Tag Futebol

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is under plenty of external pressure after a difficult start to his time in the dugout at Ibrox this season, with some noticeable booing and chanting at recent games.

The former Southampton boss has failed to win any of his four Scottish Premiership matches in charge of the Light Blues so far, and failed to qualify for the league phase of the Champions League, losing 9-1 to Club Brugge on aggregate.

There is still plenty of time left to see how things pan out, though, because he had 12 summer signings and it will take time to assess whether they were strong additions or not.

Summer transfer windows can make or break managers, as former Rangers head coach Michael Beale found out in the harshest way in 2023.

Michael Beale's worst Rangers deals

Beale signed eight players on permanent deals in the summer of 2023. Jack Butland is the only one of those eight players who started the club’s most recent game against Celtic.

Danilo was signed for £6m from Feyenoord and he has only scored nine goals in 39 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, missing 53 matches through injury in that time, per Transfermarkt.

Sam Lammers arrived from Atalanta for a fee of £3m in the same window. He scored two goals in 31 games for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, before being sold to FC Twente last year.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

As well as making poor signings, Beale also allowed several quality players to leave the club that summer, including electric forward Ryan Kent.

Michael Beale had a howler with Ryan Kent

Despite working with the English winger as Steven Gerrard’s assistant in the past, Beale was unable to get the best out of the former Liverpool man at Ibrox as the head coach.

Kent played 22 times for the English tactician in all competitions in his last season in Glasgow, but only found the back of the net twice in that time, per Transfermarkt.

The left winger was once described as the “Mbappe of Scottish football” by Specs Gonzalez, whilst speaking on Sky Sports, but he was anything but Mbappe-esque under Beale.

Appearances

22

196

Goals

2

31

Games per goal

11

6.32

Assists

4

52

Games per assist

5.5

3.76

As you can see in the table above, Kent was far more prolific and creative throughout his Rangers career without Beale as his head coach, his output with and without him makes that very clear.

IbroxNoise noted at the time that the English forward’s decline under the former assistant manager was because the system being deployed meant that he had to play as a number ten rather than as a winger.

If asked to picture a Ryan Kent goal or assist for Rangers, most supporters would likely picture him on the left flank, cutting in or getting to the byline. The former being what happened in the clip above.

Beale’s wingerless system did him no favours and that was why it was not a surprise when the forward decided to let his contract run down in the summer of 2023, rather than committing his future to the club with his former Liverpool academy coach in charge.

This meant that Rangers lost Kent, a player once compared to Mbappe, for nothing that summer because their manager did not play a system that got the best out of him.

Instead, Beale played a system that attempted to accomodate the three central players he signed, Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, and Lammers. Only one of those three players remains at Ibrox, Danilo, and he looks set to be a back-up to Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti this season.

Rangers must rue losing star who's worth millions more than Chermiti

Rangers must rue losing this “incredible” star who would now be their most valuable player.

ByDan Emery Sep 6, 2025

Therefore, Beale had a howler with Kent because he did not find a way to get the best out of a player who could have been a huge threat for his side down the left flank, given his return of goals and assists in his career at Rangers prior to the manager’s appointment.

Things are looking up for Wolverhampton Wanderers. With deadline day approaching, they look set to keep hold of Jorgen Strand Larsen and have now reportedly set their sights on a new midfield target.

Wolves' late transfer plans

Despite already signing Fer Lopez, Ladislav Krejci, Jhon Arias, Jackson Tchatchoua and David Miller Wolfe this summer, Wolves are still reportedly eyeing a late spending spree. With Fabio Silva on his way to Borussia Dortmund, there’s suddenly space in Vitor Pereira’s side for another attacking reinforcement and, as such, Tolu Arokodare has emerged as a serious option.

Whether Newcastle United’s decision to pursue Nick Woltemade instead of Strand Larsen changes the urgency of those in the Midlands is the question that needs answering, but reports have always indicated that Arokodare is seen as a replacement for Silva and not for the Norwegian.

In an ideal world, by the time the deadline passes, Wolves will have two very talented strikers at their disposal and ready to fire Pereira’s side to Premier League safety.

