Sunderland haven’t always made Premier League survival look like a painless feat to achieve.

Indeed, the Black Cats have actually fallen victim to the terrible fate of relegation down to the Championship four times since the top division’s rebrand in 1992.

Thankfully, plenty of fight and quality to beat the drop this time around has already been on display, with two wins and two draws picked up from their opening five clashes in the unforgiving league, meaning Regis Le Bris’ men are sitting in a pretty seventh spot currently.

That isn’t to say there weren’t several fan favourites from Sunderland’s previous relegation dogfights, though, with Jermain Defoe a recent hero that sticks out, even as the Wearside outfit tumbled out of the big time.

Defoe's hero status at Sunderland

Defoe would arrive at the Black Cats in 2014 with the reputation for being a clinical goal machine in the Premier League, with a mammoth 126 top-flight goals already notched up, before finding himself in the midst of a relegation tussle at the Stadium of Light.

Joining mid-way through the season could well have unnerved others. Defoe, on the other hand, managed to instantly hit the ground running to guide Sunderland to safety, with his unbelievable first-time effort against fierce rivals Newcastle United still remembered to this day as an iconic goal.

In total, 34 top-flight strikes would be put away by Sunderland’s dependable number 18 across 87 games, with a return to the England set-up even coming the veteran’s way, off the back of such a blistering purple patch of form.

Unfortunately, though, even as he routinely put on the captain’s armband, relegation would still swallow the Black Cats whole at the end of his final goal-laden season in the top-flight.

Regardless, the experienced talisman had still left a lasting impact on supporters in Wearside, with his teammate at the time, Adnan Januzaj, hailing him as “unbelievable” to work alongside.

Defoe would even come back to the Black Cats towards the tail-end of his playing days, but away from the glittering marksman’s extensive career, Le Bris will hope he now has his own much-loved leader figure in a similar vein to the Englishman in this passionate Sunderland presence.

Sunderland's new Defoe

Immediately, the first name that might well spring to mind here in being a Defoe-like hero is Wilson Isidor.

After all, much like the much-loved number 18, Isidor has already proven himself to be a hard-to-contain attacker in the Premier League, with an impressive three goals being fired home this season, steering the Black Cats to some invaluable early victories.

However, even though he isn’t leading the line, the actual figure being touted as the next Defoe here is Granit Xhaka, as the Black Cats thank their lucky stars once more that they managed to pick up a Premier League-experienced pro on the cheap.

As part of an ingenious swap deal that saw Jozy Altidore move to Toronto FC while the attacking veteran relocated back to English shores, Defoe would undoubtedly further affirm his status as a Premier League great.

In the here and now, Xhaka swapping Bayer Leverkusen for the Black Cats for just £17.3m is going down much the same way.

Games played

5

Goals scored

0

Assists

2

Touches*

73.2

Accurate passes*

48.8 (83%)

Key passes*

1.4

Ball recoveries*

4.2

Total duels won*

6.8

Before embarking on a shock return to England, Xhaka did already have 225 Premier League appearances under his belt, with 17 goals and 24 assists next to his name for Arsenal in the daunting league, even seeing him be referred to as a “monster” by Gunners-based writer Connor Humm.

The concern would have been whether the Swiss international could roll back the years on his return to the English top-flight.

However, based on the table above, there didn’t need to be any major worries, as Sunderland has seemingly hit the jackpot on a new talisman – much like they jumped for joy with Defoe – in their tenacious number 34.

Already blending his obvious class with bags of determination to ensure Sunderland punch above their weight, it’s even clearer now why picking up Xhaka had been described as “masterstroke” of a purchase, as it had been labelled by Sky Sports’ Don Goodman when he first arrived on the scene.

Many would have viewed Defoe’s entry into the building way back in 2014 in the same glowing manner, with Le Bris and Co. now well positioned to go against their bleak relegation history and beat the drop with Xhaka placed at the centre of their plans.

