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It’s been a hectic couple of weeks for Arsenal.

After watching their Premier League rivals make signing after signing, the Gunners are finally starting to make a splash in the transfer window.

For example, after months of speculation, Martin Zubimendi was finally announced yesterday morning, and then, if that wasn’t enough, a deluge of reports suggesting a deal for Viktor Gyokeres is close also emerged.

Moreover, the Gunners are now getting close to securing the services of a Premier League star, someone who’d be a far better signing than Noni Madueke.

Arsenal looking at signing another Premier League star

While most of the links to players this summer, and the two signings already confirmed, have been met with positivity from the general fan base, the same can’t be said for links to Madueke.

Transfer Focus

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

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It was revealed late last week that the Gunners had already reached an agreement on personal terms with the Chelsea player.

There is no denying that the winger is talented, but he’s hardly blown anyone away in West London, and at a potential price tag of £50m, it’s easy to understand why many fans might look at him as a misuse of funds.

Fortunately, the North Londoners are also reportedly closing in on a deal for another Premier League star, someone who’d be a far better signing than Madueke: Eberechi Eze.

At least that is according to David Ornstein, who, on a recent episode of The Athletic’s podcast, reaffirmed reports that Arsenal are highly interested in signing the Crystal Palace star this summer.

Ornstein reveals that he is now one of the club’s top target and is now seriously high in their consideration this summer. Moreover, he revealed that “they’ve held some conversations” with the player’s camp, and that they would like to sign him for under his release clause of £68m.

However, the Eagles are understandably keen on receiving the full fee to sell their talismanic attacker this summer.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Eze’s ability, it’s one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he’d be a far better signing than Madueke.

Why Eze would be a far better signing than Madueke

Okay, so the first thing to say is that, yes, Eze and Madueke do operate in different areas of the pitch, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the former would be a far better signing than the latter.

The first reason is down to their respective output, as in 43 appearances last season, totalling 3303 minutes, the Palace ace scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists.

That means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes, and, on top of that, he scored important goals, such as the winner in the FA Cup.

In contrast, the Chelsea ace racked up a tally of 11 goals and five assists in 45 games, totalling 2625 minutes, which comes out to a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.81 games, or every 164.06 minutes.

The second reason the Eagles’ “superstar,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, would be a better signing is their underlying numbers.

Eze vs Madueke

Statistics

Eze

Madueke

Non-Penalty G+As

0.52

0.44

Progressive Passes

3.37

3.05

Progressive Carries

2.40

6.81

Key Passes

2.01

1.42

Passes into the Final Third

1.70

0.71

Live Passes

29.5

29.2

Shot-Creating Actions

4.69

3.50

Goal-Creating Actions

0.35

0.35

Successful Take-Ons

2.33

1.99

Tackles

1.35

1.11

Ball Recoveries

5.07

3.72

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season

For example, when we take a look under the hood, the former QPR gem comes out on top in practically every relevant metric, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, key passes and successful take-ons.

These statistics demonstrate that, in addition to scoring goals, the 27-year-old is a brilliant creator and someone who can generate chances through his passing and carrying abilities.​​​​​

Ultimately, if Arsenal can only afford to sign one other attacking star from the Premier League this summer, then they have to go with Eze, as he’s simply better than Madueke in every meaningful way.

Related Talks open: Arsenal submit offer to sign "standout" 17 y/o after Zubimendi

The midfielder is the Gunners’ second summer signing.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jul 7, 2025

As their goalkeeper search goes on, Manchester United have now reportedly received the green light to sign an impressive shot-stopper in a cut-price deal this summer.

Onana keen to fight for Man Utd place

Amid links to the likes of Emiliano Martinez, it is expected that Andre Onana could face an uphill battle to keep hold of his No.1 spot next season. The former Inter star has been a liability for some time at Old Trafford and whilst they’re in the mood to spend big it looks as though INEOS have set their sights on an upgrade. Onana, however, isn’t keen to give up that easily.

Reportedly under the impression that he will stay put at Old Trafford, Manchester United could yet decide to burst Onana’s bubble by welcoming his replacement in the coming months.

To that end, Martinez would certainly be an impressive arrival. Weakening Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the process, United would be signing a World Cup winner who the Villans may be forced to sell amid their PSR concerns.