Wolves now eyeing late move to sign another "superb" striker with Arokodare

The Midlands club could be forced to replace Strand Larsen.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 28, 2025

The manager recently had his say on Strand Larsen and will be among those relieved that Newcastle decided to look elsewhere. He told reporters following Wolves’ 3-2 Carabao Cup win against West Ham United in midweek: “If it’s my decision, of course [Strand-Larsen stays]. Of course. Because he’s a very important player. It’s not only about the technical and tactical, it’s about the character. He’s a player with character.”

Meanwhile, it’s not just the striker department that could receive a major boost before the end of the transfer window. Reports are now suggesting that Wolves are eyeing a last-gasp midfield move.

Wolves submit Hackney offer

According to Football League World, Wolves have now submitted a bid worth £30m to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough. The Championship star has been linked with a move away from the club all summer long, with interest from Ipswich Town and Wolves’ rivals, West Bromwich Albion emerging.

Now, it could be Wolves who secure his signature in what would be a deserved move. The 23-year-old has enjoyed an impressive rise at Boro and, in truth, has had the quality to step into the Premier League for at least two seasons. Compared to both Andre and Joao Gomes, it’s clear that Hackney would push all the way for a starting place at Molineux.

Minutes

2,472

2,974

3,792

Progressive Passes

109

165

440

Tackles Won

55

71

56

Ball Recoveries

194

200

281

Described as “excellent” earlier this season by manager Rob Edwards, Hackeny has simply picked up where he left off in the last campaign. The midfield star is an incredibly talented ball progressor and combines that ability with his knack for winning possession back for his side – two traits that could make all the difference for Wolves in their bid to survive.

Crystal Palace fans must be waiting with bated breath right now, as last-minute transfer developments continue to filter out of Selhurst Park.

Eberechi Eze has already heartbreakingly left East London behind, with Marc Guehi perhaps the next high-profile departee, as his much-talked-about switch to Liverpool remains up in the air.

If Guehi were to go, it doesn’t have to be all bad news, with the Eagles now looking to rekindle their interest in a defensive titan just in time before 7pm’s cut-off.

Crystal Palace rekindle interest in £40m star

Oliver Glasner’s Eagles already look to have defensive recruits in mind, with Igor Julio expected to leave Brighton and Hove Albion behind to join the Seagulls’ Premier League arch rivals on a loan basis before the window slams shut.

He could be joined through the door by past Palace target Strahinja Pavlović, with Sky Sports, via Ed Aarons reporting that the AC Milan colossus remains the Eagles’ number one target at the back, having looked at the Serbian in January.

However, the £40m-rated centre-back was deemed too costly at the time, with a deal also looking difficult to execute in the here and now.

Yet, if Guehi were to finally uproot to Anfield, that might well accelerate this move forward.

Therefore, Pavlović swapping Italy for England at the final hour could be a move to keep an eye out on, with the Premier League side winning a dream replacement for their 6-foot titan in the process.

How Pavlovic can be a dream Guehi replacement

After all, if Guehi were to relocate to Arne Slot’s Reds shortly, he has at least exited Glasner’s Eagles on the best possible note, having caressed this effort home versus Aston Villa to secure a farewell 3-0 win.

Away from that moment of individual brilliance, Guehi has also been rock solid at the start of the 2025/26 campaign, with the captain leading by example when collecting two clean sheets from his side’s opening three league clashes, with an imposing four duels won on average.

Palace’s deadline day target is also well known for being commanding in the air – as seen in this fierce header cannoning in at the back-end of the last Serie A campaign – with former Rossoneri icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic even going as far as to laud Pavlović as a “beast” in this department.

But, the 24-year-old is far from being a one-trick pony, even if he has also been heralded as a “warrior” by national team manager Dragan Stojkovic for his gritty approach, with his calm ability on the ball making him even more of a readymade replacement for Guehi.