Sunderland star Habib Diarra injury return date, how many games he'll miss

A blow for the Black Cats…

ByTom Cunningham Sep 23, 2025

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Após 23 anos, o São Paulo finalmente volta a disputar uma final da Copa do Brasil. Foi a primeira e última vez que o Tricolor disputou uma decisão assim pelo maior mata mata nacional.

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Naquele ano, a campanha estava tranquila até o jogo da final. O Tricolor eliminou o Comercial-MS, o Sinop-MS e América de Natal, o Palmeiras e o Atlético-MG.

Na final, disputada contra o Cruzeiro, o São Paulo empatou sem gols no estádio do Morumbi. Porém, no Mineirão, perdeu de virada por 2 a 1. Uma vitória histórica do Raposa, com gol nos acréscimos, marcado de falta por Geovanni.

O Tricolor abriu o placar aos 20 minutos, com Marcelinho Paraíba. Aos 34 minutos, Fábio Júnior empatou, e como dito anteriormente, Geovanni fechou o placar.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

Neste domingo (17) encontra o Flamengo pelo jogo de ida da final, no Maracanã. A decisão, no jogo de volta, será no Morumbi, dia 24.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Aaronson's first Premier League goal in 3 years

We're all Brenden Aaronson fans now. What a confusing player he is. The Philadelphia Union product was always renowned for his work rate, but there's certainly more to him than his pressing and running ability. The issue? He doesn't show it enough. 

Well, he produced the kind of performance for Leeds this weekend that shows why he may yet have his moment for the USMNT. He scored one, and almost added a ridiculous second to secure a 2-1 win for his side. And just like that, Mauricio Pochettino has another decision to make. 

He wasn't the only one to perform. Marseille lost twice this week, and looked well off the pace. Well, no one told Tim Weah. He assisted in a loss for Roberto De Zerbi's side, but continues to impress – and might have just found a club that suits him.

There were other moments of promise, too, highlighted by an assist for Tyler Adams. And in a period marred by injuries – Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson are both struggling with knocks – those small victories are more significant. 

There were some underperformances, too. It was a poor weekend for the striker pool. Josh Sargent's cold streak continued. Ricardo Pepi's impact was minimal. And Folarin Balogun was held scoreless.

GOAL looks at the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.

Getty Images SportAaronson's statement game

This was, almost certainly, the most impressive game of Brenden Aaronson's career. It was, at the very least, his best Premier League performance. From his early goal to his ridiculous run through the West Ham midfield and defense, Aaronson put on one hell of a show for Leeds on Friday.

Aaronson was far and away the best player on the field in Leeds' 2-1 win over lowly West Ham. He scored the opener just three minutes in, pouncing on a rebound for his first Premier League goal in three years. That goal could be a breakthrough moment for Aaronson, who continues his quest to prove that he is, in fact, a Premier League-quality player.

That quality was on full display in the second half, when Aaronson went on a mazy run right on through the entire West Ham team after receiving the ball in his own half. Aaronson wasn't denied by an opponent, but rather by the post. He deserved better, given the quality of his run.

There are caveats, given just how poor West Ham have been this season, but that doesn't take away from just how good Aaronson was. He completed more dribbles than anyone in the match. He created two chances, scored one and won eight of his 10 duels. This was a complete Premier League game from a Premier League player, one that is playing like he has a point to prove.

AdvertisementAFPWeah provides assist as Marseille lose

It was a poor weekend for Marseille. They fell, 2-1, to Lens on Saturday. After taking the lead early, they conceded a penalty in the 23rd minute and scored an own goal in the 53rd. That's not how you want to lose. It's especially bad, though, knowing you could have gone top of Ligue 1 with a victory.

It was, however, a good day for Weah, who picked up his first assist of the season despite the defeat.

That assist came in the 17th minute as Weah received the ball in his right-wing position. After beating a defender, Weah centered a pass for Mason Greenwood, who curled home the opening goal from just outside the box. Despite several solid performances so far for Marseille, it was Weah's first goal contribution of the campaign – and it notably came in an attacking position.

Weah's position is, of course, up for debate. He's largely played as a winger with the USMNT but recently featured as a wingback as part of the team's shift. That role seems to suit him, too, and he's played it plenty on the club level.