The Argentine star isn’t the only name on the Red Devils’ radar, however. The likes of Andriy Lunin have also threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks. The Real Madrid No.2 could yet decide to leave the Spanish giants in pursuit of a starting role and that would open the door for United to come swooping in.

He's better than Nkunku: Man Utd make huge offer to sign "sensational" star

Manchester United appear to be moving one step closer to landing a key target this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 24, 2025

A Champions League winner who has experience at the very top level, it’s no surprise that Lunin has found himself in United’s sights this summer. But they may still opt for an alternative option and one who is now reportedly pushing to leave his current club.

Man Utd receive green light from Diogo Costa

According to A Bola, Manchester United have now received the green light from Diogo Costa over a summer move from FC Porto. The goalkeeper is reportedly pushing to leave the Portuguese club and they are now willing to accept a cheaper offer than his €75m (£64m) release clause.

Costa is expected to leave Porto this summer and his desire to experience life outside of Portugal should place Old Trafford high up on his list of options. Given that he’s available at a cut-price too, it’s a deal that INEOS would be wise to pursue in the coming months.

Starts

32

34

Clean Sheets

16

9

Saves P90

1.78

2.59

Save Percentage

74.1%

68.9%

Described as “complete” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Costa would be a clear upgrade on Onana. Whilst the latter maintained a 68.9% save percentage last season, the Porto man thrived with a record of 74.1% to keep 16 clean sheets in 32 league appearances.

For the right price, a move to sign the Portugal international would represent yet more impressive business by INEOS this summer.

For the second Premier League season in a row, Arsenal look set to have the best defence in the competition.

However, as they did last year and the year before that, Mikel Arteta’s side have failed to get over the line, with Liverpool being the ones to deny them this time.

The Reds have conceded four goals more than the Gunners but, as things stand, have scored a whopping 17 goals more than them.

1

Liverpool

81

35

82

2

Arsenal

64

31

67

3

Man City

67

43

64

4

Newcastle

66

45

63

5

Chelsea

62

41

63

It’s no secret, then, that the North Londoners desperately need some attacking reinforcements this summer, and it’s not hard to see who they are taking inspiration from, as reports have linked them to a player compared to Mohamed Salah.

Arsenal transfer news

With the gap in attacking output as vast as it is, Arsenal are understandably on the lookout for some serious game-changers, like Florian Wirtz and Viktor Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

The former would reportedly cost the club a whopping £111m, but given his tally of 29 goal involvements this season and the fact he’s only 22 years old, it’d be hard to claim he’s not worth it.

Likewise, while the £70m price tag for Gyokeres is undeniably steep, it’s also undeniably fair enough, as in just 49 appearances this season, he’s scored a staggering 52 goals and provided 12 assists.

However, if the Gunners are after a Salah-esque player, he’s got to be a winger, which would explain the interest in Bryan Mbeumo.

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are determined to bring in another winger this summer, and one of Andrea Berta’s most significant targets is the Brentford man.

The Cameroon international has been on the club’s shortlist for months now, and while the Bees are after around £51m, there is hope in North London that they’ll be open to negotiating.

It might end up being a rather costly transfer to get done, but given Mbeumo’s superb output, it would most certainly be worth it, especially as he’s won comparisons to Salah.

Why Mbeumo is like Salah

So, when it comes to winning comparisons to first-class players, there aren’t much more flattering than Salah, so where does Mbeumo’s come from?

Well, in this instance, it was TalkSPORT’s Jason Cundy, who was full of praise for the Brentford star and called him “a mini-Salah” following his brilliant performance and goal in the Bees’ 4-2 win against Newcastle United in December.

Now, it’s important to note the “mini” part of that compliment, as, at the end of the day, nobody is suggesting that the former Troyes star is on the same level as the league-winning Egyptian, but there is no reason he couldn’t fulfil a similar enough role in N5.

After all, despite playing for a team who are generally mid-table at best these days, the often “unplayable” winger, as dubbed by manager Thomas Frank, is nothing short of prolific.

For example, in just 27 appearances last season, the 25-year-old managed to score nine goals and provide seven assists, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.68 games.

Appearances

27

39

Minutes

2079′

3307′

Goals

9

18

Assists

7

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.59

0.66

Minutes per Goals Involvement

129.93

127.19

Then this season, he’s found the back of the net 18 times and provided eight assists in 39 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games.

