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Enzo Maresca has quickly implemented his system at Chelsea, already showing clear patterns of how the Italian wants his side to play, building through the thirds at a slower pace, keeping players in closer proximity by doing so and looking to suffocate teams in their own half.

The importance of wingers in this system is huge. They are often given the most freedom to be direct with their actions, looking to make something happen.

In an ideal world, these wide players are able to go both ways (inside and outside) in order to cause the opposition fullbacks a variety of different problems throughout a game.

Maresca’s ideal winger is one who can beat his man consistently in 1v1 isolations, deliver balls into the box with a variety of techniques such as cutbacks and clipped crosses to the back post, but also has the ability to be a goal threat, cutting inside and getting shots off.

The Blues perhaps had the perfect player for this system all the way back in 2004. A certain Arjen Robben was a winger who could beat his man to go towards the byline, but more importantly, possessed one of the most deadly weapons when cutting inside and shooting on his left foot.

Arjen Robben's Chelsea career in numbers

Chelsea made the signing of Robben back in 2004, with the Dutch winger joining the Blues from PSV Eindhoven for a fee of around £12m.

The Dutchman made 106 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 19 goals, providing 21 assists and totalling 6,632 minutes played.

He developed something of a signature move, cutting inside from the right-wing, having the ability to bend the ball into the far left corner, cutting in on his stronger left foot.

This was seen in his early days at Chelsea, but even further developed in his years at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich after leaving London, going on to become one of the very best in the world.

Robben would have thrived in Maresca’s system, constantly being put in 1v1 isolations to attack the full-back with the license to be creative and vary his actions between attacking the byline and moving inside.

As it happens, it looks like Chelsea may have already sold someone who could have provided that same two-way threat from the wing back in 2023.

Chelsea may have already sold the new Robben

Chelsea sold a certain Callum Hudson-Odoi to Nottingham Forest in the 2023/24 summer transfer window.

The Tricky Trees only paid a measly £3m to secure the services of the young winger, with a potential £2m of add-ons to bring the total to £5m. It’s safe to say that deal has bitten Chelsea in the backside with his form after leaving soaring to new heights. Now, in 2025, the Cobham graduate is in the form of his career.

Goals

0.15

0.23

Assists

0.20

0.09

xG

0.26

0.11

xAG

0.22

0.12

Progressive Carries

5.68

5.10

Progressive Passes

4.75

2.67

Shots Total

1.71

1.69

Goals/Shot

0.09

0.14

Key Passes

2.30

1.83

Shot-Creating Actions

5.47

3.91

Successful Take-Ons

1.65

1.49

Indeed, since moving to the City Ground, Hudson-Odoi has made 61 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals, and providing four assists, seven of which have come in 2024/25.

Whilst his per 90 metrics are mostly down, playing in a lower possession side, his effectiveness has clearly risen, with the 24-year-old now having a 0.14 goals/shot ratio, showcasing his increase in efficiency.

So, where does the comparison to Robben stem from?

Well, much like the great Dutchman, Hudson-Odoi is now making it something of a trademark of cutting inside. Right-footed – as opposed to Robben’s left – he’s had great joy by chopping inside from the left and curling the ball into the far right corner.

As a result, it’s likely that, considering his form and the small £3m fee, Chelsea will regret the sale of their academy “star boy” as he was described by Forest teammate and ex-Chelsea defender, Ola Aina.

Chelsea can replace Colwill with "elite" 19-year-old who's like David Luiz

He’s on the cusp of making his mark in Enzo Maresca’s first team at Chelsea.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 10, 2025

Arsenal’s ambitions of ending their two-decade wait for a Premier League title have taken a huge hit in recent weeks, with various injuries and setbacks derailing their progress.

Whilst Liverpool have been the runaway leaders for the majority of the campaign, Mikel Arteta’s side have the quality across the pitch to mount a serious charge to close the gap.

However, the hamstring injury to winger Bukayo Saka has seen an understandable decline in goals within the final third, with the Englishman registering five goals and 10 assists before his spell on the sidelines.

He’s been missing since the triumph over Crystal Palace on the 21st of December, with the Gunners failing to win five matches across all competitions in that time frame.

Saka isn’t the only forward who’s been sat on the sidelines in recent weeks, as two other players have seen their season cut short by injuries over the last couple of weeks.

