All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Arsenal are ready to accept bids for a £120,000-per-week player this summer after a decision by manager Mikel Arteta.

Players who could be sold by Arsenal this summer

Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga appears likely to be one of the first Arsenal departures of this summer window, coming soon after Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares left the Emirates after their contracts expired.

Edu plans move to sign ex-Gunner with £50m Arsenal ace tipped to quit

The Gunners are ready to move.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2024

Sevilla have agreed personal terms with Lokonga, and talks are believed to be advancing with Arsenal over an initial loan deal. Young striker Mika Biereth also completed his move to Sturm Graz on Monday, with Arsenal announcing the 21-year-old's return to Austria on a permanent deal.

Other players who could be sold by Arsenal this summer are Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey, Aaron Ramsdale, Reiss Nelson, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Eddie Nketiah and Nuno Tavares, as sporting director Edu looks to bolster the club's transfer kitty and trim their wage bill.

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

via WhoScored

Ramsdale is tipped to be destined for the Arsenal exit door, with David Raya taking his number one spot last season, while Partey has entered the final 12 months of his contract amid reported interest from Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Uncertainty also surrounds the future of left-back Kieran Tierney, after the Scotland international spent 2023/24 on loan at Real Sociedad. Tierney has Jakub Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko to compete with for the left-back slot, and the potential arrival of Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori could push him even further down the pecking order.

Tomiyasu and Kiwior can be deployed at left-back when required, while Calafiori is also capable of playing that role. Tierney's time at Arsenal could be coming to a close sooner rather than later, with the 27-year-old also suffering his fair share of injury problems.

Arsenal ready to accept Tierney bids after Arteta decision

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O'Rourke, Arsenal are ready to accept bids for Tierney, with Arteta deciding that the £120,000-per-week defender is not in his plans moving forward.

The former Celtic star has made 124 appearances in all competitions since making the move to London from Glasgow in 2019, but despite his obvious quality in flashes, Tierney's fitness problems have really hindered his place under Arteta.

"He has been solid," said Ashley Cole on Sky Sports, via Metro, in 2021.

"I think he would have liked to see more game time, he’s had a few injuries that hampered his season. When he’s in the team, they are a different team, he’s willing to defend, he’s that kind of leader and warrior they need in this team.

"There were those questions marks over him and his ability to come from Scottish football and adapt to the Premier League. But I think he’s adapted very well.

"He’s got those leadership qualities which are needed along with the younger players in there."

Chelsea kicked off their pre-season campaign in the early hours of the morning, drawing 2-2 with League One side Wrexham at the Levi’s Stadium in California.

Goals from Christopher Nkunku and Lesley Ugochukwu saw the clash end level in new boss Enzo Maresca’s first game in charge of the Blues.

Although it was only a pre-season friendly, there was a flash point in the opening stages, which saw youngster Levi Colwill have an altercation winger James McClean, after the Irish forward made an unnecessary challenge on the defender.

Whilst at a glance, the result may seem disappointing, it was a great opportunity for the Italian boss to analyse his squad and hand valuable first-team minutes to many of the young talents owner Todd Boehly has invested in.

One of the youngsters made a huge impression on the fanbase, potentially staking a claim his claim for a place in Maresca’s squad for the 2024/25 campaign.

Angelo’s stats against Wrexham

After joining the Blues for £12.6m back in the summer of 2023, Angelo spent the last 12 months on loan at French outfit Strasbourg, where he made 25 appearances in Ligue 1.

However, he’s been included in Chelsea’s tour of the US, coming on for the second half in the draw with Phil Parkinson’s side.

During his 45-minute performance, the Brazilian forward produced some impressive numbers that could see him be a hit at Stamford Bridge in the upcoming campaign.

The 19-year-old completed 22 passes at a completion rate of 73% – also having 36 touches – showcasing his calmness on the ball despite his tender age.

