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Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino have been handed a major transfer boost after one journalist said a top target has “chosen” to move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea striker rumours

The Blues have been linked with a number of attackers during the January transfer window as Todd Boehly looks to seal a first signing of 2024.

Nicolas Jackson has been away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, whereas Armando Broja has been linked with an exit. Should the latter leave, then a short-term replacement could be required as Pochettino’s side push for silverware in the second half of the season.

Chelsea offered "incredible" striker with same agent as James

He’s scored twice at Stamford Bridge in the past.

By
Charlie Smith

Jan 26, 2024

France legend Karim Benzema, now at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, has been rumoured as one who could come in until the summer, with talks ongoing and Boehly appearing to be excited at that prospect.

AZ Alkmaar’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Zenit St Petersburg’s Mateo Cassierra, Cercle Brugge’s Kevin Denkey and Atletico Mineiro’s Paulinho have also been offered to Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen appears to be the club’s top target, and even though a move may not go through before February 1, the club have still been handed a big boost in their pursuit of the striker.

Victor Osimhen transfer update

There has been plenty of speculation regarding Osimhen and Chelsea this month, and at one point, it was suggested by Simon Phillips that co-owner Behdad Eghbali had held “positive” talks with the player’s agent are were still looking at a January move.

Since then, it has been claimed that the Nigeria international would be open to a Stamford Bridge switch and that Chelsea were in pole position to complete a transfer, and there has now been a further development.

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Osimhen has now “chosen” to join Chelsea, highlighting the fact that the Blues, Manchester United and Liverpool were all circling last summer.

This is clearly great news for Chelsea, with Osimhen, on £250,000-a-week with Napoli, someone who could come in and be an upgrade on the club’s current striker options.

"I see a lot of similarities but it’s unfair to compare players from different eras. They both play with a lot of physicality and they are both very good with scoring, taking their opportunities. He’s a very complete player. He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders."

The 25-year-old could therefore be the next big-money signing at Stamford Bridge, with Osimhen’s release clause standing at €130m (£110m), although fans may have to be patient and wait until the summer.

Negotiations have not yet begun but CA chief Earl Eddings is set to meet the BCCI in January

Daniel Brettig05-Dec-20193:02

Kohli weighs in on the future of Test cricket

India’s tour of Australia in 2021 could become the first series ever to feature more than one day-night Test.A Cricket Australia (CA) delegation, led by its chairman Earl Eddings, is set to meet the new BCCI administration on the sidelines of a limited-overs series in January with the question of day-night Tests fairly and squarely on the agenda.With the MCG and SCG Tests set in stone as day matches played opposite the Big Bash League, this may likely mean the first two Tests – to be played in two of Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth – are both primed for the pink ball, especially given the better time slot for Indian broadcast audiences.Negotiations have not yet begun, but “we’ll mention that when we’re over there in January talking during the one-day series,” Eddings told ESPNcricinfo. “As you build that trust and build that relationship you have that chat.”Pleasingly they’ve played their first day-night Test and won easily. Now they’ve got through that it might give them the right build-up to it over here. I’ve got no doubt they’ll consider playing one and maybe even more day-night Test matches. But that’s down the track to when we catch up with them in January.”Kevin Roberts, the CA chief executive, had earlier revealed the extent of the board’s enthusiasm for floodlit matches against India during an interview with . When they asked how many pink-ball matches he would like to see next summer, he said, “in my heart I’d say four from four, in my head we’d love to play one of the four as a day-night Test.”After a domineering victory against Bangladesh in India’s inaugural pink-ball Test in November, Indian captain Virat Kohli was asked about the prospect of one during the Australian tour next year. Kohli said he was “open to do anything” as long as there was a practice match under lights. Then on Sunday, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said: “When we tour, we will deal as per the request of the [host] board”. CA is set to make the ask now.The view across Adelaide Oval•AFP

