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Hugo Ekitike has made a blistering start to his Liverpool career and excited the Reds faithful with a curling effort into the bottom corner on his debut.

Ekitike scores early into competitive debutNew signing puts Reds 1-0 up against PalaceAlexader Isak rumours persistFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Frenchman picked up the ball from Florian Wirtz on the edge of the Crystal Palace area and curled a low effort from the top of the box into the bottom right corner, beyond the reach of Dean Henderson. With his first shot in English football and just 228 seconds into his debut, as per Opta, Ekitike had put Liverpool 1-0 up in the Community Shield. It was a dream start for the new £79 million ($107m) striker who joined this summer from Eintracht Frankfurt and will have been hoping to make a scoring start to his time at his new club. It was an effort worthy of sending the Reds fans into hysteria.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

On X, Ben Mattinson declared the striker as "the real deal", saying: "I tried to tell people."

Antonio Mango said: "Even putting Goals and Assists aside, Hugo Ekitike will be unreal for Liverpool. What a talented guy."

@umirf1 tweeted: "Remember all that Ekitike’s xG underperformance talk. I tried to tell you why it was a farce when contextualised. Ridiculous footballer."

Dougie Critchley was envious of Liverpool fans. He said: "That must be any Liverpool fan’s dream… A Wirtz and Ekitike link-up, beautiful finish… Unreal goal."

Lewis Steele considered how Ekitike has improved upon an already talented frontline, saying: "Hugo Ekitike with a goal to show why Liverpool paid so much money for him. Neat footwork in a tight area and a beautiful finish. Extremely early days but that is a very well taken strike and, you have to say, Darwin Nunez would have never scored a goal like that."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

With talk of Alexander Isak joining Liverpool and likely taking the starting number nine spot, Ekitike is laying down his mark in the middle of the Liverpool attack. The Frenchman could not have made a better start to his time at the club, helping them to an early 1-0 lead. Liverpool were later pegged back when fellow French striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta equalised from the spot before Jeremie Frimpong also scored on his debut to restore the Reds' lead.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR EKITIKE?

After the Community Shield, Ekitike and Liverpool's attention turns to the Premier League and retaining their crown. Arne Slot's side kick off their defence on Friday against Bournemouth at Anfield.

قرر مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة، برئاسة هاني أبو ريدة، إضافة ثلاثة عناصر جديدة إلى لجنة الحكام، خلال الموسم الكروي الحالي.

ويرغب مسؤولو اتحاد الكرة في معالجة أزمات التحكيم في الموسم الحالي من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، بعد شكوى عدة أندية.

طالع| خاص | اتحاد الكرة يتخذ قرارًا ضد محمد معروف بعد طرد هاني وشكوى الأهلي

وتضم لجنة الحكام حاليًا كلًا من: “أوسكار رويز، وجيه أحمد، عزب حجاج، هشام صلاح، جهاد جريشة، فهيم عمر، السيد مراد، جيمس حنا”.

وعلم بطولات، أن اتحاد الكرة قرر إضافة محمد الحنفي ومحمد يوسف ومحمود رضا إلى لجنة الحكام بجانب جهاد جريشة، بالإضافة لـ سيد مراد مسؤول تقنية فيديو.

فيما قرر مسؤولو اتحاد الكرة استبعاد عزب حجاج وفهيم عمر من عضوية لجنة الحكام.

ومن المقرر أن يتولى الثنائي المستبعد مهام بعض الأمور الإدارية في لجنة الحكام خلال الفترة المقبلة.

Luis Enrique's side were handily beaten by their English opposition as they failed to add the global title to their 2024-25 treble

Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain failed to add the Club World Cup trophy to their ever-growing collection as they were beaten 3-0 by a Cole Palmer-inspired Chelsea in Sunday's final. PSG, who were heavy favourites heading into the game, were absolutely stunned by Enzo Maresca's men on the day, being blanked in the attack while the English club countered their high-press system with ease to secure the title.

Palmer opened the scoring after 22 minutes, slotting home with his left foot from the edge of the box, and the England international doubled Chelsea's lead eight minutes later, finding the back of the net once again with an identical finish after leaving the PSG defence for dead.

On the verge of half-time, the Blues added a third, with Palmer turning provider as he delivered a delightful ball to Joao Pedro, who chipped PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for his third goal in two appearances for Chelsea since he joined from Brighton.

