نجح منتخب مصر لشابات كرة اليد، في الفوز على غينيا بنتيجة 25-22، في المباراة النهائية ببطولة إفريقيا، التي جمعت بينهما اليوم السبت، ليتوج الفراعنة باللقب.
وكان منتخب مصر لشابات كرة اليد قد تأهل للمباراة النهائية، بعد الفوز على أنجولا في لقاء نصف النهائي بنتيجة 26/25.
ويعد فوز الفراعنة على غينيا هو التتويج الأول في تاريخ مصر بالبطولة التي أقيمت في الجزائر، خلال الفترة من 6 إلى 13 سبتمبر الجاري.
طالع أيضاً.. ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد فوز الزمالك على المصري البورسعيدي
رغم الإنجازات العالمية لمنتخب اليد على كافة الأصعدة، إلا انها المرة الأولى التي يتوج فيها ببطولة إفريقيا في هذه الفئة العمرية، ويتأهل رسميًا لكاس العالم.
ترأس البعثة الكابتن عمرو فتحي الذي كان له دور هام في قيادة البعثة في الجزائر وتحقيق الإنجاز.
وتضم قائمة شابات كرة اليد، كل من: “جهاد وائل، جنة نور الدين، جيداء كامل، جودي محمد، نهى إيهاب، شهد صفي الدين، سما يامن، جنى محمود، شروق محمود، جودي وليد، سلمى أسامة، بسملة أحمد، رقية ياسر، سرمدة دعبس، ندى تامر، ملك طه، جنى ياسر، ملك عمرو”.
ويضم الجهاز الفني لمنتخب الشابات كل من: “حلمي مصبح المدير الفني وأحمد عبدالجواد المدرب العام ومنة الله كرم المدير الإداري وديانا يحيى أخصائي علاج طبيعي ومحمد عبدالمنعم مدرب الحراس ومحمد كمال محلل الأداء”.
سلط نادي مانشستر سيتي الضوء على مشاركة النجم المصري، عمر مرموش، في مباراة المنتخب مساء يوم الجمعة ضد نظيره منتخب إثيوبيا، في فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر سبتمبر.
وخاض منتخب مصر مباراته في تصفيات قارة إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، الجولة السابعة، ضد نظيره إثيوبيا.
وتمكن منتخب مصر، بقيادة المدرب حسام حسن، من تخطي إثيوبيا بهدفين دون رد، بفضل محمد صلاح وعمر مرموش، ليصبح الفراعنة على بعد خطوة من التأهل إلى البطولة العالمية.
وقال نادي مانشستر سيتي، عبر موقعه الرسمي: “سجل عمر مرموش ركلة جزاء، ليقود مصر للفوز على إثيوبيا 2-0، في تصفيات كأس العالم على استاد القاهرة الدولي يوم الجمعة”.
وأضاف: “خاض لاعبنا، عمر مرموش، 63 دقيقة كجزء من وحدة خط وسط هجومية قوية لدعم المهاجم أسامة فيصل”.
وواصل: “افتتح محمد صلاح، لاعب ليفربول، التسجيل من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 41، قبل أن يُكرر مرموش ذلك من مسافة 12 ياردة قبل نهاية الشوط الأول”.
وأردف: “يتمتع منتخب مصر الآن بمركز الصدارة في المجموعة الأولى من التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لكأس العالم، الصيف المقبل، حيث لديهم 19 نقطة من سبع مباريات، بفارق خمس نقاط عن بوركينا فاسو، صاحبة المركز الثاني، مع تبقي ثلاث مباريات”.
ويواجه منتخب مصر خصمه بوركينا فاسو، في ملعب الأخير، يوم الثلاثاء المقبل 9 سبتمبر، في مباراة الحسم للمنتخب الوطني من أجل التأهل إلى المونديال.
واختتم النادي تقريره، قائلًا: “سجل مرموش 8 أهداف في 27 مباراة منذ انضمامه إلى مانشستر سيتي في يناير، بينما لديه سبعة أهداف في 38 مباراة مع منتخب بلده”.
من جهة أخرى، أشاد الحساب الناطق باللغة العربية لـ مانشستر سيتي عبر “إكس” باللاعب صاحب الـ26 عامًا، بطريقته الخاصة المميزة.
