All posts by n8rngtd.top

All told, Liverpool will be satisfied with their point claimed against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, not least because their Premier League title rivals secured a lead on two occasions yesterday evening.

Last season, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool were a day late and a dollar short in north London, outfought and outthought in February in what seemed a critical juncture in the enthralling three-horse race.

On that day, the error-strewn Reds failed to match their opponent’s gusto and assurance, with Ibrahima Konate sent off late on. The Frenchman was colossal this time around, winning all of his duels and being hailed for his “world-class” performance by analyst Raj Chohan.

Mohamed Salah was also absent for that one, playing at AFCON with Egpyt, but his appearance against Mikel Arteta’s side proved all the difference for Arne Slot and his booming project, who remain four points above the Gunners.

Mohamed Salah saves Liverpool again

Once Darwin Nunez had made that slick run, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deliciously weighted pass carving the Arsenal backline open, you just knew that Salah was going to find the space to bypass David Raya in the box.

And he did. The 32-year-old’s neat finish marked his eighth goal of the season across all competitions – with seven assists besides. He’s been a marvel under his Dutch boss and is supercharging the Anfield side’s budding title charge.

Described as “unstoppable again” by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Salah’s positioning and intelligence bore dividends in a hostile Emirates environment, with his relentless proving to make amends after a shocking blunder when presented with a goalscoring chance only 15 minutes into the clash.

Arsenal were dangerous and sought to use their crowd to their advantage, but with the likes of Salah pulling the strings for Slot, there’s every chance that the Merseysiders can continue their stunning start to the season and challenge Arsenal and Manchester City for the Premier League title.

Not everyone was at their best, however, with Luis Diaz sure to thank his opposite-flanking peer after an indifferent effort that saw him marshalled by Thomas Partey, who was moonlighting at right-back.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Time for Luiz Diaz to be dropped

Diaz has been excellent for Liverpool this season – scoring five times – and let’s not forget that it was the Colombian’s neat flick-on from a corner that allowed Liverpool to beat the hosts at their own game and score from a corner, courtesy of hulking skipper Virgil van Dijk.

But that wasn’t enough to save the 27-year-old from criticism, with This Is Anfield only affording him a 5/10 match rating after an indifferent showing that led to comments regarding his lack of impact and success on Liverpool’s attacking left flank.

As you will see below, it was a display that failed to capture Diaz’s finest essence, hooked just after an hour having been well marshalled by the makeshift Partey, who impressively won 13 duels and five tackles.

He left something to be desired to be sure – completing just nine passes all evening and dismally completing just one of his four dribble attempts. A tally of just six duel wins from 19 contests also doesn’t paint a pretty picture of the former Porto winger’s time in north London this weekend.

That said, Diaz is still one of the Premier League’s finest wide forwards and showcased his worth with a match-defining contribution in the first half

Gakpo was impressive off the bench, however, winning three of his four duels, and must now be unleashed from the outset again after proving that his current form demands a starting berth.

Sold for £19m: Liverpool flop is now worth 242% more & outperforming Nunez

Liverpool’s £19m sale is now outperforming Nunez & worth 242% more.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 26, 2024

Big things were expected from Joshua Zirkzee this season following his arrival at Manchester United but he could soon be on the way out of Old Trafford in January.

The Dutchman scored 12 goals and produced seven assists in all competitions for Italian side Bologna last term, prompting United and INEOS to splash no less than £36.5 million to bring him to Manchester and join Erik ten Hag’s growing number of ex-Eredivisie stars.

A winning goal against Fulham on his debut was a promising start, but since then, Zirkzee’s spell in England has been nothing short of a disaster.

In the last eight games, the 23-year-old has failed to register a single goal or assist and has come under heavy scrutiny for his lacklustre performances, including from Dutch football legend Frank de Boer, who, after United’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last month, called him a “champion in losing the ball.”

“He was absolutely shocking. How many times does he make the wrong choices on the pitch?” De Boer said of Zirkzee after the match.