Arsenal’s injuries to Gabriel Jesus & Kai Havertz

Just a couple of weeks after the injury sustained to Saka, Arteta also saw Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus suffer his own setback, picking up an ACL injury in the FA Cup defeat against Manchester United.

The 27-year-old had previously had issues with his knee, but this time the issue appears to be way more serious, undergoing surgery to solve his latest issue – ruling him out for the remainder of 2024/25.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Kai Havertz recently picked up a torn hamstring injury during the warm weather training camp in Dubai, leaving the Gunners without a recognised senior centre forward.

His own setback will also see him miss the rest of the season, with Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri the only attacking options left at Arteta’s disposal.

The decision not to sign a new attacker in January now looks to be a huge mistake, but it’s not the first time they may regret not landing a forward, after one former target’s rapid development on the European stage.

The player who Arsenal nearly signed & is now worth more than Saka

There’s no denying that Saka has been a sensational player for Arsenal over the last couple of years, registering 56 combined goals and assists over the last two years despite his recent issue.

However, he’s often needed the added reinforcement alongside him to help the club end their long wait for a Premier League title despite finishing runners-up in each of the last two seasons.

They may have been able to complete the task had the club completed a deal for Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé, especially considering his form over the last couple of years.

Former boss Arsène Wenger revealed in an interview that he flew to speak to his compatriot during his time as a youngster at Monaco, but was unable to convince him to move to North London.

The 26-year-old has since emerged as one of the leading attackers in European football, impressing at Monaco, before a huge move to PSG back in 2017 – costing the Parisians a whopping £150m.

Mbappé, who’s since been dubbed “lethal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 256 times in just 310 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants, offering that clinical edge Arteta’s side have been craving.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2017/18

46

21

16

2018/19

43

39

17

2019/20

37

30

18

2020/21

47

42

11

2021/22

46

39

26

2022/23

43

41

10

2023/24

48

44

10

Total:

310

256

108

He’s since moved to Real Madrid in what’s dubbed the “most expensive free transfer in history” after the Spanish side had to pay the attacker a mammoth signing bonus after leaving PSG.

The forward has continued his goalscoring form under Carlo Ancelotti, scoring 24 times in his 36 appearances for his new side, creating a deadly partnership with Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior.

As a result of his tremendous displays over the last few years, Mbappé is now valued at £133m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Saka, who’s valued at £125m after his own emergence in England.

There’s no denying that the Englishman is one of the Premier League’s leading attackers, as seen by his goal contributions before his injury, with Arteta certainly desperate for the youngster to return to action as soon as possible.

However, the thought of the academy graduate featuring alongside Mbappé is a scary one, but unfortunately for the supporters, it will always remain a case of what could’ve been had Wenger worked his magic during his time in charge.

His value has soared by £58m: Arsenal hit the jackpot on "phenomenal" star

Arsenal have conducted superb business in the transfer market over the last couple of years.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 14, 2025

The no-result leaves four teams on three points each in Group 1

Vithushan Ehantharajah28-Oct-20222:22

What does the Australia-England washout mean for Group 1?

