Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has made a surprise decision ahead of this weekend’s trip to Brentford, by calling up a youngster who struggled in League Two to first-team training.
Man Utd set to travel to Brentford on Saturday
Man United will be looking to make it three wins from their last four Premier League games this weekend, when they travel to the Gtech Community Stadium to take on a Brentford side that are without a win in their last three top-flight outings.
Amorim will be pleased his side managed to return to winning ways against Chelsea last time out, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford, but it wasn’t exactly a vintage performance, with United clinging on at the end, despite racing into a two-goal advantage after Robert Sanchez’s red card.
As such, it is probably too early to claim the victory against the Blues could be a turning point in the season, and Amorim is continuing to look at ways in which he can improve his side.
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As relayed by The Peoples Person, the Man United boss has called a youngster up to first-team training ahead of the trip to Brentford this weekend, with an official statement reading: “Young midfielder Sam Mather was also part of the group that worked in pleasant conditions on Tuesday, in stark contrast to the torrential rain that affected last weekend’s win.”
Mather is a natural winger, who is also able to play in attacking midfield, and with Amorim arguably lacking options in wide areas after Alejandro Garnacho’s departure, the 21-year-old is now training with the first-team, in what has to be considered a surprising development.
The winger came very close to leaving the Red Devils in the summer transfer window, after failing to make an impact on loan at League Two side Tranmere Rovers last season, but he now has a golden opportunity to prove himself ahead of the January transfer window.
Mather faces difficult path to save his Man Utd career
In all honesty, it seems very unlikely that the Salford-born ace will be able to save his Man United career at this stage, given that he struggled during a loan spell with Tranmere last season, appearing for just four minutes across two League Two appearances.
There are question marks over Amad Diallo’s performances this season, with YouTuber Stephen Howson calling the winger into question after the 2-1 victory against Chelsea last weekend.
However, Matheus Cunha is now back from injury, and Bryan Mbeumo has made a solid start to life at Old Trafford, starting all five Premier League games and opening his account in the 3-2 victory against Burnley earlier this month.
As a result, Mather is unlikely to be able to force his way into Amorim’s plans, and the call-up to first-team training is unlikely to be a sign the United academy product will be receiving minutes anytime soon.
“When you have 18-19 runs to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler,” Anil Kumble says
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-20252:38
Can RCB and DC both finish in the top four?
Axar Patel has been getting positive reviews for his leadership in his debut season as captain in the IPL, but did he get it wrong against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday night? RCB had the upper hand against Delhi Capitals (DC) as the match neared its closing stages but, as Anil Kumble, Wasim Jaffer and Sanjay Bangar pointed out after the game, shuffling the order of the bowler Axar used at the death might have made a difference.When the 17th over started, RCB needed 38 runs from 24 balls. Quite simple, ordinarily, but this wasn’t a pitch where run-scoring was easy. Mukesh Kumar bowled, and Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli took 12 off him. Dushmantha Chameera gave away nine off the next. And then it was suddenly all over as Mukesh was hit for 6, 4, 4, 4 in the 19th by Tim David. Mitchell Starc had an over left. And Vipraj Nigam had bowled just one.”I don’t know [what DC were thinking]. When you have 18-19 runs [the requirement was 17 from two overs] to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler, to take it till the end,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “I was surprised that he gave the ball to Mukesh and not Starc. The result might have been the same, but the intent was wrong.”Related
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Kohli overtakes SKY to move to the top of Orange Cap table
Kohli thinks 'people are forgetting importance of taking it deep'
RCB go No. 1 after Krunal's all-round heroics
The intent was likely to give Starc eight-nine runs to defend off the last over, perhaps because of what he had achieved in that thriller against Rajasthan Royals (RR).”It must be the hangover from the [game against RR]. Axar must have thought that since Starc had defended nine runs in that last over, so let’s give this to Mukesh and see,” Bangar said. “It might have worked, but the thought process was wrong. Your best bowler should have bowled that over. Even if Starc had conceded, say, 12 runs, you have a legspinner [Nigam] for the last over if you don’t want to bowl Mukesh. Spinners sometimes create magical moments. It was a mistake on Axar’s part.”Was there a lack of faith in Nigam’s abilities, perhaps? Nigam is a newbie, but hasn’t done badly in his debut season for DC, with nine wickets so far at an economy rate of 9.34. But in nine games, he has bowled only 23 overs out of a possible 36. The left-handed and in-form Krunal’s presence in the middle might have forced Axar to ignore the legspinner.”I felt he [Axar] didn’t show enough trust in Vipraj,” Jaffer said. “Maybe he could have been given two-three overs too. Maybe it could have had an effect. Because at that stage [if a wicket had fallen], two overseas batters [David and Romario Shepherd] would have been there and they might have found it tough. Jitesh [Sharma] was the main batter left then.”Fortunately for DC, the loss hasn’t pushed them out of the race for the playoffs. They are still at No. 4 with six wins out of nine. Their next three games are against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) – the first two are among the bottom-four teams on the table, and PBKS have also been up and down, so DC would back themselves to win more often than they lose before their last two games, tough assignments against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT).
