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Still on the hunt for attacking reinforcements, Manchester United are now reportedly open to offering Joshua Zirkzee in a summer swap deal to sign one particular target worth a hefty £85m.

Man Utd could face Gyokeres and Mbeumo rejection

Whilst their recruitment of Matheus Cunha gave them plenty of hope that last season’s failure wouldn’t stand in the way of much-needed additions this summer, Viktor Gyokeres and Bryan Mbeumo could quickly flip that narrative.

It’s a fairly open secret that the Red Devils are in pursuit of the duo, with Fabrizio Romano even going as far as to suggest that they’ve been constantly contacting Gyokeres, but that pursuit could yet end in failure.

Thomas Frank’s move to Tottenham Hotspur has suddenly seen the North London side come sprinting into the race for Mbeumo’s signature and reports are claiming that the Lilywhites have met the forward’s £70m price tag. United, meanwhile, have already seen one bid rejected for the Brentford star.

Losing out on two attacking targets would be a frustrating blow for United, but losing out to two rivals in Arsenal and Tottenham would add further salt to their wounds.

The new Martial: Wilcox ramping up move to sign "next Mbappe" for Man Utd

Man United are pressing to bring in a centre-forward with shades of Anthony Martial.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 16, 2025

Those at Old Trafford may have no choice but to dust themselves off and go again, however. Just who they turn to if they miss out on Mbeumo and Gyokeres is the big question. On that front, names such as Antoine Semenyo and an impressive £85m striker have already been mentioned among those that United may begin to chase.

Man Utd open to swap deal for Ekitike involving Zirkzee

That £85m name is of course Hugo Ekitike. According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are now open to offering Joshua Zirkzee in a swap deal to sign Ekitike. Eintracht Frankfurt reportedly value the Frenchman at €100m (£85m), but the inclusion of Zirkzee in any deal could help bring that hefty figure down.

Whilst there may well be a concern over just how much Ekitike has underperformed when it comes to matching his expected goals, there’s no doubt that he’d be an instant upgrade on Zirkzee for Ruben Amorim this summer.

The Dutchman struggled to leave his mark in his debut season, making it harder and harder to justify his £105,000-a-week salary. Now, just one year later, he could find himself replaced and shown the exit door in one swift move.

Described as “strong” by analyst Ben Mattinson, who was full of praise for the Frenchman back in March, Ekitike is undoubtedly one to watch this summer. He won’t come cheap, but if Manchester United can find a way past the forward’s hefty price tag, then he is one that they should prioritise.

تجددت أزمة عقوبات كأس السوبر المصري الخاصة بنادي الزمالك ولاعبيه، بعد تصريحات متضاربة خلال الساعات الماضية بشأن أحقية نبيل عماد دونجا في المشاركة ببطولة السوبر المصري المقبلة المقرر انطلاقها يوم 6 نوفمبر 2025 في الإمارات.

وكانت الأزمة قد اندلعت عقب مباراة السوبر المصري الموسم الماضي، التي شهدت واقعة اعتداء داخل الاستاد، تورط فيها كل من نبيل عماد دونجا، ومصطفى شلبي (لاعب الزمالك السابق)، وعبد الواحد السيد (مدير الكرة السابق)، ما أدى إلى احتجازهم مؤقتًا في الإمارات، قبل أن يتم الإفراج عنهم بتدخل من الجهات المعنية في البلدين.

وفي أعقاب الحادثة، أصدر الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم عقوبات بحق الثلاثي، تضمنت الإيقاف لأربع مباريات في بطولة السوبر المقبلة، بالإضافة إلى غرامات مالية على اللاعبين والنادي.

لكن مؤخرًا، ظهرت أنباء تؤكد عدم وجود عقوبات رسمية ضد لاعبي الزمالك، حيث صرّح محمد أبو الوفا، عضو مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة السابق، بأن اللاعب نبيل عماد دونجا يحق له المشاركة بشكل طبيعي مع الفريق في النسخة الجديدة من البطولة، مؤكدًا أن الاتحاد لا يملك قرارات سارية تمنع ذلك.