Zirkzee now eyeing Man Utd exit

Following his difficult start to life at Old Trafford, Zirkzee reportedly already wants out of Man Utd. That’s according to Calcio Mercato, who report that the forward, who has thus far cost United just shy of £2,800 a minute for the 526 minutes he’s played, is eyeing a return to Italy as soon as January.

The Italian outlet report that Zirkzee could soon be back on the radar of his former Bologna boss, Thiago Motta, who is now in charge of Juventus. The Old Lady are understood to be looking for a new striker in case Dusan Vlahovic leaves the club when his contract expires in the summer, and Zirkzee’s Serie A pedigree and experience playing under Motta make him a logical option.

It remains to be seen, however, whether United would be open to letting Zirkzee leave Old Trafford so soon after his arrival, with the 2001-born attacker having only penned a £105,000-per-week, five-year deal in July.

Zirkzee out, Kolo Muani in an option for Man Utd

Should Zirkzee indeed leave United, the Red Devils could already have a replacement waiting in line in the form of Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani.

According to a recent report from The Boot Room, Kolo Muani’s agents have reached out to Man Utd over a potential move to the club, ahead of a likely move away from the Ligue 1 giants.

Manager now wants £70m flop sold and agents have reached out to Man Utd

Would he be a strong option for the Red Devils?

By
Henry Jackson

Oct 20, 2024

Kolo Muani joined PSG for a fee of £70 million from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 but has failed to make his mark in the French capital, scoring just 11 times in 49 games. This season, he’s started just two games for Luis Enrique’s side and was left out of the squad for PSG’s most recent match against Strasbourg.

The Boot Room claim that the Frenchman “has been offered to a number of Premier League clubs ahead of the January transfer window,” one of which is United. Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Newcastle have also been contacted, according to the report, so his situation could be one to watch if Zirkzee leaves in 2025.

The teenage prodigy stars alongside the Arsenal legend in a collaboration commercial between Adidas and MLS

• Sullivan and Ian Wright spotted in new MLS and Adidas commercial
• The 15-year-old broke record for youngest player in MLS history
• Manchester City has an option to buy him when he turns 18.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Arsenal legend Ian Wright and Philadelphia Union's Cavan Sullivan joined forces in a new commercial that plays up the highly-touted American prospect ahead of the 2025 MLS season.

  The Arsenal legend has been a vocal supporter of the American league in the past and has now teamed up with Adidas and the MLS in a series of commercials as part of the season build-up. The latest one stars Union youngster Sullivan, who has become a household name after he made his debut at the age of 14 last season.

Advertisement

• WHAT IAN WRIGHT SAID

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sullivan, at the age of 14 years and 293 days, made his Major League Soccer debut for the Philadelphia Union, setting a new record as the youngest player to ever feature in an MLS match. In the process, the now 15-year-old’s prodigious talent has already seen him dubbed the “next big thing” by soccer fans. Furthermore, Sullivan’s professional contract with Philadelphia Union has a clause that allows Manchester City to buy him once he turns 18 which has only increased his stature.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Philadelphia Union finished their preseason calendar with just one win to their name, beating Montreal CF with losses to Slavia Praha and Aarhus Gymnastikforening. However, despite that, fans will be hoping for an improvement on the club’s 12th-place finish on the Eastern Conference table when the Union kick off their 2025 MLS season against Orlando City on Feb. 22.

Borussia Dortmund are ready to reduce their asking price for Jamie Gittens amid interest from Premier League clubs and Bayern Munich.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Dortmund ready to reduce Gittens' asking price
• Premier League clubs and Bayern keen on signing him
• Winger will be sold if BVB fail to secure European football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Dortmund sensation Gittens is all set to be sold in the summer as the Bundesliga side have accepted they may have to significantly drop their asking price for the English winger, according to . Earlier it was reported that BVB are set to demand a fee of around €100 million (£83m/$103m), but they are now considering reducing the figure between €60m (£50m/$63m) and €70m (£58m/$73m).