Australia vs England – match abandoned Australia and England took a point each from their Group 1 match at the T20 World Cup after a wet, unsafe outfield led to their match being abandoned at the MCG. Both teams now have three points, after a win and a loss apiece in their opening two games.As a consequence, Friday’s fixture between these two old rivals had been billed as a “loser goes out” encounter. Alas, following rain throughout the day and intermittent showers in the evening, the umpires eventually decided to call it quits at 8.49pm local time. Though well before the cut-off time, with the possibility of a five-over match provided play got underway at 10.04pm, there was no chance the ground would have dried in time given the cold evening conditions, particularly the bowlers’ run-ups which were a particular cause for concern.Torrential rain over the last couple of days in Melbourne meant both sides came into Friday knowing rain would play a part. The first match of the day, between Afghanistan and Ireland, was also abandoned without the toss of the coin, so it was no surprise this fixture went the same way.”The outfield has taken a drenching over the last couple of weeks, as wet as I’ve ever seen it,” Aaron Finch, Australia’s captain, said. “The run-ups and around the circle were very, very wet. It’s about player safety. We saw one of the Zimbabweans go down the other day (Richard Ngarava). If you’re trying to run out there, it’s going to be a real issue.”An inspection at 7.30pm local time – 30 minutes after the scheduled start – came and went, with all but the cover across the square in place as the clouds held momentarily. However, surface water remained a concern with the drainage system and super-soppers working overtime.An inspection at 8.15pm then gave way for one at 8.50pm. But before the latter took place, another shower prompted the umpires to call the match off, sending the 30,000 supporters who braved the elements on their way.”Everyone was here to play, everyone was ready to go,” Finch added. “And there was a great turnout. It was disappointing not to get on but just the amount of rain Melbourne and the east coast of Australia has had over the last couple of weeks has been amazing.”Finch also confirmed that Matthew Wade, who tested positive for Covid-19 and had to prepare in a separate changing room, had been due to make the XI had play got underway. “He had a few symptoms yesterday but today he just had a headache. But he was good to go.”As it stands England move to second in the Group 1 standings by virtue of their +0.239 net run rate, ahead of Ireland (who beat them on Wednesday) and Australia, both of whom also have three points.However, they also have the toughest run-in of the teams who could now finish on seven points, with New Zealand coming up in Brisbane on Tuesday (where further rain is forecast) followed by Sri Lanka the following Saturday. Although two wins would probably be sufficient to push England through to the semi-finals, Australia have contests against Ireland and Afghanistan to come in which they could yet improve their -1.555 net run rate.New Zealand, meanwhile, can afford to lose to England and still qualify, if they can beat Sri Lanka and Ireland in their other two games. Ireland themselves and Afghanistan are still firmly in the running for the knock-outs too, with a single point separating all six teams.

Marseille sporting director Medhi Benatia has denied reports that two players have refused to play alongside Mason Greenwood.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Benatia hits back at reports
• Greenwood in dire form
• Benatia furious with claims

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Benatia has furiously denied reports that Greenwood is at the centre of a row within Marseille, with reports having suggested that two senior players demanded he be removed from the starting XI amid reports questioning his attitude. The former England international has scored just once in his last five outings, and the club were recently thumped 3-0 by Monaco.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A recent report claimed that former Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and ex-PSG star Adrien Rabiot have refused to play alongside the Manchester United loanee as well as Luis Henrique. Now, though, Benatia has strenuously denied the claims, insisting that the midfielders are professionals who have no issues with Greenwood.

• WHAT BENATIA SAID

  Benatia told La Provence via the Mail: "Can you imagine? He didn’t come to see me. And what’s more, do you think I need a player to tell me that?

  "Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is one of the most professional in the locker room, a guy who only wants to unite and carry everyone along with him, like Rabiot.

  "Today, Adri is dying inside, he only wants one thing: to reach the Champions League. These two are truly two examples, and at no point did they come to see me to dismiss Luis Henrique or Greenwood. The people who say that don't want the best for OM."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Marseille play Montpellier on Saturday evening. They are currently third in Ligue 1, one point behind second-placed Monaco.

After Sri Lanka demolition, Afghanistan start as favourites against misfiring Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam29-Aug-2022Big pictureAfghanistan vs Bangladesh is the low-key rivalry of the Asia Cup, and it seems even more so coming on the heels of a smashing India-Pakistan contest over the weekend.There are clear favourites – and underdogs – for this one, too. Bangladesh have seen their T20I fortunes dip significantly in recent times. Afghanistan, after losing a T20I series earlier this month, in Ireland, got their act together against Sri Lanka in their first match of the Asia Cup. It was also their second-largest win in terms of balls remaining – 59.Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq made full use of the new ball after Mohammad Nabi put Sri Lanka in to bat. They were reduced to 5 for 3 in the second over itself. Afghanistan allowed only a brief resistance before Sri Lanka collapsed once again. Then it was the turn of Afghanistan’s destructive opening pair of Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to complete the job. They struck 13 boundaries between them, including four sixes from Gurbaz in his 18-ball 40. A couple of wickets fell, but Afghanistan gave a good glimpse of their attacking flair. And familiarity with the conditions help – they have played plenty of short-format matches in the UAE.Related

