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حسم منتخب سوريا تأهله بشكل رسمي إلى بطولة كأس العرب 2025، على حساب نظيره جنوب السودان في مباراة الملحق المؤهل للبطولة، والتي أقيمت مساء اليوم، الثلاثاء.

وفاز المنتخب السوري على نظيره جنوب السودان بهدفين نظيفين، سجلهما محمد الحلاق ومحمود المواس في الدقيقتين 52 و59 من عمر اللقاء.

طالع.. فيديو | سوريا تهزم جنوب السودان بثنائية وتحجز مقعدها في كأس العرب 2025

وتقام بطولة كأس العرب 2025 خلال الفترة من 1 إلى 18 ديسمبر المقبل، بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا، وذلك في دولة قطر.

ومن المقرر أن يتواجد منتخب سوريا في المجموعة الأولى مع منتخبات قطر وتونس وفلسطين. مواعيد مباريات سوريا في كأس العرب 2025

الجولة الأولى – سوريا أمام تونس .. يوم الإثنين 1 ديسمبر، الثالثة عصرا بتوقيت القاهرة، الرابعة عصرا بتوقيت سوريا، الثانية ظهرا بتوقيت تونس.

الجولة الثانية – سوريا أمام قطر .. يوم الخميس 4 ديسمبر، السابعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، الثامنة بتوقيت قطر وسوريا.

الجولة الثالثة – سوريا أمام فلسطين .. يوم الأحد 7 ديسمبر، السابعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة وفلسطين، الثامنة بتوقيت سوريا،

Are we witnessing history unfold before our very eyes in Scottish football?

No club outside the Old Firm has been crowned champions of Scotland since Aberdeen in 1984/85, with Celtic themselves hoovering up 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles.

However, right now, it is Heart of Midlothian who lead the way, five points clear of faltering Celtic, and the pair meet at Tynecastle on Sunday lunchtime in, potentially, one of the biggest matches played on Scottish soil for a generation.

Brendan Rodgers will take his team to Tynecastle depleted, potentially without five key starters, so should the Celts’ “exceptional” forgotten youngster come into the team and, belatedly, be entrusted to start matches?

Cameron Carter-Vickers injury latest

On Thursday night, any celebrations sparked by Celtic’s come-from-behind Europa League victory over Sturm Graz were very much tempered by a trio of injury concerns.

Right at the end of the game, Cameron Carter-Vickers suffered a nasty injury, with Rodgers later revealing that the USA international has sustained a serious Achilles tendon injury which will see him sidelined for potentially up to five months.

This came after both Kelechi Ịheanachọ and Alistair Johnston were forced to withdraw during the first half on Thursday, joining Jota and Daizen Maeda in a star-studded and crowded treatment room.

Thus, none of this quintet will feature at Tynecastle on Sunday, with Maeda the only one in contention to return in time for the League Cup semi-final against Rangers a week later, but Carter-Vickers will be a particularly impactful absentee.

Since joining from Tottenham in the summer of 2021 under Ange Postecoglou, initially on loan but then permanently for £6m, he has been an absolutely integral figure, as the table below documents.

Most Celtic appearances 2021/22-present
Players	Appearances
Callum McGregor	208
Cameron Carter-Vickers	172
Daizen Maeda	171
Greg Taylor	167
Kyōgo Furuhashi	165
Reo Hatate	154
Joe Hart	153
James Forrest	129
Matt O’Riley	124
Alistair Johnston	116
Anthony Ralston	114
Liam Scales	112
Jota	99
Statistics via Transfermarkt

As the table documents, since Carter-Vickers’ arrival in Glasgow, only captain Callum McGregor has made more appearances for the club than the American international, featuring in 172 of 224 fixtures, around 77%, despite various injury problems, including requiring knee surgery two years ago, but that ratio will drastically drop in the coming weeks and months.