The other question surrounding next summer will be the exact timing of the Tests, either a more traditional schedule concluding with the SCG Test in the first week of January, or stretching further into 2021, as was the case in 2011-12 and 2007-08. Eddings indicated that CA would like, in future, to play five-Test series against India, as England now do.”Still working through that, it’s a normal tour in that they’re playing four Test matches, we’ve got one against Afghanistan,” he said. “Ideally we want to be playing five Tests against India, hopefully in the future we can do that as well.”Eddings wrote to Ganguly upon the announcement he had been named the new BCCI president, backed by a cadre of administrators including the former BCCI president and ICC chairman N Srinivasan. The complex dynamics of the BCCI are a key focus of Eddings as CA’s chair, as demonstrated early in his job when the Indian board insisted that Australia play the ODI series in January, taking them away from home in the middle of a packed summer and pushing an ODI series against New Zealand into March.”First of all I’ve congratulated Sourav and reached out to him,” Eddings said. “The fact India are playing day-night Test cricket is a great thing. It shows that he cares about the game. We’ve exchanged letters, I’m going over there with some of our board members in early January for some of the ODIs where I hope to meet with the new BCCI administration. I want to stress we’ve got a very strong relationship with India, there’s a lot of mutual respect there. While we have our differences because we’ve got different needs, the relationship is very strong.”Sourav Ganguly on India’s inaugural pink-ball Test: the eyeballs were three times higher•BCCI

Asked whether he was concerned that India’s board may – now that it is free from Supreme Court control – look to dominate world cricket as it did before, Eddings was hopeful of a different approach this time.”In my time being involved with the ICC we’ve had very good relationships – never been in that situation,” he said. “So I’d like to think going forward everyone’s got the best interests of the game at heart and we can maximise those opportunities for everybody. Doesn’t mean we won’t have our disagreements, but certainly in terms of what I’ve seen so far it’s like anything, you build a relationship based on trust, you sit down, work through the issues and try to find some common ground.”India’s very generous, they rarely play many Test matches in their home summer because they’re always travelling to support a lot of other countries. They’re very cognisant of the importance they play in world cricket. I respect that enormously. If you look at international broadcasting for red-ball cricket, that’s where the challenge is, getting international broadcasters to value that over some of the T20 competitions and the like.”

League Two side Newport have confirmed the appointment of Premier League winner Christian Fuchs as their new manager. The Exiles relieved David Hughes of his duties over the weekend after a 1-0 loss to Shrewsbury left the club four points from safety at the foot of England's fourth tier. The appointment marks Leicester City legend Fuchs' first managerial job since calling time on his playing career in January 2023.

• Fuchs takes up first managerial role

  The Austrian left-back was a key member of the Leicester team that claimed their 5000-1 Premier League title triumph in 2016 before he left the Foxes for Charlotte FC in 2021. Fuchs then retired in 2023 to take up a role as assistant coach for the MLS side, but has now stepped out on his own and accepted the top job at Newport.

  The Exiles are in danger of dropping out of the football league after winning only three of their opening 16 games in the 2025-26 season. The defeat to Shrewsbury means they sit bottom of League Two with just 11 points to their name, and four points off Harrogate Town in 22nd.

  "Newport County is delighted to announce the appointment of Christian Fuchs as the club’s new manager," Newport posted on their official X account on Thursday afternoon. "Welcome to Rodney Parade, Christian"

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  'Christian wants to manage in the Premier League'

  On the decision to appoint Fuchs as Hughes' successor, Newport chairman Huw Jenkins said: "We see Christian as the sort of man to lead our club forward. I believe he matches our ambition and goals for Newport County.

  "I do feel we can now look forward with a great deal of optimism. We'll look to improve our current situation in League Two and take things from there. Christian is ambitious and wants, one day, to manage in the Premier League. We believe he shares our strong belief in what Newport County can eventually become."

  In the wake of the choice to axe Hughes last week, Jenkins admitted that the decision was "disappointing" despite change being needed. "Everyone is disappointed that it didn't work out with David Hughes," the Exiles chairman said.

  "He's a genuine person who's interacted with the supporters, and we could see what he was trying to do on the pitch but with a small budget and a lot of injuries too. But football is a results business and we haven't won enough points – and the performance especially in the second half at Shrewsbury on Saturday was very flat.

  "Everyone was thinking we need to change something and usually the attention turns to the manager."

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  Fuchs' first game comes against Oldham

  Fuchs kicks off his time as Newport boss with a trip to Oldham, who sit nine points above the Exiles in League Two. The Latics have won just one of their last seven league matches following their 0-0 home draw with Crewe last weekend, though in turn have lost only once in that time.

  Micky Mellon's side are unbeaten in five at Boundary Park, but have won just the once at home in League Two this season. Following the trip to Oldham on Saturday, Fuchs then oversees his first home game as Newport boss when they welcome Barrow to Rodney Parade to see out November.