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Attacking flair, and an aggressive attitude – Bangladesh’s T20I game is missing both.They come into the Asia Cup on a low, having lost both white-ball series in Zimbabwe earlier this month. They gave away strong positions in both the T20I losses as they went down 2-1.But Bangladesh were without Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim in Zimbabwe, so their return, coupled with that of Mohammad Saifuddin, could boost them.Sabbir Rahman and Mohammad Naim are also back in the side, but that’s mainly due to injuries to Litton Das and Nurul Hasan, two batters who have shown a bit of T20I form of late. Sabbir’s return came after he trained with the Bangladesh Tigers squad, while Naim struck a century in the one-day series against West Indies A earlier this month.Perhaps being underdogs will help Bangladesh against high-flying Afghanistan.Form guide
Afghanistan WLWWL
Bangladesh LWLLLIn the spotlightFazalhaq Farooqi was one of Afghanistan’s heroes in the match against Sri Lanka. His opening burst blew away the top order, and he finished with 3 for 11, the sort of spell Bangladesh are familiar with from earlier this year – Farooqi was fast, accurate and effective in the ODI and T20I series in Chattogram and Dhaka. His confidence must be soaring after the Sri Lanka demolition job.Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh’s best bet against Afghanistan, or anyone else, for that matter. Returning as the T20I captain after nearly three years, Shakib has a lot on his plate but he is known as someone who invariably manages to bring the best out of himself when under pressure. His four overs will bring back an attacking option for Bangladesh, while his free stroke play will help the misfiring top order.4:45

Shahriar Nafees: Confident that Bangladesh’s new guys will support the middle order

Team newsAfghanistan have little reason to change the playing XI, and, bar injuries, should be unchanged.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Najibullah Zadran, 5 Karim Janat, 6 Mohammad Nabi (capt), 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Azmatullah Omarzai, 9 Naveen-ul-Haq, 10 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiBangladesh have a few more options than when they went to Zimbabwe with a limited squad. Shakib, Mushfiqur and Saifuddin should all get in, and will add balance to their line-up.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mohammad Naim, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 4 Afif Hossain, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Nasum Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsDespite the small dimensions, Sharjah has a surprisingly low batting average – 143 – for sides batting first in T20Is in the last 12 months. The weather will be quite hot even though it’s a 6pm [local time] start.Stats and trivia Shakib will become the third Bangladesh cricketer to play 100 T20Is, after Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur. Spinners have a better average, economy rate and strike rate than quick bowlers at the Sharjah ground in the last 12 months. Afghanistan have a 5-3 edge over Bangladesh in T20Is, although their last bilateral series ended 1-1.

Leeds United are back in action this evening in the Championship as they travel away from Elland Road again to face Derby County at Pride Park in the last match of 2024.

The Whites can end the year at the top of the table with a win as they currently sit ahead of Sheffield United on goal difference, and that should be the aim today.

Daniel Farke’s side ran out 2-0 winners against Stoke City last time out, thanks to two goals from Joel Piroe, who scored once in each half against Narcis Pelach’s men.

With this game coming so soon after the Boxing Day clash on Thursday night, the German head coach could make some changes to his side to keep players fresh, and Brenden Aaronson is one player who could drop out.

Why Brenden Aaronson could be dropped

The USA international has started 21 of the club’s 23 matches in the Championship this season and was unfortunate not to record his third assist against Stoke, as his through ball to Piroe saw the striker’s effort initially saved, before he scored at the second attempt.

Aaronson played the full 90 minutes against the Potters and completed 92% of his attempted passes, but did struggle out of possession – losing eight of his 12 ground duels.

He has struggled with physicality for much of the season so far, losing 61% of his duels in the league, yet Farke has still trusted him to start week-in-week-out.

With the hectic festive schedule, and keeping Aaronson’s struggles with the physical side of the game, this clash with Derby could be the perfect chance for the manager to ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for a match.

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This would then open up the door for another player to take his place in the XI this evening, and Farke must unleash Ao Tanaka in his place as the number ten.

Why Ao Tanaka should start

The Japan international dropped down to the bench and played ten minutes as a substitute against Stoke, after starting the previous 15 league matches.

Farke revealed after the game that Tanaka was rested as he is used to having a winter break around this time, and he could come straight back into the team but in a new role – as a number ten.