His performances have earned high praise, with former long-serving captain Scott Brown believing he is the club’s best centre-back since Virgil van Dijk, labelling him “solid, strong and quick”, praising his reading of the game and leadership qualities.

So, how on earth does Rodgers go about filling this ginormous void in the middle of his back line?

Well, now would be the time for him to trust his forgotten “exceptional” youngster.

Celtic's ready-made Carter-Vickers deputy

Liam Scales has been Carter-Vickers’ centre-back partner throughout this season, with fellow United States international Auston Trusty seemingly next in line to come into defence.

However, as documented by Art de Roché of the Athletic, managers of possession-heavy teams are often hesitant to start two left-footed centre-backs together.

Meanwhile, Trusty’s form last season suggests he may not be the best candidate, as he made five errors that led to shots or goals in the Premiership, per Sofascore, more than any other defender in the squad.

Chalkboard

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

Thus, should forgotten man Jahmai Simpson-Pusey return from the footballing wilderness and be thrust into the spotlight at Tynecastle?

The 19-year-old, who is right-footed, joined on loan from Manchester City during the summer, but is yet to make his senior debut, an unused substitute for both legs of the Champions League play-off against Kairat, but otherwise not even on the bench for any other fixture.

​​​​​​​

His sole outing in hoops to date came for Celtic B in the KDM Evolution Trophy, starting a 5-3 defeat to East Fife in front of just 616 spectators at Bayview, probably not what he had envisaged when he made the move north of the border.

Simpson-Pusey,​​​​​​​ though, does boast an impressive pedigree, captaining Manchester City to FA Youth Cup success in 2024, featuring regularly for the Sky Blues in the UEFA Youth League and other underage competitions, notably named Premier League 2 player of the season last year, per Transfermarkt.

With the Citizens enduring something of an injury crisis, he made six senior appearances during the most recent campaign too, starting against Brighton in the Premier League, Sporting in the Champions League, and Salford in the FA Cup, thrown in at the deep end.

Thus, he is certainly highly rated by Pep Guardiola, who labelled him “exceptional” following an EFL Cup tie at Tottenham a year ago, while the Scouting App praised his ‘very good passing ability​​​​​​​’ and ‘physical presence’, noting that he thrives in a high line.

These all sound like comparable traits to Carter-Vickers, who is regularly tasked with playing penetrative passes forward, while his usual starting position is on the half-way line, given how much Celtic dominate possession in domestic competitions.

Thus, stylistically, Simpson-Pusey appears to be the ideal deputy, not that Celtic supporters have seen any evidence of this to date.

The teenager was not included in Celtic’s European squad but, following a change in UEFA regulations, if a player is injured long-term, they can be replaced for the remainder of the league phase; clubs can only make this change once a season.

Thus, Simpson-Pusey could yet feature in the Europa League so, before the Hoops travel to Midtjylland next month, he needs to be given an opportunity to prove his worth, starting with Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash in Edinburgh.

Celtic's "game winner" can replace Kuhn at RW & it's not Nygren

Brendan Rodgers could finally replace Nicolas Kuhn by unleashing this star in a new role.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 25, 2025

Real Madrid have made contact with a “special” Manchester City player over a move to the club in 2026, with the Spanish giants potentially having huge funds to spend.

Haaland's stunning form continues for Norway

Pep Guardiola’s side haven’t always been perfect this season, but the form of Erling Haaland has been astonishing, with the 25-year-old discussing being in the form of his life after last weekend’s 1-0 win away to Brentford.

“You can say so, I’ve never felt better than I do now. So yeah you can say so. I think it’s about preparation first of all, getting ready for the games. You can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready as well.”

Now, Haaland has broken yet another record, becoming the fastest player in history to score 50 goals at international level, following his hat-trick for Norway against Israel, reaching the milestone quicker than the likes of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe, among others.

There arguably isn’t a better player in the world on current form than Haaland, with City well aware of what a priceless player he is for them for many more years to come.