البرنس عمر مرموش يسجل هدف ليساهم في فوز منتخب مصر على إثيوبيا بثنائية 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U3JcMtBwci — مانشستر سيتي (@Cityarabia) September 5, 2025
What was looking like a rather dull summer for Arsenal fans just a week or so ago has since burst into life.
Kepa Arrizabalaga might be the only signing to have been officially announced as things stand, but that doesn’t look likely to remain the case.
The paperwork for Brentford star Christian Norgaard has reportedly been signed, and Martin Zubimendi is expected to be unveiled before the end of the week.
On top of that, Mikel Arteta looks to finally be getting some attacking stars in, with Eberechi Eze looking like a likely addition, and now reports linking the club to someone who’d be the perfect teammate for him.
Arsenal target dream Eze teammate
While the start of the window was dominated by stories linking Arsenal to one of Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres, Eze has now taken centre stage.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Stories touting him for a move to the Emirates started to gain traction midway through last week, but then really gained momentum in recent days, with some claiming that Arteta had been involved in positive talks with him over the weekend.
Then, in yet more good news, some of the most recent reports have stated that the Englishman is now “desperate” to join the Gunners.
That desire to move to N5 might only increase now that the North Londoners have also been linked with someone who’d be the perfect teammate for him: Ollie Watkins.
That is according to insider Team news and ticks, who, on the latest episode of The Inside Foreward podcast, revealed that Arsenal have once again made contact with the Aston Villa player.
They claim that even though the Englishman is not currently the club’s priority striker signing, he is high up on the list, and that, as a boyhood fan, he would personally “love to play” for them.
In terms of the money involved, other stories from this summer indicate that a fee of around £40m could be enough to tempt the Claret and Blue into selling.
At that price, this potential transfer feels like a no-brainer, especially as he’d be an incredible teammate for Eze.
Why Watkins would be perfect for Eze
Unsurprisingly, the first and without a doubt the most significant reason Eze would love playing alongside Watkins at Arsenal, or anywhere for that matter, is his output.
For example, since the start of the 23/24 season, the often unplayable “nightmare,” as dubbed by Conor Coady, has scored a staggering 44 goals and provided 29 assists in 107 appearances in all competitions, totalling 7901 minutes.
In other words, the former Exeter City gem has averaged a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or one every 108.23 minutes, which really has to be considered world-class.
Watkins recent form
Season
23/24
24/25
Appearances
53
54
Minutes
4323′
3578′
Goals
27
17
Assists
15
14
Goal Involvements per Match
0.79
0.57
Minutes per Goal Involvement
102.92′
115.41′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Now, just imagine how much better Eze’s already impressive numbers of 25 goal involvements in 43 games last season would be next year if he were playing just behind a striker as effective as the Villa ace.
Moreover, another reason the Palace star could love playing alongside the 29-year-old is that they are both now England internationals.
Therefore, they could have the chance to further develop their partnership at both the domestic and international levels, which in turn could help them secure more game time under Thomas Tuchel.
Ultimately, the best players in world football want to play alongside the best, and based on his performances for Villa in recent years, we expect Eze would be thrilled to start alongside Watkins at Arsenal.
Therefore, Andrea Berta and Co should be doing all they can to sign both of them this summer.
Saka will love him: £68m "superstar" is now "desperate" to sign for Arsenal
Arsenal could sign Bukayo Saka’s dream teammate this summer.