He has played all 20 of his appearances for Leeds this season as a central midfielder, completing 92% of his attempted passes but only managing zero goals and one assist.

Starts

24

Goals

7

Big chances missed

3

Big chances created

6

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese dynamo provided an attacking threat from a midfield position for Fortuna Dusseldorf in the 2. Bundesliga last term.

The Leeds star, who was described as “unbelievable” and a “tiger” by Farke, has the attributes required to play in a number ten role, because he is comfortable on the ball and his form in Germany suggests that the potential is there for him to provide quality as a scorer and a creator.

Therefore, the German head coach could hand Aaronson a rest by dropping him from the squad and unleashing Tanaka in a new position against Derby this evening.

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ByDan Emery Dec 27, 2024

It would then be down to the Japan international to prove that he can be effective in that role in a Leeds shirt, which would then make him a viable option moving forward, rather than being restricted to his usual position in midfield.

Jurgen Klopp left an everlasting legacy at Liverpool Football Club. It was confirmed at the backend of last season that he would depart the club after nine campaigns in charge, leaving one of the greatest modern-day legacies in English football.

He managed just short of 500 games for the Reds, taking charge of 489 in total. In that time, the German boss won 304 games, drew 100 and lost 85, an impressive record over such a large space of time. He also won eight trophies, including the Champions League and the club’s first-ever Premier League.

His replacement, Arne Slot, has been superb as Liverpool boss so far, with his side top of the Premier League. However, things were not made easy in the summer, with minimal signings made.

Liverpool’s 2024 summer transfer window

It was certainly a strange summer transfer window at Anfield. Normally, when a new manager takes over at a club, there is an influx of new signings and sales to help shape the squad exactly to their preference.

Surprisingly, that was not the case for Slot at Liverpool. The Reds made two notable signings and two notable sales. There is a caveat to that, with one of the new additions not actually joining until next summer. Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili signed from Valencia but stayed at the Spanish giants for an extra season.

The other incoming at Anfield over the summer was Italian winger Federico Chiesa. He cost the Reds for just £12.5m including add-ons, but has had a terrible time with injury.

The 27-year-old has played just three times in all competitions so far. However, if he can get fit, his quality is undeniable.

There were some major sales at Anfield, too. Arguably the biggest name to depart the club was Fabio Carvalho. He made the move to London, joining Brentford for £27.5m, representing some good business from Liverpool.

The other sale was perhaps even better business for the Reds and represented an incredible profit for the Merseysiders. That man is Sepp van den Berg.

The profit Liverpool made on Van den Berg

Young Dutch defender Van den Berg made the move to Anfield from PEC Zwolle in the summer of 2019 for a fee in the region of £1.3m.

He was lauded by Klopp when he made the move to Anfield. The legendary German boss described him as an “outstanding talent” during preseason in 2019.

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However, things did not really work out so simply for the young defender on Merseyside. In total, he managed just four appearances for the club, none of which came in the Premier League. He never really managed to play a part in the first team.

However, there were several loan spells for the youngster during his time at the club. He enjoyed temporary spells at Championship side Preston North End, and German clubs Schalke and Mainz, the latter a club whom Klopp once managed.

Over the summer, Thomas Frank’s Brentford came calling, ten days after they acquired the services of Carvalho. Van den Berg moved to the Bees for £25m including add-ons, with a sell-on percentage of 17.5% included.

That is impressive work from the Reds, especially when factoring in the fee they paid, just £1.3m. That leaves them with an 1823.08% increase on the deal overall, factoring in add-ons Brentford could pay.

The young centre-back has impressed for the Bees so far. He has started 12 out of the 13 games he has played so far and has statistically caught the eye. There are not many statistical differences between Van den Berg and Virgil van Dijk according to Squawka.

For example, the Brentford man wins 3.1 aerial duels per game, compared to 3.3 for Van Dijk, and wins 2.3 ground duels as opposed to the Liverpool number four’s 1.1 ground duels per game.

Stat (per 90)

Van den Berg

Van Dijk

Passing accuracy

82.18%

91.24%

Tackles made

1.7

0.8

Aerial duels won

3.1

3.3

Ground duels won

2.3

1.1

Ground duel success rate

51.92%

50%

Clearances

3.3

4.9

Ball recoveries

3.2

3.2

It has certainly been a good move for all parties. Van den Berg is starting week in, week out, for a Premier League side, with Brentford securing a player who isn’t too dissimilar to Van Dijk.