طالع أيضًا | اتحاد الكرة يكشف لـ بطولات مكافآت الأندية المشاركة في كأس السوبر المصري

إلا أن إيهاب الكومي، عضو اتحاد الكرة السابق، خرج ليدحض هذه الرواية، مؤكدًا أن العقوبات ما زالت قائمة، حيث نشر عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع “فيس بوك” نص البيان الرسمي الذي أرسله اتحاد الكرة إلى نادي الزمالك بتاريخ 31 أكتوبر 2024، والمتضمن تفاصيل العقوبات الصادرة من لجنة المسابقات آنذاك.

وجاء في منشور الكومي: “بخصوص عقوبات السوبر، بتاريخ 31 من شهر أكتوبر 2024، تم إرسال العقوبات الخاصة بمباراة السوبر إلى نادي الزمالك، وتضمنت العقوبات التي أقرتها لجنة المسابقات بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم بحق الكابتن عبد الواحد السيد، وعماد دونجا، ومصطفى شلبي، إلى جانب تغريم نادي الزمالك عشرين ألف جنيه”.

واختتم الكومي توضيحه قائلاً: “لا أدري سبب هذا الجدل في هذا التوقيت، الأمر لا يتعلق بالزمالك أو الأهلي، فقط أردت توضيح الحقيقة وما تم إقراره رسميًا في حينه”.

يبدو أن الجدل حول عقوبات السوبر المصري لم يُحسم بعد، في ظل تضارب التصريحات بين مسؤولي اتحاد الكرة السابقين، وتباين الروايات بشأن الموقف القانوني للاعب نبيل عماد دونجا وبقية الأطراف المعنية.

ومع اقتراب انطلاق البطولة في 6 نوفمبر المقبل بالإمارات، ينتظر الشارع الكروي المصري توضيحًا رسميًا من الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم لوضع حد لهذه الأزمة، وضمان سير البطولة في أجواء من الشفافية.

Viktor Gyokeres has already been replaced by Sporting, with Conrad Harder to operate as the club's No.9 for the 2025/26 season. After two successful years leading the line in Portugal, Gyokeres is now set for a Premier League challenge and Sporting are prepared for a new era without their talismanic striker.

• Gyokeres set to join Arsenal
• Sporting move on from the Swede
• Hand No.9 to Harder for the new season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Swedish striker arrived in London on Friday ahead of a medical and is expected to finalise his transfer to Arsenal in the coming days. The deal is reportedly worth £55 million ($74m), with an additional £8.5 million ($11m) in potential bonuses.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Harder joined the club in September 2024 from Danish side Nordsjaelland in a deal worth £17m ($23m). The move was seen as a coup at the time, especially given that Brighton & Hove Albion had also submitted a bid accepted by his former club. Despite the Premier League opportunity, Harder chose Sporting for the next step in his career. He managed only seven starts in the Primeira Liga, as his development stalled due to limited opportunities with Gyokeres emerging as the first-choice striker.

• WATCH THE CLIP

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR GYOKERES?

  Once the transfer formalities are completed, Gyokeres will join Arsenal’s pre-season tour in Southeast Asia. However, Sunday’s friendly against Newcastle United may come too soon for his debut. Instead, his first appearance in a Gunners shirt is expected to come in Thursday’s headline clash against Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong.

No clear favourites and the vast range of conditions in India mean the 2023 edition is deliciously set up to intrigue – but there remain some things that have brought teams success of late. Here’s a rundown

Sidharth Monga04-Oct-20232:08

What will this World Cup be remembered for?

