Liam Kennedy has been left buzzing over some Newcastle United news involving both Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson.
The Lowdown: In training
Earlier this week, the St. James’ Park faithful posted pictures of Trippier and Wilson training with the rest of the squad after their respective injury setbacks.
This came before Eddie Howe confirmed that the latter could make a return away at Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, while they will have to make a late call on Trippier.
The Latest: Kennedy buzzing
Taking to Twitter, Newcastle World journalist Kennedy gave his instant reaction to the pictures of both of them in training with the squad:
“Now this really is things you LOVE to see.”
The Verdict: Big boost
It is certainly a big boost to see both players back in training after so long out, especially now given the news that they could feature on Sunday.
They are two key players in the team, as evidenced by the fact that Trippier currently ranks as their best performer in the top flight so far this season, while Wilson remains their top scorer with six goals (WhoScored).
Having them back will only make the Magpies stronger going into the rest of the run-in, as they hope to finish the campaign off strongly before digging into the summer transfer window.
In other news, find out which former Sunderland ace NUFC are now eyeing here!
It’s never good to dwell too much on the past, but for those of an Aston Villa persuasion it may still wrangle that they almost snapped up one of Europe’s premier playmakers in Miralem Pjanic, yet twice failed to get the deal
The Bosnian midfielder had caught the attention of clubs across Europe following a fine debut campaign at senior level with Metz during the 2007/08 season, with the then-teenager netting five goals in 38 appearances for the club.
After just one season with the French side, however, he was plucked by fellow Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, albeit while revealing that he had spurned the advances of others in order to continue plying his trade in France.
Speaking at the time, the youngster revealed that Villa – then managed by Martin O’ Neill – had been one of the clubs he had opted to shun in order to make the switch: “I had requests from abroad, including Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa and Fiorentina, but I wanted to stay in France.”
Having missed out then, the Midlands outfit again turned their attentions towards the free-kick “specialist” – as he has been dubbed by Juninho Pernambucano – three years later, with Alex McLeish keen on adding the player to his ranks following the sale of Stewart Downing to Liverpool.
Again, however, those at Villa Park were to be disappointed as he instead opted to head to Italy, joining Serie A giants Roma in a deal worth just €11m (£9.2m), with McLeish and co eventually signing Charles N’Zogbia that same summer in a £9.5m deal.
Since then, the 32-year-old has gone on to feature for more of Europe’s elite clubs, eventually joining Juventus in a £25.4m deal in 2016 where he would win four successive league titles, before he was moved on to Barcelona in the summer of 2020 as part of a deal that saw Arthur Melo head in the other direction.
While it failed to work out at the Nou Camp in his debut campaign, the 103-cap international has impressed out on loan at Turkish side Besiktas this season, registering two key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the league, as well as 1.1 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per 90.
A midfielder of all-around quality, he has earned comparisons to Italian icon Andrea Pirlo, with the passing maestro having been one of the silkiest and most technically gifted players in his position in Europe over the last decade or so.
Having been so close to capturing that talent will no doubt be a real punch in the gut for those at Villa, with the club having had to watch on as he adorned the jerseys of some of the continent’s finest clubs.
In other news, Huge blow: Aston Villa now receive big injury setback that will leave Gerrard raging…
An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their pursuit of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse…
What’s the talk?
According to The Daily Star, the Magpies are among a number of clubs monitoring the England international ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.
Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Manchester City are also keen on the midfielder, who is said to be valued at £60m by the Saints. Pep Guardiola in particular is a huge fan of the St Mary’s academy graduate, but it remains to be seen whether or not any of the clubs will meet Southampton’s valuation.
Eddie Howe can find Solano 2.0
Magpies boss Eddie Howe can find the club’s new set-piece specialist – Nolberto Solano 2.0 – in a deal for Ward-Prowse, with Toon legend Alan Shearer previously describing the 27-year-old’s dead ball quality as “ridiculous”.
Back in 2015, talkSPORT published a list of the best free-kick takers in Premier League history and Solano came in at number five. He had a 9% conversation rate from set pieces, scoring seven of his 78 such attempts on goal in the top flight. The midfielder played 315 games for Newcastle in total, scoring 48 goals and providing 77 assists.
Meanwhile, Ward-Prowse has played 302 matches for Southampton in the top division of English football and has found the net from a free-kick a whopping 14 times. Only David Beckham (18) has scored more in the history of the Premier League, which highlights just how much of a specialist the Saints captain is from dead ball situations.
