Cristiano Ronaldo will appear at the European Championship for a record sixth time as he has been named in Roberto Martinez's squad.
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Tottenham Hotspur's effectiveness in the summer transfer window has been clear despite a shaky spell this season, with Ange Postecoglou's appointment blending marvellously with the player acquisitions.
A stunning start to the campaign put last year's eighth-placed finish firmly in the past, with Heung-min Son's goalscoring exploits even attenuating the effect of Harry Kane's sale in August.
But while Son, appointed captain in the summer, has been the perfect talisman, he's not a natural centre-forward, and signing a striker to add a dimension to the attack would be worthwhile.
Especially considering Postecoglou's ambitious stratagems will require such a player to increase the chances of success across multiple fronts.
Spurs transfer news – Dominic Solanke
According to a recent report from the Sun, Tottenham are monitoring in-form Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke as they prepare to strengthen in the summer.
While a centre-forward would be desired this winter, Postecoglou has stressed that bolstering the backline is his "priority" ahead of the January transfer window.
As such, with Richarlison also clicking into gear of late, it might be wise to earmark Solanke and return for him at the end of the campaign, having sent scouts to watch him in action on multiple occasions and tagging him as an apt successor to player of Kane's profile.
With Arsenal also listed as suitors, Bournemouth are understood to be pragmatic about the situation and have stamped a ballpark price tag of £50m on his signature.
Dominic Solanke's season in number
17 games into the 2023/24 Premier League season, Solanke is behind only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah in the scoring charts, which is certainly not bad company to be around.
On par with Jarrod Bowen and Tottenham's Son with 11 goals, Solanke has been immense this season for Bournemouth and was praised for his "predatory" instincts on Sky Sports after bagging a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
As per Sofascore, the 26-year-old has been a menace in the final third, averaging 3.2 shots and 0.8 key passes per game, with the latter metric underlining a creative slant to his skill set that differentiates him from the traditional target man.
Standing at 6 foot 2, Solanke impressed last season as the Cherries avoided relegation upon their return to the top flight, posting seven goals and assists apiece, but it is this year, under the enterprising management of Andoni Iraola, that he has taken the next step in his development.
Player
Club
Patrik Schick
Bayer Leverkusen
Victor Osimhen
Napoli
Sebastien Haller
Borussia Dortmund
Ivan Toney
Brentford
Ante Rebic
Besiktas
*Sourced via Football Transfers
Heralded as a "top, multi-faceted forward" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, Solanke is blossoming into a player with all the tools to succeed at an outfit challenging at the forefront of the Premier League, and he would be a credit to Tottenham's budding revolution under Postecoglou's wing.
Dominic Solanke's style of play
Iraola beamed, “He can play in a low block because he is very good at attacking spaces on the counter. If we have more possession like today, he is very good inside the box.”
The Spaniard's declamation in his post-match media conference, having defeated Forest to stretch a gap to the bottom three to ten points, was capped off with a simple, emphatic statement: Solanke is morphing into the "complete No. 9".
The south coast club now have an interesting forward who can both lead the press, contribute defensively and score goals, enough to finish off slick moves with the constancy that is necessary to avoid the snapping jaw of the relegation zone.
As per FBref, the Englishman also ranks among the top 20% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and successful take-ons, as well as the top 7% for clearances per 90.
As the graph below portrays, the one-cap England international has made incremental gains regarding his striking ability over the past several years, with the two seasons spent in the Championship with his club doing much to refine and mould his game, returning a new man.
Games
Goals
Assists
G/A Rate
23/24
17
11
1
0.71
22/23
33
6
7
0.39
19/20
32
3
1
0.13
18/19
10
0
1
0.10
17/18
21
1
1
0.9
*Sourced via Transfermarkt
Last year, Solanke averaged 2.3 shots per game; in his previous Premier League campaign, 2019/20, the former Liverpool starlet took just one shot per match.
Supplemented by the likes of Son, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, Spurs really could unlock the full scope of Solanke's talents, and while such a transfer might inhibit Richarlison, Postecoglou might need to show a certain edge of ruthlessness to compete against the Premier League's – and Europe's – best.