Regardless of role, Weah is a player who adds life to the attacking side of the ball. The assist was another example of that.

Getty Images SportAdams 'assists'

Speaking of assists, Tyler Adams doesn't get many. It's not his job, to be fair, to impact the game in the final third. Adams did get an assist for Bournemouth on Sunday, though, and he got it in the quite possibly the most humorous way possible.

Adams didn't tee up a goal with an incisive pass. He didn't beat a defender with a moment of magic. Nope, Adams was fouled on top of the ball and watched as his teammate, Eli Junior Kroupi, drove forward and smashed a shot into the back of the net from 25 yards out. They all count, though, right?

Outside of the "assist." Adams did his usual thing. He committed three fouls to frustrate Nottingham Forest. He had three tackles, too. He, ultimately, helped Bournemouth to a 2-0 victory.

That was stat that mattered, at least to Adams, even though he can surely laugh about his goal contribution.

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GettyMcKennie continues to struggle

Well, that was a bit underwhelming. There is supposed to be a familiar arc to Weston McKennie's seasons. The usual sequence of events: almost gets sold, stays, starts balling, becomes indispensable. So far this season, he has only completed two of those four.

The U.S. International has struggled since Igor Tudor came in, looking a shadow of his best self for both club and country. And he was thoroughly tepid against Lazio on Sunday. So much about his performance was so average – 78 minutes of soccer, one shot skewed wide, a yellow card, a few decent passes.

But he was otherwise just sort of, well, there. In fairness, no one for Juve was really on it. Dusan Vlahovic missed often. Jonathan David continued to struggle. Everything was flat. They could have few complaints about a 1-0 loss. 

But for the American, it all looked similar to his performances under Pochettino during the U.S. camp earlier this month. McKennie is supposed to struggle here and there, but the whole point is that he rebounds. But with zero goals, zero assists and little else to report, the rebound is very much yet to come.

While Liverpool began to show notable chinks in the armour before the international break, Manchester City looked to be back to their frightening best, after initially wobbling at the very start of the new Premier League campaign.

Since suffering two defeats in a row in August, Pep Guardiola’s men have gone on to win five matches in all competitions, amid a seven-game unbeaten streak that included a comprehensive 3-0 drubbing of Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils in yet another one-sided Manchester Derby.

Unsurprisingly, Erling Haaland has been City’s reliable goal machine once more as they now sit just three points shy of the Premier League summit.

With a goal next to his name in the break too for Norway, it looks very unlikely – moving forward – that the lethal 25-year-old will suddenly suffer a dip in form, as he only looks to strengthen his tag as City’s main marksman even more.

Erling Haaland's unbelievable start to the season

Staggeringly, Haaland can now boast an other-worldly tally of 19 goals across his last ten games for club and country, with wild claims from the Spanish media once upon a time that he is a “cyborg” in front of goal very much ringing true.

Nine of those efforts have come in the bread and butter of the Premier League this season, with this effort against Brentford last time out – which was put away with strength and class in equal measure – taking the robotic 25-year-old to an absurd 94 goals in total in the punishing division.

Of course, there will be slight worries about his injury record and whether that could derail this unbelievable stretch of form down the line, with Haaland going on to miss 21 games overall across City’s last two seasons, owing to injury concerns popping up.

Having sat out Norway’s last friendly contest, though, he should be sharp and ready to return to Premier League action very soon as the notorious goalscoring beast he is.

Amazingly, despite reaching these superhuman levels for the Citizens, there is another player at Guardiola’s disposal who has been compared to his insane levels.

Man City have found the "Haaland of defenders"

In all fairness, while Haaland does often steal the headlines for his ridiculous goalscoring prowess, City’s recent spree of Premier League title wins – before Arne Slot’s Liverpool took over – wasn’t all just down to the individual brilliance of the number nine.

Indeed, football is a team sport after all, with Haaland no doubt blessed to have lined up alongside the likes of Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and many other sublime attacking partners since joining the illustrious club in 2022.