  Barrow saw a seven-game unbeaten run come to an end at high-flying Bromley last time out, and they'll seek to return to winning ways when they face Cambridge this weekend ahead of their trip to Newport.

• Former side Leicester struggling in mid-table

  Fuchs' former side Leicester aren't faring particularly well in the Championship this season, with the Foxes currently 12th in England's second tier. Head coach Marti Cifuentes took over at the King Power Stadium over the summer following Ruud van Nistelrooy's exit, but the Midlands side's season isn't quite going as many had hoped.

  A 2-1 win at lowly Norwich ended a five-game winless run, and was just Leicester's second in their last 11 league matches. Cifuentes will hope to oversee a second successive league victory when his Foxes side host high-flying Stoke on Saturday afternoon.

  Leicester then round off November with a trip to Southampton and a home game against relegation-threatened Sheffield United. 

Tottenham are set to miss out on signing a heavily-linked wonderkid for manager Ange Postecoglou, with another club swooping in and agreeing a January deal.

Spurs continuing busy transfer window

Following the signings of attacking midfield ace Timo Werner, who joined on loan from RB Leizpig with an option to buy, Spurs also sealed a permanent move for defender Radu Dragusin to the tune of £25 million.

Spurs ready to battle major club for 6 foot 4 star praised by van de Vaart

The north Londoners have entered contention for his signing.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 24, 2024

The two additions, made earlier this month, bolster Postecoglou's options significantly as the Australian attempts to guide his club to Champions League qualification and a top four finish. Tottenham had previously been suffering from a serious lack of depth behind their traditional starting eleven, and especially at centre-back, where both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were absent for long periods before this month.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange, Chief Football Officer Scott Munn and the wider recruitment team have moved quickly to secure much-needed January additions, which is in stark contrast to previous years under different managers.

Widespread reports indicate that Tottenham are also in talks to sign Antonio Nusa from Club Brugge on a buy-to-loan-back deal, a similar move which brought the likes of Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr to north London in recent seasons.

Despite already being busy, with the club also sealing a plethora of loan moves away for members of their squad, Spurs appear by no means finished as we approach deadline day.

Postecoglou is thought to be keen on signing a new midfielder, though a lot could depend on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and whether Levy can negotiate a permanent exit for the Dane this month. Links continue to surround Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, as there are rumours Postecoglou is a huge fan of the 23-year-old, but one midfielder Spurs look certain not to sign is Royal Antwerp sensation Arthur Vermeeren.

Tottenham "set to miss out" on Vermeeren

The Belgian has earned admirers at Spurs in recent months, with some reports previously suggesting that Tottenham had set their sights on signing Vermeeren.

The 18-year-old, who has amassed a growing reputation due to his excellent performances at Antwerp this season, now appears to be on the move elsewhere. Indeed, as per widespread claims and journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are set to miss out on Vermeeren to Atletico Madrid as the La Liga side agree a deal for the midfielder.

The teenager has started 21 league games for Antwerp as a mainstay of their midfield this season, but waved goodbye to his club last night as he nears a move to Spain.

Eric Garcia has committed his long-term future to Barcelona, signing a new deal that keeps him at Camp Nou until 2031. The defender, who has established himself as a key starter since his return from a successful loan spell at Girona, admitted his "dream" is to spend his entire career at the club after overcoming a difficult start to life in Catalonia.

• Garcia commits future to Barcelona

  Barcelona have officially secured the services of Garcia for the next six years, with the centre-back putting pen to paper on a contract renewal that runs until June 2031. The agreement marks a significant turnaround for the 24-year-old, whose career at his boyhood club appeared to be in jeopardy just eighteen months ago.

  Having returned to the club from Manchester City in 2021, Garcia struggled to nail down a permanent spot in the starting XI during his initial two seasons, eventually leading to a loan move to Girona. However, after playing a pivotal role in Girona’s historic qualification for the Champions League, Garcia returned to Barcelona with renewed confidence. He has since become an integral part of the defensive setup, prompting the club's hierarchy to reward him with a long-term extension.

  The renewal is seen as a vote of confidence from the coaching staff, who have been impressed by Garcia's ability to play both in central defence and as a holding midfielder and his ability to bring the ball out from the back, a trait ingrained in him during his time at La Masia.