اختتمت منافسات الجولة الخامسة من عمر منافسات بطولة الدوري السعودي، بمواجهة نيوم أمام القادسية، مساء الأحد، حيث فاز الأخير بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف.
وبتحقيق فريق القادسية الفوز، أرتقي إلي المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي، برصيد 13 نقطة.
وكان فريق النصر واصل انتصارته في الدوري السعودي هذا الموسم، بالفوز على الفتح، بخماسية مقابل هدف، ليواصل صدراته لترتيب جدول الدوري، بدون خسارة ومحققًا الفوز الخامس على التوالي.
وكان نادي الهلال انتصر على نظيره الاتفاق، بخمسة أهداف دون رد، ضمن منافسات نفس الجولة، من بطولة الدوري السعودي.
طالع | الهلال يسحق الاتفاق بخماسية في الدوري السعودي
وكان الاتحاد بطل الدوري الموسم الماضي، تعادل إيجابيًا مساء الجمعة أمام الفيحاء 1-1، ليتراجع إلي المركز الرابع. جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي
1- النصر، 15 نقطة.
2- القادسة، 13 نقطة.
3- التعاون، 12 نقطة.
4- الهلال، 11 نقطة.
5- الاتحاد، 10 نقاط.
6- الخليج، 9 نقاط.
7- الخلود، 9 نقاط.
8- الأهلي، 9 نقاط.
9- نيوم، 9 نقاط.
10- الفيحاء، 8 نقاط.
11- الاتفاق، 7 نقاط.
12- الحزم، 5 نقاط.
13- الشباب، 5 نقاط.
14- الرياض، 3 نقاط.
15- الفتح، نقطة واحدة.
16- ضمك، نقطة واحدة.
17- الأخدود، بدون نقاط.
18- النجمة، بدون نقاط.
يمكنكم متابعة ترتيب الدوري السعودي بشكل محدث باستمرار من هنا.
Newcastle United will now be hoping, with a depressing transfer window thankfully out of the way, that they can kick into gear in the Premier League when the international break is over.
The expected departure of Alexander Isak to Liverpool was, unfortunately, confirmed at the final hour of an action-packed deadline day.
Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom at St James’ Park, as the Magpies did manage to finally welcome in Yoane Wissa from Brentford to bolster up top, away from also securing the services of Nick Woltemade for a whopping £64m.
On top of that, they did at least manage to get £125m out of Arne Slot’s Reds to part ways with their prized Swede, with Newcastle not always driving the hardest bargain when it comes to the many twists and turns of incomings and outgoings…
Newcastle's disastrous sale of Elliot Anderson
It’s hard to picture Elliot Anderson back in the famous black and white stripes of Newcastle, with the 22-year-old midfield engine now synonymous with Nottingham Forest, ever since clinching a move to the City Ground last year.
In another reality, the Toon would have surely kept a firmer grip on their homegrown gem, but to appropriately balance the books amid PSR concerns, the Tyneside outfit had to surrender and gift Forest the 5-foot-10 star for what looks like now to be a very cheap £35m.
He has since gone on to be a rip-roaring success for the Tricky Trees after lining up for 55 senior games for his boyhood employers, with two goals and seven assists falling into his lap from 45 clashes for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, leading to an England call-up under Thomas Tuchel for the very first time.