Finally, another valuable trait the Avallon-born monster possesses is the ability to play up top and as a second striker as well as off the right, meaning he’d provide Arteta with even more attacking options – something he desperately needs.

Ultimately, Mbeumo is a Premier League-proven goalscorer, and while he might not be as prolific as Salah, he’s still an incredible attacking talent and someone Arsenal should sign.

Arsenal line up move for PSG star who'd be a big upgrade on Martinelli

The incredibly entertaining international is just what Arsenal need this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 8, 2025

68 days on from the sacking of Philippe Clement, the search for Rangers’ new permanent manager goes on at Ibrox.

For now, Barry Ferguson remains in interim charge, and he will remain in situ for the rest of the season, most recently overseeing the Gers’ 2-2 draw in Paisley on Saturday.

This means the Light Blues have now won only three of their last eight Premiership outings, conceding at least twice in ten of 12 outings across all competitions since mid-February.

However, with the 49ers takeover seemingly imminent, could the new owners land their dream appointment, one that would reinvigorate the club captain?

James Tavernier's recent form at Rangers

Sunday’s Old Firm at Ibrox will be James Tavernier’s 510th appearance in a Rangers jersey, only ten men have accumulated more for the club, making him an undisputed, bona fide legend in Govan.

During Rangers’ title-winning season of 2020/21, Jordan Campbell of the Athletic exclaimed that Tavernier was ‘the best player in Scotland’, stating that he was ‘playing on a different level to the rest of the league’, adding that the ‘extraordinary’ right-back put in one of the most ‘impressive individual seasons’ in Scottish football history.

However, in more recent times, Tavernier’s place in the Rangers team has come under scrutiny.

The Englishman himself admitted “I started the season off slow”, not reaching his usual high level, with Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review labelling his performance against Motherwell in November’s League Cup Final as “passive”.

In an attempt to combat his defensive lapses, interim manager Ferguson has shifted Tavernier around, deploying him at centre-back against Athletic Club in the Europa League at San Mamés, before also trialling him as a right-wing-back on occasion, as was the case last weekend.

Given the 33-year-old’s attacking output, the latter role certainly suits him, so could the current front-runner to be the next Rangers manager get the best out of the skipper?

The current favourite to be the next Rangers manager

According to a report by The Daily Record, Marco Rose is currently the ‘nailed-on favourite’ to become the next Rangers manager.

The 48-year-old German is out of work, having been sacked by RB Leipzig in March, but boasts a pretty impressive CV.

Lokomotive Leipzig

2012-13

30

30%

0

RB Salzburg

2017-19

114

72%

Austria Bundesliga x2 & ÖFB-Cup

Mönchengladbach

2019-21

88

47%

0

Dortmund

2021-22

55

59%

0

RB Leipzig

2022-25

128

56%

DFB-Pokal & DFL-Supercup

TEAMtalk notes that a move for Rose could be feasible because Rangers’ new prospective owners, 49ers Enterprises, led by Paraag Marathe, already own Leeds United, who have minority investment from Red Bull GmbH, with whom Rose already has a working relationship, having been employed in both Salzburg and then Leipzig for nigh on a decade.

So, would Rose be a good appointment, and what is his style of play? Well, Scottish football expert Kai Watson has already declared that “he’s a level above Gerrard,” another of Rangers’ shortlisted candidates.

Meanwhile, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout certainly thinks so, labelling him “one of the most promising coaches in world football”.

As further noted by Luis Kircher of Total Football Analysis, Rose likes his teams to ‘press hard and make quick transitions’, with ‘intensity’ and ‘committing players forward’ key aspects of his style.

Manager Focus

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When asked about his playing philosophy, Rose himself stated “we want to be very active… when we lose possession, lots of sprinting. We want to win the ball high up the pitch”, believing this “is a style that continues to excite” supporters.

Often favouring a back three, but the principle is the same in a four, as outlined by Marcel Seifeddine of Total Football Analysis, the width in a Rose team often comes from the full-backs, not deploying wingers, instead utilising central number tens, with the full-backs overlapping.

This has allowed attacking full-backs such as Lutsharel Geertruida, Benjamin Henrichs, David Raum, Raphaël Guerreiro, Ramy Bensebaïni, Stefan Lainer and others to thrive under his stewardship.