Why Spurs need Dominic Solanke
Richarlison signed for Tottenham from Everton for £60m in 2022 and was touted for big things in London, though to say that he fell by the wayside would be a colossal understatement.
The Brazilian forward has long been regarded as a menace and a "nuisance for defenders" – as he has been described recently by Postecoglou – but he scored just once in the league as the Lilywhites toiled.
However, with the Australian's inventive style instilled, the 26-year-old has started to demonstrate signs of robustness, indeed plundering four goals from his past three outings.
A dynamic forward, Richarlison operates in a state of flux between the left wing and a central striking role, with skills custom-made for success across either placement.
But for all his attributes, Richarlison just doesn't offer the cutting edge to truly cement a spot as the star striker. For example, Kane posted 30 goals in the Premier League alone last season, while Solanke is currently three goals away from surpassing his career-best seasonal tally of 13.
While the case could be made for the pair to work in unity, a protean partnership capable of wreaking havoc through multifunctionality and contrast of style, Son is among the finest attacking players in world football and has to start, be that up front or out wide.
As such, a move for a player such as Solanke, who would want assurances over his playing time with a transfer to Tottenham – and, further, would not be signed for £50m just to languish on the bench – would perhaps have negative consequences for Richarlison, who would see his role sink further into the shadowed realm of irregularity of action.
But Spurs are pushing for success at the highest level, and, therefore, a talisman is needed in 2024. Solanke may well be the astute option to take the club to new heights.
Cricket Australia has told the BCCI that India would need to play an extra ODI in a future series in Australia if it is unable to reschedule the three-match ODI series to be held in India next January.That extra match, CA indicated, would be to compensate for the loss of as much as USD 1 million for failing to host a 50-over international series in a home summer for the first time in more than 40 years – the ODI series Australia were due to play at home with New Zealand is likely to be scrapped because of the tour of India.The proposal was mentioned in an email from CA chairman Earl Eddings to the BCCI last week. Eddings is understood to have marked the email to BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhury along with Rahul Johri, the chief executive officer.However, top BCCI officials maintain that schedules can’t be changed, with India having already signed off on the ICC’s FTP schedule with other member boards. As per the new FTP, Australia are scheduled to travel to India next year to play a three-ODI series between January 12 and 17. They will leave for India immediately after a home series against New Zealand, comprising three Tests, and the originally planned three ODIs which are now in jeopardy.The New Zealand Tests are in the Boxing Day-New Year slot where the third Test will likely run from January 3 to 7, leaving only four days before the start of the ODI series in India.This schedule was finalised during meetings organised by ICC in February. At that point, all member boards had worked out the schedule with an allowance for tweaks of only a day or two. What should have been a straightforward scheduling matter has turned out to be a mess from CA’s point of view.Incidentally, CA has not yet announced dates for next summer’s Big Bash League, or formal dates for home series against Pakistan and New Zealand. That could be the reason, senior BCCI officials suspect, for CA to now want to tinker with the India tour dates.There is a possibility that as part of its broadcast contract with Fox, CA needs to ensure contracted players play in the BBL – as it stands, the India tour is likely to clash with the T20 tournament. Consequently, top CA officials have been knocking on BCCI doors searching for a solution. It is believed that both Eddings and chief executive Kevin Roberts are likely to travel to India to witness the IPL final, on May 12, and urge the BCCI to consider other options.One of those is to defer the Australia series to March, after a South Africa tour to India of three ODIs and three T20Is. But that is unlikely and the BCCI has reminded CA that India players need to get a two-week break before and after the IPL, a policy that is only relaxed in extraordinary circumstances like in the ongoing season, when the general elections and the upcoming World Cup left very little time to play with.As negotiations have continued, CA has linked the release of top Australian women players for the exhibition T20 matches during the IPL to the non-rescheduling of the men’s ODI series.In an email response to the BCCI’s request on whether Australian women players would be released to play in the challenge, Belinda Clark, the CA’s interim high-performance head, wrote to say a decision would be taken once both boards had “resolved” the schedule for the men’s ODIs.Before hosting South Africa, India are also scheduled to travel to New Zealand between late January and early March for two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. The BCCI has reminded CA that the FTP was finalised in the presence of other boards, including those of New Zealand and South Africa, as well as the ICC senior management. Broadcast rights for Australia’s series in India have also been sold and BCCI members – the state associations – have approved it.CA was hopeful of a resolution earlier this month. “We have been working hard to re-jig the schedule to fit a change in dates for the two ODI series, at home with New Zealand and away with India, on the back end of the Sydney Test but there are necessary trade-offs,” a CA spokesperson said recently.”As a sport, we are fortunate that we have three formats, a compelling international and domestic offering for both men and women. Complexities are bound to and often arise. What we are working through is a solution that sees us honouring our commitments to overseas boards, being flexible to their changing needs, balanced with the need to schedule a summer of cricket that works for the fans. We are confident we will find a way to deliver, with some trade-offs.”