It’s safe to say Anderson shone on debut against Andorra on Saturday evening, taking home the Man of the Match award.
Once dubbed a “phenomenal” talent by ex-Bristol Rovers teammate Alex Rodman when first making waves in the senior game, it’s safe to say the well-rounded midfielder has soared to some unbelievable heights ever since waving goodbye to Tyneside.
He isn’t the only exit from the Newcastle midfield ranks that feels premature with hindsight on side, with the previous regime guilty of selling their original version of Anderson for just £10m all the way back in 2018.
Newcastle's original Anderson sold too early
Thankfully, Howe does have a lot of quality brimming in his midfield department, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Sandro Tonali the first names on the 47-year-old’s teamsheet.
Still, for even more depth and competition, having Anderson around would be a luxury he wouldn’t turn down, alongside the prospect of having Mikel Merino back on the Magpies’ books for a second chance at the club.
Mikel Merino
Before becoming a well-known goal threat back on English shores with Arsenal, Merino was a one-season flop at St James’ Park, with only 14 league starts handed to the adaptable Spaniard before he was shipped back off to La Liga with Real Sociedad for £10m.
This has proven to be a costly mistake in the same realm as Anderson’s disastrous departure, with the “exceptional” midfielder – as he has been previously labelled by Spain manager Luis de la Fuente – going on to prove himself as a Premier League-calibre talent under Mikel Arteta.
Merino vs Anderson in 24/25 PL
Stat (* = per 90 mins)
Merino
Anderson
Games played
28
37
Goals scored
7
2
Assists
2
6
Touches*
30.2
54.2
Accurate passes*
15.9 (80%)
28.7 (82%)
Ball recoveries*
3.1
5.6
Total duels won*
4.9
6.5
Stats by Sofascore
Away from his standout nine-goal contributions last season in the hustle and bustle of league action, Merino also stood out as a combative and energetic option for Arteta, much like Anderson at Forest, with 4.9 duels won per game, not too far off his counterpart’s heftier total.
To further add to the anguish, Merino has also managed to excel for his nation to bring more similarities into view, with a goal picked up for Spain on the same international break Anderson won his first Three Lions cap.
With the Pamplona-born warrior now worth around the £30m mark, according to Transfermarkt, this feels like another major blunder on Newcastle’s end, away from focusing on just the much-talked-about disappointment of Anderson leaving.
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While Elliot Anderson thrives at Forest after his £35m transfer, Newcastle have a rising star of their own
A guerra entre Palmeiras e CBF parece ter chegado ao seu ápice nesta segunda-feira (3). Após a principal entidade do futebol brasileiro emitir nota repudiando as falas do auxiliar técnico do Verdão, João Martins, e falando até em xenofobia por parte do português, a comunicação do clube emitiu uma nota oficial em seu site, defendendo o profissional e fazendo uma série de perguntas para a Confederação Brasileira de Futebol.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasLuís Guilherme, Endrick ou Breno? Palmeiras inicia semana com dúvida para Choque-ReiPalmeiras03/07/2023Fora de CampoCulpa do ‘sistema’? André Rizek ironiza fala polêmica de auxiliar técnico do PalmeirasFora de Campo03/07/2023PalmeirasDesfalques preocupam o Palmeiras, mas auxiliar de Abel garante Rony na Copa do Brasil: ‘Ele e mais dez’Palmeiras03/07/2023
+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Confira a resposta e a nota do Palmeiras na íntegra:
‘Diante da agressiva nota oficial divulgada nesta segunda-feira (3) pela Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), a Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras propõe alguns questionamentos, sempre no sentido de defender os direitos do clube e contribuir com a melhora do produto futebol:
– Por que o comunicado da CBF é endereçado exclusivamente ao Palmeiras, sendo que profissionais de outra equipe da Série A fizeram, também ontem, comentários semelhantes aos do auxiliar técnico João Martins?
continua após a publicidade
– Por que a opinião de um profissional português sobre o futebol brasileiro causou tanto desconforto à CBF se a própria entidade, como é de conhecimento público, busca um treinador estrangeiro para comandar a Seleção Brasileira?
– Qual teria sido a conduta “xenofóbica” de João Martins? Elogiar a qualidade dos jogadores brasileiros?