Liverpool on the other hand, made a good amount of profit that they can reinvest for Slot to improve his side in the future. Overall, many Liverpool fans might well agree that Slot hit the jackpot on this one.

After a dreadful period before the international break that saw them slip down the Premier League table, Arsenal look back to their brilliant best.

Mikel Arteta’s side have scored 13 goals in their last three games while conceding just three, and there have been standout performers all over the pitch, from Bukayo Saka in attack to Gabriel Magalhaes in defence.

However, for all the excellent displays from players in the starting lineup to those on the bench, a few players remain on the periphery of the squad.

West Ham United (A)

5-2 (W)

Sporting CP (A)

5-1 (W)

Nottingham Forest (H)

3-0 (W)

Chelsea (A)

1-1 (D)

Inter Milan (A)

1-0 (L)

Fortunately, if recent reports are to be believed, one of those players could be set to make the club a hefty profit next month, a player the manager once thought would become an important member of the team.

Arsenal's standout performers

Okay, before we get to the player who should be moved on next month, let’s examine a few of the stars who’ve reignited Arsenal’s title charge over the last week or so, starting with club poster boy Saka.

The Hale End icon was one of the few players in impressive form prior to the international break, racking up four goals and seven assists in 15 appearances, but has reached another level over the last three games, scoring three goals and providing four assists.

In all, the fan favourite “monster”, as dubbed by journalist Mark White, has established himself well and truly as the Gunners’ most important player this season.

1

Saka

7

11

18

2

Havertz

9

1

19

3

Martinelli

4

3

18

4

Trossard

4

2

18

5

Odegaard

1

3

8

=

Rice

1

3

18

=

Magalhaes

4

0

19

Still, it cannot be forgotten that his best form often comes when playing alongside another of the team’s best players, Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian returned to the team just before the international break, but it was against Forest that he looked back to his best, and since then, it’s become crystal clear that when he starts, the North Londoners are twice the team they are without him.

For example, the Drammen-born dynamo picked up an assist against the Tricky Trees and Sporting before scoring a penalty against the Irons on Saturday evening.

The former Real Madrid wonderkid’s haul for the season so far stands at four goal involvements in eight games, and now he’s fit again, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that number balloon in the coming weeks.

However, while the Gunners’ number seven is reaching new heights and their captain is getting back to his scintillating best, there are a few squad players who look even further from first-team action than before, including one who left Arteta excited when he first joined, but now must be sold for a hefty profit.

The Arsenal player who must be sold

In January 2023, Arsenal were in the midst of an entirely unexpected title race with Manchester City, and were actually leading Pep Guardiola’s league-winning juggernaut at that time, so the club opted to bring in some reinforcements.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s incredibly talented winger Leandro Trossard was signed for £27m, Italian international Jorginho made the increasingly uncontroversial move from Chelsea to the Emirates, and while both of those players have become incredibly useful members of the squad since, the same cannot really be said of the third signing made that month, Jakub Kiwior.

The Polish defender joined the team from Serie A side Spezia for around £20m.

While he was a surprise addition to most fans, Arteta was delighted about his arrival and seemed to see a bright future for him at the club, describing him as “a young versatile defender who has shown huge potential and qualities with Spezia in Serie A.”

Unfortunately for the Tychy-born ace, he was limited to just eight appearances in his first six months at the Emirates. Yet, in September of the following season, the manager once again reaffirmed his belief in him, claiming that the 24-year-old had the potential “to be great.”

Last season did see the versatile defender get more game time, as across the full campaign he made 30 first-team appearances, with the majority coming at left-back, but following a poor display against Bayern Munich in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final, he once again became more of a bench option.

This season has seen the 31-capped international make just ten appearances, totalling 374 minutes, as summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and even Myles Leiws-Skelly seem to be ahead of him in the pecking order, which makes a recent report touting him for an exit particularly interesting.

Appearances

8

30

10

Starts

6

18

2

Minutes

498′

1594′

374′

Goals

1

1

0

Assists

0

3

2

According to Caught Offside, there are ten clubs that are now interested in signing the former Spezia star, with Italian giants AC Milan and Napoli, as well as Sevilla already making contact over a potential deal.