Not on boundary countback. This World Cup will not be won that way, given the change in rules.That low blow out of the way, this is an intriguing World Cup not least because it is the most open one since Australia started making a mockery of the tournament in 2003. Because of this even field, the vast range of conditions in India, the unavailability of teams’ best XIs at various points in the years between the World Cups, and the recency of trends, it is extremely difficult to bridge the gap between cricket the story and cricket the sport.Still there are certain things that can inform our understanding of what the teams are trying to do to win matches in this World Cup. For starters, they are not bowling spin early. There’s a good reason for it. The new white ball seems to be doing more. More so in India. And for longer. What used to be some shape for one or two overs is now considerable seam and swing for about eight overs in India.Related

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That’s why you will see bowling teams attacking wholeheartedly in the early exchanges. More so when they are defending, because under floodlights – and before the dew kicks in – is the best time to bowl in India these days. The average cost of a wicket in the first ten overs in matches between the sides playing this World Cup has been 31 and 32 the last two years. In 2019, it was 41. The last time the new-ball bowlers had so much for two years in a row was way back in 2005 and 2006.It is great that most teams are blessed with some pretty good seam and swing bowlers who can make use of the new ball. It will be interesting to see if the batters will look to be watchful or counterattack, as we saw Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill do in their second Asia Cup match against Pakistan after they struggled in the first.India and Australia, in fact, have been leading the way against the new ball in recent times. No side has scored as quickly in the first ten overs across the past year or so as Australia and India have: 7.26 and 6.61, respectively.Not leaving it late in the big chasesIf they are chasing a big total, expect the batters to meet fire with fire. Himanish Ganjoo, cricket analyst and an ESPNcricinfo contributor, has worked out that teams of late are not leaving themselves too much to do in tall chases. There is strong data to support it. Since 2016, in successful chases of above 300, the run rate of the winning side has tended to remain uniform, while the sides batting first have tended to increase their run rate only gradually.The middle overs are where England seem to be making up for sedate starts with the bat•Getty ImagesIt perhaps flies in the face of conventional understanding that anything is possible with wickets in hand in the last 20 overs. In fact, teams batting second have been okay with losing wickets if they can keep abreast with the asking rate: looking at high totals, the first three wickets of sides batting first contribute 60% of the runs, but only about half in the second innings. The sixth and seventh wickets play a bigger role in chases, which is probably why you see sides valuing depth so much.If this informs a chasing strategy, is there something to be gleaned by the fielding side too? In the lead-up the World Cup, I asked Ian Bishop and Tom Moody if it would be smart to try to choke early through spin, and then have seam bowlers operating when the dew is in and the asking rate is high. They both went for the conventional wisdom: wickets. Go for what will get you wickets. If the recent trend of the ball gripping in the second innings continues, it will only support the conventional wisdom.Win the middle overs – a key to successAs ever, teams that do better in the middle overs tend to win. That’s why you see batters like Virat Kohli press more in the middle overs than they did before. That’s why you see focus on point-of-difference bowlers who can pick up wickets through the middle overs. These are the overs where England seem to be making up for sedate starts with the bat, and after non-penetrative new-ball spells. Their spinners have a decent strike rate, the fourth-best between the two World Cups.Pakistan might have the best pace attack, but they need to make up for lukewarm numbers of their spinners•Getty ImagesIt might not show in the numbers because the two haven’t played that much together, but two highly uncommon bowlers in Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah give India a big advantage in the middle overs. And still they might have cause for concern if the pitches keep offering spinners some grip: their batters have not been great against fingerspin.If India and Australia are great in the early goings, they can stutter in the middle overs. England and South Africa are superb from 11 to 50, but they are not the best with – and against – the new ball. Pakistan might have the best pace attack, but they need to make up for lukewarm numbers of their spinners, and also the middle order.The difficult pitches worked a treat for the 2019 World Cup, but it was also a predictable World Cup in terms of tactics: stable start, mid-overs press, extreme pace, and wristspin. This one is more deliciously set up in its unpredictability and the variety of tactics available, especially given how much the conditions tend to change through the course of a match in India.Keep your eyes and ears open. It’s going to be a wild one.

