Leeds United have had some brilliant academy products down the years, but one youngster they’ve had on their books has not reached his potential after being likened to Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney at youth level.
Leeds’ best ever academy products
The Whites have been responsible for producing a number of well-known Premier League players over the last 30 years from their famous academy. Some, as a result of the club’s well-documented financial problems in the early 2000’s, made their name known at first team level elsewhere.
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Meanwhile, others have impressed at Elland Road before being snapped up in the transfer market, the latest being Archie Gray, who joined Tottenham in 2024 in a deal thought to be worth £40m.
Leeds’ best academy products in pictures
Right now, Leeds have Archie’s younger brother, Harry Gray, coming through the ranks, and he actually made his first-team debut at the age of 16 years, 6 months, and 13 days.
1
Peter Lorimer
15 years, 9 months and 19 days
2
Tom Elliott
16 years, 2 months and 25 days
3
Aaron Lennon
16 years, 4 months and 7 days
4
Harry Gray
16 years, 6 months, and 13 days
5
James Milner
16 years, 10 months and 6 days
6
Neil Aspin
16 years, 10 months and 8 days
7
Aidy White
16 years, 10 months and 16 days
8
Simon Walton
16 years, 10 months and 25 days
9
Jimmy Greenhoff
16 years, 10 months and 26 days
10
Ryan Edmondson
16 years, 11 months and 16 days
Those in Yorkshire will be hoping they can keep hold of the forward, who is already being likened to Michael Owen and Harry Kane, but one attacker who hasn’t lived up to the hype has been Joe Gelhardt.
Leeds talent set to be sold after Gerrard and Rooney comparisons
Many expected big things when Leeds swooped to sign Gelhardt from Wigan Athletic in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa following the club’s promotion to the Premier League. A deal for the exciting teenager cost the Whites just £1m, and he would progress into the first team, making his top flight debut in 2021.
Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt.
The attacker has gone on to score just three goals for the Whites, one of which being a stoppage-time winner against Norwich City, while he also produced a piece of brilliant skill which helped keep Leeds in the Premier League in 2022.
However, Gelhardt has struggled for consistency and has been sent out on loan to Sunderland and Hull City, and now looks set to be sold on a permanent basis in 2025 if a club comes in with an offer in the region of £3m-£4m.
Long-time Merseyside Boys’ manager Tim Wyatt even said that Gelhardt caught the eye just as much as Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney did when they were all 14 years of age.
Wigan’s former head of academy and now sporting director Gregor Rioch was also full of praise for Gelhardt while he was at the Latics, saying he “had the X-factor”.
It’s a case of what could have been for Gelhardt at Elland Road, and still just 23 years of age, he’ll be looking to get his career back on track elsewhere.
Last weekend, the Hoops were presented with the Scottish Premiership trophy, their 13th in just 14 seasons, following a dramatic 1-1 draw with St Mirren, in which James Forrest scored a 94th minute equaliser, meaning he’s now netted in 16 successive seasons.
This forthcoming Saturday, the Celts will convene on Hampden, taking on Aberdeen in the 140th Scottish Cup Final, firm favourites for victory, having already steamrollered the Dons 6-0 in November, 5-1 in February and then 5-1 again, this time at Pittodrie, as recently as last Wednesday.
Should Brendan Rodgers’ side prevail in Mount Florida, it would secure Celtic’s sixth treble in just nine seasons, having only won three trebles in their first 122 seasons in existence beforehand.
Ahead of the final, is one unsung Celtic hero becoming reminiscent of a star from the not too distant past?
Giorgos Giakoumakis' Celtic career
Giorgos Giakoumakis has been in the news this week after revealing to the Daily Record that he “would love to play for Celtic again”, adding “I don’t know if that’s a utopia or if it could happen… when you’ve already been there, you know exactly what it means”.
Giakoumakis
The Greek international arrived in Glasgow in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of £2.5m, having won the Eredivisie Golden Boot, an achievement made all the more impressive by the fact his team VVV-Venlo were actually relegated that season.
Well, Giakoumakis would actually make it back-to-back golden boots, sharing the Premiership award with Regan Charles-Cook, bagging 13 league goals during his debut campaign in Scotland, netting 26 times in just 57 appearances in hoops overall, thereby averaging a goal every 97 minutes.
