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A T20I win has been a long time coming for the team, and while Friday’s was far from perfect, it was a start – as their talismanic captain put it

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2023West Indies had not won any of their last 15 T20Is. Not even the one they tied in 20-overs because they lost that in a Super Over to New Zealand in October 2022. The last time they won a series was 18 months ago, in June 2021, when they beat Pakistan at home. Their only other bilateral triumph in the last four years came against Ireland. Since winning the T20 World Cup almost seven years ago, they have been defeated in 60% of the matches they’ve played.So when Hayley Matthews sliced her opposite number Laura Delany over cover for the four that completed a successful chase in their third T20 World Cup group match, she roared with the delight of someone who had done much more than simply keep a slim semi-final hope alive. She seemed to scream away the disappointments, the frustration and the burden she has carried since she was named Player of the Match in the final at Eden Gardens when West Indies beat Australia in 2016.Poetically, she had scored 66 that night, exactly the same number of runs as she did this night. West Indies are unlikely to challenge for the trophy but the role Matthews plays in the side remains unmatched. In the absence of Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin, who also contributed to the 2016 champion run, her worth to the side is amplified.Related

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Much like Bangladesh’s Nigar Sultana and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, Matthews often has to carry her team alone and, just as those two have said, she doesn’t mind. “As captain and one of the most experienced batters, I expect to go out there and take on a certain role and shoulder responsibility,” Matthews said after the win. “The last couple of games we’ve played it hasn’t worked but today I was able to execute.”In reality, it is more than just a couple. West Indies have lost to New Zealand, England, South Africa and India in the last six months, all by big margins, and talk of the decline of their women’s team remains rife. For Matthews that analysis needs contextualising. “We had a long run of games against opposition that were all ranked higher than us. And at the same time, we suffered so many injuries in every match. We were almost struggling for players.”Even for this game, West Indies were without Taylor, who was stretchered off the field on Wednesday with a recurrence of the back injury that had kept her out, and Chedean Nation, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury. On the back of losses to England and India, and against an Irish side well set on 72 for 1 after 11 overs, West Indies could easily have slipped up.That’s when Matthews showed her hand. She brought herself back on in the 12th over and even though it began expensively with a no-ball six, it seemed to have a calming effect on the side. In the next over, Shamilia Connell had Olga Prendergast caught at extra cover and triggered an Ireland collapse. They lost 8 for 46 and failed to reach 150, which would have been a competitive score, and West Indies believed the game was theirs to win. “If we could restrict them to under 140, we knew we’d be in a pretty good position,” Matthews said.She gave credit to offspinner Karishma Ramharack, who took 2 for 18 in her overs, and bowled the 14th and 16th overs in which she conceded just seven runs. “She held the team together when everything wasn’t going well, so kudos to her.”Exactly the same could be said about Matthews herself, although not without a little bit of luck. She was dropped on 8 at backward point and then called her ball-watching partner Rashada Williams through for a run that ended up in her dismissal. West Indies could have unravelled from there, and many times afterwards, but Matthews kept her cool. “We knew if we could carry one set batter to the end, we could get there,” she said.But it was only right at the end, when two more chances had been put down and another run-out effected, in the final over, that West Indies scraped over the line. It was error-ridden and unconvincing but that doesn’t matter to Matthews. “It’s good to get that win on the board,” she said. “Some people may say we should have won more convincingly against Ireland – not taking away from them but our standards are pretty high – but for us it’s about getting that first win. In sport, once you get the first win, it gets a bit easier to get the second and the third.”West Indies are now targeting a second win, over Pakistan on Sunday, to end the tournament with the knowledge that things have not slipped as severely as the statistics since the 2016 win suggests. “We’ve just got to keep believing. We knew England and India would be a challenge and these last two games would be a real test of where we are as a team,” Matthews said. “These two games are the two most important for us to leave this World Cup with some pride and some respect.”

Thrashed 7-1 away to Borussia Dortmund not too long ago, Scottish champions Celtic showcased their notable improvement on the Champions League stage after putting in a battling display at home to another Bundesliga giant, Bayern Munich, on Wednesday night.