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  'Dream to play my whole life here'

  Addressing the media after the signing, an emotional Garcia opened up about his journey, which he describes as achieving his dream "at the third time of asking." After leaving La Masia for City as a teenager, returning to Barcelona, and then leaving again for Girona, he feels he has finally established himself where he belongs.

  "The dream before leaving [for City] was to triumph at Barca," Garcia said. "When you return, the dream starts again. I had to go to Girona, but my dream was to triumph here, to play my whole life here."

  The defender believes that the experience of playing regular football in a high-performing team allowed him to mature, ensuring that when he reintegrated into the Barcelona squad in 2024, he was ready to seize his opportunity.

  "I have always believed that I could be a starter, whether I played or not," he added. "I am enjoying the starts. But if one day the manager doesn't play me, I will keep believing."

• Ignoring the noise and finding consistency

  Garcia also addressed the heavy criticism he faced during his first stint in the Barcelona first team. Arriving during a tumultuous period for the club, both financially and on the pitch, the young defender often found himself the scapegoat for defensive frailties. He admitted that the pressure was immense but insisted that the experience has given him a thicker skin.

  "When I came back I was very young, we all know how this goes," Garcia reflected. "You go from being the best to the worst. I arrived in a difficult era in which the club demanded results. It kept me calm. Now, neither by playing well am I the best, nor when I mess up will I be the worst.

  "That consistency makes great players," he said. "One has to be calm when things get tough, keep your head down. Afterwards, everything comes."

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  Garcia aiming to keep the dream alive

  With his future now secure, Garcia will look to continue his run in the starting lineup as Barcelona aim to consolidate their position at the top of the La Liga table. The Catalan giants are currently enjoying a strong run of form, and Garcia's partnership in defence has been a cornerstone of that success.

  The defender will likely be in the starting XI again this weekend as Barcelona return to La Liga action against Osasuna at Camp Nou on Saturday, where they will hope to maintain their lead over rivals Real Madrid. Three days later, they face Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey.

Whilst Everton's focus may well be on the potential punishment awaiting them for breaking the Premier League's Financial Fair Play rules for a second time, reports suggest that they could still strengthen through the addition of a top-flight champion.

Everton break FFP rules for a second time

Having been handed a 10-point deduction earlier in the season, before fighting back to remain outside of the relegation zone, the last thing Everton needed was to face another punishment. Fighting back after losing 10 points was defiant. Climbing back after another deduction may prove to be an impossible task. Yet, here they are, in breach of the rules again.

The Premier League released a statement confirming the news that Everton and Nottingham Forest had breached their profit and sustainability rules, which read via BBC Sport:

"This is as a result of sustaining losses above the permitted thresholds for the assessment period ending season 2022-23. In accordance with Premier League rules, both cases have now been referred to the chair of the judicial panel, who will appoint separate commissions to determine the appropriate sanction."

Everton, in turn, issued a response, posting a club statement on X:

It remains to be seen just what Everton's punishment could be if they are indeed hit with another one. Currently one point above the dropzone, any deductions could prove to be fatal to their survival chances this season.

Everton make first move to sign Phillips

Even amid the aforementioned chaos away from the pitch, the Toffees could still sign Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City this month. According to Ben Jacobs, Everton have made contact over a deal for Phillips, with Atletico Madrid and West Ham United doing the same. Jacobs posted the news on X:

Given Phillips' lack of game-time, it's more clear than ever that he desperately needs a move away from the Etihad this month if he is to stand any chance of earning a place in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 team this summer. And what better way to impress the England boss than by helping to keep Everton afloat in England's top flight?

If Sean Dyche can secure the defensive midfielder's signature and get him back to the type of form that initially earned the interest of Manchester City, then he could discover the key to survival even amid further FFP punishment. The fact that Jordan Pickford's agent is the same as Phillips' could also go a long way in helping the potential move.

At his best, Phillips has earned high praise, including from Southgate. The Three Lions boss previously said: “He’s been excellent. The way he has taken to international football, it hasn’t surprised us because what we’d seen with Leeds, even in the Championship, we felt could convert into our team. We felt he could play an important role with us."