Yet, it’s Josko Gvardiol who has been dubbed the “Haaland of defenders” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with the Croat very rarely looking out of place in City’s first-team set-up himself, since leaving the Bundesliga behind in 2023, much like his Nordic teammate’s route.

In total, now for Guardiola’s giants, the ex-RB Leipzig warrior has picked up 103 appearances across three seasons, with one performance during his debut campaign in England even seeing ex-footballer Steph Houghton refer to the Zagreb-born star as “flawless.”

Gvardiol’s PL numbers for City

Stat

Gvardiol

Games played

69

Minutes played

5947

Goals scored

9

Assists

2

Pass accuracy

4524 (90%)

Duels won

309

Stats via Premier League

He has certainly looked composed and assured this season, even when things haven’t entirely gone City’s way, with an unerring pass accuracy averaged this campaign in league action coming in at a high 91%.

Similarly, Haaland has never looked fazed by City dropping points here and there, with the ice-cold number nine actually benefitting from a superb Gvardiol through ball against Brentford to seal that 1-0 win.

Also, despite being a defender by trade, the much-loved number 24 has very much proven to be a hit in terms of popping up with a big goal on occasion.

Of course, he is nowhere near Haaland’s extraordinary ability in this department, but the Croat did suddenly spark into life at the close of his debut season when scoring four goals across his team’s last seven games to secure a Premier League title triumph.

As City attempt to lick their wounds and challenge for Premier League titles once more, Guardiola will know he needs Gvardiol to be this exceptional version of himself across the rest of the challenging top-flight marathon, alongside an equally untouchable Haaland.

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Carse and Woakes are set to open the bowling, while Tongue and Bashir have retained their positions

Matt Roller18-Jun-2025

It will be Ollie Pope, rather than Jacob Bethell, who bats at No. 3 for England against India in Friday’s first Test at Headingley.Pope, England’s vice-captain, left his position vulnerable after a poor run of form last year. Moreover, Bethell’s sudden emergence in New Zealand prompted serious consideration about the No. 3 spot. But Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have opted to retain Pope, resisting the temptation to pick England’s most promising young player of his generation.Bethell’s opportunity at No. 3 in New Zealand was the result of two absentees – Jamie Smith (paternity leave) and Jordan Cox (thumb injury) – pressing Pope into action as England’s wicketkeeper. He scored three half-centuries in his first three Tests, including a second-innings 96 in Wellington, while Pope looked more comfortable down at No. 6.But Pope returned to No. 3 against Zimbabwe last month, with Bethell deemed unavailable while at the IPL, and scored 171 to push his case for retention. Rob Key, England’s director of cricket, said on Tuesday that England had “two brilliant options” for one position, and they have chosen Pope.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

England confirmed their team for the first Test on Wednesday, with Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes set to open the bowling after missing last month’s win over Zimbabwe through injuries. Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir retain their positions, with Gus Atkinson still recovering from a hamstring injury, while captain Stokes completes the attack.This will be Carse’s first home Test, after he took 27 wickets in five Tests in Pakistan and New Zealand this winter. “Headingley is an unbelievable ground,” he said. “I’ve played a bit of white-ball cricket here over the last couple of years… but to be able to play a home Test against India is going to be pretty exciting and I cannot wait to get going.”Carse has been a change bowler throughout his first-class career but is expected to take the new ball alongside Woakes this week. “There has been a little bit of discussion around that. I’m relishing that opportunity, if that is what it is,” he said. “I opened the bowling during the one-day series [against West Indies] and felt comfortable and confident.”England’s attack has considerably less experience than those India have faced on their recent tours. Mark Wood remains sidelined with a knee injury, while Rishabh Pant said it was “definitely” a bonus not to face the retired James Anderson and Stuart Broad. “It feels so good,” Pant said, with a smile. “But… they have enough ammunition as an England bowling line-up.”England XI: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Shoaib Bashir.