Pavlovic in Serie A vs Guehi in PL (24/25)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Pavlovic

Guehi

Games played

24

34

Goals scored

2

3

Assists

1

2

Touches*

67.8

64.9

Accurate passes*

50.0 (89%)

43.1 (84%)

Total duels won*

5.0

4.9

Clean sheets

7

11

Stats by Sofascore

Amazingly, Pavlovic actually bettered Guehi’s pass accuracy average last season in the hustle and bustle of Serie A action, with plenty of promising signs evident to suggest that the Serbian could fill the void left behind by the 25-year-old effectively.

It might just be too little too late for Palace if they want to get a statement deal over the line before 7pm, as Guehi’s switch to Liverpool perhaps goes down to the wire.

But, developments can suddenly spark into life on such a chaotic day, with Palace winning themselves a top deal at the death if Pavlovic does promptly swap Milan for London.

Related Better deal than Uche: PL "animal" in medical ahead of Crystal Palace move

Crystal Palace look set to win the services of another star on deadline day, away from their pursuit of Christantus Uche.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2025

Chittagong have moved up to second spot after a good run of results in Sylhet, but there is a muddle in the middle of the points table

Mohammad Isam14-Jan-2025Rangpur Riders have been in top form for a second week in a row in BPL 2024-25, stretching their winning run to seven out of seven to get to within striking distance of the playoffs. And they have made it fun – both their wins in the Sylhet leg over the past week have been last-over affairs, one of them a last-baller.Against Fortune Barishal, their captain Nurul Hasan smashed 30 runs in the last over off Kyle Mayers for a three-wicket win. Then it was the turn of their fielders and bowlers to make a late turnaround against Khulna Tigers, as they picked up three wickets in the last over, bowled by Mohammad Saifuddin, to win by eight runs.Like Rangpur, Chittagong Kings also won both their outings in Sylhet, beating Dhaka Capitals and Sylhet Strikers quite comfortably. Dhaka and Sylhet also opened their accounts in the competition, while Durbar Rajshahi also won one game in the Sylhet leg.Best batter – Usman KhanNurul’s heist against Barishal was one of many batting highlights of the past week.Zakir Hasan and Usman Khan struck two half-centuries each. Litton Das scored a 73 and his maiden T20 century, a 125 not out, with Tanzid Hasan scoring 108 alongside Litton in that game against Rajshahi as the two put on 241 for the first wicket.Unfortunately for Litton, the sudden burst in form came a tad late as he was dropped from Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy squad – he scored the century in the evening after the squad had been announced in the afternoon.Usman Khan has been key to Chittagong Kings’ recent success•Chittagong KingsUsman dominated the powerplay in both of Chittagong’s wins, putting together good partnerships as well in the process. Coming into the week after slamming 123 in 62 balls in Chittagong’s 105-run win over Rajshahi, Usman hit 55 in 33 balls against Dhaka and then 53 in 35 balls against Sylhet, when they won by 30 runs. Indeed, his form, and that of the other batters like Graham Clark and Haider Ali and Shamim Hossain has been central to Chittagong’s recent surge.Best bowler – Mohammad SaifuddinThere were no big hauls by any of the bowlers this week, but plenty of them made telling contributions.Khaled Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim did well in Chittagong’s two wins. Akif Javed also bowled a match-winning spell, taking three wickets in Rangpur’s win over Khulna. Rahkeem Cornwall, meanwhile, was the only spinner to take a three-for this week, setting up Sylhet’s win over Dhaka.The performance that stood out, though, was Saifuddin’s superb last over against Khulna. Khulna needed 12 runs off the six balls, and though they were six down at the start of the over, were favourites to pull it off.Saifuddin stuck to yorkers, started the over with two dot balls, then bowled a wide, but then Rangpur got three wickets in three balls as panic set in the Khulna camp. Mohammad Nawaz and Nasum Ahmed were run out off consecutive balls, and Saifuddin then got rid of Abu Hider, before giving away one run off the final ball.Litton Das has found form, but not soon enough to get in the Champions Trophy squad•Dhaka CapitalsUnusual playsNurul became only the second batter to hit 30 runs in the last over of a T20 match, and the 30 runs Rangpur got ranked third in the list of most runs scored off the last over of a men’s T20 game.Sabbir Rahman, meanwhile, scored his first BPL half-century in five years, hitting 82 not out off 33 balls with nine sixes and three fours. But it wasn’t enough as Chittagong won that game against Dhaka.Litton scored his first T20 century in his 227th match in the format.Tale of the tableRangpur are the clear leaders. Chittagong have been the surprise package, now in second position with six points from four games. Barishal, who came into the tournament as one of the favourites, are in third place, also with six points but they have played one game more than Chittagong. Khulna, Sylhet and Rajshahi will have to battle hard for the fourth playoffs spot, but Dhaka, with one win in seven matches, will have to make a big, late charge to be in with a chance.

