كشف وليد خليل، رئيس إدارة شركة الكرة بنادي غزل المحلة، عن موقفهم من رحيل أي لاعب خلال الفترة المقبلة، إلى الأهلي والزمالك.

وقال وليد خليل، عبر قناة “صدى البلد”: “لا نمانع رحيل أي لاعب من غزل المحلة بشرط، وجود البديل المناسب وتحقيق الاستفادة المادية”.

طالع..أحمد زاهر: لم أستطع تطبيق النظام في الزمالك.. والأمر مختلف مع بيراميدز

وواصل: “الأهلي طلب في وقت سابق ضم يحيى زكريا، لكننا رفضنا لأنه لم يكن لدينا بديل له، أما الآن، فكل لاعب في الفريق لديه بديل أو اثنين”.

وأتم: “أما الزمالك، فلم يطلب ضمه بشكل رسمي، وكل ما يُقال مجرد أحاديث من الوكلاء”.

وكان يحيى زكريا، قد انضم إلى منتخب مصر الثاني تحت قيادة حلمي طولان استعدادًا للمشاركة في كأس العرب.

Everton are starting to make significant progress in the transfer market and could look to the continent to strengthen their engine room, according to reports.

Everton look to secure more arrivals after Thierno Barry

David Moyes has a rebuild on his hands at Everton this summer and will carry a sense of relief after sealing a deal to bring Thierno Barry to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

After becoming the Toffees’ second signing of the window after Carlos Alcaraz, the former Villarreal forward stated: “I’m very happy. It’s very exciting to be here. I just can’t wait to start and I hope to start very quickly.

“Everton is a big club in the Premier League. They have a good history and good players have played here, like Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku. When I was young I liked to watch these players, now I want to do like these players who have gone before.”

Looking to build on their recent news, Everton have been in touch regarding the availability of PSV winger Johan Bakayoko, who is set to leave the Netherlands in search of a new challenge this summer.

Manchester City’s James McAtee is also a target for the Toffees, indicating that they have designs on strengthening from middle to front following a spate of injury issues last term in forward areas.

Better signing than McGinn: Everton holding talks over "world-class" star

David Moyes is looking to sign a midfielder or two this summer at Everton

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 11, 2025

Republic of Ireland international Mark Travers has agreed to join Everton, per reports, though it remains to be seen whether he will swap the South Coast for Merseyside to support Jordan Pickford.

However, all of the above show that Moyes and company are beginning to make moves, and they could be set to strike again for a talented midfielder if recent developments are to believed.

Everton battling to sign Spezia midfielder Salvatore Esposito

According to TBR, Everton are one of a clutch of clubs in the mix to sign Spezia midfielder Salvatore Esposito, who is set to leave the Italian outfit this summer after they failed to win promotion to Serie A and is being lined up to head to England.

Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley, Brentford, Fulham and Sunderland have all expressed interest in a deal. Meanwhile, Scottish Premiership champions Celtic and their rivals Rangers are also looking to bring him north of the border.

Salvatore Esposito in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

37

Goals

7

Assists

10

Capped once by Italy, the 24-year-old is capable of playing in defensive midfield, as an eight or in the ten role, which has made him a prime candidate to become a cog in Everton’s major rebuild at their new stadium.

Talks have been held with unspecified parties over a scenario that could see Esposito leave on loan with an option to buy, though a straight sale hasn’t been ruled out either at this stage.

Everton have made heavy weather of pushing deals over the line so far, but there is a chance they could look to firm up their interest on this front due to the favourable terms involved.