The ICC has introduced the stop clock to control over rates in Test cricket as well

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Jun-2025The ICC recently approved several changes to its playing conditions for men’s international cricket including the updated Boundary Law and operating with just one ball in ODIs from the 35th over. While some of these new rules have already come into play in the new cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) (2025-27), those pertaining to white-ball cricket will be effective from July 2.Having accessed the playing conditions the ICC shared with the member countries recently, ESPNcricinfo looks at the noteworthy changes across the three formats.Stop clock in Test cricketA year after introducing a stop clock in white-ball formats, the ICC has decided to introduce it in Test cricket as well because slow over rates have been a long-standing problem in the format. According to the rule, the fielding side must be ready to start an over within a minute of the previous one ending. They will receive two warnings from the umpires if they fail to do so. After those warnings, the umpires will impose a five-run penalty on the bowling team. Warnings will be reset to zero after each block of 80 overs. Also, the clock will be counted upwards from 0 to 60. The rule has already been in play since the beginning of the 2025-27 WTC cycle.Related

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No mandatory ball change for deliberate use of salivaWhile the ban on the use of saliva on the ball continues, the ICC has said it is no longer mandatory for the umpires to change the ball after a player is found using saliva. This change comes to avoid a scenario where teams trying to force a ball change deliberately apply saliva on it. So going forward, the umpires will only change the ball if its condition has been drastically changed, like if it appears too wet or there is more shine. This has been left entirely to the discretion of the umpires. Also, if the ball starts doing things after the umpires have said the application of saliva has not changed its condition, it cannot be replaced. The batting team, though, will be awarded five runs.DRS protocol for secondary review after an out decisionImagine this – a batter has been given out caught behind and he asks for a review. UltraEdge shows the ball has actually brushed the pads without any contact with the bat. With the catch ruled out, the TV umpire now checks for the second mode of dismissal, and, asks to verify via ball-tracking whether the batter is lbw. So far, the protocol during such a review was, once it was determined the batter was not out caught, the default decision for the second mode of dismissal – lbw – would be not out. That means if ball-tracking led to an “umpire’s call” verdict, the batter would remain not out. But in the updated rule, when the ball-tracking graphic for lbw is displayed, the “original decision” label on it will read “out”. And if the review yields an umpire’s call verdict, then the batter would be ruled out.Combined reviews – decision will be chronologicalThe ICC has also decided to modify the process of adjudication during a combined review involving both umpire and player referrals by conducting them in a chronological order, or their order of occurrence. Till now, during a combined review the process involved the TV umpire taking up the umpire review before moving on to the player’s review. “If the conclusion from the first incident is that a batter is dismissed, then the ball would be deemed to have become dead at that point, rendering investigation of the second incident unnecessary,” rule 3.9 in the revised ICC playing conditions says. So if there is an appeal for an lbw as well as a run out, the TV umpire would now first take up the leg-before review as that occurred first. In case the batter is out, then the ball would be declared dead.There will continue to be a five-run penalty if saliva is applied on the ball•Getty ImagesFairness of catch to be reviewed for no-ballSay there is a case where both on-field officials are not certain if a catch has been taken cleanly, but even as they are deliberating, the TV umpire informs them it was a no-ball. In the previous version of the playing conditions, once the no-ball was signaled, the TV umpire would not need to adjudicate on the fairness of the catch. But in the updated playing conditions, the third umpire will now review the catch and if it is a fair catch then the batting team will only get an extra run for the no-ball. However, if the catch is not clean, the batting team would get the runs the batters have taken.Deliberate short runSo far, in case one of the batters had been caught taking a deliberate short run, the batting team would suffer a five-run penalty. But in the updated rules if one of the batters is found to have not made their ground deliberately in order to steal an extra run, then the umpires will ask the fielding team to decide which batter they want on strike. Also, the five-run penalty will continue to be part of the sanction.”A deliberate short run is an attempt for batters to appear to run more than one run, while at least one batter deliberately does not make good their ground at one end,” Rule 18.5.1 of the playing conditions says. “Batters may choose to abort a run, provided the umpire believes that there was no intention by the batter concerned to deceive the umpires or to score the run in which they didn’t make their ground.”Full-time playing replacement in domestic first-class cricketTo offset the loss of a player who has suffered serious external injury, the ICC has asked boards to trial in their domestic first-class cricket fielding a full-time replacement player who can come in and perform the role of a team participant. The replacement player will have to be like for like, as is the case for a concussion sub. The injury will need to be evident and visible to the match officials before they allow a full-time replacement. This would not apply for players suffering hamstring pulls or niggles.This rule will be on a trial basis and is entirely up to the member countries to implement in their domestic first-class circuit.

