اتخذ مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك برئاسة حسين لبيب، قرارا مفاجئا بشأن مشاركة الفريق في بطولة إفريقيا للأندية لليد في المغرب، وكذلك بطولة كأس الكؤوس الأفريقية المؤهلة للسوبر الأفريقي.

وكانت قرعة بطولة إفريقيا للأندية قد أسفرت عن تواجد الفريق الأول لكرة اليد بنادي الزمالك، على رأس المجموعة الثالثة بجوار فرق: “منتدى المغربي، والصداقة الكاميروني، وكريكوس الأثيوبي”.

طالع.. مواعيد مباريات الزمالك في بطولة إفريقيا للأندية لكرة اليد

وعلم بطولات من مصادره أن فريق الزمالك قرر الاكتفاء بالمشاركة في بطولة كأس الكؤوس الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى بطولة السوبر الإفريقي. 

وكان الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة اليد أعلن في وقت سابق عن جدول مباريات بطولة أفريقيا للأندية لكرة اليد، والتي ستقام في المغرب خلال الفترة من 10 إلى 19 أكتوبر المقبل.

على جانب آخر، يقع فريق الأهلي على رأس المجموعة الأولى بجوار أندية، النجم الكونغولي، ميكيلي الإثيوبي، سي إف جي الكونغولي.

ومن المتوقع أن تشهد المجموعات منافسة شرسة بين جميع الفرق، حيث يسعى كل فريق لتحقيق الفوز في كل مباراة والتتويج باللقب الغالي.

Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce are in talks with Bayern Munich to sign Kingsley Coman, eyeing a possible €40 million (£34m/$46m) move for the winger.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Fenerbahce contact Bayern over Coman
• Mourinho pushes for a marquee winger signing
• Die Roten open to selling Frenchman for €40m

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fenerbahce have opened talks with Bayern to sign Coman, with Mourinho pushing for a deal that could cost up to €40m. Turkish outlet reports that the initial approach was for a loan, but a permanent move is on the table.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Bavarians are said to open to selling the French international if they receive a satisfactory offer, though it's unclear how Leroy Sane's recent departure to Galatasaray might impact the club’s stance. Coman has been with Bayern since 2015, racking up 339 appearances, 72 goals, and 71 assists. Despite his contributions, he’s been seen as transferable, especially with the club chasing new attacking talent like Liverpool’s Luis Diaz.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 29-year-old, who scored the winning goal in the 2020 Champions League final, has won league titles in France, Italy, and Germany. Last year, a move to Saudi Arabia collapsed due to his own refusal. Arsenal and other Premier League clubs have been closely monitoring his situation. Under Vincent Kompany, Coman started four of Bayern’s five Club World Cup matches, including the 2-0 quarter-final defeat against his former club Paris Saint-Germain.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Fenerbahce must decide whether to push for a loan or full transfer, depending on Die Roten’s final asking price and squad plans. Bayern’s pursuit of a new winger and their view on Coman's fitness will likely influence the decision.

West Indies aren’t unhappy either. “When we looked on the schedule, all the batters were excited to come to St Lucia,” Rovman Powell says

Matt Roller17-Jun-20241:46

Do England have the bowling attack to win the World Cup?

England are anticipating “a run-fest” in St Lucia as they resume their six-hitting battle with West Indies in a Super Eight fixture. The sides hit 120 sixes between them in a five-match T20I series in December – which West Indies won 3-2 – and are both expecting high scores at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.There were two group-stage games in St Lucia this weekend, which were played on the same strip and gave an indication as to how good the pitch is for batting. Australia pulled off the second-highest run chase of the T20 World Cup so far, hauling in 181 against Scotland – which sent England through – and Sri Lanka’s 201 against Netherlands was the joint-highest total of the tournament.England’s players watched Saturday’s game (local time) nervously from their hotel in Antigua after beating Namibia, exchanging WhatsApp messages on the team’s group chat and even turning off when the game was tight. “It wasn’t nice,” Sam Curran said. “A few of us were having dinner and watching the Scotland game. It got quite close, and some of us turned it off because we got a bit nervous. Thankfully, the Aussies played really well to chase that down.”England play twice here in the Super Eight – against West Indies and South Africa – and made note how flat the pitch looked, with relatively short square boundaries allowing Australia and Scotland to hit 20 sixes between them. “It looks like a really good wicket, the way guys were able to hit through the line and the way the ball was travelling,” Curran said, “[and] in last night’s game, it looked like some good scores again.”

