It may not be the completely convincing promotion bid many anticipated last summer, but Newcastle are well on course to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Magpies are still setting the pace in the Championship with just seven games remaining, currently one point ahead of second-place Brighton and a whopping ten clear of the playoff positions.
Although you can’t take anything for granted in English football, Newcastle are about as solid a bet as it gets in regards to the second-tier promotion race this season.
But what happens when the Magpies return to the top flight, having struggled so repeatedly during their final few years in the Premier League?
Whilst they already have some stars in place for their Premier League campaign, well proven at that level, others aren’t quite so convincing – and could well end up being the reason why Newcastle are back in the Championship in time for 2018/19.
Football FanCast’s Tom Skinner takes a look…
So, Newcastle fans, do you agree with Tom Skinner’s picks? Will they keep Newcastle up or push them back down? Do Rafa Benitez and Mike Ashley need to get rid this summer? Let us know by commenting below!
It’s that time of the year again! The European Championships could only hold our attention for a month of this summer of sport, and now you’re going to be forced to forget about football for a while and concentrate on cricket, golf and cycling! Exciting, right?
Well, no. It’s not. We feel your pain. Football is at its most exciting when there is actually football going on – but in order for that to happen, players need a break. And clubs need to be given the chance to strengthen.
Fortunately, during this down time, we’re here to help you out, Arsenal fans!
With your club being linked to almost every player under the sun, we felt that it was about time that all your transfer rumours fell into one place. So what better way to procrastinate / get your footballing fix than by scrolling through all the transfer dealings your club are making.
What’s more, you’ll never have to scour the underworld of tabloid newspapers again – just bookmark this gallery and keep up to date on all the summer dealings here!
Pep Off!
Arsenal have informed Manchester City that right-back Hector Bellerin won’t be sold during the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Mail. The Spain international has established himself as one of the most exciting full-backs in Europe since becoming an Arsenal regular, claiming a place in last season’s PFA Team of the Year after providing one goal and five assists in 36 Premier League appearances.
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Hammering home?
Reports from Corriere dello Sport suggest Arsenal have edged ahead of West Ham in the transfer race to sign AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca. The 29-year-old boasts a formidable scoring record from his spells with Club Brugge, Sevilla, Milan and the Colombian national team, with a career return of 223 goals in 438 appearances across all competitions. According to Mirror Football, West Ham have already agreed a £26million transfer fee with the San Siro giants, who signed Bacca from Sevilla last summer, but are yet to receive a concrete answer from the South American.
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No Gonzalo
Arsenal’s hopes of sealing a mega summer move for Gonzalo Higuain appear to be in tatters, with Sky Sports reporting that the Napoli striker is keen to join Juventus. The Argentine has emerged as a key target for the Gunners over the course of the past few days as Arsene Wenger contemplates the addition of a top-class marksman.
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Baby got Bacca!
Arsenal are plotting a move for AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca with their pursuits of both Gonzalo Higuain and Alexandre Lacazette faltering, according to reports from Gazzetta World. The Gunners have been on the lookout for a new hit-man for much of the summer after they missed out on the Premier League title last term.
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Enquiry made!
Arsenal have enquired about the possibility of signing Alexandre Lacazette this summer, but have elected to look at other targets for the time being due to Lyon’s €60m (£50m) demands, according to Get French Football News. The France international, who was excluded from Didier Deschamps’ EURO 2016 plans, has been one of Ligue 1’s most dangerous forwards over the course of the past three seasons, smashing an impressive 63 goals in total.
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Winger to go
Valencia are keen on Arsenal attacker Joel Campbell with Arsene Wenger keen to offload the Costa Rican this summer, according to reports from Estadio Deportivo. The 24-year-old signed for the Gunners way back in 2011, but has failed to make any real impact at the club.
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Willing to listen
According to reports from The Times, Newcastle United are ready to listen to offers of £20million or more for in-demand midfielder Moussa Sissoko. The 26-year-old drew plenty of criticism for his laboured displays last season as the Magpies plummeted out of the Premier League, despite notching up seven assists in 37 outings. But the France international’s potential has never been in doubt and he appeared to finally fulfil it at Euro 2016 with a Man of the Match performance in the tournament’s final – a 1-0 defeat to Portugal.
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Legend to leave!
Football – Arsenal v Leeds United FA Cup Third Round – Emirates Stadium – 9/1/12Thierry Henry celebrates after scoring Arsenal’s first goalMandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew CouldridgeLivepic
According to reports from The Sun, legendary striker Thierry Henry could continue his coaching career at West Ham after parting company with Arsenal. The Gunners icon made 376 appearances for the north London club as a player, firing his way to two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and four Golden Boots with a potent return of 228 goals. The Frenchman had been working within Arsenal’s academy set-up as part of his UEFA coaching licence course, but was recently informed by Arsene Wenger that he’d have to give up his role as a pundit on Sky Sports.
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Return of the Skip?
Football – Belgium v Russia – FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Group H – Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 22/6/14Belgium’s Thomas Vermaelen looks dejected after sustaining an injuryMandatory Credit: Action Images / Paul ChildsLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
According to reports from Sport, former skipper Thomas Vermaelen wants to return to Arsenal during the summer transfer window. The Belgium international made 150 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal, captaining them from summer 2012 until his departure to Barcelona in summer 2014. But the centre-back has endured a torrid tenure at the Nou Camp, managing just eleven appearances during the last two La Liga campaigns amid a host of injury problems.