It’s a massively exciting time to be a Nottingham Forest fan at the moment.

Nuno Espírito Santo has transformed a side that looked destined for relegation scrap after relegation scrap into a top Premier League side, one that’ll be playing in the Europa League this season.

While there are stars all across the team, from Matz Sels between the sticks to Chris Wood up top, the star of the team is undoubtedly Morgan Gibbs-White.

The England international is often at the heart of everything the Tricky Trees do in attack, so fans should be excited about reports linking them to a midfielder who’s won recent comparisons to him.

Forest target the new Gibbs-White

While Forest haven’t been as busy this summer as they’ve been in the past, they’ve still brought in several exciting additions to Nuno’s side.

Transfer Focus

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

Dan Ndoye, for example, scored nine goals and provided six assists for Bologna last season; Igor Jesus produced ten goal involvements in 29 games for Botafogo, and Jair Cunha looks like a promising pickup at the back.

However, with the window not closing until the start of next month, the Garibaldi appear determined to complete at least one more signing and bring in a player who’s been compared to Gibbs-White.

At least that is according to a recent report from the Daily Mail, which has claimed that Forest are one of several sides interested in Facundo Buonanotte.

Alongside the Tricky Trees, the report has revealed that West Ham United, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund have all shown an interest in the 20-year-old gem.

The good news is that Brighton & Hove Albion are happy to let the Argentine leave for a Premier League side this summer, but the bad news is that they want him to go on loan, although stories from earlier this summer suggested that the Seagulls could be willing to sell for around £30m.

Regardless of how Forest go about it, they should do what they can to sign Buonanotte this summer, as he’s a seriously exciting player and could become the new Gibbs-White.

How Buonanotte compares to Gibbs-White

In this instance, the comparison between Buonanotte and Gibbs-White stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions from Europe’s top five leagues and concluded that the Forest ace has been the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the 20-year-old over the last 365 days.

We can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by examining the underlying metrics in which the pair ranks closely.

In this case, these include statistics such as non-penalty expected goals, expected assists, progressive carries, key passes, interceptions, clearances and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.23

0.20

Expected Assists

0.14

0.15

Progressive Carries

2.31

2.22

Shots on Target

0.71

0.67

Passing Accuracy

76.4%

78.3%

Key Passes

1.42

1.64

Interceptions

0.71

0.74

Clearances

0.83

0.93

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.53

0.42

These key numbers help to paint the young Argentine as a midfielder who could match the Englishman when it comes to attacking output, while also being able to chip in with some of the defensive work he’d need to do in a Nuno system.

It’s not just their underlying numbers that are surprisingly similar, though.

For example, in his 3142 minutes of first-team football for last season, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star scored seven goals and provided ten assists, which comes out as an average of a goal involvement every 184.82 minutes.

For his efforts, the Brighton “magician,” as he was dubbed by Rising Star XI on X, scored six goals and provided three assists in just 1701 minutes of football for Leicester City last season, which, amazingly, comes out as an average of a goal involvement every 189 minutes.

Ultimately, while fans probably shouldn’t expect Buonanotte to be on the same level as Gibbs-White right away, it does seem like he’s not too far off.

Therefore, even if it has to be on loan to begin with, Forest should be doing all they can to sign the 20-year-old dynamo this summer.