This means that the 27-year-old can be the new Solano at St James’ Park, as he has proven his quality in the Premier League throughout his career, establishing himself as one of the best free-kick takers in the history of the top flight.
It would be wrong to only mention Ward-Prowse’s set-pieces when speaking about his ability, though, as he is an excellent and combative midfielder. He has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.31 across 33 appearances in the league this season, chipping in with nine goals and five assists whilst making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the middle of the park.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports’ YouTube channel, Nathan Tella said that the Saints skipper “can do everything”. This shows that his all-round game is at a high level, as he has consistently delivered brilliant displays for Southampton throughout the campaign.
Therefore, he would be a fantastic signing for Newcastle, offering Howe a reliable high-quality option in midfield who also possesses a historically superb weapon in the form of his set-pieces.
AND in other news, “Phenomenal” £18m-rated Premier League star now wants NUFC move, he’d be their new Gazza…
Celtic could still potentially appoint Ange Postecoglou as their new manager for a second time, but it may be dependent on what Martin O’Neill does.
The Hoops are continuing their search for their next boss, with O’Neill coming in as interim boss for the time being, looking to steady the ship and get their Scottish Premiership title challenge back on track.
While many are expecting the Irishman to be in charge for a short amount of time, a new report has suggested that he could remain in the role for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.
Celtic supporters are no doubt divided about who they want to see as their next permanent manager, and how long they want to see O’Neill at the club for that matter, with a host of names being mentioned since Brendan Rodgers departed last week.
Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen is seen as one of the favourites to come in, having enjoyed league and cup glory in Belgium in the past couple of years. He is far from the only option, with Lee Carsley, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane among those in the mix, too.
How Postecoglou could still make Celtic return
Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that Postecoglou could still make a shock return to Celtic at the end of the season when the timing is better for the Australian, meaning O’Neill may need to remain in temporary charge until then.
Postecoglou may not be rushing into a decision right now, as O’Rourke alludes to, but if he knows the Celtic job will become available next summer instead of right now, it may appeal to him.
The 60-year-old enjoyed a hugely successful spell at Parkhead in his first stint as manager, winning two Scottish Premiership titles and Scottish League Cups apiece, as well as one Scottish Cup.
1. Martin O’Neill
283
75.6%
2. Ange Postecoglou
113
73.5%
3. Neil Lennon
335
70.7%
4. Jock Stein
761
69.6%
5. Brendan Rodgers
292
68.8%
Granted, his stock has fallen after disappointing spells at Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, despite winning the Europa League with the former, but he knows Celtic inside out and would bring an attacking brand of football that went down well with the fans first time around.
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If O’Neill is only in interim charge for a short time, a different option feels best, though, with Postecoglou potentially mentally tired after a tough year.
Celtic have reached out to hire a "tactically unbeatable" manager – it's not Ange
Celtic are ramping up their efforts to improve their squad to make sure that it is in the best place possible to attack the 2025/26 campaign across all competitions.
The sale of Nicolas Kuhn to Como and the ACL injury to Jota, who is set to be out until the turn of the year, meant that a winger was always going to be high on the agenda for the Hoops.
Celtic have reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £5m with Royal Antwerp for Belgian winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha in an attempt to fill the void the Kuhn and Jota situations left in the squad.
The 24-year-old forward is now due to undergo a medical this week before arriving at Parkhead to compete with Daizen Maeda, Hyun-jun Yang, and James Forrest for a starting berth.
Celtic agree deal to sign new defender
Balikwisha is not set to be the only new arrival to link up with Brendan Rodgers’ squad in Glasgow before the end of the week, though, as they are also poised to add another defender to the group.
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According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic have agreed a deal with Boca Juniors to sign experienced left-back Marcelo Saracchi this week.
The reporter claims that the Uruguay international is due to travel to London to undergo a medical before his official unveiling as a new Celtic player.
Joseph adds, though, that there will not be an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season, which meaens that he will return to Boca Juniors next summer.
What Marcelo Saracchi could bring to Celtic
The loanee ace could come in as a very solid back-up option and alternative to Kieran Tierney at left-back, with the defensive skills to be Emilio Izaguirre 2.0 at Parkhead.
After arriving from South America, Honduras specifically, in 2010, Izaguirre went on to play a whopping 271 matches in all competitions for Celtic, winning seven Scottish Premiership titles, per Transfermarkt.