The allrounder called Suryakumar’s leadership skills “amazing” for thinking out of the box
Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Jul-20241:44
Washington lauds Suryakumar’s ‘amazing leadership skills’
Sri Lanka needed nine to win off the last two overs in the third T20I. India still had the bowling of Mohammed Siraj to call on (Siraj had conceded just 11 off his first three overs). They also had one over from Khaleel Ahmed, who could have bowled the 20th.But with Kusal Perera still at the crease, captain Suryakumar Yadav went to the offspin of Rinku Singh, which had never before been seen in a T20 international. It worked out brilliantly – Perera first top-edging a cross-batted shot so badly, Rinku himself could get under it. Later in the over, Ramesh Mendis also holed out, to deep midwicket.Having watched Rinku concede only three runs and claim two wickets in a pressure over, Suryakumar made the decision to bowl his own offspin in the final over, taking two further wickets himself, and conceding only five to win the match.Related
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After the match, Washington Sundar, the frontline offspin bowler in the team described this spell of captaincy as “amazing”. The pitch was taking big turn, and Sri Lanka were struggling hugely against the slow bowlers. Suryakumar gambled on two rank part-timers.”It was amazing from Surya and his leadership skills,” Washington said. “I think he felt given the situation if he bowled more spinners we’d have a good chance to win the game. Given the wicket and the situation, he took one or two options, and it did wonders for us.”There were only 12 balls to go and Kusal Perera was batting. Rinku got him out and Surya himself came on in the last over and almost won the game for us. We all know he has a big heart when he goes out there to bat, but he also has a big heart in leadership as well.”Washington himself then played a key role, bowling a Super Over in which he conceded just two runs, but took two wickets. In regular play he had taken 2 for 23.”Honestly, I had no idea I was going to bowl. It was after the batsmen walked out that Surya turned behind and said: ‘Washy, you’re on.’ I was very happy, to be honest. When the captain wants you to bowl especially in tough situations, in a Super Over. I thought it was a great opportunity for me to step up and win games for my country. Thank God it went well.”Although India didn’t seem capable of defending 137 for the vast majority of the chase, Suryakumar never lost hope, Washington said. Sri Lanka, at one stage, needed 28 runs off 28 balls, with nine wickets in hand. India would then set in motion a huge collapse.”Surya kept teling us that one or two wickets, and the game would definitely change,” Washington said. “In these kinds of wickets, in low-scoring games, even run-a-ball could be a lot of pressure on the batsmen because there’s something for the bowlers in the wicket.”He said one or two wickets in the middle overs would get us in the game, and that’s exactly what happened. I hope the audience enjoyed it because you will only see such games every now and then. To be a part of this game feels great.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is attempting to have his say on the club’s summer recruitment plans, and the Italian has his eyes on one player in particular to reinforce a key area of the squad.
Chelsea ready to offer six-year deal to £45m player, talks "now advancing"
The west Londoners could make their next signing soon.
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Maresca’s side want to strengthen a number of areas before their manager’s second full season in charge at Stamford Bridge. Over the last week, Chelsea have been holding talks with Borussia Dortmund officials over Jamie Gittens, and it is believed by some that a deal could soon be done.
Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season
Average match rating
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
Alongside Gittens, Chelsea are reported to still be in the market for another centre-back, which perhaps indicates that at least one of Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Renato Veiga or Tosin Adarabioyo could be sold.
Even after their £30 million deal for Liam Delap, there are many suggestions that Chelsea could look to sign a second new striker as well, following widely reported talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over a deal for Hugo Ekitiké.
As well as this, Chelsea could still bring in another goalkeeper. As per journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea are looking to sell both Djordje Petrovic and Robert Sanchez this summer, with a move for AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan not completely off the table despite failing to reach an agreement before the Club World Cup.
Barcelona keeper Marc-André ter Stegen has been linked in the past week too, so their hunt for a shot-stopper could still be one to keep an eye on.
Enzo Maresca asks Chelsea to sign Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa
According to journalist Christian Martin, speaking to DSports, £150,000-per-week Aston Villa number one Emiliano Martínez is now said to have major admirers at Chelsea, including Maresca.
Best Young Player winner Argentina's Enzo Fernandez,GoldenBall winner Argentina's Lionel Messi,GoldenGlovewinner Argentina's EmilianoMartinezandGoldenBoot winner France's Kylian Mbappe pose
Maresca is “asking” Chelsea to make a move for Martinez, and goalkeeping coach Willy Caballero has also given his seal of approval to the potential transfer.
“They want him as their starting goalkeeper,” said Martin.
“Enzo Maresca is asking for him, Willy Caballero, who is part of the coaching staff and trains the goalkeepers, has already given his approval. For now, Chelsea is a very reliable and precise option.”
The Argentine World Cup winner boasts both top-level quality and proven experience on the biggest stages. After becoming a leader at Villa, there is every reason to believe the 32-year-old could be tempted by the prospect of Champions League football next season and becoming Chelsea’s new number one.
Unai Emery’s side are also under pressure from PSR to sell big-name players before the start of the next football financial year, which begins on July 1, so a deal could well be had here.