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No way for Turan
Football – Chelsea v Atletico Madrid – UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Stamford Bridge, London, England – 13/14 – 30/4/14Arda Turan – Atletico Madrid Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
According to reports from The Guardian, the agent of Arsenal and Chelsea transfer target Arda Turan has insisted his client is happy at Barcelona. The Turkish international moved to the Nou Camp only last summer, after winning a La Liga title and reaching a Champions League final during a four-season tenure at Atletico Madrid. Barcelona’s transfer embargo delayed the attacking midfielder’s debut until January 2016 but Turan struggled to impress during the second half of the season, issued just nine starts in La Liga.
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Just Talks?
According to reports from Sky Sports, Arsenal intermediaries have held talks with Gonzalo Higuain’s agent regarding a potential summer transfer to the Emirates. The Argentina international came close to signing for the Gunners three years ago and appears to be on their radar once again after setting a new record of the most goals scored in a single Serie A campaign – a whopping 36 from 35 appearances. Arsene Wenger is known to be on the lookout for another striker this summer, having already failed in a £20million approach for Leicester City front-man Jamie Vardy, and Arsenal have been linked with Higuain, aged 28, frequently in recent weeks.
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Bid rejected
According to reports from Calcio Mercato, Arsenal have seen a £25million transfer bid for Daniele Rugani rejected by Juventus. The 6 foot 3 centre-half is rated as one of Italian football’s most promising youngsters, having kicked off his senior career with two affluent campaigns at Empoli before making 17 Serie A appearances for the Old Lady as they claimed last season’s title. And Calcio Mercato claim the Gunners have tabled a £25million offer for the prodigious centre-back.
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Young Lion
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal are interested in signing Juventus defender Daniele Rugani during the summer transfer window. The 21-year-old is rated as one of the most exciting young centre-backs in Italian football, having thoroughly impressed during his two seasons at Empoli and made 17 league appearances last term as the Old Lady lifted a fourth consecutive Serie A title.
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Monster contract!
Arsenal have offered Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuain a contract worth around £130,000-per-week and a meeting between officials of both club on Thursday has been requested by Arsene Wenger, according to RaiSport journalist, Ciro Venerato. The Argentine ace boosted his already stellar reputation last season with a staggering 36 goals in 35 Serie A appearances as the Naples outfit secured Champions League qualification.
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Striker swap?
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal have offered Olivier Giroud to Napoli in exchange for top transfer target Gonzalo Higuain. The Gunners came close to signing the Argentina international in summer 2013 but after a disagreement over price-tag with then-employers Real Madrid, he eventually signed for the Serie A outfit instead. The 28-year-old has gone on to claim 91 goals in 146 appearances for the Naples side, including a record-breaking return of 36 goals in the Italian top flight last season.
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Snap up a star?
According to reports from Sport, Arsenal and Chelsea are both targeting Arda Turan, who could leave Barcelona during the summer transfer window. Barcelona signed the Turkish international, who has represented his country a whopping 93 times, last summer but he wasn’t allowed to make a competitive appearance until January 2016 due to the Nou Camp outfit’s transfer ban. However, the versatile midfielder, who can operate as a wide man, a centre-mid or a No.10, endured an underwhelming debut half-season at the Nou Camp, managing just nine starts in La Liga.
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Monster Mouss!
According to reports from The Chronicle, Newcastle United have slapped Arsenal and Liverpool transfer target Moussa Sissoko with a staggering £35million price-tag.
The 26-year-old was one of the Magpies’ better performers last season, claiming seven assists in 37 Premier League appearances, but couldn’t prevent their relegation to English football’s second tier.And the France international was arguably the Man of the Match in last night’s Euro 2016 final despite his side losing to Portugal, finishing up with the most successful dribbles of any player involved – an impressive seven.
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Draft Drax
Arsenal will be free to make Julian Draxler their marquee summer signing if they offer Wolfsburg a club-record €60m (£51.1m), according to Bundesliga expert Jan Aage Fjortoft. The silky attacking midfielder was heavily linked with the Gunners during the January 2015 transfer window and has once again emerged as a shock target in the past week.
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Also Tu-rans?
Arsenal are candidates in the race for Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan, according to reports from Sport. The Turkey international only joined the Catalans last summer from Atletico Madrid, but he was unable to feature for the first-team until January 2016 due to the club’s ban on registering new players.
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Sub-par!
According to reports from German publication Express, Arsenal have tabled a £12million bid for Everton and Liverpool transfer target Neven Subotic.
The Serbian international was a key member of the Borussia Dortmund side that lifted back-to-back Bundesliga titles and reached the 2013 Champions League final, but he’s suffered an almighty fall from grace since. Indeed, injury problems have reduced the 27-year-old to just 44 Bundesliga appearances during the last three seasons – including just five starts during the 2015/16 campaign.
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What they’re Lac-ing
According to reports from The Daily Mail, Arsenal have held talks over the potential summer transfer of Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
The 5 foot 9 forward has bagged 76 goals in 138 appearances across the last three seasons, including a 27-goal haul for the 2014/15 campaign that saw him pick up Ligue 1’s Player of the Year award.
The France international was left out of Didier Deschamps’ Euro 2016 squad but nonetheless remains in demand this summer, with plenty of Premier League clubs reportedly chasing his signature.
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Is Ten Too Much?
Arsenal are heading in to an important summer of business before next season, and after finishing second last time out the Gunners will want to be real challengers for their first title in 12 years.
Arsene Wenger is currently away at the Euros working for French TV during the tournament, but once he is back in North London he will need to press on with transfer business in order to keep up with Arsenal’s competitors.