“Sometimes it’s about turning your sixes into fours as a bowler, and small things like that. It might sound silly, but that’s where the game of cricket’s going. Even if you go for a lot of runs, if you take a wicket in that over, you could change the game”Sam Curran

West Indies will get a first look at the pitch when they face Afghanistan, with the same strip due to be used for a second time for their game against England. Their captain Rovman Powell expected his batters to relish a truer surface after variable bounce in Guyana and Trinidad.”Tomorrow presents an opportunity here at the Daren Sammy Stadium for us as batters to get it right,” he said on Sunday. “It’s also a better opportunity on a better wicket… When we looked on the schedule, all the batters were excited to come to St Lucia. Traditionally, St Lucia has been a place where batters like to bat. But it’s also an opportunity for bowlers to bowl good spells here – especially the fast bowlers.”This has been the lowest-scoring men’s T20 World Cup out of nine, with just 6.69 runs per over on average. But those numbers have been skewed significantly by some dicey pitches at the temporary Long Island venue, and England – based on their experience in December – have long believed that the World Cup will be “a slug-fest”, as their managing director Rob Key put it.West Indies won the six count by a margin of 64-56 in that series, with all five games won by the team that hit more sixes. England’s batters had a range-hitting session with Kieron Pollard – who has captained St Lucia in the CPL – when they trained on Monday morning, and are looking to beat West Indies at their own game.”Sometimes it’s about turning your sixes into fours as a bowler, and small things like that,” Curran said. “It might sound silly, but that’s where the game of cricket’s going. Even if you go for a lot of runs, if you take a wicket in that over, you could change the game. Looking at our batting line-up, we deal in a lot of sixes as well: it’ll be a run-fest on Wednesday, I’m sure.”1:53

Knight: No. 5 is too low for Brook

The other major factor to note in St Lucia is the breeze: winds of around 10mph have blown from the east to the west of the ground, with some balls flying unexpectedly for six and others swirling in the breeze. “We have chatted as a bowling unit: in the Caribbean, the wind’s a big factor,” Curran said.Curran played his first match of the tournament in England’s rain-shortened game against Namibia on Saturday, with him and Chris Jordan replacing Will Jacks and Mark Wood. Jos Buttler, their captain, said after their win that those changes were due to the specifics of an 11-over game – which was later reduced to ten – but there are tough calls to make ahead of Wednesday night.Liam Livingstone left training early after netting on Monday and is a doubt due with a niggle in his side, while England must decide whether Jacks should come straight back in at No. 3 or whether their batting line-up is better balanced with Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook shuffling up to three and four respectively.England selected Jordan in their squad in anticipation of high-scoring games, offering extra batting depth from No. 8, but he has conceded 10.87 runs per over so far at the World Cup. They will weigh his all-round capabilities up against the need for early wickets against a West Indies side who will bat very deep themselves.

Ashley Young could be set for a surprise return to his boyhood club Watford, with the Championship side looking to re-sign the 40-year-old veteran. The former Manchester United and England star is a free agent after leaving Everton and wants to finish his career where it began. Watford have no concerns over his age or fitness, and talks are reportedly ongoing.

Watford consider re-signing 40-year-old YoungVeteran full-back left Everton after two-year spell Young hopes to finish career at boyhood club Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Championship side Watford are said to be interested in bringing Young back to the club, as per talkSPORT. The 40-year-old left Everton after the end of the season after two years with the Toffees, and has been looking for a new club this summer. Head coach Paulo Pezzolano will reportedly decide whether to move forward with the deal.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Young made 70 appearances for Everton over the past two seasons and became the fourth-oldest Premier League scorer last season. Meanwhile, Watford finished 14th in the Championship, and they believe that they could use his experience in the upcoming campaign as they look to return to the English top tier.