However, unable to regularly usurp Kyōgo Furuhashi in Ange Postecoglou’s pecking order, Giakoumakis departed after just 18 months in Glasgow, sold to Atlanta United for around £4.3m in February 2023.
The centre-forward then spent just one season in Major League Soccer, quickly moving to current club Cruz Azul for around £7.5m, thereby becoming los Cementeros’ fourth-most expensive signing of all time.
With Giakoumakis now plying his trade in Liga MX, a return to Parkhead does seem unlikely. The Glasgow giants do already boast a like-minded number nine in the form of Adam Idah, who’s notched 20 times this season, but is it another member of the current squad showcasing similar prolific qualities?
Celtic's new super sub
Fair to say, after arriving from Gangwon FC for around £2m in the summer of 2023, Yang Hyun-jun didn’t make much of an immediate impression, scoring just one goal in his first 48 appearances for the Cetls.
Yang
However, since mid-January, he has scored five times in only 16 outings, most recently on target during the 5-1 win at Aberdeen last mid-week.
In March, Yang bagged a brace off the bench at St Mirren, after which Rodgers credited his upturn in form with the fact “his girlfriend is here at the moment”, jokingly adding that he’ll do everything he can to make sure she “can stay in the country”.
So is Yang – who former club president Kim Byung-ji claimed “could easily become a world-class player like Son Heung-min” – really Celtic’s new super sub? Let’s take a look at the numbers to find out.
Georgios Giakoumakis
26
6
23%
Yang Hyun-Jun
6
3
50%
Adam Idah
20
8
40%
Daizen Maeda
33
1
3%
Jota
5
2
40%
Nicolas Kühn
21
4
19%
James Forrest
1
1
100%
Note: Table includes Giakoumakis’ Celtic career. All other players are 24/25 only.
As the table shows, none of Celtic’s forwards – not even Idah – score a higher proportion of their goals off the bench than Yang, a trait associated with Giakoumakis from his time in hoops.
So, having already scored against Aberdeen home and away this season, if Celtic need a goal in Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final, the South Korean could be the man Rodgers turns to.
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Manchester United have now held face-to-face talks over a deal for a “powerful” forward, according to The Athletic, with the deal for Matheus Cunha now edging towards completion.
Man Utd now closing in on signing Cunha
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Man United are closing in on their first summer signing, as personal terms have almost been agreed to bring Cunha to Old Trafford, in what is expected to be a £62.5m deal.
The Brazilian is said to have “accepted the project” on offer at United, having been keen on joining for quite some time, and there is an expectation the forward will be brought to play in the number 10 role, which means Ruben Amorim is still tasked with bringing in a striker.
Amorim’s current striker options, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have fallen way short of expectations this season, netting just 17 goals between them, despite chalking up a combined 98 appearances in all competitions.
Player
Rasmus Hojlund
Joshua Zirkzee
Appearances
50
48
Goals
10
7
As such, it should be no surprise the Red Devils are now stepping up their pursuit of a new striker, and The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell has now revealed that chiefs have held face-fo-face talks with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap.
Delap has an active £30m release clause following Ipswich’s relegation from the Premier League, making him an attractive option for some top clubs, with Chelsea also expected to enter negotiations over a deal.
The low release clause means United will be able to sign the Ipswich forward regardless of the outcome of Wednesday’s crucial Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, which will decide whether Amorim’s side qualify for next season’s Champions League.
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4 ByBrett Worthington May 19, 2025 "Powerful" Delap could be perfect signing for United
It is a bonus that Man Utd will be able to sign the 22-year-old regardless of whether they are triumphant in the Europa League final, and there are some other signs that he could be an ideal addition to the squad.
Cunha, Delap, Amorim
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has singled out the Englishman for high praise this season, saying: “He’s a pivotal player for [Ipswich], there’s no denying that. I think he’s had a very good season.
“He’s got big strengths, very strong, powerful runner. Certainly knows where the goal is. He’s always had a lot of potential.”
Not only that, but Amorim is clearly in need of a consistent goalscorer, given Hojlund and Zirkzee’s struggles, and the Ipswich star has a solid goal record in the Premier League, considering he has played in a poor team, netting 12 goals.
Delap could take his game to the next level by signing for a top club, and a fee of just £30m is a bargain for a striker of his quality.
Glasgow Rangers will need a new manager in the dugout at Ibrox when the 2025/26 campaign gets underway later this year, having relieved Philippe Clement of his duties in February.