Arsenal will be up against some fierce competition for the title next season with the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and both Manchester clubs looking to spend big in order to restore past glories.
Wenger has already delved into the transfer market with the addition of Granit Xhaka, but he will want to press on and bring further players in to bolster his squad. Whilst additions are needed to compete it may well be time for certain players to move on from Arsenal as well.
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Cheeky enquiry
According to journalist Emanuele Giulianelli, Arsenal have made an enquiry into the potential availability of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli.
The 20-year-old was nothing short of phenomenal during his debut Premier League campaign, rightfully claiming the division’s Young Player of the Year award after bagging ten goals and nine assists in 33 appearances for the third-placed Lilywhites.
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Going back home?
According to reports from London Evening Standard, Barcelona could swoop for Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin following Dani Alves’ transfer to Juventus.
The Brazil right-back won three Champions League titles with the Nou Camp outfit but completed a much-speculated move to Juventus yesterday.
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Young Hotshot
According to reports from Esporte, Arsenal have opened talks with Corinthians over the potential transfer of promising midfielder Maycon.
The hotshot is just 18 years of age but has already registered 16 appearances across all competitions for Corinthians, following his professional debut in February.
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Another Gabriel?!
Rumours are surfacing that Arsenal are finally close to completing a move for a striker. But Alvaro Morata is not the man supposedly heading to the Emirates Stadium, nor is Gonzalo Higuain. Instead, the Gunners are set to spend £15m on young Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa.
Arsenal fans have been longing for a forward man for some time, after yet another season of Olivier Giroud leading the line, with minimal success. Now, with Danny Welbeck out for the majority of next season and Giroud fast running out of supporters in north London, a new striker has to be priority for Wenger this summer.
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Lookout, Hammers fans!
According to reports from Transfer Market Web, Arsenal will target West Ham defender Sam Byram if Hector Bellerin completes a summer transfer to Barcelona.
Since establishing himself as the Gunners’ resident No.2, the Spain international has emerged as one of the most exciting young full-backs in Europe.
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Next Inamoto?
According to reports from Sanyo News, Arsenal have tabled a formal transfer bid for Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Takuma Asano.
Despite being relatively unknown in Europe, the 21-year-old is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting young players Asian football has to offer.
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Captain Clasico
According to reports from Foot Mercato, Real Madrid are targeting Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny as a potential replacement for countryman Raphael Varane.
Reports from Spain claim the 6 foot 2 France international has grown discontent with his role at the Bernabeu after finishing the season behind Pepe and Sergio Ramos in the pecking order.
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A striker at last?
Who is Alvaro Morata?
He’s probably the most sought-after striker of the summer transfer window. After having a stand-out season at Juventus, Morata put his club in an odd situation.
Having signed for Juventus from Real Madrid, the Spanish giants were able to take advantage of a buy-back clause they had negotiated in the sale. But that’s not the end of the saga. Juventus want Morata back, as do – reportedly – a host of Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Arsenal.
So Madrid feel that they can get an astronomical fee from an English club, given the money now available in the Premier League, or else they can negotiate some sort of deal with Juventus involving Paul Pogba. Or indeed involving Chelsea and Eden Hazard.
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Stay away, Arsene!
The rumours of Jamie Vardy joining Arsenal are long gone. After signing Granit Xhaka, it looked as though Arsenal were about to plunge into the transfer market and sign as many players as they could.
The Gunners clearly do need some new talent in the side, as their second place finish in the Premier League was seen by many as an under-achievement. Wenger’s men were simply not consistent enough to win the Premier League title and despite being top at the turn of the year, they fell ten points short of eventual champions, Leicester City.
Arsenal fans will be hoping that the club work hard to bring in plenty of new faces to strengthen the squad as the Londoners prepare for what looks to be one of the toughest seasons yet. Arsenal need new talent to win their 14th title, but there are some players that the Gunners are linked with that could surely damage their chances. Here are FIVE….
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Alternatives now!
With another player looking destined to snub Arsenal, Arsene Wenger must be wondering what he has to do to secure any signings in the modern game. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was superb for Borussia Dortmund last season and it looks nailed on that the Armenian will turn down Arsenal, as he looks to move elsewhere… potentially to Manchester United.
Players aren’t exactly in awe of Arsenal anymore. Their continued failure to win a truly major trophy has left Arsene Wenger under pressure, rather than in a position to demand the best players come to the club. The signings of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez may have suggested otherwise, but it could be another tricky summer for the Gunners as every Premier League club can compete financially with the new TV deal.
Could it be another summer of frustration for the Arsenal fans? Well, if not, they should probably consider one of these five stars as an alternative to Mkhitaryan…
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Meltdown again
It’s been a big morning for Manchester City. As the club celebrated the launch of a new badge and a new website, they announced the signing of Nolito from fellow sky blues Celta Vigo and the first official day of the Pep Guardiola tenure.
But that didn’t go down well with Arsenal fans, who see the £13.8m transfer of Nolito to City as a sign that their own club still hasn’t got its act together.
Over the last few seasons, Arsenal fans have been decrying their club’s performances in the transfer market, with Arsene Wenger notoriously reluctant to spend money on transfers.
That looked to have changed with the signing of Petr Cech early last summer, but then nothing happened for the rest of the window. Arsenal were the only club in Europe’s top five leagues not to sign an outfield player last summer. This summer started brightly, too, with the signing of Granit Xhaka. But you can forgive Arsenal fans for not being happy.