Whilst Leeds United are yet to commence their January transfer business, the Whites have been linked with a number of players and could now finally land Daniel Farke's first reinforcement of the month.
Leeds transfer news
Still eyeing a push to leapfrog Southampton and Ipswich Town in the race to secure an automatic promotion place, though they currently sit seven points adrift in the Championship, Leeds could turn towards the January window for crucial reinforcements.
Among those who could arrive is Luton Town left-back Ryan Giles or Liverpool's Calvin Ramsay as Farke looks to add to his full-back options following the termination of Djed Spence's loan deal at Elland Road and Luke Ayling leaving for Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, Wilfried Gnonto could also be heading for the exit door to end a campaign to forget in the Championship. Reports suggest that the winger could be on his way to West Ham United, with Burnley's Manuel Benson identified as a priority replacement. Gnonto's summer transfer request amid reported interest from Everton failed to result in a move, but it looks as though there's a chance the Italian finally gets his departure this month.
If the winger does leave, however, then Farke may need to find a replacement, and that could come in the form of Benson, with a new transfer development emerging in the last 24 hours.
According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Leeds are now in "very advanced talks" to sign Benson on loan from Burnley for the remainder of the season after new discussions on Saturday morning. Despite initial reports indicating that Southampton had agreed a loan fee of over £1m with Burnley to sign Benson, Leeds are now seemingly in the driving seat to land the winger after the Saints' talks stalled.
Hijacking the move, the 49ers Enterprises look set to get one over on their promotion rivals off the pitch in a deal that could quickly prove to make a similar impact on the pitch in the second half of the season.
"Aggressive" Benson can make difference for Leeds
If Gnonto's stats are anything to go by, one goal and one assist this season, then it's fair to say that some may not mind him leaving, providing the fee is the right one. Benson's Championship stats, meanwhile, prove that he is more than capable of doing the job that the Italian has never quite managed to do, especially under Farke.
Whilst helping Burnley win the Championship last season though, Benson's numbers highlight a player who is capable of playing a vital role in England's second tier. The winger scored 12 goals and assisted a further three in the Championship during the last campaign. Journalist Josh Bunting is certainly a fan of the 26-year-old, posting on X in the early stages of last season:
Now, Leeds could benefit from a player hoping to rediscover that form in a campaign that could yet see the Yorkshire club make a sensational comeback to secure automatic promotion.
Leeds United are keen to further their promotion push by bringing in new arrivals this month and are now said to be pushing to complete an ambitious swoop for a talented player, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Over the January window, Leeds may be expected to acquire new bodies to help their promotion tilt under Daniel Farke; however, the mid-season market is notoriously difficult to navigate as clubs are usually less willing to let go of their prize assets.
Djed Spence has already left Elland Road after being sent back to Tottenham Hotspur, potentially paving the way for a replacement to arrive. Speaking about his departure, Farke said:
"We wanted to take the impressions of the festive period into account. We came to the conclusion that we would end the loan of Djed. We are grateful for his time there. We wish him all the best."