Thus, not only would the appointment of Rose be a major coup for Rangers, it could be the ideal hire to reinvigorate an out-of-form Tavernier.

Rangers: "Outstanding" 4-4-2 manager explodes into race to replace Ferguson

A high-profile European coach is now among the main contenders to become the new manager of the Gers.

ByDominic Lund May 1, 2025

“What I have alluded to is the way the modern game is played and the strike rates required, particularly in good conditions”

Shashank Kishore11-Sep-20252:08

Samiuddin: Hesson clear with his plans for Pakistan

Halfway through his press conference ahead of Pakistan’s Asia Cup opener against Oman on Friday, coach Mike Hesson was asked where he got the “courage” to openly comment about Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s shortcomings.Slightly taken aback by the question, Hesson asked for it to be repeated. This time, the question was toned down and Hesson’s response was measured.”Being honest about your assessment of players is pretty important,” Hesson said. “Coming from a place where you have no agenda is also very important. Looking at things objectively is important. I haven’t talked about anyone’s frailties.Related

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“What I have alluded to is the way the modern game is played and the strike rates required, particularly in good conditions. All players ask for from coaches is to be honest with them. That is the responsibility you’ve got. Just because you like a player or have a relationship with a player, it doesn’t mean you can’t be honest.”Having tackled that topic, Hesson was asked whether he is confident about Pakistan’s batting. Was Mohammad Haris their best bet in the lower order? Why were Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan inconsistent, and Hasan Nawaz not doing well? Do Pakistan’s batters struggle to pick spinners from the hand? The context was the challenge of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, when Pakistan play India in Dubai on Sunday.”I don’t know where that has come from,” Hesson said about the perceived struggle against spin. “We have played against Rashid [Khan] and Noor [Ahmed]. We have played against possibly the best wrist-spin attack in the world [in the tri-series final on Sunday] on a [Sharjah] surface that has spun square and managed to score 75 more runs than the opposition. I’m not sure where that has come from.”Hesson then addressed the question about Pakistan’s young batting line-up.”It is very much a developing batting line-up,” he said. “There are a number of batters who can win you the game on their day, but they don’t have as many good days as you’d like at the moment. That is very fair. The thing for us is the sum of the parts as a batting group.”Every game bar one in Sharjah, we were probably 20 runs above par. Even though there are a number of players who didn’t do well on particular occasions, I’m more interested in what we end up with and how we get there. In the tri-series final, we got 140 when 120 was plenty on the pitch.”Then he was inevitably asked about being part of the great spectacle – India v Pakistan – as a coach for the first time. “Look I’ve certainly watched many games from afar with other teams or while commentating,” Hesson said. “Being part of a highly-charged event is going to be exciting. From my perspective, just like anytime you enter the final of a world event or whatever, it is about keeping everybody focused on the job at hand. That will be no different.”We know India are obviously hugely confident and rightfully so. But we are very much focused on improving as a team day-by-day and not getting ahead of ourselves. We are well aware of the challenge of the task ahead and we are certainly looking forward to it.”Mike Hesson has thrown his weight behind Pakistan’s ‘developing’ batting order•Getty Images

Pakistan have had a solid lead-in to the Asia Cup, having played five games over 12 days during the tri-series against Afghanistan and UAE in Sharjah. While the players had a day off on Thursday, Hesson had a close look at the pitch at the Dubai International Stadium.”This is very different to Sharjah in terms of the abrasiveness of the grass,” Hesson said. “We are playing on the same surface as the India vs UAE game. We have got the balance in the squad to deal with it. We have got plenty of multi-skilled players which gives us a bit of flexibility.”I don’t think this pitch is going to spin as much as Sharjah. And even yesterday [India v UAE match], when Kuldeep bowled, it didn’t spin a huge amount. But when you have wristspinners, the surface doesn’t matter as much.”The beauty of our side is we have got fine spinners. We have got Mohammad Nawaz, who has been ranked No. 1 since coming back into the side six months ago. And obviously we’ve got Abrar [Ahmed] and Sufiyan [Muqeem] do as well as they have. Saim Ayub is in the top 10 allrounders in the world and Salman Agha has hardly bowled.”We have got five seamers as well, which allow us to go for either air speed, change of pace or reverse swing depending on what the surface will provide.”