Yorkshire legspinner Jafer Chohan has earned his first England call-up for the men’s limited-overs tour of West Indies, which begins at the end of October, becoming the first graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to earn international recognition.Launched in 2021 by Dr Tom Brown, the scheme aimed to remedy the under-representation of British South Asian players in the professional game. Dr Brown co-founded SACA with former England bowler Kabir Ali, after researching the subject during a four-year PhD at Birmingham City University, in which he found that British Asians represent just 5% of the cricketers at the top level of the men’s game, a sharp drop-off from the 30% that play recreational cricket in England and Wales.Chohan, who was released by Middlesex five years ago, aged 17, is one of 10 players and two coaches to have moved into the professional game from SACA, who showcase their talent in fixtures against county second XIs and sessions open to county scouts. Having joined Yorkshire in 2022, Chohan has established himself in their T20 side, and his England call-up comes off the back of a solid 2024 Vitality Blast campaign, taking 17 wickets at 15.52, with a standout performance of 5 for 14 against Durham – the third-best figures in Yorkshire’s T20 historyDespite that form, and the value of wrist-spin in the shorter formats, Chohan has yet to feature in the men’s Hundred. However, on Tuesday, Yorkshire announced he had signed a three-year contract to remain at Headingley until the end of the 2027 summer. He has also been drafted by Sydney Sixers for the upcoming Big Bash League season.England are keen to explore their spin options following the international retirement of Moeen Ali, who also happens to be president of SACA, while they also need to line up an eventual successor to Adil Rashid, whose international career has entered its 16th year. Although Rashid last month insisted that he has no immediate plans to retire after claiming his 200th ODI wicket during the Australia series, he namechecked Chohan as one of the young players he has been mentoring, both at Yorkshire and at his own cricket centre in Bradford, as part of the SACA programme.Jafer Chohan claimed five wickets for Yorkshire against Durham in this season’s Vitality Blast•Getty Images

“It feels like an absolute dream to be selected,” Chohan said. “It’s what I’ve worked for my whole life.”I’ve had a great week – having it announced about another three years at Yorkshire as well as having a call up now with England.”For me this is a really good opportunity to be around some of the best players in the world, learn as much as I can and just really sharpen up my game as much as possible. Having big England names in the Yorkshire dressing room, it doesn’t get too much better than that in terms of helping me improve.”Warwickshire’s off-spinning allrounder Dan Mousley and Hampshire quick John Turner are the other uncapped members of the 14-man group. Both were part of the limited-overs squads against Australia at the end of the summer but did not feature.Chohan’s selection, despite a professional career of just 23 T20 appearances, is in keeping with an unconventional approach adopted by England’s selectors. Since taking over as managing director at the start of the 2022 summer, Rob Key has put the onus on picking players on attributes rather than solely on domestic averages. That has come to the fore in 2024.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The year began with Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir playing prominent roles in India based on their release points and action on the ball, with little focus on their modest first-class records for Lancashire and Somerset respectively. Hartley had 40 dismissals at 36.57 and Bashir 10 at 67 heading into that five-Test series, with the latter going on to feature across home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka, at the expense of county team-mate Jack Leach, who had been Ben Stokes’ primary spinner for the first two years of his tenure as Test captain.Leicestershire’s Josh Hull was the beneficiary of this radical approach at the end of the summer, debuting in the final Test against Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval. With the 2025-26 Ashes in mind, Hull’s 6ft7in height and left-arm action set him apart as a point of difference and trumped the fact he had taken just two wickets at 182.50 in three Division Two appearances this season. All this after England legend James Anderson was forced into retirement at the start of the summer.With Test head coach Brendon McCullum set to assume the limited-overs job at the start of 2025, it is perhaps no surprise to see this left-field thinking filter into England’s plans as they look to rebuild after disappointing showings at the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups. The West Indies tour will be Marcus Trescothick’s last as interim white-ball head coach, ahead of McCullum combining the roles in the new year.Related

• England add Jordan Cox and Rehan Ahmed to Caribbean tour

• Adil Rashid: 'When kids see me play, they know that it's possible'