The report claims that while the latter two have inquired over a loan move, the Gunners would prefer a permanent sale and would be tempted by offers in the region of €40m to €50m, which converts to about £33m to £41m.

In other words, if the club are able to sell the £58k-per-week ace for the higher sum, that would represent a profit of at least £21m, and for all the talent and potential he has, that seems like too good a deal to turn down, especially when Arteta already has a plethora of left-backs to choose from.

Ultimately, it would be fair to say that Kiwior’s move to Arsenal last January has not really worked out on the pitch, but should he move on for such a significant price in January, or even next summer, then his original transfer would have to be considered a success, at least from a financial perspective.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 29, 2024

The festive period is upon us, but Arne Slot is hardly going to be feeling merry as he prepares for a thick catalogue of fixtures that could define the narrative surrounding Liverpool as they head into the new year.

Admittedly, other teams are in worse positions. Liverpool sit atop the Premier League pile with a four-point advantage over second-placed Chelsea, holding a game in hand too.

Hosting hard-working Fulham in the top flight this afternoon, the Reds will be confident in their ability to get the job done, though Fulham are indeed industrious and capable of leaving higher-profiled opponents unstuck.

Slot has made a masterful introduction to life on Merseyside, taking Jurgen Klopp’s team and working on its mechanics to create something astounding.

The injuries have been mounting, however, and the Dutch coach will need to be careful when naming his team after fielding a strong line-up for the 1-0 win at Girona in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Liverpool team news

Liverpool’s only summer signing, Federico Chiesa, has only made three appearances since his £15m move from Juventus in the summer due to injury, but he’s been back in training – as has Diogo Jota – and could make Saturday’s matchday squad.

Unfortunately, Liverpool’s defence is still hampered by the continued absences of Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Conor Bradley, though all will be hopeful of reappearing before the month’s end.

Alisson Becker will be looking to reprise his role after making his anticipated comeback in the Champions League in midweek, keeping a clean sheet against lively Girona in a busy performance.

At the other end of the pitch, Darwin Nunez toiled once again, and perhaps he should be dropped for the visit of the Londoners.

Why Slot must drop Darwin Nunez

Nunez is such a polarising figure, agonisingly wasteful but tenacious as they come and with a personable charm that arrests you even after an ineffective effort at number nine.

But with just three goals and two assists across 19 matches under Slot’s wing, the Uruguay international, 25, needs to up his game or face an uncertain future at Liverpool.

He led the line on Tuesday but was unable to offer little of note, missing a few chances and fading. The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle’s 5/10 match rating reflected this, and he was withdrawn after 70 minutes.

With Jota having returned to first-team training this week, it might be that the Portuguese moves straight back into the starting line-up, with his clinical edge sure to cause a threadbare Fulham backline a weight of problems.

Diogo Jota could feast on Fulham's defence

Jota has missed the past 12 matches in all competitions for Liverpool with a muscular injury. The £140k-per-week ace is back now, and though starting him from the outset might feel like something of a risk – indeed, Slot may opt against it – if he is green-lit, it could be a difference-making decision for the title-chasing Redmen.

As per FBref, Jota ranked among the top 1% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for goals scored (0.79) per 90, making a firm comment on the level of goalscorer that Liverpool have at the front of the ship.

With Mohamed Salah having already chalked up 12 assists from 22 appearances this season – as well as scoring 16 goals – Liverpool will only improve with him in the mix, always clinical and able to pounce on the brilliance of his Egyptian teammate.

Diogo Jota: Liverpool Statistics by Season

Season

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25

10 (9)

4

2

23/24

32 (19)

15

4

22/23

28 (15)

7

8

21/22

55 (39)

21

6

20/21

30 (19)

13

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see, he’s not always going to be fully fit, but when he is, the dynamic striker will invariably bring goals and assists to Liverpool’s team.

He’s almost Nunez’s inverse, in several ways, for he’s not the flashiest, nor is Jota endowed with the pace and athleticism that his Uruguayan peer possesses, but instead, there’s an express focus to his playing style that has made him one of the Premier League’s deadliest marksmen since he joined the Anfield side from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £41m fee in 2020.

