion clock showing five to seven after Yorkshire had claimed the extra half hour. The final blow was landed by Jordan Thompson, a slower ball which defeated Marchant de Lange’s leg-side smite on the full toss and spread-eagled the stumps. De Lange is not a batter who plays for the morning.It was the Festival Dinner in the Scarborough marquee immediately afterwards and the MC for the evening had been stricken by sciatica and feared that he might have to do his duties sitting down. That at least was an improvement on Somerset, who have spent the entire week in a state of collapse.To scores of 107 and 181 against Nottinghamshire, can now be added 134 and 141 against Yorkshire, an innings-and-160-run defeat followed by an innings and 33. Title challengers a week ago, the task of their captain, Tom Abell, is now to rally spirits so the canker does not spread to Finals Day in the Vitality Blast. “Our skill levels aren’t up to it at the moment,” said Abell. “The manner of the defeat is unpleasant. But this is where it’s important to stick together.”Yorkshire’s stand-out bowler was Matt Fisher, who returned a career-best 9 for 64 in the match, and their slip catching was exemplary: eight caught, none spilled. The premature win might disappoint the Festival crowd with two days of glorious sunshine forecast and no cricket to watch, but they should be placated by further proof that in Harry Brook, Yorkshire possess one of the best young batters in the country. And, if that doesn’t do the trick, well, there is always the crazy golf at Peasholm Park.The game was as good as up for Somerset when they resumed their second innings 174 behind, but with 44 overs to bat on a sunny evening (plus at least eight more in the extra half-hour) but they should have had the wherewithal to take the game into a third day.Instead, after 10.1 overs, they were 18 for 5. Fisher wreaked havoc in a new-ball burst of 4 for 2 in six overs and, if he swung the ball away appreciably at a little above 80mph (around 130kph), and was again backed by sharp-as-a-tack Yorkshire slip fielding, Somerset were enervated.Tom Lammonby determinedly rehearsed shots of grim defence at the non-striker’s end, but then fell for nought, undone at third slip by David Willey’s outswinger. The rest fell to Fisher. Azhar Ali was plucked at second slip in his third over; James Hildreth and George Bartlett, both lbw, bookended his fifth. Abell attempted a streetwise leave-alone and lost his off stump.It looked as if the match would slide into a third morning when Somerset finally fashioned resistance from their eighth-wicket pair of Jack Leach and Ben Green, but offspinner Dom Bess had Leach caught at slip in the penultimate over and Yorkshire claimed the extra half hour. Thompson yorked Green and then fell de Lange – although not before he had hit Bess out of the ground.The match won, a man who had climbed out of a first-floor window of a time-worn boarding house behind the arm to sit on a flat roof, picked up his chair and clambered back through the window again, presumably content with the outcome.At 159 for 5 overnight, Yorkshire’s lead was a paltry 24 runs and there was a sepulchral feel to the morning. Somerset’s head coach, Jason Kerr, had given it the speech about the big first hour, and that the ball would swing felt inevitable, but the envisaged recovery never materialised – Brook was just too good.Related
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Somerset scattered like seagulls at Scarborough before Harry Brook books in
Brook’s rich vein of form, across all formats, has come too late for Ashes consideration, but when it comes to Lions squads, or young player of the year awards, he surely has few equals. He appears to be a much calmer player than he was in April, and is all the better for it and has modified his trigger movement which had previously seen him lurch back and across onto off stump. He has said his improvement in white-ball cricket came from studying Joe Root’s method, and there is a touch of Root, too, about his tempo in four-day cricket where he seeks positivity without undue risk.If Brook’s first-day 79 from 86 balls had been impressive for its enterprise – a flood of impeccable drives and cuts – his continuation to 118 was just as notable for a different reason. In challenging conditions, he hunkered down and also left the ball impressively on a Scarborough surface with an occasionally steep bounce that many found disconcerting. It was the 13th over of the morning before he reached his century with successive fours against Abell, the first driven through the legs of de Lange at mid off, the second a wide half-volley which he drilled square to the popular banking.He departed with the second new ball just one ball away, a splendid catch low to his right by Abell when he cut at Green, but even then, with the lead 96, Somerset found nourishment hard to come by. Thompson, too, dubbed The Man Who Makes Things Happen in these parts, made very little happen for much of the morning before he made good his time at the crease by taking toll of the second new ball with some lantern-jawed aggression.Somerset’s batting travails of late have been well documented and there is no doubt that the