The team leaves for Pakistan on December 8, where they will play two Test matches that will count towards the ICC World Test Championship

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2019Pakistan will be hosting Test cricket for the first time in more than ten years, that too against a full-strength Sri Lanka line-up, in December 2019.Dimuth Karunaratne will lead the Sri Lanka side, with experienced batsmen Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal present in the 16-member squad. The team leaves for Pakistan on December 8 to play two Test matches that will count towards the World Test Championship.Less than three months ago, Sri Lanka had toured Pakistan for a series of limited-overs matches, but as many as ten high-profile players had opted against travelling.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The Test series was originally scheduled for October at a neutral venue because of security concerns, but the PCB requested Sri Lanka to play the entire bilateral series in Pakistan. The white-ball games were played as a test of sorts for the security measures taken by the hosts, and following the success of that tour, Sri Lanka agreed to play the Tests in Pakistan too.There was only one change to the Sri Lanka squad that played the second Test against New Zealand at home in August. Kasun Rajitha, the right-arm fast bowler, replaced legspinner Akila Dananjaya, who is currently serving a one-year suspension for an illegal action.The first Test will start on December 11 in Rawalpindi, followed by the second in Karachi from December 19.Pakistan has not hosted a Test match since the 2009 Lahore attack that wounded several Sri Lankan cricketers, support staff members and others. Of the current players, fast bowler Suranga Lakmal was part of Sri Lanka’s squad back then as well.

The X-factor player can be a value add for New Zealand in the T20 World Cup, but can he find a spot in the XI?

Alagappan Muthu02-Nov-2019″Great memories. Yeah, it was a great day and hopefully can get another one tomorrow.”Long before #BoundaryCountback (Sorry, Jimmy) but in the lead-up to it, Tim Seifert walked out under lights in Wellington and went beserk. It was only his 10th time at the crease in international cricket, his first as opener for New Zealand, and at the end of it, he had not only played a starring role in handing India their biggest ever T20I defeat but also set himself up to be a wildcard entry into the World Cup squad. Such was his X-factor, which on that day, was worth 84 runs off 43 balls.The fairy tale didn’t quite have a happy ending with Seifert getting injured at the wrong time but he’s back now and there’s another ICC trophy lurking in the distance. The 24-year old is a value add to any T20 batting-line up with his array of unorthodox shots, ranging from the down-the-track, through-the-line wallops against extreme pace to artful little scoops over the wicketkeeper’s head, all of which made perfect sense when, after that 80-run thumping of India, he faced the cameras and said, “Kinda funny when I got told that I’ll be opening the innings. I YouTubed Brendon McCullum and watched some of his innings.”ALSO READ: Pressure on Guptill, Munro amid NZ’s top-order strugglesOnly New Zealand have way too many top order batsmen. Martin Guptill and Colin Munro are the incumbent openers, whose pace has been key to the team maintaining a run-rate of 8.69. No other team, having played a minimum of 15 T20Is, has scored quicker since the last T20 World Cup. Kane Williamson, who was originally due to play these matches against England but had to pull out due to injury, is expected to be fit again by the time the Test leg of the tour begins on November 21. He rarely bats below his No. 3 spot in any form of the game.All of that means Seifert has often had to make do as the outsider looking in. “I’d like to be at the top or bat three or wherever to be honest,” he said on Saturday upon returning to Wellington, the venue where he first announced himself. “We did start this series well here against India last year so hopefully we can do the same.”New Zealand are 0-1 down against England, largely because of a poor start. They lost one opener in the third over and the other followed him off the last ball of the Powerplay, leaving the team playing catch-up for the rest of the innings. The coach Gary Stead has previously spoken of the difficulty in picking four specialist top-order batsmen in the same XI, although Seifert certainly seemed to like being in a competition for spots.”Personally no, I don’t think it’s tense at all,” he said after batting at No. 3 against England on Friday. “I think it’s quite good. We have people there to discuss how we’re going to get better as individuals and having Munro and Guptill, they’re world class players, it’s awesome to have them there to talk about it. And yeah, once Kane comes in, we’ll have to think about it and that’s for the selectors and the coach to make their mind up.”A lot of New Zealand’s success comes on the back of trusting their players and adapting quickly. But now it seems one skill is at odds with the other. They have a player not quite in form – Guptill – but he has served them very well in the past. They also have a limited number of matches to find back-ups. Seifert could be a good shout there, he gets the time to bed into the role before enduring the pressure of his first senior ICC tournament.

The Premier League's short winter break could not have come at a better time for Arsenal, as after a positive lead-up to Christmas that saw them top the table on the day itself, three losses on the bounce have left them scrambling for answers.

The defeats against West Ham United and Fulham saw the Gunners drop to fourth place, while the home loss to Liverpool saw them booted out of the FA Cup in the third round.

