Arsenal have directly reached out to a £54 million striker for transfer discussions, but manager Mikel Arteta actually favours somebody else entirely.

Arsenal targeting new striker for Mikel Arteta in 2025

Kai Havertz continues to impress in a makeshift centre-forward role under Arteta, and previously misfiring striker Gabriel Jesus did his confidence a world of good with his exceptional hat-trick against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

Arsenal "impressed" by prolific striker who Arteta could get for just £25m

He’s scored 16 goals in all competitions already this season.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 20, 2024

However, there is an acceptance within Arsenal that they need to sign a prolific new striker at some point next year, whether that be in January or next summer.

Interim sporting director Jason Ayto, assisted by managing director Richard Garlick, is tasked with overseeing Arsenal’s recruitment strategy in the absence of ex-transfer chief Edu – with the influential figurehead resigning from his post last month.

Looking ahead to 2025, it is believed Ayto and Arsenal are weighing up the possibility of signing a world-class target man who can deliver serious returns in the final third – leading to their rumoured interest in a few big-name centre-forwards.

Crystal Palace (away)

December 21

Ipswich Town (home)

December 27

Brentford (away)

January 1

Brighton (away)

January 4

Tottenham (home)

January 15

Certain members of the boardroom are believed to be pushing Alexander Isak’s name for the role. The Newcastle United star is reportedly near the top of their striker shortlist, amid his stand-off a new contract, with many Arsenal chiefs championing Isak as a top transfer target to deliver

Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic’s representatives have held talks with Arsenal, according to some reports, while it is believed by other media sources that the club could turn to lesser-known strikers like Spartak Moscow sensation Manfred Ugalde.

Arsenal have been told by intermediaries that they could sign Ugalde for £25 million, which is the value of his release clause, and the Costa Rica international has impressed Emirates Stadium officials with his 16-goal haul in all competitions (The Boot Room).

Two other marksmen linked with moves to north London come in the form of RB Leipzig sensation Benjamin Sesko and Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres, with Football Transfers now sharing a pretty intriguing update on the club’s interest in both men.

Arsenal in direct talks with Gyokeres, but Arteta wants Sesko

It is believed that Arsenal are in direct talks with Gyokeres over a potential move, and Sporting are prepared to sell him for around £54 million – a serious discount on his £85 million release clause.

The Swede is garnering sensational numbers yet again this season, racking up 27 goals in just 25 appearances across all competitions, but this hasn’t swayed Arteta – who is apparently more keen on Sesko.

The latter is apparently Arteta’s “preferred option” and “priority target” to lead Arsenal’s line, and if the club feel that he’ll be available for transfer this time round, they could apparently attempt to prise him away from the Bundesliga after failing to do so in the summer window.

However, if they suffer yet another setback in their pursuit of the Slovenian, Arsenal will turn their attention entirely to Gyokeres.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been tipped to retire "when Lionel Messi stops", with the 40-year-old Portuguese GOAT told he is now tarnishing his "legacy".

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All-time great is still going strong at 40Intends to reach 1,000 career goalsArgentine icon Messi also nearing the endFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

While the goals are flowing at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, evergreen frontman Ronaldo has now reached 40 years of age. He continues to make himself available for club and country, with another quest for Nations League glory being taken in with Portugal.

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CR7 is expected to play on towards the 2026 World Cup, with there a desire on his part to reach 1,000 career goals before considering retirement. He has, however, been told that he is not the player he once was and should walk away once eternal rival Messi decides that he will be hanging up record-breaking boots.

Getty/GOALWHAT JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK SAID

That is the opinion of former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, with the ex-Netherlands international telling : "Football doesn't need Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup. Ronaldo has been one of the best players for a long time; one of the best players in history. I think, at the moment, he’s doing himself more harm than good to be playing for Portugal still – it’s impacting his legacy.

"And if you ask me, Messi or Ronaldo, I will always say Ronaldo because of what he had to do to get to that level and to stay there.

"We all know as footballers, and I know this really, really well from my playing time, there's a time when you come and there's a time where you need to go. I think his time had come a while ago, and he needs to give somebody else the opportunity.

"I don't think that he is at the moment better than the other options that Portugal have. Some games you need to press, some games you need to do different things, and I don't think that he can do that anymore. There’s no shame in that. For him to even be playing at 40 is a landmark in itself.