DID YOU KNOW?

Young started his career at Watford and played over 100 games for them before moving on from the Hornets. He has had a long and successful career with stints at Aston Villa, Manchester United, Inter Milan, and Everton. Despite turning 40, he is still fit and wants to keep playing.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR YOUNG?

Talks are expected to continue as Watford decide on bringing Young back to the club this summer. The 40-year-old is reportedly open to returning and ending his career at Vicarage Road, and a final decision is expected before the new season begins.

Teenage spinner claims ten wickets on Notts debut but contest ends in high-scoring draw

ECB Reporters Network01-Sep-2024

Farhan Ahmed emulated WG Grace with his ten-wicket haul at the age of 16•Jack Bird

Surrey saw their romp towards a third consecutive Division One title lose a little momentum as they were forced to settle for a draw against relegation-threatened Nottinghamshire in the Vitality County Championship at Trent Bridge.On a day when their teenage off-spinner Farhan Ahmed’s 10-wicket match haul claimed a 159-year-old record set by no less a cricketing legend than WG Grace, the home side, who had been set a target of 298 to win from a minimum 48 overs when Surrey declared at 177 for nine in their second innings, were 121 without loss when the sides shook hands on a draw at 5pm, openers Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater having each made half-centuries.The result means that Surrey’s lead of 35 points at the start of this round of matches, after winning seven of their previous eight matches, is cut to 24 thanks to Somerset’s victory over Durham at Taunton. Surrey and Somerset meet at Taunton next week.At the other end of the table, after Warwickshire and Worcestershire both won, the points taken for the draw – a merit worthy achievement after trailing by 120 on first innings – leaves Nottinghamshire 10 points ahead of Lancashire in the battle to avoid being relegated alongside Kent. All sides have three matches to come.Rory Burns made 71 to go with his first-innings 161 with Liam Patterson-White finishing with five for 94 before the declaration came, but the Nottinghamshire left-arm spinner’s achievement was again upstaged by his young team-mate Ahmed, with whom he shared all 53 overs of the Surrey second innings.Already in the record books on his Championship debut as the youngest player to bag five wickets or more in a first-class match in Britain, he achieved another mark of distinction, arguably even more prestigious, when he claimed Jordan Clark as his 10th wicket of the match.This enabled him to replace Grace as the youngest to take 10 or more wickets in a first-class match in Britain – in fact anywhere other than in South Asia.Grace returned the extraordinary match figures of 13 for 84 – on his first-class debut – for Gentlemen of the South against Players of the South at the Oval in June 1865, at the age of 16 years 340 days.With a match analysis of 10 for 247 at the age of 16 years and 192 days, Ahmed lowers the record by 148 days. He bowled a staggering 76.4 overs in the match, which may be a record in itself for a debut appearance.Surrey, who had missed out on a fourth first-innings batting point that seemed theirs for the taking, arguably made another mistake when they declared just shy of an hour after lunch.The timing meant Nottinghamshire would have to score at more than six runs per over to win the contest on a pitch that had yielded at barely three-and-a-half all game, with the Kookaburra ball reportedly hard to get away on a slow surface.Surrey were banking on England off-spinner Will Jacks, who had matched Ahmed by taking seven first-innings wickets, and leg-spinner Cam Steel to exploit the fourth-day pitch but Hameed and Slater were rarely troubled as neither could find a way through.Earlier, Surrey had advanced from 13 for one overnight to 104 for four by lunch, playing in light for that period so gloomy that bowling spin was the only option for Nottinghamshire skipper Hameed.A second-wicket stand worth 57 was broken by Patterson-White, who induced a miscue to short midwicket by Ryan Patel, following up by turning one sharply to bowl Will Jacks three balls later.Patterson-White had Burns dropped at square leg on 39, after which the Surrey captain’s stop-start dithering over a single into the offside off Ahmed saw new partner Ben Foakes run out by Hameed’s throw to keeper Kyle Verreynne.As the tempo increased after lunch, with Surrey now chasing runs for the declaration, Ahmed completed his 10 for the match by bowling Burns and having Clark caught behind in a botched scoop attempt.Patterson-White raised his five for the innings by having Sai Sudharsan caught at deep midwicket and bowling Conor McKerr and Tom Lawes, for his pains getting clubbed for two meaty sixes by Dan Worrall before Burns signalled the declaration.