Also, how did Delhi Capitals bat so freely on that pitch?

Alagappan Muthu17-Oct-2020Is Jadeja the Super Kings’ new finisher?Ravindra Jadeja’s batting has come on big time. So much so that his contributions down the order have been the cornerstones of a few Test match wins for India.But aggressive batting? Being able to walk in and start hitting out? That’s a very difficult skill to pull off.Jadeja was in that zone against the Capitals, smoking Anrich Nortje, the fastest bowler in the IPL, to all parts. After his unbeaten 33 off 13 balls, he has, in total, 136 runs off 63 balls in the 16 to 20 over phase. That puts him behind only AB de Villiers, Rahul Tewatia and Kieron Pollard in this year’s IPL.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhy did Super Kings pick Jadeja over Bravo for the final over?MS Dhoni had hidden Jadeja away all through the chase, presumably because of Shikhar Dhawan and his left-handedness. Because of Dhawan, the Super Kings could use only two overs of spin in the first ten. They could only bowl five overs of spin all innings.And yet, with the match on the line, with 16 to defend off the last over, Dhoni went to Jadeja. Even though death-overs specialist Dwayne Bravo had an over left.In real time, it felt like Dhoni was gambling. But at the presentation he said, “Bravo was not fit. So he went out and he was not really able to come back. That was the reason. The option was Karn [Sharma] or Jaddu so I went ahead with Jaddu.”The Super Kings might have hoped the batsmen would go for big shots and get caught at the boundary. Axar Patel did… and cleared the boundary three times to seal the victory.Was the Sharjah pitch really that slow?Prithvi Shaw fell to a new ball that was holding up in the pitch. An in-form Faf du Plessis found it hard to hit Patel off his length.It felt like, even though the ground has short boundaries, the wear on the pitch might hamper batsmen.The Super Kings certainly worked on that assumption. They touched a scoring rate of seven an over for the first time off the last ball of tenth over – the second-latest for any team in Sharjah in this IPL.But the Capitals, in the second innings, hit 7.71 runs an over, as the powerplay ended and kept ramping it up.Ricky Ponting, in his mid-match interview, said there was some dew on the pitch. Dhoni also said it was easier to bat in the second innings.Why is du Plessis looking so much better than his colleagues?He is one of the few at the Super Kings who like data. One would guess he sits down with the analyst and looks up match-ups and that sort of thing, and he’s the one leading their faltering top order.The reason he has been able to do that is perhaps because he has been looking to attack first.He moves around in his crease to create his own angles. He’s very good at lifting balls over the infield, especially over cover (60 off 35) and midwicket (55 off 27). He’s very good on the slog (47 off 17). He knows these strengths. He’s maximising on them.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat’s the secret to Rayudu’s big hitting?Shane Watson said India missed out by not using Ambati Rayudu as their No. 4 at the World Cup. That was after Rayudu took down Jasprit Bumrah in the opening game of the IPL. And again, against the pace of Nortje and Kagiso Rabada, he looked like a boss.A large part of his success is because he is a batsman who targets the off side for boundaries. He’d hit 17 fours and five sixes before Saturday. Fourteen of those have come on the off side: mid-off – 2 sixes, 3 fours; covers – 5 fours; point – 2 fours; third man – 2 fours.Most teams put three men on the boundary on the leg side when the field restrictions are done, and if anyone makes that mistake against Rayudu, he takes full toll.

da 888casino： It feels as if things are finally starting to fall into place at Arsenal.

da leao： For example, Sporting Director Andrea Bertas has been able to secure new long-term contracts for Gabriel Magalhães and Myles Lewis-Skelly, but that’s not all.

He has also seemingly secured the services of Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga while also pursuing several exciting striker targets.

The forward who seems to be most heavily linked with a move to the club is Benjamin Sesko, and if recent reports are to be believed, Arsenal could be moving to sign someone who’d be a dream teammate for the Slovenian star.