Visitors were wobbling at 96 for 7, still in arrears, before eighth-wicket pair come to rescue

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025A stoic rearguard action from Durham eighth-wicket pair of Ben Raine and Matthew Potts, coupled with an untimely heavy thunderstorm, essentially ended Essex hopes of pulling off a stunning last-day Rothesay County Championship victory.Raine and Potts came together at 96 for 7 with Durham still requiring 28 runs to make Essex bat again. When a bolt of lightning forced the players from the field 14 minutes before the scheduled tea interval, the deficit had been turned into a narrow 19-run advantage courtesy of the biggest partnership of an otherwise dismal batting performance. When the players came back for the remaining 9.5 overs in the evening, 4.1 actually being possible before the rain returned, Raine took advantage of spread-out fields to reach 42 not out.Before the rains came, it looked like the old firm of Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer were rolling back the years to pull off a win that had looked unlikely at the start of the day. The seam-and-spin double act combined to rip through Durham’s fragile batting with Porter ending on 3 for 36 and Harmer 3 for 64.Essex had thrown down the gauntlet by declaring on their overnight score of 457 for 8, which gave them a 124-run lead. Before Raine and Potts joined forces in an unbroken stand of 77 out of 173 for 7, it appeared a prescient decision.The 14 points Essex collected from the draw eased their relegation concerns while Durham’s dozen keeps them in serious danger with two games to play.In the end Essex were close to a third Championship win of an underwhelming season with an attack that was already without Sam Cook, nursing a broken thumb, and Shane Snater, who tweaked a calf while bowling during Durham’s first innings. It heaped a lot of responsibility on to the shoulders of Porter, but he responded immediately and emphatically.Porter needed just 14 balls to make the initial breakthrough, Alex Lees beaten for pace. Six balls later Emilio Gay followed, also lbw and also all at sea.Ben McKinney, who scored a well-judged century first time around, was another who struggled against Porter, taking 15 balls to get off the mark. He had only 11 to his name 49 balls later when he inexplicably left alone a ball from Harmer that went straight on and knocked back off stump.Durham tried to settle into full survival mode, but the pressure got to them. David Bedingham, for instance, faced 60 balls for 16 that included a six over long leg three balls before he top-edged a hook to deep fine leg off Noah Thain.Colin Ackermann, in turn, took 19 balls to score his first run. But three overs into the post-lunch session, and with a guard outside off stump, he went to give himself room to cut Harmer and ended up edging to Dean Elgar at slip.Durham were still 32 runs adrift of making Essex bat again when Porter snapped up his third wicket, rapping Graham Clark on his back pad. And four runs later, Ollie Robinson’s 21 from 55 balls ended when he attempted to slash Harmer past point and was caught behind.Raine and Potts then took Durham past Essex’s total 57 overs into their innings. And the pair had been together for exactly an hour when the players were taken off the pitch as the first flash of lightning lit up the darkening sky.The players came back nearly two hours later, having already lost 24 overs. Essex had seven men around the bat when Harmer wheeled in, but could only watch as Raine thrashed a couple of boundaries and a six over long-on. But it wasn’t long before handshakes were exchanged.

MLB’s winter meetings continued on Tuesday, as more deals were struck and rumors continued to fly.

The blockbuster news on Tuesday was the Dodgers signing Mets All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a massive, three-year, $69 million deal. L.A.’s bullpen was a mess in 2025, and last offseason’s big signing, Tanner Scott, was straight up awful. The team’s closer went 1–4 with a 4.74 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, 60 strikeouts against 18 walks in 57 innings, and posted a whopping 10 blown saves. Theoretically, signing Díaz should correct that mistake.

That was the big headline on Tuesday, but there are plenty of rumors circulating around the winter meetings. Several of the biggest we’re hearing are below.

Red Sox could look to Bo Bichette

The Red Sox want to bring free agent third baseman Alex Bregman back, but he has drawn interest from across the league. If he opted to bolt for a new home, it would leave Boston with a sizable hole in the infield. Enter Bo Bichette. Rumors are picking up steam that the Red Sox could turn to Bichette if Bregman walks. While the 27-year-old shortstop’s defensive metrics are awful, he could man the spot for a few years with Marcelo Mayer sliding over to third base.