For some very young Sunderland supporters, next season could be the first time they’ve ever seen their side compete in the luxuries of the Premier League.

It has been nearly a decade since the Black Cats called the top-flight their footballing home, with the Wearside outfit even falling all the way down to League One at one disastrous stage after their relegation from the big time in 2017.

Now, however, after an unbelievable playoff final success at Wembley against Sheffield United, Regis Le Bris’ men are back on the map.

They won’t want to merely make up the numbers next season, though, and be known as relegation fodder, with a statement move on the table to bring back Jordan Henderson just one early indicator of how ambitious they are willing to be in the chaotic transfer market.

Sunderland's ongoing pursuit of Henderson

Henderson’s potential emotional return to Wearside is the talk of the town at the moment around the Stadium of Light as various rumours filter through about the current Ajax midfielder’s near future.

Football Insider have recently reported that a spectacular reunion deal could soon be on the cards, with the likes of journalist Ben Jacobs also weighing in by revealing on X that the newly promoted side are considering an approach.

Of course, this would be an ideal move for Sunderland as they try to consolidate themselves as a Premier League-ready outfit again, considering the former Liverpool captain has managed to amass 433 top-flight appearances across his esteemed playing days to date.

But, at 34 years of age, it would be unfair for Le Bris and Co. to expect Henderson to come in and not look a little rusty.

Therefore, whilst it would be a stunning coup to pull off with a Sunderland-born star dramatically returning home, landing this attacking menace could well be viewed as an even bigger accomplishment considering he’s still causing Premier League defenders havoc to this day.

One Sunderland return would be a bigger coup than Henderson

Amazingly, this other deal churned out by the rumour mill sees the Black Cats linked with another memorable ex-player.

Much like Henderson’s spell, Amad Diallo’s loan stint at the Stadium of Light was fleeting but hard to forget, with the Ivorian nearly firing Sunderland up to the Premier League during his solitary campaign under Tony Mowbray’s guidance.

He could finally return now – as per a report by African outlet 225 Foot earlier this week – with his expertise of the Premier League on the books of Manchester United making it very likely that he would add to his Black Cats tally of 14 goals and four assists if a statement reunion occurred.

Amad finally being able to nail down a starting spot at Old Trafford could make this deal an unrealistic one to get over the line. That said, a recent report from TEAMTalk did suggest that United could be tempted to part ways with their explosive winger if the price was right, amidst financial concerns at the Theatre of Dreams.

24/25

Man United

43

11

9

23/24

Man United

12

2

1

21/22

Sunderland

42

14

4

It’s clear from the table above why United would be so hesitant to part ways with their attacking “wizard” – as he’s been previously lauded by journalist James Copley – with Amad just fresh off his career best tally at the Red Devils of 20 goal contributions from 43 clashes, even as the ship keeps sinking in Manchester.

Yet, if Sunderland were to offer a tempting bid around Amad’s £40m Football Transfers valuation, the out-of-sorts giants could be more drawn to the idea of selling, with a top-drawer performer at the level then on the Black Cats’ roster.

The story of Henderson’s Sunderland return after so long away would make that a fantastic deal to sign off on, but whilst the 34-year-old’s best days in the challenging league are likely behind him, the tricky 22-year-old could get even better with time.

Sunderland can replace Bellingham with academy "diamond" who's like Watson

Sunderland might not need to splash the cash to win themselves a Jobe Bellingham replacement.