He also completed 100% of the dribbles that he attempted, demonstrating his ability to run with the ball – potentially handing Maresca another option in the final third during his first season at the helm in West London.

Despite being an attacker, Angelo also produced some excellent defensive stats for the Blues, winning 50% of the duels he entered, winning one tackle – with the Brazilian working tirelessly to make a good impression on the fanbase and Maresca.

Minutes played

45

Passes completed

22/30 (73%)

Dribbles completed

1/1 (100%)

Duels won

2/4 (50%)

Tackles won

1

Touches

36

Although it’s only pre-season, it was an excellent display from the teenager, which saw him handed a 7/10 match rating by journalist Bobby Vincent, which could allow the Blues to walk away from any potential deal for a player constantly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

Why Angelo could allow Chelsea to forget about Williams

In recent weeks, Chelsea have been constantly linked with a move to sign Athletic Bilbao’s Spanish winger Nico Williams this summer.

Their interest in the youngster is hardly a surprise given his impressive form at Euro 2024, which saw him register two goals and one assist at the tournament – including the opening goal in the showpiece victory over England.

Williams currently has a £48m release clause in his current contract, but Barcelona are also interested in the forward – potentially seeing him link up with Lamine Yamal after the duo set the European Championships alight this summer.

However, Angelo has huge potential to be a success in the Premier League, albeit while needing consistent game time to reach his full ability levels.

Williams’ potential arrival in London would only hamper his progress at the club, with Angelo showcasing in pre-season that he has what it takes to be a part of Maresca’s plans.

It may still be early days in his career at Chelsea, but if Boehly’s philosophy of investing in youth is to be a success, the club must start to slowly integrate their new additions into the first-team, with the Brazilian possessing all of the qualities to be a hit under the Italian.

Forget Williams: Chelsea lining up "potent" signing who’s like Rodrygo

Chelsea still hunting for wide fire power

ByConnor Holden Jul 23, 2024

The future is looking bright for Ange Postecoglou's vibrant group of Spurs players. Having finally formally welcomed Lucas Bergvall to the club this summer, Archie Gray has also arrived and Mikey Moore has lit up pre-season.

A striker could also be on the way to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Dominic Solanke reportedly honing in on a switch to north London.

Will the club's business conclude there? Quite possibly, although they have been offered the opportunity to sign a new midfielder.

Midfielder offered to Spurs

The Lilywhites have already signed Gray this summer but whether he features solely as a midfielder remains to be seen.

It was at right-back where Gray shone so bright for Leeds United last term and despite Pedro Porro having that spot on lockdown at Spurs, there is a belief that the Yorkshireman could force his way in.

With the departure of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and the potential exit of Oliver Skipp, there could still be a spot left in the centre of the pitch.

That could be handed to Celtic star Matt O'Riley. Reportedly valued at around £25m this summer, Spurs insider Paul O'Keefe has suggested that the player has been offered to Postecoglou and Co via agents.

Sadly for supporters, he is 'not convinced' that they'll pursue a deal.

How Matt O'Riley compares to Christian Eriksen

Spurs have had some wonderful players over the last decade or so but few personify class quite like Christian Eriksen.

The Dane is an icon from the final days of White Hart Lane, the attacking midfielder scoring 69 goals and assisting 88 goals in 305 games for the club.

He was a creative marvel, the type of player capable of producing a moment of ingenuity to win you a game of football.

It’s arguable that since he left they haven’t had a player quite like him. James Maddison has tried and at times has emulated Eriksen.

He was on fire in the first half of last season, contributing with eight goal involvements in 11 matches, but injury derailed his campaign and once the Englishman returned in the New Year, he only contributed to the Spurs cause with one goal in 17 outings.

So, how about finding another option? Well, in the "phenomenal" O’Riley – as he was dubbed by Brendan Rodgers – they could well find that. Let’s see how last season’s Hoop racked up against a prime Eriksen.