Arsenal target Premier League superstar

Signing a new striker was always going to be an objective heading into this summer, as while Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are talented and useful players, neither has ever been, nor is likely to become, prolific.

The list of centre-forwards supposedly targeted by the club includes the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Ollie Watkins and Alexander Isak, but the goalscorer who has arguably been linked most with the club, and therefore feels like the most realistic to end up in North London, is Sesko.

The RB Leipzig star was a target for the Gunners as far back as last summer, and while the German outfit is still holding out for a sizable fee, recent reports suggest that the 22-year-old could make his way to the Emirates for around £70m this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

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It would be an exciting addition to Arteta’s squad and one made all the better by the capture of another target: Eberechi Eze.

Yes, according to a recent report from insider Hand of Arsenal, Arteta was involved in direct talks with the Crystal Palace star’s camp on Saturday.

Talks have not been held directly with the South London side, and although there’s no mention of a fee, it has been widely reported that the Englishman has a release clause worth around £68m in his current contract.

It wouldn’t be a cheap deal to get over the line, but given Eze’s ability and track record, it’s one worth pushing the boat out for, especially as he could be incredible alongside Sesko.

Why Eze would be a dream for Sekso

The first reason Sesko would love to play alongside Eze at Arsenal is incredibly straightforward: his output.

The Crystal Palace star has long been an effective player for the South London side, but in recent seasons, he’s really stepped it up when it comes to goals and assists, with this season being a particular high point for him.

For example, in just 43 appearances, totalling 3303 minutes, the “dangerous” playmaker, as dubbed by Oliver Glasner, was able to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes, which for someone in a midtable side, is unreal.

Eze’s 24/25

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Just imagine what the Leipzig gem could do with a player as effective as the Englishman playing behind him or off to his left; he’d surely see his own goal and assist tallies soar.

Moreover, he’s not just stat padding against the weakest teams or in meaningless games, as the 26-year-old opened the scoring in the semi-final of the FA Cup this season and then scored the winning goal in the final, demonstrating exactly why teammate Tyrick Mitchell thinks he’s “one of the best players in the Premier League”.

The second reason that the Slovenian would love the former QPR gem is that he’s not afraid to do the dirty work when needed.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 5% of attacking midfielders or wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for passes blocked and in the top 11% for ball recoveries per 90, which could free up the former RB Salzburg star to focus all his attention on scoring goals.

Finally, the fact that the Greenwhich-born dynamo can play as a ten or off the left of a front three should help him get more minutes with the Leipzig star and, in turn, build up more chemistry and a better understanding with him.

Ultimately, while it would be a lot of money, Arsenal should do all they can to sign both Sesko and Eze this summer, as together, they could help Arteta and Co finally get over the line next season.

Related Better move than Norgaard: Arsenal agree personal terms to sign £17m phenom

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 30, 2025

Matt Renshaw’s first half-century of a new summer was the only shining light on an otherwise gloomy day in Melbourne as Queensland and Tasmania shared the One-Day Cup points on offer after rain and bad light meant only 16 overs were possible.Renshaw made 51 off 36 balls with four fours and three sixes as Queensland posted 128 for 5 from the only play possible on a day where rain delayed the start by four-and-a-half hours and bad light ended it early.Persistent rain fell at the Junction Oval on Wednesday ensuring no play was possible until 2.30pm. The rain meant the match was shortened to a 20-over affair, albeit with 50-over powerplay rules in place. Tasmania unsurprisingly sent Queensland in having been skittled by Victoria on the same surface two days earlier.They made early breakthroughs with Gabe Bell removing Ben McDermott while Beau Webster picked up Max Bryant. Renshaw and new Queensland recruit Lachlan Hearne then shared a 79-run stand in just 8.4 overs. They struck seven fours and four sixes between them before Webster broke the stand.Matt Kuhnemann got his first wicket for his new state against his old side, bowling former team-mate Jack Wildermuth for 8. Hearne holed out to deep midwicket off Bell in the 15th over before the umpires checked the light after 16 overs and called a halt to proceedings. Play never resumed and the points were shared.Queensland will remain in Melbourne and face Victoria on Friday with Australia Test opener Usman Khawaja set to play after missing the clash with Tasmania.