While the 2-1 scoreline at Parkhead in favour of the visitors has ensured the Hoops face an uphill task trying to progress heading into next week’s second leg, there remains room for optimism. This Bayern side is not one to fear.

Yes, Vincent Kompany’s men are stacked with talent across the board, but the Old Firm outfit proved they can go toe to toe all over the pitch, with it taking a Michael Olise stunner and a clinical Harry Kane volley from a set-piece for the away side to power ahead.

Quite why Olise was allowed to cut inside onto his favoured left foot is a valid question. As too is why the “irrepressible” Kane – as hailed by journalist Alex Crook – was free at the back post.

Those may be the obvious negatives, yet with Daizen Maeda capping a strong finale by nodding Celtic back into the game – and the tie – Brendan Rodgers can certainly focus on the overwhelming positives ahead of next week’s trip to Bavaria.

Celtic's best performers vs Bayern

The obvious place to start would of course be with that man Maeda, with the Japanese sensation racking up his 22nd goal of the season – and his fourth in Europe – after turning home Yang Hyun-jun’s flick on to spark a frantic end to proceedings on the night.

While it had been a relatively quiet first hour or so on the left flank for the 27-year-old, he seemingly came alive after shifting into a more central role, having applied the pressure on both Eric Dier and Dayot Upamecano in his usual relentless manner.

Chalkboard

Elsewhere, despite conceding twice, the centre-back duo of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty can reflect on an encouraging outing on the big stage, with the pair – who both chalked up a 97% pass accuracy rate – looking relatively calm and composed, while shackling the aforementioned Kane for the large part of proceedings.

A word must also be said for another member of the backline, Alistair Johnston, with the Canadian hardly troubled down that right-hand side all night, having won ten of his 12 total duels, as well as providing an outlet in an attacking sense, after completing 100% of his attempted dribbles.

Stat

Player

Most touches

Trusty (110)

Most accurate passes

Upamecano (89)

Most key passes

Yang (3)

Most attempted crosses

Engels (10)

Most successful dribbles

Olise & Musiala (2)

Most shots on target

Olise (2)

Most duels won

Johnston (10)

Most possession lost

Engels (23x)

Ahead of the former Montreal man, it was also another quietly standout night for young Arne Engels, with the club-record signing proving that he’s at home against such a historic European outfit.

The Celtic star whose value is soaring

There’s a reason that Rodgers and Co forked out £11m to sign him over the summer. There’s a reason that at the age of just 21, he’s already chalked up four senior appearances for his country.

The Belgian is no doubt far from the “finished article” – as his manager stated earlier in the campaign – but he’s starting to flourish in the centre of the park, having looked remarkably comfortable up against Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka.

While he did lose possession on 23 occasions from his 60 touches, Engels was otherwise excellent on the night, racking up two key passes and completing 100% of his attempted dribbles, providing that real link between defence and attack. Indeed, it was the midfield man who teed up Nicolas Kuhn in the opening minute, while also picking out Reo Hatate with a driven pullback on the 50-minute mark.

Not only did the former FC Augsburg man regularly look to link up with Kuhn by bombing forward down the right channel, but he also put a shift in defensively, winning five out of six duels from his midfield berth.

It may still be early days – and no one will wish to see him depart – but young Engels looks like the type of talent who could one day be lining up in Europe’s top five leagues for a team like Bayern, with writer Ryan McGinlay even suggesting that the playmaker “belongs on this stage”.

That bright future in the game can also be seen by the fact that his value continues to soar, with CIES Football Observatory noting that he could now be worth as much as €28m (£23m), ensuring he is worth at least double what the Hoops raked in with the sale of Kyogo Furuhashi.

Celtic’s 85-goal marksman moved on to Rennes for a £10m fee during the January window, with both parties taking the bold move to separate midway through the season.

At the age of 30, such a price tag appeared fair value for the Japanese ace. For Engels, however, the signs already point to Celtic raking in a far heftier sum, in a similar vain to the sales of Jota, Matt O’Riley and Kieran Tierney.

At some stage, it would be no surprise to see the one-time Club Brugge starlet pulling on a Bayern shirt. In the meantime, however, he could be crucial in trying to topple Kompany and Co next week.