With India playing their three Super Eight games at different venues in the span in five days, adjusting quickly to conditions will be crucial
Sidharth Monga19-Jun-20246:54
We’ve pushed the needle forward with our batting – Dravid
As this India leadership group starts its last two weeks at the helm, it is a good time to look back. Their biggest legacy will be dragging India towards modern limited-overs batting. Look at its biggest manifestation: Virat Kohli is a much better T20 batter while retaining qualities that made him an ODI great. In India, though, legacy is judged by ICC trophies. That unfortunately remains the yardstick for a team now used to staying among the best at other times.In what has been a bit of an irony, what seems like a last hurrah for Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma at helm and will eventually decide how fondly they are remembered by the wider public, their real legacy of pushing the aggression envelope has had to take a back seat. Two of their biggest hitters, their modern T20 batters, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube, have had to play like they would in the middle overs of an ODI.”Like you rightly said, a lot of the impetus over the last few years – and I think we’ve done it in most parts – has been to push the needle forward,” Dravid said. “If you look at a lot of our stats and numbers, we have pushed the needle forward in terms of our batting.”There’s no question about it. Sometimes in certain conditions – you’ve just got to be mindful of conditions also. I think sometimes we just get carried away in T20 cricket and just talking about pushing the needle forward, pushing the needle forward. But then, it’s also, cricket is a very condition-specific game. It’s one of the only sports left where the surface makes such an impact on the actual skill levels, the actual performance levels, what is an acceptable performance level. It’s one sport that we play where the surface makes a huge difference and it has to be brought into consideration at all times.Related
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“I think we saw that in the US, and we saw that in New York, that had to be brought into consideration not only for us but for other teams as well. I think everyone had to do that. Actually, even in Australia [during the last T20 World Cup], there were times where you had to bring that into consideration. Not every wicket is Hyderabad or not every wicket can be the same. So, I think that’s something we pride ourselves in as well. I think we are trying to also get that ability to be smart in our decision making, to try and assess situations cleverly.”If India get the kind of pitches they had in New York, they are favourites. In the Super Eight, though, they, like most other teams, will have to deal with the unpredictability of new conditions in every match in the West Indies, and quickly decide how to approach their innings. In cricket’s other formats, batting is a reactive exercise: the bowlers start the action, and batters react to the merit of the delivery. In T20, the batters’ approach plays a bigger role. And it all depends on conditions.Rahul Dravid: Cricket is “one of the only sports left where the surface makes such an impact on the actual skill levels, the actual performance levels, what is an acceptable performance level.”•ICC/Getty Images
In a way, the previous two weeks of the T20 World Cup have been a bit of a lottery. You get put in, you take two extra overs to decide what a par score is, and you could be done for. That’s all it takes. That is likely what happened to Pakistan when they played USA. How do you mitigate the uncertainty, though? Dravid was asked exactly that a day before the start of India’s three Super Eight matches in five days in Barbados, Antigua and St Lucia.”We feel we’ve got the experience and the knowledge and also the ability to counteract different situations that may present themselves,” he said. “And then, of course, we are looking at things that the past games that have been played here, what have been the scores, what’s the level of swing that people are experiencing, amount of turn they’re getting, what’s the bounce. So, you look at all of these factors and you come up with some basic ideas.”But again, I think you’ve got to keep an open mind. I think that’s an important thing. You might have all the stats, you might have all the data, but on the day, sometimes conditions can be very different to what you think it is. Just because a particular ground has produced certain number of runs in the past or even 10 days prior, it can be very different because the preparation of a wicket, the weather, so much can change.”Even in the two or three days leading into a particular game, a lot can change that can force you to recalibrate and rethink. I think we will have to do that, be quick and smart and be able to do that and assess the conditions. I hope we will do that.”If New York was any indication, though, one change, though subtle, is clearly visible. India adjusted down instead of adjusting up. Err high rather than low. The top order, especially Kohli, showed enough faith in the batters to follow. It would have been easy for Kohli to play at a run a ball there but that is not his role. That seems to be the back-up option, and one for someone else to take. Nothing can guarantee success in T20 knockouts but that approach, provided they can manage to retain courage and indifference towards the end result, might just hold India in better stead than on previous attempts.
After agonising rain delay, defending champions overcome early stumble against Namibia
Valkerie Baynes15-Jun-20241:46
Do England have the bowling attack to win the World Cup?