England captain empathises with footballers amid public pressure for results

Andrew Miller09-Jul-2024Ben Stokes says that England’s evolution as a Test team has to begin in this summer’s home series against West Indies, because he wants to be able to lead a team into the 2025-26 Ashes tour in 18 months’ time that can “not just compete with Australia, but beat them”.Speaking at Lord’s on the eve of the first Test, Stokes admitted it had been a hard decision to tell James Anderson that his 188-match career has to come to an end this week. However, he acknowledged that the shortcomings exposed in England’s recent 4-1 series loss in India had forced them to redouble their efforts to be ready for their next big overseas challenge Down Under – arguably the one by which the success of Stokes’ era as captain will be judged.”I’m not going to lie: I want us to be able to take a squad out there that I know is going to go at Australia,” Stokes said. “I’ll be nearly four years as captain when we go out there. I want to be able to go out there knowing we’ve done everything possibly right over this 18-month period, to go out there with a strong enough squad to not just compete with Australia, but to beat them.”Ben Stokes has half an eye on Australia as England prepare to learn from their setback in India•Getty ImagesAs Stokes himself admitted, the throw-forward nature of his comments was rather at odds with the ‘live in the moment’ message that had been a bedrock of the so-called Bazball era. But, with Stuart Broad and Jonny Bairstow already gone from that original genre-bending team, and with Anderson soon to follow, England’s focus has undergone a subtle shift in the four months since the disappointments of the India tour.”It’s probably the first time you’ve heard me speak like that about something so far away, but again it goes back to our progression as a side,” Stokes added. “I want this team to progress over the 18 months, so I’m focusing on that, because I want us to go out to Australia and win the Ashes back.”That ambition, in turn, pointed to an underlying flaw in England’s recent record. For all the excitement that Bazball has stirred up among the cricket-watching public, Stokes bridled when it was put to him that – despite providing some exhilarating entertainment along the way – England have not actually won any of their three full series in the preceding 18 months, including last summer’s compelling home Ashes campaign.Aside from a ten-wicket win in a one-off Test against Ireland, their last outright series win was an unprecedented 3-0 clean sweep in Pakistan in December 2022.”Let’s just take that in,” he said. “Before the last four Tests in India, we won [the first Test] in New Zealand [in February 2022], then lost the second Test by one run. We came back from 2-0 down against Australia, had a drawn match [at Old Trafford] because of weather. [Saying that] we haven’t won a series in that time, I think is going into it a bit too much.”I won’t lie, those last four matches in India were incredibly disappointing, but going at it like that is a bit uncalled for. There’s so much that goes into winning a Test match. We go out there to win, but we put a focus on the way we play our cricket, knowing that we have found a way that brings the best out of us as individuals and a team.”Ollie Pope acknowledges the crowd after his 196 at Hyderabad, in England’s only win of the India tour•Getty ImagesEngland’s India series did feature one extraordinary high point, as Ollie Pope’s second-innings 196 helped overturned a 190-run deficit in the first Test at Hyderabad, before Tom Hartley capped his debut with matchwinning figures of 7 for 62. Thereafter, England had their moments but ultimately were forced to blink at the key moments of the campaign, a fact that Stokes both acknowledged and vowed to learn from.”We know if we play to our capabilities, we will have given ourselves the best chance of winning that game,” he said. “[Since India], what we probably have a better understanding of now is, when the opposition might be on top, how do we handle that pressure? How do we get through that, and put it back onto them?”Sometimes it takes a hiccup to say, ‘if this is going to happen again, how do we handle that?’ But it’s also knowing that we need to put pressure back onto the opposition, rather than taking a backward step and letting them dictate terms. When we are putting pressure back on opposition, that is when we feel as individuals and as a team [that] our mindset is so much clearer.”Stokes added that he empathised with England’s footballers at the European Championship in Germany. They face the Netherlands on Wednesday evening having reached an unprecedented third semi-final in the space of four competitions, yet still come under immense criticism from a demanding public that expects even more.Related

