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Ruben Amorim has opened up on claims that he could succeed Pep Guardiola as Manchester City boss.

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Guardiola's current deal will expire in 2025The manager has yet to sign an extensionAmorim being touted as his replacementFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Guardiola's contract with City is set to expire at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, and the Spaniard has yet to sign an extension which would have secured his future with the reigning Premier League champions. And Amorim, who has achieved significant success with Sporting CP, is said to be among the top candidates being considered to fill Guardiola's shoes if the former Barcelona manager indeed seeks a fresh challenge after spending close to a decade at Manchester.

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Further fuelling the rumours is Sporting's current director of football, Hugo Viana, who has agreed to join City next year, replacing Txiki Begiristain as the club’s sporting director. This development has sparked talk of a possible reunion between Viana and Amorim at City, with both having worked closely during their time in Portugal.

WHAT AMORIM SAID

In an interview with , Amorim brushed aside the swirling rumours and said: "Hugo Viana and me, we have different and separate paths. His appointment doesn’t mean that I’m going to Man City. We have a very good professional relationship."

Interestingly, Sporting and City are set to lock horns in the Champions League next month. Amorim mentioned that Viana would avoid involvement with the Sporting team during that week to prevent any conflict of interest.

"Nothing about Sporting has changed. Nothing. Everything remains the same until the end of the season," he informed. "Obviously, Viana, during City's week, won't be available to enter the dressing room. I'm going to leave him out, to avoid conflicts. Otherwise, everything will stay the same until the end of the season."

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR AMORIM & MANCHESTER CITY?

Sporting have made a perfect start to the current campaign and currently lead the pack by three points. Amorim will be leading his men again on Saturday against Portimonense in a Taca de Portugal clash. Meanwhile, City will take the pitch a day later against Wolves in the Premier League.

Mitchell Swepson’s international career hasn’t quite taken off yet, and it might not get off the blocks this summer against India either, unless the pitches at home have turned more subcontinental than possible, what with Nathan Lyon the immovable object at the top of the spinners’ queue. The 27-year-old is fine with that, though, and is happy to be around the group and “be a bit of a sponge and soak it all in and hopefully learn a few more things”.”Gaz [Lyon] is obviously the premier spinner, has been for a while, and has proven himself time and time again in Test matches, so [I am] not counting my chickens too much to getting a go above him. But the way the ball is coming out at the moment for me, I feel like I am in a really good place,” Swepson told reporters on Saturday. “And if given a chance and opportunity, I feel like I am ready to go.”Obviously that opportunity has to be there, and if conditions suit…you have to be ready to go no matter what. I will be preparing to play all four games. If the chance comes, I will hopefully take it with two hands, and if not, then so be it. I’m sure there will be more chances in the future.”Swepson did get called up to the Test party late last year, when New Zealand went across, but didn’t get his baggy green. Then he was a chance to get a debut on the tour of Bangladesh, where spin-friendly tracks might have necessitated a partner for Lyon, but that tour was scrapped because of the Covid-19 situation.”There was a great vibe around the team last time and I just learnt a lot just by being around them, so to be included from the get-go this time will be great – be a bit of a sponge and soak it all in and hopefully learn a few more things,” he said. “I got to bowl alongside Gaz while I was down there last time, and he’s always been great to offer up his advice; I got to have a little session with Warney [Shane Warne] in Melbourne last year, and again, another learning experience. So it would be silly of me to say I didn’t take anything out of that and that didn’t help my bowling.”Proof of that is the form he has been in for Queensland in the first part of the Sheffield Shield season, with 23 wickets from three games putting him right on top of the wicket-takers’ list, eight clear of second-placed Jackson Bird.”I think that experience definitely helped my bowling. But where I am at now, it’s been a long grind, it’s been a long process, that’s not the sole reason why my bowling has gone to where it is now,” he said. “It’s been a long grind in Shield cricket for me for a while now. Just glad that I am sort of getting the rewards now for that hard work. So yeah, it’s been great.”With all the Shield games taking place in Adelaide this season, because of Covid-19, Swepson has had a greater role to play for Queensland than he would likely have back in Brisbane, where Queensland would normally have played their home games.Nathan Lyon is well ahead of the pack when it comes to Australian Test spinners•Getty Images