Goals

0.50

0.26

Assists

0.36

0.39

Progressive carries

1.48*

2.53

Progressive passes

4.81*

6.88

Key passes

2.78*

2.37

Passes into final 3rd

2.22*

5.42

Pass completion

77%*

78%

Shot-creating actions

4.07*

4.64

Tackles + interceptions

3.89*

1.82

Last term, the English-born Denmark international was a revelation for Rodgers’ Celtic side, scoring 19 times and providing 18 assists for his teammates across all competitions.

Already there are parallels with Eriksen in the way they contribute effectively in the final third. From the stats above we can see that they produced a similar number of key passes and shot-creating actions across their respective seasons.

It’s O’Riley who will also do the dirty defensive work while Eriksen was evidently more progressive with his passing and carrying.

That’s not to say the Celtic sensation can’t do that himself. However, pivotally, if Postecoglou is to replace the output of their Danish hero, then he will be able to lean on O’Riley’s immense level of creativity and goalscoring.

It’s unlikely he’d produce a similar degree of output at Premier League level – he failed to score in last season’s Champions League after all – but his quality is there for all to see. This could well be a transfer that goes down a treat at Tottenham.

Spurs struck gold on "incredible" ace who could be sold for more than Kane

The exceptional star is an essential member of Postecoglou’s team.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 8, 2024

With numerous senior attacking players leaving Leicester City this summer, the Foxes are now on the lookout for new talents to help bolster Steve Cooper's side.

The Foxes are on the hunt for forward players

Whilst last season saw Leicester restore their Premier League status at the first time of asking, the Foxes will return to the top flight without some of the players who got them there.

Leicester keen on “exceptional” £8m-rated gem who'd be Tielemans 2.0

Leicester City could snap up their next Youri Tielemans this summer.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 31, 2024

The main man Leicester will be without is Kelechi Iheanacho, who chose to call time on his spell at the King Power when his contract expired at the end of last month. Currently a free agent, it looks like the Nigerian striker will be playing his football for Sevilla next season.

Another likely exit from Leicester is fellow striker Tom Cannon, who is linked with a loan move back to the second tier. The current rumours suggest that West Bromwich Albion is a likely destination for the Irishman with the Baggies looking to replace the departing Brandon-Thomas Asante.

With attacking talents high on the Foxes' list of priorities, the club have recently been linked with a move for out of favour Arsenal ace Reiss Nelson. A report by Fabrizio Romano last week suggested that Cooper's side had opened talks over an initial loan deal for the winger with an option to buy further down the line.

Whilst a deal for Nelson would go some way towards bolstering the Foxes' attack, it appears that the club are also in the race to bring a new centre forward to the King Power this summer.

Leicester set to battle for French forward

As first reported in the French press and later relayed by the Leicester Mercury, the Foxes have reportedly started the process to sign Lens striker Elye Wahi. The outlet claims that Leicester are set to join fellow Premier League outfits West Ham and Chelsea in the race to secure the services of the 21-year-old striker.

The report states that Lens are willing to sell Wahi this summer despite only signing him less than twelve months ago. With the Ligue 1 side spending £25 million to acquire the Frenchman from Montpellier, it is expected that Wahi will fetch a greater fee than this initial sum if he is to depart during the transfer window.

Over the course of the previous season, the 21-year-old found the back of the net on twelve occassions including two goals in Lens' Champions League campaign. Speaking on Wahi's performances, Lens coach Franck Haise was quick to sing the striker's praises.

With a number of Leicester's attacking options set to leave the club this summer, the Foxes could make a statement by beating their Premier League rivals to sign Wahi this summer.

Manchester City have hijacked a move to sign a new forward who is "different from the rest", according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man City’s quiet summer so far

Those at the Etihad Stadium have been fairly quiet in the transfer market this summer as Pep Guardiola’s side look to win an incredible fifth Premier League title in a row. So far, the only signing of the window has been winger Savinho, whose move from Troyes was all but secured ahead of the market officially opening.