Rodgers must unleash Celtic star who could become their new Tony Watt

Celtic will need their new Tony Watt to overcome Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

2 ByDan Emery Feb 12, 2025

As the early February deadline starts to loom large, Ipswich Town will be scrambling about to make some last minute purchases before the transfer window officially slams shut.

Already, the relegation-threatened Tractor Boys have added in some notable additions to their ranks in the form of both Julio Enciso and Ben Godfrey joining on loan, whilst Jaden Philogene-Bidace also arrived from Aston Villa on a permanent deal worth a bumper £20m.

McKenna will hope this spending spree continues right up until the very end of the frantic window as the Suffolk side begin to be linked with this exciting youngster.

Ipswich lodge transfer enquiry

As per journalist Simon Phillips, Ipswich have asked Chelsea about the potential of taking on Carney Chukwuemeka as a bold new loan addition before the window closes, with those initial talks sparking off the back of the Blues being interested in Tractor Boys ace Liam Delap.

He further elaborates that Chukwuemeka is ‘not interested’ in relocating to Portman Road before the upcoming deadline, with other clubs in the form of Juventus, Porto and Everton all seeking out the 21-year-old’s signature too.

Ipswich will hope some movement can happen with this deal regardless of Chukwuemeka’s hesitancy to uproot to Suffolk, owing to the fact the newly promoted outfit have struck gold in the past with Chelsea youngsters.

After all, Omari Hutchinson wasn’t getting a look in whatsoever when on the books at Stamford Bridge, before then being given the platform to strut his stuff under McKenna.

Why Chukwuemeka could be Hutchinson 2.0

Indeed, Hutchinson was key to Ipswich unbelievably rising up to the Premier League at the end of last season, with the 21-year-old picking up plenty of goals and assists in the Championship.

By the close of the 2023/24 campaign, Hutchinson had amassed a mightily impressive ten goals and six assists for his new outfit in league action, after only being handed two senior opportunities back in West London.

He has also acclimatised to the Premier League well, with this stunner back in November helping his team clinch a share of the points against Manchester United.

Therefore, Chukwuemeka – who lined up alongside Hutchinson at youth level for Chelsea – could feel more appreciated at Ipswich if a move got off the ground, having been restricted to zero appearances this season in the top-flight.

Chukwuemeka’s career numbers – senior/youth
Club played for	Games played	Goals scored	Assists
Chelsea	32	2	1
Chelsea (U21s)	2	0	0
Aston Villa	16	0	1
Aston Villa (U21s)	29	3	5
Aston Villa (U18s)	26	10	8
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, he could explode into life being given more regular minutes at Portman Road with 48 senior appearances under his belt already at Chelsea and ex-employers Aston Villa, with a promising goal and assist count of three next to his name.

After all, whilst he was succeeding in the youth set-up at England with six goals picked up from 13 U19 caps, football talent scout Jacek Kulig would even label Chukwuemeka as a “superstar in the making”, with his development potentially being stunted at Chelsea now.

Capable of playing in a more traditional central capacity, or further forward as a number ten, McKenna would love to call Chukwuemeka his next signing during this chaotic window, with the 21-year-old offering the likes of Enciso and Conor Chaplin competition in that latter position, whilst further offering something fresh away from the more defensive faces of Sam Morsy and Jens Cajuste.

Ipswich could find it difficult to tempt the in-demand youngster to make the switch, but Chukwuemeka might well need a confidence boost after a testing season with the Blues to date like Hutchinson was gifted when relocating.

McKenna must ditch Ipswich promotion hero who earns more than Hutchinson

This Ipswich Town midfielder could soon be heading for the exit door.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 27, 2025

The theatre of the Premier League has produced spectacle upon spectacle over the past few years, with one intriguing contemporary plotline the disintegration of the ‘big six’.

Newcastle United were the torch-bearers in this regard, incredibly rising to a fourth-placed finish in 2022/23 to end an unchanging pattern at the top echelon of the division.

Since 2019/20, the so-called big six have only finished as the top six teams in the Premier League once, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change this term with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur foundering.