– Se a gestão da Comissão de Arbitragem investe tanto assim em tecnologia, por que o nosso VAR é incapaz de apontar objetivamente se uma bola ultrapassou ou não a linha de gol, como aconteceu no recente duelo entre Palmeiras e Bahia, pelo Brasileiro?
continua após a publicidade
– Por que o atleta Zé Ivaldo, do Athletico-PR, não foi expulso ontem, após acertar uma cotovelada na nuca do atacante Endrick, em lance revisado pelo VAR?
– Por que no jogo entre Palmeiras e São Paulo, pela Copa do Brasil de 2022, o VAR não traçou a linha de impedimento no lance que originou o gol do nosso adversário e que nos custou a eliminação? Por que a imagem da revisão desta jogada sumiu?
– Por que a Comissão de Arbitragem da CBF, presidida por Wilson Seneme, nunca pediu desculpas ao Palmeiras pelo erro grave cometido pelo VAR na Copa do Brasil do ano passado?
– Por que o Palmeiras, na rodada seguinte após a mais recente Data Fifa, não pôde contar com nenhum de seus três atletas convocados para a Seleção Brasileira?
A Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, ao longo dos anos, sempre se preocupou em construir uma relação de saudável parceria com a Confederação Brasileira de Futebol. Há cerca de três semanas, a presidente Leila Pereira esteve na sede da entidade, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ), para conversar com Wilson Seneme, de quem ouviu a promessa de melhorias imediatas na arbitragem.
Na semana seguinte, o vice-presidente da Comissão de Arbitragem, Emerson Carvalho, e o gerente técnico do VAR, Periclés Bassols, chegaram a realizar uma palestra para os profissionais do clube na Academia de Futebol, também com a presença da presidente Leila Pereira.
Contudo, diante da nota oficial divulgada pela CBF e dos reiterados erros graves cometidos contra o Palmeiras, entendemos ser este o momento oportuno de demonstrar, em público, a nossa indignação. Não queremos ser beneficiados, mas exigimos que as regras sejam aplicadas com isonomia.
Confiamos na independência do Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD), evocado pela CBF, e temos convicção de que o órgão dará ao auxiliar João Martins o tratamento equilibrado que lhe compete.’
After being restricted to 163 for 7, RCB’s bowlers brought them back in the game, only to be denied by the local lad
Ashish Pant10-Apr-20253:17
Bangar: Rahul’s assault on Hazlewood was ‘terrific batsmanship’
It started so well for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Then, for 15-odd overs, it didn’t. Then it suddenly started going to plan again. The RCB loyalists, who had packed the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to the rafters, found their voice. Only to have local lad KL Rahul silence them.In a game with a fair share of twists and turns, Delhi Capitals (DC) continued their unbeaten run, notching up a fourth straight win of the season, handing RCB a second home defeat, this one by six wickets.Related
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The horror! You have to graft for runs at the Chinnaswamy now
Sent into bat, it was a strange RCB innings. They scored 53 runs in the first three overs for zero wickets and 36 in the last two for zero wickets. In the 15 overs in between, they could only score 74 runs while losing seven wickets.Having restricted RCB to 163 for 7, DC would have been the happier side going into the break. But their joy was short-lived as RCB picked up three wickets inside the powerplay and had DC struggling at 67 for 4 after 11 overs.The required rate, which began at a shade over eight was almost touching 11 at this stage. But Rahul flicked a switch and alongside Tristan Stubbs began DC’s victory march. The two scorched 102 runs in the next 6.5 overs, adding 111 for the fifth wicket, as DC romped home with 13 balls to spare. Rahul finished with an unbeaten 93 off just 53 balls and celebrated in fitting fashion in front of his home crowd.Rahul’s happy homecomingHe was on 29 off 29 balls after 11 overs, struggling with his timing, looking sluggish on a sticky Chinnaswamy surface. He even had a life on 7 when Rajat Patidar dropped a tough catch running back from mid-off. Rahul made sure to cash in. After 11 overs, ESPNcricinfo’s win probability for DC had dipped to 14.31% from 67.45% at the start of their innings.Then, Rahul gave the RCB bowlers a hiding.It started with Stubbs, who played a cheeky reverse-sweep off Krunal Pandya, which beat short third. Rahul then dumped Krunal over deep backward square-leg and that was the beginning of the end for RCB. He went 4 and 6 against Liam Livingstone before taking down Josh Hazlewood in a fierce display of ball-striking.3:02
Are Delhi Capitals the most balanced side this IPL?