Leeds United want to sign "dangerous" new full-back in £8m+ transfer
He could replace Djed Spence at Elland Road.
By
David Comerford
Jan 5, 2024
According to The Sun, Leeds are in the mix to sign Bournemouth forward Kieffer Moore; nevertheless, Ipswich Town, Sunderland, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion are also believed to be keen on the Wales international. Former Whites man Carlton Palmer has endorsed his potential arrival in a recent interview with Football League World, as he said:
"Kieffer is proven at Championship level, scoring 20 goals in his first season at Cardiff, which earned him his move to Bournemouth. At 31, he is experienced and knows what it takes to get promoted out of the Championship, so any club that gets his signature is onto a winner."
Nonetheless, a new name could potentially be on his way to Elland Road as Leeds United push to get a deal over the line for his signature, according to latest developments.
According to transfer guru Romano, Leeds United are pushing to sign Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho on loan, though face competition from Championship sides Southampton, Hull City and Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers to bring in the Portugal Under-21 international. Contact has been made between the top six clubs in the Championship, therefore Leeds, and the Reds over a potential deal and they are waiting on the players' camp to decide where his best option would be.
Labelled a "special player" by Jurgen Klopp, Carvalho has recently returned from a brief stint at Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig due to receiving limited first-team minutes at the Red Bull Arena.
In 2023/24, the 21-year-old has made 15 appearances in all competitions, though he is yet to register a goal or an assist, illustrating that his spell with RB Leipzig didn't work out for either party (Carvalho statistics – Transfermarkt).
|
Fabio Carvalho's time at RB Leipzig – Bundesliga (Sofascore) |
|
|
Big chances created |
0 |
|
Touches per game |
14.5 |
|
Key passes |
0.2 |
|
Expected assists |
0.23 |
|
Average match rating |
6.66/10 |
Now keen to seek a new challenge, Leeds could be the perfect place for Carvalho to shine in a familiar league, given that he helped Fulham win promotion to the English top flight back in 2022.
Having not played ODIs since the 2015 World Cup, Sri Lanka’s new captain couldn’t have asked for a better initiation again
Andrew Fidel Fernando22-May-2019
Peter Della Penna
Sri Lanka’s less-heralded players helped ease through the side’s first test in the UK, as they beat Scotland by 35 runs via the DLS method.Opener Avishka Fernando, who had had a poor tour of South Africa earlier this year, produced 74 off 78 balls, while Dimuth Karunaratne, on ODI captaincy debut, made 77 off 88. The pair put on 123 runs for the first wicket. Kusal Mendis also contributed 66 off 56 balls through the middle overs, but it was bowler Nuwan Pradeep who impressed most of all, taking 4 for 34 in the rain-shortened second innings.For Karunaratne, the match was not only a test of his leadership, but also an examination of his batting. Having not played ODIs since the 2015 World Cup, there have been doubts over whether he could score quickly enough in this format. He was dropped twice before eventually being caught at long-on, but in making a half-century, and providing the middle order with a good platform, Karunaratne suggested he was not completely out of place in ODIs.”Playing an international one-dayer after such a long time is not easy,” Karunaratne said afterwards. “I was under pressure early on and was struggling a little bit. But once I got set and thought about how to play – which bowlers I should target – I felt better. Fortunately, I got a couple of chances. But thanks to the runs I got, I got some confidence.”Avishka was excellent as well. We know how capable he is. He can hit hard and rotate the strike as well. We talked to him about what we needed from him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get a hundred, but I think he can get a big hundred in the World Cup.”Sri Lanka made 322 for 8 in their 50 overs, but had seemed set for a score of over 350 at one point, before they experienced a serious middle-overs stutter. Having been 203 for 1 at the end of the 33rd over, Sri Lanka mustered only 19 more runs in the next seven overs, as they lost three quick wickets. While that slowdown was not ideal, it was important that Mendis and Lahiru Thirimanne stabilise the innings at that stage, Karunaratne said. Sri Lanka later made 99 runs in the final ten overs.”We planned to bat out 50 overs, so when we were struggling in the 33rd over – we had lost a couple of wickets, in Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera – we were trying to make sure we batted long. Kusal Mendis was playing well, and Lahiru Thirimanne went in and did a good job. When you have wickets in hand, you can go for it at the end. We were struggling through that period, but we rotated the strike, and in the last ten overs we went for our big shots.”Although they had a substantial score to defend, the arrival of rain partway through Scotland’s innings had complicated the task of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, who were visibly struggling to grip the ball. Pradeep, though, was able to maintain excellent control, and was rewarded with the Player of the Match award for his returns.”When Scotland were going quite well, I spoke to Nuwan Pradeep and asked him to try a couple of bouncers,” Karunaratne said. “He did that really well and we were able to squeeze them through that middle period. It’s not easy to bowl yorkers, especially with the ball getting wet because of the rain. If you don’t execute it well it will go for a six. But Pradeep knows how he has to bowl, and he went for the straight yorker. I hope he takes that confidence into the World Cup.”