Bichette is coming off an outstanding season for the Blue Jays in which he slashed .311/.357/.483, and set a full-season personal best with a wRC+ of 134, while producing 3.8 fWAR in 139 games. He’s a hitting machine and would fit well with a young Red Sox core ready to start making the next steps toward contention. Toronto won’t let him walk without a fight, but Boston would be an excellent fit.

Mets willing to trade David Peterson

The Mets watched Díaz leave for the Dodgers on Tuesday, and there’s another All-Star pitcher who might not be back in 2026. The team’s president of baseball operations, David Stearns, has said there is currently a “pretty active” trade market, and ’s Tim Britton and Will Sammon are reporting New York would consider parting with starter David Peterson in the right deal.

The 30-year-old lefty made his first All-Star team in 2025 and went 9–6, with a 4.22 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, and 150 strikeouts against 65 walks in 168 2/3 innings. That followed a 2024 campaign in which he went 10–3 with a 2.90 ERA in 121 innings. Peterson is under team control through the 2026 season before hitting free agency.

Given his production and what should be an affordable salary (projected to be under $8 million) in his final year of arbitration, Peterson wouldn’t come cheap. The Mets need rotation help, so it would likely take a decent amount to pry him loose. That said, New York needs to find an outfielder to replace the departed Brandon Nimmo and may need to find a replacement for Pete Alonso at first base. Moving a valuable player to fill those holes might be the route Stearns opts to take.

Ketel Marte trade speculation continues

The Diamondbacks continue to field calls on second baseman Ketel Marte. The 32-year-old three-time All-Star is one of the big names available on the trade block this offseason, but he’ll fetch a high price if he is moved. He’s coming off a 2025 season in which he slashed .283/.376/.517, with 28 home runs, 72 RBIs, a wRC+ of 145, and 4.6 fWAR. He was also criticized for sitting out too many games.

For Arizona to move Marte, it would need a massive return. He’s owed $102.5 million over the next six years, which is an incredibly affordable contract for a player with his ability. He’s a consistent, All-Star-level performer, and while he’s leaving his prime, his deal is manageable.

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Red Sox are interested, along with three unnamed teams.

Dodgers not “likely” to move Teoscar Hernandez

While they have a mostly complete roster, the Dodgers are looking to rework some things this offseason. They kicked off that effort on Tuesday by signing All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, and they almost certainly won’t be done making changes. One potential deal seems to be off the table, though.

L.A. general manager Brandon Gomes said it “doesn’t feel likely” that outfielder Teoscar Hernández will be moved. After he helped lead them to a World Series title in 2024, the Dodgers re-signed Hernández to a three-year, $66 million deal last offseason. The 33-year-old proceeded to take a step back. In 2025, he slashed .247/.284/.454, with 25 home runs and 89 RBIs, while posting a career-worst wRC+ (102), and only producing 0.6 fWAR. All of those numbers were significantly lower than those he put up in 2024. It doesn’t help that he’s also a terrible defender in right field.

Hernández is expensive for an aging one-dimensional player coming off a down year, but the lack of right-handed bats available in free agency may have elevated his value. Still, it’s a big investment for a risky return. On the flip side, the Dodgers may opt to keep Hernández simply for the sake of continuity. He fits in the clubhouse, and if he underperforms again, the team is more than capable of paying to find a replacement.

L.A. is looking for another outfielder this offseason, and moving Hernández would necessitate finding a second. It’s likely he’ll stay with the team heading into 2026.

While Daniel Farke is taking a lot of heat at the moment surrounding his incapabilities as a Premier League manager, the Leeds United players he keeps selecting also need to take their fair share of the blame for what is currently occurring.

Against Aston Villa last time out, Elland Road regulars such as Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon didn’t cover themselves in glory whatsoever, with the Dutchman – in particular – looking weak physically, when winning just three of his eight attempted duels.

Moreover, Sean Longstaff, who stunned earlier on in the season with a goal and assist against AFC Bournemouth, looked noticeably flat up against the likes of Youri Tielemans for the energetic away side, leading to him giving possession away a costly 13 times.

Farke also has a part to play here, considering he works with the camp week in week out in trying to pick wins up, with the German clearly unable to inspire his team to get out of their rotten slump.

Still, he wouldn’t have foreseen how poor a start Lucas Perri would have made to life in England, as the Brazilian consistently looks uncomfortable in the Premier League.