Swepson agreed with that, adding that the work he had put in on his fitness in the off-season had worked its magic too. “That physical aspect is always something you always work on as a professional cricketer, it’s something that the pre-season part of the year is when you work on that physical aspect, and for me, I think that it just comes down to bowling lots of balls,” he said. “We’re lucky to have the facilities we have in Queensland, so early in the year, up and running that I was able to come in and bowl so many balls during the pre-season.When it comes to the Indians, the Test touring party will get cracking with two three-day tour games against an Australia A squad, both in Sydney, in early December after the ODIs and T20Is. Swepson is a part of both ‘A’ squads, but might not actually get to play the second of those (from 11 to 13), since the plan is for the squad to travel to Adelaide with time in hand ahead of the first – day-night – Test, starting December 17.If that happens, and if Australia pick only one spinner in their XI for the first Test, and Lyon if good to go, not only might Swepson’s Test debut have to wait, he is unlikely to “test myself” against Virat Kohli either. The Indian captain will be on paternity leave after the first Test, and will miss the first tour game because the T20I series will still be on at the time.”Hundred percent, you want to challenge yourself against the best and no secret he [Kohli] is up there with the best,” Swepson said. “For me, it’s just another challenge and another thing that excites me, to be able to test myself against another great cricketer, and their whole batting is world-class, so the opportunity to bowl at those guys is just another test for myself, and a challenge I can’t wait to get.”

Arsenal have launched a £45m+ bid to sign a transfer target for Mikel Arteta, however, it may not be enough to land the player in question.

Arsenal transfer rumours

It was another campaign of mixed emotions for Arsenal last time out, who took the Premier League title race down to the final day – an improvement on last year – before losing out to Manchester City after the Sky Blues beat West Ham to lift a fourth league title in a row.

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The Gunners could be set to make a statement signing this summer.

By
Ben Browning

Jun 1, 2024

In their quest to finally chase down the Manchester outfit, the Gunners are seemingly looking to be quite active on the transfer front this summer, with a number of names already tipped to make a move to the Emirates.

It has been claimed that Arsenal are in pole position to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer. The Gunners are said to be among the clubs who have held a long-term interest in the Nigerian, who has a £112m release. Arsenal are also reportedly preparing an official bid for Bologna star Joshua Zirkzee, but Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have the striker on their list of potential targets and are "involved" in the race.

Elsewhere, Arsenal are believed to have held talks with AS Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana via his representatives, but they face competition from Paris-Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid – who have done the same.

However, there is another big name from Europe being linked with the north Londoners as well. The player in question is RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko. Edu Gaspar and Arteta are thought to be prioritising the addition of a new striker this summer and Sesko has been regularly mentioned by sections of the press as a player who is wanted at Arsenal.

Meanwhile, last month, journalist Christian Falk provided an insight into Arsenal and Manchester United's interest in the hitman.

"Benjamin Sesko is the hottest Bundesliga stock in England at the moment," Falk said. "Arsenal FC and Manchester United are particularly interested in the striker. In Leipzig they say: Sesko is physically even stronger than Erling Haaland (Manchester City). Both strikers were trained at Red Bull Salzburg. Like Haaland, Sesko also demanded an exit clause for a move to the Bundesliga."

Arsenal make £45m+ transfer offer to sign "intelligent" star

Now, a fresh update on Arsenal's interest in Sesko, who scored 14 in 31 Bundesliga outings this past season, has been provided.

Football Transfers report that the Gunners have made a concrete step towards signing the 21-year-old this summer, with the club launching a bid of €55m (just over £45m) for Sesko. The striker's current release clause is €65m but Arsenal are hopeful their offer will still be accepted.

Should Arsenal complete a move for Sesko, Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has provided an insight into what he could bring to the club. When asked about Sesko, who he may face off against in the Euro 2024 group stages, Petrovic was full of praise for the forward.