highly-talented crop of young batters coming out of the Taunton schools do appear to better designed for T20. This might well be the way of the world, although the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, could easily be persuaded to address it with the rigours of Latin and the reapplication of the cane.But a lack of pace bowling resources is Somerset’s most glaring weakness. The loss of Craig Overton to England and Lewis Gregory to injury has exposed their slender resources. Jamie Overton left for Surrey and Jack Brooks’ future, at 37, is uncertain. They took the second new ball with Josh Davey, a consistent performer who at that point had 4 for 58 but who had a right to be weary after 23 overs, and Lammonby, who did not find the swing his captain had hoped for and who – like the other options, Abell and Green – is a fourth seamer at best. That is where a reinforcement is sorely needed.
Carlo Ancelotti opened up on Vinicius Jr's future at Real Madrid amid rumours of Saudi officials readying a €300m transfer bid for the Brazilian.
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Ancelotti shared his thoughts on Vini Jr's futureSaudi officials readying a world record bidReal face Brest on Wednesday Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
The Brazil star has been a target for Saudi Pro League clubs since last summer and the latest report from has claimed that officials in the Middle Eastern country are preparing a world record bid for Vinicius Jr. They are reportedly ready to pay €300 million (£251m/$313m) to Real Madrid for the star attacker and offer him €200m (£167m/$208m) in wages per season.
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As the Spanish champions brace themselves for a record transfer bid, manager Carlo Ancelotti says that he would "understand" if Vinicius chose to move to Saudi Arabia. However, the Italian backed the 24-year-old to pick more glory at Real over riches in the Middle East.
WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID
Speaking to reporters, the Italian coach said: "I understand everything in football. I understood Toni Kroos retiring from football [last summer]. Not many people understood it, but I did. I understand everything.
"They're individual decisions. But to me, the player [Vinicius] looks happy and excited about staying here and winning trophies with Real Madrid. I think he's thinking about choosing glory."
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Madrid will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on Brest in their final league stage match of the Champions League away from home.
“At the end of the day, there are stats in this game, but you know if you’re winning World Cups, people will remember those moments more.”
Deivarayan Muthu06-Oct-2021Before he made his Test debut, Devon Conway was asked about the landmarks he’d love to tick off during his career by his Wellington team-mate Logan van Beek on the podcast . Having grown up watching Jacques Kallis wait for 15 years to hit his maiden Test double-hundred, Conway said he dreamed of scoring one of his own… and winning a one-day World Cup.In his very first Test innings, Conway made a sublime double-century against England at Lord’s and two Tests later, he won the inaugural World Test Championship. He then sustained a finger injury during the Hundred, but is now fit and ready to take a crack at the World Cup.Related
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“There hasn’t been too much specific that I’ve been working on,” Conway said before flying out to the UAE. “I’ve been going through a months’ work of fitness training that the fitness trainer Chris Donaldson has sent me through, so there’s been a lot of fitness work done over the last month and then I’ve just allowed my finger to recover after the slight injury that I had a few months ago. But it’s all looking pretty positive and then just going through the T20 preparation – trying to work out a formula and what sort of plans I’m going to try and execute over in the UAE.”The odds are stacked against Conway in the UAE. He has never played in the country before and has only once toured the subcontinent, having travelled to Sri Lanka on a school visit way back in 2005. Conway is hoping to pick the brains of the other players who are more familiar with these conditions. Ten of New Zealand’s World Cup squad members are currently part of the second leg of the IPL in the UAE.”I wouldn’t say I’ve had much experience in these sorts of conditions, so I’m looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead,” Conway said. “We have quite a lot of experience around in the group that have played on that sort of a level and in the sort of conditions, so I’m sure I’ll be having lots of conversations with guys that have been there in the past and learning from them and going forward.”Conway has also been working with batting coach Luke Ronchi who has played 31 T20s in the UAE, scoring 976 runs at an average of 33.65 and strike rate of 158.69. Ronchi’s muscle at the top was central to Islamabad United winning their second PSL title in 2018. The UAE hosted the league stage that season before the tournament moved to Pakistan for the knockouts.