Newcastle were once in a position where they would simply have to concede their best players to such outfits, but now, things are different under Eddie Howe.

Newcastle looking to keep hold of Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak has been breathtaking this season, with his unrelenting output in front of goal leading Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher to hail him as “the best striker in the Premier League” in December.

Indeed, the 25-year-old has scored 17 goals, also assisting five more, in 24 matches across all competitions, though his overall play has drawn plaudits and differentiated him from the lion’s share of top marksmen.

If suitors – namely Arsenal – wish to secure his services, the Magpies will not enter the mere thought of negotiations unless their valuation, in excess of £150m, is met. This would make Isak the most expensive player in the history of British football.

There’s hope yet that he’ll remain on Tyneside for years to come, spearheading Newcastle’s golden age.

Isak isn’t the only Toon superstar attracting interest from clubs like Arsenal, however. The by-product of progress is being keenly felt at St. James’ Park.

Transfer Focus

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

Arsenal chasing another Newcastle star

As per David Ornstein, speaking on Sky Sports, Newcastle have got to deal with Arsenal interest in Anthony Gordon now as well, with the Gunners among the sizeable list of clubs who have a huge ‘admiration’ for the England winger.

Gordon won Newcastle’s Player of the Season award for 2023/24 and has been in fine fettle once more over the past few months, linking wonderfully with his striker as Howe continues to cultivate one of the most frightening and fluid frontlines in the Premier League.

While United will hope that Arsenal’s desperation for a new centre-forward could shift their attention away from Gordon, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on over the coming months, with the summer sure to present opportunities and obstacles from myriad angles.

Liverpool were involved in a brief transfer saga with Gordon in the summer and the 23-year-old was valued at £75m. As his stock continues to rise, Newcastle may well ask for even more.

Why Newcastle must keep Anthony Gordon

Newcastle signed Gordon in January 2023, Howe welcoming the 23-year-old into his brood for a £45m fee after he forced his way out of Everton.

After a slow start, Gordon has hit remarkable success and is comfortably one of the best left wingers in the Premier League, esteemed reporter Henry Winter saying he “scares defenders” and is “thrilling to watch.”

As per FBref, Gordon ranks among the top 15% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 20% for progressive carries per 90, perfectly illustrating his ability to drive forward and be productive in the situations he arrives at.

Such a versatile and distinctive threat is not easily replaced, and Newcastle bosses will surely realise that his sale to a Premier League rival could be every bit as detrimental as losing Isak in all his glory would be. There is a reason, after all, that they sold the likes of Yankuba Minteh and Elliott Anderson above him last summer amid PSR fears.

Below, you will see the collated statistics of Gordon and his teammate Jacob Murphy in the league this season. Murphy, 29, has been an industrious and creative servant on the right, but he simply doesn’t compare to his partner when considering the full scope of the job.

Matches (starts)

21 (20)

19 (15)

Goals

6

3

Assists

4

7

Shots (on target)*

2.2 (0.9)

1.3 (0.4)

Pass completion

79%

77%

Key passes*

2.2

1.2

Dribble (success)*

1.6 (51%)

0.6 (43%)

Ball recoveries*

3.5

2.5

Tackles + interceptions*

1.4

1.1

Total duels (won)*

5.1 (53%)

1.7 (37%)

Gordon is so much more than a final-third output, a conduit between team and goal-mouth, be that through playmaking means or his own ball-striking ability.

He is combative and charismatic on the field, a veritable battery down the left flank who charges Howe’s vision and ensures that Isak isn’t left with the weighty burden of being the only reliable attacking source.

Right winger

17

7

4

Left winger

6

0

1

Centre-forward

2

1

0

Moreover, Gordon is positionally dynamic, capable of serving across a range of focal roles to cover when players like his striker are absent, even showing aptitude on the right in an inverted wide role to mitigate Newcastle’s ongoing need for a new right winger.

These are attributes that have no doubt been featured during Arsenal pitches when Mikel Arteta and Co devise their plan of action over the coming years. Newcastle cannot let him leave.

Ultimately, though, Newcastle know that the calibre of their two finest forwards means that fierce speculation over their long-term future is part and parcel.