• Hazlewood, Zampa close out victory after Head's onslaught

• No end in sight for Adil Rashid after passing the 200 wickets summit

There remains no place for Hartley, who has not added to his international caps since the Test tour of India, which he finished as England’s leading wicket-taker with 22 dismissals. He was a non-playing member of the T20 World Cup squad in the Caribbean, but was subsequently overlooked for the T20I and ODI series against Australia.Chohan’s selection also presents a challenge to Rehan Ahmed, who was presumed to be the heir apparent to Rashid. The Leicestershire legspinner has 17 international caps to his name but hopes to add to that this month, having travelled with the Test squad on Tuesday to Pakistan, where he made his debut two years ago.Rehan, 20, could yet challenge Chohan in the Caribbean with that squad due to be supplemented with two players from the Test tour. A decision on who will travel across will be made after selection for the third and final Test in Rawalpindi, which begins on October 24 – a week before the first ODI in Antigua. Hull, who picked up a season-ending quad injury on Test debut, could also be considered if fully recovered.As expected, Jos Buttler will slot back in as captain following a calf injury, and is set to make his first competitive appearance since the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India at the end of June. However, a decision on whether he keeps wicket will be made nearer the time. Phil Salt is the only viable stand-in in the original 14-man squad, although both Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith are potential inclusions from the Pakistan Test party.England limited-overs squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid , Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John TurnerItinerary
1st ODI: Antigua, October 31
2nd ODI: Antigua, November 2
3rd ODI: Barbados, November 6
1st T20I: Barbados, November 9
2nd T20I: Barbados, November 10
3rd T20I: St Lucia, November 14
4th T20I: St Lucia, November 16
5th T20I: St Lucia, November 17

Arsenal’s centre-forward problems can be traced back a number of years. Not since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was in his free-scoring pomp have the Gunners had a top-class central marksman.

Sure, Kai Havertz is a technically sharp and dynamic player, but he’s not an out-and-out striker, and Gabriel Jesus has never quite reached the pinnacle, for one reason or another.

This issue, Mikel Arteta’s most pressing concern, was illustrated across the 2024/25 campaign, with the lack of a prolific focal point proving fatal in the Premier League title race for a third successive season.

24/25

Kai Havertz

9

23/24

Bukayo Saka

16

22/23

Martin Odegaard

15

21/22

Bukayo Saka

11

20/21

Alexandre Lacazette

13

19/20

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

22

Viktor Gyokeres is expected to solve that problem and pose an insoluble question back to the club’s title rivals.

Arsenal's centre-forward plans

An official announcement is not yet upon us, but Arsenal have all but sealed the signing of Sporting Lisbon’s Gyokeres, who is expected to join the Emirates clan in a package worth £64m.

However, fans and indeed the powers that be in north London will no doubt have been rocked by the revelations over on Tyneside, with Alexander Isak informing Newcastle United that he would like to explore his options in the transfer market this summer.

Liverpool are the frontrunners, but BBC Sport have confirmed that Arsenal’s long-standing interest remains intact, and that the Gunners are one of the few outfits who are reported to have the budget to pull off a statement signing such as the Swede.

Newcastle aren’t going to roll over and allow their all-important number nine to leave without earning their due, and have priced him at £130m, which would eclipse the British-record fee Liverpool paid for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.

Isak vs Gyokeres

Whether Arsenal manage to pull off deals for both Isak and Gyokeres remains to be seen, but there’s little question that it’s the man over at St. James’ Park who 99% of a Gunners persuasion would prefer.

Isak, indeed, joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad in a £63m deal three years ago (the same ballpark as Arsenal have just paid for Gyokeres), and he has gone on to post 62 goals and 11 assists across just 109 outings for Eddie Howe’s burgeoning team.

Gyokeres, 27, has the statistical analysis on his side, from a goalscoring standpoint, at least. Indeed, the Sweden star scored 97 goals and supplied 28 assists across just 102 Sporting appearances over two years.

It’s certainly nothing to be sniffed at, but Isak is a “world-class” goalscorer himself, as has been said by pundit Alan Shearer, and he’s doing it week in, week out in the Premier League, surely a higher level of competition than the Liga Portugal.

Analyst Raj Chohan has even claimed that the Newcastle talisman is “the best striker in the world”, with his completeness and athleticism capable of rivalling even that of Gyokeres, who is his countryman and a physical machine.