Real Madrid make contact with Haaland

According to Caught Offside, Real Madrid have been in contact with Haaland’s representatives over a move next year, potentially coming in as Vinicius Junior’s replacement, with the Brazilian possibly earning them as much as £217m.

That said, City have “made it clear” that they have no plans to sell the Norwegian, and the striker is “not pushing to leave the Etihad Stadium”, which is significant.

Losing Haaland at this point in his career doesn’t bear thinking about for City, considering he is unrivalled in his position, proving to be unstoppable when in top form. Guardiola knows more than anyone how important it is to keep hold of his star attacker, lauding him last month after one of his latest star turns.

“Erling never disappoints us since he arrived. Erling has the commitment, that is why he signed a contract for many years. He’s a special player.”

The only positive to Haaland leaving is that City are in an extremely strong bargaining position, with the striker’s contract not expiring until the summer of 2034, meaning they can demand incredible money for his services.

But no fee is enough to be open to selling him, though, and it would be a huge surprise if a move to Madrid happens in the near future, unless Haaland himself has a sudden change of heart.

Pep's new Grealish: Man City should have sold "one of their best" players

Manchester City are still in transition as they look to return to the top of European football.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 11, 2025

He is maturing as a footballer all the time, and frighteningly for defenders all over the world, his peak years are potentially only just beginning, and City will hope he becomes one of the greatest attacking players of all time at the Etihad and nowhere else.

Gus Poyet has told a crucial Chelsea star that he might need to join Real Madrid or Barcelona for one key reason, with the former Stamford Bridge star sending a clear message.

Chelsea prepare for Liverpool as Enzo Maresca without up to eight stars

Enzo Maresca is without up to eight first-team players for their visit of Premier League title rivals Liverpool on Saturday.

The Italian won’t be able to count on star forward Cole Palmer, who remains absent with a niggling groin injury, but seven other men could also miss their face-off against Arne Slot’s side.

Alongside Palmer and Chalobah, while Maresca was cryptic in his update, it is likely the other players he’s referring to are Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap and Andrey Santos.

Maresca has been left absolutely bereft of central defensive options ahead of Liverpool, meaning he’ll most likely choose to play Benoit Badiashile and Jorrel Hato at the heart of Chelsea’s defence ahead of youngster Josh Acheampong.

Chelsea are now paying the price for not signing a centre-back in the last transfer window, despite Maresca’s wishes and spending the second-most money of any Premier League side behind this weekend’s opponents.

However, BlueCo are reportedly working on a potential defender deal for January as their priority (Pete O’Rourke).

The Premier League’s biggest summer spenders
Team	Spent	Received	Net Spend
Liverpool	£415,000,000	£187,000,000	£228,000,000
Chelsea	£285,000,000	£288,000,000	-£3,000,000
Arsenal	£255,000,000	£9,000,000	£246,000,000
Newcastle	£250,000,000	£152,000,000	£98,000,000
Man Utd	£216,000,000	£68,000,000	£148,000,000
Nottm Forest	£205,000,000	£107,000,000	£98,000,000
Tottenham	£181,000,000	£36,000,000	£145,000,000
Sunderland	£162,000,000	£44,000,000	£118,000,000
Man City	£152,000,000	£53,000,000	£99,000,000
West Ham	£124,000,000	£55,000,000	£69,000,000
via BBC

Marc Guehi’s camp have received contact from Chelsea this week ahead of a potential winter swoop, according to Simon Phillips, but the England international also has Liverpool, Man City, Real Madrid and Barça hot on his trail with the Englishman’s contract expiring next year.

While the addition of a new defender is vital, so is keeping Palmer out of the clutches of Europe’s biggest sides.

Gus Poyet tells Cole Palmer to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid or Barcelona

The England star has been a revelation since joining from Man City in 2023, spearheading the team as their main attacking vocal point, which is widely seen as over-reliance on Palmer at times.