"He’s having a good half-season, he’s in great scoring form. I read that he’s scored in his last seven matches in a row. He seems to have gained strong momentum for the Euros. He’s a forward who has everything a modern player needs. He’s tall, strong, fast and intelligent. I’ve watched some of his matches. Of course he can play in the Premier League. Absolutely! He has great potential and he’s been successfully proving it in recent months."

Yet another one of Daniel Farke's stars could be leaving Elland Road this summer amid "big" interest in their talents from elsewhere, it has emerged.

Leeds braced for fire sale

Following the news that Leeds United would be playing Championship football again next season, there has been a queue forming at the Elland Road exit door if the rumour mill is to be believed. There is concern that Leeds may have to have something akin to a fire sale in a bid to raise money, with the club still owing £73.5m in outstanding transfer fees this summer alone.

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According to reports, they could be forced to raise over £100m from player sales before they can even turn their attentions to potential additions that aren't loan signings or free agents.

Most likely to leave is Crysencio Summerville, with the Championship player of the year attracting attention from across the Premier League and Europe, while talented teenager Archie Gray is another who has caught the attention of heavyweights.

Loanees Marc Roca, Jack Harrison, Max Wober, Diego Llorente, Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen are all also expected to be deemed surplus to requirements when they return from their spells away this summer, though in the case of Harrison and Roca there are options to let them leave on loan once more this summer.

Now, a new name has been thrown into the fray, with "big" interest in his services ahead of the new season.

Leeds forward in demand

That comes in the shape of Georginio Rutter, who has thrived in England's second tier this season after flattering to deceive in the Premier League. Signed for a massive £45m back in January 2023, the Hoffenheim man was earmarked as one for the future, to the point that he managed just a single Premier League start as Leeds were relegated.

In the Championship though, it has been a different story. Under Daniel Farke, he has started the last 47 Championship games (including play-offs), missing the opening day of the season and being sent on as a substitute in the second game of the campaign.

In that time, he has managed to find the net on seven occasions, but has provided a massive 17 assists for teammates as he helped Leeds back into the playoffs.

Georginio Rutter's impressive Championship season

Appearances

47

Starts

46

Goals

7

Assists

17

Key passes per 90

1.98

Shots on target per 90

0.89

Stats provided by fbref

After one particularly impressive performance against Hull City in April, BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope dubbed him "immense" and praised his work rate in particular.

"He was immense.

"I think he took three players out of the game just with a switch of the hips – Shakira style. Before the game Neil Redfearn specifically said it will be so important what Georginio Rutter does without the ball.

"From minute one defensively he was in at right-back helping Sam Byram out, helping Joe Rodon out. I thought he was incredible."

Now though, he could be shown the exit door, with Football Insider claiming that the Frenchman has received "big" interest since the play-off heartbreak.

Should the financial issues be sorted with other sales, there will be little need for the Whites to agree to let Rutter leave, with the youngster still having four years left to run on his £3.5m a year deal at Elland Road.

Despite the attacker being still just 22-years-old, there is little chance that Leeds will recoup anything near the £45m shalled out to sign him should they be forced into a sale, but should his departure mean that they could hold onto the likes of Archie Gray, they may deem it a loss worth taking.

Legspinner has not played Tests since 2019 and does not have red-ball county contract

George Dobell18-Aug-2020

Adil Rashid has not played Test cricket since the 2018-19 winter•Associated Press