In regards to departures, the club have received fees for Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Sergio Gomez and Tommy Doyle who have joined Southampton, Real Sociedad and Wolves respectively. However, the biggest exit has been Julian Alvarez, who has now officially moved to Atletico Madrid in a deal worth around £82m.

City could have a busy end to the window, however, especially after an injury to Oscar Bobb. According to GiveMeSport, City still want to bring in another attacking option, while also adding another holding midfielder after Kalvin Phillips left for Ipswich Town on a season-long loan deal.

Adding to the club’s well-run academy is also of interest to City by the looks of things, with Etihad chiefs moving to sign a teenage forward in recent days.

Man City to sign Divin Mubama after hijack

According to Romano, Man City have hijacked a deal to sign former West Ham forward Divin Mubama. The 19-year-old was in talks with Lyon and Famalicao but it is City who look set to secure his services before potentially sending him out on loan.

Meanwhile, The Daily Mail have revealed that a compensation package between City and West Ham for Mubama has been agreed and is thought to be worth £1.5m.

An England U20 international, Mubama scored 58 goals at youth level for West Ham and also one for the senior side prior to his London Stadium exit. He came in for praise from former manager David Moyes, who labelled the teenager as “different from the rest”.

“We want to play Divin but he has quite a lot of competition. I don’t know how many 19-year-old centre-forwards are playing in the Premier League. It’s something which is getting harder because it’s such a difficult role. The level of competition to be a centre-forward is really high at most clubs.

“But Divin is different from the rest. He has a mentality and an attitude that is as good as any top player. He’s so determined and works incredibly hard for the team, so we know what we’re going to get with Divin. What we need him to do is develop in all his actions and technical ability, but he’s 19 and did a great job for us when he came on.”

Liverpool are believed to have made fresh contact as they seek to steal a European champion from a European heavyweight this summer, according to a new transfer claim.

Liverpool transfer news

It has been a strangely subdued summer at Anfield, with supporters growing increasingly frustrated about the lack of incoming transfer activity. Not a single new face has arrived since the end of last season, with the Reds' failure to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi among the disappointments.

Liverpool could do with an elite-level No 6 operating in front of the defence, and Atalanta ace Ederson has been linked with a move to Merseyside, being seen as an alternative option to Zubimendi. The Brazilian played a key role in his side clinching Europa League glory last season, making 11 starts in the competition.

Elsewhere, an extremely exciting transfer claim has suggested that the Reds are contemplating making a late summer move for Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in a bid to boost their attacking options with an eye-catching signing.

Another centre-back wouldn't go amiss for Liverpool before the window closes next week – especially with Sepp van den Berg moving on – and RB Leipzig ace Mohamed Simakan has emerged as a rumoured target for Arne Slot.

Liverpool make new contact over "complete" player

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, who has written for TEAMtalk, Liverpool "have asked for new information" about Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, having tracked him throughout the summer transfer window.

The report goes on to add the Dutchman "has already agreed personal terms" with Juventus, but that Liverpool have not given up on hijacking the move as the deadline nears.

The Koopmeiners rumours aren't going away for Liverpool, and while he isn't necessarily the No 6 they may be craving this summer, he could be a brilliant signing given the influence and technical ability that he has in his armoury.

The 26-year-old got 12 goals and 5 assists in Serie A last season, not to mention a couple of assists en route to Europa League glory, and Netherlands legend Ruud Krol has lauded his ability, saying: "Koopmeiners can play in all positions in the middle of the pitch: both as a playmaker and as a midfielder. He is a complete footballer who would be useful for all coaches."

If Liverpool have a limited budget, which their inactivity to this point may point towards, they would still be wise to look at signing a defensive midfielder rather than a box-to-box player such as the £31,000-a-week Koopmeiners, with Slot already possessing plenty of depth there, including Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones.

Slot's own Ugarte: Liverpool could land dream No.6 in £51m "machine"

Will the Reds sign a No. 6 in the coming week?