The difference is that Isak is tried and tested, having led Newcastle to an extraordinary Carabao Cup triumph last year, beating off Arsenal in a double-legged semi-final before dispatching Liverpool at Wembley. He took centre stage at both events.

It’s a climactic point of the window for a number of Premier League teams, it feels like. Should Arsenal truly have the financial means to strike a deal for the £120k-per-week Isak, should they not pounce on it?

Bad news for Max Dowman: Arsenal in talks to sign £60m "superstar"

Arsenal are planning to sign one of the Premier League’s biggest talents this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 24, 2025

Birmingham City will be looking to press on this summer with even more exciting signings joining the St Andrew’s camp.

Chris Davies has recently stated that this is the intention when speaking to Birmingham Live, with seven brand new faces entering the club already not quite enough, as he insists that this newly promoted side needs ‘all the quality we can get’ to hit the ground running in the Championship.

Another striker addition might now be deemed a priority, with a report by Football League World revealing that Alfie May is set to leave Davies and Co. behind for a fresh League One challenge at Huddersfield Town.

This would be a big blow that the Blues would have to address, considering how many times last campaign the experienced centre-forward came up clutch for his promotion-chasing outfit with crucial goals.

Why losing May is a blow for Birmingham

Of course, around £10m has just been splashed out to land Kyogo Furuhashi as a thrilling capture up top, but May regularly proved during the Blues’ promotion heroics his vital nature from off the bench, which could well have been an effective calling card up a league too.

From just 27 starts last season in league action, May rifled home a mightily impressive 16 strikes, with Jay Stansfield the only other venomous attacker in Davies’ ranks that managed to hit double digits.

However, whilst the 32-year-old is a well-known beast at the testing level – with 89 goals and counting in the third tier – he has never once set foot in the Championship, with the EFL veteran’s legs perhaps not well suited to such a demanding step-up.

This is where an earlier £10m striker target on the Birmingham shopping list could come to the rescue and be a dream replacement for the departing May, with the target in question even tasting promotion up to the Premier League just last season, whilst Davies’ men soared to the top of League One.

Birmingham's "dynamite" May replacement

Whilst there will be some sorrow regarding May’s exit when looking at his starring role in that promotion story, the second tier is an unforgiving terrain which will have factored into Birmingham’s somewhat cut-throat decision-making.

May’s exit would soon be forgotten about if the Blues did fork out £10m to land Leeds United reserve striker Mateo Joseph, with reports back in June stating that the triumphant League One champions were keen on winning the services of the Spanish hotshot, as interest now emerges from Joseph’s native country in the form of Real Betis.

Joseph’s league numbers for Leeds (24/25)

Stat

Joseph

Games played

39

Games started

11

Minutes per game

33 mins

Goals scored

3

Assists

3

Stats by Sofascore

The standout numbers from the table above really do hammer home why Joseph would be an ideal replacement for the soon-to-be Terriers attacker, with the 21-year-old offering the same amount of firepower from off the bench last season in the Championship that May offered in spades back at St. Andrew’s, as seen in his blistering six goal contributions from a meagre 11 starts.

With a further four strikes next to his name for the Whites, which included a breakneck brace finding the back of the net against Chelsea last year, he might just be capable of turning up that goalscoring notch even more if he’s given regular first-team minutes in the West Midlands.

The “dynamite” attacker – as he’s been labelled in the past by U23 scout Antonio Mango – would give Davies the best possible selection headache subsequently, with his Leeds manager in Daniel Farke, also going out of his way to shower the up-and-coming striker with praise when hailing his link-up play as “excellent.”

In an ideal world, Birmingham might have kept May around for the long run as he then finally made a name for himself in the EFL’s elite setting.

Yet, the one-season hero is now closing in on a £1.2m move to Huddersfield, meaning Joseph could be just what Birmingham desire to get over May’s exit swiftly and improve their overall squad.

Related Birmingham City want to sign "outstanding" former Champions League winner

Birmingham City are among the teams interested in signing a former Liverpool star.