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“It’s not surprising, is it?” Stokes said. “I want all English teams to do well, whatever sport it may be, so as a professional sportsman myself I find it quite tough to see the backlash that the footballers have gotten and they always seem to get.”They’re in the semi-finals of the Euros, they’ve done what they needed to do to get to where they are now. Something that me and Brendon have tried to do is to just relax everyone and keep that noise out. The dressing room is the most important thing.”When you’re an outsider, like I am from the England football team, it’s tough to see that kind of stuff, because I know that all that scrutiny and added pressure isn’t going to help that team go out there and perform as well as they would like to.”I know the public wants to see English sports teams do really well, but I find it tough sometimes when people are quick to hammer down on them. But I understand it, because I know how passionate this country is about seeing their teams do well.”

da bet7： Arsenal’s attack in 2024/25 has been depleted over the last couple of months, with injuries massively hampering their Premier League title chances.

da dobrowin： Mikel Arteta has been without Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka for large spells of the campaign, often having to utilise a make-shift front three.

However, the Gunners still managed to score 69 times in their 38 matches this season, with only Liverpool and Manchester City scoring more in England’s top-flight.

Such injuries have highlighted the need for added depth and quality in such a department, with the hierarchy needing to hand Arteta with the funds to make the improvements he demands.

With the summer rapidly approaching, it will allow the Spaniard to land any of the stars currently on his radar, bolstering their chances of a title charge next season.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new signings this summer

A new centre-forward has been at the top of Arsenal’s list over the last couple of months, with Benjamin Sesko the latest player in their sights during the off-season.

It’s been reported in recent days that the Gunners have already been in talks with RB Leipzig over a move for the 21-year-old talisman, who currently has an £84m clause in his contract.

However, he’s not the only attacker who’s been in direct contact with the hierarchy, with Real Sociedad forward Takefusa Kubo also in talks over a move to the Emirates, according to one Spanish outlet.

Their report claims that Arteta’s side are facing a battle with fellow English side Liverpool for the signature of the 23-year-old, who’s registered 11 combined goals and assists this season.

It also states that he has a €60m (£50m) release clause in his deal with the LaLiga outfit, potentially moving to North London with teammate Martin Zubimendi this summer.

Why Arsenal’s £50m target would be a better signing than Sane

Despite the interest in the aforementioned duo, Bayern Munich star Leroy Sané has also been mentioned as a potential option for Arsenal this summer.

The German, who’s registered 11 goals in the Bundesliga this season, looks set to depart the Allianz Arena at the end of June when his current contract comes to an end.

The 29-year-old is also subject to interest from North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, potentially making for an intriguing transfer battle between the pair in the coming months.

Sane has previously starred in England’s top-flight, scoring 39 times in his 135 appearances for Manchester City during his four-year spell at the Etihad.

However, despite the interest in the Bayern attacker, Arteta should steer clear and make a move for Kubo instead, with the Japanese international outperforming Sane in numerous key areas.

The Sociedad star, who’s been labelled “world-class” by former Barcelona boss Xavi, may have scored fewer goals this season, but has managed a better goal per shot-on-target rate – showcasing the clinical edge he possesses.

He’s also registered more progressive carries and more take-ons completed, highlighting the threat he poses with the ball at his feet and running at the opposition.

How Kubo compares to Sane in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Kubo

Sane

Games played

36

30

Goals scored

5

11

Progressive carries

5.1

4.1

Progressive passes

4.2

3.5

Goals per shot-on-target

0.4

0.3

Passes into final third

2.2

1.3

Take-on success

48%

39%

Crosses completed

3.2

2.8

Stats via FBref

Kubo’s dominance doesn’t stop there, completing more crosses per 90, along with more passes into the final third, subsequently having the tools to aid others in attacking areas.