PSG tried to fight back in the second half as Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha were denied by Robert Sanchez before tempers flared late on as Joao Neves was sent off after pulling Marc Cucurella's hair.

GOAL rates PSG's players from MetLife Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10):

He could do very little about the goals, though he maybe could have anticipated Palmer's finishes a little better. Twice made fine saves to deny Delap in the second half.

Achraf Hakimi (5/10):

Some truly world-class moments on the ball from the Moroccan, but he struggled to break free of the man-marking of Neto all game. Locked out of the match, and he never figured out how to jump back in.

Marquinhos (6/10):

Some really strong moments, but was often covering for the lapses in judgement from Beraldo and Mendes, making it tough to assert himself.

Lucas Beraldo (5/10):

Continued in the absence of the suspended Pacho but really struggled to contain both Palmer and Joao Pedro. A performance that left a lot to be desired.

Nuno Mendes (4/10):

Had his hands full with Gusto all game, most notably when he was beaten in the build-up to the opening goal. Struggled to influence the game with his usual defensive prowess while being caught out in the attack on numerous occasions.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Fabian Ruiz (5/10):

Caught out of position for Chelsea's third, and otherwise struggled to combat the intense midfield pairing of James and Caicedo.

Vitinha (5/10):

Shredded by Palmer for Chelsea's second and caught behind the play on their third, he had a rough night handling the physicality and pace of the right side of the Blues' attack.

João Neves (3/10):

Sent off in the 85th minute after a hair-pulling incident with Cucurella. Summed up an extraordinarily poor performance from the young Portugal midfielder.

AFPAttack

Desire Doue (5/10):

Squandered a fantastic chance in the first half, but otherwise had a really quiet day. Struggled to compete with Cucurella all match.

Ousmane Dembele (4/10):

Completely blanked in the final third by Chelsea. For a Ballon d'Or favourite, he did not play to the level expected of him on the day.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (4/10):

PSG's first player to be substituted, the Georgia international had little to no impact on the match. Completely cut out of the game by James and Gusto.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Bradley Barcola (5/10):

Subbed on midway through the second half, but he made very little impact on the match.

Senny Mayulu (5/10):

Replaced Ruiz with 17 minutes to spare, but not much he could do.

Warren Zaire-Emery (5/10):

Subbed on for Hakimi alongside Mayulu.

Goncalo Ramos (5/10):

Brought on to try and get a goal back with 17 minutes left, but barely touched the ball.

Luis Enrique (3/10):

Completely outclassed by Maresca on the touchline. He failed to make quick adjustments throughout the match, and never figured out how to free up his world-class full-back pairing. A defeat he will remember for quite some time.

Chameera becomes Sri Lanka’s third injury replacement at the World Cup after Chamika Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2023Lahiru Kumara has been ruled out of the World Cup after hurting his left thigh during training in Pune, where Sri Lanka play their next game of the tournament, against Afghanistan on Monday. He has been replaced in the Sri Lanka squad by Dushmantha Chameera, who becomes the third player to come in as an injury replacement for Sri Lanka since the tournament started.Chameera was one of the key players who Sri Lanka couldn’t fit into their World Cup squad earlier because of fitness issues. He was initially out of action with a torn pectoral muscle, which he suffered ahead of the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe, and after recovering from that, he injured himself again in the Lanka Premier League in August.Related

Peak Sri Lanka too sharp for England

Kumara goes from back-up to frontman

But Chameera came into the touring party – along with Angelo Mathews – on October 19 as a travelling reserve, and has now moved into the main squad. Mathews had earlier replaced Matheesha Pathirana (shoulder injury), while Chamika Karunaratne had come in for regular captain Dasun Shanaka (quad injury).While Chameera would have been an automatic pick in the Sri Lanka squad under ordinary circumstances, Sri Lanka would probably have wanted Kumara in the mix too, especially after his Player-of-the-Match performance against England on October 26. Kumara picked up three big wickets in that game – those of Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone and Ben Stokes – as Sri Lanka won by eight wickets, only their second win in five games in the tournament so far.Sri Lanka’s updated World Cup squad: Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Angelo Mathews, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne

Pakistan clinched an epic last-over thriller against Afghanistan to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ODI series, in Hambantota on Thursday. Chasing 301, Pakistan, somehow, narrowly escaped a defeat and kept their unbeaten ODI record intact against the hosts, having registered their sixth win in as many games.The match came down to 11 runs needed off the final over and Shadab Khan going strong unbeaten on 48. Pakistan had two wickets in hand. And then some drama, as it so often happens in an encounter between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Fazalhaq Farooqi ran the allrounder out backing up right at the start of the last over. Shadab was way out of the crease before Farooqi delivered the ball and replays confirmed the run-out. Naseem Shah, however, kept his cool and slammed the first ball of the last over for a four past long-off.The equation soon came down to six off three balls with Haris Rauf on strike. A misfield at the deep midwicket region then helped Pakistan fetch three runs and with three needed off two balls and just a wicket in hand, Naseem Shah’s thick outside edge past short third took the visitors home.It meant a memorable batting performance by Afghanistan went in vain. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s epic 151 and Ibrahim Zadran’s classy 80 had led the team to 300 for 5 after they were bowled out for 59 in the opening ODI. But in the end, it wasn’t enough to secure their first victory over Pakistan in this format.

Imam, Babar and Shadab shine

Pakistan recovered well after losing Fakhar Zaman early, with Imam-ul-Haq top-scoring with 91 and sharing a century stand with Babar Azam for the second wicket. Imam looked like the most comfortable batter in the line-up, ticking along by mostly running ones and twos. His 105-ball knock had just four fours, but kept Pakistan’s required run-rate under control. Babar, who was out for duck in the first game, played a steady 53. But his wicket off Farooqi in the 31st over opened the gates and offered Afghanistan a way back.Pakistan lost three key wickets for three runs inside ten balls. Mohammed Nabi struck twice in the 38th over to dismiss Agha Salma and Usama Mir, who was promoted up ahead of Shadab and Iftkhar Ahmed. Mujeeb Ur Rahman then got the big wicket of Imam in the next over with the equation coming down to 56 from 30 balls.The game was still evenly poised. Though Pakistan lost Iftikhar and Shaheen Afridi in the 47th and 48th over respectively, Shadab kept attacking, blazing three fours and a six in his 35-ball innings. His cameo was crucial in Pakistan bringing the equation down to 11 off the final over and chasing down the big total. It also earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored a valiant fifth ODI century•AFP/Getty Images

Gurbaz, Zadran power Afghanistan to 300

Two days ago, Afghanistan faltered in a chase of 202 and registered their second-lowest total in ODIs. But on Thursday, two determined 21-year-olds born a few weeks apart, powered Afghanistan to their highest ODI total against Pakistan.The openers played out almost 40 overs and scored at a brisk rate on a surface covered with grass and offering bounce. It was also a different track than the one for the first ODI that assisted spinners. Gurbaz and Zadran’s massive opening stand extended to 227 and was finally broken by legspinner Usama Mir when the former holed out to long-off. By that time, Afghanistan had touched the par score.Gurbaz, who expressed his intent from the beginning by coming down the track against the pace, found boundaries regularly to reach fifty in 72 deliveries. Despite experiencing some pain in his left forearm, Gurbaz kept going and brought up his fifth ODI hundred in 122 balls. His best over of the innings came against Rauf, the bowler who rattled Afghanistan with five wickets in the opening game, in the 37th over when he greeted the pacer with four back-to-back fours.On the way to his career-best score, Gurbaz achieved a few feats: he became the first wicketkeeper to score 150-plus in men’s ODIs against Pakistan, his 151 is the second highest individual score for Afghanistan in ODIs, and is also the third highest individual ODI score by any batter in Sri Lanka.On the other hand, Zadran kick-started his innings quietly but got on with the act as the innings progressed. He took 71 balls to reach his fourth ODI fifty, in the 30th over. Playing in his 16th ODI, he crossed 50 for the eighth time on Thursday, showing the temperament for the 50-over format. In his 101-ball knock, Zadran hit six fours and two sixes.For Pakistan, their short-ball tactic proved futile against the openers who either played it down the ground or pulled away for boundaries. Afridi came back in the 45th over to remove Gurbaz and Rashid Khan, but it was too late for a Pakistan turnaround. Naseem was also in the wicket chart with a dismissal of Nabi in the final over, but neither the spinners nor seamers could break the Afghanistan spirit early in the innings.Afghanistan’s spirit, however, would eventually break at the end.