ByKelan Sarson May 27, 2025

Offspinner has made steady progress this summer but is a long-term investment

George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl24-Aug-2020In another era, an era before white-ball cricket dominated the middle of England’s domestic season, Dom Bess would probably be playing for his county now.He might even be playing for his county’s second XI. Either way, he would be learning his trade away from the unrelenting scrutiny that goes with the territory of playing international cricket and away from the expectation that comes with being his country’s first-choice spinner.But the world has changed. The production line that once saw a decent pair of spinners required by every county has all but ground to a halt. Young spinners emerging now usually have to learn to contribute in white-ball cricket if they are to entertain realistic hopes of sustaining a career. With first-class games squeezed into spring and autumn, they win few opportunities to learn their red-ball craft. Several talented hopefuls have drifted away from the professional game.So Bess, the talented young man that he is, has been asked to learn on the job. Instead of using all his skills and experience to ensnare batsmen, he’s at the stage of his career – aged 23 and with fewer than 50 first-class appearances – where he is still searching for a reliable stock ball and experimenting with his variations. He is, in short, a promising young cricketer who has been given accelerated promotion to fill the void left by England’s flawed domestic scheduling. It’s exactly the situation Moeen Ali found himself in at the start of the 2014 summer.Bess has bowled perfectly respectably here. On a painfully slow wicket that would have thwarted plenty of more experienced spinners and against admirably determined batsmen who would have done the same, he demanded respect and conceded fewer than two runs per over. Later in the day, when he settled on a line outside off stump, he even troubled the batsmen a few times. He did, by any realistic expectations, just fine.The problem is that at this stage it’s not obvious what Bess’ weapons are. He doesn’t gain the drift of Moeen, or the dip of Graeme Swann. He doesn’t have the pace of Monty Panesar, or the consistency of Jack Leach. As he showed in South Africa, he can provide control and prove dangerous given some assistance, but it is asking a huge amount – an unreasonable amount, really – to expect him to lead his country’s spin attack at this stage of his career.ALSO READ: Spinners thriving in Bob Willis TrophySo, why did England take a punt on Bess? There are two or three young, England-qualified spinners doing nicely in the Bob Willis Trophy this season, after all. But neither Amar Virdi nor Mason Crane has many pretensions with the bat and Matt Critchley goes for more than four an over across his first-class career. That would make it tough for him to play the holding role England are sometimes sure to require.Right now, Leach might well be a better bowler than Bess. He certainly warrants selection for Somerset ahead of him. So if England go to Sri Lanka and India this winter, Leach should play a significant role. On pitches offering assistance to spin, he has the tools to trouble batsmen. He was, you may remember, the equal top wicket-taker (with Moeen) when England won in Sri Lanka in 2018.There is, incidentally, a lesson here. It is clear that both Bess and Leach have – just as Swann and Panesar did at Northants in the early 2000s – enjoyed an accelerated development thanks to the spin-friendly pitches prepared for them at Taunton in recent years. If England are serious about developing more spin bowlers, they have to allow conditions – and a schedule – which encourage them.Either way, England prefer Bess as a long-term investment for a couple of reasons. For a start, he can bat. And brave though Leach was in his memorable one not out at Leeds and incredible though he was in his unlikely 92 against Ireland at Lord’s, those innings are considered somewhat aberrational. A bottom four of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Leach would leave England with a dangerously long tail.Equally, England feel that on pitches offering little, Bess may find a way to contribute a bit more – if not with the ball, then with the bat or in the field. And in Australia, where the batsmen are certain to come after him and Leach, they feel he may have more tools to cope.Dom Bess is currently England’s first-choice spinner•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesNot least among these tools is his positive attitude. Bess’ enthusiasm, his willingness to learn on the job, his apparent resilience in the face of adversity, are seen to render him suitable for the challenges ahead. There will, no doubt, be some long and tough days in India and Australia. England want a man in the side who can shrug those days off, come back for more and keep improving.It is a shame that there is currently no specialist coach with the squad to work with him. England had planned for Jeetan Patel, the former New Zealand offspinner, to join them in the bio-secure bubble, but visa regulations prevent him working as a coach. As a consequence, Bess is, for now, having to find his own way through the challenges ahead of him.You might also wonder how Moeen might have fared had he benefited from the same patience extended to the likes of Jos Buttler or Joe Denly. Moeen was, you may recall, the highest wicket-taker in the world in Test cricket over the previous 12 months at the time he was dropped.And while that decision was perfectly reasonable – it looked as if Moeen needed some time out of the firing line to decompress – the subsequent to decision not to offer him a red-ball central contract seemed to push him away from the squad just when he needed to feel embraced and valued. Again, the thought occurs that England may have coaxed more out of Moeen with better treatment. His best ball is still probably better than the best ball of any other red-ball spinner in England. And he has made five Test centuries.But you can see why England like Bess. And, by most reasonable judgements, he’s progressing nicely. We just have to be realistic in what we expect from him.