With DC requiring 65 off 36, Rahul first smashed Hazlewood for back-to-back fours before thumping him for a 4 and 6 to end the over, which went for 22. That brought down the equation to 43 off 30. Stubbs deposited Suyash Sharma for a four and six and before Rahul finished off the game smashing Yash Dayal for two sixes and a four in the 18th over. He smashed a six over the fine-leg boundary to seal the win and then slammed his bat on to the turf, almost marking his territory. Striking at 100 in his first 29 balls, he thrashed 64 off his next 24, at a strike rate of 266.67. This truly is Rahul’s ground, isn’t it?DC’s horror startBefore Rahul’s onslaught, DC’s chase was going nowhere. They lost Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk at the start of the third over. Du Plessis first miscued Dayal to Patidar at mid-off before Fraser-McGurk’s lukewarm season continued as he top-edged Bhuvneshwar Kumar straight up with Jitesh Sharma taking a catch after a bobble. Abishek Porel became Bhuvneshwar’s second victim as DC slipped to 39 for 3 inside the powerplay, which soon became 58 for 4 in the ninth over. As it turned out, that was the last speck of joy for RCB.RCB’s powerplay of two halvesFirst three overs: 53 for 0; five fours, three sixes, zero wickets Next three overs: 11 for 2; zero fours, one six, two wicketsWhen RCB were sent into bat, it seemed like Phil Salt had just one agenda on his mind: to tonk every ball out of the park. And he succeeded for a while as the Chinnaswamy crowd went berserk. He wreaked havoc in the first three overs, with his takedown of Mitchell Starc being one of the highlights of the evening. Salt smashed him for three fours and two sixes in the third over of the innings, which went for 30. The ball flew everywhere – over point, over mid-on, over the wicketkeeper’s head, and RCB crossed the 50-run mark quickly. This was RCB’s second-quickest team fifty of all time in the IPL.Then it went downhill for a while.Salt smashed an Axar Patel length ball to extra cover and charged off. Virat Kohli responded initially, only to backtrack, and Salt was run out by a distance.Vipraj Nigam then conceded just two runs in his first over with Devdutt Padikkal clearly struggling. He was put out of his misery by Mukesh Kumar, whose slower offcutter did the trick as Padikkal fell for 1 off 8. Mukesh’s first over, the sixth of the innings turned out to be a maiden wicket with RCB getting to 64 in the powerplay.2:13
Why was Kuldeep difficult to attack at Chinnaswamy?
Wristspinners’ day outThe surface is known as a spinners’ graveyard. Only Kuldeep Yadav and Nigam had not received the memo. The spin twins put on a strangle and the RCB batters had no answers. After Nigam’s two-run over in the powerplay, Kohli broke the shackles and went for six over long-on but Nigam kept his composure. He gave the ball enough air and Kohli, looking to go inside-out, only managed to slice it as far as Starc, who took a good catch running from long-off.Mohit Sharma then got rid of Livingstone before Kuldeep sent back Jitesh, who was done in by a wrong’un. He then sent Patidar packing too while Nigam had Krunal as RCB lost the plot completely to slip to 125 for 7 in 17.1 overs. The two finished with combined figures of 8-0-35-4, bowling a total of 23 dot balls in their spell.That RCB reached 163 was down to Tim David’s late bash where he hit four sixes and two fours in the last two overs to finish unbeaten on 37 of 20 balls. It seemed they were a touch short, and Rahul made sure RCB were kept winless at home in IPL 2025.
Newcastle United are thought to be interested in completing the signing of an “exceptional” Premier League player in the summer transfer window.
Who are Newcastle being linked with this summer?
The Magpies continue to push for new signings all over the pitch, as Eddie Howe prepares for an exciting season back in the Champions League in 2025/26.
Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi is a long-time target and Newcastle are said to be among the favourites to snap him up this summer, with a move away from the Eagles arguably feeling more likely than ever.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehireacts after the match
Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford has also emerged as an audacious summer target, as the Magpies battle the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona for his signature. It feels highly likely that he will leave Old Trafford, with Ruben Amorim not considering him an important part of his plans.