In fact, they’re having a bit of a meltdown this morning, as Arsenal fans are wont to do!
Sit back, grab the popcorn and watch the carnage roll in!
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Don’t mess with the Sanch
According to reports from The Daily Mail, Arsenal have rejected an approach from Juventus for star attacker Alexis Sanchez.
The Chile international has netted 42 times since signing for the Gunners in summer 2014, including a return of 29 goals in 65 Premier League appearances.
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Carlo for Kosc?
According to reports from Bild, Bayern Munich are keen to sign Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny.
The France international, who has started all four of his country’s fixtures at Euro 2016, has emerged as one of the top defenders in Europe since moving to the Emirates from FC Lorient in summer 2010.
Mason Greenwood completing a permanent move to Spain would please La Liga president Javier Tebas, as he does not care about the forward’s past.
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Winger taking in Spanish loan spell
Permanent move on the cards
La Liga president unfazed by past
WHAT HAPPENED?
One-cap England international Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of rape and sexual assault. He was suspended by Manchester United, but saw all charges against him dropped in February 2023 – eventually paving the way for a loan move to Getafe.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Greenwood has impressed during a season-long loan, registering seven goals and five assists, with his exploits said to be catching the eye of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. A permanent transfer could be on the cards for 2024, with Tebas explaining why he would be happy to see a deal pushed through.
WHAT TEBAS SAID
La Liga chief Tebas has told a media briefing at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit: “He’s doing really well at Getafe as a player and I hope he continues to be successful and he continues to stay in Spanish football because that’s always good for us. He is just another player. He had a past, but not a past we can do anything about. He was innocent and wasn’t condemned. We can’t be judges for everything. If we did that, we’d have no teams. I’m a lawyer, so it’s important to say he is not condemned. He was acquitted here [in the UK]. Should we have reopened the case in Spain? Do I know the case in great detail? No. Greenwood was not condemned, so I don’t care.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
United are expected to sanction a sale in the next transfer window, although Sir Jim Ratcliffe has left the door ajar for a return to Old Trafford. The INEOS chief has said: “It’s quite clear we have to make a decision. There is no decision that’s been made. We will make a decision, and we will justify it one way or the other. He’s on loan obviously, but he’s not the only one – we’ve got one or two footballers that we have to deal with and we have to make a decision on, so we will do that.”
The Nigeria international is widely considered as one of the game's best young strikers, but just how many goals has he scored so far?
Napoli star Victor Osimhen has been making headlines for all of the right reasons, and his sensational performances for the Serie A side have garnered attention all across the continent.
Indeed, his outstanding goal-scoring statistics have not gone unnoticed to the eyes of Europe's wealthiest clubs, with the likes Manchester United, Bayern, and Chelsea all expressing an interest in acquiring his services in the near future.
The Nigeria international has established himself as one of Europe's deadliest marksmen this season and has similar attributes to his childhood hero, Didier Drogba.
Osimhen's game possesses the same certain brutality and devastation, with physical robustness to match his pace and presence.
The power and poise of Drogba can be seen in Osimhen's style of play and he possesses a natural ability to find the back of the net, which is backed up by his prolific record.
But just how many goals has he scored for the club so far? Let's take a look.
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Goals for Napoli
After a stellar 2019-20 campaign with Lille, Osimhen was being chased by numerous big clubs and moved to Serie A side Napoli for a club-record fee of €70m.
A shoulder injury, suspensions, and coronavirus-related problems hindered Osimhen's rhythm in his debut season in Naples.
Despite that, he still managed to end the season on a high note and scored 10 goals in the 2020-21 season, before topping that tally the following campaign.
Needless to say, he has become a popular figure among Napoli supporters due to his efficiency in front of goal.
Osimhen has taken his game to a whole new level this term, and his very presence on the pitch strikes fear into the heart of defenders, working in tandem to devastating effect with his partner in crime, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia to fire Napoli to glory.
Season
Apps
Goals
2023-24
2
3
2022-23
39
31
2021-22
32
18
2020-21
30
10
Total
103
62
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Goals for Lille
Charleroi made a significant profit on their measly €3.5m outlay as LOSC Lille came calling, bringing him to France in a deal said to be worth up to €15m.
The Nigerian youngster was signed as a direct replacement for out-bound Rafael Leao, who was on the verge of completing a €35m move to AC Milan at the time.During his only season in Ligue 1, Osimhen hit top form, scoring 13 goals and setting up four assists in 27 league appearances. Only Wissam Ben Yedder, Kylian Mbappe, and Moussa Dembele had a better goal tally that season.
Season
Apps
Goals
2019-20
38
18
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Goals for Charleroi & Wolfsburg
OSIMHEN AT CHARLEROI
Osimhen joined Belgian club Charleroi in 2018. While his start in the European game was a bit rocky, he bounced back and slowly started showing his full potential sooner rather than later.
He was named Charleroi’s Player of the Season for the 2018-19 campaign after hescored 20 goals in 36 games in all competitions for the Zebras and he ended the season as the club's top scorer. His form also led him into Nigeria’s 23-man squad for 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Osimhen's excellent performances drew interest from clubs all across Europe, with Milan, Schalke, Arsenal, and many more vying for his signature.Indeed, the Belgian side converted his loan move into a permanent one for just €3.5m in the summer of 2019, only to make a quick buck by sanctioning a sale in the same transfer window.
Season
Apps
Goals
2018-19
36
20
OSIMHEN AT WOLFSBURG
Osimhen started his career at the Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos, before starring for the Super Eagles at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.He gradually progressed through the ranks and signed a pre-contract with Wolfsburg, with the view to join the German top-flight outfit in January 2017.