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 24, 2024

Leaving Wataru Endo as the only natural option in the deep-lying role would feel like negligence by the club; Mac Allister and Gravenberch are doing well in a double pivot, but could be shown up defensively against the top sides, so they should perhaps focus on an Ederson-esque player if they intend to sign a new midfielder.

The summer transfer window closed for business at 11pm last Friday with Arsenal announcing the surprise arrival of Raheem Sterling.

The Gunners needed a wide player and after it became apparent that Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams would not be moving, they tried to find alternatives.

It looked as though Edu and Co were happy to go without until an incredible market opportunity arrived late in the window.

Alienated by Chelsea, Sterling sought pastures new and found a new home courtesy of his former assistant manager at Manchester City, Mikel Arteta.

That said, with the Saudi Arabian transfer window still open, one Arsenal player could be on the move.

That's according to Fabrizio Romano who revealed the interesting news on Monday morning. Taking to social media, he revealed that Arsenal's Belgian sensation, Leandro Trossard, had been the subject of a bid from Al-Ittihad, the same side that Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante play for.

An offer of around £29m has been lodged but it would be incredibly surprising if it was accepted considering the club can't replace him with a new signing.

Speaking of replacements, here are three internal solutions for Arteta to think about if they do decide to cash in.

1 The obvious solution Gabriel Martinelli

Gabriel Martinelli has been Trossard's main rival since he arrived from Brighton. It's a rivalry that the Belgian has largely won, though, which is why his exit would be such a big surprise.

Last term, the Belgian was Arsenal's second-top scorer with 17 strikes in all competitions. He's also started the new campaign in impressive form, scoring a vital goal against Aston Villa with his very first touch of the game after coming on as a substitute.

Trossard then started his first match of the season against his former employers last weekend before being sacrificed when Arsenal went down to ten men.

If he did leave then Martinelli would need to step up. He's been off the boil in 2024, scoring just four league goals since the turn of the year.

That said, we all know what he can do at his best. A rampant threat, no one has pace quite like the Brazilian in this Arsenal squad. He's a unique talent among Arteta's current crop of players.

2 The new option Raheem Sterling

Having only arrived at the club last Friday, Sterling will have two weeks in which to get up to speed. He may well be quite thankful for the international break, therefore.

The 29-year-old wasn't a planned addition this summer but he arrives with plenty of experience. He has netted 123 Premier League goals and won the top division on four occasions. Having signed without a transfer fee being spent, this move felt like a no-brainer for the decision-makers at Arsenal.

Also capable of playing down the right, it's on the left where he was so good at Manchester City. If Trossard left then Martinelli would have a new rival in the shape of one of English football's most decorated players.

Some supporters may not be convinced he is the right player for this club but there is no doubt Sterling will play an important part this term. Just look at the impact Kai Havertz has made since moving from Chelsea.

3 The wildcard option Ethan Nwaneri

Ethan Nwaneri has only ever played one official game on the left wing but the incredible teenage talent is ready to really explode onto the scene this season.

The youngest league debutant in Arsenal's and the Premier League's history, the 17-year-old played a big part in pre-season and has been included in every matchday squad so far this term.

#1 Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 5 months, 28 days

2022: Brentford

#2 Cesc Fabregas

16 years, 5 months, 24 days

2003: Rotherham

#3 Jack Wilshere

16 years, 8 months, 12 days

2008: Blackburn

#4 Jermaine Pennant

16 years, 10 months, 15 days

1999: Middlesbrough

#5 Paul Vaessen

16 years, 11 months, 11 days

1978: Lokomotive Leipzig

#6 Ryan Smith

16 years, 11 months, 18 days

2003: Rotherham

#7 Gedion Zelalem

16 years, 11 months, 29 days

2014: Coventry

#8 Armand Traore

17 years, 16 days

2006: West Brom

Nwaneri is yet to earn any minutes in 2024/25 but it said a lot about Arteta's faith in the youngster that he let Emile Smith Rowe leave permanently and allowed Fabio Vieira to head back to Porto on loan.