The Honduras international averaged 5.3 tackles and interceptions per game across his European career with the Hoops, per WhoScored, and Saracchi could provide a similar defensive presence down the left flank.
As was the case with Izaguirre, the Uruguay international is not a flying full-back who is likely to deliver five goals and ten assists, with no more than three goals or four assists in a single season in his career, but he is a dependable defender at left-back.
2025 (Boca Juniors)
11
4.4
2024 (Boca Juniors)
25
3.6
2023 (Boca Juniors)
16
2.8
22/23 (Levante)
30
3.2
21/22 (Levante)
4
5.8
As you can see in the table above, Saracchi has largely been an active defender over the last five seasons with more than three tackles and interceptions per 90 across all five campaigns combined.
These statistics show that he can be a similar left-back to Izaguirre at European level for Celtic because he is a defence-first full-back who loves to get stuck in with challenges to cut out opposition attacks and win the ball back for his side.
Celtic manager BrendanRodgersbefore the match
Whilst Saracchi may only be on loan for a reason, rather than a long-term signing who can win seven league titles, he could follow in Izaguirre’s footsteps as another solid defender from South America who can do a job at left-back to help the Hoops in big European matches in the Champions League.
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Despite the 15th-placed finish in the Premier League for Manchester United last season, excitement is undoubtedly building at Old Trafford ahead of the new campaign.
Ruben Amorim has been handed the budget to make the changes he desires to the first-team squad to avoid a repeat of the 2024/25 season – which saw them fall below the expectations set by the fanbase.
The attacking department has been subject to the biggest changes throughout the window, with the hierarchy splashing £200m on new talent to improve the front line.
Benjamin Sesko
Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko have all joined the Red Devils, with the latter the most recent addition to improve the current situation at the Theatre of Dreams.
Given his tally of 13 league goals in the Bundesliga last season, he will offer an upgrade on the options at the manager’s disposal, but it appears other targets are still being considered by the board.
Man Utd still targeting other strikers after Sesko
Ollie Watkins has been touted as a potential option for United, with Aston Villa potentially looking to cash in on the forward between now and the end of the transfer window.
The 29-year-old, who scored 17 times in the Premier League, could be available for a fee in the region of £60m, a potential excellent deal for a proven English top-flight option.
Aston Villa'sOllieWatkinscelebrates scoring their first goal
However, he’s not the only Englishman currently in their sights, with Bayern Munich star Harry Kane another talent in their sights, according to one Spanish outlet.
They claim that the 32-year-old has a £56m release clause within his current contract that becomes active next summer, which could see the Red Devils take advantage.
It also states that the player himself could be keen on a move back to the Premier League after a three-year stint in Germany, with Amorim himself approving the deal.
Why United’s latest target is better than Sesko
After beating Newcastle for Sesko’s signature, the Slovenian now has the pressure of the United fanbase on his shoulders going into the 2025/26 campaign.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskoreacts
The 22-year-old, who cost a whopping £74m, will need to provide the goods, especially after the form of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in the recent season.
The pair, who were the Red Devils’ main centre-forward options, only registered a combined seven league goals, contributing to the side’s measly tally of 44 league goals last year.
Sesko has the responsibility of offering an upgrade on the duo, something which he would provide if he can replicate his goalscoring form which saw him net nearly two times more than the pair combined.
However, it may only be one season for the former RB Leipzig star in the starting role, that’s if Kane was to complete a potential deal to Old Trafford in next summer’s window.
Bayern Munich'sHarryKane
The Englishman previously scored 213 goals in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur, but also managed to outperform Sesko in the Bundesliga in the most recent campaign.
Kane, who’s been labelled “the best finisher in the world” by Gabriel Jesus, notched nearly double the number of combined goals and assists, whilst posting a higher shot on target rate – offering a more clinical option within the final third.
Games played
31
33
Goals & assists
35
18
Shot-on target accuracy
44%
43%
Progressive passes
3.7
1.6
Pass accuracy
79%
67%
Key passes made
1.3
0.7
Carries into opposition box
0.8
0.5
Aerial success rate
60%
58%
He also completed more of the passes he attempted, with more of which being defined as key passes, having the tools to also provide for the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo at Old Trafford.
The 32-year-old’s dominance over the new addition is further reflected in his aerial dominance, handing Amorim’s side the needed focal point his side has been lacking since taking the reins.
It’s unclear if a deal for Kane will materialise in the coming months, but there’s no denying that the English record goalscorer would be a phenomenal addition to the Red Devils side.