Barry Ferguson came in to replace the Belgian head coach as an interim manager until the end of the season, and his side did beat Aberdeen 4-0 last time out in the league.
However, the former Rangers central midfielder has only won five of his 13 matches in charge of the club in all competitions, losing four of those games.
Ferguson’s most recent managerial experience before his current stint at Ibrox came at Alloa Athletic in the 2021/22 campaign, when he lost 17 of his 33 games at the helm.
These statistics do not suggest that the former Scotland international is the right man to lead the Light Blues back to glory in the Scottish Premiership moving forward, which is why he should not be a contender for the job.
It does appear as though Rangers are set to look externally for their new head coach this summer, as they have been linked with a move for Davide Ancelotti.
Why Davide Ancelotti could be exciting for Rangers
It was recently reported that the son of Carlo Ancelotti, who is currently part of his father’s coaching staff at Real Madrid, is closing in on the Rangers job.
The Light Blues were reported to be pushing to bring him to Ibrox to convince him to take his first role as a senior head coach, rather than going to join his dad when he becomes the Brazil manager later this year.
The Rangers-linked coach has worked with his father at Real Madrid, Everton, and Bayern Munich, and has been described as an influential figure behind the scenes.
Former Bayern midfielder Javi Martinez, as quoted by the BBC, hailed Davide’s influence on Carlo: “The evolution process never stops and it is more difficult to adapt for older coaches. Davide completes Carlo and helps him understand the evolution of football. Davide is incredible: prepared, serious, a great person, like his father.”
As you can see in the graphic above, he has learned from one of the best managers around, given the incredible number of trophies his father has won, and that illustrates why him being an influential figure on his coaching staff is a big positive ahead of a possible move to Rangers.
This is why, despite his lack of outright managerial experience, Ancelotti could be an exciting appointment for the Gers and a chance to get behind a new era at Ibrox, which could be kickstarted with an excellent signing.
Rangers make contact to sign English forward
According to The Herald, Rangers have made contact with Blackburn Rovers forward Tyrhys Dolan to remain informed on his situation ahead of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Gers want to keep tabs on the English attacker, who could become a free agent this summer if he does not extend his contract with the Championship side.
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It reveals that Blackburn would value Dolan between £5m and £10m but they could lose him for a nominal compensation fee if he runs down his contract to sign for the Light Blues.
The report, however, adds that Premiership rivals Celtic are also monitoring the winger ahead of a possible swoop for his services in the summer window, which shows that there will be competition for the 23-year-old dynamo’s services.
Tyrhys Dolan in action for Blackburn Rovers.
This means that Rangers may have to act fast once it becomes clear that Dolan will be available to sign when his contract at Ewood Park expires at the end of June, as they will have to beat other teams to his signature.
The board should push to get a deal over the line for the Blackburn star because he could be an excellent signing to kick the Ancelotti era off with a bang, should a move to appoint the Real Madrid coach go through.
Why Rangers should sign Tyrhys Dolan
The Light Blues could kickstart the Ancelotti era in exciting fashion by signing Dolan because he is a promising young talent with the potential to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch in Scottish football.
At the age of 23, the Blackburn star would arrive with plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player, which means that he could be a long-term addition to the side as well as having the quality to make an instant impact.
As you can see in the clip above, Dolan is also a player who has showcased his quality in the final third in the Championship for the English side this season.
The incredibly versatile attacker, who can play on the left, on the right, as an attacking midfielder, or as a striker, has shown that he has the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis if put in the right environment.
Dolan has only averaged 38.1 touches per game in a Blackburn team that ranked 16th in the league for xG, with 51.6 xG in 46 matches, which shows that he was not getting loads of touches in a well-coached attacking side.
Vaclav Cerny, meanwhile, has delivered 12 goals and three assists with 50.7 touches per game for Rangers on the right flank in the Premiership this season.
Appearances
31
44
Touches per game
50.7
38.1
Shots
90
51
Goals
12
7
Conversion rate
13%
14%
Big chances created
6
7
Assists
3
6
As you can see in the table above, Dolan enjoyed a better conversion rate of shots to goals than Cerny has managed so far this season in the Premiership, and created more ‘big chances’ for his side with roughly 12 fewer touches per game on average.
These statistics suggest that the English star’s output at the top end of the pitch could soar if he was put in a Rangers team that gives him plenty of touches in the final third, with more chances to take shots and create chances as an exciting wide player.
