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There is certainly still a long way to go, but this season really is shaping up to be something quite special for Arsenal.

Thanks to their wins over Aston Villa and Bournemouth and Manchester City’s draws against Sunderland and Chelsea, Mikel Arteta’s side are now six points clear atop the Premier League table.

However, there is always room for improvement, and one area in which the North Londoners are still lacking when compared to Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut is in attack.

Fortunately, if reports are to be believed, Arsenal are keen to bolster their attacking options and have been linked with someone who could be their new Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Arsenal target their new Aubameyang

Now, it should be said that Arsenal do have one of the best attacks in the Premier League; they wouldn’t be sitting atop of it if they didn’t.

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However, even after scoring seven goals in their last two games, the Gunners have scored four fewer than City overall.

While this isn’t proving to be too much of an issue at the moment, it’s easy to understand why the club might want to add more firepower to Arteta’s side in 2026, which is what they appear to be intent on doing in the guise of someone who could be seen as another Auba.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Arsenal are very interested in Karim Adeyemi.

In fact, the report claims that the Gunners have already made inquiries over the player and spoken to the German international’s camp to outline a clear role for him in the side and that, as things stand, they are ahead of Manchester United in the race for his signature.

However, the potentially significant hurdle the North Londoners will have to contend with to make this deal happen is that Borussia Dortmund want up to €70m for the attacker, which is about £61m.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Adeyemi’s ability and potential, it’s one Arsenal should pursue, especially as he could be another Aubameyang.

Why Adeyemi would be another Aubameyang

The first and most apparent comparison between Adeyemi and Aubameyang is that, should this deal go through, it would be another example of Arsenal signing someone from Dortmund.

More than that, though, it would be an example of the Gunners signing a highly rated and dynamic attacker who knows where the goal is.

Sure, the German might not be quite as prolific as the Gabonese international was, or is, but he remains a serious attacking threat.

For example, in just 41 appearances last season, totalling 2434 minutes, the 23-year-old scored 12 goals and provided 11 assists.

That comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.78 games, or every 105.82 minutes.

Adeyemi’s 24/25

Appearances

41

Starts

31

Minutes

2434′

Goals

12

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.56

Minutes per Goal Involvement

105.82′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

On top of being a serious source of goal involvements, the former RB Salzburg gem would also be a problem solver for Arteta, thanks to his positional versatility.

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Like the Gunners’ former captain, the Munich-born star can play up front or out wide, but unlike Auba, he can play off the left or right.

Finally, another trait the 11-capped international shares with the FA Cup winner is his rapid pace.

In the words of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the goalscoring dynamo is blessed with “electric pace”, which he often uses to devastating effect on counterattacks.

Ultimately, while it won’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Adeyemi, as he could be the missing piece to their attack and their new Aubameyang.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

Celtic are still waiting for Jota to return from his ACL injury that was initially predicted to keep him out for up to nine months, which would have him on course to return in February.

The Portuguese forward’s absence has been felt at Parkhead because the other wingers at the club have failed to deliver the kind of consistency or quality that he can produce.

He has racked up 33 goals and 28 assists in 99 appearances for Celtic in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which includes four goals and two assists in seven starts in the Scottish Premiership last season.

Amazingly, Hyun-jun Yang, James Forrest, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, and Sebastian Tounekti have all failed to provide at least one goal and one assist, with either one or two goals or one or two assists each.

Celtic in talks to sign new wingers

It is not a surprise, therefore, to learn that the Scottish Premiership champions are looking to add to their options in the wide areas ahead of the second half of the season.

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According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, Celtic have made an offer of £2m to sign Maccabi Netanya winger Jocelin Ta Bi in the January transfer window.

The Hoops are in talks with the Israeli side to strike a deal for the 20-year-old talent, and have now made their move for his services with an official offer, despite the fact that they have parted ways with manager Wilfried Nancy this week.

Joseph adds that the Ivorian forward is currently on loan at Hapoel Petah Tikva, a fellow Israeli side, and that they expect to lose the player this month, with his loan deal expected to be cut short so that he can seal a permanent transfer elsewhere.

However, the Sky Sports journalist does not reveal whether or not the £2m bid made by Wilfried Nancy’s team will be enough to convince Maccabi Netanya to part ways with him.