Posts 1 ByBrett Worthington Jul 16, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are in desperate need of huge improvement over the course of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, needing to right the wrongs of last season.

The Lilywhites only managed to register a 17th-placed finish, losing 22 matches out of their 38, a tally of defeats that subsequently cost Ange Postecoglou his job.

Thomas Frank is the latest manager to try and push the club closer to a consistent place within the division’s top four and eventually push for a title charge in the years ahead.

The Dane will need the hierarchy to hand the new boss the funds he needs to make the desired changes to provide him with the platform for success in his first year at the club.

Numerous names have been touted with a move to North London, this window, with progress appearing to be made on deals to land key players in multiple areas.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Ademola Lookman is the latest player who has appeared on Spurs’ radar, with the Lilywhites preparing an offer for the Atalanta star in the coming weeks.

He could be available for a fee in the region of £50m this summer, a deal which could be a bargain given his tally of 20 goals across all competitions last season.

However, a deal could be edging closer for West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus, with talks already being held, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

He claims that the club’s hierarchy are preparing another bid for the Ghanaian international, after their first offer of around £50m was swiftly rejected.

Romano also stated that the 24-year-old would be extremely keen on a move to join Frank’s side, with the Lilywhites currently leading the race for his signature this summer despite his £85m release clause.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s own Saka

Bukayo Saka is a player who many Spurs fans have envied in recent years, given the performances he’s often produced against them in the North London Derby.

The 23-year-old has scored five times against the Lilywhites in his career, the most of any side in his professional career, with the Englishman one of the Premier League’s dangermen.

He registered six goals and 10 assists in England’s top-flight last season, but his contributions couldn’t catapult the Gunners to the Premier League title – undoubtedly to the joy of all Spurs supporters.

However, Frank’s side could be about to land their own version of the forward with a move for Kudus this summer, as the Ghanaian has been labelled as a similar player to Saka by FBref.

The West Ham star also possesses a very similar trait of liking to cut inside onto his left foot off the right flank, as demonstrated by the stats he’s produced in recent months.

Kudus, who’s been labelled as “sensational” by one analyst, has registered fewer goal contributions, but has posted a higher goal per shot on target rate, showcasing the clinical edge he possesses in attacking areas.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, completing more balls into the final third, having the ability to provide other forwards with the chance for success in forward areas.

The Ghanaian’s dominance is further reflected in his tally of take-ons completed and carries into the final third, having the talent to take the ball forward at any given opportunity.

It may be a deal that could cost a small fortune this summer, but it’s evident that, from the stats produced, he would be worth every penny in their quest for domestic glory.

Should he get near the levels produced by Saka in recent times, it would be an astute piece of business and one that could provide the difference within the final third.

Frank's own Vertonghen: Spurs make enquiry for "unreal" £21m CB

Tottenham need to sign a new defender or two this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 5, 2025

Manchester United are now in contact to sign an “expert striker”, who could join as part of an Alejandro Garnacho swap deal, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Garnacho's time at Old Trafford coming to an end

It is difficult to see a way back for Garnacho at Man United, after the winger was controversially pictured wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name on the back a little over a month ago.

Mark Goldbridge was left furious by the picture, suggesting the Argentina international was trying to engineer a move elsewhere, and there is certainly no shortage of interest in his services.

In fact, Villa recently made an approach for the 21-year-old, joining the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for his signature, and the forward is thought to have “heard good things” about playing under Unai Emery.

Vivell now persuading Amorim for Man Utd to sign £69m Gyokeres alternative

Man United scout Christopher Vivell has instructed Ruben Amorim to sanction a move for a striker.

1 ByDominic Lund Jul 23, 2025

However, in a report for GiveMeSport, Romano has revealed that United could try and get the winger off the books a different way, as they are now open to discussing the conditions of a swap deal involving Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson.

The Red Devils have recently been approached over starting formal talks for Jackson, with the Blues open to sanctioning the striker’s departure, although the reported valuation of £100m could be off-putting.