He made his official debut for the club on May 13, 2017, coming on as a substitute in the 59th minute of a 1–1 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
However, his time at the German club was riddled with injuries and he ultimately had to look for loan options to get more playing time.
Season
Apps
Goals
2017-18
2
0
2016-17
14
0
Total
16
0
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Goals for Nigeria
Osimhen's swift rise to the summit has more often than not been the result of his glowing performances for the Super Eagles across various age levels.
Indeed, his extremely promising performances at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup caught the eyes of many European scouts, as he won the highest goal scorer award with 10 goals, playing a pivotal role in ensuring that the Nigeria U-17 squad 2015 were eventually crowned tournament champions. He earned a move to Wolfsburg off the back of that tournament.
Osimhen made his made his senior debut for Nigeria in a 3–0 friendly win over Togo in 2017, but had to wait until March 2021 to open his international account in an AFCON qualification match against Lesotho. While his international career is still in its early stages, the former Nigeria U-17 goal machine is among the 10 highest Super Eagles goal scorers, and boasts a superb goals-to-game ratio.
He also netted four goals in one game against lowly Sao Tome & Principe.
After some eye-catching transfers, Villa have made club history in the Women's FA Cup this season and are on track for a best-ever WSL finish
Carla Ward, manager of Aston Villa’s women’s team, remembers being told last summer that another coach in the Women’s Super League had tipped her team for relegation.
Almost a year on, Villa are fifth in the WSL table. They have taken four points off title-chasing Manchester City and beat the same opponent last month to set up a meeting with Chelsea on Sunday in the club’s first-ever Women’s FA Cup semi-final.
Ward admits that if GOAL had told her 12 months ago that the team would be in this position, “I would have called you crazy.”
But the progress made is a testament to the work behind the scenes, the way this group has come together and some brilliant transfer business, which has led to them grabbing headlines for all the right reasons.
GettyDaly, Dali and the summer's dazzling deals
Those headlines started last summer with Rachel Daly’s surprise arrival. Despite her having offers from top-four clubs, the Euro 2022 winner made her way to Villa Park.
“I still don't know how we kept it such a secret,” Ward tells GOAL. “There were only two or three of us that knew for the entire duration of it.
“We’re on a journey and I think she likes the idea of being part of something and helping a club like us and a manager, I guess, like me, who is early on in their career.
"I think that was probably quite important, just to have that sort of impact. If she goes to a top club, might she just be another player? Whereas if she comes to a club like ours, she can make a real difference in helping us move forward.
“It shows the type of person she is. She didn't just go to a big club for big money. She wanted to really come and be part of something special.”
"Rach has been absolutely unbelievable for us," adds Dan Turner, another of Villa’s superb summer signings. "She just won the Euros as a left-back, comes in and is absolutely firing on all cylinders as a No.9. That's just testament to her as a player and a person how well she's done for us. She's been pivotal, as many of the other signings and players have been, for how well we're doing.
“It’s a massive coup for us. She's a leader in the dressing room. Everyone has so much respect for her, as we do for everyone. She's a big character off the pitch as well and, bonus, she brings Dexi, her dog, in most days!”
As well as those Daly and Turner, in came France international Kenza Dali, New Zealand goalkeeper Anna Leat, the versatile Natasha Harding, Northern Ireland striker Simone Magill, Anna Patten on loan from Arsenal, and Kirsty Hanson on loan from Manchester United.
It didn’t click right away, with Ward describing pre-season as “dreadful”. But since it has, it’s been superb.
AdvertisementGettyThe thorn in Man City's side
It was the opening weekend of the season when it came together. Villa raced into a two-goal lead against Man City before half time, were trailing 3-2 before the hour mark, but ended the match as 4-3 winners.
“It's probably one of the best games I've ever been involved in as a player,” Turner says. “I think that win, it was like, 'Okay, we can really kick on from here and we've really got something in this group'.”
That belief was well-placed. Villa have since found consistency, taken points off City again and only lost once in 2023 – that to Chelsea. After a few transfer windows, Ward believes the squad is now tailor made for how she wants to play.
“We plan very strategically who we want, what we want, and how we're going to get there,” she explains. “It's not all about spending money. It's about identifying players that fit the system, fit what we want, fit the philosophy, fit the kind of environment we've got and then bringing those players in.”
GettyBacking it all up with a giant January
That continued into January when Villa caught the eye again. Jordan Nobbs – a player with three WSL titles, four FA Cups and five League Cups to her name – joined from Arsenal. Three days later, Lucy Staniforth, another England international with huge pedigree, followed her through the door.
Villa's team was depleted with injuries at this point and reinforcements were more than welcome – especially ones as good as these.
“I think Christmas came at a good time for us,” Turner says. “A lot of us needed that physical and mental reset. Then when you come back in and there's quality added to the squad, immediately the quality and the standards in training go up because everybody's now fighting for the shirt that maybe wasn't as competitive before Christmas, because of the injuries.
“They're two exciting signings that I think have done unbelievably well since they've been in. Jordan is doing what Jordan does, scoring goals! Stan has been unbelievable controlling the middle of the pitch for us.
“When you hear those names are coming through the door, it just makes for a really exciting second half of the season.”
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GettyPutting it all together
It’s one thing to sign lots of good players, though, and another to put all the pieces together. Villa have certainly done the latter.