However, with Howe’s side on the brink of reaching the Carabao Cup final and in with a fantastic shout for a qualification route into next season’s Champions League, such players have everything that they need and more for a prosperous Tyneside future.

One thing’s for certain: losing either Gordon or Isak to a rival like Arsenal would be a severe blow to the club’s ambitions.

Dream Isak replacement: Newcastle weigh up bid for "extraordinary" striker

Newcastle could sign an “extraordinary” £67m ace to replace Isak long term

ByConnor Holden Jan 22, 2025

Nottingham Forest are blessed with quality in attacking areas, and it has helped them in their remarkable push for a Champions League spot come the end of the 2024/25 campaign. Chris Wood has been the star of the show, with 14 goals and two assists in all competitions in Garibaldi Red this term.

There have been three other standouts in attack. One of those players is Morgan Gibbs-White, who has four goals and four assists across all competitions this season. Anthony Elanga has performed superbly, with eight goal involvements, and Callum Hudson-Odoi has five goals and assists to his name.

So, to see Forest targeting another two attackers is quite a scary thought for the rest of the Premier League.

Forest’s two attacking targets

It seems like there are two attacking target Forest have before the transfer window slams shut on the 3rd of February. One of those is Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha. According to the Mail, it would cost £70m to sign him this winter.

The Brazilian, who earns £60k-per-week at Molineux, has been fantastic this season, despite Wolves struggling in the relegation zone. In 22 top-flight games this term, he has ten goals and four assists, which would really add to the firepower up front for Forest.

The other target for the East Midlands side is Brentford’s Yoane Wissa. According to Football Insider, the attacker was subject to a bid of £22m last week, but the Bees could be braced for another offer even though they don’t want to sell him.

Like Cunha, it has been an impressive campaign for Wissa this term. The Bees attacker, who earns £25k-per-week, according to Capology, has 11 goals and two assists in 20 Premier League games.

That includes one goal and one assist in the opening day 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. Those goals would certainly supplement Wood’s contribution.

Depending on if Forest get one, or both of these deals done, it might mean they have to make some room in the wage budget. That might mean ditching someone from the squad, with James Ward-Prowse someone who earns a lot of money.

James Ward-Prowse's wage at Forest

Forest brought Ward-Prowse into the club from West Ham United on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day last summer. There was no option or obligation to make the move permanent, which is something Forest might be glad about.

It is fair to say that the England international has not been in favour this season under Nuno Espirito Santo. He has played just 12 games in all competitions, featuring for 483 minutes in that time, the equivalent of 5.3 full 90-minute games.

He has registered one assist, in the 3-0 win away to Wolves, selflessly squaring the ball to Taiwo Awoniyi.

It is perhaps a surprise that Ward-Prowse cannot get many opportunities in the Forest side when he is such a deadly set-piece taker.

In fact, Jamie Carragher went as far as saying last season he is “arguably the best in the Premier League” at that particular skill. His deliveries could be a dangerous combination with the likes of Wood and defender Murillo.

The former Southampton star is actually the highest earner at the City Ground. He is on more than Cunha and Wissa combined, earning a whopping £115k-per-week, which equates to £5.98m per year.

Forest top 5 highest pay brackets

Wage (per week)

Player(s)

£115k

James Ward-Prowse

£105k

Nikola Milenkovic

£80k

Chris Wood, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Morgan Gibbs-White

£75k

Ibrahim Sangare

£50k

Neco Williams, Taiwo Awoniyi

Figures via Football FanCast

Given the amount of money Ward-Prowse is on, it might be in Forest’s interest to cancel his loan deal to make room for some potential incomings. With the amount he is earning, there is certainly scope to bring both the Wolves and Brentford attackers if they do end his loan early, which might well help with their push for Champions League football.

If that is a decision Forest take, it might revolutionise their side in attack even more, and help secure them a top-four finish.

Related Nuno already has Nottingham Forest's answer to Cunha in £60m "magician"

Nottingham Forest may not actually have a need for Wolves star Matheus Cunha.