“It’s winning competitions, doing well for your team and creating a legacy once you’ve left [the game].”Devon Conway
“Yeah, I’ve been working quite closely with Luke Ronchi and he’s been around Wellington,” Conway said. “He’s had a fair bit of experience playing in the UAE, so I’ve had a lot of conversations with him about certain game plans and what to expect and what a certain way of scoring looks like. So, there’ve been quite a lot of conversations, so I suppose sometimes it’s a lot better experiencing that at the nets prior to the game starting, so I look forward to getting over there and training.”Conway usually opens the batting for Wellington, but his left-handedness and busy approach has given New Zealand a good option in the middle order. In the past international home summer, he made four fifty-plus scores, including an unbeaten 99 off 59 balls against Australia in Christchurch. He had also stepped up in the Super Smash final earlier this year, cracking an unbeaten 93 off 63 balls to help Wellington hunt down 176 and successfully defend their T20 title. Anticipating yorkers on the stumps from Canterbury’s Will Williams in the final over, Conway gave himself swinging room to access the offside and close out the victory. Sure, Conway is no power-hitter but such smarts could serve him well in the UAE where the pitches are tiring at the IPL.The experience of having dealt with pressure at the WTC final against India will also be beneficial for Conway. “The bigger thing for me is, try not to make too much of a big occasion out of it,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s still another game of cricket… so, it’s about taking each game at a time and not looking too far ahead. Then in saying that, being in the UAE, trying to experience the occasion will be pretty cool. It’ll be one of those where I try and cherish for a long time, but definitely looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.”Conway has played only a handful of internationals so far, but a big performance in a group that includes India and Pakistan to follow the Test heroics in England could define his career.”I’d love to win a World Cup – whether one day or T20 World Cup – that’d be pretty special,” Conway had told van Beek, who is part of the Netherlands’ World Cup squad. “You know watching how the guys went about it in England not so long ago – just seeing how much pride and how much they did for New Zealand as a whole and how the people reacted to that and the way they played their cricket was pretty cool to see.”I wasn’t involved or I wasn’t even in England but to see how much it means to the people here to step up and show what a small nation it is to achieve such a cool goal – it’ll be quite special. At the end of the day, there are stats in this game, but you know if you’re winning World Cups, people will remember those moments more than: oh, he averaged 40 in the first-class game or he took a ten-for. It’s more to that. It’s winning competitions, doing well for your team and creating a legacy once you’ve left [the game].”
Arsenal have made an excellent start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, remaining unbeaten after the first seven outings of the new campaign.
Mikel Arteta’s side have won five and drawn two in the league, sitting third in the division level on points with Manchester City and just a single point behind current leaders Liverpool.
Winger Bukayo Saka has starred once again in North London, registering two goals and seven assists for the Gunners – showcasing the excellent work done by staff behind the scenes at The Hale End academy in producing stars who can make an impact on the first team.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka
Ethan Nwaneri is another player in a long line who has progressed through the club, now becoming a regular member of Arteta’s squad throughout the early stages of this season.
However, their recruitment has also been up there with the very best in the country, allowing Arteta to be in with a chance of ending the club’s two-decade wait for a Premier League title.