Dolan, once hailed as “outstanding” by former boss John Eustace, would also provide an exciting celebration for supporters when he scores, as shown in the clip above.
In all seriousness, though, he could be the perfect first signing of the Ancelotti era as a superb young talent who has the quality and the potential to be a star at Ibrox, with the chance to be more influential in the final third as part of a more dominant and attacking team than he has been at Blackburn.
Rangers: 49ers plotting statement signing of "very talented" £4m Brazilian
The Gers’ prospective new owners have set their sights on a midfielder.
Looking to splash the cash once again this summer, Chelsea could reportedly kill two birds with one stone by including one of their young loanees in a swap deal to sign an instant upgrade.
Chelsea take one step into Conference League final
Whilst their Premier League form has sparked plenty of concern in recent months, Chelsea are continuing to thrive in the Europa Conference League in which they are expected to stroll to victory. Putting on another show in their semi-final first leg, Enzo Maresa’s side eased past Swedish outfit Djurgarden 4-1 thanks to goals from Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke and a brace from Nicolas Jackson.
After watching on as his side took one step into the Europa Conference League final, manager Maresca told reporters: “It was the perfect night, an important semi-final and it is a good result. We need to be focused on the second leg.
“The first 70 minutes was good but then in the last 20 minutes we dropped a little bit, but we cannot drop, we cannot relax, because otherwise, it is complicated. We have done a good job but now we need to finish the job at home.”
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It’s in the final on 28 May that the Blues could square off against Real Betis in Poland. The La Liga side also won the first leg of their tie – defeating Fiorentina 2-1 – and will be looking to step into the final before causing a potential upset.
Occasions made for match-winners, those at Stamford Bridge have already reportedly set their sights on a summer swap deal to welcome another player who would be just that.
Chelsea considering Gittens swap deal
According to Christian Falk and Caught Offside, Chelsea are now considering a swap deal to sign Jamie Gittens, which would see Carney Chukwuemeka complete a permanent move to Borussia Dortmund. The 21-year-old has spent the season on loan at the German club and could now reportedly be used in the Blues’ attempt to sign Gittens.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in action
Chelsea are certainly serious about Gittens too, with contact already reportedly made with the talented winger from Cobham as they prepare to make their move for a player valued at a hefty €50m-€60m (£43m-51m). Whether that contact is enough to convince Gittens into a return to England for the first time since leaving Manchester City as an academy graduate remains to be seen, however.
Praised for his “amazing” form by football talent scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season, Gittens has since scored 12 goals and created another five in all competitions in the current campaign.
By contrast, despite being dubbed “talented” by Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, Chukwuemeka has scored just once in all competitions whilst on loan in Germany.
This summer is huge for Manchester United if they are to reach the next level under Ruben Amorim’s guidance, with the transfer market a massive help in his quest.
Numerous additions in various key areas of the pitch are desperately needed, but departures also need to be high on the agenda, given the lowly Premier League standing in 2024/25.
However, it remains unclear how much money will be available to the manager, given the cost-cutting operation currently in place since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Such an operation could see departures made before any new players walk through the door at Old Trafford, with the wage bill in huge need of reduction.
Despite the financial situation currently facing Amorim, a couple of players have already emerged as key targets ahead of the summer, undoubtedly improving the options currently at the manager’s disposal.
The latest on United’s pursuit to land Matheus Cunha
The one name on the lips of all supporters is that of Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha, given the recent links for the Brazilian to join United this summer.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano gave an update on a potential move for the 25-year-old in the last 24 hours, claiming that the forward is extremely keen on a move to join the Red Devils.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' MatheusCunhaduring the warm up
The club are also trying to negotiate a payment plan to trigger his £62.5m release clause in stages rather than all at once to aid their current financial situation.
However, another attacking star has emerged on their radar in recent days, in the form of Crystal Palace talisman Jean-Philippe Mateta, who’s scored 14 league goals this campaign.
According to CaughtOffside, United have made contact to land the 27-year-old this window, with the Frenchman one of the club’s top targets, as per the report.
Why a PL star would be better than Cunha for United
The Red Devils’ form in front of goal this season has been nothing short of disastrous, unable to produce the high levels of performance needed to succeed.
Rasmus Hojlund for Man Utd.