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report also adds that Dortmund might be forced to let go of Gittens in the summer due to financial constraints if they do not secure European football for next season. Niko Kovac's side have struggled for form in the 2024-25 campaign and are currently 10th in the Bundesliga after 24 matches.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Several top European clubs have shown interest in the 20-year-old winger, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Premier League giants like Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR DORTMUND?

  The German club will be back in action in the Bundesliga on Saturday when they host Augsburg, who sit 11th and are unbeaten in eight league matches.

West Ham United’s next fixture could be a decisive one for Julen Lopetegui, as his side take on Everton in the Premier League. The Hammers currently sit 14th in the league on 11 points, winning three times, drawing twice, and losing on five occasions in the opening ten games.

Everton are currently sitting 16th in the Premier League, acquiring nine points from their opening fixtures. The Hammers lost in this fixture last season, with Everton beating them 1-0 at home before West Ham replied with a 3-1 win at Goodison Park.

West Ham take on the Toffees this weekend at the London Stadium, and a loss could be enough to get Lopetegui the sack after his poor start to the new campaign, despite being heavily backed in the transfer market this summer.

Lopetegui's reign so far

The 58-year-old has had an array of jobs around Spain, Portugal and England now, most notably managing Real Madrid, Porto, Sevilla, Wolves, and the Spanish National team, all before his appointment as West Ham boss.

Lopetegui’s longest reign came in his time at Sevilla, taking charge of 170 matches and averaging a points-per-match ratio of 1.85.

In this time, the Spaniard managed to win the UEFA Europa League in the 2019/20 season, beating Inter Milan 3-2 in the final.

The Spanish manager’s biggest failure was his job at Real Madrid, only managing 14 games in charge before he was replaced by Santiago Solari. Real Madrid went on to finish third in La Liga that season (2018/19), never truly recovering from their poor start under Lopetegui.

But the possession-based coach ended up at West Ham after a successful spell with Sevilla, and a good short stint with Wolves, where he managed to average +50% possession with a bottom-half side in the Premier League, which was seemingly a big reason Lopetegui got the job for the Hammers.

Despite improving West Ham’s possession numbers, going from an average of 40.5% last season to an average of 44.9% this season (a rise of 4.4%), the overall level of performance has been poor, and a loss against Everton at the weekend could be enough to tip the scales, and see Lopetegui sacked after just a few months in charge.

Potential replacements are already being linked, and one man who could be on West Ham’s radar, would be following suit with the most recent Premier League appointment, Ruben Amorim of Manchester United, in trading Portugal for England.

Notably linked with the Irons over the summer, he’s now heading in the direction of Old Trafford.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast's Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

West Ham could hire manager from Portugal

According to reports from talkSPORT, West Ham are likely to make contact with Portuguese manager, Sergio Conceicao, if they do decide to sack Lopetegui.

The ex-Porto boss has been described as “fantastic” by journalist Jerry Mancini, who further labelled him a “first-class manager”.

The 49-year-old has managed Olhanense, Coimbra, SC Braga, Vitoria Guimaraes, FC Nantes, and, of course, FC Porto. Conceicao spent seven years in charge of Porto, managing 368 games, and averaging 2.29 points per game.

Conceicao often deploys a 4-2-3-1, with his wingers playing high and wide, his full-backs contributing on both sides of the ball, a more protective double pivot in central midfield, with a creative number ten, who can float and link play between the lines.

In their most recent season (2023/24), Porto averaged 63.6% possession, the highest in Liga Portugal, ahead of Benfica and league winners, Sporting.

This is a great sign for West Ham, as they would still be getting the type of manager they wanted to build towards a more possession-heavy side, who controls the tempo of a game.

This change could be a welcome one for West Ham fans, as not only would it freshen things up, and bring a better overall vibe around the club, but a few existing stars could thrive better in Conceicao’s system, which could see them return to top form.