Sesko has an opportunity this season to prove he’s capable of filling the void at the top end of the pitch, but it’s clear he could be replaced by the former Spurs star in 2026/27 should he fail to cut it in the Premier League.
A dream for Cunha & Mbeumo: INEOS submit bid to sign £69m star for Man Utd
Manchester United have once again splashed the cash during the current summer window.
Glasgow Rangers are still in the process of finding a new head coach to lead them into the next era at Ibrox under the new ownership that is set to come in.
Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell are tasked with finding a permanent replacement for Philippe Clement, who was relieved of his duties in February, after Barry Ferguson’s interim stint came to an end.
The former Scotland international only won five of his 16 matches in charge of the Gers during his time in the dugout, and it was then confirmed that he would not be offered the job on a full-time basis.
Then, rather bizarrely, the Daily Record reported that Ferguson was planning to get rid of Nils Koppen, the technical director, if he had been given the job, despite the Belgian chief being in a position above his.
The focus is now on finding an external candidate who can come in to bring success back to Ibrox after a season without any major trophies.
One coach who has been linked with a move to Ibrox this summer is former Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti, who has been working with his father Carlo Ancelotti.
Why Rangers should avoid Davide Ancelotti
It is first worth acknowledging that there are reasons why the Gers are right to have taken an interest in the Italian coach, because he is vastly experienced at the top level of European football.
As you can see in the graphic above, his father has won the Champions League five times and lifted a league title in all five of the major European leagues.
Davide has not worked with Carlo for all of those achievements, of course, but he has been either a fitness coach or an assistant manager to the legendary manager in his last six jobs.
Real Madrid (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
233
Everton (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
67
Napoli (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
73
Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
60
Real Madrid (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
119
PSG (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
77
As you can see in the table above, the Rangers target has plenty of experience coaching at the top level under his father, at massive clubs like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
However, Davide Ancelotti has not managed a single game as a first-team head coach or manager in his own right, which means that he would also arrive at Ibrox as an incredibly inexperienced boss in that respect.
Real Madrid assistant coachDavideAncelotti
This means that appointing him would be a huge gamble for Rangers because he is yet to prove that he can successfully coach a winning team on his own, which is why it may come as good news that there is a fresh report detailing the club’s plans to speak with another candidate.
Rangers set for talks with Davide Ancelotti alternative
According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are set to hold talks with former Scotland international Russell Martin over a deal to be the next head coach at Ibrox.
The report claims that the ex-Southampton manager will meet with Gers chiefs at some point this week to discuss a potential move to Glasgow ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
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It states that Ancelotti, Steven Gerrard, and Brian Priske are also in the running, as Stewart and Thelwell have a shortlist of candidates that they are working through to find the new Rangers head coach.
The Scottish Sun claims that there have already been initial talks held with Martin, but they are set for further discussions when they will allow him to outline how he would bring success back to Ibrox as a coach.
However, the outlet adds that he is also a strong contender for the Leicester City job in the English Championship, which could mean that the Light Blues need to move quickly if they want him as their next boss.
Martin should, with this in mind, be a strong candidate for the role because he could be an even better option than Ancelotti and Priske this summer.
Why Russell Martin would be a good appointment for Rangers
On paper, Priske looks to be an excellent option for the job because he has won two titles with Sparta Prague and one title with Midtjylland in Denmark, which shows that he can coach a winning team.
However, the Danish tactician has typically favoured a 3-4-3 shape throughout his career, which worked in Czechia and Denmark to win titles, but he had to adapt at Feyenoord and switched between 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and 4-2-3-1 formations, with little success, before being sacked shortly after losing 6-1 to Lille in the Champions League.
With Rangers typically playing against teams sitting in a low block, a 3-4-3 formation that is more suited to transitional games and playing on the counter with wing-backs bombing on may not suit a tilt at the Scottish Premiership title, and his Feyenoord performance suggests that he is not successful at coaching four at the back formations.
This is one key reason why Martin could be better than him for this job, because he plays an attacking 4-3-3 formation that is well-suited to dominating and breaking down low blocks, as evidenced by his side’s performance in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign when they won the play-offs to earn promotion to the Premier League.
Pass accuracy
87.7%
1st
Passes into the penalty area
594
1st
Progressive passes
2556
1st
Shot-creating actions
1255
1st
xG
79.8
2nd
Points per game
1.89
4th
As you can see in the table above, the former Rangers loanee successfully deployed a team that dominated the ball whilst creating high-quality chances at an exceptional rate.