The side have only notched 38 Premier League goals to date, with only five teams scoring fewer, three of which are currently sitting within the division’s relegation zone.
Such a record has undoubtedly contributed to their ambitions of landing Cunha and Mateta this summer, with Amorim needing to land new options to change such fortunes ahead of 2025/26.
Whilst both players could command a decent fee, it’s unclear whether the club would be able to land both of the aforementioned talents, potentially needing to prioritise one player in the next few weeks.
When comparing the pair’s respective stats from the ongoing season, the Palace star has managed to outperform Cunha in various areas, highlighting why he’d be a better addition than the Brazilian.
Crystal Palace's Jean-PhilippeMatetacelebrates after the match
Mateta, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has registered the same number of goals, but has registered a better goal per shot on target rate – demonstrating his clinical nature within the final third.
When the ball falls his way in attacking areas, the 27-year-old Palace star has been more accurate with his efforts, managing to achieve a higher shot-on-target rate, subsequently offering the side that added threat, which is desperately needed.
Games played
33
28
Goals scored
14
14
Shot-on-target accuracy
42%
41%
Goals per shot on target
0.5
0.3
Aerials won
2.2
0.4
Aerial success rate
38%
27%
Dribbles completed
44%
44%
He’s also won more aerials, with a higher aerial success rate, offering United that all-round centre-forward option they’ve been craving since Amorim’s arrival back in November.
Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for Mateta would set the club back this summer, it’s one that needs to be made if the side are to make the jump back up to the top of the division next season.
There’s no denying that Cunha would be a superb addition to the side, but the Red Devils desperately need a new talisman, with the Frenchman providing just that should he move to Old Trafford.
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Manchester United appear to be preparing a shock move for a star who could replicate one player’s success at Old Trafford.
Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with a former manager, as chairman Daniel Levy and co begin to hatch a new transfer plan for this summer window.
Tottenham 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt with Europa League tie level
Thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Kaua Santos, who made a series of excellent saves on Thursday night, Ange Postecoglou is set to tackle their Europa League second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt with the aggregate score all level.
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Hugo Ekitike opened the scoring for Eintracht with their first attack of the game on Thursday night, adding to his impressive 24/25 tally of 20 goals in all competitions this season, before right-back Pedro Porro grabbed Spurs their deserved equaliser with an improvised back-heeled finish.
Wolves (away)
April 13th
Nottingham Forest (home)
April 21st
Liverpool (away)
April 27th
West Ham (away)
May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)
May 10th
Both Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur smashed the crossbar, with Santos pulling off a series of impressive saves in the Eintracht net, so the Lilywhites can feel slightly hard done by the result.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more from them,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s performance against Eintracht.
“We hit the crossbar three times, their keeper made some amazing saves. We had a couple of other good opportunities as well. On any other night we would have a comfortable victory. If we can perform like that over there, and there is no reason why we can’t, then we still give ourselves a good chance.
Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloureacts
“I think the guys coming on today made a difference and injected some energy. It could be tight next week, it could go into extra time, and we are going to need everyone ready to go and the beauty of things at the moment is we have a squad ready to go and that will be important next week.”
A good run in the Europa League has been described as crucial when it comes to Postecoglou keeping his job (Fabrizio Romano), amid mounting pressure and reports of Tottenham contact made with Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner this week.
Tottenham contact Jose Mourinho over signing Fenerbache defender Yusuf Akcicek
Now, it has been reported that Tottenham have contacted former boss Jose Mourinho, but not to offer him Postecoglou’s job.
Indeed, Turkish news outlet A Spor (via Sport Witness) claim that Spurs reached out to the Portuguese to ask for information about 19-year-old defender Yusuf Akcicek, with Levy and co apparently planning to make a move for him at the end of the season.
This follows a glowing report on the teenager from Lilywhites scouts, but Fenerbache aren’t expected to let him go on the cheap. Spurs also face stiff competition from the likes of Manchester United and Lille, though it appears Postecoglou’s side are laying the most groundwork as things stand.
The 6 foot 3 starlet has started six Europa League games for the Turks, performing impressively and even getting on the scoresheet, with Mourinho also beginning to hand him more chances in the Süper Lig this year.
His displays also earned Akcicek a first-ever senior international cap for Turkey against Hungary last month.
As is often the case in high-stakes contests involving two sworn enemies, the football on display can be edgy and tense.