England’s national selector, Ed Smith, has suggested Adil Rashid could still be in contention for a place in the Test team despite no longer having a red-ball county contract.Rashid, 32, is England’s first-choice legspinner in the white-ball formats but has not featured in a first-class game since he played in the first Test of the series in the Caribbean in January 2019. He last played for his county, Yorkshire, in September 2017.But despite Smith having previously said Rashid “must have a contract to play red-ball cricket” in order to be eligible for selection, he has now made it clear that he is open-minded about a Test recall.ALSO READ: Malan, Jordan return to England squad for Pakistan T20IsRashid’s situation is complicated by the shoulder injury he sustained during the 2019 summer. He required two cortisone injections to help him get through the World Cup and admitted the injury inhibited his ability to deliver his variations. He told the BBC that, at one stage, he “couldn’t life my arm [while holding] the ball”.He has subsequently undergone a long rehabilitation period and, as a result, decided to concentrate on white-ball cricket until September and then reassess his options.His form in the ODI series against Ireland earlier this summer suggested he had made a full recovery. Not only did he generate sharp turn – his main variation, his googly, was particularly potent – but he bowled with decent pace and had no problem delivering his full allocation of overs in all three matches.And with England hoping to tour Sri Lanka, for two Tests postponed from earlier this year, and India over the coming winter, Rashid’s skill could prove hard to overlook.”The main thing with Adil is that he’s made really good strides with his shoulder injury and he’s developed really well in recovery from that injury,” Smith said as he announced England’s T20 squad for the series against Pakistan. “His form is really good in white-ball cricket. We’ve all seen the skill and the mastery that he’s displaying.”But he’s coming back from a reasonably serious injury and there’s a difference between bowling 10 overs and bowling 100 overs. He’s still working on that physical side, but I think in the long-term Adil still has aspirations to play for England in all forms.”We’ll work with Adil and Yorkshire, see how his shoulder is and see if he is ready to play four- or five-day cricket.”While Smith has shown previously – not least with the selections of Jos Buttler and Rashid in 2018 – that he is prepared to look beyond the county game or specific formats when making selections, his recall of Rashid proved somewhat controversial. Mark Arthur, the Yorkshire chief executive, said at the time: “We’re very surprised. I hope England know what they’re doing to Adil and the county game.”For that reason, if Rashid is to make a Test return this winter, he would probably have to appear in a Bob Willis Trophy match – not necessarily for Yorkshire – before the end of the season. With only a couple of rounds of games remaining, however, and Rashid involved in England’s white-ball squads, such opportunities look thin on the ground. A more realistic target, therefore, may prove the winter of 2021-22 and England’s Ashes tour.Rashid has previously suggested that tour is in the back of his mind. “If I stick to white-ball cricket then there’s no Ashes for me [in 2021-22],” he said. “But if I play red-ball and my shoulder allows it then that’s something that I could look towards. But it’s something I’ve got to earn.”James Vince loses his middle stump•Getty Images

Smith also explained the selection of Dawid Malan ahead of James Vince for the Pakistan T20Is by pointing out the former had been in the squad in South Africa – he actually came into the team for the final match when Joe Denly was taken ill – and was therefore the man in possession. He also suggested Vince, who has now played more than 40 international games for England and averages in the 20s in all three formats, had not taken his chances.”I think James is a very talented player,” Smith said. “At his best James has the skill to look absolutely at home in international cricket. I’m not saying anything different to you here that I said to James on the phone, which is it’s just a question of him grabbing his opportunities. That’s one thing he’d be the first to say, and I think he has said it publicly, that for someone of his talent and his class he probably hasn’t grabbed his opportunities in the way he would have liked to have done.”Denly, meanwhile, owes his inclusion to his all-round skills. “People who can do more than one thing gain an advantage as they can fill different roles,” Smith said. “Moving forward, Joe has a chance of breaking into that T20 set-up.”Smith also confirmed England would not be moving players from the current Test squad into this T20 squad. While one or two involved in that Test squad – the likes of Mark Wood, for example – have played very little cricket this summer, they will not be transferred even if they miss out on selection for the final Test of the summer starting on Friday.”That won’t happen,” Smith said. “Not everyone has played a huge amount of cricket in the Test bubble; some of the reserves haven’t played at all. But the situation for this particular T20 series against Pakistan won’t change. We won’t be considering guys who have been in the T20 bubble to face Pakistan.”

West Ham United's season is fizzling out but David Moyes still has the chance to secure a fourth successive European campaign with a top-seven finish in the Premier League, albeit this is unlikely.

The eighth-place Irons are four points behind Newcastle United having played an extra match; realistically, three wins from three are needed, with tough trips to Chelsea and Manchester City forthcoming.

The uncertainty surrounding Moyes' position at the helm will linger until the campaign's conclusion, though with sporting director Tim Steidten increasingly active in the market, the soon-out-of-contract Scotsman is probably at the end of his journey in east London.