Which players would benefit from Conceicao's appointment

The first big one who could benefit is attacking midfielder, Lucas Paqueta. The 27-year-old has made 12 appearances for Lopetegui so far this season, scoring two goals, but yet to provide an assist in his 787 minutes played.

The creative passing of Paqueta is one of, if not his best attributes, and getting the best out of him is likely to have a positive correlation with the success of the team.

In Conceicao’s system, Paqueta would play as the floating number ten, able to link play between the lines and find himself in pockets of space where he can affect the game, as opposed to having to come deeper to aid build-up in Lopetegui’s system.

From last season, Paqueta’s progressive carries, progressive passes, key passes, and shot-creating actions are all down, and by unleashing him in a more natural and free role, he could take West Ham’s level back up a notch.

Another player who could benefit from the appointment is 18-year-old midfielder, Lewis Orford, as Conceicao would want to add more mobility in the middle of the park, with a good blend of on-ball qualities in order to release Paqueta further forwards.

Alongside the other defensive midfield options such as Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, and Tomas Soucek, it is likely Conceicao would want a more mobile duel winner, and the height, mobility, and press resistance of Orford could be a brilliant profile to bring into the fray for the Portuguese coach.

Overall, the 49-year-old would be a very astute appointment for the Hammers, bringing in an experienced manager, who has implemented possession football at previous clubs, and has the character to match.

West Ham could replace Lopetegui with "genius" who played for the Irons

Lopetegui could be replaced at West Ham by “tactical genius” who was in the academy

By
Connor Holden

Nov 7, 2024

Harry Kane made history as Bayern Munich secured a 5-0 aggregate Champions League last-16 win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Kane scores against Bayer Leverkusen
• Bayern into UCL last eight with 5-0 aggregate win
• English striker smashes another record

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane scored and bagged an assist as Bayern beat Leverkusen 2-0 in the last-16 of the Champions League to reach the quarter-finals of the competition on Tuesday night. The 31-year-old is now the first Englishman to score 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign and became only the second player from his country to reach 50 goal contributions in the tournament, alongside David Beckham.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane has never won a trophy in his distinguished career but now the ex-Tottenham man has a great shot at winning this season's Champions League and the Bundesliga, too. And the England captain is playing a huge part in that with his goals and assists.

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Since swapping Tottenham for Bayern in the summer of 2023, Kane has scored 76 goals and notched 23 assists in just 81 appearances in all competitions.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  Kane's Bayern will take on Inter in the Champions League quarter-finals next month.

New incoming Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is already planning to brutally axe a member of the Manchester United squad, with a departure coming as soon as January, according to one report.

Amorim takes control at Old Trafford

Following a successful interim spell in charge from Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Amorim officially took charge of Manchester United on Monday. Though he has the remainder of the international break to work with his side, his task looks daunting, with the club languishing in 13th place in the Premier League, only just above struggling West Ham United.

His first clash will be a trip to Portman Road to take on newly promoted Ipswich Town, who recorded their first win of the season in their last outing and will be looking to spoil his Manchester United start, while games against Arsenal and Manchester City also lie in the near future for Amorim.

All this comes against the incoming boss implementing a new style of football at Old Trafford, with Amorim widely expected to revert to a back three as he did to such great effect at Sporting CP, though he has promised not to sign any stars from his former club in January.

That is likely to spell good news for the likes of Manuel Ugarte, who worked with Amorim at Sporting and is well suited to his system, but there are concerns about who will fill the wide areas in the immediate term, while it also leaves the likes of Mason Mount and Alejandro Garnacho without natural positions in the side.

January is expected to be busy therefore, and now it has emerged that Amorim is already prepared to axe one player.

"Magnificent" midfielder up for sale

That comes as reports in Spain claim that the new Manchester United boss is ready to part ways with Casemiro as early as the January transfer window. The Brazilian midfielder has not enjoyed life in Manchester in the last 12 months, and was strongly linked with a move away from the club in the most recent summer transfer window.