That was definitely clear for all to see during the latest installment of the fierce Manchester Derby, as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United played out a laboured 0-0 draw in the Premier League.
Kevin De Bruyne
Not even the added spice of the Derby being Kevin De Bruyne’s final ever one could raise the excitement levels, as the aforementioned Belgian struggled throughout to give his team that needed spark in attack.
De Bruyne's performance in numbers
It was confirmed prior to the clash with Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils that De Bruyne would be departing the Citizens come the end of the campaign, bringing his ten-year association with the reigning top-flight champions to an expected halt.
Whilst he will go down as a certain legend at the Etihad having accumulated a sizeable 106 goals and 176 assists from 414 games, his performances this campaign in isolation have left a lot to be desired.
Indeed, the ageing Belgian struggled to ever get going at the Theatre of Dreams, with the declining 33-year-old failing to pick up a single key pass for his troubles, on top of failing to complete a single successful dribble from three attempts.
Haphazardly losing possession 20 times too, it’s evident that the serial trophy winner at City is way past his best now, leading to him hanging up his boots in Manchester come the close of the season.
But, Guardiola will know he has a number of underperformers to deal with ahead of the next campaign at the Etihad, with one City stalwart putting in an even worse performance than De Bruyne on Sunday evening.
The 4/10 City dud who must now be axed
Not even the deadly Omar Marmoush could come away from the stale draw with something to shout about, with four efforts unfortunately passing him by.
Whilst the Egyptian at least looked lively in patches, one of his partners in attack in Phil Foden cut a lacklustre figure throughout, culminating in Guardiola hooking off the England international just before the hour mark.
It was largely an abject showing from the out-of-form 24-year-old, with only 11 accurate passes tallied up from his meagre 27 touches. Even Man City shot-stopper Ederson would tally up more touches at 30, with Foden constantly finding himself out of the contest, away from attempting to create openings galore.
Minutes played
58
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
27
Accurate passes
11/18 (61%)
Possession lost
14x
Shots on target
0
Successful dribbles
0/2
Total duels won
0/5
Failing to register a single successful dribble too, alongside being unable to win any of his duels from five attempted, Foden could find his spot in the starting XI is taken up by a fresher body moving forward, with faces such as Savinho and Jeremy Doku exciting attackers on their day.
Handed a low 4/10 rating by GOAL journalist Adam Drury post-match – who stated that his usual ‘twinkle toes’ constantly sent him down ‘blind alleys’ – this looks to be a decisive point for Foden in his unfolding Citizens career, with next season having to be far better for the Stockport-born talent.
Whilst this campaign might still end with an FA Cup triumph and a Champions League spot to boot, this dour performance against a fragile United shows off how rusty Guardiola’s men have truly become, with Foden needing to shake off these poor displays quick, whilst De Bruyne reaches for the exit door.
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Arsenal drew against Everton on Saturday to end the fleeting hopes of beating Liverpool to the Premier League title; the Reds will move 16 points clear at the summit should they beat Fulham at Craven Cottage.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side are still likely to finish second for the third season running, with attention now turned toward Tuesday evening’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
Hosting Los Blancos – who lost at home to Valencia on Saturday – before travelling to Spain one week later, Arteta rested a host of his stars, but there was one man who played from the outset at Goodison Park who will hope to reprise their berth in midweek.
Indeed, Leandro Trossard opened the scoring with a cool finish, latching onto Raheem Sterling’s pass.
Leandro Trossard's performance vs Everton
Trossard has ebbed and flowed somewhat this season, but he came up with the goods on Merseyside, ending a nine-game barren run in the Premier League with his strike past Jordan Pickford.
Leandro Trossard scores for Arsenal
Starting in the centre-forward spot, the Belgian will hope to keep his starting role against Carlo Ancelotti’s intimidating outfit, with one football analyst noting that his ability to shoot from multiple areas with both feet makes him “unstoppable.”
Playing the talismanic role well, Trossard got off three shots, hitting the target twice, while also seeing plenty of action with 46 touches and completing 90% of his passes, as per Sofascore.
Maintaining fluency will be important against a Real Madrid side who are susceptible defensively. To be sure, with Bukayo Saka and maybe Gabriel Martinelli installed on either attacking flank, supplied by Martin Odegaard behind, Arsenal have enough firepower to do some damage.
While Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined, there is, of course, another man whose skills have been called upon in the final third recently.