Fulham are the club pushing the hardest to sign an “outstanding” midfielder, with Marco Silva set to be backed in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Cottagers set to back Silva amid uncertain future

Having been at Craven Cottage for just under four years, Silva is now among the longest-serving managers in the Premier League, but there is widespread interest in the Portuguese coach, with Juventus becoming the latest club to express an interest.

With Tottenham Hotspur and clubs from the Saudi Pro League also keen on the 47-year-old, it could be difficult for the board to retain his services, but they have now displayed a willingness to back the manager in the summer transfer window.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Silva has been promised money to improve his squad, while also revealing the Cottagers have now set their sights on a new midfielder.

Fulham are said to be the club pushing the hardest to sign Mainz attacking midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who is set to leave the German club this summer, having attracted widespread interest from the Premier League.

New target: Fulham now ready to pounce for 23-goal striker available for £0

The Cottagers have joined the race for a forward, who is set to be available on a free transfer this summer.

ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025

Amiri has already turned down a move to Leeds United, while Crystal Palace have identified him as a potential target, but the west Londoners appear to be more determined to get a move over the line.

A deal would not break the bank either, with the 28-year-old expected to be allowed to leave for a fee of around £15m, and he could be brought in to replace Tom Cairney, amid interest from Wrexham, while fellow midfielder Harrison Reed is also set to depart.

"Outstanding" Amiri enjoyed impressive 2024-25 campaign

The Mainz star has been particularly impressive going forward as of late, picking up seven goals and five assists in 30 Bundesliga outings, and his displays at club level have led to a return to the German national side.

Upon selecting the central midfielder, manager Julian Nagelsmann said: “Nadiem is having an outstanding season. He’s a very good example of how you can take a step back to push your career forward.”

The German maestro had been uninvolved with his national side since 2020, but fought hard to regain his place, saying: “After I received a call from Julian Nagelsmann on Tuesday, I was in tears. It was my dream for so long to be able to play for the national team again. I worked hard, trying to improve every day”

Not only does Amiri have international experience, but he also has 10 Champions League appearances to his name, which could stand him in good stead to be a success at Craven Cottage, and a fee of £15m seems like a bargain for a player of his quality.

Chelsea star Marc Cucurella says he does not blame Nico Williams for rejecting a move to Barcelona after snubbing a move earlier in the transfer window.

Williams rejected Barcelona moveSigned new contract with Athletic ClubCucurella explains likely reason for snubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Williams was set for a blockbuster move to Barcelona this summer, before opting to reject the switch at the last minute and instead sign a new contract with Athletic Club. The Spanish international was drawing heavy criticism from fans of his current club, but has since shown his loyalty.

AdvertisementKOOORATHE BIGGER PICTURE

International compatriot Cucurella believes Williams was likely scared of not being able to play for Barcelona had he signed, which may have swayed his decision to stay. The Chelsea defender reminded fans of the club's registration issues, the same problem the La Liga champions are now facing when it comes to registering Marcus Rashford.