Why Ta Bi could be Celtic's new Jota

After six losses in eight games under Nancy prior to his departure, including a League Cup final defeat and a 3-1 loss to Rangers, supporters may not be overly excited about the signing of a 20-year-old prospect, particularly one who is currently out injured for another two weeks.

However, Celtic have to focus on the mid to long-term, as well as the short-term, and Ta Bi is a potential signing that could see the Hoops have their next Jota in the building.

As aforementioned, none of Celtic’s other wing options this season have shown that they have the quality to both score and assist goals in equal measure, as Jota has done throughout his two spells at Parkhead.

Ta Bi, who was described as an “interesting” player by Turkish analyst Harun Gunduz, has shown some promise in his performances in the Israeli Premier League on loan at Hapoel Petah Tikva.

He also scored five goals and provided three assists in 27 appearances in the second tier for Hapoel Petah Tikva, per Transfermarkt, in the 2024/25 campaign.

25/26 Israeli PL

Ta Bi

Apperances

12

Goals

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes per game

1.3

Assists

2

Successful dribbles per game

3.2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Ta Bi has adjusted well to the step up to the top-flight this season, with four goal contributions in 12 appearances to date.

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These statistics show that he can score and create goals in equal measure, even if not at an incredible rate yet, whilst he can also consistently get past his marker with successful dribbles, much like Jota.

Ta Bi has more combined goals and assists than Balikwisha, Tounekti, Yang, and Forest at league level, per WhoScored, and this suggests that he could have an immediate impact on the team if he can translate his performances over to Scottish football.

Whilst his numbers do not suggest that he will be an instant superstar in Glasgow, the return of Jota later this season means that he will be able to learn from the Portuguese winger and be his understudy until he is ready to be the main man at Parkhead.

Related Forget O'Neill: Celtic can save season by hiring "box office" Nancy upgrade

Celtic can still save their season by parting ways with Wilfried Nancy to hire this manager.

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Therefore, Celtic could hit the jackpot by signing this impressive young talent for the mid to long-term as their next Jota, even if he may not be the most exciting addition with the current campaign in mind, due to his injury, age, and inexperience.

Celtic head coach Wilfried Nancy backed himself to turn things around at Parkhead after he oversaw a 3-1 defeat to Rangers in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

The French boss claimed in his post-match interview that he believes that the Hoops are “close” to achieving success on the pitch, but that the results are not matching the performances.

Ultimately, though, he has lost six of his eight matches in charge of the Scottish giants and that will bring his future into doubt because of the high standards that are expected of the club.

Why Celtic should sack Wilfried Nancy

The Athletic’s Chris Hamill claims that Celtic and Nancy are not right for each other and that it is a “disconnect for the ages”, placing the blame on those who appointed him in the first place.

Chris Sutton, meanwhile, says that it is “time to move fast and be decisive” after describing the decision to appoint a “stubborn” manager as a bad one, suggesting that he thinks the club should act now.

It is hard to disagree with that assessment and BBC broadcaster Tom English backs it up in the clip below, going as far as to say that the Frenchman’s position at Parkhead should be untenable after six losses out of eight.

Celtic are now six points adrift of Hearts and have already lost the League Cup final on Nancy’s watch, but there is still time to salvage the season to win the league and compete for the SFA Cup.

The manager Celtic should hire to replace Wilfried Nancy

Some supporters may still wonder why Martin O’Neill was not given the interim role until the end of the campaign after he won seven of his eight games in charge after Brendan Rodgers resigned.

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However, it was right of Celtic to think of the mid to long-term, as O’Neill was only a short-term fix. The issue, on current evidence, is that they appear to have got the short-term all wrong with the appointment of Nancy.

The Hoops board can save the club’s season, whilst still focusing on the mid to long-term, though, by sacking the former Columbus Crew manager to bring Ange Postecoglou back to Parkhead.

Back in October, it was reported that Celtic were considering an approach for the Australian head coach as a replacement for Rodgers, but they ultimately decided to go with Nancy.

The 60-year-old boss, who favours a 4-3-3 formation, would still be an appointment with the mid to long-term as a permanent hire, but his experience and record at Celtic show that he would also immediately improve results in the short-term.