Perhaps the biggest show of trust, however, would be to let Trossard go and hand the minutes to their talented teenager.

A left-footed marvel, Nwaneri operates in little pockets of space much like Martin Odegaard does. He's a bit more versatile, however, having played up front for the U21s last season as well as in the no.10 role and out wide. That's certainly Trossard-esque.

A scorer of 11 goals in 15 matches at the highest academy level last season, like the man he could replace, the "unplayable" teen – as Jack Wilshere hailed him – certainly knows where the net is.

Arsenal are beginning to unleash their very own answer to Haaland

Arsenal have their own weapon in this season’s title race.

ByMatt Dawson Sep 2, 2024

Ange Postecoglou has been dealt another Tottenham injury worry ahead of the north London derby, with a "world-class" Spurs player injured on international duty.

Tottenham vs Arsenal – team news and injury updates

The Lilywhites host Arsenal this weekend in what is one of their biggest games of the Premier League season, and Postecoglou will be hoping that he can help to spoil Mikel Arteta's title charge early doors.

Free agent who Paratici tried to sign in 2022 holds talks to join Tottenham

The ex-Spurs managing director is seemingly an admirer.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 10, 2024

Arsenal are without summer signing Mikel Merino this weekend, with the Spaniard fracturing his shoulder in training and could be out for nearly two months. Declan Rice is also a big miss for Arteta and won't play a part after he was sent off for two bookable offences in their last game against Brighton.

Captain Martin Odegaard is a huge doubt for the clash at Tottenham as well, following the midfielder's ankle sprain, which forced him off during Norway's 2-1 UEFA Nations League win over Austria on Monday.

Timo Werner

RB Leipzig (loan)

Dominic Solanke

Bournemouth

Archie Gray

Leeds

Wilson Odobert

Burnley

Lucas Bergvall

Djurgarden

Min-hyeok Yang

Gangwon FC

Riccardo Calafiori could miss the north London derby too, after suffering a freak injury on international duty for Italy, so Arteta has been dealt numerous selection headaches and concerns ahead of their face-off with Spurs.

For Tottenham, important trio Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and marquee summer signing Dominic Solanke missed their most recent 2-1 defeat away at Newcastle, but there is optimism that both van de Ven and Solanke could return against Arsenal.

"Micky was close, he trained this week, but he's not quite 100 per cent," said Postecoglou on van de Ven.

"Part of me was keen to give Radu a run as well, especially at this venue, so we've gone with Radu. It's nothing serious, we've a heavy programme after the international break. We're going to need all our back four, so getting Radu a game is positive for us."

Solanke has been absent since his sustaining an opening weekend ankle injury away to Leicester City, but Postecoglou has since revealed that the Englishman is close to returning.

“Dom is close but we're going to be a bit cautious with him," said Postecoglou in an injury update on Solanke.

"We've got a big programme post the international break, so he'll miss out on Sunday.”

Richarlison is still seen as a real doubt for Tottenham and is likely not to feature against Arsenal, with Postecoglou sharing that the Brazilian is set to be out for weeks.

“The only other one we got midweek is Richarlison," said Postecoglou on Richarlison's injury, just before Spurs faced Newcastle.

"Picked up an injury in training, so he'll probably miss the next few weeks.”

While Richarlison isn't expected to return for Tottenham until later this month, Postecoglou has been dealt another potential injury absence on top of the 27-year-old.

Yves Bissouma limps off after suffering injury against Estawini

Concerns now surround midfielder Yves Bissouma, and whether he will be able to play against Arsenal.

Bissouma was forced off with an injury during Mali's 1-0 win over Estawini in midweek, with the 28-year-old limping off in the 64th minute after a heavy challenge. He scored Mali's only goal of the game in the seventh minute, but it couldn't have been a worse end to the 90, as he now waits to discover the severity of his injury.