The powers that be at West Bromwich Albion would have been very aware that appointing Ryan Mason this summer was an almighty gamble.

After all, away from the odd caretaker game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, the 34-year-old had never been a fully-fledged manager in North London. Rather, he was seen as a highly-regarded coach, attempting to get even more out of an exciting pool of youngsters at the Premier League club.

However, the early signs of his Baggies tenure show that he is cut out for the pressures of a main gig in the Championship, with three victories collected from his four clashes in the tough division sticking out.

Mason should be commended for this largely positive start, even if some defeats have started to pile up in recent games, having had to navigate his new side through a choppy summer in the transfer window.

West Brom's bumpy summer

Indeed, late on into the window, West Brom had to wave goodbye to homegrown favourite Tom Fellows, as a move to Southampton beckoned.

With Fellows tallying up a stunning 14 assists last season in Championship action, it was an obvious knock to the Baggies’ confidence losing their star-man to a second-tier promotion rival, with other notable departures only opening up the West Brom wound even more.

At least West Brom managed to get a considerable £8m out of the Saints to then part ways with their homegrown prodigy, with the second-tier giants unfortunately saying farewell to Semi Ajayi, John Swift, and Grady Diangana for nothing, alongside further seeing the back of Torbjorn Heggem to Bologna.

They have recovered, though, with the signing of Nathaniel Phillips from Liverpool boosting their depleted numbers in the heart of defence, alongside Isaac Price immediately stepping up in the absence of Fellows.

The ex-Everton starlet would chip in with two strikes in West Brom’s early-season victory on the road at Wrexham, with scout Jacek Kulig even going as far as to describe the Northern Ireland international as “outstanding.”

With Mason being well-known for working with some top youngsters at Spurs, there is one rising ace at the Hawthorns who could well fancy their chances now of being the next Price.

The "outstanding" youngster who could be another Price

After all, it appears that the 21-year-old just needed an appropriate platform to express himself, having been previously labelled as “tremendous” by journalist Joe Thomas when he was still just a youngster attempting to cut his teeth on Merseyside.

Despite such glowing praise, Price would never go on to make a first-team appearance for the Toffees, with Harry Whitwell hoping he’s not in danger of being forgotten about in a similar dismissive manner in the current youth set-up in the West Midlands.

Thankfully, he already trumps his midfield counterpart in terms of senior chances, with Whitwell even handed a run-out towards the tail-end of last season in the bread and butter of the Championship.

Having shone on the youth pitches at the Baggies for some time now, on top of being handed more first-team experience this campaign on loan with Robbie Savage’s Forest Green Rovers in non-league, it does feel as if the building blocks are all slowly falling into place for the 19-year-old to be a success under Mason very shortly.

Savage has even gone out of his way to label the teenager as “outstanding” for his early efforts at the New Lawn, with his overall career goal contribution numbers coming in at a weighty 23, further reinforcing the argument that he could be a Price-level talent.

The promotion-chasing Baggies will have to play the long game here, however, with Whitwell out on loan in the National League for the remainder of the season.

But, if the unthinkable were to occur and Price moved on, alongside other damaging sales happening again, the time might finally be right for the Oxford-born youngster to leave his mark.

Value has dropped by £13m: West Brom sold a bigger talent than Isaac Price

West Bromwich Albion sold a bigger talent than Isaac Price when they offloaded this former dud.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 23, 2025

The North London Derby is always an occasion that all Arsenal supporters look forward to, but in years gone by, they’ve often been on the receiving end of Harry Kane’s quality.

In his 21 outings against the Gunners, the Englishman found the back of the net 15 times – a record that is the third-highest of any side he’s faced in his career to date.