A dream for McAtee: Nottingham Forest plot swoop for "explosive" £40m star

The promising talent would be an excellent signing for Nottingham Forest.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 12, 2025

تعادل فريق نادي الجونة أمام الزمالك، بهدف قاتل، في المباراة الجارية بينهما، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدروي المصري الممتاز، على ملعب استاد القاهرة.

ويتواجه الزمالك مع الجونة، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الثامنة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وسجل هدف الجونة الأول والتعادل أمام الزمالك، لاعبه محمد عماد بتسديدة قوية من على حدود منطقة الجزاء بعد هجمة منظمة، ذلك في الدقيقة 86. هدف الجونة الأول أمام الزمالك

طالع.. فيديو | عدي الدباغ يسجل هدف الزمالك الأول أمام الجونة

وكان نادي الزمالك تقدم في الدقيقة 27 عن طريق الفلسطيني عدي الدباغ، بمتابعة لكرة عرضية مرسلة إلى داخل منطقة الجزاء.

تعرض لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، أحمد سيد زيزو، للإصابة خلال المباراة الجارية حاليًا ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقى الأهلي مع إنبي على استاد المقاولون العرب، ضمن لقاءات الجولة السادسة من عمر بطولة الدوري المصري.

وفي الدقيقة 26، سقط زيزو على أرضية الملعب، متأثراً بالإصابة دون تدخل، لكنه لم يستطع استكمال المباراة وغادر الملعب.

طالع أيضاً.. تشكيل الأهلي أمام إنبي في الدوري المصري.. عودة مروان عطية

وقرر عماد النحاس المدير الفني للفريق، الدفع باللاعب طاهر محمد طاهر بدلاً من أحمد سيد زيزو.

الأهلي يحتل المركز الخامس عشر في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 5 نقاط، بينما يتواجد فريق إنبي بالمركز الثامن برصيد 8 نقاط.

The squads will be completed at the auction in Cape Town on October 1

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Aug-2024The six SA20 teams have completed their pre-signings and retentions ahead of the third season of the tournament, to be played from January 9 to February 8 next year. With more big-ticket names joining the teams, Graeme Smith, the league commissioner, feels “the hard work that the league and franchises have put in to create a world-class experience has paid off”.Among the stars to have signed up for what Smith called “one of the Tier 1 franchise leagues on the global circuit” are Joe Root, Dinesh Karthik, Ben Stokes, Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Rashid Khan, Devon Conway, Azmatullah Omarzai, Jonny Bairstow and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.”To have the calibre of international players joining local heroes like Aiden [Markram], KG [Kagiso Rabada] and Heinrich [Klaasen] sets up an explosive season,” Smith said in a press statement. “We are also incredibly proud of all the domestic players who have been retained by the teams, including the majority of the rookies who have been incorporated as fully-contracted players for Season 3.”Related

Stokes, Omarzai join MI Cape Town's star-studded roster

SA20 in 2025 will run from January 9 to February 8

As things stand, the teams have between 14 and 17 players on their rosters, and the squads will be completed at the auction in Cape Town on October 1. Each team can have a maximum of 19 players, including one wildcard and one rookie player; of the other 17, a minimum of ten have to be South African, and a maximum of seven can be from overseas.A CSA statement added, “Each franchise will also need to select their Season 3 Rookie, while three of the franchises still have a wildcard to announce before December 30.” The schedule of matches will be announced on a later date.SA20 2025 squadsDurban’s Super Giants: Brandon King, Quinton De Kock, Naveen ul Haq, Kane Williamson, Chris Woakes, Prenelan Subrayen, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Noor Ahmed, Heinrich Klaasen, Jon-Jon Smuts, Wiaan Mulder, Junior Dala, Bryce Parsons, Matthew Breetzke, Jason Smith, Marcus StoinisJoburg Super Kings: Faf Du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Maheesh Theekshana, Devon Conway, Gerald Coetzee, David Wiese, Leus Du Plooy, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Donavon Ferreira, Imran Tahir, Sibonelo Makhanya, Tabraiz ShamsiMI Cape Town: Rashid Khan, Ben Stokes, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Azmatullah Omarzai, Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Nuwan Thushara, Connor Esterhuizen, Delano Potgieter, Rassie Van Der Dussen, Thomas Kaber, Chris BenjaminPretoria Capitals: Anrich Nortje, Jimmy Neesham, Will Jacks, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Will Smeed, Migael Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Eathan Bosch, Wayne Parnell, Senuran Muthusamy, Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Steve Stolk, Tiaan van VuurenPaarl Royals: David Miller, Mujeeb Ur-Rahman, Sam Hain, Joe Root, Dinesh Karthik, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Van Buuren, Keith Dudgeon, Nqaba Peter, Andile Phehlukwayo, Codi Yusuf, John Turner, Dayyaan Galiem, Jacob BethellSunrisers Eastern Cape: Aiden Markram, Zak Crawley, Roelof van der Merwe, Liam Dawson, Ottneil Baartman, Marco Jansen, Beyers Swanepoel, Caleb Seleka, Tristan Stubbs, Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Craig Overton, Tom Abell, Simon Harmer, Andile Simelane, David Bedingham