"There comes a time when you have to hang the boots up. I think that time will come when Messi stops. I think when Messi decides to call it a day, so will Ronaldo."

WHAT NEXT FOR CRISTIANO RONALDO?

Ronaldo is up to 218 caps for Portugal, with 135 goals being recorded along the way. He retains unwavering belief in his own ability, while always demanding the highest of standards, and sees no reason to call it a day while still being capable of making a positive contribution in domestic and international competition.

As it was last year, this season has been a roller coaster for Tottenham Hotspur fans.

One week, the North Londoners look like the best team in the country and are pulling apart the Premier League champions 4-0, and then the next, they lose at home to winless Ipswich Town.

Ange Postecoglou has turned his side into great entertainers but has not been able to address their problems with consistency, and were it not for the incredible Dejan Kulusevski, things could be looking a lot worse at the moment.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports linking them to a player who could mirror the Swede’s journey to Spurs and be an incredible upgrade on James Maddison as well.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several top-flight teams keen on signing Belgian sensation Charles De Ketelaere.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that Liverpool, West Ham United, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Manchester City and Aston Villa are all interested in the Atatlanta star.

This number of top sides vying for the talented playmaker is undoubtedly far from ideal for the North Londoners, but the good news is that the story claims he is valued at just £40m, which could prove to be a real bargain for someone of his quality.

It could still be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given De Ketelaere’s sensational ability, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be the next Kulusevski and would be an upgrade on Maddison.

De Ketelaere's comparisons to Kulusevski & Maddison

So, before we look at how De Ketelaere stacks up against Maddison, it’s worth examining the reasons his signing would mirror that of Kulusevski’s.

The first is that, like the Swedish international, the Atalanta star would be making his way over from Serie A, akin to the Lilywhites star’s move from Juventus in 2022.

The second, more meaty point of comparison is that, like the Stockholm-born star, the Belgian gem is an incredibly talented attacker who can, and has, played everywhere from centre-forward to the wings and all over midfield.

Lastly, like Kulusevski, the former Club Brugge prospect is just an incredibly entertaining player to watch and has that increasingly rare ability to get fans off their seats with a sublime piece of skill, unreal goal or pinpoint pass.

With that said, as he’s spent most of this season playing in an attacking midfield role, the “wonderful” talent, as dubbed by journalist Dougie Critchley, would likely come in as competition for Maddison were to move to N17, and unfortunately for the Englishman, we reckon he’d displace him, and quite easily at that.

Appearances

23

23

Minutes

1469′

1415′

Goals

8

7

Assists

9

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

86.41′

117.91′

For example, in just 23 appearances this season, the 23-year-old “diamond”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored eight goals and provided nine assists, equating to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.35 games for the Bergamo outfit.

In contrast, the former Leicester City star has scored seven goals and provided five assists in as many games, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.91 games.

Finally, Postecoglou would be able to rely on the Brugge-born dynamo more than his current co-vice-captain, as the most games he’s missed in a single season through injury is just ten, which is a far cry from the Englishman’s spotty fitness record.

Ultimately, while Maddison is an unbelievably gifted footballer, De Ketelaere just looks to be even more so, and considering his valuation isn’t outrageous, Daniel Levy and Co should be doing all they can to bring him to N17.

Just like Kulusevski: Spurs' "unbelievable" 8/10 diamond is now undroppable

The special talent must start the next game for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 20, 2024