Perri's poor start at Leeds

Leeds’ arrival back in the top-flight would have been met with equal levels of excitement and trepidation from the die-hard Elland Road fanbase.

Indeed, supporters would have been understandably over the moon that their beloved side had finally jumped back up to the big time.

But, they would have been worried immediately about their goalkeeper situation up a division, with an error-prone Illan Meslier cast to one side during the promotion run-in.

Unfortunately, despite splashing out £13.9m on his services this summer, the aforementioned Perri hasn’t looked like a steady pair of gloves whatsoever since joining, with a disastrous eight goals already given up in November alone.

The ex-Lyon stopper received plenty of pelters after the Villa defeat, too, when he remained frozen to his spot for Morgan Rogers to hammer home this delightful free-kick effort.

Ex-Leeds player Jon Newsome has even gone as far as to label Perri a complete “waste of funds”, and it could be argued he’s been a complete waste of time and energy, as well, considering his steep price tag, and his billing as a top-flight capable ‘keeper that would make Meslier a worry of the past.

Yet, despite all the abuse that has come his way, he isn’t the biggest waste of time in Farke’s camp currently.

Leeds have a bigger waste than Perri

At least in Perri’s case, he doesn’t have much competition breathing down his neck, with Farke surely extremely hesitant to chuck in Meslier to a relegation dog-fight, alongside another reserve figure in Karl Darlow.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Therefore, the hope will be that the South American can play his way out of this mess, having started his choppy Leeds career with a promising clean sheet against Newcastle United.

On the contrary, Sebastiaan Bornauw already looks resigned to a place on the periphery, owing to recurring injury issues troubling him in West Yorkshire, and the likes of Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Jaka Bijol being other options Farke can call upon in the heart of defence.

For a modest £5.1m fee, Leeds would have been hoping that they’d hit the jackpot with the assured Belgian, who had 140 Bundesliga appearances under his belt, before making the switch to England, with former Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schäfer previously hailing the former German top-flight titan as a consistently “strong” presence for his team.

Across those 140 games, Bornauw would help himself to a stable, if slightly unspectacular, 27 clean sheets, meaning he would have been viewed as a handy utility signing, too, when the deal was arranged, as Leeds prepared to use their full squad to beat the drop.

Instead, he has largely been injury-ridden since swapping Germany for West Yorkshire, with just one forgettable appearance coming his way so far in the EFL Cup versus Sheffield Wednesday.

For as much as Perri has largely been calamitous, at least he has made his presence known. Whereas Bornauw looks to already be burning a significant hole in Leeds’ wage bill, for how little action he has thrown himself into, with Leeds-based content creator Lewis Deighton rightly calling the unfolding situation out as “absolutely laughable”.

Amazingly, his £45k-per-week pay packet means he is earning more than the aforementioned Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu – who earn a lesser £40k-per-week salary each – despite both figures continuing to be ever-presents in the Farke regime.

It’s very clear how much Leeds dropped the ball this summer with unconvincing signings, as the under-pressure German now potentially pays the ultimate price with his job.

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ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025

Unsurprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were recently named as the world’s two highest-paid footballers by Forbes, and the two legendary forwards have amassed mind-boggling net worths across their careers.

Ronaldo recently became the first current player to achieve billionaire status, having earned £1.04bn through wages, endorsements, investments and sponsorship deals, while Messi has managed to amass a stunning €598m (£527m), given long-term deals with Adidas, Apple, and Konami.

Such numbers are perhaps to be expected, given that the former La Liga stars, who are widely regarded as the two best players of all-time, have won a combined 13 Ballon d’Ors between them, but a player who had a more modest career, at least in comparison, has managed to make over double their combined net worth.

Ex-Man Utd star Louis Saha's net worth revealed

As reported by Manchester Evening News, Louis Saha has managed to build up a whopping £4.3bn fortune since retiring from football following a brief spell with Lazio back in 2013, accumulating his wealth after founding his sports company AxisStars.

The platform, which connects athletes and entertainers with trusted companies, was founded not long after Saha called time on his career, and it has clearly been hugely successful, given the vast riches the former Manchester United star has been able to amass.

Although the Frenchman did not reach the dizzy heights of the likes of Ronaldo and Messi, he also had a career to be proud of, scoring 84 Premier League goals across spells with Fulham, Man United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Everton and Sunderland.