Postecoglou, whose press conferences were described as “box office” by reporter George Sessions, won five out of six domestic trophies in his two seasons with the Scottish giants, including the Premiership title in both campaigns.

The former Nottingham Forest boss only lost six out of 76 Premiership games in charge, per Transfermarkt. Nancy, meanwhile, has lost four of his six league games at Celtic, which means that he would have to lose just two of his next 70 games in charge to equal Postecoglou’s loss record.

Celtic stats

Postecoglou

Nancy

Matches

113

8

Losses

18

6

Points per game

2.31

0.75

Goals scored

284

11

Goals scored per game

2.5

1.4

Goals conceded

108

18

Goals conceded per game

0.95

2.25

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the former Hoops manager could get the team scoring more goals and conceding far fewer goals, which is why he was so successful in his two years at Parkhead.

Subscribe for in-depth coverage of Celtic’s managerial crisis Explore the Nancy vs Postecoglou debate — subscribe to the newsletter for detailed analysis, Transfermarkt-backed stats and tactical breakdowns that clarify what managerial choices mean for Celtic’s season and prospects.

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Some may say that you should never go back to what has worked before, in danger of souring things or lightning not striking twice, but Celtic did it with Brendan Rodgers, and he won the title in both of his full seasons in the dugout.

Therefore, the board must consider acting fast, as Sutton suggested, and sacking Nancy to bring in another manager to save the 2025/26 campaign.

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It was a day to forget for the Hoops.

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Postecoglou could save their season by turning the team’s form around, with his proven track record at this level, to attempt to win the two domestic trophies still on offer.

Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA), has distanced himself from comments made by Ian Smith, the association’s legal advisor.Smith was quoted in The Guardian as warning that the players are set to pass a vote of no confidence in the ICC. “People are increasingly seriously asking why aren’t we walking away,” Smith said. “The competence of the administrators is being called into question at a policy level. We believe that because the players are better organised and that talent has been radically revalued by the Indian leagues it’s time to look at whether the players can do a better job than the current policy makers.”But May moved quickly to clarify that Smith’s views were not those of FICA. “Ian’s comments represent his personal view on the matter and do not represent FICA’s position at this time. This is not to say, however, that FICA does not have concerns with the governance structure of the ICC.”After the World Cup last year, which was widely considered to have been poorly administered, FICA issued a poll in which 56% of players who took part expressed a lack of confidence in the ICC. “FICA stated its concerns with the governance structure of the ICC at that time and called upon the ICC to review its governance structure, to determine whether its current structure is the most appropriate for an international sport,” May said. “FICA’s position in regard to this issue has not changed.”May added that FICA was undertaking another survey with the results expected at the end of next month. “We will then communicate any relevant matters that relate directly to ICC, direct with the ICC.”

The Irish Cricket Union has confirmed the dates for India’s three-match series against South Africa in Belfast and also two ODIs where Ireland will play both teams.The three-match series will start on June 26 with subsequent matches on June 29 and July 1. Ireland will play India on June 23 and South Africa the following day in their first ODIs since the World Cup.”The Irish Cricket Union is proud that two such great cricketing nations as India and South Africa are coming to Ireland to play each other and against Ireland,” said ICU chief executive Warren Deutrom. “Following last year’s hugely successful match at Stormont between Ireland and England, the ICU is delighted that top-class cricket continues to come to Ireland, in the first ever matches between full Test nations here.”These matches will not only continue to put Irish cricket on the map after the success of the Ireland team at the World Cup, but should provide a real financial impetus to our objectives for the future of the game.”In original discussions it had been suggested that Australia would be India’s opposition but those plans fell through. The series will be South Africa’s first commitments since the World Cup although some of the players are due to appear in the Afro-Asia cup in early June. For India, the three ODIs will act as preparation for their tour of England which starts in July.