Aiming to rebuild their current side in the vision of Ruben Amorim, INEOS and Manchester United are now reportedly serious about signing one particular midfielder amid a potential £17m discount this summer.

Man Utd plot £17m discount

As Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to cut costs, it’s fair to say that Manchester United’s financial problems are no secret these days. However, the British billionaire has made it pretty clear that any money made by the club is likely to be reinvested into Amorim’s side rather than what he sees as needless costs – and that could yet see the Red Devils enjoy a busy summer.

Related Thrives in a back three: Man Utd make contact to sign "impressive" £25m ace

He could solve Amorim’s biggest problem.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Mar 28, 2025

The reports have already been coming thick and fast, with names such as Ardon Jashari and Hugo Ekitike threatening to steal the headlines as of late. The latter would be a particularly impressive signing given the growing interest in his signature and the form that he has found himself in at Eintracht Frankfurt this season.

It’s not just Amorim’s frontline which needs key reinforcements, however. As Kobbie Mainoo continues to deliberate over signing a new deal at the club, those at Old Trafford have also set their sights on a potential replacement who’d also be an upgrade on Manuel Ugarte.

According to Stretty News, INEOS are now serious about signing Morten Hjulmand this summer, with Manchester United plotting to land a £17m discount for his signature.

The Sporting CP midfielder’s valuation is reportedly set as high as €80m (£67m), but Manchester United believe they can negotiate a deal worth just €60m (£50m) this summer in what would be quite the coup.

Amorim already knows Hjulmand well from his Sporting days, of course, and could now be reunited with his former midfielder at a much-needed time. The Dane’s arrival would undoubtedly go a long way towards fixing United’s midfield.

"Amazing" Hjulmand is better than Ugarte

Despite only signing Ugarte last year in a transfer saga which lasted almost the entirety of the summer, Manchester United could be about to sign an impressive upgrade on the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. However, whether that means a new partner for last summer’s arrival or a place on Amorim’s bench remains to be seen.

Compared to the current Manchester United man, Hjulmand has enjoyed a better pass percentage, more key passes per 90 and has been dispossessed fewer times on average, according to WhoScored. Going forward, in particular, the Sporting star would make a far greater impact on a blunt United side compared to the safer Ugarte.

Dubbed “amazing value for money” by analyst Ben Mattinson when discussing Sporting’s deal to sign the Dane, it’s now Manchester United who are looking to land a discounted deal and welcome Hjulmand.

Manchester City can still finish the 2024/25 season holding the FA Cup aloft, but it’s safe to say this campaign has been an eye-opener for Pep Guardiola and Co.

Indeed, the reigning Premier League champions find themselves all the way down in an unsatisfactory fifth in the league standings, with a mammoth 22-point gap opening up between the lacklustre Citizens and Arne Slot’s seriously impressive Liverpool at the top of the tree.

Therefore, it isn’t out of the question this summer that Guardiola will rip up what was once successful at the Etihad in order to bring in some exciting new blood, with Phil Foden in danger of dropping out of the Spaniard’s first-team plans if he doesn’t improve.

The numbers behind Foden's poor form at Man City

Out with the old and in with the new could well be the mantra at City this summer with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne perhaps moving on after such a disorienting season is over and done with.

Foden is unlikely to up and leave like his Belgian teammate, but the 24-year-old is still a shadow of the skilful talent he was just last campaign when he was crowned PFA Player of the Year as Guardiola’s men romped home to yet another top-flight triumph.

Critiqued on the international stage by Roy Keane for some uninspiring showings donning England white, Foden has failed to pick up a goal or assist in Premier League action since Chelsea away in January, leading to the agile midfielder having to make do with spots on the substitute bench as of late.

While he’s not impressed on the international stage, he also needs to do more at club level. Last term the attacking midfielder found the net 27 times but in 2024/25, he’s only scored ten times.

Thus, his minutes could deplete further at City, particularly if they complete a mega-money transfer in the summer.

Man City City "want to sign" big Foden upgrade

A few tweaks here and there to the first team personnel could inspire City to get back to their best down the line, especially if they are able to sign their number one target this summer.

As per a report by Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the bruised outfit “want to sign” Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz when the window reopens.

The Bundesliga side are preparing to offer Wirtz a new deal that would keep him at the club until 2028 but it will include a release clause allowing club’s to him out of that deal in a year’s time.