He was also on the winning side in eight of the contests, often popping up with the crucial goal in numerous Derby outings and causing pain to the supporters of Arsenal.

However, the hierarchy have constantly been hunting for their own version of the talisman over recent years in an attempt to claim Premier League glory.

However, despite the board backing Mikel Arteta, the Spaniard is still struggling to find someone capable of emulating Kane.

Why Harry Kane was allowed to leave Arsenal

Despite all the success Kane has endured in his professional career, it could have been so different for the player had Arsenal kept hold of him when he was a youngster.

The Englishman was part of the Gunners’ iconic Hale End Academy, but was let go at the age of 12, with his physical condition being one of the main reasons behind his departure.

In an interview a couple of years ago, former Arsenal academy manager Roy Massey claimed he made a mistake in allowing him to depart, but didn’t think he would become a professional at the time of his release.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he stated: “Harry was a lovely young player. He was quiet, shy, didn’t have what we thought it would take to become a professional footballer and so we were totally mistaken.

“Although I’ve got to say that when Harry was released when he was 11 or 12 years of age, he did go to play for his Sunday league club for the next three years, so no other club picked him up in that age group.”

There’s no denying that the club made a huge error in allowing the forward to depart, with their loss unfortunately being the gain of their bitter rivals for many years.

However, the fans may already have their own version of the star currently within their ranks at present – with the talent able to take the club to new heights in the years ahead.

The Arsenal star who’s their answer to Kane

As previously mentioned, Kane is a player who has run Arsenal ragged over recent years, but he’s also tormented countless other backlines, as seen by his Premier League goal tally.

He’s scored 213 goals in England’s top-flight, the second most of any player in the division’s history, with only former Newcastle United star Alan Shearer the only star scoring more to date.

However, a deal for Viktor Gyokeres could see the Gunners have their own version of the talisman, especially if he can replicate such numbers from his recent stint in Portugal.

Despite the move, Arteta’s side already have their own answer to former Spurs star Kane in the form of winger Bukayo Saka – something which may come as a surprise to many.

The glaring difference is their ability to operate in opposing roles, but that hasn’t stopped the 24-year-old from being the club’s greatest source of goals in recent years.

He’s scored 74 times for the Gunners in his 283 outings across all competitions, even ending the 2023/24 campaign as the club’s top scorer in the Premier League.

Saka, who’s been labelled as a “legend in the making” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also mirrors Kane’s ability to be a homegrown star, with both coming through their respective academies in North London.

Appearances

283

Minutes

20271′

Goals

74

Assists

72

Yellow cards

31

Goal involvements per match

0.51

Minutes per goal involvement

141.7

Like Kane, he’s loved starring in the derby between the two clubs, subsequently scoring five times in his nine outings – the second most of any club he’s faced in his career.

His ability for the Gunners is one thing, but the forward has also thrived on the international stage, with his latest effort against Wales catapulting himself into the record books.

Saka has now scored 13 goals for the Three Lions, the most of any Arsenal player in history, something which is a remarkable feat for such a young and upcoming talent.

At just 24, he has bags of time to build on his impressive start to his professional career with the Gunners and potentially be a key player in any title hunt this campaign.

Whilst Gyokeres could well provide key goals throughout 2025/26, the Englishman could well prove to be the club’s most threatening option over the next couple of months.

If he does continue on such a track, there’s no reason why he can’t be the club’s own version of Kane and continue to break records throughout his career.

As important as Saka: Arsenal star is becoming one of "the best in the world"

While many may point to Bukayo Saka or William Saliba as Arsenal’s most important players, another star is now becoming “one of the best in the world”

ByBen Gray Oct 15, 2025

كشفت تقارير صحفية عن مستجدات بشأن أزمة كيليان مبابي مهاجم ريال مدريد، مع ناديه السابق باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي.

مبابي انضم إلى ريال مدريد في صفقة انتقال حر في صيف 2024، ورفع دعاوى قضائية متعددة على ناديه السابق باريس سان جيرمان.