Bryan Mbeumo has constantly been mentioned as the leading choice to bolster Newcastle’s right-hand side, but it looks as though the Brentford ace could be off to United or Tottenham instead. For that reason, Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert is reportedly being lined up as an alternative option.
Newcastle keen on "exceptional" Liverpool attacker Jota
According to a new claim that has emerged from Anfield Index, Newcastle are interested in signing Liverpool striker Diogo Jota this summer.
The Portuguese is considered a “potential attacking target” for the Magpies, with his future at Anfield up in the air, not least because the Reds have been linked with Alexander Isak, even holding talks with him over a move and remain in contact with the Newcastle star.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota
On £140,000-a-week, Jota is a top-quality player when fit and firing, with Jurgen Klopp making it clear what he thought of him during their time working together.
“Exceptional player, exceptional boy. He has everything that a Liverpool player in this squad needs. He has the technical skills, he has the physical skills and he is very smart and can learn all the tactical stuff pretty quick. On top of that, he can play all three positions; in a 4-2-3-1 he could play as the 10. So, it is very helpful. He has the speed, has the desire to finish situations off really good. I think his goalscoring record is pretty impressive.”
If Jota is potentially being seen as a replacement for Isak, though, it would be very risky, considering the Portugal international is an injury-prone player who was limited to only 14 starts in the Premier League last season.
He also turns 29 later this year, and the fact that Liverpool may be willing to sell him suggests that he could be past his peak, with his fitness woes catching up with him.
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ByRoss Kilvington Jun 16, 2025
If the Reds ace is brought in as a backup option to Isak, it is easy to see it being shrewd business, given Jota’s ruthlessness in front of goal, but he may not be considered a key starter for Howe.
According to a report by Football Insider, the Villans are under pressure to ‘sell a prize asset’ before 30 June to avoid breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules, claiming that Martínez is one of the most likely candidates to be sacrificed.
Well, there are plenty of suitors for the back-to-back Yashin Trophy winner.
Goal documents Manchester United’s interest, while The Telegraph claim that numerous Saudi Pro League clubs would be delighted to secure his signature.
Well, given, as noted by Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic, Martínez’s propensity to deliver ‘defining moments’ and ‘standout performances’, he will be a difficult man to replace, but have Aston Villa actually managed to identify an upgrade?
Aston Villa's first-choice Emi Martínez replacement
According to a report by John Townley for Birmingham Live, Aston Villa will ‘target’ a move to sign LOSC Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, should Martínez be sold.
Lucas Chevalier for LOSC Lille.
French publication L’Équipe has previously noted that newly-crowned European champions Paris Saint-Germain are tracking the 23-year-old, with TEAMtalk claiming that he is valued at just £34m by les Dogues.
Chevalier joined Lille as a 13-year-old, making 127 appearances for the senior team, conceding exactly 127 goals and keeping 44 clean sheets in this time.
So, could he soon be swapping Northern France for the English Midlands?
Why Lucas Chevalier would be an Emi Martínez upgrade
During his three seasons as Lille’s number one, Chevalier has earned countless rave reviews.
Alongside Rayan Cherki of Olympique Lyonnais, they were the only non-PSG players to feature in Ligue 1’s team of the season.
Meanwhile, following les Nordistes’ stunning 1-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in October, Joel Domenighetti of L’Équipe described Chevalier’s display as ‘exceptional’, while Nick Hartland of Get French Football News labels him ‘one of the breakout stars’ from this season’s competition.
Described as “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig, what makes him so good is that – in the words of Liam Tharme and Matt Pyzdrowski of the Athletic – he not only boasts ‘excellent reach’ and exceptional ‘handling’, but also that his ‘super-strength’ is his ‘accomplished’ in possession play.
Lucas Chevalier for Lille.
So, how did the young Frenchman compare to the man he could be replacing between the Villa Park posts this season?