Senior figures from UK Sport, FA and Manchester City also invited to give input

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2022Andrew Strauss says that England’s ambition is to become the “best in the world at all formats of the men’s game within the next five years”, after announcing a panel of experts for the ECB’s high-performance review that includes Sir Dave Brailsford, the former head of the British Cycling team that topped the medal tables at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.Writing in a blog post on the ECB’s website, Strauss reiterated his intention to be “bold” in assessing the failings that have left England’s Test team with one victory in 17 matches since March 2021, and with their lowest ICC ranking since 1995. His aim, he added, is to have solid proposals for the game to vote on by September, in order for the restructuring to begin in time for the 2023 season.”Over the past 42 years, England’s Men have been the number one ranked Test team in the world for a total of 12 months, and 50-over number one for 64 months,” Strauss wrote. “In T20 cricket, we have held the top spot for 748 days since the inception of those rankings in 2011.”At the moment, we aren’t top in any format. So we want to set an ambitious and clear goal – to become the best in the world at all formats of the men’s game within the next five years.”It’s extremely ambitious because we’ve never done it before. But why can’t it be achievable? What’s stopping us – and what else could help us get there? That’s what I want our high-performance review to consider.”From within cricket, the ECB’s panel includes Rob Key, England men’s director of cricket, and Durham’s Marcus North, alongside Daryl Mitchell from the PCA and Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director.From outside the game, Strauss has also secured the expert input of Kate Baker, director of performance at UK Sport; Simon Timson, Manchester City’s performance director; Dan Ashworth, the former FA director of elite development, and Penny Hughes, the ex-chair of Aston Martin.However, Brailsford – who is currently the director of the professional cycling team Ineos Grenadiers – is arguably the most prominent name on the panel. Strauss has long been an admirer of his “marginal gains” philosophy, and adopted many of those principles on England’s victorious Ashes tour of 2010-11.Brailsford’s reputation within cycling was recently tarnished, however, when his ex-colleague, Dr Richard Freeman – the former doctor at British Cycling and Team Sky – was found by a medical tribunal to have ordered testosterone “knowing or believing” it was to be used to improve the performance of one of the team’s riders.”I wanted to find experts in high performance whatever that field, some who’ve been in the spotlight, others who’ve been in the background generating high-performance programmes or systems,” Strauss added. “Some with cricket knowledge and expertise, others from a wider sporting background. People with different experiences, who have undergone different journeys, but all of whom we can learn from. And people who are all keen to help cricket.”Strauss added that views would also be sought from cricket’s supporters, and that the whole process would have oversight from a group of first-class county chairs. The remit of the review will not, however, take in the international schedule, nor will it tackle the specifics of the domestic calendar until the remodelled structures have been put in place.”I read a lot of speculation about the domestic competition structure. Of course, this is an important part of the picture, but it’s not the only part,” Strauss added. “The review is designed to look at the high-performance system in its entirely, including the England men’s pathway and our high performance set-up.”And let’s be clear – we have no pre-built solution. At this stage the project is only just starting. There are no hidden agendas. I wouldn’t be bothering to carry out a review if I was already sitting here with specific proposals for change.”

BCB is trying to convince Tamim Iqbal, who has taken a break from the format, to be available for selection

Mohammad Isam17-May-2022

Bangladesh will play “more than 16” T20 games in the build-up to the World Cup•BCB

Bangladesh will play a T20I tri-series in New Zealand, likely in September-October, as part of their build-up to this year’s T20 World Cup, BCB’s cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus has confirmed, adding that Pakistan are likely to be the third team, and the series is going to be held in Christchurch.Before reaching New Zealand, Bangladesh will travel to Australia for a weeklong camp in Adelaide, where they will play T20 practice matches against local sides. This will be in September. The dates for the tri-series haven’t been announced yet, but the likeliest window is between late September and early October. The World Cup starts October 16, with the Super 12s, of which Bangladesh and New Zealand are a part, starting October 22.”We will play more than 16 T20 matches [before the T20 World Cup],” Yunus said at a press interaction. “We will not need a separate camp, since this is itself a lot of preparation. We will be holding a camp in Adelaide for a week, before heading to New Zealand to play the tri-nation tournament.”Related

Mehidy, Litton, Taskin – Bangladesh's metamorphosis men

Anamul and Naeem light up Dhaka Premier League

The 16 matches Yunus mentioned include T20Is in West Indies and Zimbabwe in July and August, apart from the Asia Cup, which will also be a T20I affair.Yunus said that the BCB has been holding regular meetings with Tamim Iqbal about his possible return to the T20I side. Tamim said in January that he should not be considered for selection to the T20I side for six months, but that might change.”Tamim is one of the most senior players. We have held a series of meetings with him, and he understands his position very well,” Yunus said. “You will probably hear about it from him when the six months are over. We want him to play, and we are trying [to convince him]. We will definitely respect his decision since he has to consider his future as a cricketer.”Yunus also said that Anamul Haque, who made a record-breaking 1138 runs in the List A Dhaka Premier League last month, could be selected in the Bangladesh white-ball teams in next month’s West Indies tour. “I think the selectors are considering [him] for the ODIs and T20Is against West Indies,” he said.