ومن بين مطالبه، يطالب مبابي، باريس سان جيرمان، بدفع مبلغ قدره 55 مليون يورو، وهو ما يعادل راتب الأشهر الثلاثة الأخيرة من عقده مع الفريق الفرنسي، بالإضافة إلى مكافآت التوقيع والتي لم تُدفع بعد.

وبحسب ما علمت وكالة “فرانس برس” يوم الأربعاء، من مصدر قضائي، كيليان مبابي وناديه السابق، باريس سان جيرمان، قد استُدعيا لحضور جلسة استماع أمام محكمة العمل في باريس يوم 17 نوفمبر، وذلك في إطار نزاعهما القانوني المستمر.

وأفاد المصدر القضائي لوكالة “فرانس برس” أن مبابي يطلب إعادة تصنيف عقده محدد المدة إلى عقد دائم، وستُعقد الجلسة يوم الاثنين 17 نوفمبر.

اقرأ أيضًا | باريس سان جيرمان يصدر بيانًا رسميًا بشأن إصابة حكيمي وديمبلي

وأشار المصدر إلى أنه سيتم النظر مباشرة في القضية، ومن المتوقع صدور القرار خلال عدة أشهر، نظرًا لضيق الوقت المخصص لإجراءات محكمة العمل. 

وكان باريس سان جيرمان أوضح في وقت سابق أنه كان هناك تفاق شفهي ينص على أن مبابي سيتنازل عن جزء من المبالغ المستحقة في نهاية عقده لحماية الوضع المالي للنادي، وهو الأمر الذي وصفه معسكر مبابي بأنه “خيال”.

وسبق وحصل مبابي على حجز احترازي بقيمة 55 مليون يورو من حسابات باريس سان جيرمان في أبريل، لكن المحاكم ألغت هذا القرار لاحقًا في 26 مايو الماضي، وسيظل هذا المبلغ محجوزًا حتى جلسة الاستئناف، والتي لا يزال موعدها مجهولًا.

Newcastle United are believed to have made a contract offer to one of their most important players, as they look to stave off potential interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.

Ross Wilson "delighted" with Newcastle job

The Magpies have made huge progress on the pitch in recent years, excelling under Eddie Howe, but important figures off the field have also played their part in the club’s success.

Earlier this week, Ross Wilson was confirmed as Newcastle’s new sporting director, taking on the role vacated by Paul Mitchell, and he has spoken of his delight at coming in at St James’ Park.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be here at Newcastle United. This is such a special club, and I fully understand the passion, ambition and expectations of our incredible supporters, as well as the ambition and desire of our ownership to keep developing and building an even stronger Newcastle United.

“My conversations with ownership have been extremely positive, and I’ve also been in regular contact with Eddie Howe and David Hopkinson. The trust, cohesion and alignment we’re building already feels strong, and we believe that being united as a team will be so important as we continue to move the club forward together. I’m excited to work with everyone across the different areas within our football department.”

Now, a significant piece of Newcastle contract news has emerged, as the club look to tie down one of the most influential players at the club.

Newcastle make contract offer to star player

According to UOL [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have offered Bruno Guimaraes a new deal until the summer of 2030, continuing to see him as a huge figure.

The Magpies are wary that Saudi clubs could come in with bids for the Brazilian at some point in the future, so they are looking to tie him down for the next five years.

Bruno signing a new contract at Newcastle would be huge for anyone associated with the club, with his influence and passion at the heart of the midfield huge ever since he arrived at the club.

The 27-year-old’s quality was on show in last weekend’s 2-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, with Howe lauding him after the game.

“I thought we had control of the second half and we needed a moment to bring us the goal. Bruno’s goal was a moment of magic from an unbelievable player. He makes a difference more often than not.”

Anderson re-signs; £75m PL star joins: Ross Wilson's dream XI at Newcastle

Newcastle continue their hierarchal re-structure with the appointment of a new technical director.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 11, 2025

At 27, the £160,000-a-week Bruno is at the peak of his powers, and there is no reason why that will change in the next three or four years, so giving him a contract extension is a no-brainer, also putting them in a strong position if another club does make a move for him, in terms of being able to demand huge money.