Turner believes that she is in the best form of her career – and GOAL agrees. Daly is in the hunt for the WSL’s Golden Boot. Dali deserves to be nominated for the league’s Player of the Season award. The list goes on.
“It's probably a number of factors,” Turner says, asked what is getting the best out of everyone. “I think the togetherness in the group is unbelievable. We're quite an open group, so the environment helps. Carla brings out the best in people, brings out confidence in people.
“Things have been thrown at us, decisions have gone against us this season, things haven't gone our way at times, but there's a lot of character in this group and you can see that.
“There's a lot of experience in the group now and there's winners. We're really starting to build a winning mentality. We're finding different ways to win games. We play some unbelievable football at times but it's not always pretty. That's how you are successful, by finding different ways to win.”
Goal takes a look at what El Tri fans can expect from the new year, plus makes a few predictions about both the national team and Liga MX
Kevin C. CoxTata Martino arrives
It's not exactly a closely guarded secret, but Mexico should hire a men's national team coach early in the year. It should be Gerardo "Tata" Martino.
Fresh off winning MLS Cup with Atlanta United after just two seasons, the Argentine will come to Mexico looking for a new challenge. He'll find it but also will be tasked with thinking long-term as El Tri looks to compete for the 2026 World Cup which will begin on home soil in addition to the 2022 tournament that is approaching more quickly.
AdvertisementHector VivasEl Tri returns to Gold Cup final
Mexico won the 2015 Gold Cup final but missed out on the final altogether in 2017, with an alternate team falling short against Jamaica in the semifinals.
This year will see El Tri's A-team return to the competition, with Mexico taking part in this summer's Gold Cup but not the Copa America. With all attention on its own region, Mexico should be able to return to the final where the United States may be waiting by design – though Costa Rica or another upset-minded team could once again complicate things.
Getty ImagesLozano makes his move
Hirving Lozano was expected to move on from PSV after just one season but stayed put despite his standout showings at the World Cup. This winter, his name once again is being linked to huge clubs like Chelsea and Milan.
El Tri fans may find his name in the transfer rumor sections yet again in the summer, with the Dutch champion not under an obligation to sell for anything less than what it wants for the 23-year-old winger. But whether it's in January or after the Gold Cup, look for 2019 to be the year Lozano takes yet another jump and joins one of the world's largest clubs.
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GettyThis year is 'el bueno' for Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul hasn't won the league since 1997, and the Apertura runners-up have gotten close to winning before only to fall off the next season (it's happened six times since the last title). This prediction could look very silly in 2020. Yet, there's a reason La Maquina could final roll to a title.
Rather than be content with the same team that topped the regular-season table and made it to the final, the club is making more alterations. Former Chivas midifleder Orbelin Pineda and ex-Santos Laguna forward Jonathan Rodriguez continue with sporting director Ricardo Pelaez's strategy of spending for players with proven Liga MX track records. It should pay off either in the upcoming Clausura or in the following Apertura.
South Africa have won their last five completed T20s; they’ll want to carry that form into the World T20. Australia have lost their last five completed T20s; they’ll want to find form before the T20 showcase in India
The Preview by Firdose Moonda05-Mar-2016Match factsSunday, March 6, 2016 Start time 14.30 local (12.30GMT)Big PictureIt has reached the stage where South Africa want to time to speed up. They are on a hot streak that they will want to keep burning into the World T20 but may be secretly worried that it will fizzle out by the time they get there. They have peaked too early before.It has also reached the stage where Australia want time to slow down. They’re only just starting to figure out their plans ahead of the World T20 and they’ve still got some work to do. Who to open with? How many allrounders to field? And they’ve only got two more matches to get it right.In the middle of all that it has reached the stage where another series could be decided. South Africa are already one up and victory in Johannesburg will ensure they can add a third limited-overs trophy to their cabinet this summer. It’s not quite the cup they are really after but it will do nonetheless. Australia don’t have the same obsession with silverware – they have more than enough of it anyway – but have already lost a T20 series to India this year and are under pressure to take it to a decider in Cape Town next Wednesday.If South Africa want to give Dale Steyn reasonable game time before the World T20, they’ll have to play him in Johannesburg•Getty Images
Form guideSouth Africa WWWWW (last five completed games, most recent first) Australia LLLLLIn the spotlightIt’s rare for a player to be under scrutiny for two matches in a row but because Dale Steyn did not play in Durban, he will occupy the hot seat again. South Africa insisted Steyn was fit to play but the chose to bench to him to give the attack that has performed well for them over the last few months another chance and they did not disappoint. Now, Steyn has to play to determine his availability for the World T20 and it could prove more of a disruption than anything else… unless of course, Steyn is back to his destructive best.Peter Nevill made no promises about being able to offer anything more than good glovework ahead of the series and followed through with that in the first match. While he was nifty behind the stumps, he did not provide much in front of them and with Australia deep in the throes of a middle-order collapse, he only added to it. Nevill has been picked purely as a specialist wicketkeeper but the nature of T20 cricket will demand he also provides something with the bat and this could be his chance to show what that is.Team newsSouth Africa fielded what Faf du Plessis called their first-choice team in Durban and their success will make it difficult to make changes, but Russell Domingo’s request that Dale Steyn play in at least two matches in the series means they have to. Steyn could come in at Kyle Abbott’s expense. Hashim Amla could return to open the batting and Farhaan Behardien may displace one of JP Duminy or Rilee Rossouw in the middle order.South Africa (probable) 1 Hashim Amla, 2 AB de Villiers (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 JP Duminy, 5 David Miller, 6 Rilee Rossouw/Farhaan Behardien, 7 Chris Morris, 8 David Wiese, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Imran TahirIf Australia insist on David Warner at one-drop, Shane Watson is lurking in the wings to open the batting with Aaron Finch. James Faulkner and Josh Hazlewood both sat out in Durban and, with the series on the line, may return to the XI. Adam Zampa’s impressive T20I debut may mean Ashton Agar has to wait for his.Australia (probable) 1 Usman Khawaja/Shane Watson, 2 Aaron Finch 3 David Warner, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Peter Nevill (wk), 8 John Hastings/James Faulkner, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Josh Hazlewood/Andrew Tye, 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsWhile Durban provided an almost subcontinent experience, Johannesburg could be the complete opposite. The altitude means the ball will fly through the air faster and the surface – traditionally packed with pace, bounce, and runs – is unlikely to feature as many cracks. At least it will match much of Indian conditions for heat, with temperatures in the mid-30s with no afternoon thunderstorm to cool things down.Stats and trivia The Wanderers has hosted more of South Africa’s home T20Is than any other ground. Of the 15 fixtures they played there, South Africa have won 11 Aaron Finch needs 86 more runs to reach 1,000 T20I runsQuotes”Playing in such big grounds and around big crowds always feels like a real honour. That definitely motivates me and probably gives me another 10% to do well.” “We’ve been criticised over the last few months over our fielding in all formats. The effort we’ve been putting in over the last couple of weeks leading up to this tour has been huge, and I think it’s showing.”