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Jan 23, 2025

Graduate of ACE programme among final tranche of signings ahead of August tournament

Matt Roller07-Jul-2022

Davina Perrin, in action for South East Stars, has been signed by Birmingham Phoenix•Getty Images

Davina Perrin, a 15-year-old batter who is a member of the ACE elite programme, will become the youngest player involved in the Hundred this summer after signing for Birmingham Phoenix.Perrin was part of the Central Sparks team that reached the final of the Charlotte Edwards Cup this year and has been involved in Ebony Rainford-Brent’s ACE (African-Caribbean Engagement) programme since its roll-out in the West Midlands.”It’s a dream come true to have signed for Birmingham Phoenix this summer,” Perrin said. “To have the opportunity to train and potentially play alongside the likes of Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine and Amy Jones is amazing and I can’t wait to get going.”Perrin was among a number of women’s signings confirmed on Thursday as teams finalised their squads for the second season of the Hundred. Mahika Gaur, a 16-year-old seamer who has represented the UAE in 14 T20Is, has signed for Manchester Originals, while Natasha Wraith, Nancy Harman and Grace Ballinger will all join London Spirit.Elsewhere, Beth Harmer and Rachel Slater have signed for Northern Superchargers while South East Stars’ Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Kirstie White have joined Oval Invincibles, White as a replacement for the injured Tash Farrant. Trent Rockets have re-signed Ella Claridge and signed Emma Marlow, the Northern Diamonds allrounder, to complete their squad.”Today is a really exciting moment as we confirm the squads for the second year of the Hundred,” Sanjay Patel, the tournament’s managing director, said. “It’s great to see players like Richard Gleeson and George Scrimshaw being rewarded for impressive performances in the Vitality Blast, while we’ve got some exciting youngsters joining the women’s competition with the likes of Davina Perrin and Mahika Gaur being signed up.”The men’s Hundred starts on August 3, when defending champions Southern Brave play Welsh Fire, while the women’s competition starts on August 11, after the T20 competition at the Commonwealth Games is complete.

New Zealand’s men’s team will play England in a day-night Test in Mount Maunganui, host a limited-overs visit by India, and be part of a T20I tri-series involving Bangladesh and Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup as part of their 2022-23 home season.Sri Lanka will also arrive for an all-format tour which includes two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is while the New Zealand women’s team will host Bangladesh for ODIs and T20Is in December ahead of their T20 World Cup in South Africa early next year.The floodlit Test at Bay Oval from February 16-20, 2023, will be the second time New Zealand have hosted under lights following the 2017-18 meeting with England at Eden Park which saw the visitors bundle out for 58 in 20.4 overs by Trent Boult and Tim Southee.That is the first of four home Tests in the season with the second against England at Wellington from February 24-28 followed by the two matches against Sri Lanka in Christchurch (March 9-13) and Wellington (March 17-21).New Zealand’s season gets underway with a T20I tri-series that will involve Bangladesh and Pakistan to provide preparation for the T20 World Cup in Australia. The entire tournament will be staged in Christchurch from October 7-14.Following the World Cup, India will come across the Tasman for three T20Is and three ODIs from November 18-30.The men’s team will then be overseas during December and January on tours of Pakistan and India before returning for the latter part of their home summer which draws to a close on April 8 with the final T20I against Sri Lanka. It is again likely that the white-ball matches towards the end of the season will clash with the IPL.The women’s team will play three T20Is and three ODIs against Bangladesh during December. They will then be in South Africa during February for the T20 World Cup.

It is indisputable that Rodri’s ACL rupture, suffered against Arsenal in late September, is the primary factor behind Manchester City’s decline in form.

Prior to this, the Sky Blues won four of four Premier League matches; subsequently, they’ve won only five of 15, including just two of the last ten.

Filling the void vacated by the current Ballon d’Or holder was never going to be straightforward, but do Man City already boast a perfect Rodri deputy on their books?

And no, it isn’t Kalvin Phillips…

Kalvin Phillips' failed Manchester City career

At the moment, Mateo Kovačić and İlkay Gündoğan are being tasked with deputising for Rodri, given that Man City do not have an obvious back-up in their squad, with Pep Guardiola calling the Spaniard “irreplaceable”.

Well, that’s because Kalvin Phillips is currently out on loan at Ipswich Town.