Watching rain fall doesn’t sound like a nail-biting pastime but for England the hours waiting to start their final group match of this T20 World Cup, against Namibia, were gripping. England’s eventual victory, by 41 runs in a match reduced to 10 overs per side in Antigua on Saturday, was pure relief for the defending champions.No result other than a win would have kept England in contention for the Super Eight phase but they had to get on the park for that. After the toss was delayed by three hours – won by Namibia, who chose to bowl first – they finally had the chance to control their own destiny, to a point. The equation was simple. England had to beat Namibia and then wait to see whether Australia defeated Scotland – which they duly did, though not without a struggle – to ensure England joined the Australians in progressing from Group B.Showers before the scheduled start returned to Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the form of a torrential downpour just as it looked like the covers would be lifted. England had to hold onto hope of a reduced-overs match despite the rain appearing to have set in. Eventually, play began at 4pm local time, reduced to 11 overs per side, which became 10 when rain intervened once more, albeit briefly, with England 82 for 3 after eight overs.Harry Brook’s unbeaten 47 off 20 balls and Jonny Bairstow’s 31 off 18 steadied them from a perilous 13 for 2, the pair sharing a 56-run stand for the third wicket to help lift their side to 122 for 5. With Namibia chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 126, England’s bowlers didn’t allow them to score fast enough and secured a comfortable victory, after a torturous wait.Namibia’s dream, England’s nightmareDavid Wiese conceded just a solitary run from the first over on an understandably tacky wicket, testing England openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt by varying his lines and lengths. Then Ruben Trumpelmann removed Buttler for a four-ball duck with a wonderful inswinger that crashed into leg stump with the second ball of the next over in a dream start for Namibia. It wasn’t until 10 balls into the match that England scored their first boundary, which became two when Salt lofted wider deliveries from Trumpelmann for four down the ground and over deep third. When Wiese returned for a second over on the trot, he had Salt caught behind off an excellent knuckle ball, delivered slow outside off stump and finding a thick edge to put England in trouble at 13 for 2 inside three overs.Bairstow unleashedLeft-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz came into the attack in the fourth over and in for some Bairstow treatment, reverse-swept for four and muscled over long-on for six next ball. Bairstow skied Gerhard Erasmus’s third ball back over his head and, to England’s relief, the ball plugged in a gap between an advancing long-off, long-on and the bowler running back. He crashed the next through the leg side for four. Brook chimed in with a powerful six over deep midwicket off Jack Brassell and sent the next through point for four to bring up England’s fifty off 34 balls. When Erasmus returned, Bairstow immediately nailed a six over midwicket.Bairstow survived a run-out chance on 31 and hadn’t added to his score when he top-edged an attempted cut off Scholtz towards short cover, where keeper Zane Green collected. Bairstow’s 18-ball knock was his first foray into double figures in three innings at this tournament and his highest score at a T20 World Cup, setting a solid platform after England’s shaky start before more rain arrived to halt play.Brook in on the actAfter such a long wait to learn whether they would get to play again, England’s innings was further reduced to 10 overs when rain caused another 10-minute stoppage, by which time Brook and Moeen Ali were left with twelve balls to set an imposing target. They took 19 runs off Brassell in the penultimate over, 18 of them to Brook, who finished with 4,6,4 to take England past the 100 mark. Moeen fell for 16 off six balls but Liam Livingstone blasted the first two balls he faced from Trumpelmann for six before he was run out on the last ball of the innings and left the field clutching his side in some discomfort. Ben Duckett’s appearance as substitute fielder in his place raised further concerns over Livingstone’s fitness.Davin makes way for WieseReece Topley conceded only two runs off the opening over of Namibia’s pursuit, one of them a front-foot no-ball on the first delivery of the innings. England’s bowlers were keeping a lid on Namibia’s scoring and, needing 83 more off the last four overs, Nikolaas Davin retired out on 18 off 16, the first player to do so at an ICC event, making way for the vastly experienced Wiese. He clubbed the first ball he faced – off Sam Curran, making his first appearance at this World Cup – for four through backward point. Wiese proceeded to smash back-to-back sixes off Adil Rashid over long-off and deep midwicket then pierced the covers for four.But they needed 55 off the last two overs and Michael van Lingen holed out to Brook off Chris Jordan, brought into the side for Mark Wood on the strength of his death bowling, on the final ball of the ninth. When Jofra Archer removed Wiese, again via a Brook catch in the deep in the final over, the 39-year-old walked off amid handshakes from several England players, a fitting international farewell in his last game for Namibia, the nation he transferred his allegiance to in 2021 after 26 matches for South Africa.