Amorim could unleash a "world-class" £90m star in the making at Man Utd

Manchester United fans will be desperate to see him play under Ruben Amorim.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 15, 2024

Nonetheless, Erik ten Hag was always a fan of the ex-Real Madrid man, dubbing him “magnificent” back in January 2023. “Casemiro is magnificent. In front of the back line, always taking good positions, in and out of position, and he can deal with the ball, he can give the right pass”, the ex-Man Utd boss explained.

But he is now 32-years-old and he sits among Manchester United’s highest earners, taking home a massive £350,000 a week (£10.5m per year), something that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. will not be wanting to pay someone who Amorim chooses to name among the substitutes regularly.

And as a result, it is reported by Sport that Amorim has already told the Brazilian to look for another club as soon as January, though they will not let him leave for free as they look to recoup some of the massive £60m they paid Real Madrid to sign him two years ago.

With Casemiro down to the final 18 months of his contract at Old Trafford, they are unlikely to recoup a massive fee for him any time soon, but given his wage demands, it may be for the best that the Red Devils just cut their losses.

Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has provided a big update on Virgil van Dijk's future amid his uncertain contract situation at Liverpool.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Koeman spoke about Van Dijk's future at Anfield
• Caught up with the Reds star in Netherlands camp
• Netherlands face Spain in Nations League quarter-finals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Van Dijk has only three months left on his existing deal at Anfield and is yet to negotiate a new contract with the club. Amid uncertainty over the Reds captain's future, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has provided a valuable update after having a chat with the defender in the national team camp.

Advertisement

• WHAT RONALD KOEMAN SAID

  When asked if he expects Van Dijk to remain with Liverpool through to the 2026 World Cup, Koeman told reporters on Tuesday: "Whether he signs with Liverpool or another big club, that's all good for me. We'll see what happens. And what I understand from Virgil is that he is still looking for the level he is at now."

• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After Liverpool's heartbreak in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, Van Dijk was once again quizzed on his future, to which he replied: "Before the end of the season there's going to be news. As long as I'm fully committed and have my full focus on the task ahead, and I love the club, that's the main thing. That's who I am."

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR VIRGIL VAN DIJK?

  The Dutch centre-back is now gearing up to face Spain in a two-legged Nations League quarter-final tie, with the games set to be held on March 20 and 23, respectively.

Manchester United are already planning ahead for the upcoming transfer window and are now keen to add yet more bite to their side with a move for a tough-tackling star.

Amorim draws first game at Manchester United

After only an international break to get his side ready, United were held to a 1-1 draw by Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town at Portman Road in Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge.

The Red Devils got off to a perfect start when Marcus Rashford opened the scoring within two minutes, but it was the hosts who were the better outfit from that side, and they deservedly equalised just before half-time via a deflected Omari Hutchinson effort.

With neither side able to find a winner in a low-key second half, Amorim was forced to settle for a point to kickstart his Premier League career in charge of the Old Trafford side.

“I know it is frustrating for the fans but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games,” Amorim explained after the match. “We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games, but this will take time.

“We have to risk it a little bit [now] and in the next year we will be better [otherwise] next year at the same stage we will be here with the same problems.”

The Red Devils now face a favourable run of fixtures in which Amorim will be hoping to implement his ideas more effectively, while they will be looking to string together a run of form to propel them up the Premier League table.

But signings will also be needed to make Manchester United competitive at the top once more, and they are eyeing up another big signing in the months ahead.

Manchester United want to sign "tough tackler" Amorim loves

That comes as CaughtOffside reports that Ruben Amorim has made “some contact” with defender Ousmane Diomande as he looks to raid Sporting for some of his former stars.

The 20-year-old defender is considered among the brightest young talents in Europe, and it is added that “the Portuguese tactician is keen to work with him again” at OId Trafford.

He has been dubbed a “class act” on X by U23 Football Scout Antonio Mango, who added: “Aggressive, tough-tackling, comfortable with the ball at his feet, progressive in possession… all the hallmarks for a modern-day defender.”