The £130,000-per-week superstar is arguably nailed on to win the coveted Balon d’Or in future if he stays on this trajectory, but according to Poyet, he needs to quit Stamford Bridge for that to happen.

Speaking to GOAL, Poyet urged Palmer to leave Chelsea for Real or Barça, in order to give himself the best chance of claiming the award.

Only two players have won the Ballon d’Or in the last 17 years — Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 and Rodri in 2024 — so Poyet could have a point.

The City midfielder’s prize shows it is not impossible for Premier League stars to clinch the award in this day and age, so Palmer could still have a real shot if he remains in West London, but he’ll have to play out of his skin.

Rodri was cut and above the best defensive midfield player in Europe when he was awarded the honour, starting nearly all of City’s most crucial games in 23/24, and this came right after his winning goal against Inter Milan in the 2023 Champions League final to gift the Sky Blues a treble.

The bar is set rather high for Palmer, and he’ll arguably need to achieve similar feats at Chelsea to stand any chance.

Aston Villa return to domestic action in the Premier League later this afternoon as Unai Emery’s side prepare to welcome Fulham to Villa Park.

The Spanish head coach is looking to mastermind the team’s first win in the league this season, having managed three draws and two defeats in five matches so far.

A goal from John McGinn was enough for the Villans to grab the win against Bologna in the Europa League on Thursday night, but it was not a perfect performance.

Emery may look to make some alterations to his starting line-up from that win over the Serie A outfit, and Morgan Rogers is one player who should drop out.

Why Morgan Rogers should be dropped

The England international started in the number ten position against Bologna and was booed by a small section of supporters because he failed to put in an impressive display.

The “harsh”, as Jay Bothroyd said, boos came during a performance that included Rogers losing the ball a staggering 29 times in the match, more than any other player on the pitch, per Sofascore.

A pass completion rate of 42% across 90 minutes of football is not good enough for an Aston Villa player, which is why he should be dropped from the line-up to bring Ollie Watkins back in, with Donyell Malen dropping deeper.

Rogers is not the only player who should be dropped from the XI, though. Emery must also ruthlessly ditch summer signing Evann Guessand from the team to face Fulham.

Why Evann Guessand should be dropped alongside Morgan Rogers

Villa’s England international was not the only attacker who failed to perform against Bologna in midweek, as Guessand struggled badly on the right wing at Villa Park.

The summer signing from Nice, who was described as “electric” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, won three of his 11 duels and completed just six passes in 90 minutes against the Italian outfit, per Sofascore.

Unfortunately, the Ivorian flop’s form in the Premier League since his move to the club has not been much better, having started two of his four outings in the division to date.

Appearances

4

Starts

2

Goals

0

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.0

Assists

0

Dribble success rate

11%

As you can see in the table above, Guessand has been incredibly ineffective at the top end of the pitch for Villa in the Premier League, with no chances created in four matches.

A dribble success rate of 11% also shows that opposition defenders have found it far too easy to get the better of him in one-on-one situations, which may be why he has struggled to create or score any goals for the Villans.

His complete lack of impact in the final third in the Premier League could open the door for Emery to bring Jadon Sancho into the starting XI on the wing, after his eight-minute cameo against Sunderland last time out in the division.

The England international created two chances in 74 minutes in his first start for the club against Brentford in the League Cup, which is more than Guessand has created in 348 minutes in all competitions for Villa, per Sofascore.

Aston Villa now want to sign £35m Sunderland star after performance against them

A concern for Regis Le Bris…

ByTom Cunningham Sep 27, 2025

This is why Emery must ruthlessly ditch the Ivorian attacker from the starting line-up alongside Rogers, with Watkins and Sancho coming in to replace them.

Sunderland have made a solid start to life in the Premier League and could now be about to make a late swoop for a rapid forward.

Sunderland see off Brentford in dramatic fashion

Harnessing the power of their home support, Sunderland claimed their second victory of the league campaign under Regis Le Bris after Wilson Isidor’s last-minute winner over Brentford maintained their 100% record at the Stadium of Light.