While most of the focus is on the managerial front, West Ham will need to strengthen the playing squad too and are already lining up some shrewd moves.

West Ham eyeing EFL stars

According to a recent report from The Sun, West Ham are lining up summer swoop for Coventry City star Callum O'Hare, with Hull City's Jacob Greaves also on the radar.

The Coventry midfielder has been excellent this season and is out of contract in the summer, creating a hive of activity from Premier League sides for his signature.

The 25-year-old, also pursued by Aston Villa and Fulham, would add depth and dynamism to the Hammers team, as well as boosting the homegrown quota that may take a hit at the London Stadium, with Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell's deals expiring in a few months.

Why West Ham are interested in Callum O'Hare

An academy graduate of Villa Park, O'Hare has gone from strength to strength after leaving for the Sky Blues in 2020, having impressed on loan with the side during the 2019/20 campaign.

In total, the versatile forward has scored 22 goals and supplied 30 assists across 180 appearances, playing a vital role in his side's efforts this year after missing the majority of the previous term with injuries, featuring only 11 times.

As per Sofascore, O'Hare has clinched six goals and three assists across 29 Championship fixtures this season, starting 17 games, completing 86% of his passes and averaging 3.3 ball recoveries, 1.2 key passes and 1.1 tackles per match.

Moreover, O'Hare ranks among the top 1% of forwards across divisions similar to the Championship over the past year for pass completion, progressive passes and tackles, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Having also posted four goals and one assist in the FA Cup this season, scoring during Coventry's incredible FA Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester United, O'Hare's ability on the major stage is illustrated, proving his skill set is equipped to damage top teams in the Premier League.

Given his progressive style of play and crisp technical skills, O'Hare could even prove to be West Ham's next version of Jarrod Bowen, especially as the England international was signed from the Championship, joining from Hull in a £20m move back in January 2020.

Minutes played

120'

Goals

1

Touches

78

Accurate passes

48/57 (84%)

Shots taken

2

Key passes

2

Dribble attempts

3/6

Tackles

1

Interceptions

1

Possession lost

20x

Bowen is also a versatile attacking player with a sharp striking ability and a selfless, inverted style of play that sees him creative and supply for his teammates with regularity.

Indeed, this season Bowen has scored 20 goals and added ten assists in all competitions and has even been hailed for his "unbelievable" displays by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in the past.

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Bowen might be a goalscorer first and foremost but he also ranks among the top 11% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 12% for progressive carries and the top 13% for tackles per 90.

Signing O'Hare on a free feels like something of a no-brainer for the Hammers, and given that he "offers that bit of stardust" – according to presenter Gabriel Sutton – it might prove to be a transfer that evokes memories of the past success in bringing Bowen to the London Stadium.

A £33,000-a-week player has rejected multiple new deal offers from his club as Leeds United eye a bargain move to bring him in this summer.

Leeds face tension-filled final day in race for Premier League promotion

The Whites can still achieve automatic promotion on the final day this weekend, but the odds are no longer in their favour.

Leeds United in pole position to sign 25 y/o international

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ByJosh Barker Apr 27, 2024

Leeds need a huge favour from the soon-to-be relegated Huddersfield Town, who take on Ipswich Town this Saturday at the same time as Daniel Farke's side play host to Southampton.

The Terriers are all but confirmed to be playing League One football next season, but their manager Andre Breitenreiter is pushing his side to spoil the promotion party at Portman Road and cause a huge upset.

“We have to be professional for the last game and maybe decide the promotion battle," the German said after their draw with Birmingham.

QPR 4-0 Leeds

April 26th

Middlesbrough 3-4 Leeds

April 22nd

Leeds 0-1 Blackburn

April 13th

Leeds 0-0 Sunderland

April 9th

Coventry City 2-1 Leeds

April 6th

"It’s our task to do our job. We want to finish the season with a good result and after we have hold conversations about individuals and about the future. The whole analysis will take place after the season. It is difficult to win with 15 goals next weekend. But we weren’t relegated today.”