It should be seen as a priority on City’s end to try and snap up the services of the explosive German, with sumputous strikes such as the one below helping Leverkusen lift the Bundesliga title proudly last season.

He could well steer his new employers back to the very summit of the Premier League, therefore, but it will come at a significant cost, with Plettenberg further revealing that Xabi Alonso’s men would only consider parting ways with their electric ace if an offer around the £108m mark was made.

Away from his side being crowned champions last term, Wirtz has also torn open top-flight defences in 2024/25, with the German up to a ridiculous 27 goals and assists in all competitions next to Foden’s inferior 15.

Wirtz vs Foden: Key league stats in 2024/25

Stat

Wirtz

Foden

Games played

25

25

Goals

9

7

Assists

10

2

Big chances created

15

7

Successful dribbles per 90

2.9

0.5

Ground duels won per 90

5.4

2.3

Key passes per 90

1.9

1.7

Stats by Sofascore

His continued ridiculous performances for Leverkusen has even seen him branded as “world class” by 1. FC Köln boss Gerhard Struber, with Wirtz’s swagger and skill on the ball making him a perfect replacement for a declining Foden, considering he can operate either as a number ten or as a winger, much like this counterpart.

City do find themselves at a crossroads at this moment in time with some uncomfortable decisions having to be made soon over first-team stalwarts, leading to Foden being ditched potentially for Wirtz to shine.

Related The next captain after De Bruyne: Man City have struck gold with £62m star

Man City have hit the jackpot on a player they signed in 2019

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MatériaMais Notícias

Neste sábado (9), o Sport fez valer o mando de campo e venceu o Londrina por 2 a 0, com gols marcados por Rafael Thyerre, de cabeça, aos oito minutos da primeira etapa, e Sander, aos 19′ do segundo.

Com o resultado, o Leão da Ilha subiu na tabela e ocupa a quinta colocação, com 25 pontos. Por sua vez, o Londrina estaciona em décimo, com 22.

O time comandado por Lisca volta para campo na próxima quinta-feira (14), quando enfrenta o Operário, fora de casa. Por outro lado, o Tubarão duela somente no sábado (16), contra o Ituano, em São Paulo.

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XERIFE PELO ALTO!

O Sport começou melhor e Luciano Juba quase abriu o placar em cobrança de falta. Logo depois, aos 8 minutos, o camisa 46 cobrou escanteio na área e Rafael Thyere aproveitou desvio no primeiro pau, para abrir o placar.

O Londrina tento responder pouco tempo depois, com chute de fora de Caprini. Aos poucos, os visitantes foram tendo oportunidades no campo ofensivo, mas faltou pontaria. O Sport voltou para o campo ofensivo com Caceres, arriscando da entrada da área e mandou por cima.

MAIS UM!

Na volta do intervalo, o Sport teve a primeira chance com Thiago Lopes após cobrança de escanteio. O Londrina respondeu com Matheus Lucas, em giro e finalização. O atacante Vanegas entrou aos 17′, e dois minutos depois recebeu cara a cara, mas chutou em cima do goleiro. Na sobra, Sander teve o gol aberto e não perdoou.

Após o gol tomado, o Londrina passou a ser o protagonista do confronto, com mais posse de bola e poder ofensivo, mas não conseguiu converter o domínio em grandes chances.

FICHA TÉCNICA DA PARTIDA
Sport x Londrina
Local: Estádio Ilha do Retiro, Recife-PE
Data/horário: 09/07/2022 – 16h30 (de Brasília)
​Árbitro: Douglas Marques das Flores (SP)
Árbitro Assistente 1: Daniel Paulo Ziolli (SP)
Árbitro Assistente 2: Gustavo Rodrigues de Oliveira (SP)
Árbitro de Vídeo: Vinicius Furlan (SP)
AVAR: Fabio Rogerio Baesteiro (SP)
Observador de VAR: Erich Bandeira (PE)
Cartões amarelos: Lisca (técnico), Ewerthon, Mailson, Fabinho (Sport), Douglas Coutinho, Samuel Santos (Londrina)
Cartões vermelhos: –
GOLS:Rafael Thyerre (8’/1T) (1-0), Sander (19’/2T) (2-0)

Sport – técnico: Lisca
Mailson; Ewerthon, Thyere, Sabino e Sander; Thiago Lopes, Fabinho, Blas Cáceres e Giovanni (Alan 15’/1T); Luciano Juba e Parraguez (Vanegas 17’/2T).