Despite going behind courtesy of Igor Thiago’s header, Enzo Le Fee converted from the spot before the Black Cats’ fanbase were sent into raptures in stoppage time.

Speaking post-match, Le Bris praised his side for their resilience after taking advantage of the fine margins that presented themselves on a day of ecstacy in the North East.

He stated: “Three points, another tough game with fine margins. I think the first half was positive, we controlled this part of the game without creating many chances or scoring, I think it was the main regret of the first half.

“Second half was totally different – more chaotic, more open. I’m happy because these two sides of the performance are really important, you can be well-organised and feel that we can control this part.”

Romano: Sunderland submit new £24m bid to sign Le Bris' "priority target"

His club are fighting hard to keep him.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 28, 2025

With focus quickly shifting to deadline day, Sunderland are lining up a late bid for FC Midtjylland winger Dario Osorio, who is also attracting interest from Ligue 1 outfit Lille.

On the same token, the Black Cats have submitted an offer for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Joey Veerman and there is a good chance that he could sign on the dotted line once all is said and done.

Making late moves, Sunderland now have a striker in their sights that would add an element of pace to their forward line if they can pull off a deal.

Sunderland "keen" on RB Leipzig striker Lois Openda

According to Florian Plettenberg on X, Sunderland have made their interest known in RB Leipzig forward Lois Openda, who is also wanted by the likes of Juventus and Aston Villa before the window slams shut.

His current employers are set to demand a fee near the £35 million mark for his signature, and Philipp Hinze has added to these reports via the social media outlet, claiming Openda may be able to leave on loan with a mandatory purchase option.

Sporting’s Conrad Harder has been billed as a Leipzig replacement for the Belgium international, who has registered 41 goals and 18 assists in 93 appearances for the German top-flight outfit.

Hitting a top speed of 38.86 kilometres per hour in the Bundesliga last term, per their official website, Openda is deemed a similar player to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior by Football Transfers’ comparison algorithm, coming as a result of his ability to race in-behind.

Reinforcements in the forward areas are on the agenda for Sunderland and a move to bring the talented forward to Wearside would be a fitting end to a strong window for the Black Cats.

It has been a long time since the mood around Arsenal has been so jubilant.

Amazingly, it was the complete opposite just a couple of days ago, with fans having to deal with fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur closing in on Eberechi Eze and Kai Havertz suffering another potentially significant injury.

Fortunately, everything changed on Wednesday evening when reports broke of the club going back in and hijacking the move for the Crystal Palace star.

With a ‘here we go’ from Fabrizio Romano and news of him completing his medical yesterday, the Gunners have finally got their hands on the potentially game-changing number ten they’ve needed for so long.

Yet, if Arsenal want to really get the most out of Eze and help him reach or surpass the numbers Liverpool’s new ten, Florian Wirtz, put up last season, they should be going in for another international they’ve been linked with this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Why Arsenal signed Eze

One of the primary reasons Arsenal decided to splash the cash on Eze this summer is undoubtedly his output of the last few years.

For example, across the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons, the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, was able to score 25 goals and provide 17 assists in 79 appearances, totalling 5588 minutes.

In other words, the former QPR gem maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games, or every 133.04 minutes for a mid-table side.

Eze’s recent form
Season	23/24	24/25
Appearances	36	43
Minutes	2285′	3303′
Goals	11	14
Assists	6	11
Goal Involvements per Match	0.47	0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement	134.41′	132.12′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

The second significant reason the North Londoners went all out for the Greenwich-born superstar is the fact that he can play as a ten and out on the left.

These were two of the most significant problem areas for the team last season, as Martin Odegaard was miles off his creative best and neither Gabriel Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard were able to offer enough threat out wide.

Finally, while it will take some time for the 5 foot 10 dynamo to familiarise himself with Arsenal’s style of player and Arteta’s tactical ideas, he’s Premier League-proven.