The table makes for interesting reading, considering the duo played a near-identical number of minutes this season across their respective domestic leagues and the Champions League
Chevalier vs Martínez 2024/25 comparison
Statistics
Chevalier
Martínez
Appearances
48
49
Minutes
4,350
4,275
Goals conceded
53
57
Clean sheets
13
14
Post-shot xG – goals-conceded
+9.6
+4.7
Saves
123
144
Save %
74.9%
72.8%
% of crosses stopped
5.4%
11.3%
Ball recoveries
83
45
Errors leading to an opposition shot
4
8
Note: Martínez’s statistics are Premier League and Champions League only.
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and FBref.com
Across Europe’s top five leagues, the Frenchman ranks tenth for post-shot xG – goals conceded, while he is also 11th in this season’s Champions League for the same metric, a key figure as Lille upset the odds to finish seventh in the league phase.
Meantime, his save percentage ranks highly both domestically and in the Champions League, with his Ligue 1 figure of 74.6% a noteworthy amount higher than Martínez’s 69% in the Premier League.
This is not to denigrate Martínez in any way, given that former Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton believes the Argentine has been an “outstanding goalkeeper” and a “brilliant shot-stopper” since joining the club in 2020.
Nevertheless, if the Claret and Blue Army are able to sell the 32-year-old for a big fee and replace him with a 23 year old, this is surely an upgrade they should be looking to make.
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Glasgow Rangers and 49ers Enterprises could be a marriage made in heaven. Of course, things are still very much in the pre-wedding phase.
The club were crying out for new investment and this summer can see the beginning of a new era for the Light Blues. First of all, a permanent manager must be appointed, preferably sooner rather than later, especially given the size of the task at hand.
It remains to be seen just how big a budget the manager will be given this summer to improve the squad. It might be the case that he will have to sell a few players in order to raise funds and reduce the wage bill.
Vaclav Cerny, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, and Rafael Fernandes have all returned to their parent clubs following their respective loan spells at Ibrox.
Elsewhere, Ianis Hagi, Tom Lawrence, and Leon Balogun have all departed following the end of their contracts. Balogun and Hagi were both part of the squad that won the Premiership title in 2021.
A new era indeed. Regardless of who the new boss is, players such as Ben Davies and Kieran Dowell could be sold, especially after strong loan spells at Birmingham City.
Robin Propper must be another player who has to go this summer.
Why Rangers must sell Robin Propper
Last summer, Philippe Clement sought several signings that would turn his side from also-rans to title winners.
In came players such as Nedim Bajrami, Hamza Igamane, and Cerny, but it was the defence that the club really needed to strengthen.
Connor Goldson was sold after six years at Ibrox and a new centre-back was identified as being a priority for Clement ahead of the season.
This led to the Gers bringing in FC Twente captain Propper, who had made over 100 appearances for the Dutch side. On the surface, it looked like a shrewd signing, especially as the club paid just £1.5m to secure his signature.
After a few months, however, it was evident that the Dutchman was struggling to cope with the physicality of Scottish football. He was regularly being out-muscled and outfought by strikers of teams further down the table, while his lack of pace didn’t help either.
He delivered worse performances in the Europa League, and when compared to his positional peers in the competition, his statistics are poor to say the least.
Robin Propper’s stats in the Premiership this season (per 90)
Accurate passes
57.9
Tackles
1.6
Clearances
4
Total duels won
5.6
Possession lost
8.5
Balls recovered
3.3
Via Sofascore
Indeed, he ranks in the bottom 75% for pass completion percentage, progressive passes, progressive carries, and tackles per 90 in the Europa League. The defender just cracks the top 45% for blocks and clearances per 90 for the Light Blues.
While Rangers may have reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, they might have gone further had Propper not been part of the team.
He will turn 32 in September, and it is obvious that his best days are behind him, based on his disappointing performances for the Gers this season. Depending on the style of play of the new manager, Propper must surely be aiming to look for another team this summer.
With Balogun already departed and Ben Davies likely to be sold as well, signing a centre-back or two during the transfer window is imperative, and the arrival of a new one could result in Propper’s exit.
Could the 49ers turn to the Premier League to bring someone in?
Rangers eye swoop for Premier League defender
Last week, Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie delivered some transfer news on X surrounding the club’s interest in Ipswich Town centre-back Cameron Burgess.
He posted: “Rangers are interested in Ipswich defender Cameron Burgess as they seek to bolster their defence ahead of the new season.
“29-yo has played 18 times in the Premier League this season.”