Phillips joined the champions from Leeds for £42m in 2022, having shone for his boyhood club, but fair to say this transfer has been a complete catastrophe for both player and club.

During his first season with the Citizens, Phillips saw just 595 minutes of action, thereby featuring in a miserly 10.8% of all of Man City’s minutes, despite the fact they played 61 games across all competitions, winning the treble.

Then, after making only ten appearances, totalling 319 minutes, during the first half of last season, he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at West Ham, but this didn’t go to plan either, giving away a goal a couple of minutes into his debut against Bournemouth before being sent off at Nottingham Forest a few weeks later and largely warming the Hammers bench thereafter.

Having most recently featured for Man City against Urawa Red Diamonds in December 2023, Phillips was loaned out to Ipswich for this season, but has failed to cement a regular starting spot, starting against Arsenal on Friday night, but this was the first time he’d been included in the lineup since a red card against Leicester all the way back in early-November.

Put succinctly, Phillips is not the future of Man City’s midfield, but might Máximo Perrone be?

Máximo Perrone could be Man City's next midfield maestro

Máximo Perrone joined Manchester City from Vélez Sarsfield for a fee of around £8.2m.

Despite the fact this move was made two years ago, chances are you’ve never heard of him, which is fair enough, considering he’s made just two appearances for the Sky Blues, coming off the bench for a two-minute cameo against Bristol City in an FA Cup tie, having featured for 18 minutes at Bournemouth three days earlier, both back in February 2023.

Thus, the 21-year-old spent last season on loan at La Liga side Las Palmas, a regular starter as los Amarillos avoided relegation, before being loaned out again this season, joining Serie A outfit Como this time.

Having started each of I Lariani’s first nine matches this season, he has not featured since 25 October, with manager Cesc Fàbregas stating he “has a hematoma in his thigh”, expecting he will be back in mid-January.

Perrone’s first goal in Sky Blue came during a pre-season friendly defeat to Celtic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina back in July, and he is certainly in Man City’s long-term plans, with analyst Ben Mattinson declaring him the “ideal Rodri back-up”, so how do the two compare?

Rodri vs Máximo Perrone comparison (23/24 & 24/25)

Statistic

Rodri

Perrone

Appearances

48

31

Minutes

4,167

1,689

Passes attempted

4,588

1,311

Pass completion %

91.9%

90.1%

Short pass completion %

94.1%

93.1%

Tackles

84

42

Interceptions

34

24

Touches

4,977

1,492

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

Of course, as the data underlines, Perrone has a long way to go to be as good as Rodri, but there are some stylistic similarities, specifically their pass completion, as well as the fact that a very high proportion of their passes are played short.

Given that the two teams Perrone has played for, Las Palmas and Como, are battling against relegation, it’s no surprise that his total touches are substantially lower, but that does not mean he could not slot into a Guardiola team.

So, perhaps Perrone could be just who Man City are looking for heading into 2025; he can’t possibly fit in any worse than Phillips!

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Newcastle would be open to selling Bruno Guimaraes if they fail to finish in the top four, with Barcelona ready to pounce on the opportunity.

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Guimaraes on Barca's shortlist for this summerCould sign him for cut-price deal Newcastle would be open to sell Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report from Diario AS, Newcastle United have decided to sell midfielder Bruno Guimaraes for a cut-price deal next summer, with Barcelona joining Premier League giants Arsenal in the race to acquire the player's services this summer.

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The potential arrival of Guimaraes at Barcelona, per the report, is directly linked to the future of Frenkie de Jong at the club. The Catalans boast an abundance of talent in midfield, featuring players like De Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Marc Casado, and the sidelined Marc Bernal. They don't exactly need a defensive midfielder like Guimaraes, but things could change should De Jong not renew his contract and depart this summer amid rumours that Arsenal are targeting the Dutchman.

DID YOU KNOW?

Guimaraes has been frequently linked with a move to one of the bigger teams in the Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester United reported to be interested in the Brazil international. If the Magpies do not qualify for next season's Champions League, they will let Guimaraes leave for a fee of around £60 million (€71m).

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BRUNO GUIMARAES?