Arsenal suffered a third consecutive defeat on Sunday as they crashed out of the FA Cup at the third-round stage at the hands of Premier League rivals Liverpool. The Gunners have scored just one goal in that sequence of losses and failed to find the net against the Reds despite firing off 18 shots and creating four big chances (SofaScore). An own goal from Jakub Kiwior and a strike from Luis Diaz punished them at the other end late on.
Arsenal are fourth in the Premier League table but only three teams in the top half – West Ham (33), Manchester United (22) and Chelsea (34) – have scored fewer goals than their 37. They're currently averaging 1.85 goals per game, putting them on course for around 70 at the end of the season, a reduction of 18 from last year.
Even though we've now passed the halfway point of the campaign, no Arsenal player has reached double figures in all competitions, with Bukayo Saka leading the way on nine, and primary centre-forward Gabriel Jesus level with Martin Odegaard on seven (BBC Sport). It's no surprise, then, that Mikel Arteta is considering entering the market for a new striker, with Ivan Toney emerging as a possible target.
Toney the no. 1 option for Arsenal
Writing immediately after Arsenal's elimination from the FA Cup, ESPN's James Olley reported that the Gunners are under "increasing pressure" to bring in a new number nine this month. Toney is Arteta's top target, but the price tag is presenting a problem.
Brentford are reluctant to sell Toney midway through the season and have thus placed an £80m valuation on his head in the hope of warding off interest. As such, it looks unlikely that Arsenal will be landing their primary candidate this month, with such an outlay impossible while abiding by Financial Fair Play regulations.
Toney gamble not worthwhile
This may not be the worst news for Arsenal, because a move for Toney could be slightly problematic. Yes, he was prolific last season – only Erling Haaland (36) and Harry Kane (30) scored more goals in the Premier League – but signing him would be a gamble.
He's due to return for an eight-month ban for breaching gambling rules when Brentford take on Nottingham Forest later this month (Sky Sports), and Arsenal simply don't know what kind of shape he'll be in. For the kind of money being talked about, the Gunners would expect an immediate impact, and Toney may not be able to provide that in the midst of a title race.
All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024
With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.
ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024
Last year, we saw Arsenal priced out of two targets in January, with Brighton rejecting multiple bids for Moises Caicedo, the last of which was worth £70m (Football London), and Chelsea tabling a better £86m offer for Shakhtar's Mykhailo Mudryk (The Athletic).
Arsenal responded by signing Jorginho from their London rivals and Leandro Trossard from the Seagulls for a fraction of the price – a combined £30.5m (Transfermarkt). Perhaps this year we'll see a repeat, where Arteta moves away from the prohibitively expensive Toney to an alternative who offers much better value for money both in the short and long-term.
Erik ten Hag's focus this week will be on Manchester United's FA Cup tie away to Newport County on Sunday.
Last time out, the Red Devils were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Spurs, in a game that showed promise yet also frustration.