MatériaMais Notícias

Fora do estadual e Copa do Nordeste, o Ceará foca na Copa Sul-Americana e iniciou a venda de ingressos para a estreia da competição, que será no dia 5 de abril, quando encara o Independiente-ARG, na Arena Castelão.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE A DO BRASILEIRÃO

Com a expectativa de contar com a presença maciça do seu torcedor, a diretoria colocou os ingressos à venda em diversos pontos da cidade.

Confira abaixo valores e onde o torcedor do Vozão pode comprar o ingresso:

Superior (Norte e Sul):

R$ 60,00 (Inteira), R$ 30,00 (Meia)

Superior Central:

R$ 80,00 (Inteira), R$ 40,00 (Meia)

Inferior (Norte e Sul):

R$ 70,00 (Inteira), R$ 35,00 (Meia)

Inferior Central (Bossa nova):

R$ 120,00 (Inteira), R$ 60,00 (Meia)

Especial:

R$ 120,00 (Inteira), R$ 60,00 (meia)

Premium:

R$ 250,00 (Inteira), R$ 125,00 (meia)

Pontos de Venda:

Loja Vozão sede (Av. João Pessoa, 3532 – Porangabuçu) – 9h às 17H (seg. a sexta) e 09h às 12h (sábado)

Loja Vozão Shopping Parangaba (Rua Germano Franck, 300 – Parangaba)

Loja Vozão Shopping Iguatemi (Av. Washington Soares, 85 – Edson Queiroz)

Loja Vozão Shopping RioMar Kennedy (Av. Sargento Hermínio Sampaio, 3100 – Pres. Kennedy)

Loja Vozão Grand Shopping Messejana (Av. Frei Cirilo, 3840 – Messejana).

As lojas dos shoppings acontecerão nos horários de 10h às 22h e no domingo de 13h às 20h.

RelacionadasFora de CampoOnde assistir as finais dos campeonatos Paranaense e Catarinense? Saiba detalhesFora de Campo30/03/2022Futebol InternacionalCom recorde histórico de público, Barcelona derrota Real Madrid em clássico pela Champions FemininaFutebol Internacional30/03/2022SantosWilliam Maranhão é apresentado com a camisa 5 e promete brigar por espaço no SantosSantos30/03/2022

The Hollywood icon delivered a show-stopping performance before the CONCACAF Nations League finals

• Smith performed hits including 'Men in Black'
• The actor's appearance added extra excitement
• Mexico went on to win the tournament for the first time

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Will Smith, the multi-talented actor and musician, took center stage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday ahead of the CONCACAF Nations League finals. The actor, best known for his role on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, delivered a high-energy performance, including his classic hits to warm up more than 68,000 fans in attendance.

  The show took place before the CONCACAF Nations League final between Mexico and Panama.

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• WATCH THE VIDEO

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In the CONCACAF Nations League final, Mexico beat Panama 2-1 in a thrilling match. Raúl Jiménez scored both goals for Mexico, including a stoppage-time penalty, to secure their first Nations League title.

  The victory marked a successful return for coach Javier Aguirre and ends the United States' three-year reign as champions. In the third place match, Canada beat Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT squad 2-1, with Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi cancelling out Patrick Agyemang's goal.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Following their first Nations League win, Mexico will be preparing for the Gold Cup 2025, which will take place from June 14 to July 6.

Sunderland’s sporting director has delivered an exciting update on the Black Cats’ January transfer plans.

Sunderland struggling

After a storming start to the season that saw them win nine of their first 12 games in the Championship, Regis Le Bris’ side are now without a win in six. After drawing five in a row, they were most recently beaten 1-0 by league leaders Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Speaking after the defeat to the Blades, Le Bris said: “How can we dominate a strong team like that and still lose in the end? It’s incredibly frustrating.”

The Frenchman also highlighted the area that he feels his side needs to improve on the most.

“We were confident and dominant, but the missing piece was finishing. Scoring a goal is my main concern right now,” he explained, adding: “It’s not just a matter of luck; we need to focus on the small details, work hard, and find solutions.”

Speakman: "We have to be optimistic"

The solution to Sunderland’s recent problems could come in the form of some new arrivals in the January transfer window. The Black Cats have recently been linked with a number of players, including Celtic wonderkid Daniel Cummings, Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Sam Tickle and Peterborough United winger Kwame Poku, and fortunately for Le Bris, it appears he will indeed be given money to spend after the New Year.