Ipswich currently lie above Leeds in second, and hold a three-point advantage, but Farke's men are still in with a shot of automatic promotion due to their superior goal difference. Nothing but a win for Huddersfield and Leeds will do on Saturday lunchtime, and it's the Yorkshire side who face a much tougher test on paper.

If that scenario fails to pass, Leeds will be battling in the Championship play-offs for a place in the English top flight next term, and they'll have to do it the hard way.

Failure to seal a Premier League spot next season will have a bearing on their summer transfer plans as well. Leeds are believed to be interested in signing a new defender for Farke, among other areas of the squad.

Leeds eyeing bargain Ben Johnson move as he rejects multiple contract offers

The Athletic claim West Ham United defender Ben Johnson, who looks set to leave when his contract expires this summer, is at the centre of interest from Elland Road.

Leeds are one of a few sides eyeing a bargain free swoop for Johnson, alongside the likes of Rangers and Crystal Palace, with the Englishman now having rejected multiple new contract offers to remain at the London Stadium.

On a reported £33,000-a-week, the full-back has been praised for his professionalism by former England star Stuart Pearce.

"He's a wonderful professional to deal with and work with," said Pearce. "We're very proud to have him out of our academy system as well, which is a real plus for us, especially with the connection to this club with the academy. I think he's just developing and getting better and better, and like with all young players, the more game time they have, the better they'll get, so I am delighted for the boy."

Arsenal are flying this season and, as things stand, have a real chance of ending the campaign by lifting the Premier League or the Champions League – or both.

Mikel Arteta’s side have gone from a team who scored just one goal from 63 shots over the festive period to one that has won their last eight league games by an aggregate score of 33-4, and they managed to score most of those goals without star striker Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian has once again missed a number of games this season through injury, and with the transfer window rapidly approaching, he could see himself replaced in the starting XI with a more clinical number nine as the club continues to progress.

The latest on Arsenal's striker search

Arsenal’s desire for a new striker is no secret. Even though their recent run of form has seen some suggest the team are better off without a central target, Arteta and Edu Gaspar still seem deadset on bringing in a star forward in the summer.

Brentford’s Ivan Toney has been the player most heavily touted for a move to N5 over the last year or so, but recent reports claim that the Gunners have ‘cooled their interest’ in the Englishman in recent weeks, making it appear that his chance to play for the club has passed.

However, while Arsenal have distanced themselves from the former Peterborough ace, recent reports from Italian outlet Il Mattino Italy (via TEAMtalk) have revealed that the Gunners have upped their pursuit of Napoli star Victor Osimhen and that Edu has already been in talks with the club’s eccentric chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis over a summer move.

The report has revealed that while Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on the Nigerian, a lack of Champions League football has ruled out the former, and the striker’s desire to play in the Premier League the latter. According to the report, this lack of genuine competition for the 25-year-old’s signature, alongside the north Londoner’s reluctance to pay his full €120m – £103m – release clause, means he could leave Naples for as little as €90m – £77m – in the summer.

While this is brilliant news for Arteta and the fans, it could spell trouble for Jesus.

How Victor Osimhen compares to Gabriel Jesus

So, if the Gunners can get this deal over the line in the summer, how does Osimhen compare to his potential rival?

Well, when it comes to pure goalscoring, there really isn’t much competition at all. In his 24 games this season, he’s found the back of the net 13 times, while Jesus has scored just eight times in his 26 games this season.

Victor Osimhen vs Gabriel Jesus from 2022/23
Player	Osimhen	Jesus
Appearances	63	59
Goals	44	19
Assists	9	12
Goal Involvements per Match	0.84	0.52
All Stats via Transfermarkt

It’s an even more one-sided comparison when looking at the pair’s numbers from last season, as in his 39 games, the “world-class” sensation, as described by José Mourinho, scored 31 goals, whereas the former Manchester City ace managed just 11 in his 33 games.

That said, the São Paulo-born dynamo does have the edge when it comes to assists, providing 12 since the start of last year compared to Osimhen’s nine over the same period.

However, with the Gunners looking for a clinical marksman to take advantage of the countless chances created by their fluid attacking unit, this slightly lower return of assists is unlikely to be an issue.