A move to Old Trafford is considered a ‘good option’ for the Senegal international, but Ruben Amorim’s side are yet to decide whether he should be their main striker target, with the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins and Dusan Vlahovic also on the shortlist.

"Expert striker" Jackson could be exciting signing for Man Utd

Of course, there are some doubts over the Chelsea forward, given that he is well-known to not be the most prolific finisher, underperforming his xG by a considerable margin over the past year.

However, the 24-year-old has still been a pretty reliable source of goals and assists ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge, while he also received high praise from former Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend last season, after impressing against West Ham United.

Townsend said: “Even last season watching Nicolas Jackson, he had everything but the goals. He had the movement, he had the dribbling, he was getting into some great positions but he just wasn’t finishing them off.

“But, the goals he scored on the weekend were taken competently and confidently like an expert striker.”

It is also important that United get Garnacho off the books, with the Villa shirt stunt proving the winger has little interest in remaining at Old Trafford, and a swap deal could benefit all parties, considering the Blues have signed Joao Pedro and Liam Delap this summer.

ذكرت تقارير إعلامية اليوم الأحد، أن نادي آرسنال قد تلقى أنباء سعيدة في تدريبات الفريق الأخيرة قبل مواجهة مانشستر سيتي المرتقبة مساء اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

آرسنال سوف يستضيف نظيره مانشستر سيتي في إطار قمة منافسات الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، على ملعب الإمارات.

ويسعى آرسنال إلى تحقيق الفوز على مانشستر سيتي واستغلال الحالة الجيدة التي يمر بها الفريق خلال الفترة الأخيرة، حيث انتصر الجانرز على أتلتيك بلباو الأسبوع الماضي 2-0 في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

طالع.. رودري: نريد الانتقام من آرسنال.. وليفربول لا يدرك قوة مانشستر سيتي

وذكر سامي مقبل، الصحفي الموثوق في “بي بي سي سبورت”، أن نادي آرسنال قد استعاد بوكايو ساكا، وذلك بعدما شارك الأخير في تدريبات الفريق الأخيرة بشكل كامل دون أي مشاكل.

وأضاف أن ساكا في الوقت الحالي تزايدت فرص مشاركته في قمة آرسنال ومانشستر سيتي، ويبقى القرار في الأخير للمدرب ميكيل أرتيتا.

وأوضح أن هناك شكوك كبيرة حول فكرة مشاركة مارتن أوديجارد أمام مانشستر سيتي، في ظل عدم جاهزية الدولي النرويجي الكامل.

ساكا كان قد أصيب خلال مواجهة آرسنال أمام ليدز يونايتد خلال شهر أغسطس الماضي، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

Ben Compton and Tawanda Muyeye reach close unscathed after Hampshire enforce follow-on

ECB Reporters Network11-Sep-2024

Kent battled hard to save their Division One status after being forced to follow on by Hampshire, on a rain-affected third day in the County Championship at Canterbury.The hosts could be relegated by the end of this round of fixtures, but they reached the close 70 without loss in their second innings, still 126 behind, with Tawanda Muyeye unbeaten on 46 and Ben Compton 24 not out.Torrential rain fell during an already truncated evening session and play was eventually abandoned for the day at 5.26pm. Earlier, Kyle Abbott took 5 for 46 as Kent were dismissed for 207 in their first innings, Compton their highest scorer with 51.Kent began day three on 64 for 5, still 339 runs behind Hampshire’s first innings score of 403, but Compton and Harry Finch survived for the first 90 minutes of an extended morning session, aided by some sub-optimal slip fielding. Toby Albert dropped Compton twice, on 24 and 32, the first when he couldn’t hang on to a difficult slip catch off Abbott, the second a more routine head-high chance offered by James Fuller.Albert finally snared Compton at the third attempt when Abbott found his edge with the first delivery after he had switched to the Nackington Road End. In his next over, Abbott had Finch caught behind for 44, before Liam Dawson bowled Charlie Stobo for 10.Kyle Abbott claimed a five-wicket haul•Getty Images