However, in the background, his recruitment staff will be identifying potential targets to make a late move this winter, with a striker being the position of focus.
Man Utd's striker search
According to football journalist Graeme Bailey, Man United are monitoring Benjamin Sesko.
It's stated that United's scouting team was at RB Leipzig's clash with Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend with Sesko one of the players on their radar ahead of a prospective move.
Reports from Germany suggest that the Slovenian can be bought for £43m in the summer due to a release clause in his contract.
Therefore, a move this January is highly unlikely, with a more short-term deal on the agenda at Old Trafford.
All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024
With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.
ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 The stats that show Benjamin Sesko would thrive at Man Utd
It doesn't seem like two minutes ago that Anthony Martial glided through the Liverpool defence to score on his debut back in 2015, and at that moment, the French wonderkid looked destined to become a United great.
However, his career has been completely tarnished by injuries, which have prevented him from developing into the player he once promised. This season in the Premier League, the former Monaco man has played 13 matches with an average of 35 minutes per game.
With the 28-year-old out of contract in the summer, Ten Hag may look to cash in on the attacker this month in order to partially fund the move for Sesko in the summer.
Nonetheless, let's take a look at the young prospect who has been nicknamed the "Slovenian Erling Haaland" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, by showing his stats from the last year across the top European leagues.
Sesko vs Haaland Stats
Stats (per 90)
Sesko
Haaland
Goals
0.61
0.94
Assists
0.00
0.28
Goals/shot
0.19
0.19
Touches (Att pen)
5.62
6.10
Passes completed
14.78
9.87
Key passes
0.73
0.89
Stats via FBref
As you can see, Sesko is the definition of a pure striker who only has one thought on his mind: scoring goals.
Combine that with his height and lightning speed, and it is no wonder he's been compared to Haaland by many in the game.
Crucially, just like last season's Premier League top scorer, Sesko is a clinical finisher who has an incredible goals/shot ratio per game, which is the exact same as Haaland's, which proves he has the potential to become elite.
Furthermore, the duo, who both made their name at RB Salzburg, aren't the most technical players who like to be heavily involved in the build-up, with the City star ranking in the bottom 5% of strikers in Europe for passes completed. That said, they thrive in the penalty area where they can use their power, athleticism, and goal-scoring instincts to full advantage.
Overall, the duo are similar in their style, attributes and pathway to the top of the game, and Man United could be making an extremely smart move by selling Martial to secure the 20-year-old who will become a "future icon" as per scout Jacek Kulig.
يسعى نجم فريق مانشستر سيتي، إيرلينج هالاند، لتحطيم الرقم القياسي الخاص بالبرتغالي كريستيانو رونالدو، وذلك خلال مباراة الأربعاء ضد إنتر ميلان.
ويلتقي الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة الأولى من دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2024/25.
ويقدم إيرلينج هالاند أداءً مذهلًا مع مانشستر سيتي، في الموسم الحالي، حيث نجح في تسجيل 9 أهداف في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
جاءت أهداف النرويجي التسعة في 4 مباريات فقط في الدوري الإنجليزي، خلال الموسم الحالي.
اقرأ أيضًا.. جورجينيو قبل مباراة مانشستر سيتي وآرسنال: ما يفعله هالاند يثير ضحكنا
وتمكن هالاند بذلك من الوصول إلى هدفه رقم 99 بقميص مانشستر سيتي، بعدما خاض 103 مباريات في مختلف المسابقات.
وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية، فإن هالاند قد يستطيع تحطيم أحد الأرقام القياسية لـ رونالدو حال تسجيله في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وإنتر ميلان.
وواصل رونالدو إلى 100 هدف في 105 مباريات فقط مع ريال مدريد الإسباني.
وإذا سجل هالاند هدفًا في مباراة الغد ضد إنتر ميلان، فهذا يعني وصوله إلى هدفه رقم 100 في 104 مباريات فقط، متفوقًا على رونالدو.