Fast-bowling allrounder Tanwir Afzal has been named captain of Hong Kong and allrounder Mark Chapman Afzal’s deputy for the upcoming ICC World T20 qualifiers. Afzal replaced Jamie Atkinson who resigned from the post earlier this month. .
Squad for the ICC World T20 qualifiers
Tanwir Afzal (capt), Mark Chapman (vc), Aizaz Khan, Anas Khan, Anshuman Rath, Babar Hayat, Ehsan Nawaz, Haseeb Amjad, Irfan Ahmed, Jamie Atkinson(wk), Kinchit Shah, Nadeem Ahmed, Nizakat Khan, Waqas Barkat, Waqas Khan
“The selectors have had a tough job, however, this would have to be one of the strongest squads we have ever had,” Charlie Burke, the director of Hong Kong cricket, said. “The T20 format best suited us and I’m confident that we will qualify for the World Twenty20 again. The tournament requires us to play our best cricket from the first match, hence we are going to the venues earlier to prepare and get the right balance in the team.””It’s great to have the likes of Anshuman (Rath), Chappy (Mark Chapman) and Kinchit (Shah) back as they are quality batsmen and very good fielders. The focus for the coming weeks will be fielding and game plans.”Hong Kong are drawn in Group A and will play Ireland, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Namibia, USA and Jersey. The top four teams in each of the two groups will progress to the quarter finals, and the top six qualify for the group stages of the ICC World Twenty 20 to be held in India in 2016.The HKCA have also announced the full squad for the 2015-16 season and named seven development playersThe full squad: Tanwir Afzal (captain), Adil Mehmood, Aizaz Khan, Ali Skhawat, Anas Khan, Anshuman Rath, Baber Hayat, Ehsan Nawaz, Haseeb Amjad, Irfan Ahmed, Ishtiaq Muhammad, Jamie Atkinson, Kinchit Shah, Manjinder Singh, Mark Chapman, Nadeem Ahmed, Niraj Patwari, Nizakat Khan, Waqas Barkat, Waqas KhanDevelopment squad: Awais Mohammad, Cameron McAulsan, Giacomo Lamplough, Karan Shah, LI Kai Ming, Nick Way, Raag Kapur
The PCB has asked Moin Khan, Pakistan’s chief selector and a member of the tour selection committee, to return home after he was reportedly seen in a casino two days before the team’s clash against West Indies in Christchurch. The board has also launched an official investigation against him.The team manager Naveed Cheema confirmed to that he was heading the investigation, and Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, said strict action will be taken against Moin should he be found guilty.”We have launched an investigation over the reports that Moin Khan visited a casino, and action will be taken if the reports are proven true,” Shaharyar told reporters in Lahore. “As per initial reports, Moin went there to have a meal two days before the match against West Indies and a Pakistani couple photographed him and made a video. We will not make anybody a scapegoat and will investigate this incident before taking any action.”Moin has held several positions in the Pakistan setup over the last year such as team manager, coach, and head of the selection committee. He was earlier removed as the team manager so that he could travel with the side to Australia and New Zealand as a member of the tour selection panel.Though Moin isn’t a part of the official World Cup squad, he has permission to attend team meetings and if invited, can even enter the dressing room. While Moin has generally avoided interacting with the players during matches, he has, at times, been seen sitting next to them in the dugout since he holds an ICC accreditation.This latest incident comes just over a week after eight Pakistan players, including Shahid Afridi, were fined 300 AUD each for breaking the team curfew in the days leading up to their opening game against India in Adelaide. Pakistan lost that contest by 76 runs, before capitulating against West Indies by 150 runs, leaving them rooted to the bottom of Group B. Their fielding against West Indies, in particular, left a lot to be desired, as the players dropped as many as six catches, before the team’s top order crumbled chasing 311.