Speaking with Sunderland’s media team earlier this week, the club’s sporting director Kristjaan Speakman provided a candid update on how the club intend to do business next month.

“First of all, it’s about assessing the squad. I think we’re coming from a position of strength. I think the group’s in a really good place. We’ve got loads of preparation going on.

“We’ve just got to be really diligent in the moment, able to react and action things really quickly within the month of January,” he said, before closing with 8 words which should be music to fans’ ears ahead of the winter window.

Jobe Bellingham update

While Sunderland could soon be about to recruit some new players, they could also be about to lose one very important one. According to Sky Sports in Germany, Borussia Dortmund have recently been “in contact” with midfielder Jobe Bellingham about a potential move to the Westfalenstadion, where his older brother, Jude, spent three seasons before moving to Real Madrid in the summer of 2023.

Sky said that Dortmund, and especially chief scout Sebastian Krug, still maintain a close relationship with Bellingham’s family, and that his “development is being closely monitored”.

Bellingham has been one of Sunderland’s standout players since moving to the Stadium of Light last year, catching the eye with his commanding performances in the middle of the park.

Since Newcastle United were bought by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in October 2021, the Magpies have not been shy with their spending. They have spent millions of pounds on new players to help build Eddie Howe a squad capable of challenging for the highest honour, although things have yet to work that way so far.

The North East side have reached the Carabao Cup final and qualified for the Champions League in that time. With that being said, missing out on European qualification last season was a blow, despite the fact it was somewhat unlucky.

However, it is hard to argue that the squad has not been improved with all the money that has been spent.

Newcastle’s most expensive signings under Saudi ownership

The Magpies smashed their club-record signing in August 2022 to bring striker Alexander Isak to St James’ Park from Spanish side Real Sociedad, paying £63m. It is fair to say that the Swede has been a success at the club despite his injury issues.

The 25-year-old, who has also played for Borussia Dortmund, has an impressive record for the Magpies. Isak has scored 42 times and has eight assists in 82 appearances for the club, with six goals to his name in the Premier League this season.

Howe’s side also brought expansive Italian midfielder Sandor Tonali to the club from Serie A giants AC Milan. He cost £55m, and although he missed a year due to a gambling suspension, he has impressed in his 27 appearances so far.

Another impactful signing in midfield was that of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian midfielder cost Newcastle £40m and has revolutionised the centre of the park for Howe. He has 17 goals and 19 assists in 125 games, but also brings leadership, and has captained the club 15 times this term.

Despite all the money they have spent, things have not always been so easy for the North East side. A few years ago, their record signing was Miguel Almiron, who cost far less and has not quite lived up to expectations.

Almiron’s Newcastle career

Paraguayan winger Almiron made the move to St James’ Park from the MLS, leaving Atlanta United to join Newcastle in the 2029 winter window.

At the time, his £21m fee was the Magpies’ most expensive transfer ever, beating the £16m they paid Real Madrid to sign Michael Owen in 2005. Almrion’s record was exceeded just months later by the £40m they paid Hoffenheim to sign Joelinton.

First Impressions

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

When the 30-year-old winger signed for Newcastle almost six years ago, he received high praise from club legend and all-time Premier League top goalscorer Alan Shearer. He explained the winger would be “absolutely loved” by Magpies fans:

Well, whether or not that is the case, only a Newcastle supporter could answer. However, Almiron’s record in those famous Black and White stripes leaves a little to be desired. He has played 217 games for the club, scoring 30 goals and grabbing 12 assists in that time.

The winger’s best season at St James’ Park came in 2022/23. In the Premier League, Almiron scored 11 goals, over a third of his entire tally, and grabbed two assists.

He went through a phenomenal purple patch that season in the weeks just before the break for the 2022 World Cup, scoring seven goals and grabbing an assist in eight games.

Opposition

Venue

Result

Goals

Assists

Fulham

Away

4-1 win

2

0

Brentford

Home

5-1 win

1

0

Man United

Away

0-0

0

0

Everton

Home

1-0 win

1

0

Spurs

Away

2-1 win

1

0

Aston Villa

Home

4-0 win

1

0

Southampton

Away

4-1 win

1

0

Chelsea

Home

1-0 win

0

1

However, that has been as good as it has gotten for the Paraguay winger. Almiron has seen his involvement under Howe reduce over time, and can barely get a look in this term. He has played just six times in the Premier League in 2024/25, a total of 119 minutes which equates to 1.3 full 90-minute games.