It may appear to be a bold call to move for Kubo over Sane given the difference in price this summer, but he’s demonstrated in LaLiga that he’s a more impressive option for Arteta.

He’s also six years younger than the Bayern star, having the potential to explode into life should he complete a £50m deal to the Emirates in the coming months.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb May 30, 2025

Shafali Verma’s career-best 81 and a disciplined bowling effort propelled India into the semi-finals of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 with an 82-run win over Nepal. With three wins from three games, India topped Group A. Pakistan, who defeated UAE earlier in the afternoon, were the second team to advance to the knockouts, with two wins out of three.Opting to bat first, the Smriti Mandhana-led India posted 178 for 3 thanks to Shafali’s breezy knock and a solid opening stand with D Hemalatha. It was an uphill task for Nepal, who don’t play under lights and, against an in-form bowling attack, they could only manage 96 for 9 in 20 overs.

Shafali blazes away but Hemalatha scratchy

With the semi-final spot almost in the bag, India rested their regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and allrounder Pooja Vastrakar and gave some game time to S Sajana and Arundhati Reddy. There was also a change at the top of the order, with India promoting Hemalatha to open with Shafali. The openers took their time to assess the conditions and several loose deliveries went unpunished early on. But soon enough Shafali found her feet and accelerated. The same cannot be said of her opening partner on the day.D Hemalatha scored her T20I best of 47 in a 122-run opening stand with Shafali Verma•Getty Images

After an unbeaten 41 against Bangladesh in April in her comeback game, Hemalatha had crossed 30 only once in the next eight innings across ODIs and T20Is before Tuesday. This however was a golden opportunity for Hemalatha to cement her spot in the XI, batting against an Associate team on a slow surface. She did get a few good shots away thanks to a strong bottom hand, but in general struggled to find her timing in a 42-ball 47.Shafali, on the other hand, capitalised on the Nepal bowlers’ struggle to find the right line and length. She used her feet and wrist well to flick, hit straight drives down the ground, slog sweep to deep midwicket and, overall, played with good intent. India finished the powerplay on 50 for 0 and Shafali brought up her tenth T20I fifty in the eighth over, off just 26 balls. At the halfway stage, India were 91 for 0 and looked set to breach the 200-run mark again.

India finish strong despite a brief stutter

However, Nepal’s experienced left-arm spinner Sita Rana Magar pulled things back and removed Hemalatha and Shafali in the 14th and 16th over respectively. Shafali ended her knock with 12 fours and a six, and the duo’s 122-run partnership was the highest opening stand across editions of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup and the second-highest for any wicket.Sita Rana Magar was the pick of the Nepal bowlers•Getty Images

India’s scoring rate slowed down when the new batters came in but Jemimah Rodrigues’ clever batting, which fetched her five fours in her 15-ball 28 not out, helped India get close to 180. Sajana, like Hemalatha, also struggled in her 12-ball stay. Whether India persist with Hemalatha or give more opportunities to Sajana at No. 3 is something to keep an eye on, leading up to the T20 World Cup in October.

Reddy grabs her opportunity

An injury to Titas Sadhu opened the door for Reddy to get back with the Indian squad, following impressive performances in domestic cricket and the WPL. In the limited opportunities she has got since her comeback against South Africa last month, Reddy has stepped up to the challenge. Against Nepal, she delivered again, picking up 2 for 28 in her four overs. Having worked on her variations and the ability to swing the ball both ways in the last 12 to 15 months, Reddy struck off her fourth delivery, bowling opener Samjhana Khadka. She went for 11 runs in her second over, but fought back to dismiss Magar for a 22-ball 18 with a delivery that seamed back in to hit the middle stump.Nepal were rocked early in the chase, and never really recovered.