Ultimately, Jesus is an incredibly talented footballer. With his ability to play out wide, he’ll almost certainly have a role under Arteta, regardless of the club’s transfer business.

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Yet, if the Gunners can bring the Nigerian superstar to the Emirates, there’s no doubt he’ll become the outright number nine for the foreseeable future.

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Left-arm quick Usman Shinwari is in line for a Test debut, after replacing Muhammad Musa

Umar Farooq07-Dec-2019

Fawad Alam last played for Pakistan in April 2015•PCB

Fawad Alam is back in Pakistan’s Test squad after more than a decade out of the red-ball team. The left-hand middle-order batsman is part of the 16-member squad that will face Sri Lanka in two Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi later this month.Pakistan Test squad

Azhar Ali (capt), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari

Fawad replaced Iftikhar Ahmed, who only managed 44 runs in four innings on the recent tour of Australia. The only other change in the squad was the entry of left-arm quick Usman Shinwari, who has played 17 ODIs and 16 T20Is but is yet to make his Test debut, in place of the 19-year-old Muhammad Musa, who went wicketless in his Test debut in Adelaide.Naseem Shah, the 16-year-old paceman who played in Brisbane before giving way to Musa, kept his place in the Test squad. Shah has also been named in Pakistan’s squad for the Under-19 World Cup, which begins on January 17 in South Africa. He will miss the initial part of the Under-19 squad’s preparatory camp in Lahore, and join his team-mates at the end of the Test series.Kashif Bhatti, the uncapped 33-year-old left-arm spinner who was part of the squad in Australia but didn’t get a game, also remained in the squad.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Our target and our thinking is that we need consistency in the team and the continuity will give player confidence they need,” Misbah-ul-Haq, the chief selector and head coach, said at a press briefing. “We don’t need a lot of change and we haven’t done much either. Overall, only two changes in the squad, which was necessary.”This series holds a lot of importance in many way as the Sri Lanka series is marking the revival of Test cricket in the country. The results in this series will help us to regain our winning streak, so we have considered many aspects and taken important decisions. I am satisfied the team we have selected is based on a winning combination.”Fawad, 34, began his Test career in November 2009 in Colombo, scoring a second-innings century on debut. He has only played two more Tests since then, however, despite being one of the most prolific scorers, season after season, in Pakistan’s domestic cricket. He has also played 38 ODIs and 24 T20Is. His last international appearance was an ODI against Bangladesh in April 2015.But his runs in the domestic circuit have kept his cause alive. And, in the lead-up to this selection, he made himself almost impossible to ignore: in his last six games for Sindh in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he’s made scores of 92, 1, 29*, 107, 0, 65, 211 and 116.Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq run between the wickets•AFP

“It’s not that he was written off for any reason or so, but there is a narrow line where decisions are made. We had picked Iftikhar Ahmed because of his strengths and it’s not like someone else is overlooked intentionally,” Misbah said of Fawad. “We sometimes don’t go by numbers, but the ability in certain conditions as well. We needed a player at No. 6 and we think Fawad can fill in.”His performance isn’t about just one season, as he has been performing and maintaining his average for over many seasons. I don’t know what happened in the past but for now we are considering him and going to use his form.”One of the concerns for Pakistan in Test cricket has been that Azhar Ali, the captain, and Asad Shafiq, who were expected to take over from Misbah and Younis Khan after they retired, haven’t quite been as good as they were when playing with the seniors.Azhar has scored 763 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 26.31 since Misbah and Younis’ retirement, while Shafiq, in the same number of games, has done better, with 1034 runs at an average of 36.92.”It’s a worry, not just about them but for all the players who aren’t performing, even if it’s a bowler,” Misbah said. “There are always some players, who form the nucleus of the team, and I still believe in them. They [Azhar and Shafiq] are senior players. Unfortunately, they are not performing and I don’t know what are the reasons. But maybe it’s because of the lack of Test cricket for them, probably that’s a reason. Because, being a Test specialist, when you get to play after long gap it makes you feel like you are on debut. But their performance is very crucial if we want to lift ourselves in the Test championship.”