That’s not to say that he’s a statue. In fact, Jota is actually very clever with his movements and hungry to turn over possession, hailed as a “pressing monster” by assistant coach Pep Lijnders.

Against Fulham, such incisiveness could be crucial, especially since the hosts must make sure that they take full advantage of Marco Silva’s selection woes.

In his pre-match conference, the Portuguese manager confirmed that Joachim Andersen has not yet completed his rehabilitation, which is good news for the Merseysiders given that the £30m summer signing has won 59% of his duels and averaged 5.3 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, Calvin Bassey, the Cottagers’ other usual centre-half, is suspended after accumulating five yellow cards, and the “monster”, as journalist Josh Bunting has called him, having played every minute of the Premier League season so far.

Fulham picked up a point against Arsenal last weekend and have lost only one of their past nine matches in the division, speaking highly of their togetherness and tactical understanding within Silva’s carefully constructed squad.

Liverpool will need to be on their a-game, must not be lulled into a false sense of security.

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Likewise, they must be ferocious in attack and pounce on any openings that present themselves to Slot’s men. Jota’s something of a master at taking what comes his way, and that is exactly why, fitness providing, he must start over Nunez for this one.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Dec 13, 2024

Chelsea are now prepared to sell a “leader” in January so they can sign an £83 million player, with Enzo Maresca’s side already making contact over a potential move.

Chelsea thrash Southampton 5-1 to extend unbeaten Premier League run

The west Londoners have been tipped as potential Premier League title contenders after a fine start to the campaign, even if Maresca continues to rebuff notions that they could end the club’s near nine-year-long wait for a domestic crown.

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ByEmilio Galantini Dec 5, 2024

Chelsea haven’t won a title since Antonio Conte led them to the honour in 2016, but they’re making a serious go of it this season – lying just seven points behind league leaders Liverpool and losing just twice.

They came at the hands of Arne Slot’s side and current champions Man City, with Maresca yet to taste a single loss in the league since their defeat at Anfield in October.

Tottenham (home)

December 8

Brentford (home)

December 15

Everton (away)

December 22

Fulham (home)

December 26

Ipswich Town (away)

December 30

Chelsea thrashed Southampton 5-1 at St. Mary’s to extend their unbeaten domestic run to six games, and it is practically impossible to get at least a little bit excited given just how well they’re playing right now.

Since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Leicester City in the summer, Maresca has implemented an exciting, attack-minded style of play which has pleased both critics and supporters – but Chelsea’s boss is still refusing to get drawn into debates regarding this year’s title race.

“We’re not in the title race. We are not, in my opinion,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s prospects of winning the league.

“What I said to the owners and the sporting directors the first time I met them, because of the age, and because of how good the squad is, for me Chelsea in the next five to 10 years will be one of the teams, or the team, that is going to dominate English football.

“This is what I said this to the club the first time I met them. No matter who will be the manager, for the next five or 10 years, because of the age, the squad, you can dominate English football, and I still think exactly the same.”

Nevertheless, Chelsea will be going into their game against inconsistent Tottenham on a real high, with defender Axel Disasi even managing to get on the scoresheet against Southampton after returning to the starting eleven.

Chelsea prepared to sell Axel Disasi in January so they can sign Tomas Araujo

The Frenchman had missed out on a place in their previous five Premier League matchday squads, but was handed the opportunity to start against Southampton by Maresca.

Disasi ultimately repaid his manager’s faith with a solid display, but there have been reports in the build up to January that Chelsea may look to offload Disasi and free up space for another centre-back.

Chelsea are scouring the market for another central defensive star, and they’ve been linked with Benfica star Tomas Araujo.

TEAMtalk have an update on their interest in the Portuguese, as Maresca looks to reshape the squad into future dominators of English football.

It is believed that Chelsea are prepared to sell Disasi in January and have made contact over Araujo, with their defender’s sale seen as crucial to potentially striking a deal for the latter defender.

Despite being called a “leader” in defence at points, Disasi is also seen as “limited” by some behind-the-scenes at Chelsea, prompting their interest in Araujo, who is believed to have an £83 million release clause in his contract.

The 22-year-old, who can also play at right-back, is emerging as one of the Primeira Liga’s most promising defenders – which has apparently turned heads in west London.