Analyst John Walker described Martin’s style as “exciting” and “total football” and those statistics back that up, as the manager has proven that he can coach a team to be incredibly dominant and creative when he has the players to do so.
Of course, he was sacked by Southampton earlier this season after a dismal run of 13 losses in 16 Premier League games, but the Saints went on to lose 30 times in 38 matches, suggesting that Martin was not the only problem there.
The Scottish tactician also showcased his coaching ability in the lower leagues in England with MK Dons, helping to coach this incredible goal below.
Martin could bring an enjoyable and successful style of play to Rangers that could help them compete for trophies again, and could be a better option than Priske, due to his stylistic issues, and Ancelotti, who is an unknown quantity.
Offers on the table: Rangers must now cash in on "anonymous" flop & Dessers
Rangers will be hoping to sell a 2024 summer signing in the next transfer window.
As rumours continue to arrive over Arsenal’s summer transfer plans, new sporting director Andrea Berta is now reportedly keeping a close eye on a somewhat cheaper attacking option who has scored 25 goals this season.
Arsenal looking to ease goalscoring woes
Whilst it’s easy to list the absurd number of injuries that Arsenal have suffered throughout the current campaign, their Premier League form since the return of Bukayo Saka has highlighted their clear problems for all to see. And Berta must address those issues in his first summer in charge.
Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace
Ipswich Town 0-4 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Brentford
Everton 1-1 Arsenal
Even though their form has come at a time when the Premier League title has drifted away from them and into Liverpool’s grasp as official champions, Arsenal still have Champions League qualification to worry about. Mikel Arteta, with three games to go, simply has to seal a place in the top five amid concerns that a disappointing campaign could still turn disastrous.
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The Spaniard recently had his say on Liverpool’s title win and the Gunners’ failure, telling reporters: “Winning trophies is about being in the right moment in the right place. Liverpool have won the title with less points than we have in the last two seasons. With the points of the past two season we have two Premier League [titles].”
What would certainly help ensure that Arsenal are in the right moment in the right place, however, is the arrival of a pure goalscorer this summer. Amid links to the likes of Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko, those in North London must get things right this summer and solve Arteta’s greatest problem.
Meanwhile, if it’s a question of money, then Berta may yet turn towards a cheaper options who could turn into the summer’s best bargain if all goes to plan.
Arsenal plotting £34m Patrik Schick move
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now plotting a move to sign Patrik Schick from Bayer Leverkusen this summer with Berta keeping a close eye on the Czech Republic forward. Valued at around €40m (£34m) by the Bundesliga club, the Gunners could swoop in and solve their attacking problems for far cheaper than if they signed Isak or Sesko.
Despite his bargain price, Schick has enjoyed a season worthy of a far higher valuation – scoring 25 goals in all competitions – and could yet prove that in the Premier League. At 29 years old, the only concern for Arsenal should be his age, but as Chris Wood has proved at Nottingham Forest this season, players are more than capable of making the difference even when outside of what are considered prime years.
Minutes
1,562
2,354
Goals
19
8
Assists
0
5
Expected Goals
11.5
6.8
Smashing his expected goals in the Bundesliga this season, Schick is the pure goalscorer that Arsenal have so desperately lacked all season. His name wouldn’t steal the same headlines as an Isak or Sesko, but he would arguably be just as clinical. Previously dubbed “great” by former Sampdoria boss Marco Giampaolo, Schick is one to watch this summer.
And just like that, Tottenham Hotspur have one foot in the Europa League Final.
Ange Postecoglou’s side played host to Norwegian outfit FK Bodø/Glimt last night in what could have been a real banana peel sort of fixture.
However, instead of wilting under the expectation and pressure, as they have so often this season, the North Londoners showed everyone just why they were such firm favourites heading into the tie.
The Lilywhites ran out 3-1 winners, and while most of the starting lineup put in a good showing, there was one player who once again stood up and showed he could be something of a new Son Heung-min for the club.
Spurs' top performers
Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of Spurs’ other top performers from last night, such as Dominic Solanke.
The former Bournemouth man was under immense pressure to score his penalty in the second half, but he didn’t seem to care, as he calmly stepped up and put it away, as he did in Germany.
It wasn’t just the goal, though, as his simple presence at the tip of the attack and his tireless running was a real pain for the Norwegians’ defence.
Another Englishman who stepped up in a big way was James Maddison, who, on top of scoring the Lilywhites’ second goal, was running things from the middle of the park.