Matt Parkinson was out soon after lunch, caught behind off Brad Wheal for four, but the last-wicket pair of George Garrett and Jas Singh proved a nuisance, particularly after James Vince dropped the former when he was on 17, again in the slips.Singh passed his previous best first-class score of 14, before he was removed by the new ball, lbw to Abbas for 18, leaving his partner stranded on 27.With 45 overs remaining in the day Hampshire immediately announced they were enforcing the follow on, but a whiff of farce arrived when Muyeye hit the penultimate ball before tea for a six into the gardens on the Old Dover Road side of the ground. Hampshire were unhappy with the replacement and four of their fielders, the twelfth man and a coach climbed awkwardly over the fence to look for the original, finally finding it after seven minutes.Shortly after the resumption the potential importance of those seven minutes was magnified when the rain arrived and a total of nine overs were lost. When play resumed at 5.05pm it was already raining again, the groundstaff were already holding the covers and Compton faced down three balls from Abbas before they gave up and went off again.

What was looking like a rather dull summer for Arsenal fans just a week or so ago has since burst into life.

Kepa Arrizabalaga might be the only signing to have been officially announced as things stand, but that doesn’t look likely to remain the case.

The paperwork for Brentford star Christian Norgaard has reportedly been signed, and Martin Zubimendi is expected to be unveiled before the end of the week.

On top of that, Mikel Arteta looks to finally be getting some attacking stars in, with Eberechi Eze looking like a likely addition, and now reports linking the club to someone who’d be the perfect teammate for him.

Arsenal target dream Eze teammate

While the start of the window was dominated by stories linking Arsenal to one of Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres, Eze has now taken centre stage.

Transfer Focus

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

Stories touting him for a move to the Emirates started to gain traction midway through last week, but then really gained momentum in recent days, with some claiming that Arteta had been involved in positive talks with him over the weekend.

Then, in yet more good news, some of the most recent reports have stated that the Englishman is now “desperate” to join the Gunners.

That desire to move to N5 might only increase now that the North Londoners have also been linked with someone who’d be the perfect teammate for him: Ollie Watkins.

That is according to insider Team news and ticks, who, on the latest episode of The Inside Foreward podcast, revealed that Arsenal have once again made contact with the Aston Villa player.

They claim that even though the Englishman is not currently the club’s priority striker signing, he is high up on the list, and that, as a boyhood fan, he would personally “love to play” for them.

In terms of the money involved, other stories from this summer indicate that a fee of around £40m could be enough to tempt the Claret and Blue into selling.

At that price, this potential transfer feels like a no-brainer, especially as he’d be an incredible teammate for Eze.

Why Watkins would be perfect for Eze

Unsurprisingly, the first and without a doubt the most significant reason Eze would love playing alongside Watkins at Arsenal, or anywhere for that matter, is his output.

For example, since the start of the 23/24 season, the often unplayable “nightmare,” as dubbed by Conor Coady, has scored a staggering 44 goals and provided 29 assists in 107 appearances in all competitions, totalling 7901 minutes.

In other words, the former Exeter City gem has averaged a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or one every 108.23 minutes, which really has to be considered world-class.

Appearances

53

54

Minutes

4323′

3578′

Goals

27

17

Assists

15

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.79

0.57

Minutes per Goal Involvement

102.92′

115.41′

Now, just imagine how much better Eze’s already impressive numbers of 25 goal involvements in 43 games last season would be next year if he were playing just behind a striker as effective as the Villa ace.

Moreover, another reason the Palace star could love playing alongside the 29-year-old is that they are both now England internationals.

Therefore, they could have the chance to further develop their partnership at both the domestic and international levels, which in turn could help them secure more game time under Thomas Tuchel.

Ultimately, the best players in world football want to play alongside the best, and based on his performances for Villa in recent years, we expect Eze would be thrilled to start alongside Watkins at Arsenal.

Therefore, Andrea Berta and Co should be doing all they can to sign both of them this summer.

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