He put in an industrious display against Everton and will be looking to start against Madrid.
The Arsenal star reaching "cult status"
While Arteta will be working closely with new sporting director Andrea Berta to make improvements in the transfer market this summer, some of Edu’s signings from last year have come up trumps at times this season.
Mikel Merino is chief among them.
The Spaniard, who joined from Real Sociedad for a £32m fee in August 2024, scored five goals from eight games as a makeshift centre-forward to combat the club’s injury woes.
But he returned to the middle of the park against Everton, something that added more mettle and crunch to Arteta’s engine room. Given that Trossard scored, too, it feels like it was a good move from the Gunners gaffer.
Indeed, Merino’s duelling success is truly a thing to behold. Standing at 6 foot 2 and expertly using his frame, he is one of football’s foremost aerial experts.
Praised for covering multiple areas of the field by The Daily Mail, who also heralded his efforts in the duel, Merino blended his fighting spirit with a willingness to drive the play forward, as evidenced by the data below.
Trossard might have got the goal, but Merino offered a lot more in regard to his overall performance. Everton, let’s not forget, are a different beast with Moyes back at the helm, and having such steel in the middle of the park was always going to be imperative.
Touches
48
Passes completed
26/31 (84%)
Touches in att. pen
4
Possession won
6x
Successful take-ons
1
Tackles
3
Duels won
14/17
Arsenal podcaster Matt Kendala even remarked before the game that Merino is “approaching cult status” with his recent performances, a “mentality monster” who has been “emptying the tank for the team.”
His combativeness and attacking instinct make for a dynamic and dangerous player, and you wouldn’t put it past him to nick an all-important goal across the two-legged Champions League tie coming right up.
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Out-of-favour Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford reportedly wants to leave the club, just five months after returning to the Etihad Stadium. The 23-year-old played a crucial role in helping Burnley earn promotion to the Premier League last season, but he has struggled to gain regular minutes following his summer switch to Pep Guardiola’s side.
Trafford helped Burnley keep 30 clean sheets in special 2024-25
Trafford emerged as one of England’s brightest prospects after helping Burnley secure promotion from the Championship in 2024-25. Featuring in all but one league game, the Cumbrian ‘keeper helped the Clarets record 30 clean sheets in the last campaign – a joint all-time English league record with Port Vale in 1953-54.
Scott Parker’s side conceded just 16 league goals in 46 games with Trafford between the sticks, amassing 100 points as the Lancashire outfit finished second behind Leeds United, who finished top thanks to their superior goal difference. Daniel Farke’s men scored a whopping 95 league goals last term, with Burnley netting 69.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportFormer England U21 goalkeeper was close to joining Newcastle
Following his heroics for Burnley, Trafford was close to joining Newcastle United in the summer as Eddie Howe’s side looked to strengthen their goalkeeping department following last season’s Carabao Cup success.
However, City used a matching rights clause which allowed them to pip the Magpies to the signing of Trafford, having developed the former England Under-21 shot-stopper before selling him to Burnley in 2023.
Trafford loses starting berth to Italy shot-stopper Donnarumma
But after starting City’s first three Premier League games against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion, Trafford has since lost his place in the starting XI to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Donnarumma joined Guardiola’s side from European champions Paris Saint-Germain after losing his own starting berth to Lucas Chevalier – a summer arrival from Ligue 1 side Lille.
The Italy international has since made 14 appearances in all competitions for 10-time league champions City, with Trafford being forced to watch on from the substitutes bench. The former Bolton Wanderers ace has been used in the cup competitions, starting the Carabao Cup victories over Huddersfield Town and Swansea City.
Trafford’s last appearance came in City’s 2-0 reverse against Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last Tuesday, in a match which saw manager Guardiola make 10 changes to his starting lineup.
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Getty Images SportReport claims 23-year-old wants exit to keep World Cup hopes alive
And now according to the Trafford is reportedly plotting a departure when the January transfer window opens next month. The report claims Newcastle are expected to show their interest in doing a deal with City, who may also lose fellow goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
Once a reliable No. 2, the 32-year-old has slipped down the City pecking order following the summer arrivals of Trafford, Donnarumma and Marcus Bettinelli, who joined from Chelsea.
The report concludes by claiming Trafford is worried about losing his place in the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with manager Thomas Tuchel having stressed the importance of playing regularly in order to make the plane for North America next summer.