It is certainly frustrating that Almiron’s career at St James’ Park has tanked. Reports in November suggest he will be able to leave the club in the winter window, six years after he joined, and it certainly makes sense.

The Magpies can look to recoup some of their original transfer fee on Almiron and strengthen out wide. They have recently been linked with exciting young winger Johan Bakayoko, and the money from selling Almiron could be reinvested in the Belgian, as Howe’s side make another push to qualify for Europe.

Newcastle could axe their big scapegoat by signing "exceptional" £37m ace

Eddie Howe could do with some new midfielders at Newcastle and appears to have found the perfect target.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 10, 2024

Things have been going well for Enzo Maresca since he became Chelsea manager in the summer. They have been one of the best sides in front of goal in the Premier League, as the stats suggest on Sofascore.

The Blues have found the back of the net 38 times, the third most in the league, bettered only by Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. They have also created the second-highest number of big chances, again bettered only by the Reds, who have created 72 to Chelsea’s 64.

There is certainly plenty of firepower up front for the Blues, and they have been linked with another reinforcement ahead of the January transfer window.

Chelsea target Ligue 1 striker

The player in question here is Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani. The 26-year-old has struggled to break into the PSG side under Luis Enrique this season and could depart the French capital in the winter.

According to a report from TEAMTalk, the Blues are believed to be ‘very keen due to the fact he can play anywhere across the front three’. They have reportedly ‘made contact to find out the conditions of a potential deal’ this January.

However, they won’t be alone in their quest to sign the Frenchman within the next month or so. Manchester United are thought to be ‘one of the sides keen on him’, with North Londoners Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal also interested in doing a deal this winter.

Why Kolo Muani would be a good signing

It has been a tough season for the France international so far. He has played 14 times in all competitions, featuring for a mere 453 minutes, the equivalent of five full 90 minutes. Even when he has played, he has only managed to score twice in total.

However, there is no denying his class, given he scored 15 goals and grabbed 14 assists in 32 Bundesliga games for Eintracht Frankfurt during his final campaign at the club. It was that form that earned him a £76.4m move to the French capital in the summer of 2023.

A full France international, Kolo Muani was part of the 2022 World Cup squad which lost to Argentina. Rather infamously, he missed a last-gasp one-on-one in the final. However, he did score in the semi-final, a poacher’s finish against Morocco after being on the pitch for just 44 seconds.

There have certainly been plenty of high-profile footballing people who have been full of praise for the 26-year-old. Perhaps the best of the bunch is German legend Lothar Matthaus.

He once described him as a “future superstar”, explaining that he is “ice-cold in front of goal” – high praise from a legend of the game.

There are certainly comparisons that can be drawn between Chelsea’s first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson, and their reported target Kolo Muani.

The Senegal international has been on fire this season, with nine goals and three assists in 17 games in the Premier League this term. That includes two goals and an assist in a 3-0 away win to London rivals West Ham United.

There can certainly be statistical comparisons drawn between Jackson and Kolo Muani, with the deemed to be similar players among those in Europe’s top five leagues, according to FBref.

For example, the PSG man averages 0.5 goals per game and has 1.51 shots on target per 90 minutes in Ligue 1. Comparatively, the Chelsea number 15 averages 0.61 goals each game and 1.63 shots on target.

Kolo Muani & Jackson key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Kolo Muani

Jackson

Goals

0.5

0.61

Shots on target

1.51

1.63

Expected goals

1.18xG

0.61xG

Shot-creating actions

3.27

2.98

Goal-creating actions

0.75

0.47

Stats from FBref

Having someone like Kolo Muani in the Chelsea squad to offer serious competition to Jackson could be a smart move for Maresca. The 26-year-old, who earns £202k-per-week as per Capology, has not been at his best this season, but on the other hand, has not really played either.

At Stamford Bridge, there would be the opportunity to play regularly, and if he can find his groove, the Blues could have a deadly player on their hands. Kolo Muani could be the perfect addition to help push Chelsea up the table and perhaps make a title charge.

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Posts 5 ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 28, 2024