WHAT CUCURELLA SAID

Speaking to Spanish media, Cucurella hit back at the argument Williams had chosen money over growth. He said: "I don't think it was that… I think he was a bit scared that he wouldn't be registered. And if then they can't register you, what do you do?"

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WILLIAMS?

After his failed move to Barca, Williams will now focus on leading Athletic Club alongside his brother and captain Inaki Williams into the new campaign. They will face Barcelona on November 23.

While Arsenal have plenty of talented players in their squad, there is one star who most fans would now class as their best: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon has become a lean, mean output machine in recent seasons, as even though he missed over three months of action this year, he ended the campaign with a sensational haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.

Unfortunately, Mikel Arteta’s options for off the left have not been nearly as effective, with Gabriel Martinelli chalking up 16 goal involvements in 51 games and Leandro Trossard doing marginally better with 20 in 56 games.

So, with that in mind, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the club linked with a host of brilliant left-wingers in recent weeks, with one of the most notable links being to Rodrygo – although recent reports have now touted a player compared to the Brazilian and Saka for a move to Arsenal this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

As mentioned, the last few weeks and months have seen Arsenal linked with many talented left-wing options, from the versatile Xavi Simons at RB Leipzig to the soon-to-be free agent of Leroy Sané.

Transfer Focus

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

Yet, one of the names that has caused the most excitement among the fans, and understandably so, has been Rodrygo.

The 24-year-old has won all there is to win in the club game with Real Madrid, and according to most reports from the last month or so, could be available for around £85m unless something changes with new boss Xabi Alonso.

However, with the required fee being so high, it’s unsurprising to see the club continue to be linked with other options, and now someone who has been compared to Saka and the Brazilian has reentered the frame in a big way.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have retained their intense interest in Nico Williams.

In fact, the report has now revealed that the Gunners are ‘very close to signing’ the Athletic Bilbao star, despite the La Liga side’s desire to keep him for another season.

The report has revealed that for the North Londoners to get their man, whom Arteta has made ‘a priority,’ they’ll have to pay his release clause, which, according to stories from earlier this week, stands at about £50m.

While it would be a lot of money to spend on a 22-year-old, it would be more than worth it thanks to his ability and the comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo.

How Williams compares to Saka & Rodrygo

So before addressing the other reasons why Arsenal might want to sign Williams this summer, it’s important to examine these comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo and where they come from.

In both cases, they stem from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, and then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each.

In this instance, it was concluded that the Brazilian was the most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard across the last 365 days, while the Englishman was the tenth most similar.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.35

0.32

Non-Penalty G+As

0.45

0.51

Progressive Carries

5.32

5.28

Shots

2.43

2.52

Shots on Target

0.86

0.93

Expected Assists

0.19

0.20

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.31

1.21

Shot-Creating Actions

5.05

4.95

Blocks

0.90

0.84

The best way to understand how these conclusions were reached is by looking at the underlying numbers in which the players rank closely, which, in the case of the Real Madrid star, include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

For the Gunners’ gem, the metrics in which he’s incredibly similar to the Bilbao star include things like tackles won, clearances, carries into the penalty area and non-penalty goals per 90, suggesting he can do some of the defensive work the Englishman so often carries out for the Gunners.

Non-Penalty Goals

0.23

0.26

Tackles Won

0.81

0.78

Clearances

0.41

0.42

Carries

31.4

32.7

Carries into the Penalty Area

2.61

2.66

Aerial Duels Won

0.50

0.52

On top of these flattering and incredibly encouraging comparisons to two of the best wingers around, Arteta and Co should also be going all out to sign the 22-year-old “level-raiser,” as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, because he’s a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, since the start of last season, the Pamplona-born dynamo has scored 19 goals and provided 25 assists in 82 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

Ultimately, while some fans may prefer the bigger name in Rodrygo, it looks like Arsenal are on track to sign one of the most exciting wingers in the game in Williams, and given his age, there is plenty of scope for him to get even better.

Their answer to Cherki: Arsenal close in on first summer signing for £38m

The incredible prospect could be sensational at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 5, 2025