Londrina – técnico: Adílson Batista
​Matheus Nogueira; Samuel Santos, Saimon, Vilar e Alan Ruschel (Eltinho 36’/2T); João Paulo, Jhonny Lucas (Mossoró 14’/2T), Gegê (Mandaca 24’/2T) e Caprini; Mirandinha (Matheus Lucas – intervalo) e Douglas Coutinho (Gabriel Santos 15’/2T).

Naseem Shah has been ruled out of Pakistan’s plans for the third Test in Karachi, after failing to recover from the shoulder niggle that caused him to miss this week’s 26-run defeat in Multan.Naseem was in visible discomfort during the Rawalpindi Test, particularly while throwing the ball in from the outfield. However, he still put in an impressive bowling performance, claiming five wickets on an unresponsive surface, including 3 for 140 in England’s first innings.According to the PCB, he will now travel to the High Performance Centre in Lahore to undergo further assessment at the National High Performance Centre before beginning rehabilitation. Both the England and Pakistan squads will set off for Karachi on Wednesday afternoon.The Pakistan team management has not called up a replacement at this stage. However, his absence increases the strain on their fast-bowling stocks, with Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out after aggravating a knee injury during the T20 World Cup final in Melbourne last month, and Haris Rauf injuring his quad on debut in Rawalpindi.Pakistan had considered a recall for Hasan Ali in Multan, but in the end they opted to put their faith in allrounders, with Mohammad Ali the only specialist seamer in their XI for the second Test. Faheem Ashraf shared the new ball, while Mohammad Nawaz and the debutant mystery spinner, Abrar Ahmed were added to the side.Depending on the surface at the National Stadium, Pakistan may consider a debut for Mohammad Wasim jnr who impressed during the T20 World. He has, however, only played seven first-class matches, much like Rauf – who had played eight first-class games before his own debut.Naseem first suffered his shoulder issue during a a stint with Gloucestershire in the County Championship in April, only bowling 11 overs on his debut before flying home to be replaced by his fellow Pakistani quick, Mohammad Amir.

Arsenal are considering an offer to sign another high-profile striker, which could happen within these next two days, as manager Mikel Arteta and interim sporting director Jason Ayto identify alternatives to Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins.

Arsenal target centre-forward in final days of January window

This year’s winter window closes on 3rd February, so the Gunners are running out of time to get a prolific new forward through the door after long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal offered £50m attacker who scored 21 goals last term

The Gunners are still searching for a new forward.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 1, 2025

Arteta has admitted that Arsenal want a fresh attacking option, but it is highly likely they’ll miss out on top target Watkins. Villa rejected their opening £60m bid earlier this week, and now that Jhon Duran has sealed a mega-money move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, it is pretty obvious that Unai Emery will be unwilling to part company with two top strikers in such quick succession.

Emery’s side also may have been unhappy at the timing of Arsenal’s offer, which was right before Villa’s Champions League win over Celtic, so relations with their Premier League rivals certainly wouldn’t have been helped.

Now, attention turns to who they could realistically acquire instead of the England international, and Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović could be an option.

The Serb is out of contract in 2026, meaning Juve have a serious decision to make about his future if they cannot agree fresh terms. Vlahovic, on a surprisingly hefty reported £313,000-per-week wage in Turin, has scored 12 goals in all competitions so far this season.

Arsenal consider weekend bid for Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, writing in a piece for TEAMtalk, Arsenal are considering an offer for Vlahovic this weekend.

The ex-Fiorentina star is open to making a move to England, handing Arteta a boost if Arsenal are to submit an imminent offer for Vlahovic, who is apparently one of their top targets.

However, a potential deal is deemed complicated, given Juve have next to no time to source a replacement. The Old Lady did seal a loan move for Randal Kolo Muani earlier this window, but manager Thiago Motta isn’t convinced that he can lead the line alone as they attempt to reignite their chase for Champions League football next season.

If Arsenal can somehow persuade them to part company, Vlahovic would certainly bolster Arteta’s attack.

“I’ve been saying it for a long time,” said former Juve striker Roberto Boninsegna about Vlahovic’s quality in an interview.

“He’s strong, massive, he fills up front, he’s a reference, he’s a ‘left-footer’ full of courage. A good centre-forward.”