Sanath Jayasuriya could return for the second Test at Edgbaston © Getty Images

Sanath Jayasuriya has been recalled to the Sri Lankan Test side after reversing his decision to retire. The selectors met this afternoon, after Jayasuriya indicated a willingness to make himself available for Tests again, and decided to send him to England as soon as possible.Jayasuriya met with Ashantha de Mel, Sri Lanka’s new chairman of selectors, on Wednesday morning to discuss his possible return. The decision has been ratified by the Sports Ministry and although Jayasuriya’s travel details have not been confirmed he is likely to arrive in the UK midway through the first Test.”Jayasuriya indicated a willingness to make himself available for Test cricket again and we decided to send him to England as soon as possible,” de Mel told AFP. “Sanath can’t reach England in time for the first Test. But he will have enough time to acclimatise and get himself focussed for the second and third Tests.”The muddled scenario is an unwelcome distraction for a young team that ought to be using this tour to build for the future, and their coach, Tom Moody, admitted that the uncertainty would probably be weighing on the minds of his probable openers, Michael Vandort and Upul Tharanga.”I suppose it’s something sitting in the back of your head, ‘is he coming, isn’t he coming?'”, said Moody. “But we in the senior group are encouraging the younger players to stay focused on the opportunity they’ve got. They need to concentrate on that, there’s no point looking over their shoulders.”Whether it’s a senior player coming back or a younger player knocking on door, it makes no difference,” added Moody. “The pressure’s the same, and you need to take the opportunities when they come. We’ll just concentrate on our game. England go into contest as favourites, but there’s no point worrying what their expectations are, that’s irrelevant. We’re going in to win the contest, with spirit and self-belief.”Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka’s chief executive, denied a report appearing in that claimed that the decision to send Jayasuriya to England had already been made, saying that he first needed a letter confirming that Jayasuriya had reconsidered his decision to retire. “At this stage I have not received a letter,” Mendis said. “When I do, the selection committee will have to meet to confirm and then his selection would have to be ratified with the sports ministry. Only then could arrangements be made for him to join the England tour.”Jayasuriya retired from Test cricket in April, midway through a home series against Pakistan, when the previous selection committee, headed by Lalith Kaluperuma, communicated their plans to blood new openers during the England Test series. Jayasuriya was offered the chance of a dignified farewell Test or an unceremonious sacking.But de Mel, appointed last week, made it clear that he wanted Jayasuriya to reconsider his decision to retire: “When the selectors knew that Marvan [Atapattu] is not going to make it to England with his back problem they should have continued with Jayasuriya. He just played a county season in England last year and and is the only Sri Lankan to have scored a double hundred in England. What more credentials do you want?”

Gavin Hamilton: available to Scotland in build-up to ICC Trophy © Getty Images

Gavin Hamilton will be part of Scotland’s squad for their next six National League matches after a loan agreement was reached between Durham and the ECB.Hamilton will be available to Scotland to help him, and the rest of the squad, prepare for the ICC Trophy, in Ireland during July, from which the top six teams qualify for the 2007 World Cup. Hamilton goes straight into the squad for the double-header over the Bank Holiday weekend against Warwickshire and Yorkshire.Scotland’s coach, Andy Moles, said: “This is a wonderful, win, win, win development. Durham coach Martyn Moxon has been very supportive, because he wants Gavin to play as much as possible at the top level. We think Gavin will be a great addition to the Saltires, and his presence gives us all a boost as we progress towards the ICC Trophy.”Hamilton, who was Scotland’s leading player during the 1999 World Cup in England, played one Test for England, against South Africa in 1999, but bagged a pair and rapidly disappeared off the radar. He suffered the yips and tried to reinvent himself as a specialist batsman, although he is now bowling again. However, following his move from Yorkshire to Durham in 2004 he has failed to command a regular first-team place.Squad Craig Wright (capt), Yasir Arafat, Jonathan Beukes, Cedric English, Gavin Hamilton, Majid Haq, Paul Hoffmann, Dougie Lockhart, Dewald Nel, Colin Smith, Ryan Watson, Fraser Watts, Greig Williamson.