Two of their best signings have really excellent in 2024/25. Here they are…
Raya & Gabriel’s stats for Arsenal in 2024/25
Despite Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the new campaign, goalkeeper David Raya has been a pivotal part in maintaining that record, producing numerous moments of magic in all competitions over the last few months.
His miraculous save from Ollie Watkins’ header in the victory against Aston Villa prevented the Gunners from falling behind and allowed them to push on and secure a vital victory against a tricky opponent.
The Spaniard also produced a moment of magic against Atalanta in the Champions League, making a stupendous double save from Mateo Retegui to prevent Arteta’s side from falling to a defeat during the opening matchday of their European adventure.
As for central defender Gabriel, he’s been a crucial player at both ends of the pitch, popping up in key moments for the Gunners.
The 26-year-old has been a part of a backline that has managed to keep five clean sheets already this season, but it’s his impact in the final third that has caught the eye during 2024/25.
The Brazilian has already scored twice, heading home the winner against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur before towering in a header against title contenders Manchester City which helped secure a vital point for the Gunners.
It’s a testament to the recruitment under Arteta’s reign that both have been so good, but as all Arsenal fans will be too aware, it wasn’t great under Unai Emery who signed a notable dud who earned more than both Raya and Gabriel.
The man who earned more than Raya & Gabriel
Nicolas Pepe joined Arsenal for a whopping £72m back in the summer of 2019, arriving at the club with huge expectations to transform the club’s fortunes in attacking areas.
1) Declan Rice
£105m
2) Nicolas Pepe
£72m
3) Kai Havertz
£65m
4) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
£52m
5) Ben White
£50m
However, the move was a complete disaster, with the Ivorian only scoring 27 times in 112 appearances for the Gunners – an average of just one goal every four games he featured in.
The former Lille man showed glimpses of his talent, however, failed to provide consistency in the final third, which eventually led to him losing his first-team place at the Emirates.
Pepe would subsequently depart the club on a free transfer last summer, joining Turkish side Trabzonspor – ending his torrid four-year stint at the Emirates.
The winger, whose transfer was dubbed as a “horrendous mistake” by journalist Charles Watts, also earned a huge fortune during his time in England – pocketing more than Raya and Gabriel on a weekly basis.
According to Capology, Pepe took home £140k-per-week during his stint at Arsenal, a figure higher than the two current first-team stars, with Raya and Gabriel only earning £100k-per-week each.
When combining the winger’s yearly earnings with his mammoth transfer fee, he cost the club a huge £90m – which worked out to around £800k per appearance he made during his time in North London.
The move overall for Pepe was a complete disaster, costing the club a fortune but failing to provide the impact envisaged upon his big-money transfer under Unai Emery.
His move has undoubtedly provided a stark reminder for the club’s transfer business, allowing them to avoid such dealings and recruit players who have made a significant impact and helped the Gunners close in on a first title since the early 2000s.
Arsenal must sign a new winger after shocking Bukayo Saka injury claim
Bukayo Saka has played a bucket load of minutes over the last few years.
Aston Villa’s excellent start to life in the Champions League continued in midweek as they secured a 2-0 win over Bologna. The result means they currently top the table alongside Liverpool after three matches.
Unai Emery now has a fantastic chance to ensure Villa secure progression to the last 16 after this impressive start, but with games coming thick and fast, squad rotation will be crucial.
Indeed, the Midlands side takes on AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, just five days after their European exploits. This could see the Spaniard make a few changes to his squad, namely with Jhon Duran dropping back to the bench.
Why Jhon Duran may be dropped to the bench
The promising striker has been in sensational form this term, scoring seven goals in 12 appearances, starting just two of those games.
Against Bologna, he found the back of the net, took five total shots, succeeded with 100% of his dribbles and made one key pass in what was a solid all-round display from the youngster.