The link certainly came out of the blue, but it was a welcome one. With Ipswich suffering relegation from the top flight, now could be the perfect time for the Gers to make a move for the Australian.
If so, the manager must axe Propper.
Why Rangers should sign Cameron Burgess
Across his 18 Premier League appearances for Ipswich Town this term, Burgess has won 3.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 68% – while also making an impressive 6.9 clearances and 0.9 tackles per game for the Tractor Boys.
It wasn’t enough to see them slip back into the second tier, but Burgess wasn’t the problem, far from it.
Burgess has showcased his talents when compared to other defenders in the Premier League, ranking in the top 21% for aerial duels won (2.57), the top 2% for clearances (7.48), and in the top 5% for percentage of dribblers tackled (81.8%) per 90 this season.
Scottish scout and analyst Kai Watson hailed the defender amid the links to Rangers, saying: “Cameron Burgess may not be the most exciting signing on paper but he’ll bring necessary experience to the back, particularly if Balogun departs.
“He’s 6’4, left sided, an Australian international and uses the ball well (Ipswich struggled to keep it which impacts his %s).”
As Watson mentions, Burgess uses the ball well at the back, but what Rangers need is a defender who is physically capable of getting the better of opposition forwards in the penalty area.
Too often have the club seen opposition players get plenty of time in the final third, which has given clubs such as Motherwell, St Mirren and Hibs chances to secure victory against the Glasgow side this season.
Propper was a big factor in some of these defeats. By signing Burgess, the Gers will be getting someone who is currently at the peak of their powers.
His contract expires in a couple of weeks, which means he won’t cost the Light Blues a single penny, making the move all the more attractive.
Perhaps not the big-name signing many of the supporters are hoping for, but the Australian would offer some solidity to a backline which has struggled throughout 2024/25.
He won’t demand a massive wage either. Everything points to this being a smart piece of business by the club; that much is certain.
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Arsenal are ready to sell an “exceptional” player, as he has now expressed a concrete interest in leaving this summer, according to a report.
Arteta blames red cards and injuries for lack of success
The Gunners managed to sign off on a high at the Emirates Stadium, securing a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United to secure Champions League football next season, but there will be major disappointment about the fact they have once again missed out on a trophy.
In the end, Liverpool ran away with the Premier League title, with Mikel Arteta’s side set to finish second for the third season on the spin, and there has been widespread debate about why they have been unable to get over the line.
Gary Neville has questioned the decision not to sign a striker, which means Mikel Merino has been leading the line since February, but Arteta has provided a different explanation for his side’s lack of success.
When asked why the north Londoners have come up short once again, the Spaniard told Sky Sports: “Red cards and injuries, for sure.”
“But without that, we don’t know what would have happened. “Would we have been much closer? For me, the answer is without a question, yes.”
Injuries have no doubt been a major issue for the Gunners, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel all spending prolonged periods on the sidelines, and the latter’s absence has meant an increase in game time for Jakub Kiwior.
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However, according to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Kiwior’s time at the Emirates Stadium could be coming to an end, with Arsenal now ready to cash-in on the defender for a fee of €35m (£29m) this summer.
There is widespread interest in the centre-back from Italy, with Napoli, AC Milan and Atalanta in the race, and the 25-year-old has now expressed a concrete interest in leaving.
"Exceptional" Kiwior impressing Arteta
Gabriel’s absence has not been ideal for the Gunners, with the Brazilian missing the Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals, but the Poland international was solid in both legs against Real Madrid, limiting the reigning European champions to just one goal.
Arteta has been left impressed by the back-up defender too, saying: “He deserves a lot of credit because he hasn’t played too much throughout many months. He has suddenly been thrown into the most difficult context playing at the highest level when you haven’t had the physical rhythm or confidence. He’s been exceptional.”
Most recently, the former Spezia man put in a commanding performance against Newcastle, achieving the highest SofaScore match rating of any player after making a number of important defensive contributions.
Jakub Kiwior
Performance vs Newcastle
Clearances
11
Interceptions
2
Blocked shots
2
Tackles
4
As such, it would be a bonus if Arsenal are able to retain Kiwior beyond the summer, but his recent performances mean they may be able to achieve a sizeable fee for the defender, and they should not stand in his way if he is eager to leave.