Virat Kohli said he was left with no good reason to respect Mitchell Johnson and some of the other Australia players after verbals flew “throughout the day” at the MCG
Sidharth Monga at the MCG28-Dec-20142:53
‘They were calling me a spoilt brat’ – Kohli
After scoring his third Test hundred of the tour, Virat Kohli brought his attacking form to the press conference too, saying he was left with no good reason to respect Mitchell Johnson and some of the other Australia players after verbals flew “throughout the day” at the MCG.The squabbling reached its peak when Johnson fielded in his follow-through and threw back at the striker’s stumps. Unlike with Mohammed Shami and Steven Smith on day one, there was a genuine case for Johnson trying to run Kohli out, and the throw was headed for the stumps when it hit Kohli, who was trying to get back into his crease. Kohli believed it was an attempt to hit him and an argument ensued, which needed the intervention of the umpires.”I was really annoyed with him hitting me with the ball, and I told him that’s not on,” Kohli said. “‘Try and hit the stumps next time, not my body.’ You have got to send the right message across. I am not there to take to some unnecessary words or chats from someone. I am going there to play cricket, back myself. There’s no good reason that I should respect unnecessarily some people when they are not respecting me.”Kohli said this attitude from Australia helped him play better, which he said might be one of the reasons why five of his nine hundreds have come against them. “It was going on throughout the day,” Kohli said. “They were calling me a spoilt brat, and I said, ‘Maybe that’s the way I am. You guys hate me, and I like that.’ I don’t mind having a chat on the field, and it worked in my favour I guess. I like playing against Australia because it is very hard for them to stay calm, and I don’t mind an argument on the field, and it really excites me and brings the best out of me. So they don’t seem to be learning the lesson.”When he comes up against a team that does stay calm, unlike Australia, Kohli said he can still make do. “You always have a few who can’t keep calm in every team. So I have my targets,” Kohli said with a cheeky grin.It was the grin of a man who had scored a superlative century. According to Kohli, Australia have been saying things about India’s habit of crumbling under pressure only because they are up in the series. “Good for them,” Kohli said when told of Smith’s comments about the Indian team before the match. “Some words coming out of their mouth. They have the right to talk I guess. They are two-nil up right now. Would have been interesting if it had been 1-1, and the same sort of sentences or words had come through from them.”It is funny. When you are on top you can sort of say anything you want. It’s when the chips are down that you have got to stand up. Say what you have to say and then go out there and prove it. When we played in India there weren’t so many words coming back from them. Which was surprising. We are two-nil down, we still took them on today, and showed what we can do with the bat, which is the character of this Indian team.”At the suggestion India might have done something similar to Johnson – fire him up into a match-winning performance – in Brisbane, Kohli said: “There he was batting, and there was no pressure on him as a batsman. That’s not his job. His job is to take wickets and he was going at 4.7 an over today. Didn’t get a wicket throughout the day, and I backed myself to take him on even if I keep talking to him. You cannot then back off after saying a few words and then not show it with your skill. I decided whenever he comes on to bowl I will back myself and take him on. I don’t mind having a word back neither does he, so we kept going on.”Mitchell Johnson apologises after hitting Virat Kohli while he was aiming for the stumps•Getty ImagesBefore Kohli eventually fell to what turned out to be the last ball of the day, he had scored 68 runs off 72 Johnson deliveries. Kohli gave part of credit to fellow centurion Ajinkya Rahane for being the calming influence when things got too heated, and also taking Johnson on.”I was confident of my batting but I can go through with that phase,” Kohli said about whether he wanted to take a pause and reassess when words were flying. “But Jinks helped us as well from the other end. He kept taking him [Johnson] on, didn’t let him settle into a rhythm, which was very important for us with the new ball especially. That’s how you play Test cricket, that’s how your partner helps you and vice versa. If he is in a spot of bother, I keep taking on the bowler. It was good to bat out there with Jinks today. I am glad he kept taking on the bowlers when I had a chat with them.”Kohli said he still had respect for some of the Australian players but Johnson wasn’t one of them. “I respect quite a few of them, but someone who doesn’t respect me I have no reason to respect him,” Kohli said. “There were words in Adelaide as well where they said, ‘No unnecessary respect for him.’ I said, ‘I don’t need it. I am out here to play cricket, not to hear anyone’s respect. As long as I am scoring runs, I am happy with it. If you like it, good. If you don’t, I am not bothered.’ I don’t really need to care about what they think as far as respecting me or me respecting them is concerned. I have got a nice friendship with a few of them. Friendly chats, but someone who is not backing off, someone who is saying anything that comes to mouth I have no reason to respect him.”Ryan Harris, who took four wickets in India’s first innings and whose strikes in the final session pulled back a rampaging batting line-up, was taken aback by Kohli’s comments. He was at loss for words, before he said: “We all respect him. He’s a pretty good player so I don’t know where he gets that from. I respect him, and I know all the boys in the change room respect him because he has come out and his bat does the talking. Where he gets that from I am not sure. There’s a bit of banter on the field, but if that doesn’t stay out there and comes up here, he needs to have a look at that.”Harris was of the view Johnson was going for a genuine run-out when Kohli was hit. Kohli was outside the crease when Johnson threw. “There were a few things out there today that were said,” Harris said. “I think the thing that fired him up the most was when Mitch threw the ball at the stumps and he was in the way.”When pressed further, Harris suggested Kohli did go looking for trouble. “We try not to say too much to him, but sometimes he brings it on himself, I guess, when he starts it. It’s never personal, it’s always a bit of fun.”It’s interesting to hear him say [all] that. It’s probably a good thing. Because he’s probably worried about that. We need him to worry about that instead of batting. If he’s worrying about stuff like that, hopefully his batting goes downhill. That’s probably the way we think.”