Forget Garnacho: Amorim has already found his new starboy at Man Utd

Ruben Amorim started his Manchester United tenure with a draw against Ipswich yesterday.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 25, 2024

Though there is plenty of interest elsewhere in the Ivorian defender, the report claims “it’s now felt that Amorim’s presence at Man Utd will put them in pole position” to sign him should they stump up the cash.

That could be problematic, with Diomande having a £66.7m release clause in his contract and still having two and a half years to run on his £24,000-a-week deal in Portugal, meaning that Sporting are under little pressure to sell immediately.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils have already signed several defenders in recent seasons and are in need of strengthening in other areas, which a large outlay on Diomande may well impact.

A few weeks ago you’d have said that Arsenal needed to throw the kitchen sink at strengthening their squad in the January transfer window.

The Gunners were sinking without a trace and had plenty of issues in the squad. Those, however, largely came about as a result of several injuries.

Chief among them was Martin Odegaard’s absence. The captain missed 12 matches due to an ankle injury but since his return to the starting lineup against Chelsea a few weeks ago, Mikel Arteta’s men are now back in form.

Since the last international break, Arsenal have scored 13 goals in three games, evoking memories of that remarkable run at the beginning of the year when the Londoners scored 21 goals across consecutive league matches with West Ham, Burnley, Newcastle and Sheffield United.

So, are new recruits in January still necessary? Certainly.

Arsenal looking to sign Bundesliga winger

If there is one area of the Arsenal squad that could still do with more depth it’s in the wide areas.

That was a problem area during the summer window but until the 11th hour, they decided not to do any business.

Transfer Focus

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

A market opportunity came about as a result of Chelsea’s inflated squad. Raheem Sterling was available on loan, and having been a player who’s worked with Arteta before, the Gunners were happy to bring him in.

You sense that Sterling’s long-term future does not lie at the Emirates Stadium and reports ahead of January suggesting Arsenal could sign a new winger only substantiate that claim further.

According to reports from Sky Germany this weekend, Borussia Dortmund forward Jamie Gittens is on the radar of several teams including the Gunners.

It’s reported that they are not alone in their pursuit of the Englishman who has also attracted the interest of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

What makes Gittens so special

A former product of the Chelsea and Manchester City youth academies, Gittens has followed the Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho route to stardom by trading English football for the Bundesliga.

It’s safe to say that’s been a phenomenal decision as the young 20-year-old is making waves during what has been a real breakout season at Dortmund, starring not just in domestic action but in the Champions League too.

Gittens has already scored eight goals and supplied four assists this term with four of those goals coming on the biggest of continental stages.

Perhaps most impressive was his performance against champions Real Madrid. The German side may have lost 5-2 but the English wonderkid was a rare bright spark.

So, what could “England’s next superstar” – as he was dubbed by one German outlet – offer the Arsenal team?

Predominantly a right-footed left winger, he would provide fine competition for the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

In truth, he could be a far more explosive asset than the Belgian in particular, with Gittens possessing a Bukayo Saka-like ability to make something happen out of nothing. Here’s how the two compare in league action this season.

So, there are some key differences here. Saka has been one of the best creators in European football this term – registering a ridiculously high number of assists per 90 minutes.

While Gittens doesn’t perhaps have that level of creativity just yet, like his fellow countryman, he’s an elite-level ball carrier. The very fact he ranks within the top 5% of positionally similar players in the Champions League this term of successful take-ons says it all.

One area they are particularly alike is their ability to press and win the ball back, attempting a very similar number of tackles from the flanks.

Gittens is, of course, still very raw but all of the foundations are there for the English talent to blossom into a Saka-like winger, albeit from the opposite flank. This would be a very exciting signing for Arsenal if they could pull it off.

Not just Saka: £27m star is becoming one of the best in Arsenal's history

One of Mikel Arteta’s signings is fast becoming one of the best players we’ve ever seen at Arsenal.

By
Matt Dawson

Dec 1, 2024