The coming months could be seismically important for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.

The Spaniard led his side to a third successive second-place finish in the Premier League this season, so it feels like the club must seriously back him and the squad in the transfer window this summer to ensure they can get over the line next year.

Fortunately, that seems to be happening, as the board have already renewed Gabriel Magalhães’ contract, seem close to securing the services of Kepa Arrizabalaga for just £5m, and most exciting of all, appear to have secured the signing of Martin Zubimendi.

The Spanish international will be a brilliant addition to the Gunners’ squad, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club are now looking at another midfield maestro, someone who’s an even bigger talent than the Real Sociedad star.

Arsenal moving to sign midfield monster

It feels like Arsenal have been trying to sign Zubimendi for an eternity, with some of the earliest links to the Spanish international appearing all the way back in January 2023.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

However, in January of this year, Sami Mokbel broke the news that the club had all but sewn up a move for the Real Sociedad star, who rejected Liverpool only last summer.

While the deal hasn’t been officially confirmed by either team, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano revealed just a few days ago that the 26-year-old will cost the Gunners around £55m, which will be paid in installments.

While this is undoubtedly exciting news, it looks as if the North Londoners might not be finished with their midfield revamp, with reports now suggesting that the club want to sign Eduardo Camavinga.

At least that is according to journalist Sebastien Vidal, who, in a recent report, revealed that Arsenal are incredibly interested in the Real Madrid superstar.

In fact, he has claimed that the Gunners have already made contact over the player but that the Spanish giants will not sell unless a big offer is made, which, according to other reports, might be around £50m.

It wouldn’t be a cheap or simple transfer to get over the line, but given Camavinga’s ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’s a bigger talent than Zubimendi.

Why Camavinga is a bigger talent than Zubimendi

Now, it is important to clarify that both midfielders are enormously talented footballers and that Arsenal will benefit massively from signing either one, but when it comes down to raw talent, it looks like the Real Madrid ace has the slight edge, and there are a few things that suggest as much.

The first is that even though the Frenchman is four years the Spaniard’s junior, he has already achieved far more in the club game, winning two La Liga titles, a Club World Cup, and most importantly, two Champions League titles.

Moreover, he wasn’t just a passenger for those triumphs, making ten appearances on the way to Real’s win in the 21/22 season and then 11 appearances, of which nine were starts, during their successful 23/24 campaign.

On top of that, the Cabinda-born maestro has also won more senior caps for France than the Basque star has for Spain, and while he’s not got a European Championship to his name, he did start in the 2022 World Cup Final, and there probably isn’t a bigger game in world sports than that.

Finally, away from tangible achievements, the “world-class” Los Blancos star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, simply has the better underlying numbers, which, again, suggests he’s a bigger talent.