The £35 million ace, called "world-class" by presenter Adam Smith, has started two Premier League games under Postecoglou so far this campaign, scoring a rocket in their 4-0 win against Everton.

Whether or not you agree with the assessment that the weekend’s north London derby was one of Mikel Arteta’s biggest matches as Arsenal manager, the Gunners certainly weren’t without their problems.

Arteta was given sleepless nights over the last few days with his squad of players seemingly dropping like flies.

First, it was Declan Rice’s red card against Brighton, then it was the assessment that ruled Mikel Merino out for a month. Then, arguably, came the worst news yet. Skipper Martin Odegaard laid down in a crumpled heap as his Norway team beat Austria in an impressive 2-1 win.

Although the playmaker was able to walk from the pitch it wasn’t without a limp and some pain. The early thought there is that we may not see the attacking midfielder before October’s international break.

So, with a patched-up midfield Arteta’s men took the short journey across north London to face their bitter rivals. The end result? An Arsenal win, of course.

Spurs created plenty but were ultimately fruitless with their endeavours in the final third. The Gunners struggled to create chances of their own but held firm at the back and relied on their set-pieces to get them out of trouble.

Arsenal’s best player vs Spurs

You can always rely on Bukayo Saka to come up with the goods on days like this and he duly did, delivering set-piece coach Nicolas Jover’s routines to absolute perfection.

The Gunners may well have been relieved for some strange defender from Cristian Romero but Gabriel evaded the Argentine’s attention as if he wasn’t even there before planting a bullet header into the back of the net.

Cue bedlam. Gabriel charged off with his partner in crime and best bud William Saliba in tow, darting towards the away support who were jumping up and down in the corner of the ground.

The Brazilian deservedly won the Player of the Match award for what was a very dominating display, winning two of his three duels, completing 80% of his passes and making a rather staggering eight clearances.

Unsurprisingly handed an 8/10 match rating by Football.London’s Kaya Kaynak, if summed up his battling performance well. To make matters even more intriguing, no other Premier League defender has scored more than the Arsenal centre-back since his debut in 2020/21.

1. Gabriel

15

2. Kurt Zouma

11

3. Lewis Dunk

10

4. Ben Mee

10

5. Virgil van Dijk

9

6. Michael Keane

9

7. Fabin Schar

9

8. John Stones

8

So, he’s pretty good in defence and he’s a rare breed in the opposition’s penalty area too.

As a result, he has just helped Arteta achieve something we’ve not seen for 35 years.

35-year record broken

In recent years the north London derby has been a thriller. It’s been full of goals and usually, it’s been a pretty tight game. It’s certainly one of, if not the best, derby in the Premier League.

Sunday’s clash may not have ranked highly on the excitement scale but it marked a new dawn in this heated rivalry.

Arsenal are now the dominant force in north London – they usually have been – but history dictates they are enjoying one of their best runs in this fixture now for quite some time.

15th Sept 2024

1-0 Arsenal win

28th April 2024

3-2 Arsenal win

24th Sept 2023

2-2 draw

15th Jan 2023

2-0 Arsenal win

1st Oct 2022

3-1 Arsenal win

12th May 2022

3-0 Spurs win

26th Sept 2021

3-1 Arsenal defeat

Arteta’s merry men are unbeaten in their last five derbies and they have now won at Spurs three games in a row. That’s a bitter pill to swallow for the Lilywhites who haven’t seen that happen now for 35 years.

Indeed, you have to go back to the 1980s for the last time Arsenal put together a run of three wins away at Tottenham.

A 3-2 victory on the 10th September 1988 saw them extend their run with goals from Brian Marwood, Alan Smith and Nigel Winterburn wrapping up all three points. For the hosts, it was Chris Waddle and Paul Gascoigne who had found the net. How nostalgic.