Therefore, it shouldn’t take anywhere near as long as some of the Gunners’ other signings to get up to speed.

However, while Eze looks like he could be a game-changing addition to the North Londoners’ squad, they could potentially get even more out of him and help him hit the numbers of Wirtz last season by signing another international star they’ve been linked with: Ademola Lookman.

Why Lookman can help Eze hit Wirtz numbers

Given their attacking problems last season, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the sheer number of offensive players Arsenal have been linked with this summer.

One of the most exciting and intriguing of those has been Lookman, who could be available for around £43m after his move to Inter Milan fell through, and he could help Eze hit the incredible numbers Wirtz did last season: 31 goal involvements in 45 games.

The first reason we think this is that the Nigerian international is a lean, mean output machine.

Lookman’s recent form
Season	22/23	23/24	24/25
Appearances	33	45	40
Minutes	1858′	2809′	2871′
Goals	15	17	20
Assists	8	10	7
Goal Involvements per Match	0.69	0.60	0.67
Minutes per Goal Involvement	80.78′	104.03′	106.33
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Since moving to the Serie A side in August 2022, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by the BBC’s John Bennett, has scored a brilliant 52 goals and provided 25 assists in 118 appearances, totalling 7538 minutes.

That means the 5 foot 9 monster has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes on the continent.

Just imagine the sort of numbers the former Everton man would put up in this Arsenal side, and then the goals and assists the Palace ace could chalk up playing alongside him.

Moreover, there would be plenty of opportunities for the two to play together, as even though the Wandsworth-born game-changer spent much of last season up top, he is just as comfortable playing on either wing, as a second striker, or even in midfield.

This ability to cover practically every area of the attack also means that he could cover for the FA Cup winner when needed, ensuring he isn’t overplayed and is always near his best.

Ultimately, Eze is an excellent signing in his own right, but were Arsenal to also bring in Lookman this summer, he could help the Englishman hit the sort of numbers Wirtz did for Bayer Leverkusen last year.

Palace's "unusual" Eze demand sparked Tottenham fear before Arsenal hijack

The England international has agreed to re-join his boyhood club.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 22, 2025

New Zealand captain says his side is well aware of Varun’s threats, having faced him in the group-stage match

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Mar-20253:34

Mitchell Santner on Varun Chakravarthy: ‘We know what his threats are now’

There are many experienced players in the India team that New Zealand men’s side will be wary of in the Champions Trophy final. But one of their most inexperienced players will also loom large on the minds of New Zealand’s batters.Varun Chakravarthy has played all of three ODIs, but in that stretch, he has got eight wickets, and averages 18.12. By far his best haul came against New Zealand, in these teams’ final group match, when on a big-turning track, he claimed 5 for 42, with several New Zealand batters unable to pick him.In fact it’s not only New Zealand’s own batters. On Friday evening, two days out from the final, Chakravarthy was even seen bamboozling no less a player than Virat Kohli in the nets at the ICC Academy. Chakravarthy had followed up his five-for against New Zealand with another solid outing against Australia, on a track less given to spin, in the semi-final. He took 2 for 49 from 10 overs.Related

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Tactics board: How key will Kohli vs Santner be? Is batting first the best option in Dubai?