The mercurial midfielder left quite the impression on GOAL’s Sean Walsh as well, who awarded him a 9/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he delivered a ‘statement performance’ for his team.
However, there was another starter from last night who put in a strong showing, a player who can divide opinion among fans and pundits alike but is showing why he could be something of a new Son for Tottenham in the coming years.
Spurs' new Son
So, while the likes of Pedro Porro, Richarlison and even Yves Bissouma all put in solid displays last night, none of them could be described as being remotely similar to an on-song Son.
Brennan Johnson, on the other hand, could.
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Okay, so before the torches and pitchforks come out, we are not saying that Johnson is anywhere close to being as talented as the South Korean superstar, nor do we think he’ll ever reach that near enough world-class level either.
However, and this is an important point of comparison, last night was another reminder that even when he’s not at his best, the Welshman can put the ball in the back of the net when starting out wide.
For example, before the clock had even hit a minute, the former Nottingham Forest star, who picked up an 8/10 match rating from Walsh, found himself just a few yards out when he headed it home to open the scoring and set the mood for the whole game.
Granted, he probably should have scored another at some point, but for all the derision he gets for having the odd drop in form here and there, the “frightening” winger, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, has been an essential source of goals for Postecoglou this season.
For example, he has now scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in 47 appearances this year, totalling 3077 minutes.
In other words, the Nottingham-born star is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.95 games or every 128.20 minutes of action.
Appearances
47
43
Minutes
3077′
3062′
Goals
17
11
Assists
7
12
Goal Involvements per Match
0.51
0.53
Minutes per Goal Involvement
128.20′
133.08′
To put that into context, Son has produced 23 goal involvements in 43 games, totalling 3062 minutes this season, which comes out to an average of one every 1.86 games, or more crucially, one every 133.08 minutes.
Finally, on top of his surprisingly impressive goal involvement per minute ratio, the 23-year-old dynamo is also comfortably the club’s top goalscorer this season, with Solanke lagging behind in second place with 14 goals to his name.
Ultimately, while Johnson is not going to reach the same levels in his all-around play that Son did in his peak, he has shown this season that he could at least replicate the South Korean’s raw output, and with potentially six games left of the season, he could hit 20 goals in all competitions.
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Arsenal are believed to be prepared to fork out one club’s asking price for their star player, with Mikel Arteta’s side deciding to speed up their move for him recently.
Mikel Arteta "very excited" about Arsenal's next transfer window
Following the arrival of new sporting director Andrea Berta in late March, Arteta admitted that Arsenal are set for a “big” summer of business.
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According to recent reports, Arsenal could spend up to £300 million on as many as seven major signings, after missing out on this year’s Premier League title to Liverpool by some distance, with Arteta claiming he is “excited” by the prospect of Berta’s debut transfer window.
Crystal Palace (home)
Today
Bournemouth (home)
May 3rd
Liverpool (away)
May 11th
Newcastle United (home)
May 18th
Southampton (away)
May 25th
“It’s going to be a big one (summer) and we are very excited about it.
“When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step. Every summer is big because it is an opportunity and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now, that is necessary.
“But it’s a big summer for many things because first of all we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.”
Arsenal manager MikelArtetareacts
Arsenal are targeting a prolific new striker as one key item on their agenda, with injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus exposing Arteta’s serious lack of options in that area of the Gunners squad.
A number of interesting names have been linked since Berta’s appointment, but Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres is consistently being mentioned as a potential signing above all.
The Sweden international’s phenomenal haul of 47 goals and 11 assists in all competitions is turning heads at the Emirates Stadium, and Gyokeres is rumoured to be a top target for Arsenal in their pursuit of a number nine.
Arsenal ready to pay £56m asking price for Viktor Gyokeres
According to a Spanish report, as cited by Football 365, another update has come to light on Arsenal’s serious interest in the former Coventry City star.
As per their information, Arsenal are prepared to pay Sporting’s “demand” of £56 million for Gyokeres after accelerating their move for the Scandinavian “in recent weeks”, with Arteta’s side viewing the “star striker” as an ideal signing to take them up to another level.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
£56 million seems like a bargain for a prolific star of Gyokeres’ ilk, but previous reports have also claimed that Sporting are ready to let him go for less than his initial £86 million release clause.
The 26-year-old could end up being one of the best buys of the summer after two incredible seasons in the Primeira Liga, and Gyokeres may be the proven scorer who Arteta has been crying out for.