The 20-time France international was also named among Everton’s greatest strikers in the Premier League era, courtesy of scoring 34 goals in 115 matches across all competitions for the Toffees.

During that time, the former striker scored what was the fastest goal in FA Cup final history at the time, until the record was broken by ex-Man City star Ilkay Gundogan, who found the back of the net after just 11 seconds in the 2023 final against United.

However, what the 47-year-old has gone on to achieve post-football is arguably even more impressive, having amassed a higher net worth than the vast majority of former players, albeit his riches still pale in comparison to that of Leicester City flop Faiq Bolkiah.

That said, rather than being born into wealth, Saha is well-known to come from a working-class background, with his mother a nurse and his father an aircraft mechanic, meaning money was tight growing up, which makes the former Everton man’s unbelievable success even more impressive.

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ByBen Goodwin Nov 3, 2025

Arsenal have been the best team in the Premier League this season, but defeat at Aston Villa has put a dampener on the feel-good factor, reducing their advantage at the summit to just two points following Manchester City’s win over Sunderland.

In truth, perhaps this was a step too far for Mikel Arteta’s men. The fixture schedule has been relentless, and Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera all missed out at Villa Park due to injury.

And Villa, to their credit, are among the most in-form teams in Europe right now, claiming their seventh win in a row across all competitions against the Premier League table-toppers.

But this feels like familiar territory for the Gunners, and there were several players in particular who flattered to deceive.

Arsenal's worst performers vs Aston Villa

On many outings this season, Arsenal have repelled opponents and struck clinically to pile up the points, so balanced and secure is Arteta’s system.

But they emerged from Stamford Bridge last weekend with just a point after something of a slugfest, and the midweek win over Brentford has clearly taken something out of the Londoners, who battled tooth and nail against a well-oiled and energetic Aston Villa side but to no avail.

Up top, Mikel Merino has been an incredible moonlit success since arriving at the Emirates, with the midfield-turned-forward having scored four goals and supplied three assists when stepping up into the danger area this season. However, Unai Emery’s team marshalled him well, anonymous in the first half save for one blundered attempt to find the surging Bukayo Saka.

Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke both changed Arsenal’s attacking dimensions in the second half, but neither enjoyed the most fruitful of appearances, with Gyokeres in particular struggling for service, albeit making his physicality and mobile presence known in Merino’s stead after the break.

For his part, Arteta showcased his shrewd and calculated in-game management by making a half-time change, which swiftly paid off, Leandro Trossard coming up trumps once again after Saka’s strike was deflected.

But the Spanish manager will be frustrated that one starting member failed to make the most of their opportunity, having drifted through the opening 45.

4/10 star produced his worst game for Arsenal

Arsenal have been a world-class unit this season, and they have been reinforced with some top talent this summer. Eberechi Eze is one of the arrivals, a superstar in the English game and a £67m signing from Crystal Palace. However, he wasn’t at his best against Aston Villa.

Let’s not forget, it was a matter of days ago that Arsenal informed Eze he was their Player of the Month for November, having bagged a hat-trick in the north London Derby and settled into his berth.

But, in spite of this, the England international still hasn’t struck a consistent vein of form in the final third, and his tough afternoon in the Midlands served as evidence that he needs to raise his game, having been such a fleet-footed and talismanic force for Oliver Glasner at Palace.

Against Villa, the 27-year-old flattered to deceive, with football.london even handing him a 4/10 match rating after an ineffectual and short-lived outing, hooked at the break for Trossard, who scored. In all likelihood, he failed to showcase any of his many qualities, and for that reason, probably endured his toughest game since joining.

Minutes played

45′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

13

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

7/9 (78%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

1/1

Ball recoveries

0

Tackles won

0/0

Duels won

2/5

With Martin Odegaard fit once again, Eze has been forced into a wider berth. Could it be that he is at full throttle when creating and influencing from the middle? His pace lends itself to a wide role, but then so does his athleticism and physicality work well on the flank.

Eze is a passionate player. It is telling that his only goals in the Premier League this season have come against Crystal Palace, his former club, and Spurs in the derby, with Thomas Frank coming close to signing him before Arsenal swooped down.

Eze needs to channel his creativity and incisiveness in the box. He needs to iron out the wrinkles. But first, Arteta may want to relegate him to the bench, rekindling the fire to take that step up to the level he has shown he is capable of.

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