Having seen him once already could make it easier for the batters to handle him, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said on the eve of the final.”I think guys will be better for the run against Varun. He’s obviously a world-class bowler we’ve seen it here and in the IPL. He’s got that little bit of mystery. But it was the first time some of the guys have been facing him. I think they’ll learn from the other day.”Santner got a particularly vicious delivery from Chakravarthy in the group match, one that was flat and fast, and yet took substantial turn to take out his off stump.Varun Chakravarthy picked up five wickets against New Zealand•ICC via Getty Images”If the pitch plays a similar way, it’s going to be a challenge along with all three of their other spinners. I think the boys will be ready for tomorrow having looked at a little bit more footage. We know what his threats are now. That 115kph arm ball, that got me – that was a bit of a threat.”While Chakravarthy is India’s top spin-bowling wicket-taker in the tournament, their other three spinners have also prospered on a turning Dubai track. Axar Patel has five wickets for the tournament, and Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have four each. They had been effective through the middle in that previous game against New Zealand.”I think the way Axar and Jadeja denied us for a long time, it might be something similar again on a slow wicket, where it’s as if you can kind of just rotate and hit the odd bad ball away, you can get yourself up to a decent score,” Santner said.”We’ve got some good players of spin and it’s about them trying to just play their games and whether it’s to get your broom out and sweep, or it’s to use your feet, I guess we kind of give our players the freedom to play their own way.”New Zealand have their own quartet of spinners, in Santner himself, Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra.”On the flipside, it’s the same with us. For us it’s about trying to build pressure for a long period of time to produce a false shot.”

Manor Solomon was an integral part of Leeds United’s unbelievable promotion heroics last season in the Championship.

By the close of the season, the tricky 26-year-old winger would be held in very high esteem by Whites supporters everywhere, with a blistering ten goals and 12 assists tallied up by the number 14 across 39 league games helping to clinch the title for Daniel Farke’s champions.

Unfortunately, Solomon is yet to return to Elland Road after the loan move expired, as the promotion hero attempts to settle back into Premier League life at Tottenham Hotspur under new boss Thomas Frank.

That isn’t to say Leeds haven’t tried to land an explosive winger in the same vein as the skilful Spurs attacker, as another target down the flanks now appears on Farke’s shopping list this summer.

Leeds keeping tabs on £4m star

There are still a couple of weeks before the transfer window slams shut, meaning not all hope will be completely extinguished just yet regarding Solomon triumphantly moving back to West Yorkshire for good.

However, a summer move for Igor Paixao is certainly dead in the water, as the former Feyenoord man opted to join Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille right at the start of the month, despite Leeds’ insistent advances.

The Brazilian would have cost the Whites a significant £30m to land, with a far cheaper target now reportedly in their sights to boost their options on the left wing.

As per Italian outlet Tutto Mercato Web, Farke and Co. are keeping tabs on Fiorentina attacker Riccardo Sottil as an alternative name to add strength down the left channel, but will face competition from Italian outfits Torino and Sassuolo for his signature.

Only valued at around the £4m mark, according to Football Transfers, this could well be a golden, cost-effective move to make on Leeds’ end, especially if Farke can rework his Solomon magic on Sottil.

Why Sottil can become Farke's next Solomon

After all, the reserve Spurs attacker was in dire need of his spirits being lifted when he arrived in West Yorkshire last summer.

Solomon was just fresh off a campaign that was derailed by serious injury, but the former Fulham forward had shown off enough flashes of quality at Spurs – with two assists from six clashes in North London – to be considered a worthwhile risk to go after.

Leeds will deem a move for the £4m-rated Italian to also be a gamble worth exploring, even as he potentially enters into the English game off a similarly disruptive loan stint at AC Milan, which saw Sottil offer up zero goals or assists from eight appearances at the San Siro.

Still, the Turin-born attacker has shown off his class before for Fiorentina, which is what Leeds will be hanging onto, knowing that Solomon came good under Farke’s tutelage down Sottil’s exact same left flank.

24/25

25

5

4

23/24

35

5

5

22/23

26

1

2

21/22

29

4

2

19/20

23

0

1

Sottil’s electric start to the 2024/25 season is what must have caught the Rossoneri’s eye, as the 26-year-old powered home five goals and four assists from just 25 appearances in Florence. In total, away from that standout campaign, Sottil also stands on a hefty 15 goals and 15 assists playing for his boyhood club.