وفي حال عدم نجاحه في ذلك، وتسجيله هدفًا في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وآرسنال يوم الأحد المقبل في الدوري الإنجليزي، سيعادل رقم رونالدو المذكور.
Crisis, what crisis? Arsenal bounced back from a wretched run of three games without a win and just one goal in that period to trounce Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Gunners needed to find a goalscorer and they found an unexpected one in Gabriel who thought he'd scored twice, only for one to cruelly go down as an own goal instead.
Gabriel Martinelli popped up late to score two of his own after his rival on the left-hand side Leandro Trossard had ended his own goal drought. A 5-0 win was precisely what the doctor ordered as Mikel Arteta's men put themselves back into title contention.
However, with the January transfer window still open for business, they could further boost their hopes of bringing home the Premier League for the first time in 20 years.
Arsenal's midfield targets
On the agenda at some point this year is strengthening the midfield. Arsenal have been all over Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz like a rash since 2022 with three bids, the maximum of which was £25m, turned down.
Since that offer, Luiz's valuation has skyrocketed after some sterling displays for Unai Emery's charges, now reportedly valued at £100m. Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad is another to be targeted while rumours linking the Gunners with a £60m move for Everton star Amadou Onana persist.
No Martinelli or Havertz in Arsenal's dream lineup after Jan if Toney signs
The Gunners are seemingly in desperate need of a fresh face to lead the line.
ByRobbie Walls Jan 13, 2024
Yet, last week, a new name appeared, that of Dutch sensation Xavi Simons. Currently plying his trade at RB Leipzig on loan from PSG, Arsenal are one interested party should the Parisians wish to make a quick profit on their midfield man after activating a buyback clause last summer.
That's according to German publication BILD, via Sport Witness, who claim the north Londoners are 'in the picture' to acquire the 20-year-old's signature.
Barcelona, where Simons learned his trade in La Masia, and Inter Milan are also interested in a move that according to prior reports could cost around £43m.
How Xavi Simons compares to Santi Cazorla
As analyst Ben Mattinson said before Simons turned 20, he was "one of the most exciting teenagers in world football".
That came off the back of a campaign where no teenager in Europe bettered his tally of 28 goal involvements in league action, topping the tree ahead of Jamal Musiala on 25. In total, Simons registered a mammoth 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions throughout a breakout 2022/23 season at PSV Eindhoven.
Coincidentally, he also starred against Arsenal in the Europa League, putting in a delightful performance from an attacking midfield position when Arteta's side tasted defeat in the Netherlands.
Minutes Played
80
Shots on target
2
Dribble Success
2/2
Key Passes
2
Touches
27
Accurate Passes
13/18 (72%)
Duels Won
4/12
The youngster who is evidently "really exciting to watch" – as proclaimed by the earlier-mentioned Mattinson – has continued to motor along nicely this season, bagging seven goals and supplying nine assists in Germany.
It's that ability to score and assist on a regular basis that has drawn comparisons from an Arsenal perspective to a certain Santi Cazorla.
The Spaniard was a diminutive figure but married class with aggressive attacking play that made him an instant fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium. Indeed, his best term saw him produce 24 goal involvements in the Premier League in 2012/13.
In-depth numbers are not available for that time period via FBref so instead we've compared his 2019/20 season at Villarreal with Simons in 2023/24 to establish the similarities.
Goals
0.31
0.40
Assists
0.44
0.33
Shots on target
1.06
0.59
Key Passes
2.56
2.61
Progressive Passes
5.69
8.53
Shot-creating Actions
5.69
5.44
Goal-creating Actions
0.81
0.74
Successful take-ons
2.44
1.84
Carries
40.1
42.8
Ball Recoveries
5.38
5.37
While Cazorla was far more progressive in his passing play and took fewer shots, when it comes to general creativity and goal-scoring there's not a lot between the duo.
Their key pass rate is nearly identical, as is their ability to recover and subsequently carry the ball. It's of course important to state as well that this is Simons at the start of his career vs an ageing Cazorla. If he can get close to the Spaniard at this point in his career, there is surely no stopping the young Dutchman as he gets older.