Goals
1
Assists
0
Total shots
5
Key passes
1
Total duels (won)
12 (5)
Possession lost
11
Ollie Watkins will likely come back into the starting XI against the Cherries, however, enabling Emery to unleash Duran at some stage in the second half if things aren’t going Villa’s way.
He won’t be the only player who could drop to the bench this weekend, as Amadou Onana wasn’t exactly at the races against the Serie A side in midweek.
Amadou Onana’s game in numbers vs Bologna
Having lost Douglas Luiz during the summer, Emery made the move to secure Onana’s signature as a replacement and the Belgian has shone during the embryonic stages of his spell in the Midlands.
Amadou Onana
The 23-year-old has already scored three goals in 11 appearances for Villa, yet he appeared strangely subdued against Bologna.
The midfielder did complete 96% of his passes during his time on the pitch, but he only managed 28 touches along with making just two tackles and zero interceptions in the first half.
It looked as though he was struggling physically and Emery took him off at half-time, with the Spaniard later revealing that while the summer signing “had some pain”, the decision was also a “tactical” one.
Onana was given a match rating of 5/10 for his lacklustre performance by GOAL following the match, which could perhaps give an indication that Emery might drop him to the bench ahead of the weekend’s clash against Bournemouth.
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Lauded as a “powerhouse” by former striker Darren Bent once the transfer window closed, Onana could be replaced by either Ross Barkley or Boubacar Kamara.
Barkley was the man to come on for the Belgian against the Italian side, going on to record a 96% pass success rate along with winning 100% of his duels and losing possession just twice.
Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans
Kamara made his first appearance since suffering an ACL injury in February, which ruled him out of the rest of the 2023/24 campaign.
It may come too soon for him to be unleashed in the starting XI, but his time should come sooner rather than later, no doubt about that.
Better than Duran: Aston Villa star just dropped a UCL masterclass
Aston Villa kept their 100% record in the Champions League going versus Bologna.
Marcus Rashford is targeting Champions League glory at Aston Villa as the Manchester United loanee believes he can still "decide games".
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Rashford eyeing European success at VillaBelieves he can revive best form under EmeryThe Midlands club will pay 75 per cent of Rashford’s wagesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Manchester United forward, who found himself out of favour under Ruben Amorim, has now completed a loan switch to Villa Park, marking the end of his struggles at Old Trafford. Rashford will spend the remainder of the 2024-25 season with Unai Emery’s squad, with Villa having the option to make the transfer permanent for £40 million ($49m) in the summer.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT RASHFORD SAID
Villa finished eighth in the Champions League league phase standings, which has helped them secure a direct ticket to the round of 16. Rashford is thrilled to be returning to Europe’s top-tier club competition and believes Villa have the ambition and firepower to go far.
"Being back in the Champions League is hugely exciting," he told the club media. "It’s the biggest competition for a club to be involved in, and they’re always great nights. We want to get as far as we can, and if we don’t aim to win it, then we’re never going to win it. I’m sure it will be a great experience for me playing for Villa in the Champions League."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite a challenging spell at United, Rashford remains confident in his ability to impact games.
"I know I can hurt teams and, when I’m at my best, decide football games," he asserted. "That will be my only goal, to help the team win more games, more points and hopefully create history. I’ve played a fair amount of games in the Champions League so I feel like I’m experienced and know how to handle those situations. It’s my first time playing for another team but it’s been excitement rather than being scared. It’s an ambitious time for this club and a great opportunity for me to help them keep pushing forward."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Throughout the January transfer window, Rashford was heavily linked with a move away from Manchester United, with AC Milan and Barcelona both showing interest. However, despite the possibility of moving abroad, he ultimately decided to remain in England, opting to join Villa’s ambitious project under Emery. Although Aston Villa did not pay a loan fee for Rashford, they have agreed to cover at least 75 per cent of his £325,000-per-week wages. This figure could increase to 90 per cent if certain performance-related bonuses are met, making it a significant financial commitment from the Midlands club.