Australia 263 for 9 (Bevan 56, Martyn 42) v Zimbabwe. Match abandoned
Scorecard

Ray Price bowled with discipline and control, and getting Ricky Ponting didn’t hurt, either ©Getty Images

Steady rain at the MCG forced the match to be abandoned after the Australian innings was complete. The umpires decided to call the match off at 20.35pm local time. Both teams split points (three each) and will now travel to Perth for their final match against India. Australia finished on a healthy 263 for 9 after 50 overs, despite losing wickets at regular intervals. Damien Martyn’s 42 off 40 balls delighted the sparse crowd before Michael Bevan came to the fore with a run-a-ball 56.Heath Streak opted to field first on a cloudy day, and with Andy Blignaut, tried to extract maximum movement off the pitch. There was hardly anything pitched short, but the line was wayward on a few occasions, and Martyn made them pay. When it was straight, he wristily turned the ball away to square leg. He came down the track a few times and lofted it crisply over the bowler’s head. There was also his favourite slap-cut, when the ball was sprayed wide. No Gilchrist, no brutality. But his 42, off 40 balls, was gorgeous. And when he missed an in-cutter from Streak and was given out lbw, with rain imminent, he was visibly disappointed.Matthew Hayden threatened to impose himself on the game after the brief break when he clattered Douglas Hondo to the midwicket fence. But he fell on the very next ball. Unsure about one that pitched on off stump, he managed an inside edge that ricocheted on to the stumps (69 for 2). Hayden made 23.Ponting held things together as Michael Clarke (11) and Ian Harvey (23) fell after promising starts. Clarke completely misjudged a straight ball from Blessing Mahwire, the debutant, and shouldered arms as the ball clipped the top of his off stump (97 for 3). Harvey smacked a straight six of Ray Price’s first ball, but was run-out after being sent back by Ponting (139 for 4). Ponting smashed a few himself, with a hoicked six over midwicket being the highlight. But just as he and Bevan went about setting up a launching pad, Ponting (35) attempted a wild slog-sweep, and the top edge was easily taken at square leg (155 for 5).That left Bevan in familiar territory. Brad Haddin gave him good company and Bevan settled down into his role of nudging and pushing. Haddin lofted the spinners with ease and summoned the strength to clear the ropes a couple of times. Both put on 58 crucial runs, many of which were quick singles. Bevan favoured the third man region – 24 runs came there – and executed a few delicate late-cuts that could have easily been mistaken for edges.Haddin (32) fell in the 43rd over, inside-edging a ball on to his stumps (213 for 6), and Brad Hogg followed soon after. But Andy Bichel joined Bevan and they accelerated in fine fashion. They added 38 in exactly five overs, and shifted the momentum to a considerable extent. Bevan went for a run-a-ball 56 as he attempted a risky second run in the penultimate over (252 for 8), but Bichel finished off with a towering six, and Australia had seized the initiative. Rain, though, had the final say.

Star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will miss Sri Lanka’s crucial VB Series clash against England on Friday after pulling a thigh muscle.Muralitharan, who took four wickets for 27 during Sri Lanka’s four-wicket defeat against Australia on Wednesday, pulled the muscle whilst fielding.The off-spinner returned to the field to complete his final two overs, picking up the wicket of Shane Watson, but did so from a shortened run-up.Muralitharan will miss Sri Lanka’s two remaining group games in the triangular series but should be fit for the finals should Sri Lanka qualify, according to team manager Ajit Jayasekera.”Murali has pulled a muscle and will be out of action for approximately a week to 10 days,” said Jayasekera.Jayasekera confirmed that Muralitharan had insisted on returning to the field and completing his spell despite being in discomfort.Sri Lanka have 13 points and need to beat England, who have 14, if they are to qualify for the three-match finals.Meanwhile, match referee Clive Lloyd fined the Sri Lanka team 15% of their match fee for a slow overate.

An innings of high quality by Nicky Peng assisted top-of-the-table Durham to a substantial total against Essex at Ilford with the 18-year-old remaining unbeaten on 112 when the innings closed on 263-3.The highly promising batsman easily surpassed his previous highest one-day league score of 47 as he made the home attack pay the full price for some inconsistent bowling.Peng reached his half-century from 59 balls that incorporated one six and seven fours and took just a further 51 deliveries before reaching three figures despite adding only four more boundaries.His innings of powerful strokeplay was supported by an equally effective performance by Jon Lewis who scored an unbeaten 63 from 58 deliveries that included six boundaries as he too kept the scoreboard moving at a lively pace.The pair composed a fourth-wicket partnership 127 in 18 overs after opener Danny Law had given the innings some impetus with 47 against his former colleagues as he and Peng added a brisk 72 in 11 overs for the second wicket to set the tone.