The countdown to the start of Aston Villa’s pre-season schedule is very much on.
The Villans’ will commence pre-season against neighbours Walsall at the Bescot on 16 July, taking on Hansa Rostock in Germany three days later, before a trio of friendlies stateside, meeting Eintracht Frankfurt in Louisville and then a pair of MLS outfits, namely St. Louis City and Nashville.
The Claret and Blue Army’s campaign begins for real on 16 August, welcoming Newcastle United to Villa Park on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, with supporters also eagerly awaiting the Europa League draw, coming up at the end of that month.
However, before Villa are back in action, will fans have a new signing to be excited about?
Aston Villa looking to bolster their forward line
According to widespread reports, including by Jacob Tanswell of the Athletic, it is widely expected that Monchi and Co will need to sell a key player before Monday 30 June to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.
This was a key reason why Jhon Durán was sold to Al-Nassr for a reported £71m in January, but, as documented by Chris Weatherspoon of the Athletic, Villa’s finances remain precarious, given that they have the highest wages-to-revenue ratio in the division.
Nevertheless, despite the need for cost-cutting, Unai Emery still wants to bolster his attacking options, hence why TEAMtalk documents Villa’s interest in Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze, facing competition for his signature from Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and others.
They claim that Eze’s entourage are ‘working hard and are talking to numerous suitors’, with Spurs currently leading the race to sign him, as new manager Thomas Frank targets a statement signing, following his recent appointment.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
David Hytner of the Guardian notes that Eze’s contract contains a £68m release clause, suggesting he is unlikely to remain at Selhurst beyond this summer, with Adam Keys describing the England international as “phenomenal” and data analyst Ben Mattinson hailing him as a “superstar”.
So, could Villa convince the 26 year old to move to the Midlands?
Why Eberechi Eze would be an upgrade on Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, very much reinvigorating his career, scoring four goals and registering six assists in 17 appearances.
He also started both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, underlining that he certainly got into Emery’s good books.
However, Rashford’s reported £40m price tag is putting off a lot of potential suitors, with Jamie Jackson of the Guardian claiming that Barcelona would only be open to a loan deal, something Manchester United certainly are not keen on.
Either way, it appears very unlikely that Rashford will be donning a claret and blue shirt at Villa Park next season, so would Eze be a significant upgrade?
Rashford vs Eze 2024/25 comparison
Statistics
Rashford
Eze
Appearances
41
45
Minutes
2,428
3,322
Goals
11
15
Assists
8
11
Shots per 90
2.63
3.25
Chances created per 90
1.2
2
Take-on success %
31.58%
51.94%
Shot-creating actions per 90
3.63
4.69
Touches per 90
45
55
Touches in the box per 90
4.5
3.6
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and Squawka
As the table outlines, Eze comes out on top for pretty much every attacking metric last season, namely when it comes to goals, assists, chances created, dribbling and touches.
Sam Tabuteau of Breaking the Lines believes Eze is ‘thriving as the talisman’ at Crystal Palace, a mantle he could take up at Villa, while Daryl Gouilard of Total Football Analysis asserts that he is ready to take his game to the next level.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzecelebrates with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
Thus, as outlined earlier, Aston Villa face plenty of competition for Eze’s signature this summer but, if they are able to sign him, it would certainly be a statement addition.
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He could be on his way back to the Premier League.
It’s all change at Tottenham Hotspur at the moment.
Despite leading the club to their third European title in the Europa League last month and ending their almost two-decade trophy drought, Ange Postecoglou was officially given the boot on Friday afternoon.
While this is undoubtedly a divisive decision among the fanbase, it’s not hard to see why it was made, as the Australian oversaw just 11 wins out of a possible 38 in the Premier League this term.
Interestingly, while no announcement has been made just yet, it is looking increasingly likely that the man to replace Ange will be Brentford boss Thomas Frank, and that could be very good news indeed for a certain youngster in the squad.
Spurs' winners and losers under Frank
Before getting to the player in question, let’s take a look at some of the potential winners and losers at Spurs under a possible Frank tenure, starting with those who might not be so lucky, like Brennan Johnson.