Camavinga vs Zubimendi

Statistics per 90

Camavinga

Zubimendi

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.11

0.10

Non-Penalty G+As

0.20

0.10

Progressive Passes

4.94

5.51

Progressive Carries

1.90

1.09

Shots

1.13

0.78

Shots on Target

0.36

0.25

Passing Accuracy

89.8%

84.0%

Key Passes

0.86

0.56

Passes into the Final Third

5.34

4.87

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.52

0.61

Live Passes

59.0

52.5

Through Balls

0.29

0.05

Shot-Creating Actions

2.53

1.31

Goal-Creating Actions

0.17

0.18

Tackles Won

2.55

1.12

Blocks

1.90

1.36

Interceptions

1.30

1.26

Clearances

2.36

2.65

Successful Take-Ons

1.03

0.56

Ball Recoveries

6.72

4.32

Aerial Duels Won

1.55

1.64

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

For example, not only does the former Stade Rennais gem produce a higher non-penalty goals plus assists figure, but he also plays more key passes and wins more tackles all per 90.

In other words, the young Frenchman is a complete midfielder who can help out the backline before bursting forward – look at his progressive carries – and playing a killer pass for one of his teammates or putting the ball in the net himself.

Ultimately, while Zubimendi is going to be a great signing, Arsenal would do well to pick up Camavinga as well, as he appears to be an even bigger talent.

Related A better signing than Rodrygo: Arsenal plot huge move for £77m "superstar"

Arsenal appearing to be keepign a close eye on a move for one leading European talent.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Jun 22, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs hold a very real belief that they can now sign a “sensational” England international following their Europa League triumph on Wednesday, with the player himself also entertaining talks behind-the-scenes.

Ange Postecoglou makes Tottenham history after precious European win

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou came under serious fire for his early-season comment that he ‘always’ wins silverware during his second season in charge, but the Australian’s decision to back himself with a bold statement was ultimately proved correct on a glorious night in Spain.

Tottenham: Ornstein shares Postecoglou sack update after Europa League win

His future is set to be a major talking point after the Australian’s triumph in Bilbao.

2 ByEmilio Galantini May 23, 2025

Spurs parked the bus and shut up shop against a dominant but largely unthreatening Man United side in the Europa League final on Wednesday, following Brennan Johnson’s scrappy opener just before half-time, with Postecoglou’s side displaying a resoluteness we’ve scarcely seen this season.

Guglielmo Vicario

7.7

Yves Bissouma

7.6

Cristian Romero

7.4

Bruno Fernandes

7.4

Destiny Udogie

7.2

via WhoScored

The heroics of shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario in goal, not to mention the stellar performances of Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, helped Spurs to keep a rare clean sheet and end the club’s 17-year wait for a major trophy.

Their 1-0 win over United in the Europa League final also marked their first European trophy since 1984, with the Lilywhites squad and Postecoglou celebrating long into the night after what was a monumentous occasion at Ruben Amorim’s expense.

The trophy drought is now officially over, and to put the cherry on top of an already-sweet cake, Tottenham are set to play Champions League football next season.

The significance of Wednesday evening cannot be overstated, with Spurs’ qualification for the Champions League handing the north Londoners a seismic financial windfall whilst also making them a far more appealing destination for the continent’s top talents.

The summer transfer window is right around the corner, and Tottenham have dramatically increased their odds of tempting world-class targets by hoisting the Europa League aloft in Spain.

According to reports, a centre-back signing is on the cards this summer, and they retain a keen interest in Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.

Spurs actually made an ambitious £70 million bid for the England international in January, which was rejected by Eagles chairman Steve Parish, but the consensus is that Tottenham are still eyeing a move for Guehi as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.

Marc Guehi prepared to hold Tottenham transfer talks

According to GiveMeSport, who shared a new update on his future this week, Guehi would be keen to hold talks with Tottenham and find out what they have to say – providing a boost for Postecoglou’s side in pursuit of the defender.

As per their information, Spurs have been given “fresh” belief they can seal a deal for Guehi after their European conquest, and Palace may have to sell him for £50 million or less considering the player’s contract situation.

Club chiefs are also “adamant” behind-the-scenes that qualification for the Champions League could tempt the 24-year-old to N17, and it is clear why they wish to sign Guehi this summer.

He’s been a pivotal member of Palace’s backline for years, and is now an established England regular following his impressive performances in place of Harry Maguire during Euro 2024 last year.