While those teams were probably worthy of their wins, there was one constant in Arsenal's performances: abysmal finishing.

Mikel Arteta's men had so many chances to put the ball in the back of the net in each game, but none of their attackers could rise to the challenge, and the latest player linked with the Emirates, Alexander Isak, could spell the end for Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal transfer news – Alexander Isak

According to Football Transfers, Arsenal have 'reignited' their interest in Newcastle United's star striker Isak and remain 'huge admirers' of the Swedish hitman.

The Gunners tried to sign the former Borussia Dortmund star in the summer of 2022 but considered the price that Real Sociedad were asking for to be high. However, any move away from the Toon will likely cost significantly more than the £63m they paid the Spanish side, with the CIES Football Observatory valuing the talented striker at €100m, or about £86m.

While that is undoubtedly a lot of money to spend on a player that you could have signed for considerably less money just a few years prior, it could still be value for money if it helps Arsenal score the goals that end their two-decade title drought.

Plus, it should be relatively straightforward for Arteta to integrate him into the side, as FBref consider former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette to be the most similar player in Europe's top five leagues.

Alexander Isak could replace Gabriel Jesus

Now, some may see that comparison to Lacazette and start to worry given the Frenchman's middling goal return in north London – having scored 71 goals in 206 games for the Gunners – but the comparison from FBref is a recent one, and over the last two years, the former Arsenal forward has been on fire for Ligue 1 side Lyon.

Last season, he found the back of the net 27 times, and this season, he has seven goals in 13 starts, so if the Gunners want a clinical striker, it's really not a bad comparison.

However, Arteta already has a recognised starting striker in his side, Jesus, and as convincing as the Spaniard might be, the "outstanding" Swede, as described by his manager Eddie Howe, is unlikely to join unless he is guaranteed minutes and a lot of them at that.

So, who comes out on top when comparing the two number nines? Well, unfortunately for the Brazilian, Isak's nine goals in 12 league starts this season comfortably beat his three goals and one assist in 11 league starts.

When comparing the pairs' underlying numbers, things only get worse for the former Manchester City ace.

The "unplayable" 24-year-old, as described by journalist Dean Jones, produces a more impressive non-penalty expected goals and assists number per 90, takes more shots on target, scores from more of his shots on target and even – somewhat surprisingly – completes more take-ons per 90 than Jesus – including this fantastic one at Goodison Park.

The only areas in which the Arsenal man comes out on top are passing accuracy and the number of aerial duels he wins per 90.

Ultimately, the Gunners are still in this season's title race, and if they want to end their lengthy wait for domestic dominance, then they will probably need a more clinical striker leading the line, which, unfortunately, could spell the end of Jesus' time as a starter in N5.

Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado has joined Jorge Mendes’ Gestifute, becoming the fifth Barcelona player represented by the Portuguese super-agent.

• Casado leaves Wasserman for Mendes’ Gestifute
• Joins Yamal, Balde, and Guille Fernández
• Super agent's strong ties with Barca board prove influential

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Casado has opted for a change in representation, leaving Wasserman to sign with Mendes’ Gestifute. The Spaniard becomes the fifth Barcelona player under Mendes’ wing, with Yamal, Balde, Guille Fernandez and Ansu Fati, who is on loan at Monaco, on his list of clients. While the legal procedures are still being finalised, Casado has already informed his former agency of the decision. Despite interest from Wolves, West Ham, and Serie A side Como in the summer, Casado’s priority remains earning his place in the Barcelona first team.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The decision to join Mendes reflects Casado’s ambition to strengthen his standing at Barcelona. Mendes is one of football’s most influential agents, with strong ties to Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, relationships that could prove crucial in Casado’s bid for a long-term role at Camp Nou. While speculation about a future transfer lingers, the 21-year-old is determined to stay at the club he grew up in and establish himself in the senior squad.

• TELL ME MORE…

  Casado has been clear about his intentions: he only sees a future away from Barca if first-team opportunities are limited. For now, his focus is firmly on developing under Hansi Flick and pushing for minutes this season. Mendes’ close involvement with players and powerful global network are expected to give the former Barca Atletic captian added security and leverage at a critical point in his career.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Once the paperwork is complete, Gestifute will take the lead on Casado’s medium-term plan at Barcelona. The player’s priority is to establish himself at the club, with any winter decisions only considered if his situation shifts.