Brentford managerThomasFrankbefore the matc
Now, it might sound mad to suggest that the club’s top scorer this season could be in trouble next year, but if Frank is able to convince the board to sign Bryan Mbeumo, as reports suggest he’s trying to, then there is every chance the Welshman’s game time would dramatically decrease.
Likewise, it could be the end of the road for Yves Bissouma, becuase as well as he played in the club’s Europa League run, he’s shown himself to be a liability in the league time and time again.
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You only need to look at games like Fulham away, when he was hooked at halftime and given a 3/10 match rating by Alasdair Gold, or at home against Chelsea when he lost his head and gave away a needless penalty.
However, it’s most certainly not all doom and gloom, as there are more than a few players we think could flourish under the Danish manager, such as Lucas Bergvall.
The 19-year-old was incredible for much of this season and even won the club’s Player of the Year award.
So, when he recovers from his injury, it’s not inconceivable to imagine him taking yet more steps forward under Frank.
Likewise, while Dominic Solanke wasn’t exactly prolific, he’s been one of the club’s hardest-working attackers this season and an integral part of the frontline.
Therefore, under a manager who helped turn Brentford into a lean, mean goalscoring machine, we could see him turn the former Bournemouth man into a seriously dangerous striker.
There is another Spurs ace who could become something really quite special under the incoming boss, someone he wanted to sign in West London.
The Spurs gem Frank could transform
If you were following Tottenham’s transfer dealings last summer, then you’ll have probably worked out that the player in question is none other than Archie Gray.
Before making his way to North London, the former Leeds United gem looked destined to join Brentford, with reports in late June claiming that the player had agreed personal terms with the Bees and was set to have a medical.
However, the Lilywhites swooped in and picked up the incredibly talented youngster for around £30m just a few days later.
While he missed out on him last summer, we can only imagine that Frank is just as excited, if not more, about the teenager’s potential now and the chance to finally work with him.
There are a few reasons why we think the Dane could help turn the 19-year-old ace into the “future £100m” superstar that data analyst Ben Mattinson claimed he could be.
The first is that after spending this season being moved around here, there, and everywhere, there is a real chance for the Durham-born midfielder to actually play in, well, midfield.
Moreover, while he didn’t spend a whole lot of time there in 24/25, he was still able to produce some fairly impressive underlying numbers for someone so young.
Gray’s Midfield Scout Report
Statistics
Per 90
Percentile
Shots on Target %
100.0%
Top 1%
Shots Blocked
0.73
Top 4%
Clearances
2.81
Top 5%
Passes Completed (Medium)
28.09
Top 7%
Pass Completion % (Medium)
92.8%
Top 10%
Progressive Passing Distance
285.69
Top 13%
Dead-ball Passes
4.86
Top 13%
Carries
45.28
Top 13%
All Stats via FBref
For example, according to FBref, he sits in the 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for percentage of shots on target, the top 4% for shots blocked, the top 5% for clearances, the top 7% for medium passes completed, the top 13% for progressive passing distance, carries and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while it’ll take some time for the “sensational” prospect, as dubbed by one analyst, to reach his full potential, we have no doubt that Frank will be a brilliant manager for Gray to do it under.
He's another Bergvall: Spurs enter race to sign "extraordinary" wonderkid
Leeds United are set for an incredibly busy summer of transfer business, after the first window opened on Sunday, as they look to recruit for a season in the Premier League.
The last six teams to have won promotion to the top-flight from the Championship have all been relegated at the first time of asking, including Burnley, Luton, Sheffield United, Leicester, Southampton, and Ipswich.
Daniel Farke, who was relegated from the Premier League with Norwich City in 2020, knows how difficult it will be for the Whites to avoid the drop, which is why the summer transfer window is so important.
Leeds have to recruit well if they want to have a shot at avoiding relegation back down to the Championship, which is what Victor Orta and Marcelo Bielsa did in the summer of 2020.
Former Leeds forward Raphinha.
Orta splashed the cash to bring an exciting talent to Elland Road in the form of Raphinha ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, following the club’s promotion from the second tier, and it was a signing that helped them to avoid relegation for two seasons.
Why Raphinha was a big signing for Leeds
The Brazilian winger was a big signing for Leeds in a multitude of ways. Firstly, they reportedly paid Rennes a fee of £17m, plus add-ons, to bring him to West Yorkshire, which shows that they were willing to spend a significant sum of money on his services.