If the former 12-time Italy U21 international can just brush his bruising experience in Milan to one side, he could be transformed into Leeds’ second coming of Solomon, with Sottil also a capable performer down the right channel, on top of further bolstering Farke’s depleted number ten ranks if needed.

It will just require some patience at Elland Road as Sottil gets up to speed with what is expected of him.

But, that patience could be justly rewarded by the Fiorentina number seven playing an eventual important role in Leeds beating the drop, having been dubbed a future talent with “room to grow” by ex-Serie A great Zlatan Ibrahimovic last season.

Leeds can seal stunning Solomon repeat by signing £30m Premier League star

Leeds United could look to replicate the success of their Manor Solomon deal by signing this attacking star.

1 ByKelan Sarson May 6, 2025

Arsenal have boasted the best defensive record in the Premier League during each of the last two seasons, with Frenchman William Saliba playing a massive role in their success.

The centre-back joined the Gunners back in 2019, before multiple loan spells in his homeland, having to wait until the summer of 2022 to make his first appearance in English football.

He’s since gone on to make 134 appearances for the club, having bags of time to make himself a legend in North London, still being just 24 years of age.

His partnership at the heart of the backline with Gabriel has played a massive part in Mikel Arteta’s ability to come within touching distance of ending their two-decade drought without a league title.

However, with the summer window rapidly coming towards its end, numerous other players are being targeted to aid their defensive unit for the 2025/26 season.

Arsenal pursuing a move for a new defender

This summer window has been a big one for Arsenal, already adding another option to the defensive unit, in the form of Spaniard Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia.

The 21-year-old joined in a £13m deal, penning a five-year contract, but he could also be joined at the Emirates Stadium by another young prospect in the coming days.

Palmeiras’ 19-year-old centre-back, Luis Benedetti, could be the latest to move to North London, after Brazilian journalist Diego Firmino confirmed the club’s interest in his signature.

He claims that Arteta’s side have been monitoring him over recent weeks, potentially preparing an offer in the region of £8.5m for the youngster’s services.

Firmino also states that the player could be tempted by a move to the Premier League, with his current employers demanding add-ons and a sell-on fee in any transfer.

Why Arsenal’s latest target could be Arteta’s next Saliba

Arsenal’s recruitment has been excellent over the last couple of years, undoubtedly playing a huge role in their ability to challenge for England’s Premier League title.

Saliba has been one example, arriving in North London as an unknown quantity to many, but it’s safe to say his tally of appearances to date highlights his importance to the Gunners.

At just 24, he has all the tools to continue his development under Arteta, hopefully able to add titles to his CV and become one of Europe’s leading talents in defensive areas.

However, if the club is to continue building and maintaining their efforts at the top of the table, they will need to carry on their impressive recruitment with a move for Benedetti.

At just 19, he has bags of time to continue his development, with a move to England helping him reach the next level and build on his impressive start to his career.

The Brazilian has made nine senior appearances for Palmeiras, but it’s been enough to demonstrate the talent he holds, leading to analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him as “aggressive”.

The teenager has managed to complete 93% of the passes he’s attempted in Brazil’s top-flight, able to offer a superb ball-playing option – just as Saliba has in recent years.

Luis Benedetti’s stats for Palmeiras in 2025

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

9

Minutes played

810

Pass accuracy

93%

Chances created

0.8

Aerials won

71%

Duels won

3.5

Recoveries made

3.8

Stats via FotMob

He’s also won 71% of the aerial battles he’s entered, subsequently allowing him to have an impact at both ends of the pitch – especially considering his 6”6 frame.

Whilst it’s still early days in his professional career, the signs are all positive for Benedetti, possessing two crucial components of being a centre-back in the modern-day.

£8.5m could prove to be an excellent piece of business by Arteta and the Gunners, potentially banking a small fortune should he continue on his current trajectory.

He could follow in Saliba’s footsteps in joining as an unknown quantity, the Brazilian would be able to learn from one of the best defenders in world football – arguably developing into another excellent piece of business by the hierarchy.

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