That was a fixture full of legends with Arsenal fielding the likes of David Rocastle, Paul Merson, David O’Leary and Tony Adams. Where does the time go, eh?

Now, the Gunners are busy building a new legacy, a new set of potential legends who are going to battle ever so hard to topple Manchester City.

Their toughest test of the new campaign will come next weekend when the Citizens await. Both sides are unbeaten but something will have to give.

As good as Gabriel: 8/10 Arsenal star who won 100% duels was “astonishing”

The sensational talent was a rock for the Gunners.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 15, 2024

After a gruelling game against the defending Champions in the Premier League last weekend, Arsenal were tasked with a far simpler job on Wednesday night: taking on League One side Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup.

Now, the Lancashire outfit did score at the Emirates, but even with the eight changes Mikel Arteta made to his side, it was an easy day at the office for the North Londoners.

The likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly rightfully stole the show and should make more first-team appearances as the season goes on, but there was another star making his full debut on the night who put in a good shift, Raheem Sterling.

Yes, the former Manchester City ace finally got his chance to start for the Gunners, and the manager will have been pleased with what he saw, yet even so, for the game against Leicester City this weekend, he should be dropped back to the bench.

Why Sterling should be dropped

Okay, so the first thing to clear up is that, as we mentioned above, Sterling was reasonably impressive against Bolton on Wednesday night.

The international veteran provided the pass for Nwaneri’s first goal and scored one himself in the second half, which is a commendable return on a full debut.

The 29-year-old certainly impressed football.london’s chief Arsenal writer, Kaya Kaynak, who gave him an 8/10 on the night, writing that once he got going, he was a ‘real threat’ down that left-hand side.

However, as effective as he was when he got up to speed, the nature of the game means that unless he scored a hat-trick and picked up a hat-trick of assists, it’s just not enough to force his way into the starting lineup for a Premier League game.

Moreover, with an avalanche of games in the next few months, Arteta will need a fit and firing squad, full of quality players who can step in for games that might not be deemed too important, like Wednesday night.

Now, should Sterling continue his impressive form in his ensuing appearances off the bench, then the calls to start him in the league may begin to grow, but at the moment, it would be premature, and the player who should start on the weekend was one of Arsenal’s best against City.

Why Gabriel Martinelli should start

Yes, despite his goal and assist against Bolton, Sterling should make way for Gabriel Martinelli to come back into the team tomorrow afternoon.

Now, nobody can deny that it has been a tough start to the campaign for the former Ituano gem, but his performance against City on Sunday evening was exemplary and showed that there is still an immensely useful player there and one Arteta should persevere with for a bit longer.

In the first half, the Brazilian dynamo demonstrated that he can still be an attacking threat with the right supporting cast behind him, as it was his run and pass that allowed Riccardo Calafiori to score his wonder goal, and towards the end of the first 45, he was getting some real joy down the flank.

However, in the second half, the “sensational” 23-year-old, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, really stood out as a selfless and incredibly hard-working team player.

Thanks to him being that bit faster than Bukayo Saka, the manager opted to keep him on the pitch following Leandro Trossard’s red card to act as an outlet for the side, and while he did do that at times, his desire to defend, put himself in the way and run himself into the ground stood out.

2019/20

26

10

4

0.53

2020/21

22

2

2

0.18

2021/22

36

6

7

0.36

2022/23

46

15

6

0.45

2023/24

44

8

5

0.29

2024/25

7

0

1

0.14

Moreover, with a run of slightly easier league games to come in the next month or so, Arteta should give him a chance to rediscover his goalscoring form, as if he can get back to the sort of numbers he was producing in the 22/23 campaign when he scored 15 goals and provided six assists, then Arsenal will have a seriously dangerous attacker on their hands once again.

Ultimately, Sterling did well on Wednesday night, but given the level of opposition and the fact that Martinelli was massively important to the draw against City, the former should make way for the latter tomorrow afternoon.

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