Secondly, Raphinha was a big addition for the Whites and Bielsa because he made an instant and huge impact at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League, providing quality in the final third on a regular basis to secure vital points for his side.
The Brazil international, as shown in the highlights above, was an exciting player for supporters to watch with plenty of goals, assists, and skills in his debut year in English football with the club.
Raphinha ended that first season with a return of six goals and nine assists in 30 appearances in the Premier League, which shows that he hit the ground running and did not need much time to adapt to the country and division.
Raphinha (Premier League)
20/21
21/22
Appearances
30
35
Goals
6
11
Big chances missed
4
6
Big chances created
12
10
Key passes per game
2.1
1.9
Assists
9
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.9
1.8
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed wizard followed that up with a haul of 21 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 35 outings in the top-flight to lead them to survival under Jesse Marsch.
That form, finally, led to another reason why he was a big signing for Leeds, because it earned him a mega £55m transfer to Barcelona in the summer of 2022, which represented a huge profit on the £17m that they paid Rennes for his services two years prior.
The Whites were, of course, relegated the season after he left, illustrating how important he was to their survival, and Leeds could land their biggest and most influential signing since Raphinha by landing a reported Premier League target.
Leeds eyeing move for Premier League midfielder
Journalist Ben Jacobs has suggested that Leeds United could be eyeing up a deal to sign central £35m midfielder Yves Bissouma from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window.
The Mali international just won the Europa League with Spurs, starting in the final against Manchester United, but he could be on his way out of North London in the coming weeks, with the Whites said to be a team to watch in the race for his services.
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Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT: “He wants to stay in the Premier League. I’m told Leeds are another one to watch. They’re looking to add another midfielder. It will all come down to finances and wages for them too.”
As the reporter said, wages could come into play as Bissouma earns £55k-per-week, per Capology. Patrick Bamford is reportedly on £70k-per-week, per Capology, which does not suggest that the club would have to break their wage structure to bring the Spurs midfielder in.
It now remains to be seen whether or not Leeds will be able to get a deal over the line for the ex-Brighton star, but he could be their biggest signing since Raphinha if they can bring him to Elland Road.
Why Bissouma would be Leeds' biggest signing since Raphinha
As aforementioned, Raphinha was a huge addition for Leeds because the quality that he provided at the top end of the pitch played a pivotal role in the team avoiding relegation from the Premier League in both of his seasons at the club.
The Whites have not achieved top-flight survival in a season since the Brazilian star moved on from Elland Road, but Bissouma is a player who has the potential to lead them to survival in the 2025/26 campaign.
Whilst the Mali international did not have the best season with Spurs, starting just 16 of his 28 outings in the top-flight, his form for Brighton before his move to Spurs shows that the potential is there for him to be an excellent player at that level.
U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that Bissouma was “the best DM in the Premier League” in February 2021, and that was not an outrageous claim to make between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns.
Last two seasons at Brighton
Yves Bissouma (Premier League)
20/21
21/22
Appearances
36
26
Pass accuracy
87%
89%
Tackles per game
2.9
2.9
Interceptions per game
1.8
1.9
Error led to shot/goal
0
0
Duel success rate
59%
59%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the then-Brighton star caught the eye with 4.7 and 4.8 tackles and interceptions per game in those two seasons, which shows that he was constantly winning the ball back for his side by breaking up opposition attacks.
For context, no Leeds player managed more than 3.5 tackles and interceptions combined per game in the Championship this season, illustrating just how impressive Bissouma’s form for Brighton was from a defensive perspective.
The Spurs midfielder has shown signs of that quality during his time in London, averaging 4.2 tackles and interceptions per match in the Premier League for the club in the 2023/24 term, but he peaked with the Seagulls.
Tottenham Hotspur's YvesBissoumaarrives before the match
At the age of 28, Bissouma still has plenty of time to get back to his best, though, and that is why he could be a transformational signing for Leeds as a proven top-flight performer who could be the ‘best DM in the Premier League’ at his best, making him their best and biggest signing since Raphinha as no one else has kept the team in the top tier since the Brazilian left in 2022.
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He would arrive at Elland Road with pedigree and quality and could provide a strong foundation for Farke’s side in the middle of the park with his ability to consistently break up attacks, which would be particularly vital in a relegation battle where they may have their backs against the wall at times.