Guimaraes will next be seen in action on Sunday, when Newcastle take on Liverpool in a mouth-watering EFL Cup final. Eddie Howe's men are currently in sixth position in the Premier League, just four points below the top four.

Arsenal made sure their draw with Fulham on Sunday afternoon was not the start of a poor run with a comfortable win over AS Monaco in the Champions League last night.

Mikel Arteta’s side weren’t at their very best, but a clinical showing from Bukayo Saka and some professional performances from much of the team saw them pick up all three points and all but guarantee their progress to the next round.

However, while most of the Gunners’ team could pat themselves on the back for a job well done, a few flattered to deceive.

In fact, one of the players was so poor and has been for some time now that he could be turning into another Mesut Ozil-esque situation for the manager.

Mesut Ozil's Arsenal career

When it comes to memorable Arsenal transfers over the years, there are few, if any, that top Ozil’s move to the Emirates on deadline day 2013.

The German international joined the club from Spanish giants Real Madrid for a club record £42.4m and immediately hit the ground running, providing an assist for Olivier Giroud in his first game away to Sunderland.

Over the next few seasons, the “fantastic” sensation, as dubbed by Ian Wright, proved to be worth every penny as he wowed fans and rivals alike with his mercurial ability to find practically anyone anywhere on the pitch with a single sublime pass.

The former Schalke gem racked up a brilliant tally of 44 goals and 75 assists in 254 appearances for the club and played a significant role in three of the four FA Cup triumphs while he was in North London, but things did not end well.

After he signed a mammoth £350k-per-week contract in early 2018, his performances began to drop, and by the time Arteta was appointed manager in December 2019, it was clear that his lack of intensity and effort off the ball meant he had no future in N5.

However, due to his rapid decline and lofty wages, it was a nightmare to move him on, and the club eventually had to cancel his contract entirely so that he could move to Turkish giants Fenerbahçe.

In all, while Ozil was an arguably world-class talent for much of his Arsenal career, his form fell off a cliff in the later years, and he became an incredibly expensive burden, which could be happening to a player in the squad today.

Chalkboard

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

The Arsenal player who could be Arteta's new Ozil

So, to get straight to the point, the player in question is the incredibly gifted Gabriel Jesus, and there are two key reasons why.

The first is that, like Ozil, the former Manchester City star hit the ground running following his £45m transfer in the 22/23 season, racking up an impressive tally of five goals and providing five assists in 16 league games prior to the World Cup break, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.6 games.

However, the Brazilian international suffered a severe knee injury in Qatar and had to undergo surgery, which kept him out of action until mid-March, after which he looked notably less nimble and generally less of a threat.

Last season wasn’t dreadful for the Sao Paulo-born forward, but eight goals and eight assists in 36 appearances was not enough to stop Kai Havertz from taking his place as the team’s starting number nine, and based on his performances this season, it doesn’t look like he’s ever going to get it back.

In 19 appearances, the “frustrating” striker, as dubbed by Micah Richards, has scored one goal and provided two assists.

Appearances

33

36

19

Minutes

2347′

1910′

684′

Goals

11

8

1

Assists

7

8

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.54

0.44

0.15

Minutes per Goal Involvement

130.38′

119.37′

228′

Moreover, last night perfectly encapsulates why he’s becoming an issue for the manager.

While he provided the assist for Saka’s opener, the 27-year-old was also incredibly wasteful in front of goal, missing two big chances and taking just 23 touches, which more than justified the 5/10 match rating he received from journalist Kaya Kaynak.

So, like the German superstar, Jesus has gone from an essential member of the first team to someone unable to meaningfully contribute at all, and on top of that, he also costs the club a fortune, thanks to the enormous £265k-per-week contract he agreed to in 2022.

Lastly, it also seems like it will be a serious challenge to move the former City ace on in 2025, as his wages, injury history, and dreadful form do not make him a desirable proposition to the sort of clubs he’d be happy to join.

Ultimately, Jesus is an undeniably talented footballer, but like Ozil before him, he’s hit the end of the road at Arsenal, and at this point, it looks like the best option for all parties would be to move him on – if that is even possible.

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